What do you think?
Rate this book
Winter Black #4
Winters Aufbruch
The cure is to kill...
For more than thirteen years, Special Agent Winter Black has believed her little brother was dead—kidnapped and murdered by The Preacher, the same lunatic who killed her parents. A lead into Justin’s whereabouts brings her out of her hiatus to chase it, but other cases need her attention too.
At the FBI, tensions are high when a body is dug up, encased in a fifty-five-gallon drum. The team soon realizes they aren’t hunting the typical serial killer, but a skilled surgeon. One who experiments on atypical brains—brains just like her new friend’s; brains just like her own—then disposes of their patients like they would a defective organ.
In the mix, Winter’s childhood psychiatrist surfaces—the only medical professional who knows about her abilities, or so she thinks.
Could the murders be connected?
Time is running out, because now, the killer is after Winter’s friend. And after her.
For more than thirteen years, Special Agent Winter Black has believed her little brother was dead—kidnapped and murdered by The Preacher, the same lunatic who killed her parents. A lead into Justin’s whereabouts brings her out of her hiatus to chase it, but other cases need her attention too.
At the FBI, tensions are high when a body is dug up, encased in a fifty-five-gallon drum. The team soon realizes they aren’t hunting the typical serial killer, but a skilled surgeon. One who experiments on atypical brains—brains just like her new friend’s; brains just like her own—then disposes of their patients like they would a defective organ.
In the mix, Winter’s childhood psychiatrist surfaces—the only medical professional who knows about her abilities, or so she thinks.
Could the murders be connected?
Time is running out, because now, the killer is after Winter’s friend. And after her.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2019
8007 people are currently reading
1399 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stone
218 books2,136 followersTo download my FREE BOOK, click here: https://authormarystone.com/free-book...
Nestled in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Mary Stone has transformed her peaceful home, once bustling with her sons, into a creative haven. As her family grew, so did her writing career, evolving from childhood fears to a deep understanding of real-life villains. Her stories, centered around strong, unconventional heroines, weave themes of courage and intrigue.
Mary's journey from a solitary writer to establishing her own publishing house marks a significant evolution, showcasing her commitment to the literary world. Through her writing and publishing endeavors, she continues to captivate and inspire, honoring her lifelong fascination with the mysterious and the courageous.
Nestled in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Mary Stone has transformed her peaceful home, once bustling with her sons, into a creative haven. As her family grew, so did her writing career, evolving from childhood fears to a deep understanding of real-life villains. Her stories, centered around strong, unconventional heroines, weave themes of courage and intrigue.
Mary's journey from a solitary writer to establishing her own publishing house marks a significant evolution, showcasing her commitment to the literary world. Through her writing and publishing endeavors, she continues to captivate and inspire, honoring her lifelong fascination with the mysterious and the courageous.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
January 12, 2020
It was ok
I was very disappointed in reading this book compared to the other 3 books in this series. This wasn’t suspenseful like the others. This was more about feelings towards one and another and more like a romance story
I was very disappointed in reading this book compared to the other 3 books in this series. This wasn’t suspenseful like the others. This was more about feelings towards one and another and more like a romance story
November 15, 2020
This book was such a disappointment. I recently found this author and downloaded a bunch of her books after I enjoyed the first one so much. The first two in this series were excellent reads; the characters were exceptionally believable and relatable, and the plots were multi-faceted. The third book in the series was less interesting, but the characters remained strong. I can hardly conceive of what might have happened with this one. Either a ghost writer wrote it, or someone told the author that her characters' dialogue needed spicing up or something. Suddenly these educated and admirable main characters began, in this novel, to act and speak like 20-something British twits. The dialogue was out of keeping, in both content and expression, with the established nature of the continuing characters; the plot was less refined and was single-faceted; the characters came across as, well, "characters" not people. I don't plan to read the remaining books in this particular series; the characters are ruined. I have downloaded the first in another series by this author though. I have seen evidence of the quality novel she is capable of producing.
March 25, 2021
The first 3 books were good, I really loved the story and concept. But this fourth one just annoyed me. It felt more like a backdoor TV episode to prep for the spinoff, in this case the Autumn Trent series. This book had to much fillers with not substance. The story was slow and not as intense as the others. I also don't understand why the author feels the need to constantly (and I do mean constantly) describe the colors of everyone's eyes! "His green eyes", "her blue eyes" hazel, pale, green specks....etc. I feel like a thesaurus could be of use because it seems to me some words were overly used. For example chagrin, ire, chortle, mirth and reverie to name a few. I noticed repetitive phrases in the first few books but for some reason it bugged me more in this one. Just seemed there was a lack of creativity in the writing. I'm going to try and finish this series and check out some of her other work as well and hope to God this was just a bad fluke.
November 28, 2020
I loved the first two books, the third was starting to show the direction she was heading with the characters that I thought less than stellar, the fourth, I just wanted to slap them all. I skipped over chunks of the book to get to the end. I will check reviews of her books before reading again. It saddens me that so many authors think their characters have to talk like insecure adolescents.
December 11, 2019
Kind of slow & predictable
For me, this book was a slow start and I had to force myself through parts of it. The storyline was predictable and I had it figured out ahead of time. Really tired of the slow building romantic tension that always seems to be tossed into this series. I do appreciate the character development and will continue to read more books in this series.
For me, this book was a slow start and I had to force myself through parts of it. The storyline was predictable and I had it figured out ahead of time. Really tired of the slow building romantic tension that always seems to be tossed into this series. I do appreciate the character development and will continue to read more books in this series.
April 10, 2022
done
I think I’m pretty much done with this series. I didn’t really enjoy this book as much as the first. All the buildup and catching the criminal was such a let down. The cliffhanger just isn’t enough to lure me into another boring read
I think I’m pretty much done with this series. I didn’t really enjoy this book as much as the first. All the buildup and catching the criminal was such a let down. The cliffhanger just isn’t enough to lure me into another boring read
May 31, 2021
Horrible book. Don’t waste your time. It was so bad I skimmed 2/3 of it
Every character is stupid, immature or a caricature of a human.
Every character is stupid, immature or a caricature of a human.
May 16, 2022
I downloaded this book in the hopes that it would carry on the story of Winter's brother but instead it began another murder mystery that was very intriguing until it was left to die by the author.
So much of this story revolves around annoying sexual tension between characters that the excitement and suspense of the story at hand became rushed and deflates in a matter of paragraphs.
Also, if my long lost kidnapped baby brother sends me an email out of the blue I'm not sure my thoughts would instantly turn to the athleticism and skill of football players on TV.
This story left me feeling completely lost.
So much of this story revolves around annoying sexual tension between characters that the excitement and suspense of the story at hand became rushed and deflates in a matter of paragraphs.
Also, if my long lost kidnapped baby brother sends me an email out of the blue I'm not sure my thoughts would instantly turn to the athleticism and skill of football players on TV.
This story left me feeling completely lost.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2020
Winter Black - Book 4
Winter and the gang are now looking for Winter’s brother Justin, whom Aidan believes the Preacher groomed to follow in his footsteps, and during that search they come across a strange situation with people either TBIs who end up rather gruesomely dead the first category includes Winter, of course, but also, and I still sigh when I have to say the name, Autumn.)
Good book, but a lot of hemming and hawing about the relationships (Winter/Noah/Aidan and Autumn/Aidan). Looking forward to the next. Currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Winter and the gang are now looking for Winter’s brother Justin, whom Aidan believes the Preacher groomed to follow in his footsteps, and during that search they come across a strange situation with people either TBIs who end up rather gruesomely dead the first category includes Winter, of course, but also, and I still sigh when I have to say the name, Autumn.)
Good book, but a lot of hemming and hawing about the relationships (Winter/Noah/Aidan and Autumn/Aidan). Looking forward to the next. Currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
April 3, 2021
still tiresome in terms of the emotional maturity of the agents.
and does the author realize how rare green eyes are? because about half the characters have them.
I’ve taken to skimming them so I can put together the mystery that runs through all the books.
and does the author realize how rare green eyes are? because about half the characters have them.
I’ve taken to skimming them so I can put together the mystery that runs through all the books.
July 11, 2019
Awesome
Loved this book. I now an impatiently waiting for the next book in the series. It's a must read series
Loved this book. I now an impatiently waiting for the next book in the series. It's a must read series
September 21, 2023
This is continuing to be an enjoyable listen on audible.
February 24, 2024
Round up to 4.5 stars.
October 25, 2024
These damn cliffhangers are going to be the death of me. I cannot stop reading these books. Send hhelp.
February 4, 2021
Wow I love books that keep you on your toes. Well written and a joy to read. Mary Stone you get your readers pulled into your story and keep them hooked. Can't wait to start the next one.
January 14, 2023
3.5 ⭐️’s. Ending was decent but the rest of the book felt uneventful. Can see where it was essential to the plot line of the entire series, but it fell flat as a stand alone story
February 14, 2023
This was probably the best book so far. It had action but also lots of interpersonal relationships.
October 15, 2023
Another investigation….
June 22, 2023
I had to go back and adjust my ratings on the previous books. As I read this one, I realized how disjointed it was - the relationships between the characters made no sense to me. Like there were parts of thoughts or interactions missing, like all the dots didn't connect. I had found myself several times in the four books I read, going back to read something to see if I had missed something, but no, it just wasn't there. The clincher for me was having two characters with these special abilities from TBIs named Winter and Autumn. Seriously??? Seriously. I won't read another one. Too many better written books out there.
September 5, 2022
I don’t feel like I can give it a 2 because it was still good, but it felt rushed and lost. The characters felt petty and were constantly falling out. The end was rushed and did we even really find out who the criminals were?! It was glazed over to go all the way back to the long lost brother after he hadn’t been mentioned since the start.
Each of the other books was detailed and each character had their own narrative. Confused by this book!!
Each of the other books was detailed and each character had their own narrative. Confused by this book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2020
Ooof. I feel like the author took an interesting murder mystery, took out half, and injected the other half with contrived relationship drama/ badly imagined love triangles. I found myself skipping over about every scene where the characters pondered their “are they friends? Are they more”? It wasn’t good. Hesitant to keep going with this series.
October 27, 2022
Too much
This book could have been a romance novel. I skipped a number of pages when the author veered into describing the over the top relationships between the main characters. Ugh
This book could have been a romance novel. I skipped a number of pages when the author veered into describing the over the top relationships between the main characters. Ugh
September 17, 2019
Another great read with such intriguing characters and story lines. Outstanding series. I cannot wait to see what happens next. Onto "Winter's Ghost." ;)
September 3, 2025
I see the high ratings on this novel and wonder "did I even read the same book?!"
Honestly, this book is making me question my ratings on the previous books in this series. It was...not good. I would say it's a high school drama with a little bit of serial killing thrown in on the side.
This book is about FEELINGS. Who likes who, who's annoyed with who, who's feeling slighted, irritated, mad, sad, ashamed, etc, etc, etc. In my head I was wondering "did the other books do this?! How did I notice?"
The serial killer is not really a surprise because we know who she is from the get go. It's mostly about the FBI finally figuring it out. It was pretty rushed and not that exciting. Here's a couple issues I had in no particular order:
*Two characters with special "powers" and they are named Autumn and Winter. (rolling eyes)
*Why is Aiden so obsessed with MUCH younger women and staring weirdly at their bodies? And why is the author trying to set this up as some "romance?"
*This is actually probably my biggest annoyance in the story. I understand some obsessed woman serial killing people to figure out their brains, but I do not buy into some brain-probing cabal that funds the whole adventure and murders everyone who gets in their way. That is too far and ridiculous. And believe it or not, this is not a spoiler because we learn about this toward the beginning of the novel.
*Winter gets
*Autumn is not likable. She acts like she's better than everyone else and that her trauma is way more serious and way more important than anyone else's. I mean, Winter's parents were murdered by a serial killer, but no big, compared to what Autumn went through. Yet all the characters just LOVE her. We don't really know why.
*There are a lot of comments like "she gave a chuckle at the joke." And yet nobody is actually saying anything amusing. It all felt very forced.
I don't plan on reading anymore in this series. The synopsis of the next book sounds amusing, but I can't bear reading all this trivial, juvenile, "does she like me?!" nonsense. It really felt like a bad YA romance.
Honestly, this book is making me question my ratings on the previous books in this series. It was...not good. I would say it's a high school drama with a little bit of serial killing thrown in on the side.
This book is about FEELINGS. Who likes who, who's annoyed with who, who's feeling slighted, irritated, mad, sad, ashamed, etc, etc, etc. In my head I was wondering "did the other books do this?! How did I notice?"
The serial killer is not really a surprise because we know who she is from the get go. It's mostly about the FBI finally figuring it out. It was pretty rushed and not that exciting. Here's a couple issues I had in no particular order:
*Two characters with special "powers" and they are named Autumn and Winter. (rolling eyes)
*Why is Aiden so obsessed with MUCH younger women and staring weirdly at their bodies? And why is the author trying to set this up as some "romance?"
*This is actually probably my biggest annoyance in the story. I understand some obsessed woman serial killing people to figure out their brains, but I do not buy into some brain-probing cabal that funds the whole adventure and murders everyone who gets in their way. That is too far and ridiculous. And believe it or not, this is not a spoiler because we learn about this toward the beginning of the novel.
*Winter gets
*Autumn is not likable. She acts like she's better than everyone else and that her trauma is way more serious and way more important than anyone else's. I mean, Winter's parents were murdered by a serial killer, but no big, compared to what Autumn went through. Yet all the characters just LOVE her. We don't really know why.
*There are a lot of comments like "she gave a chuckle at the joke." And yet nobody is actually saying anything amusing. It all felt very forced.
I don't plan on reading anymore in this series. The synopsis of the next book sounds amusing, but I can't bear reading all this trivial, juvenile, "does she like me?!" nonsense. It really felt like a bad YA romance.
July 31, 2025
3.5 stars.. Mystery took a back seat to the new character, Autumn Trent meeting and becoming friends with Bree, Noah, Winter and Aiden.
Likes:
Dislikes:
* Too many men interested in the introverted, socially awkward Winter Black
* Weird love triangle
Just Me:
Notre Dame:
Winter Morrigan Black:
Winter's Colleagues, Allies & Enemies:
Likes:
Dislikes:
* Too many men interested in the introverted, socially awkward Winter Black
* Weird love triangle
Just Me:
Notre Dame:
Winter Morrigan Black:
Winter's Colleagues, Allies & Enemies:
September 8, 2023
Curiouser and Curiouser
The story arc in this series gets more intense, more insane, and definitely closer to mind-melting as FBI agent Winter Black's tale unravels. Each addition delivers not just a fascinating case for the agents who populate these pages, but it gives the reader more clues to Winter's past and the possible location of her brother, missing since childhood.
The characters themselves; Winter, Noah, Aiden, and the rest are showing us their true and imperfect personalities. It's a bit like dating. A person may look good for the first few dates when they're on their best behavior. But eventually their flaws surface, sometimes in horrifying ways and you realize it's just time to ghost that sucker. That's what I love most about diving into a literary series. The character development has time to mature and show a trace of genuineness that's nearly impossible to achieve in short stories and only scratches the surface in stand-alone books.
The story in this particular novel takes an even darker turn as we meet a chilling new character and discover she's been working with one of our old favorites whom we already pegged as a creep. There's additional chaos as grown adults act with all the drama of hormone-laced middle schoolers. It's getting tougher to hide true feelings, but not everyone is an expert at reading and/or dealing with those emotions.
Be prepared for trauma, drama, chaos, and craziness in this episode. It's a bumpy ride in the haunted house this time around.
The story arc in this series gets more intense, more insane, and definitely closer to mind-melting as FBI agent Winter Black's tale unravels. Each addition delivers not just a fascinating case for the agents who populate these pages, but it gives the reader more clues to Winter's past and the possible location of her brother, missing since childhood.
The characters themselves; Winter, Noah, Aiden, and the rest are showing us their true and imperfect personalities. It's a bit like dating. A person may look good for the first few dates when they're on their best behavior. But eventually their flaws surface, sometimes in horrifying ways and you realize it's just time to ghost that sucker. That's what I love most about diving into a literary series. The character development has time to mature and show a trace of genuineness that's nearly impossible to achieve in short stories and only scratches the surface in stand-alone books.
The story in this particular novel takes an even darker turn as we meet a chilling new character and discover she's been working with one of our old favorites whom we already pegged as a creep. There's additional chaos as grown adults act with all the drama of hormone-laced middle schoolers. It's getting tougher to hide true feelings, but not everyone is an expert at reading and/or dealing with those emotions.
Be prepared for trauma, drama, chaos, and craziness in this episode. It's a bumpy ride in the haunted house this time around.
December 31, 2025
3 - 3.5 Stars
‘Driven by the trauma of her family’s brutal destruction, FBI Special Agent Winter Black is determined to take down her parents’ killer and every villain in her path. Little does she know, her biggest threat is much closer to home.’
Winter's Rise is Book Four in the Winter Black Series by Mary Stone. These books follow Special Agent Winter Black, whose life was shattered when her parents were murdered, and her little brother was believed to have been killed by a serial killer known as The Preacher. Years later, she’s not only chasing down dangerous criminals but also searching for the truth about her brother - a thread that runs through the entire series.
Here, you get the adrenaline rush of intense investigations - serial killers, twisted motives, and plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments - but also the personal side of Winter’s life. She’s tough and determined, but she’s also human, dealing with grief, trust issues, and complicated relationships.
Mary Stone’s writing is easy to sink into. The chapters are short and snappy, which made it really hard to put the books down. Each installment has its own case to solve, but there’s always that bigger mystery in the background, so you’ll probably want to read them in consecutive order to get the full picture and impact.
If you like shows like Criminal Minds or enjoy crime series with a mix of action as well as character depth, then this series is a solid choice.
Engaging, bingeable, and packed with both thrills and heart.
Happy Reading…
‘Driven by the trauma of her family’s brutal destruction, FBI Special Agent Winter Black is determined to take down her parents’ killer and every villain in her path. Little does she know, her biggest threat is much closer to home.’
Winter's Rise is Book Four in the Winter Black Series by Mary Stone. These books follow Special Agent Winter Black, whose life was shattered when her parents were murdered, and her little brother was believed to have been killed by a serial killer known as The Preacher. Years later, she’s not only chasing down dangerous criminals but also searching for the truth about her brother - a thread that runs through the entire series.
Here, you get the adrenaline rush of intense investigations - serial killers, twisted motives, and plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments - but also the personal side of Winter’s life. She’s tough and determined, but she’s also human, dealing with grief, trust issues, and complicated relationships.
Mary Stone’s writing is easy to sink into. The chapters are short and snappy, which made it really hard to put the books down. Each installment has its own case to solve, but there’s always that bigger mystery in the background, so you’ll probably want to read them in consecutive order to get the full picture and impact.
If you like shows like Criminal Minds or enjoy crime series with a mix of action as well as character depth, then this series is a solid choice.
Engaging, bingeable, and packed with both thrills and heart.
Happy Reading…
February 24, 2023
Book 4 in the series was a bit disappointing at first. Led to believe it was investigation into the whereabouts of Winter's kidnapped younger brother, the story veers off into another direction.
"For more than thirteen years, Special Agent Winter Black has believed her little brother was dead—kidnapped and murdered by The Preacher, the same lunatic who killed her parents. A lead into Justin’s whereabouts brings her out of her hiatus to chase it, but other cases need her attention too.
At the FBI, tensions are high when a body is dug up, encased in a fifty-five-gallon drum. The team soon realizes they aren’t hunting the typical serial killer, but a skilled surgeon. One who experiments on atypical brains—brains just like her new friend’s; brains just like her own—then disposes of their patients like they would a defective organ.
In the mix, Winter’s childhood psychiatrist surfaces—the only medical professional who knows about her abilities, or so she thinks." synopsis copied
Could the murders be connected?
Time is running out, because now, the killer is after Winter’s friend. And after her.
"For more than thirteen years, Special Agent Winter Black has believed her little brother was dead—kidnapped and murdered by The Preacher, the same lunatic who killed her parents. A lead into Justin’s whereabouts brings her out of her hiatus to chase it, but other cases need her attention too.
At the FBI, tensions are high when a body is dug up, encased in a fifty-five-gallon drum. The team soon realizes they aren’t hunting the typical serial killer, but a skilled surgeon. One who experiments on atypical brains—brains just like her new friend’s; brains just like her own—then disposes of their patients like they would a defective organ.
In the mix, Winter’s childhood psychiatrist surfaces—the only medical professional who knows about her abilities, or so she thinks." synopsis copied
Could the murders be connected?
Time is running out, because now, the killer is after Winter’s friend. And after her.
August 30, 2020
Winter's Rise book 4
The leads to find Justin have all led to a dead end. They're on another case, they have found another body in a 55 gallon oil drum. He's like the woman found 13 years ago, body degraded by lye, no teeth and no identifying marks left. They're on the trail of a neurosurgeon that disappeared 15 years ago with no leads until they arrest Winter's old psychiatrist for stalking and after converting with his lawyer confessed to the two murders but they trip him up and days later he tells them where Dr. Sarah Evans can be found. She is arrested and found hung to death in her cell. Winter finally tells Autumn that she too bad a TON and woke up with a sixth sense. I'm the end the group o friends meet at the bar where Winter just received a text from Justin only topped by the fact they have a new case. A mass murderer in federal custody has been murdered.
The leads to find Justin have all led to a dead end. They're on another case, they have found another body in a 55 gallon oil drum. He's like the woman found 13 years ago, body degraded by lye, no teeth and no identifying marks left. They're on the trail of a neurosurgeon that disappeared 15 years ago with no leads until they arrest Winter's old psychiatrist for stalking and after converting with his lawyer confessed to the two murders but they trip him up and days later he tells them where Dr. Sarah Evans can be found. She is arrested and found hung to death in her cell. Winter finally tells Autumn that she too bad a TON and woke up with a sixth sense. I'm the end the group o friends meet at the bar where Winter just received a text from Justin only topped by the fact they have a new case. A mass murderer in federal custody has been murdered.
May 25, 2021
BLURB: The cure is to kill...
For more than thirteen years, Special Agent Winter Black has believed her little brother was dead—kidnapped and murdered by The Preacher, the same lunatic who killed her parents. A lead into Justin’s whereabouts brings her out of her hiatus to chase it, but other cases need her attention too.
At the FBI, tensions are high when a body is dug up, encased in a fifty-five-gallon drum. The team soon realizes they aren’t hunting the typical serial killer, but a skilled surgeon. One who experiments on atypical brains—brains just like her new friend’s; brains just like her own—then disposes of their patients like they would a defective organ.
In the mix, Winter’s childhood psychiatrist surfaces—the only medical professional who knows about her abilities, or so she thinks.
Could the murders be connected?
Time is running out, because now, the killer is after Winter’s friend. And after her.
For more than thirteen years, Special Agent Winter Black has believed her little brother was dead—kidnapped and murdered by The Preacher, the same lunatic who killed her parents. A lead into Justin’s whereabouts brings her out of her hiatus to chase it, but other cases need her attention too.
At the FBI, tensions are high when a body is dug up, encased in a fifty-five-gallon drum. The team soon realizes they aren’t hunting the typical serial killer, but a skilled surgeon. One who experiments on atypical brains—brains just like her new friend’s; brains just like her own—then disposes of their patients like they would a defective organ.
In the mix, Winter’s childhood psychiatrist surfaces—the only medical professional who knows about her abilities, or so she thinks.
Could the murders be connected?
Time is running out, because now, the killer is after Winter’s friend. And after her.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews