Running Scared

Shepard & Kelly Mysteries #3

by Benjamin Bradley

From the series that brought you Welcome to the Punkhorns and Trouble Afoot comes a tense and twisty mystery about an idyllic summer camp, a missing girl, and secrets buried long ago.

Delaney Shepard was just nineteen when she signed on to be a counselor at Whispering Pines, a sleep-away summer camp for talented high school runners looking to hone their craft. When the campers went to sleep, the counselors partied in the empty cabins like there was no tomorrow. But on the last night of camp, a girl from Delaney’s bunk went missing. And soon rumors spread that Delaney was the last person to see Annie Miller alive.

Thirteen years later, Detective Delaney Shepard has traded the quaint cabins of Whispering Pines for the dreamy shores of Cape Cod. Her newfound partnership with P.I. Casper Kelly has put her on a track for promotion and promise. When evidence from the case resurfaces, Delaney must face down old foes that plan to answer the enduring question: What happened to Annie Miller?

When they return to Whispering Pines, it appears untouched since that last summer. Digging through past and present for leads, Delaney and Casper attempt to piece together what actually happened on that fateful night. As clues resurface, Delaney searches for closure and answers, even if they aren’t what she'd hoped.

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2022

About the author

Benjamin Bradley is a member of both Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. His upcoming release WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND hits shelves on April 29, 2025 from CamCat Books. He's the author of the Shepard & Kelly Mystery series and his short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Reckon Review and Flash Fiction Magazine. He works in public health and homelessness and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, their cat Fox, and their dog Harper.

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Reviews

[Pancha Mantilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ebook of this book as an exchange for an honest review.

I’m gonna start this by apologizing… right now I’m not myself and I might not express all the support this book deserves. But trust me, it is worth it.

Running sacred is a really good murder mystery. It involves multiple perspectives and two timelines. The characters make the story flow along with their prejudices and personalities. I assure you everyone is a suspect and all have theories. The book makes you start building complex conspiracy boards with thousand loose ends and possibilities. The characters and their views make it impossible to truly trust anybody.

I enjoyed the pase and the narration. Every single character is unique and i loved that. Even if I found impossible to love all of them. I mean of them have great characterization, so even the ones you might not like are great. The teens become adults, the fears become truths and grief becomes life. This … I can’t find the words … but it is great book.

I must confess … i never saw most of the twist coming.

[Jennie Rosenblum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read the first two in this series and was more than ready for this third book. Memories of Summer Camp led me to the first book and let me tell you – my camp experience pales in comparison. Nothing this exciting ever happened. In Book 3, the author takes us back to Camp Whispering Pines, which is changing drastically. Not only has the lake been drained but there is a body – an old body. Young campers are now adults and have various lives, including being in law enforcement. The mystery does a very good job of leading down through the plot, I knew exactly where I was going but then I was lost and boy do I love being lost. As I followed the characters, the clues and the various twists, I was beguiled.

The author kept me guessing as he alternated between current day and Then (back during one summer). This was the perfect example of things not being what they first appeared to be.

An enjoyable series in every aspect. Read it first, read it third – but read them all!

[Lisa Towles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the same reasons as the other two in the series - great stories and great writing. But this one goes deeper than the others, allowing us to better understand Detective Shepard and what she’s been hiding from. There’s also something very intriguing about summer camp - reminiscent (to me anyway) of childhood, danger, and discovery. An all around great read and I recommend the whole series.

[Matthew P · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Our past has an enormous influence on our future if we look in the rearview.”

In Running Scared, the latest Shephard and Kelly Mystery, Benjamin Bradley takes us on a journey through a week of Delaney Shephard's past that could have powerful repercussions for the future.

While in college, Delaney worked as a camp counselor one summer at Camp Whispering Pines. During the camp, one of the campers went missing. Decades later a body is found and all indications are that the mystery of the missing camper can now be solved. Delaney and Casper are asked to consult on the case and upon arriving at the camp's location, things suddenly take a turn for the worse.

Bradley again writes this book with multiple POV. This time he also switches back and forth from the present day to the past. He does so effortlessly, weaving a clear and concise story that has several twists at the end.

He has again chosen to change the location of the story which is a wise decision. Instead of the murder rate of Brewster, Massachusetts sky rocketing, we have had locations such as Wake County, North Carolina in the previous book and Franklin, New York in this one. One wonders where they will travel next.

This is my favorite book so far in the Shepard and Kelly series. Using events from the past that arise to cause trouble today reminds me of Harlan Coben at his best. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[ɠιɳα ☠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourteen years ago, a girl named Annie Miller went missing on her last night at Camp Whispering Pines. A body that could be hers is found on the lake and called in to Detective Dominic Flynn—none other than one of Annie’s old counselors, and one of the last people to have seen her that night. But there’s someone else Annie was with, and that someone Dom is almost certain is Annie’s murderer.

But what if Dom’s wrong? Detective Delaney Shepard would surely say so. Determined to clear her name, Delaney sets off to help Dom with his investigation. There are important pieces to the puzzle Dom keeps overlooking, and Delaney refused to back down until she’s laid out the entire picture so Dom can finally see.

But is Delaney even on the right track? Or is she distracting Dom from finding the real killer?
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I thought this was a great book. Loved the mystery and characters. Got a lot of Friday the 13th, Scream, and Urban Legend vibes. I thought the reveal was brilliant and enjoyed the ending very much. My only complaints were that I didn’t realize the book was part of a series (my own fault) so that made things confusing for a bit, and I also felt some parts in the story dragged on. But other than that, I think this is a solid read and great for people who love detective mysteries.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delaney Shepard signed on to be a counselor at Whispering Pines, a sleep-away summer camp for talented high school runners looking to hone their craft. On the last night of camp, a girl from Delaney’s bunk went missing. And soon rumors spread that Delaney was the last person to see her alive. Thirteen years later, Detective Delaney Shepard has traded the quaint cabins of Whispering Pines for the dreamy shores of Cape Cod. Her newfound partnership with P.I. Casper Kelly has put her on a track for promotion and promise. When evidence from the case resurfaces, Delaney must face down old foes that plan to answer the enduring question: What happened to Annie Miller?
I did not read the other books in this series but reading this one makes me want to go back and read the first two books. Luckily you can read this one without reading the others. I loved the excitement this book offers with all its twists and turns. The book is set in both the past and present and I think that it was done well. The characters were well written, but I think I would have enjoyed them more if I had read the other books in the series. If you love thrillers and have Kindle Unlimited, you can read this book and the others in the series with your subscription.

[Jahara - Jarjarbindings · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Beware The Whispering Woods. Beware The Whispering Women. If you hear footsteps in the night, wait for a whisper. Then act upon it like your life depends on it. Because it does!”

"This is a week where you leave your worries at the gate. They’ll be there when you head home, but for now, be free.”

In the past, 19 year old Delaney Shepard had signed on to be a counselor at Whispering Pines, a summer camp for high school runners looking to improve their talents. When the campers went to sleep, the counselors decided to party in the empty cabins. But on the last night of camp, a girl from Delaney’s bunk went missing. And soon rumors spread that Delaney was the last person to see Annie Miller alive. Thirteen years later, evidence from the case resurfaces, and Delaney must face down old foes that plan to answer the enduring question: What happened to Annie Miller? As clues resurface, Delaney searches for closure and answers, even if they aren’t what she'd hoped.

My thoughts: I always enjoy a good murder mystery with past and present POV's and this one did not disappoint! I've taken a step back from this genre for a bit because I was getting frustrated I kept guessing the big surprise ending, but with this book It left me blank! I really enjoyed the plot twists, and the characters and the setting of the story as well! Thank you so much to @katieandbreypa and the author for letting me be apart of this team!!
I give Running Scared by Benjamin Bradley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Gemma Best · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 3 in the Shepard and Kelly Mysteries and I haven’t read the first two books but that didn’t matter as this novel is a fast paced, action packed page turner. Delaney Shepard finally has to face her past but this time she has her partner Casper Kelly at her side. Facing the past isn’t going to be easy when it means coming face to face with a person who believes you are responsible for murder and will do anything to try and prove it.

Delaney is a really well written character and the story shifts between the events of 13 years ago and what is happening in the present day. At first I found it a little confusing but once I was used to it I found it really helped progress the story and I loved all the animosity between Delaney and Dom. This novel moves towards an explosive ending and I really enjoyed it. I will be going back to read the first two books in this series.

I received an advanced reader's copy of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and is written voluntarily.

[Myra McIlvain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benjamin Bradley has created an intriguing tale in his Running Scared (Shepherd & Kelly Mysteries, Book 3) that switches from crazy events at Whispering Pines, a summer camp for talented high school runners to thirteen years later when the same crowd is grown and going about their varied lives.
Delaney Shepherd, a 19-year-old camp counselor, is haunted by suspicions of being the murderer of a camper who disappears on the last night. When a body is found at the bottom of the lake after so many years, Delaney, a rising star in the police department, returns to chase down the truth, which takes on new shape with each turn.
The story held the reader’s interest despite a confusing number of names of characters that populated the early pages. After plowing through the maze of campers, the main plot came through and surprised.
Myra Hargrave McIlvain, writes Texas historical fiction

[Geetika Adhikary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story starts as the dead body of a girl named Annie Miller who went missing 14 years ago in Whispering Pines summer camp might have been found in the lake.
Working on this case is detective Dominic Flynn who was one of the counselors on the summer camp somehow fixated that Annie was murdered by Delaney Shephard who is also a detective and was also one of the counselors.

The story is full of twists and turns. As the story proceeds we get to know more about whispering pines mysteries.

The characters were well written but the relationship between some of the characters felt superficial to me, also this may be because I haven't read the first two books in the series.
The story was a little slow paced for me, some parts felt dragged.

[Miranda (mirandalovesbookss) · Rating 5 out of 5]

👟 Book Review 👟
Running Scared by Benjamin Bradley
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I did not know this was part of a series 😂 but honestly this could be a stand-alone! I recently started getting into crimes & thrillers, first to get me started was Shadow Dance by Julie Garwood! But anywho, Running Scared by @benjaminbradleywrites wrote this book excellently! The characters were well-written, the story shifts back in forth between the past and present. It's definitely a page turner, the twist I did not expect, I literally thought it was this person but no!! It wasn't and the ending 🥲 I'm glad it ended differently.

2 cases solved in one!

[Lenise17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When past and present this is a great mystery book thank you @benjaminbradleywrites for this
awesome story and thank you @katieandbreypa
For allowing me to read it

Delaney a 19 year old counselor in a camp for high school runners
One night a Annie miller goes missing Delaney the last one to see her alive now 14 years later Delaney is a detective and a body was found could it be Annie Delaney team up with casper Kelly but what delaney didn’t know is that Dominic Flynn was looking at her for the murder is Delaney guilty or not find out when you read the story
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Charlie Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun crime mystery set in Whispering Pines, a high school summer camp specifically designed for elite runners. The story is told in alternative timelines from past and present with some OG camp counselors in the past and in the present each are detectives brought back to try to work together to solve a murder from when they were at the camp. One is a prime suspect, the other is out to prove she did it. This was a perfectly paced mystery with the alternating timelines telling the story from past and present in such a way that bit by bit you get a full picture yet question everyone which keeps you wanting to just read one more chapter. It is twisty, spooky, and full of teenage nostalgia. Anyone who loves those old horror summer camp movies from the 70s/80s is sure to love this book with a more modern take. I thought this was such a great read and I had a hard time putting it down without going on to the next chapter. I love the spooky camp vibe with an 10 year old murder mystery to solve.

[Erika Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was set in both the past and present, which led to a really interesting style of writing. I liked hearing both aspects of the story, as all parts can be important in a mystery. However, I could not get into the characters and that made the book really hard to read. The ending did have a good plot twist if you’re someone who enjoys an ending you might not see coming. I would recommend reading this is you’re a fan of mysteries, running, and/or summer camps!

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has a great story to tell and he does it in a great way.

I love how the story was set in both past and present and how all the perspectives on the past where presented. The short chapters helps a lot in reading the book, not as much as the suspense and the bits of mistery revealed in each chapter.

I realy enjoyed the plot twist in the ending.

After reading the book I found out that is part of a series and now I realy want to read the first two books.


I received this eARC in exchange of a honest review.

[Crystal Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A murder and a mystery! I love it! Stories like this always hold my full attention and I was hooked from chapter one. The mystery was captivating and almost had me put up the red string so I can try to figure out who dunnit! I wi say the big reveal not at all who I thought it was but very satisfying ending. Loved it!

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great third installment in the series. It was great to get some background on the characters, all revealed through twists and turns that kept me guessing up until the very end. A must read for fans of mysteries!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It was virtually void of typos or errors, which was a bonus. This is my new favorite Benjamin Bradley novel. Highly recommend the series, you won't regret reading it.

[Julia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the third book of the series, Bradley continues the story of the two detectives, Shepherd and Kelly with Kelly’s “origin story”. It is a pretty genius move as it ends up bringing the couple closer together while explaining why Kelly went into police work and developing Shepherd's detective skills to a much higher level. The story is intriguing and the reader is encouraged to struggle with just exactly who is the evil one. Bradley’s skill at writing can be seen throughout the book, but his ability to combine fear and reality without ever going too dark is what makes the book.

It seems to me that the rule “don’t go into the woods” is clear. If you do not want a fearful experience, stay out of the woods. Simple, unless you are a teen at summer camp and then the rule is simply daring you to go into the woods. When your brain believes that you are invincible and certainly our brains lean that way in our formative teenage years, you just got to find out for yourself, and prove that fear of the woods is ridiculous. Ah, to have the wisdom of years! Camp Whispering Pines is built on the idea of hard work (it is for Track athletes) first and then some great fun and games after. It is a typical camp in that after lights out, the college-age counselor's party into the wee hours of the morning, adding hang-overs to their daily routine. Being summer time there are of course the first love and summer romance experiences that blossom as well.

Having been a summer camper years ago I have always wondered how hard it must have been to hire young adults that can be trusted with the young campers, a daunting job I imagine! With the revelation that Camp Whispering Pines has hired a young man who turns out to be really creepy, even scary, combined with the fear of the woods, you know you are in for quite a story.

[Jhepay | nothingbutbooktalks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc tour and review 🌻

Running Scared by Benjamin Bradley ✨

📚: 16/50
Rating: 5/5
Print length: 351 pages
Date read: July 22-27, 2022

“We don’t care if we get away with it. But we will sacrifice Annie to make us famous.”

💭
It follows both the past and present of each characters which I find really ineteresting. Not that it has a certain pov but you’ll know who’s pov it was once you got in the flow of the story but mostly focused on a certain Delaney Shepard, a 19 years old college student and a Camp Counselor at Camp Whispering Pines—a summer camp for runners. By the end of their stay, one camper went missing. Which led to a mystery that took years to solve—once they discovered a body 14 years later under the lake at the campsite. The real start of the investigation on what really happened to the missing camper which led to many secrets revealed, shocking secrets to be exact. Whew! 🫣

I haven’t experienced camping so it’s a plus how the author described the camp setting. The forest, the lake, the camp houses and it’s bunk beds, and anything nature. Even the scenes are in vivid details which I like bcos it’s not hard for me to imagine whatevers happening—got me wholly occupied. I also like the character development. The past and present pov really give the oomph on the story. 🤌🏻

What a third book in the Shepard and Kelly Mystery series. I’m stunned. Shocked. It has such a good plot twist. An ending I didn’t even expected—even my hunches are far off on this one. Totally! So get your copies now if you’re into camping murder mysteries and up for a scare. You’ll gonna love this one bcos I certainly did. 😏

🐧