What Still Burns

by Elle Grawl

From the author of One of Those Faces comes the haunting story of a young woman’s return home to face her tragic past, the fire that killed her family, and what remains in the ashes.

Alexis “Lex” Blake swore she would never return to the town where she’d lost her home and her family in a devastating fire that only she survived and can barely remember. But when her aunt dies, leaving behind a mountain of debt, Lex has no choice but to head back to Northern California to settle her family’s estate.

The small town is much the same way Lex left it: tight knit, staunchly religious, and wary of the Blakes, as evidenced by her run-ins with the sheriff, the preacher, and the nosy locals. The one saving grace is her old flame, but even Kael McPheron isn’t enough to distract Lex from the bitterness of her past.

Preparing her family’s property for sale forces Lex to contend with strange occurrences and mysterious phone calls that begin to unlock buried childhood memories. And when a body turns up—and then another one—Lex realizes that the mystery of that night is deeper than she ever imagined, and the threat that already destroyed her life once still burns.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark and chilling are two of the words that immediately strike me when I think about What Still Burns by Elle Graw. This psychological thriller features Alexis “Lex or Lexi” Blake who returns to Sola, California to settle her family’s estate. Lex lost her parents, two sisters, and a brother in a fire on their dairy farm when she was ten. Lex was the only survivor and she has few memories of the event. However, when her Aunt Beth dies and leaves a substantial debt, Lex needs to sell the farm. They have lived in San Francisco since Lex was sixteen.

The small town is tight-knit, nosy, very religious, and filled with secrets. Lex does reconnect with her childhood friend and neighbor Kael McPheron. However, things get uncomfortable and scary when mysterious phone calls and a cassette tape cause buried memories to surface. When a body turns up, Lex’s trepidation increases as she tries to determine whether the death is related to her family’s tragedy.

The world-building was great in this novel. I could easily visualize the burned house, the motel where Lex stays, and Kael’s farm as well as the people in the town. However, I wanted a little more character depth and a more detailed ending. Despite this, the suspense, danger, action, intense moments, and character interactions provided a plausible and compelling reading experience.

Overall, this psychological thriller was engaging and atmospheric with action, suspense, and a bit of a romance.

Thomas and Mercer and Elle Grawl provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for August 15, 2023.

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My 3.81 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: It's only fitting that my story ends the same way it began.
My lungs spasm.
I should've never come back. That idea replays through my mind on a loop as I drag myself aong the ground, my nails cracking from the dirt piling underneath.
I cough, the dirt and ashes swirling in front of me. I collapse to the ground, stabbing pain splitting my sides.
I burrow into the earth again, gasping, inhaling the toxins.
My eyes fill with smoke, and it's hard to tell if I'm moving forward, closer to the fresh air, or digging my own grave.

ABOUT 'WHAT STILL BURNS': Alexis “Lex” Blake swore she would never return to the town where she’d lost her home and her family in a devastating fire that only she survived and can barely remember. But when her aunt dies, leaving behind a mountain of debt, Lex has no choice but to head back to Northern California to settle her family’s estate.

The small town is much the same way Lex left it: tight knit, staunchly religious, and wary of the Blakes, as evidenced by her run-ins with the sheriff, the preacher, and the nosy locals. The one saving grace is her old flame, but even Kael McPheron isn’t enough to distract Lex from the bitterness of her past.

Preparing her family’s property for sale forces Lex to contend with strange occurrences and mysterious phone calls that begin to unlock buried childhood memories. And when a body turns up—and then another one—Lex realizes that the mystery of that night is deeper than she ever imagined, and the threat that already destroyed her life once still burns.

MY THOUGHTS: There is simply too much going on in this book. Early on the author tries to create a 'creepy' feel to the narrative. But for me, it simply didn't work. There's a multitude of mysteries - strange and frightening phone calls, misappropriation of money, 'ghosts and shadows', rumors and innuendo, seances, veiled threats and fugue states. And no-one in this small town is really talking or telling the truth. It all just felt very messy and not at all suspenseful.

I didn't get a good feel for any of the characters, they just weren't rounded out enough. I couldn't 'see' them or feel for them and, frankly, it was just all unbelievable and far-fetched, especially the resolution.

Although this is a quick read at less than 300 pages, it was an average experience for me. Others have loved What Still Burns. I'll let you make up your own mind.

⭐⭐.5

#WhatStillBurns #NetGalley

I: @ellegrawl @amazonpublishing

X: @ElleGrawl @AmazonPub

#contemporaryfiction #crime #mystery #smalltownfiction #thriller

Published 15 August 2023

THE AUTHOR: Elle Grawl is a lawyer and thriller writer. She is inspired by her interest in true crime and her experience as an attorney.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of What Still Burns by Elle Grawl for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Jenna Leone · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars. Review to come closer to publication date.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Protagonist Lex Blake's story is one of tragedy, lifelong secrets, and the devils that hide in plain sight. With WHAT STILL BURNS, Elle Grawl delivers a dark, disquieting thriller that also conceals a top-notch mystery. Perfect for fans of Lisa Gardner, Elle Marr, and compelling page-turners set in small towns and close communities. I won't soon forget how this one ends!

[Samantha Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elle Grawl's WHAT STILL BURNS is a beautifully written, mesmerizing, frightening story of one woman's struggle to understand the tragic losses in her past so she can move forward with her future. A compelling mystery with emotional depth, flawed but quietly strong characters, and a journey to the truth that becomes darker on every page, this novel ratchets up the suspense until you're terrified and can't stop reading.

[T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately nothing is working for me right now. I thought I’d like this going on because I like small towns with secrets, mysteries, and family drama. But it was just okay. The writing was somewhat juvenile and the overall story has been done a million times before. Also the romance wasn’t too hefty but still too much for me. It reminded me of a watered down version of All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda but I’ve already read that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Life isn't that easy on Lex. She's lost her parents, her aunt, her boyfriend. Money isn't easy either. Anyway, she goes to the town she left ages ago to sell the farm, and by doing so, she discovers there are secrets about her past that she needs to uncover. I wasn't expecting the turn the book took ! It was a very interesting read. I absolutely LOVE the ending for everything involved.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

#WhatStillBurns by Elle Grawl has all the elements for a compelling mystery. The lone survivor of a horrible tragedy returns like the prodigal child to the scene of the 'crime'. Was the tragedy simply the result of an accident or was there more to it? Trying to separate fact from fiction in what she thinks she remembers and what actually happened.

At ten, Alexis "Lex" Blake and her family moved to her mother's hometown but because she was a Blake not a Rawlings, Lex always felt like an outsider. After a devastating fire destroyed her home and her family, all she wanted was to leave the town, its tight-knit religious community, and the gossip behind her for good.

But years later when her last remaining family member dies, Lex has no choice but to return to the place that caused her so much pain. The only asset Lex has to settle the mountain of debt left from her Aunt's illness is the family homestead. But being back is harder than she could have imagined as suppressed memories about the days leading up to the fire that killed her family are slowly reemerging. What really happened to her family and why does it seem that someone is willing to kill to keep her from finding out?

Elle Grawl sketches a nice slice of small town living particularly the challenges for outsiders. But the picture never feels like more than an outline and simply doesn't offer enough detail to feel authentic or complete. Lex's motivations, her actions, and her interactions seem to happen in a vacuum disconnected from the primary story. It is a challenge to say what the primary mystery is as the book has multiple threads - several of which could have made a compelling story on their own - so instead of a clear mystery to be solved the reader gets taken down multiple paths that ultimately lead nowhere and add nothing to the resolution of the story. Somewhere in 'What Still Burns' is the core of good mystery but that's not apparent in this unfocused story.

Thanks to #netgalley for providing access to this ARC of #WhatStillBurns in exchange for an honest review.

[Kori Potenzone · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Unanswered questions... Untold Secrets" - What Still Burns

Elle Grawl, first hit the circuit with her debut novel, One of Those Faces, right then and there I became an instant fan.

I read a review on What Still Burns and it was described as having "slow pacing' and I couldn't help but think, "Were we reading the same book?" This book right here is not slow, its actually the exact opposite, this is a fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat yearning to flip the pages faster.

This book is jam packed with both likable and unlikable characters, you will never know who truly is "good" or "bad" and I can tell you, don't trust anyone.

While reading I couldn't help but picture this book being made into a movie (I hope they don't ruin it!!! The book is always better!!!) The writing style was fluid and engaging, all in all, if you haven't already guessed it, I LOVED IT!!!

5 stars

Check out this teaser :

Alexis “Lex” Blake swore she would never return to the town where she’d lost her home and her family in a devastating fire that only she survived and can barely remember. But when her aunt dies, leaving behind a mountain of debt, Lex has no choice but to head back to Northern California to settle her family’s estate.

The small town is much the same way Lex left it: tight knit, staunchly religious, and wary of the Blakes, as evidenced by her run-ins with the sheriff, the preacher, and the nosy locals. The one saving grace is her old flame, but even Kael McPheron isn’t enough to distract Lex from the bitterness of her past.

Preparing her family’s property for sale forces Lex to contend with strange occurrences and mysterious phone calls that begin to unlock buried childhood memories. And when a body turns up—and then another one—Lex realizes that the mystery of that night is deeper than she ever imagined, and the threat that already destroyed her life once still burns.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Still Burns is a story about Alexis “Lex” Blake who is the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Lex was raised by her Aunt Beth who recently died. As she goes through her things, she finds that there is a lot that Beth never told her. Now dealing with Beth's affairs she learns that the property was put in a trust and the best way to settle her aunt's estate is to go back to the one place she swore she would never go and sell it once and for all.

The small town is pretty much the same way Lex remembers it: tight knit, religious, and wary of outsiders like the Blakes. Lex soon runs into her old boyfriend, Kael McPherson. It's an easy relationship to slip into, but Lex has no intention of staying and Kael isn't leaving.

Lex begins to get strange phone calls late at night. Evan her more recent old boyfriend strangely shows up and they get into another argument, she believes he had left until she gets a call from her boss that he never returned. A body turns up at Kael's farm, and then another one in her hotel room, Lex realizes that there are many more secrets that someone is trying to hide, and she may be in more danger from the secrets of the past.

This was an intense mystery that kept building with every turn of the page. There are several characters that are suspicious, so it was easy to narrow it down. But I didn't guess as to the culprit. The story is well written and easy to follow. The characters were well written for a small-town story. Lots of nosy judgmental people instead of a town of do-gooders makes it full of possible suspects.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay. I didn't mind it but I didn't love it either. The mystery element was good however everything else just seemed average. I have been reading a lot of thrillers recently and this one just wasn't up there as much as some of the others unfortunately.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[J Kromrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this captivating eARC

A fascinating labyrinth of a mystery unfolds as a young woman returns to the town where her entire family was killed when she was a teenager. Upon her return, new devastation is triggered, and you are ldft wondering, if the main character in this novel is the innocent victim or the heartless perpetrator? Are the all to real threats she currently faces externally or internally created?

Read this novel as the past evolves into the future as the evolution of crime comes forth to threaten a young victim who has already lost far too much in a town she has come to hate.

As the main character attempts to find love and carve a future for herself, out of a past too full of devastation, does the current threat she faces have anything to do with the price she paid when she lost her family in the same environment not so long ago?

I read hundreds of mystery novels a year, and this is one of the very best I have read this year. I will definitely be waiting and watching to read more from this very talented author who successfully created such an intricate and fascinating psychological thriller.

This is one of those books you read and afterwards realize that it would make for a mesmerizing movie, even as you realize it would likely fall short when compared to the original novel and the artful writing of a wonderfully skilled author.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's something oddly comforting about scrolling through your Kindle library when you can't decide what to read next. That's exactly how I stumbled upon What Still Burns by Elle Grawl, and I'm glad I did—though with some reservations. Having previously enjoyed Grawl's One of Those Faces, I was eager to see what she'd deliver next. This psychological thriller gave me strong vibes of Roz Watkins' The Red House, with its small-town secrets and buried family trauma.

The premise immediately hooked me: Alexis (Lexi) lost her entire family in a devastating fire as a child and was raised by her aunt. When her aunt dies, Lexi discovers she's inherited the family home—the very place where her nightmares began. Returning to her small hometown to prepare the house for sale, Lexi finds herself confronting suppressed memories and questioning everything she thought she knew about that tragic night. Was the fire truly an accident, or was something more sinister at play?

Elle Grawl excels at creating an atmosphere of creeping dread. The small-town setting feels authentic, complete with its web of gossip, long-held grudges, and residents who remember too much. As Lexi digs deeper into her family's past, recent murders in town suggest that whatever destroyed her family might not be finished. The author skillfully weaves present danger with past trauma, keeping me turning pages even when I suspected where the story was heading.

However, this is where What Still Burns stumbles slightly. While the writing is solid and the characters feel real, the mystery follows a fairly predictable path. About halfway through, I found myself correctly guessing several major plot twists. Elle Grawl's exploration of family secrets and hidden darkness hits familiar notes without adding enough fresh perspective to make it truly memorable.

What elevates this book beyond its predictable elements is its emotional core. Elle Grawl poses compelling questions: Is discovering the truth always worth the pain it brings? Can we handle learning that the people we loved harbored dark secrets? Lexi's internal struggle between wanting answers and fearing what she might find gives the story genuine emotional weight.

What Still Burns is an engaging psychological thriller that will satisfy fans of domestic suspense, even if it doesn't break new ground. A solid three-star read for when you want something familiar yet absorbing.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of What Still Burns, a stand-alone thriller set in the fictional Northern Californian town of Sola.

Alexis Blake returns to Sola and the farm where she lost her family in a fire. She doesn’t want to, but she needs to settle the estate and use the money to pay off her recently deceased aunt’s medical bills. She isn’t welcomed back with open arms, except by her old flame, Kael McPherson, and there is a host of unsettling events to deal with.

What Still Burns is, for me, a bit of a mixed bag. The premise is interesting and promises a wild read, but I couldn’t connect with either Lex or the eventual conclusion, so it fell flat.

The novel is told from Lex’s point of view, so the reader sees events through her lens and that is a problem. There are plenty of events, including murder and a series of what appear to be escalating threats, that should be full of tension and dread for the reader, but her personality can’t communicate it. Apparently the fire was so traumatising that she has PTSD. She can be scared, but there is little genuine emotion portrayed and no tension for the reader. It’s more like a recitation than an immersive read.

On the other hand, execution aside, the author builds her story well with Lex facing down some strange events that grow in seriousness as the story progresses. She is the archetypal outsider in a hostile community, despite having lived in Sola before. She wasn’t born there and apparently that matters, she can’t see that her own hostility might have something to do with her reception. The ending to the novel and its solution is strange. It seems to come from nowhere and is extremely glib in its explanation.

What Still Burns is a solid read.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasantly surprising thriller that had me rethinking theories as I read. There are triggers to watch out for (i.e. attempted suicide), but the story does well in following our main character through her long-held grief, coping mechanisms, and faded memories.

Grawl does a good job in painting vivid landscapes and capturing small town dynamics, lending a realistic feel to the struggles and clashing ideologies among residents and perceived outsiders. However, some of the relationships touched upon seemed forced (I honestly didn’t get the vibe that Lexi and her “best friend” were actually friends until it was put into words), while characters seemed to have shifting personalities in different interactions with Lexi. Are they suspicious or supportive of her? Antagonistic or comforting? It was sometimes hard to grasp Lexi’s relationship with others, but I’m chalking a lot of that up to her memories before and after events of the fire and when she returns to Sola again as an adult.

I did have a bit of an issue with the pacing of the story. It seemed well-paced and fast initially, but slowed considerably about halfway through. I also had a bit of a gripe with Lexi - isn’t she a journalist? Why isn’t she digging deeper on her own rather than accept stonewalling from everyone she questions? I guess it’s a bit challenging to balance daily life, mental health, and a couple of murders. Something’s gotta give.

What I did love is that there is a hint of unreliable narration throughout, and no villainous monologue. It added a touch more realism to the story.

Overall, this was a somewhat engaging, albeit a tad dark, thriller. It reads pretty quick, despite the slowdown. 3.5 stars.

I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Ashley Gillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lexi’s aunt Beth dies, leaving her the responsibility of selling the family farm back in Sola to pay of the back taxes. But it isn’t just any farm, and Sola isn’t just any small town. When Lexi was 10, her family - parents and three siblings - all died in a fire at the farm, leaving it in ruins. Six years and a heap of teenaged trouble later, Beth and Lexi fled to San Francisco, never looking back. When Lexi reluctantly returns to take care of business, she finds the insular town not only tense, but someone seems to be targeting her. And then the bodies start showing up….

This was a great romantic suspense in that is was actually very good on both of those fronts. I was interested in both of those storylines, and thought they were both extremely good. Especially the mystery. It was creepy and very twisty, leaving me guessing until the very end. Sometimes romantic suspenses can get too heavy on the romance and forget to build up the mystery/thriller side, so I was really impressed.

Back to the mystery, I was extremely surprised by the ending, it really had some nice twists in there, but the story made sense when you looked back on it. The clues were there all throughout, which I also liked. It makes the story more realistic and developed-feeling.

There’s also some interesting questions that we get “mostly” answered in the book, and I liked the open-ended nature of that. There’s some issues that were left where they were left and it felt right. I can’t say much more than that.

Overall, this was a really good book that I would highly recommend for romantic suspense fans or even just mystery/thriller fans. It’s a great read for both genres!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loss and tragedy are a part of Alexis “Lex” Blake’s life. It’s been that way ever since her family perished in a house fire when she was young. Now that her aunt has died as well, Lex must return to her family’s farm to figure out what to do next. Lex will have to face her past and also the people in the small town of Sola, California who had always treated her as an outsider. Things start to get weird the day Lex arrives in Sola and secrets long buried begin to unearth. Now Lex and her old friend/neighbor Kael must solve her family’s suspicious deaths and the deaths of townspeople that have started since her return.

(Disclaimer: I won a Kindle copy of “What Still Burns” in a Goodreads giveaway.)

When I initially entered the giveaway I had very little idea what the book was about beyond the fact that it was a mystery. I was thankfully NOT disappointed by the mystery Elle Grawl put together. She kept me guessing until the moment that the killer was meant to be revealed. “What Still Burns” follows a traditional mystery structure where all the potential suspects are introduced in the book at some point, information is gathered by the main detective, there is a trusty sidekick, and there is a resolution after some false accusations. There was a minor romance subplot but it was more based on the relationship Lex and Kael had as kids and the time they lost together.

I felt that Elle Grawl did a pretty good job describing dissociative amnesia. The blackouts described are more rare than people realize but the way that the panic and other PTSD symptoms were described was spot on! This level of dissociation is sometimes difficult to describe and I could tell that Grawl put in some research to accurately portray the process of becoming triggered followed by intense panic and coming-to. There were times in which I thought that there was room for more character development, but what the characters lacked in conflict resolution and communication skills was made up for through the mystery. One thing that surprised me was the amount of religious and paranormal references. At one point I was starting to think that “What Still Burns” was a paranormal mystery and I completely missed that part of the synopsis. I would not have been disappointed if this was a paranormal mystery but I was intrigued without any paranormal activity.

This is for the casual mystery reader who wants a dash of romance, a sprinkle of paranormal reference, and a heap of small-town suspicion as you search to find whodunnit!

Rating: 4.2 stars
WRITING STYLE: 0.8/1
CHARACTER LIKEABILITY: 0.8/1
ENTERTAINMENT: 0.9/1
PLOT: 0.7/1
MYSTERY: 1/1

[Sarah Cudlipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm definitely going to be thinking about the ending this novel offers for a while. In a really great way! Gripping is a good word to use for this one. I'm all about small-town-focused books, especially when the genre is mystery or suspense. I would actually classify this one more as a thriller with the way it was written, which was incredibly well done!

Lex was a strong female character who was facing a lot of struggles when she returned to the site of the trauma she suffered as a teenager. The reason behind returning there was the loss of the last member of her family. It's up to Lex to settle all of the remaining debts and find some closure about her past along with the answers she is looking for after losing most of her family so long ago in a tragic fire. But if she's going to have any chance of a future for herself and with Kael, they're going to have to work together to track down a killer. Something Lex knows will lead her to the answers she is looking for about that horrible night.

This book felt like a psychological thriller for me with a dash of romance mixed into all of the action and thrilling suspense going on. It's one that I feel I could read again and learn something new each time, or notice something I haven't noticed before. I definitely recommend it along with the author. I know I will be checking out more of her work after reading this one!

[Alexis Purdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alexis “Lex” Blake’s family was killed in a house fire years ago and she was the sole survivor. Her Aunt Beth inherited the family farm, but once she passed, Lex had to handle the family affairs. She returns to Sola to sell the family farm, the scene of the fire, but starts to receive threatening calls and comes across dead bodies. Lex slowly starts to figure out her life may not be what it seemed and there may be more to the night her family died.

I’ll start off with the dual timelines, I enjoyed floating between past and present to really tell the story fully. This story was also unique, so I was intrigued by the plot.

That being said, this book took me close to two weeks to finish. I can usually read books in 2-4 days, but this one didn’t keep my interest like others. I felt like it was trying to explore paranormal activity, along with romance, along with a suspense, and challenging religious views. It was a lot of keep track of.

The book also wrapped up very quickly. I feel like we were slowly building up to the big reveal and then it just kinda wrapped up.

Thank you to @netgalley and @thomasmerceruk for a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Erica Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely thought provoking, keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing who in the town is good and who has these hidden skeletons - with a tiny sprinkle of romance.

The suspense is all over the place, leaving you turning the pages and wanting to know more. The 2003 flashbacks give you bits and pieces of our main characters, Lexi, past, when her family all tragically passed in a house fire.

Lexi left town with her aunt as a teen and only is coming back since her aunt passed and the family farm is left to her. She is needing to get it ready to sell for all the back taxes owed on it. Not all memories of her past life are awful though, she has an instant return of connect with the night or, Kael, who was there for her then and now.

Such a fantastic book that will leave you guessing all over the place and right along side Lexi you get these erie feelings about certain characters she crosses paths with.

Such a fantastic read that I highly recommend everyone picking up!

[Sporter9 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexis "Lex" Blake vowed never to revisit the town where she endured the tragic loss of her home and family in a devastating fire, an event she can scarcely recall as the sole survivor. However, when her aunt passes away, leaving a substantial debt, she finds herself compelled to return to settle her family's affairs.

As she prepares her family's property for sale, she grapples with peculiar happenings and mysterious phone calls that unearth long-buried memories from her childhood. With the discovery of one body, and then another, Lex comes to the stark realization that the mystery surrounding that fateful night runs far deeper than she had ever conceived. The looming threat, which had already devastated her life, resurfaces with an intensity that leaves Lex questioning the shadows of her past.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and author Elle Grawl for the advance read copy of this book.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

In What Still Burns by Elle Grawl, Alexis Blake swore she would never return to the town where she’d lost her home and her family in a devastating fire that only she survived and can barely remember. But when her aunt dies, leaving behind a mountain of debt, Lex has no choice but to head back to Northern California to settle her family’s estate.

While the plot sounded promising, I had difficulty getting invested in this story, and it read slowly for me. The setting was nice, but the overall pacing felt a bit off, and I had a difficult time relating to or rooting for the main character.

Overall, it was an okay read for me. I would check out other books by this author, though, to see how other books are plotted out. I rate this a 3 out of 5 stars.

#WhatStillBurns #NetGalley @AmazonPub

[Darlene Ellerhorst · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After her family is killed in a tragic fire, Lex has to return to the town that watched her home burn to try and sell the family farm. Time seems to have had no effect on Sola, because everything from the buildings to the people are the same. Even the lies and the secrets stayed the same. But is Lex ready to dig up those buried secrets?

Outstanding! I could absolutely see this being turned into a movie!

Every time it slowed down and I would start to form a guess as to what was happening and who was responsible, something would blow up and my whole theory would fly out the window. Elle Grawl kept me guessing until the very end. A fantastic end of summer read!!
#bookstagram #booktok #reading #goodreads #booknerd #bookrecommendations #greatreads #currentreads #kindleunlimited #kindle #kindlepaperwhite #FYP

[Laura Hundley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Still Burns by Elle Grawl is my very first read by this author. The blurb is what drew me in and the story is what kept me. This was a fast read that kept me engrossed and engaged the entire time. I do have to say that some of the storyline was predictable but most was very well written and the ending was kept hidden from us. The protagonist was very engaging and well developed. This is probably not the psychological thriller that one might expect but it is still a very good mystery none the less.


4 out of 5 stars


Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

[Lauren Wildoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
I enjoyed this book a lot. One of the better KU thrillers I’ve picked up.
There was a lot going on in the beginning, and some of it felt as if it was never completely wrapped up. Lex has been scared of/not interested in ghosts, an afterlife, etc. yet does seances and constantly mentions a “dark shadow” or presence. Yet, it turns out that the “shadow” was just a person, and it felt odd that a demonic or ghostly presence was ever even mentioned.
The book was really well written, though. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance within, which I usually don’t see with thrillers. The end was pretty quick, but I’m happy with how it ended, and overall I’m really glad I read this book.

[Jennifer T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**

I’ve never heard of Elle Grawl before but I liked the cover and description of this. I am surprised by how much I liked it! Fast moving story, interesting story, setting, and main character. Definitely recommend to all mystery and suspense readers, especially since I did not guess the killer in advanc.

I also got the audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job with the different voices and I liked the tone/timber of her voice. I listened to this in 2 days.

I would read another book by this author.

Though I received a copy via NetGalley (thanks to the publisher and author) I did get the audiobook via Kindle Unlimited.

[Toni Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sounded like it was going to really good, but I finished feeling pretty underwhelmed.
There were to many characters to try to keep straight.
We can only assume who the grandfather was talking to prior to his death but it never truly gets answered.
All the hush hush secrets about Lex’s family, specifically her mother, seem to have nothing to do with the ending so that’s an awkward dynamic.
Once we finally get to the moral of the story, it’s VERY rushed. It gets the point across as far who was responsible for not sending help, but we don’t get any elaboration.
I think there’s a lot that, with some minor tweaking and re-direction, that could have really elevated this book.

[R M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I listened to this book on my daily commute. I found parts of it riveting. The suspense and pace were good.
The overall mood was dark and threatening.
Lexie is the sole survivor of a house fire that claimed her entire family. Years later, she returns to town to sell off the property. And to get answers to questions from her fuzzy thoughts.
A lot happens here. Woo woo seances. Small town bigotry against outsiders. Corrupt church leader and deacons.
It’s all here.
I can’t say the characters were as riveting as the story arc.
Still, it was a good listen.