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Five Will Die
WHEN A SERIAL KILLER STALKS A SLEEPY OHIO TOWN, EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT.
Nothing ever happens in Lincoln, Ohio. Sheriff Tim Burke likes it that way. That's why he moved to the tranquil town after a panic disorder, triggered by a gruesome unsolved case, forced him to retire from Cleveland's Homicide Division.
These days, the only thing Burke has to worry about is who spray-painted the side of Walt Tanner's barn. That all changes when someone slips a note under Burke's door. A note claiming five people will die in Lincoln.
At first, Burke and his two deputies dismiss it as a prank by local teenagers, the same troublemakers he singled out for defacing Walt's barn.
Then the first body turns up. Then the second.
Consumed by the murder investigation, Burke uncovers a link to another small Ohio town, where a killer left a similar note, claimed five victims, and vanished without a trace. Burke also discovers something else. His panic disorder, which had been dormant since retiring three years ago, has returned more paralyzing than ever.
Will Burke overcome his debilitating condition and stop the killer before he claims his fifth victim and leaves Lincoln forever?
Five Will Die is the sixth novel from Shamus Award-winning author Trace Conger.
Nothing ever happens in Lincoln, Ohio. Sheriff Tim Burke likes it that way. That's why he moved to the tranquil town after a panic disorder, triggered by a gruesome unsolved case, forced him to retire from Cleveland's Homicide Division.
These days, the only thing Burke has to worry about is who spray-painted the side of Walt Tanner's barn. That all changes when someone slips a note under Burke's door. A note claiming five people will die in Lincoln.
At first, Burke and his two deputies dismiss it as a prank by local teenagers, the same troublemakers he singled out for defacing Walt's barn.
Then the first body turns up. Then the second.
Consumed by the murder investigation, Burke uncovers a link to another small Ohio town, where a killer left a similar note, claimed five victims, and vanished without a trace. Burke also discovers something else. His panic disorder, which had been dormant since retiring three years ago, has returned more paralyzing than ever.
Will Burke overcome his debilitating condition and stop the killer before he claims his fifth victim and leaves Lincoln forever?
Five Will Die is the sixth novel from Shamus Award-winning author Trace Conger.
524 pages, Hardcover
Published December 10, 2021
20 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Trace Conger
24 books60 followersTrace Conger is an award-winning author in the crime, thriller, and suspense genres. He writes the Connor Harding (Thriller) series and the Mr. Finn (PI) series.
His Connor Harding series follows freelance “Mirage Man” Connor Harding as he solves problems for the world’s most dangerous criminals. The Mr. Finn series follows private investigator Finn Harding as he straddles the fine line between right and wrong.
Conger won a Shamus Award for his debut novel, THE SHADOW BROKER. His suspense novella, THE WHITE BOY, won the Fresh Ink Award for Best Novella of 2020.
He is known for his tight writing style, dark themes, and subtle humor. Trace lives in Cincinnati with his wonderfully supportive family.
Visit him online at www.traceconger.com.
Sign up for his newsletter to receive free fiction and exclusive updates at www.traceconger.com/freebies.
His Connor Harding series follows freelance “Mirage Man” Connor Harding as he solves problems for the world’s most dangerous criminals. The Mr. Finn series follows private investigator Finn Harding as he straddles the fine line between right and wrong.
Conger won a Shamus Award for his debut novel, THE SHADOW BROKER. His suspense novella, THE WHITE BOY, won the Fresh Ink Award for Best Novella of 2020.
He is known for his tight writing style, dark themes, and subtle humor. Trace lives in Cincinnati with his wonderfully supportive family.
Visit him online at www.traceconger.com.
Sign up for his newsletter to receive free fiction and exclusive updates at www.traceconger.com/freebies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 18, 2021
Sheriff Tim Burke transferred to this small, sleepy town in Ohio from Cleveland's Homicide Division following a horrifying unsolved case. These days he has to only worry about who graffitied the side of a farmer's barn.
It's only him and his two deputies, until he receives a note .... 5 PEOPLE WILL DIE IN LINCOLN.
Taking it as a prank, the note is tossed.
The the first body is found .... and then the second.
There are no clues, no evidence, no motives for these small town residents. What connects them .. and can the killer be stopped before more bodies are found?
The plot is intriguing, the story line is full of police procedure that focus on the way police and other legal entities interact with the public and how the characteristics of those interactions shape the public's views of the police. There are twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. The ending is fast and furious and totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
It's only him and his two deputies, until he receives a note .... 5 PEOPLE WILL DIE IN LINCOLN.
Taking it as a prank, the note is tossed.
The the first body is found .... and then the second.
There are no clues, no evidence, no motives for these small town residents. What connects them .. and can the killer be stopped before more bodies are found?
The plot is intriguing, the story line is full of police procedure that focus on the way police and other legal entities interact with the public and how the characteristics of those interactions shape the public's views of the police. There are twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. The ending is fast and furious and totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 19, 2021
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Sheriff Tim Burke was a Cleveland cop for years, until anxiety forced him out. He retired with his wife to Lincoln, Ohio - a town with just two stoplights - and they opened a coffee shop. He wound up elected as sheriff a few years later and the job suits him - no big, ugly cases to cause his anxiety to rear up again and it's work he's familiar with and good at. The most excitement the community has had in some time is the hiring of a second deputy, taking the police force to a total of 3 people. That all changes not long after the two deputies return from lunch to find a note, made up of letters cut from magazines and glued to a page, attached to the door of the police station. The note promises that five will die in Lincoln. Burke dismisses the note as a prank, a local troublemaker out for revenge, but he realizes he's wrong after the second murder.
This novel definitely kept me guessing, and guessing wrong, most of the way through. As it was, I was just a couple paragraphs ahead of Burke and his deputies (though I'm happy to say one character I found suspicious early on but had nearly dismissed because I couldn't pin down why I felt that way, was involved). It was an enjoyable read with characters you'll root for and like and a puzzle that will hold your interest and keep you turning pages.
Sheriff Tim Burke was a Cleveland cop for years, until anxiety forced him out. He retired with his wife to Lincoln, Ohio - a town with just two stoplights - and they opened a coffee shop. He wound up elected as sheriff a few years later and the job suits him - no big, ugly cases to cause his anxiety to rear up again and it's work he's familiar with and good at. The most excitement the community has had in some time is the hiring of a second deputy, taking the police force to a total of 3 people. That all changes not long after the two deputies return from lunch to find a note, made up of letters cut from magazines and glued to a page, attached to the door of the police station. The note promises that five will die in Lincoln. Burke dismisses the note as a prank, a local troublemaker out for revenge, but he realizes he's wrong after the second murder.
This novel definitely kept me guessing, and guessing wrong, most of the way through. As it was, I was just a couple paragraphs ahead of Burke and his deputies (though I'm happy to say one character I found suspicious early on but had nearly dismissed because I couldn't pin down why I felt that way, was involved). It was an enjoyable read with characters you'll root for and like and a puzzle that will hold your interest and keep you turning pages.
September 17, 2024
At first I struggled to get into this book. I set it aside for a few days and then started fresh. Page 113/114 is about where I got hooked and read the rest of the evening to finish the story.
Love that this book was written by a Cincinnati author and based on a town not too far from here. So fun to read!
Love that this book was written by a Cincinnati author and based on a town not too far from here. So fun to read!
October 18, 2021
Five Will Die by Trace Conger
Moving to Lincoln, Ohio was supposed to make for an easier life than working for the Cleveland Police Department and for a while, it did. One day a message was delivered to the police department that FIVE WILL DIE. Was it a prank, spoof, trick…or could it be true? As one after another seemingly unrelated deaths occur, the sheriff and his small team try to figure out who is killing people in their town…how many will die? Will the killer be caught? That is what this book is about.
What I liked:
* Tim Burke: Sheriff, husband, suffers from anxiety disorder, grieves for daughter that died, professional.
* Gwen: Tim’s wife, retired RN, runs local coffee shop, loves her husband, misses her daughter.
* Corey Poteet: one of Tim’s deputy’s, interested in historical and current crimes, seems to be a good person.
* Gavin Evans: recent addition to the police force, handsome, conscientious, dating a local woman
* Maren Krueger: independent criminal profiler, intelligent, focused, free-spirit, interesting
* The randomness of the killings…and how the killer may have chosen to kill them
* That not all killings were the same
* The police procedural aspect of the story with the clues finally coming to light
* The creepiness of who was doing the killing even knowing the impetus/excuse used to kill
* That anxiety was dealt with well and counseling suggested – also liked the Author’s Note at the end of the book that deals with the topic, too.
* Wondering if this is a standalone story or if this is the first book in a series
What I didn’t like:
* The killer and the fact that lives were taken
* The coverup of a crime that took place in the past
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to the author for the ARC – this is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Moving to Lincoln, Ohio was supposed to make for an easier life than working for the Cleveland Police Department and for a while, it did. One day a message was delivered to the police department that FIVE WILL DIE. Was it a prank, spoof, trick…or could it be true? As one after another seemingly unrelated deaths occur, the sheriff and his small team try to figure out who is killing people in their town…how many will die? Will the killer be caught? That is what this book is about.
What I liked:
* Tim Burke: Sheriff, husband, suffers from anxiety disorder, grieves for daughter that died, professional.
* Gwen: Tim’s wife, retired RN, runs local coffee shop, loves her husband, misses her daughter.
* Corey Poteet: one of Tim’s deputy’s, interested in historical and current crimes, seems to be a good person.
* Gavin Evans: recent addition to the police force, handsome, conscientious, dating a local woman
* Maren Krueger: independent criminal profiler, intelligent, focused, free-spirit, interesting
* The randomness of the killings…and how the killer may have chosen to kill them
* That not all killings were the same
* The police procedural aspect of the story with the clues finally coming to light
* The creepiness of who was doing the killing even knowing the impetus/excuse used to kill
* That anxiety was dealt with well and counseling suggested – also liked the Author’s Note at the end of the book that deals with the topic, too.
* Wondering if this is a standalone story or if this is the first book in a series
What I didn’t like:
* The killer and the fact that lives were taken
* The coverup of a crime that took place in the past
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to the author for the ARC – this is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
September 4, 2022
Tim Burke thought the ugliness and violence of the big cities were behind him when he retired from the metro homicide unit and took up the position as a small-town Sheriff in Lincoln, Ohio.
He was wrong.
A letter arrives at the Sheriff's office declaring the Five Will Die.
Is it a joke? Certainly. This kind of thing doesn't happen in a town like Lincoln.
Then the bodies start turning up, and it become increasingly clear that there is a serial killer operating in this rural Ohio town.
Can Tim and his deputies find out who is responsible before the threat of five deaths is carried out?
Check out Trace Conger's excellent whodunnit mystery! Filled with complex characters trying to come to terms with their pasts as they also wonder just how well do they know their neighbors. A worthy addition to my shelf.
He was wrong.
A letter arrives at the Sheriff's office declaring the Five Will Die.
Is it a joke? Certainly. This kind of thing doesn't happen in a town like Lincoln.
Then the bodies start turning up, and it become increasingly clear that there is a serial killer operating in this rural Ohio town.
Can Tim and his deputies find out who is responsible before the threat of five deaths is carried out?
Check out Trace Conger's excellent whodunnit mystery! Filled with complex characters trying to come to terms with their pasts as they also wonder just how well do they know their neighbors. A worthy addition to my shelf.
August 17, 2022
A very good small-town whodunnit with twists that keep readers guessing throughout. Well-written with enough details about the townspeople and locations to spice things up, but so many that a reader gets bogged down. Good character and plot development, especially the subplots.
May 2, 2024
Five Will Die
I will admit this book took me a bit to get into, but once I did, I was hooked. I didn’t see the ending coming!
I will admit this book took me a bit to get into, but once I did, I was hooked. I didn’t see the ending coming!
June 30, 2022
Small town whodunit
Interesting murder mystery with five seemingly unconnected deaths in a small town.features a unconventional investigator,as well as a sheriff who suffers from panic attacks.
Interesting murder mystery with five seemingly unconnected deaths in a small town.features a unconventional investigator,as well as a sheriff who suffers from panic attacks.
July 12, 2023
Nice concept
No forensics, no clues, and the bodies keep piling up. Sheriff Burke and his team are at a loss, and call in an ex-FBI freelance profiler to help. Together they inch towards a conclusion.
This one could have been awesome - the plot was intricate, the lack of clues made the detective work realistically frustrating for the team, and the profiler was an interesting character; I was glad the author avoided dropping in hints that only the reader would see. But I found the writing style wooden and I didn’t warm enough to Burke.
No forensics, no clues, and the bodies keep piling up. Sheriff Burke and his team are at a loss, and call in an ex-FBI freelance profiler to help. Together they inch towards a conclusion.
This one could have been awesome - the plot was intricate, the lack of clues made the detective work realistically frustrating for the team, and the profiler was an interesting character; I was glad the author avoided dropping in hints that only the reader would see. But I found the writing style wooden and I didn’t warm enough to Burke.
January 24, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this slower paced murder mystery. Maybe it’s the snowy weather we’re currently having, but I was able to cuddle up and enjoy. While I definitely wouldn’t call it a thriller. I was never at the edge of my seat or scared. It wasn’t even a gripping page turner. But it was entertaining and I liked all the characters, even though I figure out early on who the killer was I still able to enjoy the ride. In a small town of 400 people it really wasn’t hard, lol.
July 21, 2022
Not a bad read - small town cop who’s living a quiet life is thrown back in to investigating a murder which the turns out to be a serial killer. May be a bit far fetched but still enjoyed it. Not sure why there was so much focus on the sheriff’s ill health? Didn’t really add much to the story.
January 27, 2022
Definite page turner
This book stayed in my hands to the end. I couldn't put it down and almost forgot to pick my grandchild up from school. Never saw the ending coming.
This book stayed in my hands to the end. I couldn't put it down and almost forgot to pick my grandchild up from school. Never saw the ending coming.
March 24, 2022
This book had a very twisted unexpected ending. One of those I kept thinking I had figured it out to be proved very wrong
October 31, 2021
Five Will Die by Trace Conger is an enthralling and vastly superior police procedural. The pages disappear at astounding speed, and the novel holds you captive from page one. Five Will Die is a beautiful novel that delivers on every page.
The narrative unfolds in a rural Ohio town as we meet the Sherriff, a former Clevland homicide detective relocated in hopes of getting cats out of trees instead of catching murderers. The Sherriff receives a threatening note, and soon after, bodies start dropping. Is a serial killer on the move, or are the crimes unrelated? Do the victims share common victimology, or is it all just coincidence? Soon the F.B.I. is asked to help. The interplay between the locals and the feds is entertaining, and mentioned databases like V.I.C.A.P. and N.C.I.C. ring actual. Conger knows his subject well. He is a gifted storyteller who has provided us with an extraordinarily satisfying procedural. Readers will hurry to buy and read the author's hugely diverting backlist.
The narrative unfolds in a rural Ohio town as we meet the Sherriff, a former Clevland homicide detective relocated in hopes of getting cats out of trees instead of catching murderers. The Sherriff receives a threatening note, and soon after, bodies start dropping. Is a serial killer on the move, or are the crimes unrelated? Do the victims share common victimology, or is it all just coincidence? Soon the F.B.I. is asked to help. The interplay between the locals and the feds is entertaining, and mentioned databases like V.I.C.A.P. and N.C.I.C. ring actual. Conger knows his subject well. He is a gifted storyteller who has provided us with an extraordinarily satisfying procedural. Readers will hurry to buy and read the author's hugely diverting backlist.
October 18, 2021
From the start of this book, the characters draw you in and blossomed. The town itself was a character with all of the charm of small-town living. In a place where locals know everyone and everything it is impossible to imagine crime rearing its ugly head, but it does. The author artfully developed the characters and makes them come to life. The Sherrif's close connection with the community makes the deaths personal and his desire to stop them palpable. Maintaining a professional investigation while navigating friendships and the grapevine of speculation is a walk on a tightrope. Help and hindrance both come from the community around him. The Sherrif knows that the killer is close but you are left to wonder just how close until the very end.
Thank you to the author for providing a digital copy for my opinion. The opinions shared are mine alone and no compensation or direction was provided.
Thank you to the author for providing a digital copy for my opinion. The opinions shared are mine alone and no compensation or direction was provided.
May 21, 2022
I met Trace at the Mulberry Books Girls Night Out event in Lebanon, Ohio.
I thought this was a well plotted mystery with an unguessable end. There were a few things I bumped on, like the difference between a psychologist (PHD) and a psychiatrist (MD), but this is common among both writers and the general public. I'd also like to see a second and third shift for this poor police department! But I loved the characters, the development of the small town (hope this is a series), and the tension as the number of deaths builds.
Nice to meet you Trace! Hope to see you again!
I thought this was a well plotted mystery with an unguessable end. There were a few things I bumped on, like the difference between a psychologist (PHD) and a psychiatrist (MD), but this is common among both writers and the general public. I'd also like to see a second and third shift for this poor police department! But I loved the characters, the development of the small town (hope this is a series), and the tension as the number of deaths builds.
Nice to meet you Trace! Hope to see you again!
August 2, 2022
Nice change of pace to read a straight-forward murder mystery without many of the gimmicks that are in books now.
The scene is a small sleepy town with a Sheriff retired as a Detective from a bigger city. He needed the change as the stresses from his previous job effected his health. It starts with a cut & pasted note saying Five Will Die that is initally thought to be a joke. It soon proves not to be and as the deaths mount, Sheriff Burke starts getting the stress symptoms he left behind.
An FBI friend recommends a private consultant profiler and together they find the killer.
The scene is a small sleepy town with a Sheriff retired as a Detective from a bigger city. He needed the change as the stresses from his previous job effected his health. It starts with a cut & pasted note saying Five Will Die that is initally thought to be a joke. It soon proves not to be and as the deaths mount, Sheriff Burke starts getting the stress symptoms he left behind.
An FBI friend recommends a private consultant profiler and together they find the killer.
May 6, 2023
Great small town murder mystery that had me cozied up in my reading nook and flipping pages! Loved the setting (as it is possibly modeled after my hometown:) And the complex characterization and backstory had me heavily invested in the outcome. One of the character's struggle with an anxiety disorder is depicted very accurately and I believe the author truly did his homework! As a leader of a local book club I have picked the book for a monthly selection! Would recommend.
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October 4, 2025At the onset, I thought this was going to be one of those local, hometown police mysteries. It is; however, there's a lot of depth in this story. The emotional and mental repercussions that we experience in dealing with death laminate every level of the characters, both the police chief, the coroner, the killer(s). Add plot twists and a love for coffee and Five Will Die is an enjoyable page turner.
July 14, 2024
Such an amazing book. It was a fast paced read! This was the first book of Trace Conger’s that I read. I fell in love with his style, I went back to my local book store and purchased all his books. I even got to meet him and get some signed books!!! It is a great book that keeps you guessing till the end!
September 8, 2024
Absolutely loved the twists and turns! Definitely kept me guessing and the ending had my jaw dropping. Highly recommend this book!
I got to meet this author at a book signing recently, and while this is my first book of his I’ve read, I know I’ll be reading more in the future. Loved the style of writing — kept me very interested.
I got to meet this author at a book signing recently, and while this is my first book of his I’ve read, I know I’ll be reading more in the future. Loved the style of writing — kept me very interested.
July 8, 2022
Interesting murder mystery with well constructed characters and a classic ending. I enjoyed the crisp writing style and the clever scene setting; great for fans of the Agatha Christie style of murder - with guns! Great read.
August 10, 2022
What a wild ride! I really thought I had it figured out who the killer was, I was surprised!
Well written with characters that I really hope I see in another one of his books.
I definitely recommend this book to all mystery readers!
Well written with characters that I really hope I see in another one of his books.
I definitely recommend this book to all mystery readers!
August 7, 2024
Wow
What a book. I was hooked right from the start. I suspected the killed based upon one thing by and then I decided against it only to be correct in the end. Now I want book 2 to come out.
What a book. I was hooked right from the start. I suspected the killed based upon one thing by and then I decided against it only to be correct in the end. Now I want book 2 to come out.
September 11, 2022
Small Town Serial Killer
Big crime comes to small town. Slow-burn procedural for Sheriff without the resources he had as an ex city homicide detective.
Big crime comes to small town. Slow-burn procedural for Sheriff without the resources he had as an ex city homicide detective.
December 28, 2022
Just about the time you think you know who did it, you find you were wrong.
September 18, 2023
I enjoyed the book. While I had one of the plots figured out, the other kept me guessing to the end.
December 23, 2023
Fun mystery, well written and enjoyable.
February 10, 2025
It was good, but "Meh..." The end just didn't answer everything for me.
February 22, 2025
Best crime thriller I’ve read in a WHILE.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews