Review: Unstable (Pike, Wisconsin #3) by Alexandra Ivy

       


Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher:  Zebra Books (April 26, 2022)

From Goodreads.com:  WHEN IT COMES TO KILLING

A dead man in a cemetery isn’t news—unless he’s found on top of a grave, with a bullet through his head. The body belongs to Jude Henley, who was supposed to be buried below. Instead, the grave contains the remains of Staci Gale, thought to have run away nearly three decades ago. Then an old VCR tape arrives at the sheriff station, showing Staci before her death—bound and terrified—with a note, claiming to be from the killer’s apprentice . . .

PRACTICE

Rachel Fisher’s job in cold case files has brought her back to Pike, Wisconsin—where she’ll be working alongside her ex-husband, Zac Evans. As Pike’s interim sheriff, Zac expected a low-key assignment. Instead, he and Rachel are racing to solve serial murders from decades past while a new monster goads them with a chilling promise. Every week there’ll be another old tape—and a fresh victim . . .

MAKES PERFECT . . .

In this small town a killer walks—twisted, ruthless, determined to continue his master’s work. And unless Rachel and Zac can find a way to get ahead of him, the nightmare will never end.

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Let me start off by saying that this was the first novel in this series that I have read, so while there may have been a bit of background involving Zac and Rachel that I might have missed, I had no problems understanding this story (including the nature of their relationship which I will touch on a bit more later). 

Overall, I enjoyed the "mystery" part of this story. I felt that the tapes and murders from the past being tied in to the murders currently taking place was an interesting concept (especially when you consider how in at least once instance the tape was delivered in a way that would make the victim easier to identify). I also enjoyed getting a look inside the killers mind, I always love when an author takes a chance on showing us their mindset. Filled with some red herrings, this book kept me guessing until the final reveal. 

On the flip side, I didn't feel as though the romance between Rachel and Zac was believable. They were divorced, with a lot of unresolved issues surrounding their marriage and why it failed. And while they worked well together, and it was obvious they still harbored feelings for one another, they did nothing in regards to even talking about the issues that separated them the first time. They just kind of went "well I almost lost you and I love you, so we're going to make this work". I would have liked for there to be some sort of conversation between the pair to make that fresh start seem less thrown in just for the sake of a happily-ever-after. 

If you enjoy engaging thriller novels with just a dash of romance, than I think this one will appeal to you!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                               Unstable (Pike, Wisconsin #3)   is available from Amazon.com 

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