I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am always up for a good mystery/thriller and was glad when I had the chance to read this. I like that each chapter was broken up into a different character so you had multiple versions of what was happening and they all flowed together nicely. I liked that from the beginning of the book you are thrown into the mystery of what happening and who killed Elise. Then you find out a twist about who Elise really was (or was she?).

I thought over all the story was good, some of the twists I expected, some I didn’t. I thought there might could have been a few more surprises that would have made the story really stand out. However, even with my thoughts on what the twist might be I was still intrigued to find out if I was right and how it was all going to play out.

I thought the main character was pretty good, he was likable and you wanted him to win, especially for his children. Elise was interesting because she was the victim and had some secrets and you learned them along the way. I thought the supporting characters were well written and helped the story move along.

Overall I thought this was a good read, it wasn’t my favorite mystery/thriller but I still enjoyed it and am glad I got to read it. I would say it is a good quick read if anyone is looking for a mystery/thriller.

*Thanks to Irresistible Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary copy for my honest review*

This story immediately drew me in from the beginning when the main character arrives at his girlfriend's house and finds her dead in the bathtub. There were plenty of twists and turns that I wasn't expecting and some parts of the story really did surprise me. It had a pretty solid plot and well-developed characters also. The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because I got a little confused with all of the characters and how they each contributed to the story but overall, it was pretty solid.

Redwood Con
By Reagan Keeter

3 stars

A slow build thriller that never quite delivers. The ending, while wrapping up the story fails to hit the climatic impact it should.

Liam Parker finds his girlfriend, Elise, dead in the bathtub, wrists cut. Suicide, he figures. But the truth turns out to be more complex than anyone might expect. While trying to clear his name, Liam uncovers clues that suggest Elise was not who he thought she was: she was living under an alias, has a record, and lied about her life.

A title that will entertain some, without gripping them at any point through the story.

This title has been reviewed by www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

This title was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an open and honest review.

#ThRedwoodCon #NetGalley

The twists and turns just keep coming in this story. It was well written with a cleverly crafted plot. I liked the character of Liam and rooted for him throughout.
Many thanks to Irresistible Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Liam Parker is busy at an illegal poker game when his girlfriend calls and leaves several text messages. He finally gives it up and goes to Elise's apartment where he finds her dead in the bathtub, her wrists are cut. His first thought is suicide and he makes the mistake of hauling her out of the tub. His now bloody clothes, his fingerprints, not to mention he tries using her phone to call for help, make him the number one suspect in her murder.

While trying to clear his name, Liam discovers that Elise was using an alias, she lied about her family, her upbringing, her work history, and she has a criminal record. Did any of her secrets cause her death?

Throw in a conman and stock broker, neither of whom he has met will help Liam unravel a mystery that threatens his very existence.

As this is a new author to me, I was not expecting such a riveting story with a solid plot and well drawn characters. And there are many characters to follow .... everyone from an illegal poker manager ....to an ex-wife and kids ... to his business partner ... to his girlfriend's family .. and many more. There are twists and turns that seem to magically appear and throw the reader in an entirely new direction.

Many thanks to the author / Irresistible Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This one is going to be hard to talk about because I don't want to give anything away. Liam finds his girlfriend dead in her apartment, and after the evidence points to him he takes it upon himself to find her killer. In the process, he discovers a spiderweb of secrets that all come together at the last possible moment.

I love the TV show Criminal Minds, and one of the reasons is that I love trying to see how quickly I can guess who the killer is. Since it's a TV show, no character is there by accident. That's how I feel about mystery novels as well, so that's the approach I took to this novel. And to an extent that was true: every detail in this novel counts. However, I wasn't able to guess the ending until I was reading it. That's what I loved about it. This novel was unpredictable. And even if I started to make a guess, I would never be more than half correct. It was amazing seeing everything come together at the end.

Overall, I thought this book was really good. The characters were very well developed and I was able to vividly picture everything that was going on. So some parts of this book did seem to move along a little slowly, but the overall pace of the book was good and didn’t rush into anything. The one and only thing that really bugged me about this book was that it had so many points of view. I was often confused on who I was reading and often had to go back and re-read paragraphs or sentences to remind myself which person we were on. I always enjoy dual points of view, but when it becomes any more than three for me personally it gets a little too confusing. Other than that, I thought this book was very well thought out. It had great characters and really left me wanting more each chapter. It was a solid read that had lots of twists and turns and that kept me on my toes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for a review!

I enjoy a good suspense/thriller novel and this one did not disappoint.  The interactions, secrets, and the devious nature of multiple characters will keep the reader on their toes.

This story is woven together with insights from multiple characters and no one character knows everything or the how and why events play out as they do in this tale.  But the tale they tell all comes together in the end and it all makes sense.  It may not be right, but the answers fall together.

Liam seems to have his life in order until he discovers his girlfriend dead in her apartment.  That triggers the first domino to fall and life gets out of control for Liam in ways he cannot even imagine.  I won't spoil it but some of the revelations at the end shocked me because I didn't expect those answers.  I'm surprised that Liam was able to investigate as much as he could, even with the help of some unlikely characters.

When we learn the why of this story, it saddens me a bit because of the motive of those behind Liam's downfall.  While I understand their reasoning, it doesn't make it right and perhaps a different result could have happened with a different approach.

We truly enjoyed this book and will have to look at this author's other works to see if they are just as suspenseful to this reader.

We give this book 5 paws up.

The Redwood Con is a quick read and a pretty entertaining story overall. The suspense is a bit of a mixed bag for me. There's a line at the end of the blurb that claims this story will 'keep you guessing until the very end.' Umm, not quite. In fact, I can tell you the exact spot where I knew at least part of the whodunit, and the other part wasn't far behind. I also figured out at least some of the motivation. Some, definitely not all. That gets a bit more complicated and the story gets somewhat convoluted toward the end with a lot of rapid-fire back and forth between the characters as Liam figures things out. There are several players in this twisted game, and the lines are clearly drawn between good guys and bad guys for the most part. There are a couple of characters who are kind of in the middle, but it's still easy to see which side they're on as the story unfolds. I do like the way the author laid this one out in terms of style. The chapters are relatively short, and they bounce from character to character with Liam getting the lion's share of page time. There are a couple of characters who only get one or two brief chapters, which can be a tricky business when it comes to story flow, but it works well for this one. In the end, this book was a little too predictable for me, but the author does give us a likable guy to root for in Liam, and the story is great for whiling away a rainy afternoon or weekend. Reagan Keeter is certainly talented and I would check out future books by him.

When Liam Parker doesn't initially see the texts from his girlfriend, Elise, since he is at a place where he can't answer his phone. We he finally seems them, and tries to call her, he finds it strange that she isn't answering. He rushes to her house to find her dead from an apparent suicide. This doesn't seem like something she would do. The police don't believe that it is a suicide either and all evidence points to Liam as the number one suspect. Will he be able to clear his name or will he go down for a crime he didn't commit.

Thanks to Reagan Keeter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This title hooked me from the beginning. I had to know what was going to happen next. I didn't know what to expect from this book. I didn't know if Liam Parker was a reliable character or not, but I was on his side. When the secret is revealed, I couldn't believe it.

Can you imagine being wanted for a crime you didn't commit? Too many times in life this happens. Liam Parker was determined not to let that happen to him. He was going to find out who was behind all of this even if it meant that he would put his own life in danger in order to do so. When his children are brought into the equation, it makes things even more difficult to deal with and to understand.

Reagan Keeter is a new to me author, but I will definitely be on the lookout for more of his books.

Who can refuse to read a book about a divorced guy who finds his girlfriend dead in a bathtub? And the guy has no idea who the girl really was? Nope, not me - this is not something I walk away from. And that's what we get at the beginning of The Redwood Con. It doesn't waste any time setting the scene; we just jump right in.

There are lots of characters involved in the story - some of whom are seemingly random until you get further into the book, and few of whom are involved for the reasons you initially think. It does get a little confusing sometimes trying to keep everything straight. There's a conman, some family members, an ex-wife, an underground-poker-club proprietor, business partners and lawyers and kids, and a whole slew of others. And a cute dog (even if the dog is, sadly, a little dog and we all know bigger dogs are better). The chapters are helpfully titled with character names so readers know what perspective they're reading from (which is nice because the chapters are shorter and the book changes perspective almost every chapter). But when few people are who they seem to be, sometimes the names are not super helpful.

It's always good to read something that I can't predict, so I appreciated that. I won't lie - I read this once and then had to re-skim it to make sure I was clear on what was going on. And I'll probably read it a third time just to see what else I pick up on now.

The style is easy to read; you won't need a dictionary, although you may need a chart to keep track of all the characters. And it was a quick read for me, which I enjoyed. I don't always want to spend days and weeks trying to get into a groove with something or having to slog my way through unnecessary prose and narrative. Sometimes I want to read for fun of reading, and this book hit the mark.

Kudos to Reagan Keeter for putting out something that was interesting and kept me guessing. (less)

The Redwood Con is a gripping suspense thriller with, as the title suggests, a few surprises up its sleeve.

The main character is Liam Parker, who stands accused of the murder of his girlfriend, and finds his efforts to clear his name just tangle him further in a complicated web of thieves, gamblers and confidence tricksters. And, of course, one of them is apparently not averse to a bit of murder on the side.

As the net tightens around Liam and he struggles to prove his innocence against an increasingly clever frame job, we start to build a picture of the lies and subterfuges all around him and it becomes ever clearer that Elise was not all she seemed.

Reagan Keeter tells the story from a variety of different character viewpoints, which allows the reader access to information that Liam doesn’t have and lets us feel very clever as we keep one step ahead of the characters in piecing the clues together. Until suddenly he turns a cup and the dice we thought we were following isn’t there!

I was fascinated by the various con trick details scattered throughout the book and it certainly made me feel more wary about everything from walking down a busy street, to how I choose my security passwords. The world of confidence tricksters is one of smoke and mirrors, and exceedingly unnerving.

I really felt for Liam too; it was nerve wracking watching the trap inexorably close in on an innocent man, with no obvious way for him to escape it. Similarly, it was great to see the plot ‘from above’ almost, and be able to see the threads of the individual characters crossing back and forth before eventually converging for the climax and reveal.

Recommended for fugitive thriller fans who enjoy tight-spun plot patterns and an intimate cast of characters.



From the window, Elise could see the quiet, tree-lined street that ran in front of her building. The old three and four-story condominium buildings lining most of it were charming. The neighbours were friendly, and she could walk to a grocery store and a coffee shop.
She hoped that after tonight she wouldn’t have to leave. She hoped that by being honest with Liam her life would become something new and better than it was now. But if he didn’t take the news well, she knew she’d have no choice. She’d pack up the things she could as soon as everyone was gone and disappear.

– Reagan Keeter, The Redwood Con


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Redwood Con

Author: Reagan Keeter

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Publication Date: May 5, 2020

Genre: Thriller

Recommended Age: 17+ (suicide TW, murder, gore, violence, language, mystery)

Publisher: Irresistible Publishing

Pages: 312

Amazon Link

Synopsis: After a divorced Chicago father is charged with killing his girlfriend and unexplainable secrets about her come to light, he’ll have to figure out how much he’s willing to risk to find out the truth . . . and how much of it he wants to know.

Liam Parker finds his girlfriend, Elise, dead in the bathtub, wrists cut. Suicide, he figures. But the truth turns out to be more complex than anyone might expect. While trying to clear his name, Liam uncovers clues that suggest Elise was not who he thought she was: she was living under an alias, has a record, and lied about where she worked and where she grew up.

Making matters worse, his relationship with her has tied his fate to those of a conman and a stock broker, neither of whom he has ever met. And as these three men’s lives hurl unexpectedly toward each other, Liam learns he’ll have to do more than just prove he’s innocent—he’ll have to unravel a mystery that threatens to destroy everything he cares about.

The Redwood Con is the kind of thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Review: This book was pretty good overall! The characters were well developed throughout the novel. The world building was done well and the writing was impressive. I really liked the story and the plot.

However, I did think the book was a bit slower paced than what I would have liked it and I figured out the ending fairly early on in the book, but it was a good book overall.

Verdict: It was a good book!

Reagan Keeter has written a captivating mysterious thriller with Redwood Con.
The characters were well developed throughout. Liam was easily the most likeable for me.
There were an amazing number of surprising twists along the way.
I read this novel in 1 sitting as it was difficult to put down.
The surprising unexpected ending was fantastic!!!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for fair and honest review.

I’d never heard of the author before they approached me, but I like a good thriller and the blurb intrigued me. This is a pretty decent thriller. I might check out the author’s other book, Buried. I need to be clear, this wasn’t an amazing book or earth shatter, but it was a sold, well written thriller which makes it a hit in my book. It’s no perfect. For example, only characters who are actually named in the book seem to pay attention to what’s going on and have any kind of depth. Other minor characters are just a black dot on the page. I like every character to have some flesh on their bones. The characters experiences and backgrounds are familiar so it’s easy to connect to them.

I enjoyed the pacing and alternating POV style of this story. The plot had plenty of twists and turns, which kept me guessing until the very end. I'll admit that I wasn't able to guess who the real "bad guy" was until the very end of the story, and the complicated story that was being unraveled kept me guessing as to both what was going on, what the real motivations of characters were and how everything would conclude.

There were a few plot contrivances that I found to be slightly annoying or obvious, like only named characters seeming to ever pay attention, but they didn't distract from the story too much.

Overall, a very good thriller.

There was never a dull moment while reading this book. Even in parts where there was no actual action happening, I was still enthralled because it was obvious that those little mundane details are going to come together in the end for something big. While most of my predictions where incorrect (much like the predictions of the characters in this novel) I wasn't upset because the reveal, in the end, wasn't pulled out of thin air and the twists make perfect sense wants you to get them. The multiple points of views definitely added to the story. We follow one character solving this little mystery but then switch over to following this other character during a mundane moment but there was no feeling of being overwhelmed. Overall The Redwood Con is worth the read.

There was never a dull moment while reading this book. Even in parts where there was no actual action happening, I was still enthralled because it was obvious that those little mundane details are going to come together in the end for something big. While most of my predictions where incorrect (much like the predictions of the characters in this novel) I wasn't upset because the reveal in the end wasn't pulled out of thin air and the twists make perfect sense wants you get them. The multiple point of views definitely added to the story. We follow one character solving this little mystery but then switch over to following this other character during a mundane moment but there was no feeling of being overwhelmed. Overall The Redwood Con is worth the read.

Liam Parker is a man in partnership in a very successful business. He is divorced from his wife with limited visits allowed with his children. A background shared by many people in all walks of life. He is hardly the type to get involved in murder but does so or there would not be a novel. Liam has been seeing another woman and begun to see a future with her. But that picture is not to be. He comes home to the apartment he shares with her and finds her in the bathtub, dead with her wrists cut. A devastating shock but the worse is yet to come. Calling the police to the scene of what Liam expects to be the girl's suicide he is astonished and obviously frightened when a normal forensic investigation turns to suspicion of murder. And, of course Liam is the prime suspect.
When it becomes more and more apparent that Liam will be tried and found guilty for murder and go to prison he makes the decision to find the murderer on his own. Several other individuals are presented by the author as having roles in the case. These include a stockbroker and an individual that can only be described as a conman.
The hunt for the murderer is undertaken, hindered by assorted considerations of happenings to subsidiary characters and finally ends. The ending is too pat. Almost if Mr Keeter picked out something to end the novel and just did it.