Incredibly intense storyline! Having read the series that told Megan's story early in her life when she was Rylee, the Megan Carpenter saga continues and with each book becomes more and more intense as she faces demons from her past that keep following her.  This book completely drew me in! I absolutely LOVE the characters as well.  Very well done!! Another of Gregg Olsen's masterpieces! And there are 3 more coming!!! I can't wait!!! Thank you so much Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!!

This was a fast, enjoyable read. It is the first that I have read by the author, but upon finishing I immediately ordered some more. 

The characters were well-written. It started off pretty gory (a woman is killed by being skinned alive) and I thought there should have been more of an emotional reaction by those who knew her, but maybe lack of emotion/empathy is part of the issue with the characters. 

Very good.

I have read a few books by this author so I knew I would not be disappointed . This is another gripping addition to the series. It was real edge of the seat stuff and I whizzed through it pretty rapidly.

Gripping and suspenseful story with many twists and a main character that tries to get a grip of her life especially now when her job collides with her hunting past. 
It was my first book by the author but I’ll surely be on the lookout for more stories.

I very rarely read books by American crime novelists. Too often in the past I have found them to have gung ho characters with no personality or back story and a near-fatal explosion every few chapters. Gregg Olsen is a welcome exception to my self-imposed rule.
Megan Carpenter is a great character. She's got a past which enhances the whole series of novels. Is she going to eventually turn out to be Jekyll or Hyde?
The plot is tense and engaging. The book was an absolute joy to read. I look forward to the next three in the series.

First, I want to thank Gregg Olsen, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Looking for an incredible must read series of 2020 that has to be added to your TBR list? Gregg Olsen’s Detective Carpenter Series is incredible!! I just read his latest in the series Silent Ridge! I crave reading his series because you feel like you are reading a true crime story. I have said this in the past but it is so true he has a tremendous gift writing in this genre. 

Seeing it is part of a series I highly suggest you read them in order and not as a standalone. However, he does go back and recap some of the last books to help jog your memory. 

Gregg’s book covers are always so creatively different than any other graphics I have seen on any other cover I have seen before. This one is no exception! Kudos to the genius who thought up this concept and created this design. It was very cool. 

This book is dedicated to Darlene Dibley; her strength after great loss inspires all around her.

Right from the start Gregg jumps into the fast paced storyline with his vivid descriptions and attention to detail of what is going on in the scene. Many times you feel like you are there in the same room as the character. 

I’m a huge fan of Megan Carpenter’s character and love learning about her character’s sordid past. That past molds her into the woman she is today personally and professionally as her two worlds collide. 

Silent Ridge is full of murder, graphic details of murder scenes, lies, investigations, stalkers, heartache, etc. 

The tapes, Dr. Albright and Megan storyline fascinates me to no end. It is the key to unlocking her past. 

Mix of emotions brought up in me with the conversation between Gabrielle and Megan! 

I was glad to see that Megan and Dan were still dating in this book. 

My heart went out to Megan as her secrets were forcefully revealed in a shocking ending to a few characters.

Silent Ridge is the newest creation from Gregg Olsen that brings pleasure and pain once again to Megan Carpenter in this third of the Detective Megan Carpenter series.
As you may have heard Megan is a bit hard edged and isn't one to follow the rules. So it's not a surprise that her connection to the past doesn't fall out of the realm of possibilities.
However, Monique was someone she knew well and her murder leads Megan to wonder is she next as her first clue is her own high school photo left behind with the crime scene.
Now it's a race against time to bring in the sibling of a man who made her what she now is and with any lucky end this madness.
It's a twisty ride one with plenty of bumps and bruises along the way for which there's a serial killer and a severed head left behind with threats to kill Monique's daughter on the rise.
It's a scary and heroine experience that leads to another thriller yet many have suggested perhaps less personal ventures should be explored in the future.
All in all a stand alone that works well.
Thank you to Gregg, the pub, NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Full disclosure: I haven't read the first two and plunged head-first into this because the blurb sounded appealing.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars  (rounded to 4) 

"Silent Ridge" (formerly titled Dark Falls) is the third installment in the Megan Carpenter series. The book starts with the body of Monique left in a grotesque state. I really liked and enjoyed the promise of gore in the series and it did live up to the expectation somewhat. 

Despite having no previous knowledge of the prior happenings in the series, I was able to understand what was going on and it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the thriller. Megan is in hot pursuit of a serial killer who may be targeting her with knowledge of her past. The pace is fast and the story is very addictive. Megan was a complex and interesting character, I found her intriguing but some of her emotions weren't so understandable (like her complex bond with Ronnie); I believe those who have read the series will have a clear picture of that. 

The thriller is good: it starts with gore and intrigue and progresses in a rapid way; but I found that the end was guessable. The trope of investigator being targeted is overused but this book did decent justice to it. 

To sum it up, this book is an enjoyable read and I will definitely read the first two books to be on the loop for more updates.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author Gregg Olsen for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a serial killer, murder mystery where all the victims are connected to the past of the detective investigating them. It is the third book in the series and, whilst there are brilliant shared flashbacks via the scripts of tapes that Megan made with her psychologist, I suspect it would help to have read the previous books in the series before this one.

Detective Megan Carpenter has a new identity after her horrendous past but that past is coming back to haunt her and threatens those she has ever cared about. Very few people know about her past, not even her partner, Reserve Detective Ronnie Marsh, but they need to work together to find the killer of Monique Delmont, someone who helped Megan years ago and prevent more people being killed.

This is a very dark and graphic murder mystery, definitely not for the squeamish as the author’s vivid descriptions bring the scenarios to live in the reader’s imagination. It is a fast paced, suspense filled read that I didn’t want to put down until the end, a great addition to this series . . . . now we just need to find her father!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

"I'm a monster. But the good kind." 

Deliciously dark, unflinching and addictive, the third installment in the Megan Carpenter series is the best one yet. 

Arriving at a horrifying crime scene, Detective Megan Carpenter is shocked to discover that she knew the victim. Not only that, but the killer has left her a very personal message.

Megan is sure she knows who's behind it. She just needs to find and stop him before her dark secrets are revealed. 

"Monique’s body hangs from the shower head... Her skin is all in one piece, lying in the tub beneath her. One piece. Like a wetsuit with a wig and face mask."

This book is exactly the kind of twisted thriller I can't get enough of. It gets off to a shocking and unforgettable start, leaving the reader in no doubt what they're in for. This isn't a book for the faint hearted. 

By book three in a series you're familiar with the characters and there's a sense of comfort in revisiting them. But what I love about this series is that while you get that feeling, it is also fresh and exciting. You never quite know where the author is going to take things next.

"They don't realise they're just fanning the flames. I can always move. Take on a new persona, a new job, a new life. They'll be dead." 

Megan is fast becoming one of my favourite crime series protagonists as she's like no one else. Her history is better known to the reader by now and I enjoyed how the investigation in this book made her step back into her past and reveal more about parts she's skipped over before now. As in the previous books there are extracts from her sessions with her psychiatrist Dr Albright and flashbacks to the times in her life she'd rather forget. But, unlike in previous books, this time she's using them to catch the killer. We also see just how dark and vengeful she can be, which was another side to her that I absolutely loved. 

Fast-paced, and twisty, Silent Ridge will have you on the edge of your seat from the hard-hitting opening to the jaw-dropping climax. Though I would highly recommend the series, this could be read as a standalone too. Whichever you choose, if you're a fan of this genre, you don't want to miss this book! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮. 5

Gregg Olsen has written an action packed crime thriller/mystery in Dark Falls Book 3 of the Detective Megan Carpenter series. The book was renamed to Silent Ridge prior to publication on December 4 2020.

Megan Carpenter has an impressive history of solving cases and bringing serial killers to justice. She, unfortunately, also has personal experience with her last case, and now with her newest case. Not wanting to have to disclose her past or the connections, Megan and her rookie intern partner race to solve the case and tie up any loose ends before her story becomes known and she is forced to move on again.

Sharp, smart, and a rogue, Carpenter is a fascinating and complex character. This is an intense but satisfying read. I'm looking forward to Olsen's next book in the series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Book Outre who allowed me to read a copy of this book. All opinions stated in this review are my own.

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the third book in this series but they can be read as standalones.  I LOVED the first two books in this series so I was very excited to see what Megan would get up to next.

Megan has quite the past. If you read the first two books then you will know what happened already but if not Gregg has done an excellent job of catching you up. In this case, it seems that Megan's past is coming back to haunt her. 

Megan is one of those characters you want to like but you can't. She has so many flaws, she's highly reckless and is always close to getting herself or someone else killed because of it. I hope that Ronnie can help her to be less reckless. 

This book was extremely addictive. I read half of it in less than a day. I just couldn't put it down. One minute I'd just started and the next thing I knew I was over half way through. I like Greg's writing style. He puts just enough on the line for you to get hooked right in. The rural nature of the setting also helps to add to the suspense to the book. 

If you are a fan of dark twisty crime thrillers then I'd recommend picking this up!

Detective Megan Carpenter has been adept at keeping her lies buried, but a recent murder threatens to bring her past to the surface as she becomes the killer’s focus. As the circle closes in on Megan, she is willing to take all measures necessary preserve her secrets and protect the few she cares about.

“I don’t want anyone to start protecting me. I can take care of myself. I can take care of whoever this is. My way.”

In this police thriller, Megan is constantly battling the consequences of her actions and her inability to feel truly safe. Megan knows it’s just a matter of time, and reading the passages in the killer’s point of view, adds tension to the plot. Plus, the dichotomy of Megan’s nature is intriguing and her inner monologues evoked a few laughs. With layered character development and a proper foundation for the setting, the narrative cleverly weaves together.

Dark Falls is an addictive crime investigative that intersects the protagonist’s dark past and the present. This book would appeal to those looking for a disturbing revenge-based plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gregg Olsen and Bookouture for this ARC.

This is book three in the Detective Megan Carpenter series, and I think this is my favorite. I love the dynamic between Megan and Ronnie (reminds me of Eve Dallas and Delilah Peabody in the In Death series), and I absolutely love how Gregg Olsen weaves a tale. I feel like we're getting closer to knowing more and more about Megan's past, and I for one cannot wait to read the rest of this series.

Probably not great to read as a standalone? It is confusing, even WITH having read the first two books; I think authors need to understand that just because they eat, sleep and breathe their characters, the rest of us read other books inbetween and we don't always remember the ins and outs of the previous book(s) in a series. 

I am super conflicted about this book. The descriptions of the murders are shocking and chilling and very well done. The descriptions of the murderer, same. But Megan? She is a mess.

Perhaps she pushes my buttons because I really hate liars, and she seems to be a first-class one, even to her boss (who has her back, no matter what) and her romantic partner, which I thought wasn't very cool. I understand that she is deeply damaged by what happened to her early in life, but someone who operates the way she does - should she even be employed as a police officer?

I loved Ronnie, she was a shining star in this book and gave it much needed light in a book which was full of shade. 

I have no idea what Megan's brother was doing in the book at all, the way he just appeared and then left was really strange, and if you hadn't read the previous books, you would be scratching your head wondering what was going on. I was wondering that too!

I am really sorry, but this book had some serious issues and I am still confused. 

3 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

The past ought to be over and done with. Life becomes insecure and scary if the loose ends kept popping up. But alas for the badass cop Megan, the past became the present when the killers kept targeting her.

The crime scene revealed the corpse of a woman who had help Megan escape and the only clue left was the laminated photo of a 16-year-old Megan. The need to escape the claws of this killer and unmask and neutralize him became paramount for the brave, but highly paranoid cop.

The investigation made inroads and followed the usual rigmarole as most police procedurals did, but this went one step forward. Megan had to survive the traps hidden by this twisted serial killer. That raised the stakes throughout the story.

But the story came with its own niggles. Megan’s duplicity got to me. As a cop, I understood the need to be one step ahead and maintain own rules of truth and lies. But she lied constantly and her paranoia too felt tedious after a point. Nonetheless, I concentrated on the killer and his agenda, and the book became interesting.

The story was well crafted. It bespoke of dark motives, bringing to mind vivid scenes. The fast-paced writing and compelling storyline helped me reach the finish line. Overall, an entertaining read.

Very intense and twisted story - couldn't put it down !
Author Gregg Olsen has really put this one over the edge. The anticipated excitement to see more of Megan Carpenter and her complicated life and twisted situations will NOT disappoint . I lost myself in this book as Megan and her new "partner" try to catch the "bad guy" with a couple of stories that intertwine throughout the story. We get to hear from her estranged brother again, who does not know the entire story of when they were little kids as she's is trying to protect him, and other characters from the past.

The journey takes you all over the local area ( in Washington State) of North Kitsap, , Hadlock, Port Townsend , and local area where I live . This adds to my interest as I "know" the area. I feel like I am watching a streaming in person -live video !
Gregg weaves the story and keeps you hooked by introducing activities, memories, and teasers from the 1st and 2nd book. It is a very interesting, intense and complicated story that will keep your interest until it ends. I do wish she (Megan) would try to get her emotions and relationships in a better place, but her background story in book 1 and book 2 explains how survival drove her to become WHO she is.
Do read the first 2 books in the series and you will be hooked.
Gregg is such a talented author who uses words and fire you imagination..

Favorite Quotes:

“Sheriff said she’s about eighty years old and frail looking.” “Rowena Perkins likes tea spiked with Johnnie Walker and puzzles of half-naked firemen waving a hose.” “Who doesn’t?” Mindy says with a laugh. “Maybe they got in a fight over the puzzle.” I think it would be more likely over the Johnnie Walker, but I keep that to myself.

I wonder how I’ve gotten so popular all of a sudden. It can’t be because of the pile of dead bodies I seem to attract. Maybe it’s not being emotionally available? Men seem to like that. And big breasts. I don’t have those. But Clay also invited Ronnie, and she can give Dolly Parton a run for her money.

I love my job. I love that I’m making a difference. Helping victims. Getting justice. Maybe in the form of vengeance, but justice all the same.


My Review:

I was more than a bit conflicted during perusal and again in deciding my rating of this brilliantly contrived and multi-layered tale.  It was my first outing with the talented scribe known as Gregg Olsen and I found his pen to be chillingly brilliant and his characters to be compelling and somewhat enigmatic.  Mr. Olsen’s twisted serial killer has put a knot in my neck and kept my shoulders in my ears.  His latest tautly written missive gripped my attention and pinned me in place, keeping me tense while periodically grinding my teeth throughout perusal as I had great difficulty with the unreliability of his main character.  

Megan was a sharp and astute detective but deeply paranoid and a consummate liar.  She lied about something every time she opened her mouth.  Some subterfuge was understandable, but she seemed to have an overriding need for massive deception that got in her way and put others in peril.  Maybe had I read the first two books in the series I would have had a better grip on the underlying issues and wouldn’t have struggled with my personal distaste for her predilection for falsehood.  And since I have no other complaints and nothing but respect for Mr. Olsen’s cunning craftsmanship, expert pacing, and shrewd placement of snark and humorous observations and musings, I chose to let go of what my friend Shalini calls her “niggles” and rave of his absorbing yet darkly disturbing storytelling skills.  This bears further research on my part so I have added his listing to my TBR.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

When I requested this book from NetGalley it was titled Dark Falls but now it has been changed to Silent Ridge. Not sure of the reason for the change but I wanted to get that out of the way for those confused by the name change.

This is the third in the series and while I somehow missed book #2 having read the first in the series, Snow Creek, it was helpful to know the character already. I am not sure someone just coming into this series will appreciate the character as someone who has read one or both of the previous books. 

I don’t know how I feel about this book. I mean I really like the writings of Olsen but I am already a little tired of Megan. I am not sure why everyone she encounters as a detective she has known before. And I am not sure I appreciate all the baggage she comes with. That being said she is a strong character who prevails above her past. 

Will give the series more time to develop. And I hope we see a few more sides of Megan. 

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

For Detective Megan Carpenter, the lies she has been desperate to keep hidden all these years threaten to be exposed when she becomes the focus of a killer with ties to her past…

“Can she get to him before he finds her? And will she pay the ultimate   price for trying to keep her terrifying past buried?” – Blurb

Gregg Olsen pulls you in to this dark and gritty crime thriller and takes you along for the ride. As always, his writing just brings everything to life so vividly and he does a great job at holding you hostage until the final page.

Megan is such a complex and fascinating character. Normally brash and tough as nails, while we still see these things, I did enjoy seeing her drop her guard a little and showing us her vulnerable side, when it is revealed that she knows the murder victim. 

As the third instalment in the series, Silent Ridge in my opinion, is the best one yet! Whilst it can be read as a standalone, I do encourage you to read this series from the beginning. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Silent Ridge is an addictive crime thriller mystery. The plot is fresh, the characterisation is strong and the narrative is sharp. Gregg Olsen definitely knows how to weave a tale and I look forward to seeing where he takes the series next. 

Thank you to Gregg Olsen, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Silent Ridge, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.