This one started out slow for me. I had trouble getting into it. But as I read on, I started to love it. I love Shana and the recurring characters in this series, as well as the atmospheric setting in upstate New York. The story had a lot of buildup and then multiple twists, which I liked a lot. Didn’t love the ending, but I do plan to keep reading the series.

Even though this story is technically a standalone, there were a lot of things from previous books that you need to know to truly enjoy it. I have been following Shana from the beginning, so it was easy to see the way she progressed into this story. I love the setting in A-bay and I loved the new twist with the ghost tours and serial killer fame. The story was interesting and easy to follow, but Shana really annoyed me in this book! I feel like every time things are actually going well she can’t handle it and ruins it.

This is actually the 5th book with the character Shana Merchant. I think you need to read the other books to get the whole experience. I definately will be. I really love the way this author writes.

This is a great addition to a series I can't get enough of. Shana's case is much more personal this time and as always, the author gives us such an atmospheric tone to the story.

DEVILS AT THE DOOR (Shana Merchant #5) by Tessa Wegert was a huge reminder to me of why I’m SO glad that my own teenagers are grown AND GONE!

When Shana’s brother, Doug asks her to take in his sixteen year old daughter for a semester, he’s hoping that their time together will straighten Hen out. But Shay’s never had children, isn’t even sure she wants them, and cannot get a handle on what is happening with Hen. Shortly after her arrival, Shay notices that Hen seems to be addicted to horror, movies, roams the house at night, takes things that don’t belong to her and shares a fascination with the locals regarding a family member who was a convicted serial killer. Needless to say, Hen falls in with a very weird crowd of friends. Meanwhile, a local boy, Leif Colebrook drowns at Devil’s Oven and Hen is the last one to have been seen with him and she’s not talking, not to Shay or the police investigating the case. Was it an accident? Or something more sinister? Will Shay. break through with Hen or send her packing back to Doug and Josie? As the clues pile up Hen is looking less like a possible witness and more like a suspect in Leif’s drowning.

I enjoyed this book. The writing was smooth and easy, which led to an interesting, entertaining read. I did think, however that it drug at times, and I would notice my mind wandering somewhat. It was good enough, however, that I will certainly look into the other Shana Merchant books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn house for this arc opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

This might now be my favorite book in this series. I really liked that Shana was still the main character, but that there were A LOT of new characters in this book and I think that made it more interesting and gave some new life to the series. I liked where the series went in the earlier books, but this direction allows it to continue. I enjoyed the introduction of Hen and the twist that was revealed later in the book that was later on developed to add a unique twist on the deaths.

Thank you so much to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy!

LOVE Tessa Wegert books - I honestly am so excited everytime I get a chance to read one. I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

After I finished this taut small-town mystery, I found myself wondering why I'd never met Shana Merchant before. As a main character she's so compelling: gutsy, brave, stubborn, flawed and emotionally vulnerable. In other words a thoroughly human and relatable character.
In this instalment of the series, Shana is struggling with the traumatic events of the past as well as the idea of settling down with boyfriend, Tim and maybe having children. Her life is complicated even further when her brother asks her to take in her troubled teenage niece, the rebellious and sullen, Hen. who lands on her doorstep and begins to cause havoc in their small town when she's found at the scene of a suspicious drowning that results in the death of a local teen.. Shana finds herself in a race against time to uncover the truth and find out how exactly Hen is connected to the crime.
The world of Alexandria Bay is so vivid and well drawn that I was immersed in the small town, its colourful characters and unique setting on the St. Lawrence, near the Thousand Islands and the Canada/US border. The story is thoroughly engrossing with so many twists and turns that keep you guessing right until the surprise ending. A great read that kept me luring me back for more.

This was a good mystery. When kids are involved, it is always so hard to get the truth. They seem incapable of understanding how much trouble they could get in. The fact that this kept escalating, and the consequences non existent, with the lies etc, it bugged me. Left me frustrated. But overall kept me guessing with what will happen, and who is at fault.

Though I've read the previous 3 books, and have skipped the 4th by accident, I feel this series is pretty stand alone. You are given enough clues that there's a backstory, but it doesn't impede from understanding what is happening in the current book. I have enjoyed this series so far, and the atmosphere of it. Will definitely go back again for more Shanna snooping.

Another great installment of the Shana Merchant series!! I really enjoy reading these books. Shana Merchant is such a strong female character, and as a reader, you can't help but love her. This book was so good! This is the first of the series that doesn't involve Bram (obviously - iykyk). And man, it was so good! Love that it still involves mystery and murder. Great read, highly recommend!!

*Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @tessawegert for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Our favorite serial killer surviving detective is back! And now she’s been put in charge of her teen niece, Henrietta who was being bullied at her old school for being related to Blake Bram. This is the 5th book in the series.

Hen has a penchant for bloody movies and snooping. She also stirs up mischief and poking her nose where it doesn’t belong. She’s had trouble making friends and is bullied at her new school too. Late one night, Shana is called to investigate the mysterious drowning of a local teenager and the last person she expects to find at the scene is her niece. Now Hen is considered an eye witness and possible witness. Can Shana get to the bottom of this? Was Hen involved?

I liked that this was a little different from the other books. It was more about Shana and her family and personal life. Being related to a famous serial killer will always follow anyone with the last name “Merchant” and it must be so hard for Hen to start over at a new school with such notoriety.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @tessawegert and @severnhouseimprint for my gifted ebook. Devils at the Door is out now!

Shana Merchant is back! 🙌🏼 I jumped into this series on book 3, and it read so much like the Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell- which is one of my all-time favorite series!

In this one, Shana and Tim are moving on and happily creating their life together. Then she takes in her rebellious niece, and mayhem ensues. She's sneaky and stealing from them. Then Shana is called to investigate a teenage drowning and finds her niece at the scene, but she won't talk about what happened. She's kicked off the case, but of course, she can't just sit back and let her niece take the fall for this. And talk about a tangled web of lies and deceit. Such a great read!

I really enjoy this series and that has not changed with this addition!
Hoping for more in the series

Devils at the Door is apart of a series but can be a standalone read. This book is about a small town mystery with intriguing characters and follows Shana who is a NY State investigator. Devils at the Door had me guessing till the end and had me turning pages. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this book to others especially if you love small town mystery's. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review.

Devils at the Door is told in 1st person from Shana’s POV. First of all, I absolutely loved Hen’s character and how mysterious she was. I couldn’t tell if I could trust her for most of the book which I really enjoyed. This book was a little less “serial killer-y” (yes, I made that up) than the other books in the series but it was jam packed with drama as well as twists! I genuinely had no idea who the real killer was until the very end. Also, the very last page had me soooo excited but that’s all I will say. I’m not sure if this is the last Shana Merchant book or not but I really hope it isn’t because I’m not ready for it to end or to not read about Shana! Highly recommend this series.

I’m usually not a fan of book series, but I cannot get enough of the Shana Merchant series by Tessa Wegert!

In Devils at the Door, we meet Shana’s niece, Hen, and all the chaos that ensues after she arrives in town.

I am glad that we’re finally starting to move on from Bram in this book, even though he obviously is impacting the lives of those left behind.

There were some twists in this one that I didn’t expect, especially THAT ENDING ?!?!?

Now I eagerly await book 6!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy!

Not my favorite by this author even if it's a well plotted and dark thriller that kept me hooked and on the edge.
A fast paced story full of suspence and secrets.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

"The Devils at the Door" captivated me from start to finish with its spectacular storytelling. The settings breathed life into the narrative, emerging as almost a supporting character in their own right. The meticulous attention to detail made every scene vivid and immersive. This mystery thriller was a rollercoaster of suspense and intrigue, weaving a narrative that kept me guessing until the very end. The plot was rich with twists and turns, and the characters were well-developed, adding depth to the overall experience. "The Devils at the Door" is a gripping and satisfying read, a testament to its ability to deliver on the promises of a great mystery thriller. It left me thoroughly entertained and impressed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I had heard about this book on a webinar and was intrigued. I know this is #5 in the series and it was mentioned that you could read this without reading the previous 4 books. While this is true, I did find myself with some questions about what happened in the earlier books. I will likely start this series from the beginning to find out more about the serial killing cousin. Overall this book was good; I enjoyed the storyline and the main character, Shana Merchant.

This is the fifth book in the Shana Merchant series. I personally think you need to read the series in order as there is an overarching storyline and continuing characters.

Shana's life is finally coming together after the tumultuous events of the past few years. Her teen niece Henrietta "Hen" is having issues at home, so her brother askes Shana if Hen can live with her for a while. When Hen arrives though, things aren't as easy as Shana had hoped. Hen is lying and uncommunicative, and one night she sneaks out. Shana finds her at the site of another teen's death, and things are very suspicious. Things indicate it might be related to past events in their family.

I overall liked this book, but I feel like the story of the past events has just been done to death (pun intended). It gets old having everything brought up over and over again. There are some interesting twists in the book, which kept me interested, but there are a LOT of characters and overlapping connections between them which can get a little confusing. I'm not sure I would have been as patient with Hen as Shana was, but it did cause some character growth for Shana. I liked the deeper thoughts and examination Shana did of her future hopes and dreams and can see directions this series can take in the future if the author wants to continue.