I think it’s largely possible detective mystery stories simply aren’t for me. This was my first of the sort, I had anticipated enjoying it. I enjoy horror, and this is a well rated book already. However it just didn’t grasp me. I found myself having to push to keep reading. Eventually I just decided it wasn’t for me.

Blood in the Cradle is the kind of novel that doesn’t just pull you in—it holds you captive. From the first chapter, LaJeanne builds a slow-burning, emotionally rich mystery layered with grief, loyalty, and the deep scars of family and faith. The story follows sisters Chloe and Rosie Van Belle, whose bond is tested when a child is found murdered and the trail leads to a chilling religious cult—one Rosie is still connected to.

Told through both their perspectives, the book contrasts Chloe’s gritty determination with Rosie’s quiet, unsettling vulnerability. The religious aspects in particular added a whole new level of creepiness to the story, giving the investigation a haunting undercurrent that stuck with me. It’s not just a murder mystery—it’s an exploration of devotion, trauma, and how far belief can bend before it breaks.

And just when you think you have it figured out, there’s a twist that hits like a gut punch. Smart, unsettling, and deeply affecting—this one’s a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for providing an ARC for my honest review.

WOW, this book had me on the edge of my seat, I never saw the twists coming.

Blood in the Cradle follows detective Chloe Van Belle through an investigation of a murdered child, who disappeared from her church and was only found when her dismembered arm was left in the church fountain. If that doesn’t have you hooked I don’t know what would. This novel has mystery, thrillers, horror and gore. If religion and cult activities are triggering for you I would take caution to reading.

Through Chloe’s flashbacks of her childhood and the insanity of the current world and people around her, can she decipher what truly happened to her as a child and solve the mystery case before another child is killed? You will have to read to find out!

I wanted to love this! I loved the main character’s development and the small town culty vibes. I guessed the twists pretty early on and I was just irritated with some of the characters’ decisions. The religious aspect was the best/creepiest part and I would read more by this author, but I just didn’t love love this story.

I really enjoyed this book. I was trying my hardest to work it out but there was twists and turns all over. I truely loved reading it. Great job

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!
🔪⛪️🐇
When a gruesome child murder is discovered in Encounters Church, a dangerous cult who worships angels, Detective Van Belle is drawn into a deadly game where all her darkest trauma and secrets come to light.
🔪⛪️🐇
This book was incredibly hard for me to read….in the BEST way possible! As someone who grew up in a religious cult, this book had a lot of trigger points for me. But that truly shows how well done it was! Seeing other people have survived the same experiences as me on paper, was actually very healing. The story itself was propelling and VISCERAL. I could not read fast enough! I will 100% be looking for the next book from LaJeanne!!

A detective noir that I adored. It was dark, delicious (idk what else to call). The backstory of the MC only made this story better. Most of the times I don't care too much about the background of the detective. It is so overdone, the emotionally scarred trope, thta it is kind of boring. But this book's take on this was surprisingly fresh with lots of nuance. The mystery had me by the throat. It was truly frightening from time to time. A great mix of horror and mystery.

When I first started Blood in the Cradle, I wasn’t sure it was going to be for me. The religious elements felt a bit heavy at first, and that’s just not really my vibe. But I’m so glad I stuck with it, because once I got about 100 pages in, the story completely took off.

The book follows Detective Chloe Van Belle as she’s drawn back to a church tied to her traumatic childhood after a severed limb is found in its fountain. Things get even darker when a young girl, Lillian, disappears without anyone noticing—except Chloe. The eerie mystery, the emotional tension between Chloe and her half-sister Rosie (a devout member of the church), and the discovery of a second, eerily similar murder make for a gripping and unpredictable ride.

Chloe is a fascinating character—strong but haunted, and dealing with a strange condition that causes her to literally taste sweetness around death. That detail added a unique, eerie twist to an already chilling story. The plot is full of twists and kept me guessing all the way through. I also loved the hints of romance that gave a little softness to the otherwise intense storyline.

What started off feeling slow and too focused on themes I don’t usually enjoy turned into a rollercoaster thriller I couldn’t put down. If you’re into dark mysteries with psychological depth, unexpected twists, and a strong female lead, Blood in the Cradle is definitely worth the read.

I loved this fast paced, twisty and edge of your seat book! The plot was built perfectly, the character development seemed like it took some time to pull together but came together amazingly, and the twists left me gasping! Cannot wait for more!

Chloe and Rosie are half sisters who live very different lives. One sister escaped a cult and now works as a detective and the other is still stuck in that cult and doesn’t realize she’s been manipulated and brainwashed. When the murder of a young girl takes place at the cathedral, Chloe is assigned to solve that case.

This was a good story that’s is full of many twist, gruesome discovery of some body’s, and characters with vastly different lives and personalities. I really enjoyed getting to read through both of the sister’s POV and seeing how different they viewed the situation. The way the story unravels keeps you guessing until the very end who is the one responsible for the murder and how it’s tied to the one that happened many years ago. The ending took a huge turn that I was not expecting. I was completely shocked by it!

Even though the romance was present for short periods of time, I really liked the relationship between Chloe and Nelson. It was so cute.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

wow. im in constantly in awe when an author can come to a genre and totally knock it out the park with both newness and plot depth. this book is like no other. its unique and all on its own. i dont know quite how or why i feel this. or just how to describe why this is but it just is. its superb.
i was shaken and feeling unshed tears at one point.
this book is so hard and tough but make you feel tender and caring for the characters.
we mostly follow two sisters. very different sisters. but they both give you reason to want to know more about them and be both wary and protective of them too.
the shockers i was shocked with and did not see coming. not that reveal. no way. no how. and i love that.
the world of cults is so unstable and eerie. its so hard to see,witness or even read about. you get that whole sick feeling for those being taken in by it. whilst at the same time want to shake them to just see what they are being manipulated into!
this book added even more to it because one of the troubled people we would most likely see as a victim herself was the detective in charge of seeking out a murderer. and this case also then went to involve her sister. arrrgh! bring it on.
from start to finish i loved this book. fantastic.

Review for Blood in the Cradle
4.5/5 stars
Blood in the Cradle is a gripping thriller that slowly builds momentum before hooking you completely in the second half. While the religious tone in the beginning caught me off guard, it all tied together in a way I didn’t expect — and made for a really unique reading experience. The story becomes fast-paced and intense, with strong character development that kept me invested throughout. I’ll definitely never hear "Alouette" the same way again after this! I’m so grateful to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy. I’m excited to see how readers connect with this one — it’s the kind of thriller that sticks with you long after you finish the last page

Thank you for the arc!!!
Blood in the Cradle is a gripping, visceral thriller about two sisters divided by faith and bound by blood. When detective Chloe Van Belle investigates a child’s murder tied to a cult her sister Rosie still belongs to, the story unravels into a chilling exploration of loyalty, trauma, and belief. LaJeanne’s tense, haunting prose and a devastating twist make this a must-read for fans of dark, psychological mysteries.

Thank you Netgalley, Tule Publishing, and to the author for the opportunity.

Book Review

The title and book cover pulled me in. "Blood in The Cradle" turned out to be an exceptional Police Procedural! 

The plot centers around a case every detective dreads—the one that forces them to confront their traumatic past.

When decorated detective Chloe Van Belle receives a call about a severed limb in a fountain, she dreads returning to Encounters, a renowned angel-worshipping church tied to her dark childhood wounds. She’s further shocked to learn six-year-old Lillian vanished [from the congregation] without being reported.

Chloe’s half-sister Rosie, a devout believer engaged to the reverend’s son, remains unwavering that everything unfolds according to divine will, refusing to see the evil in front of her.

I really loved this book.
From the plot, characters and the twists. 

Cradle is a brilliant beginning to "The Halpin River Homicides" series. It's a safe bet I'll be locked in for the next installment.  
Kudos to Cobie La Jeanne for including a list of Trigger Warnings at the beginning of the book. Most authors don't do this. 

Fans of fast paced,  twisty and gritty police procedurals and psychological thrillers will enjoy "Blood in The Cradle".

Thank you NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the opportunity!!

The cover and the blurb on this book drew me in immediately, and wow did I not expect this story to take the twist it did. Granted I'm not the person who can see twists coming or necessarily try to figure them out on my own but I actually would have never seen any of this and my jaw was slack the entire last hour of reading it.

The epilogue killed me and now I'm just like.... ok how and who can I talk to about this??? I need more!!

LaJeanne has created such a visceral interesting and haunting story here. Highly recommend!!

Loved this book so much. Everything was just brilliant, the plot, the characters, the twists. Told by dual POV. Highly recommend. Can't wait to contine this series with Chloe and her team. Please check TWs. Thank you to Netgalley and Tule Publishing for ARC.

Wow i literally loved this !!
I adored Chloe and can’t wait to see more of her! And her team
This kept me on my toes the twists were amazing!!
Fast paced amazing thriller with brilliant characters and twists you really don’t see coming
Absolutely fantastic!! Don’t think I could have enjoyed it more.

Blood in the Cradle doesn’t just grab your attention, it grips you by the heart and doesn’t let go. From the very first page, this novel unfolds like a slow-burning revelation, pulling readers into a story layered with grief, doubt, loyalty, and the desperate search for truth. It’s not just a mystery; it’s a meditation on the quiet and sometimes violent ways family and faith shape who we become.

LaJeanne crafts a setting that feels both distant and unnervingly familiar. Her prose weaves together tension and tenderness, immersing us in the lives of Chloe and Rosie Van Belle, sisters bound by blood, but divided by belief. Chloe, a determined detective with a history of being labeled “troubled,” is relentless in her pursuit of justice when a child is found murdered. Her instincts point to a nearby religious cult but the deeper complication? Rosie, her gentle, devout sister, is still enmeshed within it.

Told in dual perspectives, the novel offers two distinct and compelling lenses through which to view this chilling case. Chloe’s hardened resolve is a stark contrast to Rosie’s vulnerability, yet both voices are equally magnetic. Rosie’s chapters, in particular, offer a poignant glimpse into the psychology of manipulation and misplaced devotion. The way LaJeanne explores trauma familial, spiritual, and individual is as gut-wrenching as it is empathetic.

And then there’s that reveal. No spoilers, but it hits like a sucker punch you didn’t see coming, even if you thought you were paying attention.

If you’re on the fence, let me push you off it: read this book. You won’t regret it.

Blood in the Cradle by Cobie LaJeanne is a powerful and haunting novel that lingers in your mind long after the final page. LaJeanne masterfully weaves a tale filled with mystery, heartbreak, and the haunting consequences of buried secrets. Her prose is both poetic and raw, drawing readers deep into a world that feels both intimate and unsettling.
The characters are richly developed, especially the protagonist, whose emotional journey is as compelling as the central mystery. The pacing is steady, gradually building tension without rushing through important character development or plot points. The Southern gothic atmosphere is particularly well-done—dark, moody, and evocative without being overbearing.
What holds this book back from a full five stars for me is that there were a few moments where the narrative felt slightly drawn out, and I found myself wishing for a quicker resolution to certain subplots. However, those minor pacing issues did little to detract from the overall impact of the story.
If you're a fan of literary suspense with emotional depth and a touch of the eerie, Blood in the Cradle is well worth your time. Cobie LaJeanne is definitely an author to watch.

Blood in the Cradle by Cobie LaJeanne is one of those rare books that grabs you by the throat from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. It’s dark, twisted, and utterly compelling. If you’re a fan of thrillers that don’t hold back and push you to the edge of your seat, this is the book you’ve been waiting for.

From the outset, the atmosphere is intense. LaJeanne wastes no time setting up a world full of tension, secrets, and chilling moments that will leave you second-guessing everything. The premise alone had me hooked—there’s something almost primal about the stakes, and as the mystery deepens, it pulls you further into a world that’s as dangerous as it is unpredictable.

What really made this book stand out for me, though, was the complexity of the characters. The main protagonist is deeply flawed, but that’s what makes them so compelling. Their journey isn’t just about solving the mystery—it’s about confronting their own demons, navigating trust, and surviving in a world that’s constantly throwing curveballs. I found myself rooting for them, even when they were making questionable decisions.

The pacing is relentless, never slowing down for too long. LaJeanne keeps you on your toes with clever twists and reveals, all while maintaining a strong emotional core. You’re not just invested in the mystery—you’re invested in the characters and their fates, which makes every moment feel heavier and more urgent.

By the end, Blood in the Cradle leaves you with a mix of satisfaction and a desire for more. It’s dark and gritty in all the right ways, but it’s also rich with character depth and psychological intrigue. If you love thrillers with a strong emotional pull and no shortage of suspense, this book is a must-read.