Bitter Falls

She’s investigating a cold case no one else could―by going places no else would dare.

In spite of a harrowing past still haunting her, Gwen Proctor is trying to move forward. Until a new assignment gives her purpose: the cold-case disappearance of a young man in Tennessee. Three years missing, no clues. Just Ruth Landry, a tortured mother in limbo. Gwen understands what it’s like to worry about your children.

Gwen’s investigation unearths new suspects…and victims. As she follows each sinister lead, the implications of the mystery grow more disturbing. Because the closer Gwen gets, the closer she is to a threat that looms back home.

In a town that’s closed its ranks against Gwen; her partner, Sam; and her kids, there’s no bolder enemy than the Belldene family―paramilitary, criminal, powerful, and vengeful. As personal vendettas collide with Gwen’s investigation, she’s prepared to fight both battles. But is she prepared for the toll it could take on everyone she loves?

• Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine
• Series: Stillhouse Lake, book #4
• Published by: Brilliance Audio on January 21, 2020
• Genre: Thriller, suspense
• Listening length: 11 hours 33 minutes
• Dates listened: 8.3.25 – 8.10.25 (8 days)
• Format: Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)
• Narrators: Emily Sutton-Smith, Lauren Ezzo, Will Ropp, Dan John Miller, Michael Crouch (although I’m not entirely sure this is accurate, because I have no clue what role he would have played, and the book is written just from the 4 POVs as the previous two)
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• ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Gwen and the fam are sucked into turmoil again! Seriously, this poor family. Have they not been through enough?! Also…what in the actual hell is going on in that part of Tennessee?! lol I know that the main setting is fictional, but goodness gracious! My personal advice to Gwen would be to get her family and get the heck out of that backwoods, hillbilly cesspool and find somewhere nicer to live!!

Gwen is now working as a private investigator for a company out of Knoxville, TN. Her boss puts her on the cold case of a young man who’s been missing for 3 years. On top of that, she and her family are still having to deal with the unwelcoming locals in their town. They have their own illegal business they’re trying to run, and the attention that seems to follow Gwen is not something they appreciate. There is an interesting little plot twist involving the Belldene family that I really liked. They are definitely a family you don’t root for, but this twist makes you like them…but only a tiny bit! In this book of the series, Gwen again has to decide what’s best for her family, while also trying to help a mother get the closure she needs about her son.

I know that I’ve said it before, but someone seriously needs to buy the rights to make this series into a TV show! Caine is so amazing at interweaving all the plots from the first book, then into the next, etc., all while making each book have its own plot and storylines that are fresh and new. While each book could definitely be read as stand stand-alone, because she’s also great at giving you enough backstory in each book to not feel lost, you really need to read from the beginning to enjoy them fully in my opinion. Each book is like one season of your favorite thriller mystery show, and it picks up quickly after the last one dropped off. Maybe now that the series has finally come to an end, with the final book being released recently, someone will try to turn it into a show. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. 🤞