Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3) in Audiobook Junkies

Mar 29, 2019 ☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Gwen Proctor formly Gina Royal was married and had two children with a serial killer until the ugly truth was revealed. Gina herself was accused and acquitted of being an accessory to her husbands heinous crimes but that hasn’t stopped victims and extremists from coming after her. They weren’t even safe from her ex-husband who was safely behind bars. If you haven’t read the first two books go grab them on eBook, from Kindle Unlimited or on Audible.

After the events of the previous books you would ...more

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Sep 09, 2019 Mogsy rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, review-copy, mystery, netgalley, thriller-suspense

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/09/19/...

This series is so addictive, I just don’t want it to end! Initially believing Stillhouse Lake to be a trilogy, I put off reading this third book for ages until I recently found out there will be a fourth installment incoming, which promptly motivated me to catch up (funny how that works).

Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine takes readers back to the small Tennessee town of Stillhouse Lake following Gwen Proctor, formerly Gina 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/09/19/...

This series is so addictive, I just don’t want it to end! Initially believing Stillhouse Lake to be a trilogy, I put off reading this third book for ages until I recently found out there will be a fourth installment incoming, which promptly motivated me to catch up (funny how that works).

Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine takes readers back to the small Tennessee town of Stillhouse Lake following Gwen Proctor, formerly Gina Royal, as she tries to make a new life for herself and her children after finding out that her husband was a notorious serial killer. But even though it has been years since Gwen was cleared of being his accomplice, the family of some of Melvin Royal’s victims still refuse to believe she had nothing to do with his murders. In particular, the mother of one of the women he killed has been leading a harassment campaign against her, making Gwen’s life a living hell. Worse, now it appears there will be a documentary made about the women Melvin murdered, dashing all hopes of privacy for her and her family. Still, Gwen is determined to do her best to protect her daughter Lanni and her son Connor, shielding them from the worst of the harassment, both online and in the real world. But as it turns out, the threat might be even closer to home, as Gwen’s boyfriend Sam has plenty of secrets in his past that he wishes to keep hidden even as their relationship deepens.

One day, Gwen also receives a cryptic phone call from a frightened woman named Marlene Crockett who lives in the nearby town of Wolfhunter. At the time, Gwen is unable to offer much help while her situation in Stillhouse Lake is so uncertain, but not long afterward, Marlene ends up dead and the main suspect is her teenaged daughter. Feeling concern for the girl and a bit guilty for not having done more, Gwen decides to travel to Wolfhunter to investigate, bringing Sam and the kids along because of a sudden need for all of them to get out of town. But when they arrive, they discover a small community rotting at its core—a kidnapped child, women going missing, a police department rife with corruption. Just what the hell is going on in Wolfhunter?

For the first time in this series, the story shifts away from Melvin Royal, setting Gwen Proctor up to be a private investigator in her own right. She has now fully made her transition from the clueless housewife believing that her marriage was the perfect picture of domestic bliss, becoming a survivor who seeks out other vulnerable women to help as well as local small-town mysteries to solve. The transformation in her character has been astounding, to say the least; she’s had to start over again from nothing after discovering that most of her life had been a monstrous lie, managing to persevere in the face of a shock so terrible that it would have broken most people. Now she’s a vigilant and independent gun-toting badass single mom, and she’s like the mama bear who will stop at NOTHING to keep her children safe from harm. God, I love her.

This book also includes the POVs of Sam, Lanni, and Connor, which I really liked because it shows how the shadow cast by Melvin Royal has taken its toll on not only Gwen but her whole family, and anyone they get close to. Now that the kids are older, the experience has also changed them in deep-seated ways. We got to be in Lanni’s head briefly in the previous book, in a story thread that mostly dealt with her crush on a girl at school. But like Gwen, Lanni has come a long way; as she herself observed, back when she was a child, things seemed much easier and more removed—a testament to how well Gwen had protected her children—but it’s a different story now that she is fifteen years old. As such, Lanni’s chapters were my second favorite after Gwen’s because of their complex themes. Between dealing with her first real romance, taking on some of the duties of protecting her little brother, and also helping her mother with the investigation at Wolfhunter, Lanni provided a refreshingly unique and genuine voice that I would love to see carry through to the rest of the series.

The story was also exciting, if a little labored at certain points because you could tell Caine was striving hard to set Wolfhunter River apart from the first two books. For the most part, I think she succeeded, since this one has a different feel than the previous installments, though I can’t really put my finger on why. In some ways, the plot felt somewhat scattered, and had I not known there was another sequel coming out, I would have thought the author was struggling a bit to tie up all loose ends, but now I believe she was simply setting the scene up for more. Regardless, it worked out in the end, and the result is that Wolfhunter River is probably the most action-packed of all three books. On top of all the gun fights and car chases, this one also seemed to have the highest body count.

At the end of the day though, I’m thrilled that we will be getting to see these characters again because I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet. The ending perfectly sets the stage for what’s coming next, and I’m looking forward to returning to more Gwen Proctor and Stillhouse Lake. ...more

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Aug 22, 2024 ⊱✿⊰ Alicia ⊱✿⊰ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2024-audiobooks, continue-aeries, 3rd-in-series, romantic-suspense, 4-stars, crime-thriller, read-and-listen-ku, thriller

4 Stars!!

The truth is out and Gina's husband is dead, you'd think that would be the end of most of Ginas problems but it's not. I suppose I should call her Gwen now as she legally changed her name.

I enjoyed getting more of Gwen and Sam's relationship in this one. I really like Sam but I can understand Gwens reluctance to get serious with someone after everything she has been through.

When Gwen gets a call for help from a young girl her daughters age, she feels obliged to go and check things out. ...more

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Apr 16, 2019 Anne - Books of My Heart rated it really liked it

Shelves: 7arcs, 2019, newrelease

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This Stillhouse Lake series is a terrifying blur of survival. You need to read these in order. I wanted to read this as soon as I got it. I'm bummed it took me until last week.

At the end of Killman Creek, Gwen was in rough shape. I have to say she has amazing strength and intelligence. She works so hard to prot ...more

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Sep 19, 2020 Linda (un)Conventional Bookworms rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fave-author, kindle, thriller, psychological-thriller, kindle-unlimited, read-series-in-a-month-challenge, 2019-releases, read-in-2020

It seems impossible, but these books just keep getting better and better! The suspense is both chilling and amazing. The mystery is deep. The thriller aspect just keeps hitting on Gwen from every side - almost incessantly.
I love Gwen so much! She's strong, because she has to be. And she keeps going when others would completely give up. And she's still so very present in her own and her children's lives. ...more

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Mar 19, 2019 Darcy rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-book, mystery, net-galley-books, 2019

Once again Gwen and her family are put through the wringer in this one, but I think by the end they are a stronger, tighter family unit, one who knows they will fight for each other no matter what.

I really hate how so many people out there are going after Gwen, that they thought she had something to do with her ex-husband and I really hate how even from the grave her ex has a big reach and can hurt them all. This time around Melvin seemed to strike at the bond between Sam and Gwen. It didn’t he ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 The Audiobookworm rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Full disclosure: I was a little apprehensive about beginning Wolfhunter River. As much as I loved this first two installments (Stillhouse Lake and Killman Creek), part of me was scared to return to the series. For months, I've been anticipating its release, but when it was time to begin listening, I balked and ended up putting it off for a few weeks.

This series is thrilling, but it's also extremely intense, even dark at times. It's a very heavy series dealing with the court of public opinion. Th Full disclosure: I was a little apprehensive about beginning Wolfhunter River. As much as I loved this first two installments (Stillhouse Lake and Killman Creek), part of me was scared to return to the series. For months, I've been anticipating its release, but when it was time to begin listening, I balked and ended up putting it off for a few weeks.

This series is thrilling, but it's also extremely intense, even dark at times. It's a very heavy series dealing with the court of public opinion. This series causes the reader/listener to ask uncomfortable questions and face uncomfortable truths about society today and our part in it. It doesn't overtly do so, but if you really process the material, it will naturally lead you to such introspection.

Once I did finally gather enough courage to start Wolfhunter River, I was immediately sucked in. I appreciate that Rachel Caine doesn't mind giving us a brief refresher on the events of the past two books. It reminded me of how much I love the character of Gwen Proctor. I'm drawn to fierce, protective maternal characters and Gwen fits that bill better than anyone I've ever read.

The beginning of the story was uncomfortable. Gwen is once again faced with public scrutiny and is seemingly in a no-win situation, but that's what makes this series so unpredictable. I can't see a way out of her predicament because there isn't really a way out of it. Yet Gwen somehow finds a way to go on. I'm telling you, if I were in her situation, I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago and just given up. But Gwen doesn't do that, primarily because of her children, and that's why I love her character so much. She's Cersei Lannister, but without the cruelty.

I saw the most character growth in this installment from Connor. In Killman Creek, I found his character annoyingly childish (...that's possibly unfair since he is a child). In Wolfhunter River, his growth is obvious and I was so proud! He has clearly learned from his mistakes and he seems to have learned a thing or two from his kickass Mom as well. I love seeing how Connor and Lanny are growing up and becoming more savvy. I can't wait to see the type of adults they will become.

Not only are the kids learning from Gwen, but they are also finding out that they are stronger together, as a family unit. This installment saw them stick together and fight common enemies, rather than fighting amongst themselves. They have also welcomed Sam into the family. Every time Sam referred to the children as his children I got totally lost in my feelings. Wolfhunter River showed all four of them working as a cohesive family unit, having each other's backs, and forgiving each other's faults. Bless.

I usually prefer larger series arcs to the more episodic plots of individual installments, but this time was different. The over arching plot of Gwen's life is so tragic that it was nice to lose myself in the details of Ellie White's kidnapping and the other mysterious goings on of Wolfhunter. The end of Wolfhunter River seems to be opening a new door in Gwen's life and I think it paves the way for future installments to resemble this one.

Now that there are three installments out, it's the perfect time for you to hear this series while waiting for the fourth. I overwhelmingly recommend the series, but I do understand if it's not exactly binge-able, due to the high intensity. The writing is incredible and it's not exactly graphic, but it does deal with some pretty heavy stuff. Don't worry if you need to take a break and hear something ligher in between installments.

Narration review: The number one reason I recommend this series is the narration. Starting with the second book, three new narrators are introduced to voice Sam, Lanny, and Connor. The fact that they brought in four narrators for the audiobooks, when they could have easily had the primary narrator continue to voice all of the characters, shows the confidence the publishers have in this series and it is not without reason. Going the extra mile to ensure a well produced and excellently narrated audiobook has vastly improved the listening experience. The cast of narrators do a wonderful job of handling the POV switch offs and this series is proof that multiple POVs should be handled by multiple narrators. If you are going to give this series a try, do so on audio!♣︎ ...more

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Jan 22, 2021 Eadie Burke rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2021

Gwen Proctor‘s husband, Melvin, is still haunting her days. Marlene Crocket has reached out to Gwen from Wolfhunter River but when Gwen arrives she finds Marlene has been found dead and her daughter, Vera, is charged with the murder. Can Gwen find the person that Marlene really feared and prove Vera‘s innocence? Looking forward to book 4.

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Mar 17, 2019 Kathy Martin rated it it was amazing

WOLFHUNTER RIVER was an appalling and pulse-pounding thriller. Gwen Proctor managed to escape from her serial killer husband Melvin Royal. She is trying to make a new, safe life for her kids Lanny and Connor, but she has been convicted of being his accomplice by the court of public opinion. She faces daily harassment from online bullies of all descriptions.

Her main nemesis is Miranda Nelson Tidewell. She is wealthy and obsessed with the idea that Gwen was involved in the death of her daughter. S WOLFHUNTER RIVER was an appalling and pulse-pounding thriller. Gwen Proctor managed to escape from her serial killer husband Melvin Royal. She is trying to make a new, safe life for her kids Lanny and Connor, but she has been convicted of being his accomplice by the court of public opinion. She faces daily harassment from online bullies of all descriptions.

Her main nemesis is Miranda Nelson Tidewell. She is wealthy and obsessed with the idea that Gwen was involved in the death of her daughter. She is using her money currently to fund a documentary which will bring everything back to public awareness and encourage a new round of hateful fanatics. Gwen's boyfriend Sam was once a supporter of Miranda and her agenda. They joined forces when Sam's sister was identified as one of Melvin's victims. However, getting to know Gwen has enabled him to realize how wrong he was about her. He hasn't confessed his role in Gwen's harassment though.

Gwen has been getting something of an underground reputation for being able to help other women in her sort of situation. When she gets a call from a woman in Wolfhunter River, she thinks this is another one of those calls. But the woman is too frightened to tell her what is going on. The next time the phone rings from that number, it is the woman's fifteen-year-old daughter Vee who says she's standing over her mother's dead body and that she is afraid that "they" will be coming for her next.

Needing to get away from Stillhouse Lake while the documentary is being filmed there, Gwen, Sam, Lanny and Connor head to Wolfhouse River to see if they can help Vera. They find a town steeped in secrets. Young women are missing, the police are obviously corrupt, and assorted other villains are gathering there. And in the background is the possibility that six-year-old kidnapping victim Ellie White might be somewhere in the area.

The tension and suspense seemed to build with every turn of the page. I loved that the viewpoint shifted from Gwen, to Sam, to Lanny, and to Connor. I loved that there was no complete resolution to Gwen's problems. She'll always be under suspicion from some people regarding whether or not she had a part in Melvin Royal's killing spree. She and Sam have a lot of trust to rebuild after she learns of his involvement with Miranda's hate campaign against her. I do like the strong family that they are building though. ...more

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Aug 11, 2019 Kendra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favourites, kindle-unread, series-in-progress

This is a solid addition to a thriller series which I already love. This time, Gwen and her family are called to help a woman in need in the small Tennessee town of Wolfhunter. Needing to escape from an angry internet harasser, Gwen agrees to help. Little does she know that she is entering a town of corruption and dark secrets. ⁣
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I can't recommend this series enough, especially if you love dark and twisty thrillers with a conspiratorial side. Rachel Caine does a great job of giving each characte ...more

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Jun 01, 2019 Denaiir rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-audiobooks

Another gritty and dark story, Rachel Caine is on par with Karin Slaughter for addictive stories that explore the dirtiest minds and actions you can think of (or can't even imagine). I thought this was a trilogy but this is actually a series and this one has a completely new mystery. Since the Melvin Royal arc ended in volume 2 I was wondering what this one would be about, but it has a brand new mystery and of course we continue to follow Gwen and family as they struggle to get accepted. I still ...more

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