Review: Trapper Road by Rachel Caine and Carrie Ryan

Series: Stillhouse Lake #6
Read As A Stand Alone: Not recommended
Publisher: Rachel Caine, LLC
Source: author assistant in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Buying Links: Amazon* |  * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Sometimes danger comes from the most unexpected places.

Gwen Proctor has always been willing to do anything it takes to protect her kids. But there are some things even she can’t protect them from. When a violent incident at Connor’s school brings the press to Gwen’s doorstep, she agrees to take a case out of town hoping to keep her family out of the crushing media spotlight.

The case is that of a missing girl, last seen getting into a truck with a stranger before disappearing. Gwen has a reputation for finding those who are lost, but this time something is wrong. Her instincts are off, and every clue she uncovers only raises more doubts, not just about the missing girl and the circumstances of her disappearance, but also about the fragile safety Gwen’s created for her family.

The closer she comes to uncovering the truth, the more she unwittingly puts those she loves at risk. Someone from Gwen’s past doesn’t appreciate the new life she’s built for herself and is willing to do anything it takes to tear it apart. Except this time it isn’t Gwen in the crosshairs, but her partner Sam. Without her instincts to rely on, how can Gwen protect those she loves against an enemy she never sees coming? (less)

My Thoughts:

Oh. My. This book. It was intense, and heartbreaking. So, standard for this series. Up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea there was another book in this series. I thought it ended when Ms. Caine died. But it seems she was working on this book at the time and left notes. So her estate invited author Carrie Ryan to finish it. And whoo boy, she did an incredible job. I honestly had a hard time figuring out which of them wrote what.

In "Trapper Road", Gwen is recovering, physically and emotionally, from the events of "Heartbreak Bay". Life is as calm as it ever gets for Gwen and family but it's far from perfect. As mentioned, Gwen is recovering and she's also with her children who are teens, and teens are...moody. :P Her son Connor has been particularly moody and uncommunicative. And then the s*** hits the fan. The family splits to deal with different priorities and challenges, and the book gives us multiple POVs so we can see what is happening.

I felt for Connor even as I wanted to yell at him and tell him to THINK, not just feel. He was struggling so much and making the mistakes you could expect from a boy his age. His sister Lanny was doing better at making decisions but not much better at communicating her wants and needs.

"Trapper Road" had several mysteries going on and there were twists and turns. While some things were predictable, others were not. Caine and Ryan kept me engaged, kept me guessing, and kept me caring about Gwen, Sam, Connor, Lanny, and Vee. It had strong characterization, intriguing mysteries, and fast pacing. If you're new to the series, please do not start with this one but at the beginning. It will be less confusing and you'll better appreciate the character development.