Three Widows by Patricia Gibney
Detective Lottie Parker #12

Gruesome murders are happening one after another as Lottie and her team search for the serial killer committing the crimes.

What I liked:
* Catching up with Lottie’s work and personal life and wondering what will happen with her and Boyd, her mother’s deteriorating mind, and what will happen with her son, daughter and grandson.
* The police procedural aspects of the story
* Portions that were told from the perspective of the killer
* The update on personal lives of the various characters that are part of the series
* The complexity of the case and how difficult it was to figure out who the killer was
* The twist at the end dealing with the bog finding
* That I could follow the story even though I have not read every book in the series

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The serial killers motivation

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3 Stars ( )

suspense, psychopath, psychological, serial-killer, series, procedural, law-enforcement, twisty, murder, murder-investigation, multiple-murder, intense

Getting inside the mind of a serial killer is not my idea of fun.
This is the first book I've read in this series. The plot is well done with lots of twists and more red herrings than the Thames. Very interesting.
I requested and received an EARC from Bookouture via NetGalley. ( )

Complex serial killer thriller will keep you guessing.

This twelfth book in one of my favorite detective series is longer and much more complicated than previous installments. Lots of characters to keep straight and a case that has more than the usual number of grisly murders. Lottie Parker and her colleagues are also experiencing some team infighting and drama that puts everyone at odds with others.

The Ragmullin team is investigating a series of disappearances with the beaten and mutilated bodies subsequently being found in unusual spots. It seems that the deaths are connected to a group of women who have come together to support each other after becoming widows. What secrets are they hiding that has made them a target for a deranged killer?

I enjoyed this one but it is not one of my favorites in the series. Very convoluted motive for all the murders but the red herrings kept me trying to work out who was doing all the killing. I like the main character, Lottie, but her family annoys me and please -- let the woman bathe and eat once in awhile. It's past time for Lottie to get some happiness in her personal life as well.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review. I can recommend the series and would also suggest anyone interested start from the beginning and read them in order. ( )