Unstable: A Chilling Cold Case Thriller (Pike, Wisconsin)

This series is connected through a small rural area, Pike. It can be read as a standalone. For those who enjoy suspense, pick up unstable. I thoroughly enjoyed this second chance romance with an emphasis on the suspense/mystery plot. Zac is now the interim sheriff. In this sleepy town, they have already been rocked by murder. For another one to show up is not what he expected. Even more surprising, his ex-wife Rachel shows up. From there it becomes a race to find the killer before they kill again.

I enjoyed the pace of this book. Ms. Ivy kept it moving with a countdown before the next kidnapped woman is brutally tortured and then killed. The twists and turns of this serial killing spree are dark and filled with sadistic glee. For those who are sensitive to brutality against women, this book may have a few too many murder scenes in explicit detail. For those who enjoy a good crime novel, this will be a page-turner.

Balancing the horrors of the murders, is the relationship rekindling between Zac and his ex-wife Rachel. I found it endearing that even though they were divorced, Zac still thinks of Rachel as his wife. There is love there, but it was lost in the struggle to find their own identities. I found this romance reassuring because it shows that people who married young and then divorce don't have to end up hating each other. Both of them grew more confident in their careers and learned from their relationship mistakes.

This isn't a slip into old habits and just a getting-it-on reunion. Rachel and Zac finally discuss what broke them the first time. They also have matured and still make a few missteps. This time around, they learned to communicate. It was lovely to see the two making an effort to heal their relationship and become partners this time around.

As partners, they worked well together to solve both current murders and past killings. In solving the case, old hurts that never healed are lanced and allowed to start mending. This story may contain a lot of cruel torture and killing but it is also a story of hope and closure. This dark romantic suspense is recommended to readers who enjoy second-chance romance.

Unstable is a pretty standard police procedural with an awkward couple at the helm. Not to say it wasn’t entertaining. At times, it seemed that the author was going out of their way to make the crimes more horrific to stand out in a crowded field. If you like to read a bit of a small town murder, this could be right up your alley. Remember that it is a dark and gory alley.

This is the third in the Pike Wisconsin series, can easily be read as a standalone, I've read all. It is adult fiction with brutal murders by a psychopathic serial killer. It includes tension building suspense, romantic undercurrents and an atmospheric small town setting.
Zac Evans is the interim sheriff in small town Pike, Wisconsin. The former dairy town has fallen on hard times and now boasts more dive bars than industry. Zac has three sheriffs, Anthony, Greg, and Lindsay, all if which he inherited. Their skills and knowledge are lacking and will be tested.
Zac is called out to an abandoned pickup, no driver, engine running, door open. Strangely the vehicle is registered to a man who died years ago. Jude Henley is buried at the town cemetery.
Zac's ex-wife, Rachel, works in cold cases and Jude's name has surfaced. She travels back home to investigate and is soon confronting old family wounds, familiar emotions about her first true love while working with him to catch a serial killer.
Turns out Jude wasn't in the grave, but there is a skeleton. What follows is tangled web of lies, deceit, illicit affairs, and more murders. The killer begins to taunt Zac with cryptic notes and clues.
There are long buried secrets exposed as the killer spirals and it becomes a race against the clock to catch him.
The plot and premise is good, there is no lack of action packed suspense. There are many viable suspects however; character development and background could have gone a step further. Some characters were just confusing and inconsistent. The relationship development for Zac and Rachel was well done. I've enjoyed this series and will watch for the next installment.
Thanks to Netgalley, Alexandria Ivy and to Kensington Books Zebra for the advance digital copy of "Unstable". These are my personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

An unusual murder brings Rachel Fisher back to Pike Wisconsin where she’ll be joining forces with her ex husband Zach Evans. Pushing low ket assignments aside, the pair focus on a new villain who will send them a video tape every week with a new victim.

This monster is intent on finishing a murderer from years agos work. The duo must put aside old habits and new rivalries and work together to stop this menace.

I liked the premise of the book more than the actual book. While it held my attention and the action started off fairly early, I did not like the characters.

I was hooked from the beginning. The book had suspense, angst, and great characters. I loved the build up between Zac and Rachel and trying to figure out who the killer was. I highly recommend this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Zebra for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I am not sure if this is part of a series or not. The characters are interesting, but I thought the past relationship between Zac and Rachel wasn't clearly defined. Why did they divorce? Just because of her job? This was fast paced with a twist and suspense. It was a little slow in the middle but overall a good read. 3 stars

Zac is the sheriff in Pike, Wisconsin. Rachel is his ex-wife. They get together to work on the unsettling murders that are happening in Pike. The murders are not ALL they work on either!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat, but not only that…every time I thought, I know who the killer is, the story took another turn. Even through to the end, I didn’t know who it was until he revealed himself. What a great thriller! Another winner by Alexandra Ivy and an excellent third book in her Pike series! You should pick this book up…you’re going to love it, if you enjoy who-done-it books!

I was especially happy with the way it ended! A very enjoyable read.

A story of revenge, mystery, and intrigue, Unstable will keep you guessing until the very end. A great plot, well executed and descriptively written.

This author never fails me. She has the ability to keep you so interested in her books that you can’t put the down until you finished. This is one of them. When interim sheriff Zac finds a dead body on a grave in his town, he’s horrified. Especially since the man has been dead for years or so he thought. The question becomes whose in his grave? Zaks ex-wife comes back to town following a cold case lead to find herself part of her ex- husbands case. Who did it?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action , and a Few sadistic serial killers! and a great who done it! It was an interesting storyline it flowed nicely, I will definitely recommend reading this book, its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!