This was my first Tami Hoag book and I must say, I'm a fan. I got sucked in right away and read thru the entire night until I figured out "who done it". I think the best part about this book in particular was the fact that it was set in the past. A lot of crime series rely on modern day technology to help their protagonist solve the mystery at hand. This book takes place in 1985 before computers, criminal databases and even technology to analyze fingerprints existed. This book reminds me a bit o...

The book took off from the very beginning. Every chapter was filled with suspense and drama and honestly, I couldn't put the book down. I especially loved how Tami Hoag described the characters and their surroundings with such detail. I actually felt like I was living in Oak Knoll! The book had me guessing who the serial killer was the whole time and just when I thought it was this person, new things happen and made me change my mind completely. She really did a phenomenal job! review link: http...

I listened to the audiobook. There was a lot going on all at once and all of a sudden here in small-town California: multiple murder suspects for multiple murders, families in discord and chaos (no wedded bliss here), children stumbling over dead people, one of the children is a sociopath, and even the police are not exempt from investigation.One of those called in to investigate is an FBI agent from Chicago, but from his accent you would think him from New Jersey or New York. I bet the narrator...

Absorbing mystery. Scary suspense. But unfinished ending.Well done story telling. Good character development. I liked interactions and conversations. The last hour was edge of your seat. There is an enjoyable romance, but it’s a minor part of the story. Anne’s friend Franny was very entertaining.CAUTION FOR SENSITIVE READERS:Violence and torture. The serial killer glues the eyes and mouth shut, destroys the ear drums, and tortures with a knife. There was not a lot of detail, but those ideas stay...

A solid thriller that I would have rated higher save for two reasons: the contrived 1980s setting, which I felt was little more than an excuse to so obviously shout, "Look we don't have DNA testing perfected; look we have huge cell phones" and really did not add to the story. I also kept expecting the 1980s to somehow tie into the present day, even in an epilogue, which made the whole time setting kind of pointless to me. I also was a little offended by the sole gay character who was so flaming

If I had read this book first in the series, I would have never read books #2 and #3. Everyone (except for three out of the four kids) was terrible. Every adult was the worst ever. I felt like there were just too many characters for you to really focus on. I think if Hoag had either stuck with the lead detective to tell her story, or switched between him and the FBI profiler, it would have worked better. Instead we had at least 10 or more POVs I think. And we had the serial killer plot-line, the...

4 stars - Crime/Suspense/Thriller/Romantic SuspenseA pretty solid suspense thriller that’s dark, twisted, and creepy. I actually pegged the killer in the beginning, but the story still kept me guessing with lots of twists and turns along the way. The 1985 setting added an interesting aspect since DNA evidence wasn’t perfected or fully utilized yet and psychological criminal profiling was still a budding field met with skepticism. Some of the details were really gruesome, and the bully kid, Denni...

If you are looking for a romance novel with hot guys Deeper Than the Dead is not the book for you. However, if you want a novel that is going to keep you up late and worry about what your neighbors are up to, you are going to love this novel. Deeper Than the Dead has all the ingredients a good thriller needs including crooked cops, creepy kids, grisly murders, and bizarre burials.One of Hoag’s trademarks is her writing voice; it is consistent and smooth. That alone would be enough to have her st...

Great story that has everything a mystery lover could want! A serial killer preying on young women in a small, seemingly perfect California town. It seems like everyone is a suspect and you can spend the entire book trying to figure it out. It also has a pretty good sense of humor and a bit of romance. I was excited that it takes place in my favorite decade, the 80s, too! Not all loose ends are tied up, but there is a sequel, which I’ll be reading soon. I highly recommend!

I have read Ms Hoag, but it has been quite a while back so I was happy to revisit her. This was OK for me. A good suspenseful who done it with so much going on that the reader was led from one suspect to another before the big reveal. A good job throwing out those breadcrumbs. I appreciated that the author comments in the notes that she knew she wanted to tell a story set in the time of Dallas, shoulder pads, big hair and Miami Vice as this was her growing up time (as well as mine) What I thoug

I have always been a fan of Tami Hoag. This was her first book after a little without a new one. I purchased it right after it was released, but then I kept picking others in front of it because I wanted to save it. I really really loved it. It kept me guessing all the way until the end. Each chapter left you with a new revelation. I couldn't put it down. I hope Tami continues to write more often!!!!!

Audiobook narrated by Kirsten Potter 3.5***Set in a California town a few hours from Los Angeles, in 1985, Hoag’s thriller begins when four children stumble upon the partially buried body of a woman while playing in the woods. Her eyes and mouth have been glued shut and it’s clear she’s been tortured. As the children’s teacher, Anne Navarre, tries to get them the help they need to process this horror, the local police turn to an FBI investigator, Vince Leone, to help develop a profile of the kil...

I can't believe the many high ratings here.Now true, I only read to page 100 but it was the actual writing, not the story line, which made me drop the book to the floor. Yeah, I did, but I was watching the Red Sox lose (they finally won!) and had spent a long day at the hospital, so...I found the writing so trite, so superficial and the characters so shallow, so weak, so exaggerated, I couldn't read on. Talk about stereotypes! Had I come across the 'whore with a heart of gold,' I'd not have been...

I did find the overall story interesting and at times suspenseful.There were a couple of items that bothered me enough though that by the time I read the end the book the story just became okay.1. About mid book we determine that there might be a second killer working in the area as bones are found in a hog pen. However, by the end of the book these murder(s) are abruptly dropped.2. We never truly know why the murderer actually kills his victims or what his wife's background is though it is impl...

I pushed myself through the first 50 pages (I try to give every book I pick up a fair chance). I then gave it even more time and it did move ok for a bit. But it's asking too much of me. I just can not suspend disbelief enough to finish this. 1. A gay male kindergarten teacher. What more can I say? It's about as believable as a unicorn. He lives alone with his two dogs and he's the heroine's BFF. He literally referred to himself as her "sidekick". Argh! He comes across to me as the stereotypical...

The end was insane. Really enjoyed this book. Out of all the Hoag novels I've read... this is the best.

I enjoyed this, though it is the least favorite of her novels that I've read so far.On the positive side, Tami Hoag knows serial killers. She has clearly read her share of true life crime and FBI profiling books. I've read them to.I like that she explores the why in her fictional accounts. I think most true crime books explore the how, when, where and what but few give us a good sense of the why. That's where her time spent reading John Douglas and Roy Hazelwood shows.She's also a good writer. T...

I am totally addicted to audiobooks now! I absolutely LOVE being able to do other things while I listen to a book! I listen when I'm doing the housework, driving my car, folding the washing... Even have it on speaker when I'm in the shower! Feels like I am accomplishing something when I am doing menial tasks! Love it! And I LOVED this Tami Hoag thriller! This is the first book I have ever "read" of Hoag's, but it absolutely wont be the last!The year is 1985 and while running through the woods, c...

I give the novel two stars because I haven't found a typo. Unfortunately, that is the best trait of the work. I have read several of Ms. Hoag's novels, as I'm an avid reader, and I try to give authors a few tries, especially if they have a sizable following. Sadly, all of her books seem to share some similar traits that just annoy me right out of the story. I try to be constructive with reviewing, so I'll explain my rating.This novel is set in 1985. That's fine, but there are repeated references...

The year was 1985. Duran, Duran was on the radio, Queen's Radio GaGa was on video and dead bodies are half buried in the park. At least that is what four 5th graders discovered as they were racing through the park. To bad young sensitive Danny is the one that fell right on top of the victim. As Anne Navarre, their teacher, tries to help her students cope with the horror that they have uncovered. Law enforcement have to cope with the fact that this is not their first victim, this is their third.