Framed In Death Review

Author: J.D. Robb

Series: In Death #61

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Date: Sept. 2, 2025

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Death imitates art in the brand-new crime thriller starring homicide cop Eve Dallas from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author J.D. Robb.

Review:

Devoted fans of J.D. Robb’s In Death series are always thrilled when the talented author releases another book in the long-running series. While there are a mind-boggling sixty previous books, Robb’s expertise in the art of storytelling keeps each one fresh, exciting, and highly entertaining. The author turns her attention to the world of art and all it encompasses in Framed in Death (In Death #61)—a world of incredible art galleries, famous artists and works of art, collectors, and, unfortunately, mediocre wannabe artists. It’s a world where careers and fortunes are earned, and dreams and hearts may be broken. Once again, Robb has crafted a well-plotted, intriguing murder mystery with a delectable smorgasbord of investigative police work, in-depth characterizations, and immersive settings, with a healthy side of romance. Settle in for an entertaining evening of reading with the knowledge that J.D. Robb never disappoints.

In Manhattan resides an artist, a painter, a narcissist who fancies himself deserving of adoration and accolades among the art community, as well as a prominent ranking among the greatest artists of all time. Living lavishly off family wealth and trust funds, he’s unencumbered by mundane everyday tasks such as earning a living. With a mother who has always fed his inflated ego and warped sense of entitlement by repeatedly telling him how great his work is, he’s sorely disappointed when others fail to acknowledge his talent. As rejections from art galleries and collectors stoke his rage, he fumes over what he sees as imbeciles’ inability to recognize him as one of the greats and decides he’ll show the world just how brilliant he is by recreating some of the world’s most famous paintings. Soon the entire city will be talking about his work.

In the wee hours of the morning, Lt. Eve Dallas is called to a bizarre, staged murder scene to find a victim dressed like the woman in Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. Dallas knows she’ll need all hands on deck, including billionaire husband and civilian consultant Roarke, after a second staged murder victim is discovered. The hunt is on for a serial killer dubbed “The Artist.”

Framed in Death is a futuristic police procedural set in New York City in September of 2061. Don’t worry if futuristic stories aren’t your thing—the science-fiction elements take a backseat to the murder investigation. In fact, many of the futuristic aspects in these books are already a reality, or close to becoming one, in our world today. The story is narrated from the point of view of Eve Dallas as she methodically conducts her investigation, with a few scenes from the killer’s perspective. The villain’s identity is revealed to readers early on, and while some armchair detectives may find that a bit disappointing, it allows readers to witness firsthand the rapid deterioration of the killer’s mental faculties as he spirals out of control. As always, Eve’s mind is a fascinating place to be when she’s actively pursuing a killer, following clues until one by one they snap into place. One of the most compelling recurring scenes in every In Death book comes near the end, when Eve gets the suspect in the interrogation room and rips him or her to pieces like a dog with a bone.

Author J.D. Robb is a gifted storyteller with the ability to capture readers’ attention on page one and hold them mesmerized until the final page. Her talent for descriptive, lyrical prose transports readers from their homes into fictional scenes via sight, sound, smell, and touch. As Eve and company unravel clues and get closer to unmasking a killer, the tone and pace increase until all the pieces are in place. Themes of friendship, trust, justice, and nature versus nurture are present, as they are in many of Robb’s books. This reader found the mother’s role as an enabler and fixer for her son disturbing yet all too familiar in today’s society. Fans of the In Death series will rejoice at the stellar performances of many recurring characters in this one, as the gang’s all here with Eve and Roarke taking center stage. As she often does, Robb lightens heavy themes with snarky humor and delightful family/friend scenes courtesy of series regulars like Peabody and Mavis. Framed in Death is another excellent addition to this complex series that I hope never ends. Highly recommended to fans of the series and to readers who appreciate a beautifully written, intriguing murder mystery.

Synopsis:

Manhattan is filled with galleries and deep-pocketed collectors who can make an artist's career with a wave of a hand. But one man toils in obscurity, his brilliance unrecognized while lesser talents bask in the glory he believes should be his. Come tomorrow, he vows, the city will be buzzing about his work.

Indeed, before dawn, Lt. Eve Dallas is speeding toward the home of the two gallery owners whose doorway has been turned into a horrifying crime scene overnight. A lifeless young woman has been elaborately costumed and precisely posed to resemble the model of a long-ago Dutch master, and Dallas plunges into her investigation.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes

Author: Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Series: Savvy Summers #1

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date: July 29, 2025

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

 

A sparkling debut mystery set on the south side of Chicago, featuring the quick-witted, unforgettable Savvy Summers, proprietor of a soul food café.

Review:

SAVVY SUMMERS and the SWEET POTATO CRIMES is a well-crafted, cozy murder mystery with a unique, middle-aged protagonist whose talent for serving the best soul food and sweet potato pie has made her restaurant on Chicago's south side famous. Business is booming . . . until seventy-five-year-old Grandy Jaspers drops dead while sitting at table two eating Savvy's to-die-for sweet potato pie. While police rule the death as accidental, the bad press spreads like wildfire and just like that, the business is in trouble. With suspicions and rumors flying, Savvy decides to go uncover as an amateur sleuth and find out what really killed Grandy. She knows it wasn't her sweet potato pie. Joined by sidekick assistant manager Penny Lopes, Savvy cooks up a plan to clear her name and keep her restaurant afloat. 

Author Sandra Jackson-Opoku's debut novel is a cozy mystery with a ton of laughs, soul food, and murder all tossed in a pot and served up as a deliciously entertaining whodunnit that's highly entertaining. Savvy is a strong, spunky character that readers will identify with as is her quirky sidekick, Penny. They play off each other in a manner reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel of I Love Lucy fame which is hilarious. I enjoyed the introduction of a middle-aged main character with a sharp mind unafraid to stand up for herself. A large, convoluted cast of characters seem a bit confusing at first, but roles are soon claimed, and the story is off and running. A sea of red herrings threatens to spoil the stew, but Savvy Summers won't stop until she sifts through facades and unearths the truth. Afterall, her reputation as a chef and her famous sweet potato pie are at risk.

 SAVVY SUMMERS and the SWEET POTATO PIE is an entertaining cozy mystery with charismatic characters serving up a plate full of soul food. Armchair detectives will enjoy figuring out whodunnit while rolling on the floor in laughter. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for Savvy and her crew.  Highly recommend to fans of cozy mysteries.

 Synopsis: 

When Savvy Summers first opened Essie's soul food café, she never expected her customer-favorite sweet potato pie to become the center of a murder investigation. But when Grandy Jaspers, the 75-year-old neighborhood womanizer, drops dead at table two, she suddenly has more to worry about than just maintaining Essie's reputation for the finest soul food in the Chicagoland area.

Even as the police deem Grandy’s death an accident, Savvy quickly finds herself—and her beloved café—in the middle of an entire city’s worth of bad press. Desperate to clear her name and keep her business afloat, Savvy and her snooping assistant manager, Penny Lopés, take it upon themselves to find who really killed Grandy.

But with a slimy investor harassing her to sell her name and business, customers avoiding her sweet potato pie like the plague, and her police sergeant ex-husband suddenly back in the picture, will Savvy be able to clear the café’s name and solve Grandy’s murder before it all falls apart?

After all, while Savvy always said her sweet potato pie was to die for, she never meant literally.

We Are All Guilty Here Review

Author: Karin Slaughter

Series: North Falls #1

Publisher: William Morrow

US Release Date: Aug. 12, 2025

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

First published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

The gripping and exciting first book in a brand new crime thriller series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author.

Review:

Author Karin Slaughter returns with a new crime thriller series set in a small town where everyone knows everyone, or do they? WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE is a highly addictive, well-crafted suspense thriller that's impossible to put down, featuring flawed characters with a ton of baggage that bears a closer look. Slaughter draws readers in from page one and doesn't turn them loose until the final shocking revelation slaps them in the face. Take care of business and find some alone time before settling in with this masterpiece. 

 WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE explores the many layers of life in a typical small town in the south. On the surface, everyone's life is an open book. No secrets, right? Peel back a layer or two and you'll find almost everyone has nasty little secrets, something they'd do anything to keep hidden. These dark secrets begin unraveling after two teenagers disappear on the night of the town's annual Fourth of July celebration. Police Officer Emmy Clifton and her father Chief Gerald Clifton are on the scene working the case from the start, and they follow the evidence eventually putting the bad guy in prison despite Emmy's lingering doubts. Over a decade later, another girl disappears under similar circumstances. Emmy is now Chief of Police and faced with the possibility they may have put the wrong guy away. To uncover the truth, Emmy and Jude Archer, a retired FBI agent and psychologist, work together in a race against time. It's soon clear the small-town neighbors Emmy thought she knew are hiding secrets that could destroy them if revealed. How far would they go to keep them hidden? With a few skeletons rattling around in her own closet, Emmy is forced to face her own demons and the complexity of relationships within her own family when her personal and professional lives clash.

Author Karin Slaughter slays it with this gripping, tension laden, tautly written thriller balancing smalltown dynamics with compelling, richly developed characterizations led by a flawed, yet likable protagonist burdened with guilt and regret. The dual timeline connects past crimes with the present setting a chilling tone of malice throughout. As the story unfolds, characters and readers are sent reeling with each shocking revelation until it becomes clear no one in North Falls is as blameless as they may seem . . . even Emmy.

We Are All Guilty Here is an emotional, gripping thriller that highlights how the past can dictate the path of the future while throwing open all the doors in a tightly knit town. As always, Slaughter excels at turning small-town settings into vivid, living elements that shape the story and drive the pace. Guilt, secrets, and family dynamics all collide and explode across the pages of this suspense thriller. No one does it better than Karin Slaughter. I can’t wait for the second book in this series. Highly recommended for readers who love a challenging whodunit and fans of mysteries and psychological thrillers.

Synopsis:

Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.

Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.

For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend's daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.

But as Emmy combs through the puzzle the girls left behind, she realizes she never really knew them. Nobody did.

Every teenage girl has secrets. But who would kill for them? And what else is the town hiding?

Roadtrip With A Rogue Review

Author: Kate Bateman

Series: Her Majesty's Rebels #3

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Day: July 29, 2025

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Mistakenly holding up the coach of the man who broke her heart is bad enough, but having to endure his sinfully alluring company all the way to Scotland is Daisy Hamilton’s worst nightmare . . . and her most secret desire.

Review:

ROAD TRIP WITH A ROGUE is the third and final book in 

the Her Majesty's Rebels series featuring three women operating a private investigation firm, King & Co., in London. Daisy Hamilton embarks on a mission to stop a young heiress from eloping. Pretending to be a highwayman, Daisy holds up a coach only to find it's occupied by Lucien Vaughan, a Duke, war hero and a rogue--one who broke her heart five years ago. Daisy has no idea that the eloping groom is Lucien's nephew, and he's determined to thwart her plan and see the happy couple married. With that in mind, Lucien talks Daisy into joining forces with him to catch the couple. She has no idea he's carried a torch for her all these years and will use any means to get closer to her. As they embark on a dangerous journey, the biggest threat may be to their hearts.

Author Kate Bateman excels at crafting historical romance books featuring spicy chemistry, steamy banter, stubborn heroines and to die for bad boy heroes. Daisy and Lucien's story sizzles from cover to cover, but it's also filled with laughable scenes that make it a delight to read. While this is book three, it does standalone with sufficient background information; however, I highly recommend reading the first two books - partly for the character development that occurs, but mostly for the fun reading experience. ROAD TRIP WITH A ROGUE is everything I love about historical romance where the hero falls first, and the heroine refuses to see what's right in front of her eyes. Fans of historical romance and romcoms will adore this one!

Synopsis:

A midnight mishap.

Daisy Hamilton’s new mission for King & Co., London's premier private investigation firm, is simple: stop heiress Violetta Brand from eloping. But her case is derailed when she mistakenly holds up the carriage of Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford—cynical war hero, infamous libertine, and the very man who broke her heart five years ago.

A reluctant road trip.

Lucien’s determined to see his lovestruck nephew married to Miss Brand, but the unexpected appearance of Daisy— the one woman he’s never been able to forget—could ruin his plans. As they follow the runaway couple together, Lucien decides that delaying the headstrong Daisy by any means possible—including seduction—will be his absolute pleasure . . . and hers.

A dangerous desire.

After Daisy’s reputation is threatened, Lucien makes a scandalous claim, but when an unexpected enemy threatens her life, he realizes she’s the only woman for him. Their past encounters have made Daisy almost as jaded about love as Lucien himself, and it’s going to take action, not words, to convince this knife-wielding hellion to risk her heart on him again...

The Blue Horse Review

Author: Bruce Borgos

Series: Porter Beck #3

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Day: July 8, 2025

Special thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

A controversial wild horse round-up in the high desert of Nevada results in two murders and too many suspects for Sheriff Porter Beck to deal with.

Review:

THE BLUE HORSE, the third installment in the Porter Beck series by Author Bruce Borgos, checks all the boxes when it comes to exciting, unputdownable suspense thrillers. It's a taut, fast paced, action packed story with dynamic characters involved in a race against time to stop the bad guys. Borgos's expertise at maintaining a high intensity level while weaving multiple plotlines involving prevalent issues is impressive and highly entertaining. I found it extremely hard to stop reading once I started this one and now find myself anxiously waiting for the next one.

Sheriff Porter Beck returns along with several series’ favorites, including his adopted sister Brinley and his love interest Detective Charlie Blue Horse, in THE BLUE HORSE. Beck and his deputy are observing a wild horse roundup herded by a helicopter from a cliff above a Nevada canyon when he witnesses the copter crashing. Arriving on scene, they quickly determined the crash was the result of the pilot being shot. The leader of an anti-roundup activist group protesting in the area becomes a suspect, but when another tragic death occurs, Beck, who isn't primary on the case, follows his gut instinct looking beyond the obvious for motive. As he and Charlie work the clues, a disturbing, emerging pattern leads them to take a closer look at a Canadian Lithium mining operation buying up land in the area. The stakes skyrocket for Beck when Brinley goes missing from a wilderness camp as he suspects her disappearance may be tied to the killings. Time is of an essence, and Beck will move heaven and earth to find Brinley. Will he be in time?

Wild Mustang Roundups are controversial with strong emotions and reasonings on both sides of the issue, and Author Bruce Borgos taps into those often heated, contrasting points of view in the fictional THE BLUE HORSE. I found it interesting that Borgos states that after his in-depth research into the pros and cons of both sides, he's landed firmly on one side, but he sincerely hopes his opinion doesn't show in his rendering of this story. In my opinion, it does not. Having wild horses roaming free on the Outer Banks in North Carolina where I live, I've witnessed their majestic, breathtaking beauty but like Borgos, I won't disclose my opinion here. I will say Borgos has done a magnificent job at weaving the pros and cons into a tension laden plot line that kept this reader on the edge of her seat from start to finish. A menacing tone drives a pace that increases chapter to chapter to the explosive climax. The author incorporates the trials and tribulations we all experienced within the confines of the Covid pandemic, adding additional complicacies to the storyline. Complex characters are well defined both professionally and personally. Beck's continuous battle and insecurities learning to maneuver life with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a disease that renders him with extremely limited night vision, with the aid of a devoted dog is a lesson in perseverance while learning to cope with a handicap. The author also shines a light on groups helping troubled teens cope with PTSD with Brinley's work (herself a victim of childhood abuse) through the wilderness group, especially one troubled teen, Rafa.

As the story unfolds, various plotlines begin connecting like pieces of a puzzle. The result is a highly entertaining suspense thriller with a lot of heart highlighting some controversial, real-life issues. Beck's wry sense of humor lends a bit of comic relief to an otherwise serious subject as does his budding romance with Charlie. While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone as the talented author flawlessly incorporates needed backstory into the narrative; however, I suggest you treat yourself by diving into the previous books. THE BLUE HORSE is a tautly written, intense, must-read thriller that fans of suspense thrillers will enjoy.

Synopsis:

A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot. Then the person coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered, buried up to her neck and then trampled to death by the very same wild horses. And there's no lack of suspects—with the wild horse advocacy group having sworn to protect the horse At Any Cost! Now the state and federal agencies are showing up looking for answers or at least a scapegoat.

Sheriff Porter Beck has had better days.

Porter Beck's new girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area that sets off Beck's mental alarm bells. Brinley, Beck's sister, is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them, Rafa, bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they're just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

With his personal life in turmoil, too many suspects and too many secrets, the feds pushing for a quick resolution, and his impetuous (if skilled) sister in the mix, one wrong step could be deadly for Porter Beck.

The Ghostwriter Review

Author: Julie Clark

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Day: June 3, 2025

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Review:

THE GHOSTWRITER is a deeply moving, dysfunctional family drama that still lingers in my thoughts days after reading it. In several ways, it's a tragedy - the heartbreaking story of young lives cut short while others are ripped apart by a series of traumatic events that altered their futures forever. Author Julie Clark brilliantly captures the essence of each character, bringing their individual as well as collective stories to life while drawing readers into the fold. The result is a haunting, thought-provoking, mysterious drama that I read from cover to cover in one sitting.

Olivia Taylor aka Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont cut family ties years ago, leaving her last name and devastating family history buried in the small town where she grew up, along with the unwanted notoriety of being the only child of legendary horror author, Vincent Taylor, -- who’s even more famous as the prime suspect in the 1975 brutal, unsolved stabbing deaths of his siblings, Danny and Poppy. No one, including her agent and Tom, a man she hopes to build a life with, knows her real identity. Deep in debt and in danger of losing her home, Olivia has no choice but to accept when a request from Vincent asking her to collaborate with him as a ghostwriter on his final book arrives through her agent. Reluctantly, Olivia heads home only to discover her father is losing his memory and life to Lewy Body Dementia. It's soon clear through his raving hallucinations, faded memories, and short periods of lucidness that Vincent has a different story in mind for his daughter to write - he's ready to tell his story, his memoir, his version of the events that occurred that fateful night in 1975. In doing so, will Vincent reveal himself as a murderer . . . or identify someone else as the villain? Is her father manipulating her into one final treasure hunt through his cryptic notes like the games they played when she was a small child? Olivia knows it’s too late to turn back now, but in proceeding with her investigation, she’s forced to face a few hard truths of her own and decide if she, too, is ready to move out of the shadows, acknowledge her roots, and move forward with her life.

Like the expert she is, Author Julie Clark delivers a mesmerizing, gut wrenching mystery that resonates with regret, guilt, betrayal, and what "might have been". Seamlessly alternating past/present chapters evolve through multiple points of view from highly unreliable narrators. In the past, readers get a firsthand accounting of the chilling events as they occur through Vincent and Poppy's voice, old, grainy, silent film footage and Poppy’s diary. The present is told through Olivia's interviews with her father, his haphazard, puzzling notes and chaotic manuscript as well as her investigation and interviews with other people. An insane pace accentuates a dire tone of malice that increases page by page with every new twisted revelation until the shocking truth is revealed. Multilayered characterizations are expertly crafted, each packing a punch as the story unfolds through tautly interwoven plot and timelines. The strained father/daughter relationship dynamics are brilliantly explored with so many lost moments and missed opportunities lending an air of regret while increasing the tension. Clark's research on Lewy Body Dementia is obvious, and I appreciate her managing the topic with grace and compassion. My thoughts on who the murderer was shifted back and forth throughout this story and while I guessed part of the truth by the climax, the author still surprised me in the end.

THE GHOSTWRITER is a deeply immersive, hauntingly beautiful, not soon to be forgotten family drama. Author Julie Clark has firmly established herself as a must-read author in the mystery and suspense genre. The depth of emotion she evokes in characters and readers is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait to read what she writes next. Highly recommended to fans of twisted mysteries, family dramas, and suspense.

Synopsis:

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father's last book, not realizing she will be forced to reckon with the ghosts that live at the centre of her family.

Parents Weekend Review

Author: Alex Finlay

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Day: May 6, 2025

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

From the bestselling author of If Something Happens to Me, comes one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers. 

Told through multiple points of view in past and present—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days we all remember in the dorms when our friends become our family.

Review:

PARENTS WEEKEND is a fast-paced, propulsive suspense thriller that's impossible to put down. Author Alex Finlay explores the highs and lows of first-time college students and their parents, beginning with the thrill of students moving into dorms and making new friends and quickly morphing into every parent's worst nightmare - a missing child.

It’s Parents Weekend at the University of Santa Clara and the excitement, nervousness and lofty expectations of first-time college students and their parents is evident as they begin a new phase of their lives. Four families are meeting their kids, Libby, Stella, Felix, and Blane, for dinner and cocktails on the first night along with Tom whose parents aren't attending. The parents are enjoying drinks and small talk when it begins to dawn on them that not one of their kids have shown up. At first, there's little concern. After all, everyone recalls how it is being a college student, right? However, as time passes without a word and phones go unanswered, concern turns to fear and eventually panic. A call to police produces a quick response, search parties are formed, and FBI Agent Sarah Keller is brought in to assist. It doesn't take long for reporters to swarm in as rumors run rampant, spreading like flames through gathering crowds with whispers of another student who was found dead a few days prior. While it’s true that death was ruled accidental, it elevates the level of concern fueling a greater sense of urgency for the missing five. How could five students disappear without a trace?

Author Alex Finlay utilizes short, past/present chapters and multiple points of view to draw readers into this twisted, edge-of-your-seat thriller. As the story unfolds, secrets surface among both parents and teens. The drama builds when masks begin slipping among the vastly different group of anxiously waiting parents, allowing readers insight into the dynamics of each family. A large cast of support characters muddy the waters, giving readers a wide array of red herrings to sift through. As time passes with no word, a foreboding tone intensifies fueling the steadily increasing pace that eventually leads to an unpredictable, explosive climax. I loved the return of FBI Agent Sarah Keller of THE NIGHT SHIFT and EVERY LAST FEAR fame, two of my favorites by Finlay, and her presence serves as a steady force lending an air of authenticity to this story. PARENTS WEEKEND is a mesmerizing thriller that explores the dynamics of dysfunctional families and the emotional uncertainties experienced by parents and students leaving the nest for the first time. Highly recommended to fans of well-crafted suspense thrillers.

Synopsis:

In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up at dinner.

At first, everyone thinks that they’re just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours click by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon, the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.

Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths call them—come from five very different families. What led them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause them peril or a threat to the friend group from within?

Told through multiple points of view in past and present—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days we all remember in the dorms when our friends become our family.