🕵️‍♀️ Sleuth’s Note: This case file may contain affiliate links. See our Disclaimer & Affiliate Disclosure for details.

🔍 The Plot:

Detective Riley Quinn has returned to her hometown of Pine Brooke after the gut-wrenching murder of her best friend in the city. Haunted and seeking solace, she takes up the role of the small town’s detective, hoping that quieter roads and whispering pines will give her peace. But that peace shatters the day a malnourished young girl’s body is discovered in the woods.

What appears to be a tragic accident proves chillingly different upon closer examination. Digging deeper, she crosses paths with Logan Elwood, the town’s brooding new doctor. He’s distant, secretive, and protective—just the sort of man you want on your side when darkness sweeps through your community. As Riley uncovers increasingly disturbing clues, she realizes the killer may be closer than anyone suspects—and just as intertwined in Pine Brooke’s secrets as she is. 

🧨 The Hook:

A horrific crime in an idyllic town resurrects Riley’s own trauma—and forces her to face the impossible: where does the malignant evil begin, and where does a survivor start? With every victim found among the pines, the stakes heighten: exposing the killer might mean exposing her past too.

3 Reasons To Bump This to the Top of Your TBR:

1. A Detective Wrestling with Trauma
   Riley is emotionally raw and fiercely determined. Her journey — through grief, resilience, and the fight for justice — gives the narrative a powerful emotional center that elevates the mystery beyond plot mechanics.
2. Small Town Lies & Big Danger
   Pine Brooke’s charm is a veneer. Beneath the surface lie unspoken alliances, hidden agendas, and secrets the locals would kill to protect. This tight-knit setting amplifies every clue, every lie, every fear.
3. Grim, Page-Turning Suspense
   Multiple victims, a personal stake, and a detective on the edge — Rivers delivers a procedural that grips like a vice, with clues dropping just fast enough to sustain mounting dread and hook you deep into the woods.

Click here to get your copy.

Once you’ve peeled back Pine Brooke’s chilling layers, share your reactions, tag a thriller-loving friend, or introduce someone to the Getaway to Murder community—because this haunting debut is a conversation starter. 🩸#getawaytomurder