Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Out of Her Mind by T R Ragan Narrator: Jennica Damon
Series: Sawyer Brooks #2
Published by Brilliance Audio on November 10, 2020
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 9 hours
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
Crime reporter Sawyer Brooks still grieves for the family she and her two sisters never had. Raised in a house of horrors, they continue to fight through the trauma - releasing their rage by seeking justice for those who are just as vulnerable as they were.
When a little girl’s bones are unearthed in Sacramento’s Land Park and twelve-year-old Riley Addison disappears, solving these cases becomes an obsession for Sawyer - one that puts her job at risk. Yet she can’t turn back, and the deeper Sawyer’s investigation goes, the darker it gets. A psychopath is on the loose and has been trolling Sacramento for years - hiding in plain sight behind a motherly facade.
The more Sawyer persists, the closer she gets to a disturbing place reminiscent of her own terrorized childhood. With time running out, Sawyer will risk anything to save Riley from the dark. But the killer will do anything to keep her there.
I read plenty of mystery/thriller type stories. They have many different sorts of main characters but the primary one in the new Sawyer Brooks series is a crime reporter or investigative journalist. Sawyer is the youngest of three sisters. We get her point of view and sometimes her sisters’. All three of them were sexually abused as children and have serious issues.
Sawyer is doing really great investigative work. Her current project is looking into missing girls when a girl is kidnapped. The middle sister appears to be doing the best at remaking her life. She helps Sawyer with her research and interviews on the missing girls case.
Her oldest sister, Harper, is struggling. She has found some new friends and methods for coping. Unfortunately, she hides this from her husband . He has been a great support and she loves him, but he is angry about her withdrawl, especially as she is pregnant and didn’t tell him.
If I had their background, I would want to hide away and live in my own safe, controlled world. These three sisters are out there engaging in very risky behaviors. They put themselves in very dangerous situations. They aren’t stupid, but they aren’t careful enough. It’s hard at times to watch their choices and sometimes terrifying.
We see a lot happening, but there are still some twists which make the story interesting. I found Out of Her Mind very suspenseful with young girls missing and hurt. It was intense, wanting the case to be solved, with Riley rescued or for her to escape. The police seem a little bit lazy, taking the easiest route to arrest someone for crimes and not investigating beyond the most possible culprit. The police aren’t shown in a very good light or like they are very nice people even.
I really enjoyed this story with the continued progression of the sisters on their personal growth. The case was suspenseful and intriguing. There is so much more to learn and the sisters have quite a ways to go.
Narration:
I enjoyed listening to Jennica Damon again. She is settled into my mind as these characters, now. This is a very female set of main characters so it is appropriate to have a female narrator. The voices felt appropriate for males and females with slightly distinct voices for each character. I was able to listen comfortably at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
About T R Ragan
T.R. Ragan (Theresa Ragan) is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her exciting Lizzy Gardner series: Abducted, Dead Weight, A Dark Mind, Obsessed, Almost Dead, and Evil Never Dies, has received tremendous praise. In August 2015 Evil Never Dies hit #7 on the Wall Street Journal Bestselling List. Since publishing in 2011, she has sold over three million books and has been mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, the L.A. Times, PC Magazine, Huffington Post, and Publishers Weekly.
Theresa grew up in a family of five girls in Lafayette, California. An avid traveler, her wanderings have carried her to Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, China, Thailand, and Nepal, where she narrowly survived being chased by a killer elephant. Before devoting herself to writing fiction, she worked as a legal secretary for a large corporation. Theresa and her husband Joe have four children and live in Sacramento, California.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- COYER-20
I love the sound of this, Anne. A tough subject matter, but it seems like a story with lots of emotional moments.
Everything about this series has tough subject matters so it’s intensely emotional.
Had to skim this one as I’m going to be reading the first book soon. Love that you’re still enjoying and I’m looking forward to starting.
I am enjoying these but their is a lot of violence against women or children so it’s an emotional mine field.
I’m curious about this one. I think my sister would like it too.
I’m enjoying them but if you shy at violence it’s not for you. It would be horror if it wasn’t somewhat realistic.
It’s hard to read when a character engages in risky behavior. It sounds like they had a really tough childhood. My heart breaks for people who’ve gone through abuse. Glad to hear you’re enjoying the series.
I seem to be able to read these stories and enjoy the investigation and the smart / caring people who tackle these issues. Maybe because it is far removed from my experience, so it feels like fiction. I fear some things are shockingly realistic though.
Sounds like this one tackles some tough topics but handles them well. I’m not familiar with the series but it sounds like one I’ll have to keep in mind the next time I’m in the mood for a thriller Wonderful review!
I flagged it for the violence. I enjoyed reading and seeing the progress of the characters.