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Detective Alyssa Wyatt #3
Alone in the Woods
The parents are dead. The girls are hiding. The killer is still inside the house. Can Detective Alyssa Wyatt get there in time?
Gabriel Kensington and his wife Lydia have been brutally slain in their luxurious home in New Mexico. A frantic, whispered phone call from their teenage daughter Addis, and her best friend Emerson, quickly alerts the authorities to the killings. But when Detective Alyssa Wyatt and the squad appear at the house, the unthinkable has happened. The girls are nowhere to be found…and neither is the killer.
In a race against time in this new thriller, it’s up to Alyssa Wyatt and her partner Cord to find the missing girls—and discover just why the Kensingtons have been targeted. For Addis and Emerson, every minute passing could be the difference between survival—or an unthinkable death.
Great reviews for the Detective Alyssa Wyatt Series!
“Wow, did All His Pretty Girls pack a punch! I was shocked when I found out this was a debut…a heart-in-your-mouth read that will have you racing through those pages.”
―On The Shelf Reviews
“Oh boy, was I swiped off my feet as what was already a totally gripping read escalated into my top five for this year…It felt like my heart was beating in the back of my throat!”
―Books From Dusk Till Dawn
“A serial killer chiller where the action never flags, the suspense is red-hot and the twists and turns jaw-droppingly brilliant, fans of the genre need to add Charly Cox to their list of must-buys.”
―Bookish Jottings
“A compelling thriller that I could not put down! The killer was insane, the story was addictive and the writing was fantastic. This is everything I want when I pick up a police procedural!”
—Jessica Belmont, writer/blogger
Gabriel Kensington and his wife Lydia have been brutally slain in their luxurious home in New Mexico. A frantic, whispered phone call from their teenage daughter Addis, and her best friend Emerson, quickly alerts the authorities to the killings. But when Detective Alyssa Wyatt and the squad appear at the house, the unthinkable has happened. The girls are nowhere to be found…and neither is the killer.
In a race against time in this new thriller, it’s up to Alyssa Wyatt and her partner Cord to find the missing girls—and discover just why the Kensingtons have been targeted. For Addis and Emerson, every minute passing could be the difference between survival—or an unthinkable death.
Great reviews for the Detective Alyssa Wyatt Series!
“Wow, did All His Pretty Girls pack a punch! I was shocked when I found out this was a debut…a heart-in-your-mouth read that will have you racing through those pages.”
―On The Shelf Reviews
“Oh boy, was I swiped off my feet as what was already a totally gripping read escalated into my top five for this year…It felt like my heart was beating in the back of my throat!”
―Books From Dusk Till Dawn
“A serial killer chiller where the action never flags, the suspense is red-hot and the twists and turns jaw-droppingly brilliant, fans of the genre need to add Charly Cox to their list of must-buys.”
―Bookish Jottings
“A compelling thriller that I could not put down! The killer was insane, the story was addictive and the writing was fantastic. This is everything I want when I pick up a police procedural!”
—Jessica Belmont, writer/blogger
400 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2021
661 people are currently reading
4445 people want to read
About the author
Charly Cox
6 books988 followersCharly Cox is the bestselling author of the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series and holds a Bachelor's Degree in English and Secondary Education. Born in the South, raised in the Midwest, Charly now resides in the Southwest in the Land of Enchantment, Green Chile capital of the world, with her husband. When not writing or planning sinister evils with her antagonists, she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time on or near the water, and visiting her son in Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
June 27, 2025
The ante has been upped.
Right out of the gate we hear a teenage daughter making a frantic, whispered 911 call for help. She has just arrived home with her best friend in tow, only to be faced with the gruesome horror of seeing her parents lay dead and viciously slain. Little do they know their nightmare has just begun...
When detective Alyssa Wyatt and her team arrive on the scene the girls are nowhere to be found. For Alyssa, this is all too reminiscent of the psychological torments she only just recently battled through during the The Toybox case.
Be prepared for a high octane ride with doesn't brake until the jaw dropping ending.
Narrator Kate Zane continues to make listening to this series a delight. Much appreciation.
Right out of the gate we hear a teenage daughter making a frantic, whispered 911 call for help. She has just arrived home with her best friend in tow, only to be faced with the gruesome horror of seeing her parents lay dead and viciously slain. Little do they know their nightmare has just begun...
When detective Alyssa Wyatt and her team arrive on the scene the girls are nowhere to be found. For Alyssa, this is all too reminiscent of the psychological torments she only just recently battled through during the The Toybox case.
Be prepared for a high octane ride with doesn't brake until the jaw dropping ending.
Narrator Kate Zane continues to make listening to this series a delight. Much appreciation.
February 3, 2021
I’m still reeling from reading this! The book grabs you right at the start and doesn’t spit you out until the very end. This is another series that I’m late to the party for, this is book 3, but you absolutely don’t need to read the earlier books to enjoy this one - although I might just go back and read the first two anyway.
There is a lot going on in this story. We start with the aftermath of a brutal killing of a husband wife, Lydia and Gabriel Kensington. Their 17 year old daughter Addis and her best friend Emerson drop in lateish to grab some clothes so Addis can spend the night at her friend’s place. They walk in to a slaughterhouse. The girls are just processing this horror when they realise they are not alone!
Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner Detective Cord Roberts and the team swing into action. Gabriel was a private detective - one line of enquiry is a possible link to one of his cases but, of course, there are many other theories. And there are many cases and someone has gotten to his files before the police.
It’s a race against time as the Albuquerque PD tries to solve a double homicide, find the missing teenagers and follow up on a possibly related attempted murder. The pace is relentless, suspects are many and do watch out for those red herrings. The scenes with the girls trying to escape their captors are gut wrenching and you start to wonder whether they will actually make it out alive.
This was a well written book with very relatable characters. It was a pleasant change to find detectives with no murky backgrounds, no internal dilemmas and no romantic distractions. There was some clever and quite subtle misdirection which made the plot even more twisty. This case has its roots firmly in the past if only the detectives can work it out in time. You will not want to put this one down until the final twist! Recommended for all thriller lovers. Thanks to Netgalley, Hera Books and Charly Cox for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
There is a lot going on in this story. We start with the aftermath of a brutal killing of a husband wife, Lydia and Gabriel Kensington. Their 17 year old daughter Addis and her best friend Emerson drop in lateish to grab some clothes so Addis can spend the night at her friend’s place. They walk in to a slaughterhouse. The girls are just processing this horror when they realise they are not alone!
Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner Detective Cord Roberts and the team swing into action. Gabriel was a private detective - one line of enquiry is a possible link to one of his cases but, of course, there are many other theories. And there are many cases and someone has gotten to his files before the police.
It’s a race against time as the Albuquerque PD tries to solve a double homicide, find the missing teenagers and follow up on a possibly related attempted murder. The pace is relentless, suspects are many and do watch out for those red herrings. The scenes with the girls trying to escape their captors are gut wrenching and you start to wonder whether they will actually make it out alive.
This was a well written book with very relatable characters. It was a pleasant change to find detectives with no murky backgrounds, no internal dilemmas and no romantic distractions. There was some clever and quite subtle misdirection which made the plot even more twisty. This case has its roots firmly in the past if only the detectives can work it out in time. You will not want to put this one down until the final twist! Recommended for all thriller lovers. Thanks to Netgalley, Hera Books and Charly Cox for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
April 30, 2024
Another incredible addition to this wonderful series! And that ending 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨 full recommend that you read these in order for full impact!
January 31, 2021
Yep ... be ready to read well past your bedtime! Charly Cox, once again, brings the team back in another tense, exciting story. Right from the beginning a gruesome double murder and two missing teens kick it all off and Alyssa along with her team are on the case. Twists and turns kept my attention throughout. This is the third book in the series. Be sure and start with the first book in the series because they are all fantastic! A seriously addictive series ... and if you haven’t read them yet, now is the time.
Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for the ARC!
January 29, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Alone in the Woods is the third book in this amazing series following Detectives Alyssa and Cade through another twisty turny case.
In this book the officers are still sickened and reeling from the Toy Box case they had previously. When they attend a gruesome murder scene and discover two teenage girls have been taken the detectives are sickened by thoughts of their previous case and are up against time to find the teenagers alive.
This book has lots of small twists that build to an ending I didn't see coming.
Charly Cox is fast becoming one of my favourite crime fiction writers! The books so far have been gripping with likeable characters and great researched and plotted story lines.
Alone in the Woods is the third book in this amazing series following Detectives Alyssa and Cade through another twisty turny case.
In this book the officers are still sickened and reeling from the Toy Box case they had previously. When they attend a gruesome murder scene and discover two teenage girls have been taken the detectives are sickened by thoughts of their previous case and are up against time to find the teenagers alive.
This book has lots of small twists that build to an ending I didn't see coming.
Charly Cox is fast becoming one of my favourite crime fiction writers! The books so far have been gripping with likeable characters and great researched and plotted story lines.
April 20, 2021
Just when I thought I ran out of super twisted books to read, I picked up Alone in the woods & it saved the day! A sure shot page turner with a twist I never saw coming! I absolutely love books like these. I was already in love with this atmospheric & compelling series but this book knocked it right out of park. I loved the plot & characters in the book. The book starts with a brutal but engaging chapter that reeled me right in. From there on, turning pages speedily was a given. I thought introducing the perp at the start initially felt like it took out out the suspense but there was a method to madness! The suspense certainly never went away instead amped up with every subsequent chapter. The characters too were written so very well. I absolutely loved this book! Det. Alyssa is my fav new cop on the block! I can't wait to see the next case she & her team work on.
Thank you NetGalley, Hera Books & Charly Cox for an arc!
Thank you NetGalley, Hera Books & Charly Cox for an arc!
January 30, 2021
Alone In The Woods has to have been one of my most anticipated reads. I absolutely love this series and the previous two books have been absolutely fantastic. It has been well worth the wait for the newest addition that’s for sure.
A new book and a new case for Alyssa. What an adrenaline rush of a read it turned out to be. So much is riding on Alyssa, Cord and their team finding out who is behind the double killing. I ended up reading this in two sittings as it was such a compulsive read and with every new revelation, I was desperate for more. We flick between Alyssa working on the case as well as the girls who have been taken whose future looks uncertain to say the least. This is an author who really knows how to get the characters feelings and emotions across to her readers. It had me racing through the pages for that all important conclusion.
Wowzers this was one thrill of a read. The twists knocked me sideways of which the final one nearly had me flying up off my chair in shock. This is one seriously addictive series and if you haven’t discovered it for yourself yet, well I’m telling you now, if you love crime thrillers, you need to dive straight into these books. My only problem now is the agonising wait until the next book!
My thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
A new book and a new case for Alyssa. What an adrenaline rush of a read it turned out to be. So much is riding on Alyssa, Cord and their team finding out who is behind the double killing. I ended up reading this in two sittings as it was such a compulsive read and with every new revelation, I was desperate for more. We flick between Alyssa working on the case as well as the girls who have been taken whose future looks uncertain to say the least. This is an author who really knows how to get the characters feelings and emotions across to her readers. It had me racing through the pages for that all important conclusion.
Wowzers this was one thrill of a read. The twists knocked me sideways of which the final one nearly had me flying up off my chair in shock. This is one seriously addictive series and if you haven’t discovered it for yourself yet, well I’m telling you now, if you love crime thrillers, you need to dive straight into these books. My only problem now is the agonising wait until the next book!
My thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
February 28, 2021
Stark. Vivid. Gripping. Charly Cox’s books have the rawness in them along with tiny nuggets of emotions where one catches my head, the other my heart. This was one such book too.
This was the third in the series with Alyssa Wyatt and Cord at the helm of the investigation where brother of District Attorney and his wife were butchered and their 17-year-old girls missing. 2 things had to be done. Find the girls. Find the killer.
Having read the previous books, I should have been more prepared for Charly’s writing, but I wasn’t. It hit me like a ten ton log. There was something so pure, (yes, I am using it for a police procedural) in its tone, so undiluted, that it made me sit up and take notice.
Small words inserted at certain points would either make my imagination run rampant or my throat seize up.
Then there was the investigation with Alyssa which went at its own fast pace with little twists adding to the zing of the story. I liked how my attention was linked solely to the book. The end, as per the norm, was explosive.
A great book that didn’t pull back its punches.
This was the third in the series with Alyssa Wyatt and Cord at the helm of the investigation where brother of District Attorney and his wife were butchered and their 17-year-old girls missing. 2 things had to be done. Find the girls. Find the killer.
Having read the previous books, I should have been more prepared for Charly’s writing, but I wasn’t. It hit me like a ten ton log. There was something so pure, (yes, I am using it for a police procedural) in its tone, so undiluted, that it made me sit up and take notice.
Small words inserted at certain points would either make my imagination run rampant or my throat seize up.
Then there was the investigation with Alyssa which went at its own fast pace with little twists adding to the zing of the story. I liked how my attention was linked solely to the book. The end, as per the norm, was explosive.
A great book that didn’t pull back its punches.
February 18, 2021
Alone in the Woods is the third instalment in the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series, set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Teenagers and best friends 17 year old Addis Kensington and Emerson Childress were almost inseparable during their school years, so much so that they would often scuttle off to each other's houses when in trouble at home. One such evening, Addis decides to spend a night at Emerson's after being yelled at by her mother and to initiate a cool down between mother and daughter. However, the two girls return to Addis' home to pick up some clothing and necessities for their imminent sleepover and stumble onto a devastating and heartbreaking sight; Addis' parents, Lydia and Gabriel, have been brutally murdered and lie motionless on the kitchen floor. In the direct aftermath of the slayings they can barely comprehend what they are seeing. With both of their minds reeling, neither of them realise that the horror of the crime may not be over and when they become aware they are not alone in the house it is too late. Is the ruthless, evil murderer still in the residence with them? The perpetrator isn't finished yet and abducts the two young women while in their state of shock. Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner Detective Cord Roberts and the rest of their team are urgently called in to investigate the double homicide and locate the girls before they too are killed.
This is a captivating, convoluted and exciting police procedural with one of the most gritty and intense plots I've encountered recently and the unravelling of the reasons behind the killings and abductions lead to the warped mind of a narcissistic and seriously disturbed serial killer, who I came to despise, with a dynamic and enthralling chase to identify and apprehend him. I am always a fan of strong female protagonists so to be treated to the great dynamic between the kickass, fierce Alyssa and her amazing team was a real treat. It is mainly told from Alyssa’s perspective making the narrative straightforward and therefore much more immersive, although there are intermittent chapters from the unidentified killer’s point of view which act as a window into his chilling mindset. Cox makes excellent use of twists, turns and misdirection throughout bringing some surprises to the narrative and the whole thing moves at a pretty brisk pace. It's a refreshingly original thriller with plenty of intrigue surrounding the mind of the psychopath who seemingly wants revenge at any cost and who takes enormous pleasure in other people's misery—usually the misery he himself has caused. An entertaining and compulsive, clever and engrossing read, which is a nailbiting page-turner from the get-go. Highly recommended.
This is a captivating, convoluted and exciting police procedural with one of the most gritty and intense plots I've encountered recently and the unravelling of the reasons behind the killings and abductions lead to the warped mind of a narcissistic and seriously disturbed serial killer, who I came to despise, with a dynamic and enthralling chase to identify and apprehend him. I am always a fan of strong female protagonists so to be treated to the great dynamic between the kickass, fierce Alyssa and her amazing team was a real treat. It is mainly told from Alyssa’s perspective making the narrative straightforward and therefore much more immersive, although there are intermittent chapters from the unidentified killer’s point of view which act as a window into his chilling mindset. Cox makes excellent use of twists, turns and misdirection throughout bringing some surprises to the narrative and the whole thing moves at a pretty brisk pace. It's a refreshingly original thriller with plenty of intrigue surrounding the mind of the psychopath who seemingly wants revenge at any cost and who takes enormous pleasure in other people's misery—usually the misery he himself has caused. An entertaining and compulsive, clever and engrossing read, which is a nailbiting page-turner from the get-go. Highly recommended.
May 7, 2025
Team Asshole is back baby! Asshole-ing their way around New Mexico like no other assholes can!
Seriously… what the actual fuck is with everyone’s shitty attitude in these books? I thought maybe Alyssa had chilled out a bit since my last check in… but then she flips the fuck out on her handicapped teammate for not answering the phone while he’s on the toilet. He’s in a fucking wheelchair for Christ’s sake! The over arching theme of these novels is “My job is stressful, therefore I am a dick. You must excuse me. You’d also be a dick if you had my job. Oh? You do? Then by all means, please be a dick also”. Is that a new sub-genre? Sorry. Where was I? Never mind…
I don’t hate these books… in fact, they are strategically designed to make you like them. The chapters are short. That makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something. Look at you! You did it! The bread crumb trails are actually bread crumb helicopters dropping mountains of bread so you can figure everything out early and then feel super smart when you’re right.
Maybe I do hate these books. I’ll probably keep reading them, though. I feel super smart and like I accomplished something. 🤔
HEY! 🤬
Seriously… what the actual fuck is with everyone’s shitty attitude in these books? I thought maybe Alyssa had chilled out a bit since my last check in… but then she flips the fuck out on her handicapped teammate for not answering the phone while he’s on the toilet. He’s in a fucking wheelchair for Christ’s sake! The over arching theme of these novels is “My job is stressful, therefore I am a dick. You must excuse me. You’d also be a dick if you had my job. Oh? You do? Then by all means, please be a dick also”. Is that a new sub-genre? Sorry. Where was I? Never mind…
I don’t hate these books… in fact, they are strategically designed to make you like them. The chapters are short. That makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something. Look at you! You did it! The bread crumb trails are actually bread crumb helicopters dropping mountains of bread so you can figure everything out early and then feel super smart when you’re right.
Maybe I do hate these books. I’ll probably keep reading them, though. I feel super smart and like I accomplished something. 🤔
HEY! 🤬
January 28, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Hera Books for an advance copy of Alone in the Woods, the third novel to feature Detective Alyssa Wyatt of the Albuquerque PD.
A phone call from teenager Addis Kensington to her aunt alerts the authorities to the murder of her parents, but when Alyssa and her team get there Addis and her friend Emerson Childress have disappeared. It soon becomes clear that they have been abducted and the hunt is on for the girls before the killer strikes again.
I enjoyed Alone in the Woods which is a tense read with a few twists. It is told from various points of view, notably, Alyssa, Addis and the kidnapper. I’m not always a big fan of this approach but in this case it works really well, ratcheting up the tension and urgency.
Alyssa’s investigation has a sense of urgency about it, not just to find the girls but to stop a vicious killer. They rather quickly identify a suspect but where that suspect is now is a harder question. Addis’s narrative is more concerned with staying alive. I thought it was particularly well done as the girls alternately veer between optimism and helplessness with them cheering each other on when one gets down. My time with teenage girls is long in the past so I don’t know how realistic it is but it certainly feels it, full of emotion, high and lows and lots of tears. The kidnapper is not all he seems and it was interesting to see his thought processes.
I must admit that I guessed the big twist fairly early in novel, so that when it arrived it was anticlimactic for me, but it didn’t spoil the read as I liked the premise of Alyssa’s time pressed investigation playing out against the girls’ real time experience and I think gives the reader a good sense of why investigations matter. It held my attention.
Alone in the Woods is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
A phone call from teenager Addis Kensington to her aunt alerts the authorities to the murder of her parents, but when Alyssa and her team get there Addis and her friend Emerson Childress have disappeared. It soon becomes clear that they have been abducted and the hunt is on for the girls before the killer strikes again.
I enjoyed Alone in the Woods which is a tense read with a few twists. It is told from various points of view, notably, Alyssa, Addis and the kidnapper. I’m not always a big fan of this approach but in this case it works really well, ratcheting up the tension and urgency.
Alyssa’s investigation has a sense of urgency about it, not just to find the girls but to stop a vicious killer. They rather quickly identify a suspect but where that suspect is now is a harder question. Addis’s narrative is more concerned with staying alive. I thought it was particularly well done as the girls alternately veer between optimism and helplessness with them cheering each other on when one gets down. My time with teenage girls is long in the past so I don’t know how realistic it is but it certainly feels it, full of emotion, high and lows and lots of tears. The kidnapper is not all he seems and it was interesting to see his thought processes.
I must admit that I guessed the big twist fairly early in novel, so that when it arrived it was anticlimactic for me, but it didn’t spoil the read as I liked the premise of Alyssa’s time pressed investigation playing out against the girls’ real time experience and I think gives the reader a good sense of why investigations matter. It held my attention.
Alone in the Woods is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
March 11, 2021
Alone in the Woods by Charly Cox is the third novel in the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series. I discovered this series last year, and each novel has delivered a suspenseful case and enjoyable interaction between the detectives. I have enjoyed getting to know them professionally and personally.
The series takes place in New Mexico. We find Gabriel Kensington and his wife Lydia brutally murdered after Gabriel’s sister receives a frantic phone call from her niece. It turns out Addis and her friend Emerson have been kidnapped by the killer.
Cox knows how to write a compelling mystery. She turns up the suspense as we gather clues and piece together threads. There are plenty of red herrings and twists to keep the reader guessing.
The story delivered POVs from Detective Wyatt and from Addis as she and her friend find themselves trapped in a cabin deep in the woods.
I quickly found myself caught up in the mystery, biting my nails for the girls and methodically piecing together clues before the author lets the reader in on key details. I grew anxious waiting for the detectives to connect the dots.
I will say the author threw in some twists that made my jaw drop, but the plot was solid and once revealed I saw all the puzzle pieces click into place.
This series is on my autobuy list, and I am already looking forward This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
The series takes place in New Mexico. We find Gabriel Kensington and his wife Lydia brutally murdered after Gabriel’s sister receives a frantic phone call from her niece. It turns out Addis and her friend Emerson have been kidnapped by the killer.
Cox knows how to write a compelling mystery. She turns up the suspense as we gather clues and piece together threads. There are plenty of red herrings and twists to keep the reader guessing.
The story delivered POVs from Detective Wyatt and from Addis as she and her friend find themselves trapped in a cabin deep in the woods.
I quickly found myself caught up in the mystery, biting my nails for the girls and methodically piecing together clues before the author lets the reader in on key details. I grew anxious waiting for the detectives to connect the dots.
I will say the author threw in some twists that made my jaw drop, but the plot was solid and once revealed I saw all the puzzle pieces click into place.
This series is on my autobuy list, and I am already looking forward This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
November 7, 2022
I love this whole series. I haven’t found a series that’s had me this hooked in YEARS!
October 28, 2021
➙ 3¾⭐
➙ Narration 😀 = Good
➙ Narrated by 🎙️Kate Zane
➙ Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
➙ Police Procedural🕵️♀️
➙ Murder🩸🔪 Kidnapping⛓️
➙ Detective Alyssa Wyatt Series📚
This is the third book in this series and while this is the weakest of the three so far; I did still find it engaging, just not quite as engaging as the first two. These books deal with some dark elements, like serial killers, sex trafficking, and brutal murders...so not so much for the faint of heart. This isn’t a series that you would necessarily want to jump into the middle of because each case has references to previous cases. Besides the first two books are much more interesting.
I liked Kate Zane’s narration for the first two books but with this third, I think I’m just starting to nitpick...because this time she felt off and rather unpolished.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 7.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 7.5
🅐tmosphere ￫ 7
🅦riting ￫ 6.5
🅟lot ￫ 7
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7
🅛ogic ￫ 8
🅔njoyment ￫ 7
➙ Narration 😀 = Good
➙ Narrated by 🎙️Kate Zane
➙ Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
➙ Police Procedural🕵️♀️
➙ Murder🩸🔪 Kidnapping⛓️
➙ Detective Alyssa Wyatt Series📚
This is the third book in this series and while this is the weakest of the three so far; I did still find it engaging, just not quite as engaging as the first two. These books deal with some dark elements, like serial killers, sex trafficking, and brutal murders...so not so much for the faint of heart. This isn’t a series that you would necessarily want to jump into the middle of because each case has references to previous cases. Besides the first two books are much more interesting.
I liked Kate Zane’s narration for the first two books but with this third, I think I’m just starting to nitpick...because this time she felt off and rather unpolished.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 7.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 7.5
🅐tmosphere ￫ 7
🅦riting ￫ 6.5
🅟lot ￫ 7
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7
🅛ogic ￫ 8
🅔njoyment ￫ 7
February 15, 2021
When 17 year old Addis and her best friend Emerson go to Addis' parents home they are shocked and left reeling when they discover her parents slain. As if that weren't terrifying enough, they come to the horrifying realization that the killer is still inside the house. They hide and Addis frantically calls to alert the authorities.
When Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her team show up Addis and Emerson are nowhere to be found. The team must race against time to find the teenagers.
Alone In The Woods was my first book by Charly Cox and it was a truly gripping thriller. I didn't see any of the twists coming. The suspense was almost unbearable, particularly in the last three quarters of the book! I loved the strength of the main characters, the rapport within the police department and the surprising element of heartfelt moments. I found it took a little while for all the pieces to come together, but once they did I was hooked! I absolutely recommend this book to anyone that loves thrillers.
Thank you Netgalley and Hera Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Pub day is February 17, 2021!
When Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her team show up Addis and Emerson are nowhere to be found. The team must race against time to find the teenagers.
Alone In The Woods was my first book by Charly Cox and it was a truly gripping thriller. I didn't see any of the twists coming. The suspense was almost unbearable, particularly in the last three quarters of the book! I loved the strength of the main characters, the rapport within the police department and the surprising element of heartfelt moments. I found it took a little while for all the pieces to come together, but once they did I was hooked! I absolutely recommend this book to anyone that loves thrillers.
Thank you Netgalley and Hera Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Pub day is February 17, 2021!
April 21, 2025
3.5 🌟's rounded down. Ok, so I love thrillers and mysteries so much, but for some reason, I just couldn't get into this book. I finished it cuz I want to read all the books in this series. It definitely did wow me or keep me at the edge of my seat like the first two books did. Maybe I shouldn't compare each one, but I know what Charly Cox is able to do. So my expectations are a bit higher, I guess. I still recommend this series, though. This book was decent, that's why I give the rating I did. It just wasn't my full cup of tea.
February 7, 2024
Urgh that's another 5 ⭐️ from me.
How does this author do it!?
This series is just incredible! Brutal on the violence, the author just feeds you bits of information that you store away and then she brings it all together and throws in a suckerpunch of a twist!
This one threw me the most it being Sandra (the new officer) all along but was pieced together so well.
I was pretty terrified when the fingers were pointing at Tony as I love the whole team together.
I love we get the detective/crime side and also see alot of Alyssa's personal family side...It makes me care so much for these characters, I love Cord too!
How does this author do it!?
This series is just incredible! Brutal on the violence, the author just feeds you bits of information that you store away and then she brings it all together and throws in a suckerpunch of a twist!
This one threw me the most it being Sandra (the new officer) all along but was pieced together so well.
I was pretty terrified when the fingers were pointing at Tony as I love the whole team together.
I love we get the detective/crime side and also see alot of Alyssa's personal family side...It makes me care so much for these characters, I love Cord too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2025
This was freaking AMAZING. Idk how Charly Cox does it but every time, it’s a hit. I can’t wait to finish this series 🔥
She wrote tf out of this series… Making me cry while reading a serial killer book?!? What’s in her pen?? The way she makes you fall in love w/ these characters, perfection.
She wrote tf out of this series… Making me cry while reading a serial killer book?!? What’s in her pen?? The way she makes you fall in love w/ these characters, perfection.
February 21, 2021
This book was a wild ride of an 8-hour read. There was an overwhelming amount of threads of cases (that didn't seem to have any relation, at first) to be solved. It was a little confusing to see how the cases (a double homicide, a kidnapping of two seventeen-year-olds, a missing person of seven years, and then a kidnapping of a single mother) would become intertwined.
I was concerned for Alyssa and her team. I knew there had to be a connecting link for the team to find. I was waiting for it to be revealed to me too. When it was, I was excited to read more.
My brain is still trying to comprehend the twists of the book. When I thought I had it all figured out, there was another surprise in store. When I finished the book, I felt the need to scour through the book to find the subtle clues I missed that hinted at the deception.
I was concerned for Alyssa and her team. I knew there had to be a connecting link for the team to find. I was waiting for it to be revealed to me too. When it was, I was excited to read more.
My brain is still trying to comprehend the twists of the book. When I thought I had it all figured out, there was another surprise in store. When I finished the book, I felt the need to scour through the book to find the subtle clues I missed that hinted at the deception.
February 9, 2021
OMG what a fantastic read, I had to read her first two before this one (cant read a book out of order) boy i was not disappointed. Thank you ever so much for the opportunity to review this book NetGalley and Hera Books
July 3, 2025
I liked the story line. It pulled me right in. A teenager and her friend find her parents murdered in the kitchen...and then they hear that they are not alone in the house. Then it kind of slid down hill from there.
I liked the tension the author built. That kept me in. And the ending helped make this a solid 3 stars. What brought this down were just a few little things. I'll start with the characters. They were a little cliche. They said and did all the right things at the right time. I like vanilla ice cream just as much as the next person, but I was missing the root beer.
I also struggled with the narrator of the audio. She couldn't do voices without accents. When the accents slipped they sounded all the same.
One last little thing was the title didn't fit the book. I'm wondering what the other title was before they ditched it for this vanilla version. 3 stars.
I liked the tension the author built. That kept me in. And the ending helped make this a solid 3 stars. What brought this down were just a few little things. I'll start with the characters. They were a little cliche. They said and did all the right things at the right time. I like vanilla ice cream just as much as the next person, but I was missing the root beer.
I also struggled with the narrator of the audio. She couldn't do voices without accents. When the accents slipped they sounded all the same.
One last little thing was the title didn't fit the book. I'm wondering what the other title was before they ditched it for this vanilla version. 3 stars.
March 26, 2023
Another solid installment in this gripping series, but I did figure something major out pretty early on.
February 3, 2021
I've come to expect a high octane, addictive read from Charly Cox's Detective Alyssa Wyatt's series and in Alone in the Woods I was most certainly not disappointed.
Oh my goodness! Alone in the Woods kicked off at a rate of knots and never really stopped. Told in turn from the investigative team's, the perpetrator's and the two missing girl's points of view, Alone in the Woods was a study in how to wring the reader's emotions.
I was drawn from crossing my fingers (and toes) for the girls, clenching my fists for the perps and smiling at some good news for Wyatt's team.
Cox doesn't hold back on the emotional string pulling - she's very adept at weaving story lines together to squeeze the maximum emotional connection from the reader and that had me reading on compulsively till the end.
As well as that, Cox drops clues in from very early on in the story and I had to go back to pick up on them with an 'Oh no! How the hell did I not see the significance of that.'
She also keeps the team dynamics to the forefront and that is becoming one of my favourite aspects of the series. From the moody police receptionist Ruby, to the varied police team, each with their own demons to fight. I also love that we see Wyatt in her home environment - It's good to see an older woman, with kids, cracking on with such a hard job with the support of a doting partner.
Alone in the Woods will keep you guessing till the end, with Cox dropping the breadcrumbs to lead you down the wrong path with ease and aplomb. Thoroughly enjoyable
Oh my goodness! Alone in the Woods kicked off at a rate of knots and never really stopped. Told in turn from the investigative team's, the perpetrator's and the two missing girl's points of view, Alone in the Woods was a study in how to wring the reader's emotions.
I was drawn from crossing my fingers (and toes) for the girls, clenching my fists for the perps and smiling at some good news for Wyatt's team.
Cox doesn't hold back on the emotional string pulling - she's very adept at weaving story lines together to squeeze the maximum emotional connection from the reader and that had me reading on compulsively till the end.
As well as that, Cox drops clues in from very early on in the story and I had to go back to pick up on them with an 'Oh no! How the hell did I not see the significance of that.'
She also keeps the team dynamics to the forefront and that is becoming one of my favourite aspects of the series. From the moody police receptionist Ruby, to the varied police team, each with their own demons to fight. I also love that we see Wyatt in her home environment - It's good to see an older woman, with kids, cracking on with such a hard job with the support of a doting partner.
Alone in the Woods will keep you guessing till the end, with Cox dropping the breadcrumbs to lead you down the wrong path with ease and aplomb. Thoroughly enjoyable
September 28, 2023
ALONE IN THE WOODS
Charley Cox
So this is the second book of Ms. Cox that I have read. I did enjoy it but the framework for the story is exactly the same as the first one I read. A murder that happens right on the page in front of you, a kidnapping, a small child with a hero cape that gives the detective's heart a jerk, the scare, and then the save. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, but I will probably read only one more and then I will have had enough of the same step-by-step plotline if it continues.
I do like Alyssa Wyatt and her team, and I hope they don't go stale on me.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
Charley Cox
So this is the second book of Ms. Cox that I have read. I did enjoy it but the framework for the story is exactly the same as the first one I read. A murder that happens right on the page in front of you, a kidnapping, a small child with a hero cape that gives the detective's heart a jerk, the scare, and then the save. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, but I will probably read only one more and then I will have had enough of the same step-by-step plotline if it continues.
I do like Alyssa Wyatt and her team, and I hope they don't go stale on me.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
October 16, 2024
Wow.. didn’t see that coming!!
February 16, 2021
This is the third book of the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series.
After reading Toy Box, I badly want to read more books from this author and so I was so happy when Hera publishers granted me this ARC! Detective Alyssa is back in her game when a privileged couple, Gabriel and Lydia Kensington was found brutally murdered in their homes and their daughter Addis along with her best friend Emerson are missing. Alyssa finds that Gabriel is an PI and believed that one of the cold cases would have led ultimately to his death and along with her partner Cord, they would set to find the murderer...
This book was AMAZING!! Again an action packed filled book with twists and unexpected turns you would generally expect in a thriller. And also quite fast paced too!!!! I really like how Addis and Emerson stick together after they being kidnapped and the ordeal they both faced together seemed realistic to me. It was also unputdownable that I couldn't wait to get to the ending!! And the ending--there is just one word--UNEXPECTED. Totally unexpected twisted ending!
Overall, I give this book five stars!!! Can't wait for Book 4 to come!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hera publishers. This review is strictly based on my opinion.
After reading Toy Box, I badly want to read more books from this author and so I was so happy when Hera publishers granted me this ARC! Detective Alyssa is back in her game when a privileged couple, Gabriel and Lydia Kensington was found brutally murdered in their homes and their daughter Addis along with her best friend Emerson are missing. Alyssa finds that Gabriel is an PI and believed that one of the cold cases would have led ultimately to his death and along with her partner Cord, they would set to find the murderer...
This book was AMAZING!! Again an action packed filled book with twists and unexpected turns you would generally expect in a thriller. And also quite fast paced too!!!! I really like how Addis and Emerson stick together after they being kidnapped and the ordeal they both faced together seemed realistic to me. It was also unputdownable that I couldn't wait to get to the ending!! And the ending--there is just one word--UNEXPECTED. Totally unexpected twisted ending!
Overall, I give this book five stars!!! Can't wait for Book 4 to come!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hera publishers. This review is strictly based on my opinion.
February 17, 2021
Charly Cox has easily become one of my auto buy authors with her Detective Alyssa Wyatt series. I’ve read the previous two and loved them.
Alone In The Woods is a book I’ve really been anticipating and it was so worth the wait! As usual, this is an adrenaline rush of a read. Alyssa and the team have a heck of a case to solve and I was up all night reading it.
Charly Cox writes emotional characters. I was really in my feelings reading this and it made it so compelling. High stakes and shocks that I never saw coming. If crime thrillers are your jam, this is a series you absolutely don’t want to miss.
Highly recommended!!
*I received a free copy of this book from BOTBS Publicity to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
Alone In The Woods is a book I’ve really been anticipating and it was so worth the wait! As usual, this is an adrenaline rush of a read. Alyssa and the team have a heck of a case to solve and I was up all night reading it.
Charly Cox writes emotional characters. I was really in my feelings reading this and it made it so compelling. High stakes and shocks that I never saw coming. If crime thrillers are your jam, this is a series you absolutely don’t want to miss.
Highly recommended!!
*I received a free copy of this book from BOTBS Publicity to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
March 3, 2024
I think I’m being a little generous with 4 stars, to be honest. While this was an escalating page turner, the last act threw in a somewhat needless twist that was a little too sensational for my tastes. Nonetheless, the suspense kept ramping up so that the last fifth of the book I could barely put it down.
One note: apparently this a series of books with the detective and her team as characters in several books. This is the only one I’ve read, and this works well as a stand alone story.
One note: apparently this a series of books with the detective and her team as characters in several books. This is the only one I’ve read, and this works well as a stand alone story.
February 18, 2021
This is book three in the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series. Not sure why I missed reading book two but it didn’t take away from my reading experience. Be warned you may be like me and not able to put this down once you start. I really enjoyed this story.
Detective Wyatt has a challenging case when she needs to solve a double murder and the disappearance of two teenagers.
This story was so so good. I highly recommend it.
Alone in the Woods is a well written story that had me gripped. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Detective Wyatt has a challenging case when she needs to solve a double murder and the disappearance of two teenagers.
This story was so so good. I highly recommend it.
Alone in the Woods is a well written story that had me gripped. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
September 5, 2021
This time I read instead of listening as I have for the first two books. Alyssa is again tasked with solving a horrendous crime. As leader of her team, she’s tenacious and not about to stop until the case gets solved. This one starts with a grisly murder of a couple in their home. Their daughter and her best friend have been kidnapped. The team has to pull out all the stops to solve this one. Unfortunately, the biggest twist of them all was apparent to me from just a little ways into the book. That’s what I get from reading way too many thrillers. However, having said that, I really enjoyed seeing how the team solved it. I’ll definitely be reading the next book as well. For adult thriller or mystery readers. Very dark at times.
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