Lisa Regan’s “Remember Her Name” brings back the gritty, compelling feel of the earlier Josie Quinn novels, and as book 21 in the series, it does not disappoint.
Detective Josie Quinn is thrust into a chilling case when a baby is found abandoned in a park, a blood-smeared polaroid photo tucked among her blankets. The child’s mother, Cleo Tate, is missing, and the only clue leads Josie back to Cold Heart Creek—a crime scene she thought was long behind her. When Cleo’s body is discovered there, the case takes a dark turn, with more victims and photos linked to Josie’s past cases emerging. As Josie races against time to stop a twisted killer seeking revenge, she must confront the buried secrets of her past before more lives are lost.
Fans of Josie will appreciate the callbacks to her earlier cases, as well as the glimpses of a rookie Josie, and the book has that old-school Josie Quinn vibe that hooked us all from the beginning.
Right from the start, the stakes are high, and I was genuinely saddened when the first body was discovered. Out of all the victims, this one hit me the hardest, leaving a lingering sense of loss throughout the investigation.
Turner, who has often been a source of frustration with his lazy and incompetent ways, surprised me this time around. Although he still annoys the heck out of me, his interactions with Josie and Gretchen provided some much-needed comic relief. It was refreshing to see him finally stepping up and doing-ish his job. The reveal about his past connection with another character was a fascinating twist—I’m eager to see how that story unfolds in future books.
One of the highlights of this instalment was reconnecting with Josie’s family, and the abundance of happy news added a heartwarming layer to the story. The cat-and-mouse game between the Josie and the killer kept me on the edge of my seat, with twists and turns that left me guessing until the very end. The Maureen Easter egg was a delightful touch, adding another layer of fun for Lounge readers.
The call back to Josie and Noah’s wedding vows was a beautiful moment, grounding the intense action in the deep emotional ties that have been built over the series. This book is an adrenaline-pumping, edge-of-your-seat read that will leave you breathless.
However, whilst the mystery in “Remember Her Name” is self-contained, the character development and evolving relationships are anything but. New readers should definitely not start with book 21; this series is best enjoyed from the beginning to fully appreciate the growth and depth of its characters.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.