Trigger Warning: Sexual assault (non-graphic), Underage Prostitution, Violence

Kylene Danners’s ex-FBI agent father is in prison for murder and she’s hell-bent on getting him out. But trying to investigate in the small town where a defensive lineman is a hero no matter who he tries to kill and the girl who gets him locked up is public enemy number one is dangerous. Dark secrets are everywhere in Jasperville—the kind Ky can’t walk away from.

When rookie FBI agent Cedric Dawson returns to town to finish an open investigation, he goes undercover at her high school—as her ex. Determined to keep her from interfering, Dawson’s plan backfires after Ky gets an anonymous call about missing girls officially labeled as runaways—runaways that didn’t really run away at all.

Because dead girls can’t run.  And they don’t say a word

“What we want to believe and what’s actually true are rarely if ever the same thing, Danners…”

Are you a fan of Veronica Mars or Law & Order: SVU? Then you need this book in your life! I was so excited to be back with Ky and the gang for the next book in the Hometown Antihero series, and I sure wasn’t disappointed.

I’m going to keep this review a little more vague, just in case you haven’t had the pleasure yet of reading the first book, Dare You to Lie (if you haven’t, go get it!).  Don’t Say a Word picks up directly after Dare you to Lie ended, so you completely need to read the first book to be able to go into this one and not be completely confused.  That being said, going right back into the story where it left off was perfect – I love when stories do that.  Especially with thriller/mystery type novels.  When a bunch of time has passed, I always feel a little cheated and like I missed something in the story.  There is a bit of a catch up here and there at the start, just in case you forgot something from the first book, so I didn’t have to read the first book over again to refresh my memory.

In this story, Ky is back in the middle of just about everything she shouldn’t be in – yet again and I lived for it.  This time, along with the mysteries from the first novel, Ky has a new case dropped in front of her.  A young girl calls Ky and tells her about girls going missing from from the area and how scared she is about what is happening to them and what might happen to her.  She doesn’t reveal much information but says she will only work with Ky – which then leads to our favorite Deputy Dawson coming into the story again.  Oh yes, we get so much Dawson in this one! Dawson reluctantly agrees to let Ky help on the case and says he will be going undercover as a student at her highschool.  He also drops the bomb that they will be playing exes that are getting back together, while he is there.  Ummm anyone else love the fake dating trope? This leads to all sorts of fun banter and awkward moments between the two.  If you are looking for some great chemistry and sexual tension, this book has it in spades.  There is also another guy in Ky’s life that isn’t too happy with this and is doing all he can to also get back together with her.  Don’t worry, this is a fun triangle – not a sloppy one!

The main focus of this story though is the case and that is why I love this series.  Yes, there are great moments of romantic tension and friendship adventures but it always goes back to the case and solving it.  It never gets deterred or overtaken by a romantic storyline.  Dawson and Ky end up making a really solid team and I love watching their partnership really develop – way moreso then anything else.  I also loved that all the characters showed some development in this story, so it felt authentic to me.  I really enjoy reading about these characters and I have no clue what is going to happen overall.  I only know that I TRUST. NO. ONE.

I would recommend this to anyone who is tired of reading YA mysteries that don’t really hold up in the end.  Don’t Say a Word has great characters and intriguing cases.  I would give it a try if that sounds up your alley.

Submit your  DON’T SAY A WORD preorder receipt to receive a ten-page bonus scene in Dawson’s POV will be yours with proof of pre-order.

And for anyone who’d like to support an AMAZING indie bookstore in Amber’s neck of the woods, Norwich Bookstore is handling SIGNED COPY orders on her behalf.
info for those signed copies can be found here: bit.ly/ALNNorwich

Check Amber out on her various platforms!
Website  /   Twitter  / Instagram / Goodreads

Be sure to check out these amazing bloggers this week and hear their thoughts on Don’t Say a Word!

August 23rd
TBR and Beyond – Welcome Post

August 24th
BluePixieoftheGalaxy’s Bookblog – Review

August 25th
TBR and Beyond – Review
The Book Dutchesses – Review + Favourite Quotes

August 26th
Confession of a YA Reader – Review + Favourite Quotes
Bookishly Slytherclaw – Review + Favourite Quotes

August 27th
Functionally Fictional – Review + Favourite Quotes

August 28th
Mahjchi’ Not-so-Secret Books – Review + Favourite Quotes
Read Love Blog – Review + Favourite Quotes
Sometimes Leelynn Reads – Interview

August 29th
Laura Bookish Corner – Review + Dreamcast
The Wayfaring Bibliomaniac – Review

August 30th
Young at Heart Reader – Review
Mel and her Books – Review
Book Lover’s Book Reviews – Review