Devils at the Door by Tessa Wegert is the 5th book in the Shana Merchant series.
I absolutely LOVE this series! While you can read it as a stand-alone novel, I highly recommend reading the other amazing books in the series.

Shana Merchant is doing well, engaged to Tim and putting the events of the past behind her. Things are going pretty well. She agrees to take care of her 16-year-old nieces, Henrietta (Hen) for a little while to get her back on track.

When Shane is called to investigate a drowning, things get complicated with Hen, as she was a witness. Or is she a suspect?

This is such a great book! I really enjoy Shana so much! Shana and Tim took on a different role in this book as guardians to Hen and it was a really nice dynamic.

The mystery was fantastic and there were some great twists and turns that left me gasping.

Another fantastic installment that I cannot recommend enough.

When Senior Investigator Shana Merchant agrees to let her teenage niece Henrietta (Hen, to her aunt) stay with her and her fiancé Tim while they simultaneously renovate their home, plan their wedding, and keep the Alexandria Bay area safe from crime, she thinks the challenge will be getting her niece to open up about her troubles. Shana knows firsthand that her family history can be difficult to navigate, even for an adult. But Shana doesn’t expect her duties as an aunt to intersect with her duties with the New York State Police.

Hen finds herself involved with a suspicious drowning and Shana finds herself on the outside of the investigation—one that could have implications for the rest of Hen’s life. Shana must do everything she can to get to the truth, combing through local secrets that have already done damage and continue to wreak havoc.

This is the fifth in Tessa Wegert’s twisty and atmospheric Shana Merchant series. Wegert is back with her tight prose and complex characters. Shana, the main character, is a complicated heroine, whose unique past and capable investigation skills, not to mention her badass martial arts prowess, make her a protagonist I love to root for, and this most recent chapter does not disappoint. Never fear if you haven’t read the others in the series. This book stands alone perfectly well. But if you haven’t, what in the world are you waiting for?

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.

Shana is finally starting to feel normal and happy, she is engaged to a great man, they are renovating their home and things are going pretty well. The town is finally starting to accept her and not glare at her when they see her. Can she finally put her serial killing cousin behind her? She agrees to look after her teenage niece for a while. Henrietta is going off the rails a bit and her parents are desperate for some help. Shane doesn’t realise what she is getting herself into with Hen, and soon she finds herself investigating a drowning, one where Hen was a witness,or is she the prime suspect?

This series has a way of getting you so invested in the characters and storylines. I found myself cursing Shana at times, she doesn’t always make the best decisions. We saw her and Tim in a different way in this instalment. I look forward to what comes next for them.

Tension, Suspense..
The fifth outing in the Shana Merchant series and a case that will propel the senior investigator of New York into utter chaos. When family ties mix with a suspicious death, Shana is both perplexed and concerned. What really happened at the remote and uninhabited island of Devil’s Oven? Secrets, lies and misdirection combine with an immersive and compelling plot populated with a well drawn and credible cast making for a solid mystery laced with atmosphere, tension and suspense. A worthy addition to the series.

Normally I would agree that this could be a stand alone in the series but I had to knock down a few stars because I disagree. There was too much time focusing on the past making me wish I had read all the previous books first.

The murder mystery itself was amazing and quite a shock in the end.
Much thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity.

Book 5 in the Shana Merchant series and another page turning mystery.

Shana is finally starting to feel normal and happy, she is engaged to a great man, they are renovating their home and things are going pretty well. The town is finally starting to accept her and not glare at her when they see her. Can she finally put her serial killing cousin behind her? She agrees to look after her teenage niece for a while. Henrietta is going off the rails a bit and her parents are desperate for some help. Shane doesn’t realise what she is getting herself into with Hen, and soon she finds herself investigating a drowning, one where Hen was a witness,or is she the prime suspect?

This series has a way of getting you so invested in the characters and storylines. I found myself cursing Shana at times, she doesn’t always make the best decisions. We saw her and Tim in a different way in this instalment. I look forward to what comes next for them.

Thanks to Severn House for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on 5th December

This is the fifth book in the senior investigator, Shana Merchant series.

Shana finally has her life in order after it was torn apart by her cousin, and later revealed serial killer Blake Bram. Shana has a fiancé and a stable career in Alexandria Bay. But then she receives a call from her brother Doug, her niece, Henrietta (Hen), is going through a rough patch, and he thinks it might be good for her to spend some time with Shana. Except Hen isn’t the innocent child that Shana remembers and she’s not sure if she can trust her. Soon after she arrives, Shana is called to a crime scene to investigate a suspicious drowning of a local teenage boy, at the uninhabited island, Devils Oven, only to discover her niece at the scene of the crime.

This has become one of my favourite series, and while it’s probably better read from the beginning, the author does provide enough background that you could just jump in to this novel. The story pulled me in from the very beginning. Small town setting, lots of secrets and new characters to shake things up.
Another one I highly recommend. 4.5*

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Severn House for this gifted review copy.

The fifth book in the Shana Merchant series finds Shana and Tim agreeing to let Shana's niece Hen stay in Alexandria Bay for a few months after she gets in trouble at home. It soon becomes clear that Hen is being bullied for being related to Blake Bram, something Shana knows all too well. When a local teenager drowns and Shana finds Hen at the scene of the crime, she is forced off the case because Hen is a suspect. Despite this, she searches for answers on her own. What she discovers unravels a tangled web of lies and betrayals that stretch beyond Alexandria Bay. I didn't enjoy the mystery in this one as much. It felt like there wasn't much of a climax near the end. But I still enjoy the character of Shana. She's a complex person who you want to succeed no matter what obstacles she faces. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Although this is the fifth book in the series, it is the first for me. While there were lots of references to earlier books, I never had any trouble following the story as the author did a good job of providing all needed information.

The story is set in upstate New York on the St. Lawrence River. The main character is New York state troopers investigator Shana Marchant. She and her fiance, a fellow investigator, are busy renovating their home and preparing for their wedding when her brother calls. He begs Shana to take his troubled teenage daughter, Henrietta, for the school term in hopes that a change of scenery will straighten her out.

Stana quickly finds her hands full dealing with the strange and moody teen, and things take a turn for the worse when the girl is found at the scene of the death of another teen. Hen and her friends aren’t talking and seem obsessed with death and the occult.

I thought the author did a fine job of juggling all the doubts and fears in Shana’s personal life, with the mistrust and exasperation that comes with dealing with a teenage girl. Throw in a large dose of small town secrets and a suspicious death from the past, and you have a fine setting for a taut mystery. I know that my guesses at who done it was quite long and all were wrong.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good small town mystery and a psychological storyline. Many thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance copy in exchange for an impartial review.

Another exciting Shana Merchant mystery! I was very excited to get this ARC from Net Galley. I have enjoyed this series so much. The mysteries are very well crafted. The settings- both in NY and VT are very familiar to me, which makes this series even more enjoyable. Wegert expertly captures year round life in a small, summer tourist town. Shana has been carefully developed throughout the series, as have the supporting characters. The series keeps getting better with each book.

Shana is a flawed person, with a lot of personal guilt to carry, in regard to a deceased relative, who is still managing to disrupt her life from the grave. But- she still is able to forge relationships and a have personal life in The Bay. In this book, her niece comes to stay with her, and quickly becomes embroiled in a suspicious death. Shana should stay out of the investigation because family is involved. But can she? You'll just have to read this book to find out!

Thanks Net Gallery!

This is my first Tessa Wegert book and although it is the fifth book in this series, I was still able to keep up and enjoy this wonderful book. I definitely will be going back and reading the first 4 books in this series. This book was a 4.5/5 stars for me!

This book is about Shana Merchant a senior investigator in New York state who's life gets thrown into turmoil after a local teenage boy is found drowned at Devil's Oven Island. The only witness is her niece Hen who came to stay with her after Hen's father and Shana's brother could not handle her any longer and asked Shana to take her in for a few months to try and straighten her out.

When Hen and her new friends are not talking and a community determined to keep their secrets dead and buried, Shana knows it is a race against time to uncover the truth before her niece is upgraded to prime suspect.

This book was thrilling and takes a hold of you from the very beginning. The pacing and plot are great. The character development keeps you engaged and wanting to know more. I loved the small town mystery and all the unexpected twist and turns this book had to offer. Once a certain twist was revealed, I had an idea of what was going to happen and I was half correct, but this did not ruin this book at all. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to go back and read more of Shana Merchant and her story.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the advance copy for my honest review!

I really love this series. I'm familiar enough with the region (I'm also an upstate/Western NY resident) to enjoy the setting and references, and it's an area that doesn't see a lot of action, fiction-wise, so it's fun in that regard. But even more than that, I really love the characters she's crafted. Her protagonist is a survivor in the truest sense of the word - a woman who is strong, bent-not-broken, and forged by the events in her life into a steel sword seeking justice for those around her. Yet she never loses her humanity and remains fallible, like all of us, and this is what makes her such a relatable character. The pacing and plotting is, as always, strong and even. The mystery draws you in straightaway, and the character development (both in this installment and series-long) continues to be engaging and heartening. I hope Wegert sticks with these characters for a long time - because I intend to!

Devils At The Door by Tessa Wegert
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sixteen year old Hen goes to stay with her aunt, senior investigator Shana Merchant, to to get away from her troubles back home at school. Their lives are turned upside down when shortly after her arrival, she sneaks out and a teen boy she is with drowns.
This is book five in a series but can be read as a stand alone. I started here and now want to go back and read the first four. I enjoyed the well laid out story of the investigation of the drowning and could not have guessed where everything was going. Definitely a first for me with this type of twist. If you love a good mystery, this is a great book! Not to be missed!

Thanks @netgalley and @severnhouseimprint for the ARC of @tessawegert’s newest book. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really the other books in this series, and I couldn’t wait to read this one. It started off slower, but I’m so glad that I kept reading it. By the end, I couldn’t put it down. I only started to anticipate the twists as they were happening. Look for this book in early December 2023. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read in my books!

This was my 1st time reading this author and I have to say I am hooked! I flew through this one. I usually find small town mysteries a bit repetitive and unoriginal but this had me questioning everything and I couldnt put it down. The scenes are set perfectly, the characters well written, the atmosphere tense and creepy and its just the perfect book to get lost in on these cold dark nights

I really enjoy the Shana Merchant series! This time, Shana’s niece, Hen, comes to stay and immediately get sucked into local drama and a murder! Fun read!

I received an early copy through Netgalley, but all thoughts are my own.

Great intrigue!

This is the first time I've read a book by this author Tessa Wegert!
Well written with intrigue, Devils at the Door, follows investigator Shana Merchant after a suspicious drowning case. A well-crafted plot! We also learn that a young girl named Henrietta is somehow linked to a serial killer. At the request of her own brother Doug, Shana agrees to take care of her, which will become a real challenge for her. Is Henrietta in danger? Well-kept secrets will resurface!

If you like stories filled with mysteries, you will surely like this fiction.

Thank you Severn House and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book!

Thank you Netgalley & Severn House for an eARC of Devils at the Door by Tessa Wegert, a Shana Merchant novel.

Yes! Another Investigator Shana Merchant novel in the books. Every time I see Tessa Wegert coming out with a new one, I get giddy. I know they can't go on forever, but I keep hoping and praying. I pushed this to the top of my TBR as soon as I was approved because I know that Wegert will always write an atmospheric mystery that will have me absolutely hooked - Just in time for September and this spooky season.

What's Shana up to this time?
Shana's 16 year old niece, Hen, moves in with her and fiance Tim. Moving to A-Bay doesn't help Hen fit in, everyone knows she was related to one of NY's most prolific serial killers. When Hen arrives, Shana finds her at the scene of a suspicious drowning of a local teenage boy. What happened that night? Was Hen involved?

I loveeee the small town mysteries in this series. As always, the community wants to keep their secrets dead and buried, but Shana won't give up until she finds the truth. This could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the series from the start so you have the background on Shana, her connection to the famous serial killer and her relationship with Tim. This one explores the mystery aspect as well as Shana's personal life which I love to see. Did I cry at the end of this one? Tessa, how the hell did you manage to make me cry?

The Shana Merchant series just keeps getting better. Shana's psychopathic cousin Bram is still wreaking havoc even after his death, and the scars he inflicted on his family are still raw. Henrietta, Shana's 16-year-old niece has been sent to her aunt in A-Bay and is quickly implicated in the suspicious drowning of a local teen. Despite a conflict of interest, Shana can't keep away from the investigation and puts her job--and her relationship with her fiance--at risk as she searches for the truth. Great storytelling kept me hooked and I couldn't put it down. If you haven't discovered this series, you're missing out!

Thanks to Severn House for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

This talented author has written a page turner. Realistic characters and red herrings keep the story moving quickly. I tried to guess the ending. Not easy. The setting was almost a character. Frightening. Teens not understanding. Adults with dire consequences. The protagonist is intriguing. Her past. Her present. Thanks to Netgalley.