The Trap is the second book in the Erica Sands series, and what a fantastic sequel it is! I really enjoy Gregg Dunnett's writing style. Every single chapter pulled me in, bringing us closer to solving the case, with plenty of twists along the way. There's a particularly shocking discovery early in the book, but I won’t spoil it. The case becomes personal when Erica’s father, a convicted prisoner, holds the key to cracking it.

Charles Sterling, her enigmatic father, adds so much intrigue to the story. The cat-and-mouse dynamic between him and Erica makes for gripping reading. For some reason, every time Charles appears, I picture Michael Sheen in the role—likely because he’s portrayed a similar character as a convicted serial killer on screen.

Overall, _The Trap_ was an enjoyable read with a fantastic plot. I can’t wait to dive into more Erica Sands books!
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing & Gregg Dunnett for the arc!

Detective Erica Sands is called out to a lonely cottage in Dorset, England. A local woman, Jane Smith, has been found murdered in her home. At first, it looks like a burglary gone wrong until Erica’s attention is grabbed by a seemingly minor detail. A framed photograph of Jane’s two cats – one black and one white – triggers a strange disquiet in Erica, which turns to shock when she discovers a cryptic note written in blood tucked beneath the frame.

Erica’s curiosity deepens when she's summoned to a meeting with the Director General of Highmoor Prison, who reveals an unsettling twist. Her estranged father, Charles Sterling – a convicted killer himself – claims to possess crucial information about Jane’s murder. He's willing to share it only with her, leaving Erica torn between anger and a nagging suspicion that he might hold a key to the case.

The Trap is book 2 in the Erica Sands detective series. I enjoyed the cat and mouse game in this one. While it wasn't my favorite by Mr. Dunnett, it kept my attention and I enjoyed the continuation of Erica's story from The Cove.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced digital copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy of The Trap by Gregg Dunnett. I love to mix a good police procedural into to my usual psychological thriller reads. Detective Erica Sands has yet to disappoint. I am a sucker for a detective with a sorted past and Detective Sands sure has that going for her. The twists and turns and tangled webs has me hooked from the start! I really hope to hear more from Detective Erica Sands! I will be first in line!!

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. Absolutely amazing suspense filled, thriller from the first page. Fantastic storyline and scenarios that were believable, and ye kept me guessing. Fantastic author I will read over and over.

Book 2 (Detective Erica Sands series. I really enjoyed this book found it very hard to put down once I had started it.

This book had me gripped from the very first page. So much action and I couldnt put it down. I will be going back and reading the first book as it is part of a series.

this is my first book by Gregg Dunnett and was not disappointed. the story moved on in a fair pace and was captivating. a different storyline for a mystery, but well thought out and written. a good read, but not amazing in my opinion.

Detective Erica Sands thinks the murder of a woman is questionable. Erica's father is in prison and is some how connected to the murder.
This book is so good with twists that you can't figure out.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Excellent book, edge of your seat, action, police thriller with a touch of Silence of the Lambs. Best Gregg Dunnett book I’ve read to date.
Apologies I believed I had already left a review but seems to have disappeared!

I did not see anywhere when requesting this book that it was part of a series. Unfortunately it took me a long time to get into the book and it bored me. I am not interested in continuing the series.

Some parts of the story were excessively long. I didn’t care about who the killer was and his connection to the main characters father wasn’t the WOW moment I needed.

This second installment in the Erica Sands police detective series will thrill fans of the first book. I don't think you have to read the first book to enjoy The Trap, but readers of The Cove will have a lot more context about Erica and her murderous father entering the second story.

Erica Sands is called to the scene of a murder which looks initially to be a standard break-in, that is until she finds a note hidden behind a picture frame. Erica is summoned to the prison where her father is held in a high security area, and she is told that her father will reveal the killer if he can meet with her.

So begins a game of cat and mouse, with Erica's father revealing little clues, but he keeps drawing Erica back.

This is a pretty blatant copy of the dynamics in Silence of the Lambs, except in this case it is a father/daughter sparring with each other. I found The Trap an exciting read, and due to a big surprise at the end of the book, I can't wait for the next one!

This is a 4+ read for me. Thank you to NetGalley, Gregg Dunnett, and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the Erica Sands series which I found just as good as the first. I really liked getting to know Erica better and her past considering her father is a famous serial killer! Again, lots of twists and turns like the first and not knowing who to trust. Great twist at the end which was brilliant. Can't wait to read the next instalment!

This might just be the best book I've read all year. Compelling in every sense, you won't be able to put this one down. A must read for all thriller lovers.

Those who have read my review of "The Cove", the first book of the Erica Sands series, will know that though I ended up liking it, it was not something which could catch hold of a reader instantly. I still read the second book "The Trap" because I was intrigued by Erica Sands and wanted to know more about her. And I am happy to say this book made up for my faith in the writer and the shortcomings of its predecessor.

This story begins a couple of months after the events of the last book. Sanders is part of the Murder Investigation Unit again and is asked to look at the site of a murder that had taken place 3 months earlier. There, she comes across a strange poem, which completely changes the tone of the investigation. What follows thereafter is a series of intriguing and puzzling events that bring up early memories and people from Erica's past.

This story starts off very well and manages to sustain the attention of the readers throughout its length. We also get to know Erica more, which only helps to bring her more closer to the readers. Though the story majorly seemed to be a whodunit thriller, it actuality is a psychological thriller which manages to unsettle and surprise its readers every few chapters.

Gregg Dunnnett seems to have found his rhythm with his characters and story; he had a great hold of the pacing and narrative throughout the book and has written a very interesting story based on a familiar premise. I enjoyed this book immensely and can't wait to read more of Erica's adventures seeing as this book ended on a cruel cliffhanger.

This is the first Detective Erica Sands book I have read. However the uncomfortable feeling I got by reading this twisty thriller was one I cannot shake! And not in a bad way! I want to read more and I am going to read the other book in the series and hope they are just as good! I seen a reviewed compared similarities to silence of the lambs so that instantly drew me in and did not disappoint

The second book in the Detective Erica Sands series draws the reader further into Erica's world as a murder case forces her to face her past.
The author successfully balances detective, police procedural and psychological suspense. It's clever and compelling. I like the characters, the balance of personal and professional life of the detective and the undercurrent of menace that keeps you reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Silence Of The Lambs Homage With Twists. This is one of those books that I honestly never would have connected it with Silence Of The Lambs had other reviewers not pointed that connection out, but it absolutely does fit here. Of course, along similar lines one could also connect this tale to the legendary Sherlock Holmes tales, which ultimately most modern detective tales come from in some way or another. Honestly, the connection I made while reading the book itself was to Starfield, a long awaited game that finally released nearly three months before this book did, and which I've been playing quite heavily since. *That* connection will only make sense after you've read this book *and* played that game all the way through at least once though.

Overall, this is a pulse pounding thriller, one where a brilliant detective faces off with an equally brilliant - and possibly moreso - serial killer. In this case... the showdown that we were promised in Book 1 of this series, The Cove. The murders here are particularly brutal, and our heroine has quite a bit in common with that famous 19th century detective in several ways, making this quite the compelling tale.

As to whether a Book 3 may be coming... I love the fact that the author actually weaves into the tale here a discussion of why that may not actually be a great idea... and yet... I ultimately still think I want to see it anyway. So we'll see what Dunnett and his publisher do next.

Very much recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Trap by Gregg Dunnett in return for my honest review. This is the second book featuring Detective Erica Sands but can defiantly be read without reading the first book as you get enough back story in the first few chapters, although I would recommend reading book one, as with book two the story line and plot are well written and will have you hooked till the end can’t wait for book three.

I have to admit I did not read the first book in this series, but I am here to tell you that you can easily read this one as a standalone anyway. And now I am wondering if I should go and read some more books by this author. Decisions, decisions.....seems to me that I really should, though.

Erica Sands finds herself investigating the death of a Jane Smith, at the insistence of her superior. She wonders why he is asking her some odd questions....and then things get even stranger. Erica's estranged father wants to see her and somehow he has details about her case. Oh, and Erica's father happens to be a serial killer.

The author did a great job of building the tension in this book and I got swept along on the tide of "wow, what the heck is going to happen with Erica and her father" because something, surely, will happen.

Really well-crafted story.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

DCI Erica Sands is investigating a cold case that leads her to Highmoor Prison where her father is imprisoned for life for the murder of her mother, sister, and others. Little does she know what kind of trap she has been snared in. Long forgotten memories tug at the edges of her brain until she puts the pieces together. Decent thriller.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much NetGalley for my ARC!