would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book

Danica Wallace aka danny a detective from the town of sugar mill farm.... her work load was extensive she had a few mispers that couldnt be found and she suspected they were all dead...

Lyra Aarden was a bioarcheologist but she had been recovering from an accident.... she found herself at her brother place at sugar mill farm. she was out for a run on the day she found the bones.... and whilst she was reporting it in she met danny...

as the field revealed its grisly secrets lyra started working with forensic anthropologist Dr. Eleanor Stafford to help identify the bones...

as the secrets unfurled danger was around and one of them was going to be targeted...


an interesting read and one i couldnt wait to finish to see how it ended and if the main characters sorted out all their stuff... and they dynamics with danny and her mom was interesting...

The Murders at Sugar Mill Farm is a well written procedural mystery/romance by Ronica Black. Released 12th Dec 2023 by Boldwood Books, it's 312 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is an intricately plotted procedural with a female investigator trying to track down a serial killer, set in Louisiana. There are tie-ins with forensic anthropology and scientific investigation; fans of Reichs & Cornwell's respective forensic investigators will probably like this book as well. It's a standalone, though the author has left the possibility to revisit the characters in future.

There is a romantic triangle subplot (F/F/F) with slow burn romance, but it's secondary to the primary serial killer investigation. The denouement and resolution felt a bit rushed. There is one moderately explicit scene between two of the three main characters which felt a little bit tacked on, but was well written and felt integral to the plot. Some explicit violence and rough language. The serial killer aspect is well written, but obviously quite creepy.

Four stars. There aren't a ton of serial killer procedurals with lesbian leads readily available and this one is well written and passes the Bechdel test with flying colors.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Really good Detective, Murder Mystery, Romance. I thought this was well written book, with three main characters that were fleshed out well and made this a very gripping story. The serial killer was very creepy and made this a real page turner. The romance was well written, but I felt it took a backseat to the serial killer storyline, which was okay with me, because I do like a good Detective murder mystery myself. The ending is very gripping and just made this an even better story. I would definitely recommend this book too my friends and family, and I look forward to what's next from this author.

Ronica Black has written gripping crime mysteries in the past and this is a worthy addition. There is a very creepy serial killer, that keeps you turning the pages, as you hope he gets caught. The three main characters are written well and there is a little mutual attraction, lesbian drama triangle to add some lightness in amongst the creepiness. I liked the twist to the hard drinking dedicated police detective trope, it was refreshing to read. The epilogue didn't quite work for me but did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an excellent read. Well crafted, nice and pacy, great characters and some jaw dropping moments of danger. The three leads, the misunderstandings, and the genuine empathy really made the story come alive.

Danica is a dedicated, passionate cop but she is a very damaged woman who can’t set boundaries. Lyra is a bone specialist who happens to stumble on a body when out for a run. Eleanor is the official medical examiner (and Danny’s ex) who is grateful to have another qualified pair of hands involved when the murder situation gets complicated.

There’s jeopardy and jealousy and some funny scenes and some cringey scenes and I loved it. I do rate Ronica Black and this is one of her best. I’d love to read more about these characters and watch them develop and grow as a little team.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher/author for a copy of this book!

4.5 stars for this one! I was instantly sucked into the storyline and characters. This whole book read like a movie and I would love to see it adapted one day. It didn't give anything away too fast but the storyline did not feel too slow either. It was a perfect mix of everything and I will highly recommend it to everyone that I know that enjoys to read these types of books!

This book was really entertaining. I enjoy a well written detective story with strong female characters.
I hope to be able to read more books by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

"The Murders at Sugar Hill Farm" by Ronica Black unfolds a gripping narrative as Detective Danica Wallace navigates the complexities of missing person cases in the small town of Sugar Mill Farm. Fueled by suspense, the discovery of bones in a sugar cane field intensifies the investigation, drawing in the expertise of bioarchaeologist Lyra Aarden and former lover Dr. Eleanor Stafford. Together, they unravel buried secrets, weaving a tale of danger, unexpected feelings, and unwelcome jealousies. Black skillfully crafts a thrilling mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the final revelation.

I love a good murder mystery or serial killer story. This title didn't disappoint and it stayed exciting throughout. I felt the ending was a bit rushed but I couldn't put it down. Well written and interesting.

4stars
Good murder mystery. Good character development and an interesting romantic triangle that I wasn't quite sure how it would be resolved amicably.
The serial killer was creepy and the investigation was interesting. Interesting how they identified the victims.
My only negative is the ending sort of wrapped up quickly and the epilogue felt like the editor said you need a sex scene"......so it was added.
Lesbian mysteries are few and far between so I'm pleased this was a good one.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Danny, Lyra, and El were amazing characters to follow. I can't be the only one that was rooting for all three to end up together in the end, am i? The tension, between these three was amazing and so entertaining to follow. With a backdrop of a serial killer stalking women throughout the town and leaving them to be burned in the sugar cane, it was a solid story that completely drew me in.

Ms. Black continues to awe me with her writing style and ability to weave a story, that has been done before, but bring originality and elements that continue to entertain and blow you away. Definite must read if you like detective/serial killer themes.

4⭐️
Danica Wallace and her partner Deveraux are the lead detectives in a gruesome case of five missing young women. And worst of all, they still have no idea who the culprit is. When Lyra Arden, a bioarcheologist visiting her brother, stumbles across bones while jogging, she realizes at a glance that these are human remains - and not just of one person. Even as Danica is happy to finally have something to work with, she is desperate and asks her ex, Dr Eleonor Stafford, the forensic archeologist, for help. And Lyra also offers her help. Will the three women be able to solve the case or will they end up in the killer's crosshairs?

The plot is excitingly structured. It is told alternately from the point of view of the three women and the perpetrator. Danica and her team follow every little clue and try again and again to discover something new in the investigation results that will help to find these women and put this brutal creature behind bars. The insights into the perpetrator's mind help to understand why he inflicts these atrocities on the women and shows what the women have to endure. And as the situation is already extremely tense and the detectives are close to exhaustion, romantic feelings between the three women also come into play. Jealousy, attraction, and lingering feelings between the former couple add to the tension.

I liked how Danica and her team tried to hunt down the perpetrator and, if at all possible, save the last victim. We haven't learned very much about the three women and their lives so far, but enough to understand the dynamics and relationships between them and their families. Although there is an instant attraction, it is a slow-burn romance and the author keeps the tension going for some time until it becomes clear who will become a couple. However, it is first and foremost a crime novel and only secondarily a romance.

An interesting murder suspense and I wouldn't mind reading another story with these three women, with a possible love interest for the third of them.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC for an honest

The premise of the story had my attention from the synopsis, but the story fell short for me.

Lyra Arden, a bioarcheologist is visiting her brother and her parents after her recovering from a car accident. She goes out on a run and stumbles across a bone in the cane field and reports it. She ends up meeting Detective Danica Wallace who is desperate to solve this case and has a massive drinking problem and then Lyra meets Eleanor Stafford, the forensic anthropologist who is asked to consult.

Sparks seems to fly between Danica and Lyra and Lyra and Eleanor. It seemed like it was going to be a love triangle, but the romance wasn't flushed out well and the killer storyline was interesting, but seemed to be wrapped up too quickly and easily for me. I didn't care for the triangle between the three women and I couldn't really get invested in any of them, no matter how hard I tried.

Overall, not a bad book, just wasn't a good fit for me. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Danica Wallace is on the case of trying to solve the mystery of five girls when archaeologist Lyra Aarden stumbles across remains. Between trying to figure out what happened to the young women a love triangle evolves when Dr Stafford becomes involved. A good read looking forward to the next one

After surviving a car accident that saw her in the hospital for months and now she was living with her brother Louie and his two little girls. Working as an archaeologist she has traveled the world studying the way people lived centuries ago. Lyra AArden is eager to get back to work but in the meantime she tries to do some physical exercises, like jogging. Running along one morning she fell and discovered some bones, human bones.
Detective Danica Wallace was investigating the disappearance of young women. When she gets the call she goes to the cane fields where once a year the cane is burned, destroying everything in the path, including human bones. This find hopefully will lead to more victims and the person responsible.
Now Lyra and Danny along with Dr. Eleanor Stafford are working the case together. Danny and Eleanor were in a relationship but both of them now find themselves attracted to Lyra.
Ms Black has written a book with great characters, both main and supporting cast. The plot is fast moving and full of twists and turns. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books

Detective Danica Wallace is on the case of a missing person when Lyra AArden literally stumbles across remains.
Lyra studies bones and tells the detective there are more then one set of remains. A nightmare is about to begin for local law enforcement as well as a killer who has gotten away with it for so long.
But as these two start to work together and their attraction grows what happens when one goes missing?
Don’t miss this one.

A solid well written murder mystery that's well-paced and will have your attention from the start. The emotional depth of the story can be felt. Awesome job Ronica as usual.

Thank you, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Murders at Sugar Mill Farm was a well written, suspenseful murder mystery. The book kept a good pace and I found myself trying to read more during the day instead of at night due to its serial killer theme. Ronica Black did a great job of featuring three well educated, intelligent women in this story, none of whom were pushovers. Another thing the author did well was incorporate the Cajun influences of the Lafayette culture with references to the people, the food, and the lifestyle.

The murder mystery ending was fitting and just and reinforced his stream of consciousness that evolved throughout the story. Personally I could have done without the epilogue. It just didn’t work for me. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I do love a good mystery and Ronica Black delivered on mystery and suspense. I even had to stop at one point to leave it until the daytime to finish. The storyline is engaging and unique.

Her characters are quite intriguing and the dynamics between the three main characters held my interest. I won’t go into detail, as that would in my mind consist of spoilers, but I would have liked the development between the three of them sussed out a wee bit more. Still, the story held my interest!

Again, I don’t want to say anything that would constitute spoilers, but the sex scene just felt gratuitous where it was added. I would have been fine with it being off page at that point. Just sayin’.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing this book for my review consideration—opinions here are mine and mine alone.

Louisiana calling: Catching a serial murder
Lyra, a bioarcheologist, stumbles by chance across human remains at Sugar Mill Farm. She is recovering from a car accident at her brother‘s who lives in Louisiana. I really liked how Black enriches the story with the Southern setting and its people.
Enter Danica, the police officer who is leading the investigation into finding a serial murder who has just kidnapped a new victim. This puts a lot of pressure on her and she has to rely on her former ex-Eleanor, a forensic anthropologist, to find clues. From here a love-triangle between Lyra, Danica, Eleanor starts - the resolution leaves space for another novel and I hope it will come soon.
The hunt of the serial killer is told partly from his point of view - quite chilling. It adds an extra layer to the police investigation and allows us glimpses into a sociopathic mind.
The story was solid, with a good local setting and interesting characters. At one point thoug the author relied too much in my opinion on an old stereotype.

I received an ARC via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily.