One Little Sigh (Chief Maggie Riley Book 4)
by Shannon Hollinger
Pub Date: Jun 28 2024

One Little Sigh is Book 4 in the Chief Maggie Riley series, about small town crimes and a chief of police with a devastating past. Stories of resilience, determination a quest for redemption of a rural community with secrets and betrayals. Told from different POV'S, many, many twists and turns, guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last! This is the first book I've read in the series but I intend on reading the other three books!

Synopsis: The small child floats so gently in the water, he could be peacefully but the cold blue of his skin reveals his fate. One mother’s little boy is never coming home again. When Chief Maggie Riley sees the body of the small boy still dressed in pyjamas in Beaverhead Lake, her heart breaks. Little Patrick Warner went missing last night. Despite immediately calling the entire town of Coyote Cove into action, Maggie’s desperate search failed. Even worse, it’s clear it was Patrick took his last breath long before he entered the water.

Many thanks to #OneLittleSigh #NetGalley and #Bookouture for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

When a four-year-old boy goes missing in the rural town of Coyote Cove, Maine, it hits way too close to home for police chief Maggie Riley. Maggie’s world was rocked five years ago when her little brother Brandon went missing, and she’ll stop at nothing to get justice for another child. Meanwhile, Maggie’s fiancé Steve has a ghost from his own past coming back to haunt him.

This is #4 in the Chief Maggie Riley series, and while you don’t HAVE TO read the others to enjoy this one, I think you get the full effect of the characters if you start from the beginning of the series. One Little Sigh is another high-stakes crime thriller, with lots of cliffhanger chapters and possible motives. The mystery is gripping but the characters are what really make this series! I love Maggie! She’s a total bad ass, taking no crap from anyone, dogged and determined in her pursuit of justice, but deep down she’s also emotionally vulnerable and morally grey. This book really digs into Maggie’s brother’s disappearance and her subsequent career implosion, which is heartbreaking but also explains so much about who Maggie is today. The dual timeline structure is perfect for this type of story, and the ending is one that will really make you think about what’s right and wrong.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book. I already can’t wait for the next book in the series!

What are you prepared to do for the ones you love?

Chief Maggie Riley is back in book four of this series and the secrets both Maggie and Steve have been hiding, take front and center.

When a frantic mother approaches Maggie with the news her four-year-old son is missing, it instantly brings back memories of her brother who also vanished from a park at the same age. As she works the case, flashbacks to her brother's case are scattered through, providing more detail of what happened culminating in why she decided to take the role in this small town.

Steve's family is visiting as well as an unexpected and unwanted visitor from his past. You will see him battle his need to keep his secret and keep everyone safe with his inner guilt as well as a certain goodness that wants to make things right. Will keeping secrets erode the trust Maggie has in him and their future.

The ending of this book will have you considering the line of right and wrong and exactly what you would do for the ones you love. Regardless of your personal feelings of right/wrong, the ending will have you on edge waiting to find out is this the end for Maggie and Steve or will they have resorted trust in each other to find a path forward together.

I have read all of the books in this series and each one is just as good as the next. It goes from past to present in Chief Maggie's life. When the body of a young boy not unlike her other brother who went missing years ago it rakes up the past. She is hiding the real reason why she came to live in this area. Steve her partner doesn't know and even he is starting to act strange around her like he has something so bad he is afraid she will find out.
The truth will come out in the end but will it bring them closer or break them apart. Great book once again and can't wait for the next instalment,

Chief Maggie Riley faces a heartbreaking scene at Beaverhead Lake when the body of a young boy is found. Little Patrick Warner, who went missing the night before, was discovered still dressed in pajamas. Despite Maggie's immediate efforts to search for him, it becomes clear that Patrick was murdered before ending up in the water. The loss of Patrick hits close to home for Maggie, reminding her of her own brother who disappeared long ago. Determined to seek justice for Patrick, Maggie vows to uncover the truth behind his untimely death. However, the tight-lipped community poses challenges as she delves deeper into the case. As suspicions swirl and Jenny, Patrick's mother, vanishes, Maggie finds herself in a race against time to solve the mystery before more lives are endangered. With her resolve tested and her own past haunting her, Maggie must navigate through a web of secrets to bring closure to the case.

The emotional turmoil, the intricate investigation, and the relentless pursuit of truth culminate in a gripping narrative that captures the essence of Chief Maggie Riley's unwavering commitment to justice. This captivating installment in the Chief Maggie Riley series immerses readers in a tale of resilience, determination, and the quest for redemption against the backdrop of a rural community's darkest secrets and betrayals.

If you haven’t read the other books in this series, do not hesitate to pick up this one. However, reading this one, only makes me want to ensure that I’ve read all of the others. I love the main character. The writing flows, provides just enough details, provides excellent characterization and plot development. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, add this to your list. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Chief Maggie Riley's brother was taken when he was a little boy, and the case is still cold. When Maggie must investigate the death of a boy whose body was found in a lake after being reported missing, the case hits too close to home. How did the victim end up in the lake? With his mother out with friends, his dad and step-family were responsible for keeping him safe. Someone failed miserably at this task. When the mother is found in the same lake, Maggie thinks she may have committed suicide, but the clues prove otherwise. Now the search for answers becomes even more frantic. The book mixes the current case with flashbacks from the time when Maggie's brother disappeared. It's a heart wrenching and suspenseful story that left me wanting to know what will happen next for Maggie.

One Little Sigh (Chief Maggie Riley Book 4) by Shannon Hollinger The investigations include story lines that are filled with secrets, lies, memories, and family ties with multiple suspects and motives. Told from different POVs the story has numerous twists and turns. There are past secrets kept by Maggie and Steve revealed that could cause an end to their relationship. Waiting for the next book in this intriguing series.
Thank you to Shannon Hollinger , Bookouture , and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of One Little Sigh by Shannon Hollinger
Patrick looks perfect, but his tiny ice cold body recovered from the lake will never breathe again.
Chief Maggie Riley needs to find who murdered this small child and why?
Dealing with the memory of her own small brother who was taken and never recovered, and problems in her own life, Maggie puts everything to one side in her search for justice.

Book 4 in the series….. This book was insane! It was twisted, it was gripping but it was so darn good! Wow!… So many twists it had my mind BLOWN every page down to the last sentence!!!… My mind was spinning to keep up with all the twists…

There is a lot going on in Maggie's life. A little boy has been found dead, which reminds Maggie of how she lost her brother. The most exiting part, or intriguing part is what is going on in Steve's life. They have not exactly told each other everything...

I love the small town and Maggie and her team. It is great to find out more about both her and Steve's pasts, and these stories alone could easily fill several books with twists and turns. Yet again a great add to this series, one definitely worth reading!

🏞Author really had me fooled!😊

One Little Sigh was a total page-turner and totally unpredictable. I loved the way the plot kept weaving between Chief Maggie Riley's present day investigation into a young child's disappearance from his home, Maggie's young brother's disappearance from a park in the days when she was a decorated police officer in Florida, and her fiance Steve's secret nightmare. There were no lulls in this well put together plot. Total suspense right through to the final pages which came with a twist all their own I loved it and basically devoured it in one day!

This northern Maine set series gets stronger as it goes!

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the story; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Past and present merge in this multi faceted story where the investigation into the death of one child revives memories of Maggie’s search into the disappearance of her little brother. I love that Maggie is a strong yet flawed FMC. I also liked the fact the author gave her a personal life however problematic that may be. Not sure how I feel about Steve, the romantic interest. He has secrets that may or may not cause the end of their relationship. The story twists and turns as Maggie tries to investigate multiple suspects and their possible motives. And there is a professional secret that Maggie reveals that makes me anxious to read the next in this series.

This was my first adventure with Chief Maggie Riley and what a ride it was! There was so much going on and never a dull moment. I really liked how there were multiple mysteries throughout the book that all come crashing together. I am now hooked and want to know more. I have to go read the first three because Maggie is such an engaging character and I look forward to learning more about her! I am also intrigued to see where the story goes after that ending!

I feel this is one of those books where I found it hard to get into. I tried more than once but I just couldn’t get past the first few small chapters. It may have been the writing style or the plot. I can already see those who have read this book before me has enjoyed it. So maybe it just wasn’t for me. I prefer books that have that thrill factor from the start and then this carrying on.

A child disappears and his body is found under the ice at the lake.
His mother goes missing and Maggie has to find the person who is responsible.
The case is personal for her, as Maggie's baby brother disappeared and this child reminds her of Brandon.

Another outstanding Maggie Riley book. I absolutely love this series. Maggie is a strong character, but in this book, you see she isn't perfect. She has flaws just like the rest of us!
Steve has flaws as well, and I think is well suited to Maggie, and they both have secrets to keep.

Maggie's hunches and ability to read people comes in very handy in her investigations, and I can understand her reluctance to call in the State Police.

I can't wait for the next in this series, I am a huge fan!

I Highly recommend, 5/5 stars from me

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

The fourth of the Maggie Riley series sees a case become very personal for the Maine police chief. A young boy goes missing - and he's the same age as Maggie's brother. The younger Riley went missing years before in Florida and Maggie was never able to find proof to convict the man she was certain took him.

The case is a tricky one, even without the memories it brings up. And, at the same time, Maggie's fiance Steve is clearly under pressure. Maggie knows he is hiding something, but he won't tell her the details. This adds to the pressure.

The middle of the novel feels a little slow, as both main story arcs stall. But the ending is worth waiting for. One Little SIgh is a very good read, and deepens our understanding of its main characters.

This is book 4 in the Chief Maggie Riley series. I just love this series. It is set in Coyote Cove Maine, a very rural area of Northern Maine. A 4 year boy goes missing. Maggie's past comes flooding back to her, as her own little brother was abducted when he was 4. Maggie does everything in her power to find this little boy. She does find him in the frozen river. This book kind of brings us back to the past in Maggie's life. Her missing brother. The way her family abandoned her. Her fiance Steve's trouble with an old friend. In between all of this, Maggie still hasn't gotten far on her wedding plans. Work is always getting in the way. When the little boy's mother goes missing, Maggie has her hands full.

I really liked this trip down memory lane for Maggie and Steve. It explained a lot of why Maggie is who she is today. Her relentlessness, her passion for her job. I can't wait until the next Maggie Riley book is out. This is one series I love.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I highly recommend this book and series to others.

i absolutely love this series every book a page turner. a young boy has gone missing it's up to Maggie and her team to find him and it brings the past up of her own missing young brother Steves family are coming to stay with them .Steve is acting so strange Maggie thinks he does not want to marry her. and then the young boy is found in an ice pond every one of the family is a suspect but not one is telling the truth it's so good read in a day can't wait for the next book in series

OH Maggie Riley, you are such a great character. I am so happy I could follow you around again and witness how you handle the cases that are thrown at you. Even though you have the help of the state police in these gruesome cases, you will always try your best to solve them yourself. When something happens in your town, you feel it's your duty, as the chief, to bring justice.

You are stubborn, in a good way, but it also means you find yourself in dangerous situations. It's sometimes hard for you to accept the help and support of your team.

About your team. They are a colorful bunch, but they will always have your back. 

I am happy the author took us down memory lane. I felt the sadness, powerlessness and desperation dripping down the pages. 

Of course, there is something joyous to look forward to too. :)

I honestly could read a Maggie Riley book every day. They are the best. 5 stars

Thank you

Maggie is back...and a sad, sad story of a little lost boy...a tragic ending...this book, written by a talented author, has twists and turns...secrets and red herrings...family and friends...an engagement...possible marriage...oh, my...this is a book that is difficult to read. I guessed the ending, not easily accomplished though...a quick read...Thanks Netgalley