This is the third book in the Detective Margot Phalen series. It just keeps getting better and better! Another body is found in the Muir Woods, and the body of an elderly Chinese woman is found in China Town. Margot sees a resemblance to the victims of her father- Ed the serial killer. Her father is in prison, but Margot fears he has some connection to the deaths. As Margot and Wes investigate, Margot discovers a page torn out of the book about her father's first victim. They eventually discover someone who seems to be obsessed with her father- buy why does this man seem to worship Ed?
I can't type too much, because i do not want to give away any spoilers!
This case is twisted, dark, and emotional. Margot has to open up and dig deep into her emotions and psyche to fully face her past. She continues to visit her father because he keeps dropping suggestions and nuggets of information that could help the case.
We also get insight into Ed's character. He is creepy and awful, but it helps the reader understand things about Margot.
If you like a dark, emotional mystery with great depth in characters and a twisted plot- this is definitely the series for you! I cannot wait for the next book!!!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Storm publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Absolutely phenomenal. This book is told from two different point of views, Margot, who is a Detective and assists the FBI with gathering information from a serial killer about his past victims and those that have not yet been accounted for, who is actively working to solve several murders that may possibly be related to the same serial killer, and Ed, Margot's father, the infamous serial killer.

Ed's chapters are from the past, when he was young and shows how his childhood was and the signs that indicated that he was different from the other kids, and how he had become a serial killer. So much insight was given for Ed and his actions/what was in his mind, which is not often seen in these types of books.

Margot's chapters focus on her active investigation, along with her assistance with another case of a potential serial killer, and her helping the FBI with getting more information from her father about his passed murders. Margot was such a complex character that I found myself rooting for every step of the way. Every time she had to confront her father about his crimes, she was so strong and did her best to get what she could out of the master manipulator. There were also times where she wondered if what she was doing as a profession, was actually doing anything when she began to question why victories and breaks in her cases, didn't help her feel happy anymore.

In the end, most of my questions were answered, although I do hope we get closure on the murders in the woods in the next book, even if Margot was just assisting, and it wasn't technically her case. But the ENDING, the last couple of pages, threw me for a loop and I really need the next book right now. The story of Margot and her father intrigues me so much. I need more.

This is a murder/ thriller that is part of a series that follows our heroine, a police detective. She carries a lot of emotional baggage because of who her father is. That also often helps her investigations.
A fascinating story with a great heroine. There are also visits to the past and the mind of a budding serial killer.
I haven't read the previous books, but I will definitely go back and find them. I do need the next because this one leaves a killer on the loose.
Fascinating story.

Book three in Margot Phelan’s story has a slow build but reaches a powerful crescendo tying the core investigation of this entry in the series to the ongoing story arc of Margot’s relationship with her serial killer father. I’m really enjoying how the author is revealing just enough more about Margot, her father, and a couple of her co-workers to make the story intriguing and making me ready for the next book as soon as I close the one I’m reading. San Francisco during the Chinese New Years provides an interesting backdrop to this investigation. Wiley hits all aspects of story development on the nose with perfectly balanced character development, plot, setting, pacing, and theme. This is one of those series I rather wish I’d found once there were several books completed, as I could easily devour them one after the other.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Netgalley, and the author, for early access to this excellent police procedural.

Although I did not read the previous books in this series it did not impair my understanding of the story. The Killer Instinct has a great plot, is well-written, and grabs the reader's attention from the start. Margot is running from her past and punishing herself because of her serial killer father and the fact that he will only confess his crimes to her. Added to that, she has two new cases to work on and one of them seems to be related to her father. The author gradually builds the characters, their machinations, how they operate, till the real culprit is brought to light.Great story and great ending! Looking forward to reading the next story, hoping it will be published soon.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

As this series grows, we are learning more about both Margot and her serial killer father Ed and with another body found in the Muir Woods and the body of an elderly Chinese woman in China Town, Detective Phalen is seeing a close resemblance to her father’s victim’s, could they be linked in some way, she knows her father didn’t commit them but could he be masterminding them from behind bars, Margot is determined to find out.

Searching for evidence in China Town sees them find a page torn out of the book on her father’s first victim has the hairs on her body stand on end, what her and Wes discover bring them in contact with someone who obviously has an obsession with her father but are there reasons this young man hold Ed in such esteem?

This case is going to have Margot digging deep into her mind to confront her past, wondering more and more about herself and with her father pushing her for more visits telling them about more victims, Margot is just about at the end of her tether with him, will the visits continue and will they ever find out the truth about the serial killer, Margot’s father Ed Finch?

This is another great installment in this series one that I highly recommend to any reader who loves a good mystery thriller, I do look forward to the next book.

My thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

Kate Wiley is back with instalment number 3 of the Margot Phelan books and I could not wait to start The Killer Instinct.

I love Margot as the main female lead in this novel and was not disappointed in book 3.

Margot is a detective and her father is serial killer Ed Finch who now resides in jail, and he is still under her skin in book 3. When a body is found, Margot seemingly notices the killing as very similar to her fathers and she needs to investigate further.

We are taken on a journey once again, to Margot's past and I really found it was a great way to get to know Margot more and how she feels.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more in this series.

My first Kate Wiley book but definitely not my last. I went in blind, not knowing this was a sequel. But it read very well as a stand-alone. Great police procedural without over doing too many specific details. Enjoyed the multiple POVs. An all round great read.
Thank you NetGalley, Kate Wiley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed the first book, introducing Detective Margot Phalen, so I was thrilled to see the second instalment coming up. It didn't disappoint! Totally engrossing, so much so I was disappointed when I finished, but what a perfect ending..... Didn't see it coming but sets it up perfectly for the next book!!

My thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

You had me at serial killer! I quite enjoyed this book, great story a lot of intrigue. Detective Margot Phalen tries to figure out how her serial killer father is involved in a new murder. Great charecters and plot.

This is only the second book that I have read by Kate Wiley but I need more, definitely my kind of story, I am completely invested in Detective Margot Phelan.
Could her father be orchestrating murders from his prison cell ?......... no it wasn't possible but Margot was uneasy, it had to be a copycat killer, or did it ?
An elderly woman had been murdered in Chinatown, the MO was too close for comfort to the MO of her father, this was just another murder to add to the ones that had happened in Muir Woods, could they be connected ? was there another serial killer on the loose ?
Detective Margot Phelan of the SFPD had fought hard to get past her horrifying childhood, her name had been changed, only her partner Detective Wes Fox and two other colleagues knew her true identity, only they knew that she was the daughter of serial killer Ed Finch.
Finch was in San Quentin jail serving a life sentence for the murder of 78 women, he was playing a cat and mouse game with the FBI unit that had been set up to clear cold cases, they knew that he was responsible for the disappearance of more missing women but the only person that he would talk to was Margot.......visits that Margot dreaded.
This story follows Margot trying to juggle doing her job on the homicide team whilst trying to assist the FBI by interviewing her psychotic father.
The author has written wonderful characters in Margot and Wes, Margot a complicated, strong woman but a strong woman with insecurities, with guilt, with a fear of being discovered, and a fear of letting people get close with the exception of her partner Wes, Wes who knows her better than she knows herself, Wes who is always there for her, would she let him get closer ?.
This is a disturbing, psychological thriller with well defined characters, I found it very hard to put down and I look forward to more of Margot Phelan.
Thank you Storm Publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is my own opinion.

Omg what a fantastic read I couldn't put it down. So excited for next instalment. These books could be made into a tv series they are So good .

This was a good read and I did enjoy the book but I struggled to get into it until thee quarters of the way through. That said, I would read a follow on to this book if written.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for the book #KillerInstinct by #KateWiley. This third installment of the Margot Phalen series was a book I could not put down. Someone has been killing people the way her father, Ed, a notorious serial killer used to kill. They know details that were never released. Who could be doing this? And how do they know the kept secret details?

A solid 3.5!
I haven’t read the two prequels so I was going into this one completely blind. From my experience this can be read as a standalone book just fine, but having read the previous two you’d probably be more acquainted with the characters.
What I liked about this story is that we get flashbacks to Ed’s childhood which shows how he was shaped into the killer he later ends up becoming. It seems like a new addition to the series as it starts from his very early childhood. I thought it was a very great touch.
Another thing I quite enjoy was Ewan’s character. In my opinion he was very interesting and quite well written.
What I was somewhat disappointed by is that
A) There is no real mystery who the killer is, not enough intrigue but maybe that’s the point of this one.
B) We never get the closure for the second case aka Redwood Killler, but you got to get a sequel from somewhere.
C) Our main character isn’t as sympathetic as I’d like. Obviously this makes her even more human but I felt she was somewhat cold and cruel at times.
Overall a quite enjoyable fast paced read. Definitely good for fans of detective novels but maybe not that good for fans of mystery and intrigue.

First time reading anything from this author and I was very surprised. This book was such a good read and had me guessing and second guessing who was the suspect. Being a thriller girl, if a book has me wanting to keep reading to try and figure out who did it, it’s a good book.
It had my mouth on the floor a couple of times for sure.
I especially loved how it was dual timeline as well.
Will definitely recommend and can’t wait to read more from Kate Wiley.

An exciting psychological thriller that combines a police procedural with the continuing personal trauma of the lead detective as the child of a serial killer. A man that her work with the FBI requires her to meet with on a regular basis to try and find closure for the families of his many victims. The Killer Instinct is Book 3 of the Detective Margot Phalen series. I have not read the first two books and this book works just fine as a standalone, but I am intrigued and want to learn more about Margot so will be reading those books as well.

Margot is an interesting character, often gruff and standoffish but gets your sympathy right away. She changed her name, moved away, started a new life, except her father somehow seems to have connections everywhere and knows who she is, where she lives and what she does for a living. And insists she is the only one he will talk to in prison. So much for rebuilding her life and putting away bad guys. She’s wary, has a number of defense mechanisms for blending in, not following visible patterns and not getting close. She has very few friends, except for the connection with her partner, the only one who really seems to get her. There is a hint of attraction there but in addition to always being hesitant about opening up, Margot is afraid to jeopardize the friendship.

The chapters in The Killer Instinct alternate between the present in San Francisco and Margot’s progress in trying to solve her current cases and the unwelcome visits to her father in prison, and the past in Oakland, where her father Ed is a child, tormented, ridiculed and humiliated by his mother. Just as you begin to feel sorry for this poor little boy you are treated to his innermost thoughts and actions: wanting to kill a cat to cause pain to the cat’s owner, wanting to hurt and kill his mother because of how she treats him. A scary little boy that grew up to be a scary man.

The Killer Instinct is non-stop action and suspense, full of twists and turns and huge surprises and the perfect tantalizing setup for the next book. Thanks to Storm Publishing for providing an advance copy of The Killer Instinct via NetGalley. I recommend it and the entire series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

I received this book before realizing this was #3. I read the first two in days and the same with this one. I enjoyed this book. I liked learning about the history of Ed and not just his kills. I could see this being a tv show. I can't wait for #4.

While the beginning of the story felt a little slow paced to me, I'm thinking it may be due to my not having read the first two books in this series.

I found this a very intriguing story with the multiple storylines - the murders in Muir Woods, a new homicide in Chinatown, and Margot's serial killer father. Then there's Margot's confliction as to whether to keep her relationship with Wes on a professional basis or let it lead to something more. I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 Stars

Detective Margot Phalen is investigating a string of murders occurring in Muir woods, but when a body in Chinatown turns up, she is stunned to see the brutality of the murder is similar to the motive of her fathers first victim. Her father is Ed, a notorious serial killer who is currently serving life with no parole for his crimes. She thinks that maybe she can get some insight into her current cases if she uses her dad’s criminal mind to help her solve the case.

Margot must figure out if her dad is the mastermind behind the new killings or its a sinister copycat at work. In order to solve this case, she must comfort her past and face the possibility that she is more like her father than she originally thought.

Typically I don't usually like police procedural books. They can get bogged down by dialogue and the characters seem to blend into each other but this was quick and fast paced and didn’t lag. There was the overall case of the serial killer in Muir Woods and the main single case of an old woman who was stabbed in her apartment.

This is book three in the series and I feel like I did miss out on some background by not reading the first two books. I feel like these books were set up to be read as a series and I am interested enough to not only go back and read the first two but also continue on with the series as well.

This book gave me some Hannibal Lector vibes. Margot needs to meet with her dad in order to get him to confess his crimes but he also is playing a long game and I'm curious enough to keep reading to find out what the game plan is.

Overall solid thriller but I wish I had some more backstory before I dove into this one.