I really enjoyed. this book! I like that Sloan isn't a perfect character - she is flawed, a bit of a sociopath but one thing she DOES care about is finding out what happened to the victims of unsolved crimes.

I love that she came to this case from the perspective of finding the women's bodies vs. "Who did it" because honestly, we are still asking that question throughout the book. I did think I had things figured out a few times but I'm happy to say that I was pretty wrong about just about everything I thought I figured out!

I enjoyed the dual POVs going back and forth between when the crimes occurred through Taggert's perspective and today through Sloan's perspective. The twists and turns throughout the book kept me interested and constantly trying to work it out myself.

Overall, What She Saw will keep you on your toes!

Thank you Montlake for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I know it’s a bit cliche to say that a book grabs you from page one, but What She Saw by Mary Burton completely grabbed me from the first chapter and didn’t let up. The story is a gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story centers around Sloane Grayson, a cold case reporter who returns to her small hometown to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her mother and three other women during a music festival three decades ago. The author creates a tale of suspense, nostalgia, and the quest for truth, creating an atmospheric setting in a small Virginia mountain town. The story is also told from various perspectives along a 30-year timeline.

Sloane’s determination to dig deeper into a supposedly closed case brings a compelling layer of complexity to the narrative. The memories of the victims and the unresolved questions surrounding their fate resonate throughout the novel, which pulls me into Sloane’s relentless pursuit of answers. The relationships she rekindles with family members and witnesses, coupled with the chilling presence of the incarcerated killer who maintains his innocence, create a tension that drives the plot forward.

The author’s writing is vivid and engaging, effectively capturing the characters’ emotions while painting a portrait of a community grappling with its dark past. As secrets begin to unravel and Sloane inches closer to the truth, the story takes unexpected twists and turns that leave you questioning what will happen.

Overall, What She Saw is a well-crafted mystery. I would highly recommend this book.

#WhatSheSaw #NetGalley

Mary Burton never disappoints. This is a really great read, I loved the way the chapters alternated between the present and the past although I found it sad to realise that these vibrant young women were destined to disappear that night. I had several suspects in mind while reading the book but I have to say that not for a moment did I even consider the true identity of the killer. I almost had to pick my jaw up off the floor. This is a standalone book which I can't recommend highly enough. If you are a new reader of Mary Burton's books I envy you. You have some fantastic reads ahead of you.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

I swear, Mary Burton cannot write a bad book! I should know. I have read them all! She always comes up with fresh takes on her storylines. Here we have Sloane. Sloane's mother went missing in 1994 from a music festival along with 3 other women. The bodies were never found. The festival promoter was convicted of the crimes and has always maintained his innocence. Sloane is not completely convinced of his guilt either. I loved Sloane. She was a fun Main character. We also hear from Taggart, the sheriff from back in '94 who was never quite satisfied with the case wrap-up, and we get the killer's POV. All POV's intersected quite nicely and there are a lot of twists and turns. Once again, well done, Mary. Look forward to next time!
Thank you to #NetGalley, Mary Burton and Montlake Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

What She Saw is a gripping mystery thriller that weaves together present-day investigation with unsettling past events. The story follows a detective unraveling the mystery of several murdered girls, as the plot jumps back and forth through time. While the time shifts was really intriguing I did find things to get confusing at times. The mystery still kept me hooked.

The strength of this book lies in the question of who and what really happened. You really have to just pay attention to what’s happening and what time timeline you’re in.

Overall, What She Saw is an engaging thriller with a solid mystery at its core. The ending wrapped everything up really well and I enjoyed this book.

A rainy afternoon, snuggled in a blanket, and a cup of tea, this book is going to be the thing that will wake you up! It was SO good! I could not get over the twists and turns and the ending. Loved it!

So this was interesting.. not my usual go to, I am a romance reader first and foremost.. but this was still fun and entertaining. Sloane was so unlikable.

Cold case reporter Sloane is looking for information about a music festival that was held thirty years ago. Four women disappeared and one of them was her Mother. The mystery was interesting but I did not care for Sloane. She was unusual from a child and broke lots of rules. I didn’t like her at all. It definitely took away from the mystery.

I think I have read all of Mary Burton's books and loved them all. This one is no exception. The very first chapter draws you in and it is difficult to put this book down. If you love fast pace mysteries this book is for you. Highly recommend.

YES! So good. This was a fast-paced, well-written mystery with great characters that any reader can connect with. It kept me guessing until the end. A must read for 2025.

Thank you #netgalley and #montlake #apub for the eARC.

I loved this! It was super exciting and addictive. Very very good!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

An investigative reporter returns to the scene of a decades old crime to put her own unsettled past to rest in this chilling suspense novel! Good book!! This book had great suspense, murder, mystery, intrigue, dark past secrets, gaslighting, a great who done it and a few crazy twists and turns! The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This book is very well-written. I had to pay close attention due to the switching timelines and points of view, but that made it all the more interesting and mysterious. Sloan is a complex character and I was drawn into her eccentricities. This was a fabulous read by an amazing author.

Sloan Grayson, a writer specializing in cold cases, returns to Dawson—the site of a music festival 30 years ago where four women vanished without a trace. Although Rafe Colton was convicted of murder in connection with their disappearances, the bodies were never found. Now, with Colton facing parole due to a cancer diagnosis, Sloan is determined to uncover the truth and prevent his release.
Told in dual timelines, the story follows CJ Taggert, the newly appointed sheriff in 1994, as he investigates the original case, and Sloan in the present day, as she interviews townspeople with ties to the victims. Early on, we learn that one of the missing women was Sloan’s mother, Patty—giving her a deeply personal reason to leave no stone unturned.
As Sloan digs deeper, she rents Taggert’s old remote cabin and the site where he committed suicide, hoping to gain inspiration from the surroundings. Meanwhile, we see Taggert, an ex-military man, relentlessly chasing leads in the past to build a case against the charismatic and slippery Colton.
What makes this novel especially compelling is the depth of its two leads—Sloan, a flawed but determined investigator, and Taggert, a driven sheriff haunted by a case he couldn’t close. With a sprawling cast of characters, the narrative can be a bit dense at times, but it skillfully captures a town still scarred by a decades-old tragedy and reluctant to revisit the past.
Thanks to Montlake Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. The Festival Four is an engaging, twist-filled mystery—perfect for fans of Mary Burton or anyone looking for a suspenseful afternoon read.

Wow—what a ride! What She Saw had me hooked from the very first page. This is my first book by Mary Burton, but it definitely won’t be my last. Spanning over three decades, the story weaves seamlessly between past and present, unraveling a gripping mystery that kept me guessing the entire time.

I don’t typically gravitate toward novels that jump between timelines, but Mary Burton executed it flawlessly. Every twist took me by surprise—just when I thought I had it all figured out, I realized I didn’t! The suspense, the intricate storytelling, and the way everything came together in the end made this a phenomenal read.

If you love thrillers that keep you on your toes, What She Saw is a must-read. You won’t be disappointed!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Mary Burton, and Montlake for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this book!

Great book! This story captured my attention and held my interest at the get-go! Plenty of action, puzzle pieces that would not fit easily, and one very determined case reporter makes a good story! Well developed characters and numerous false rabbit trails to keep you second guessing the culprit!

What She Saw is a great thriller but not an exceptional one. It kind of feel like an episode of Criminal Minds but without the FBI. The story jumps back and forth between the time of the murders in 1994 and Sloane’s investigation in 2025. I personally felt like there were too many chapters set in 1994 for my liking.
Sloane is an interesting character as she is presented as a sociopath whose main aim is to defend “team outcast”.
I felt compelled to read thanks to the writing style but I never felt emotionally attached to any of the character which was a bummer.
Unfortunately I guessed part of the plot twist but it was still good and entertaining!
Overall I really recommend this book for anyone who wants an easy fast paced thriller!

Thank you netgally and montlake for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of the book had me a little bit confused. I thought we would start off with Sloane, it took me half of the first chapter to realize it was the killers pov. There were so many names that I had a little bit of trouble following the story the first 30 procent.
After that it got interesting, I really wanted to know what had happened to the four women after the festival. I didn’t like the switching time lines at first, it got me a little bit confused. But after a while I liked how the puzzle pieces started get together in the multiple time lines.
I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style. I know that’s more of a me issue because it was written very well but eventually it started reading a little boring to me. I really wanted to know what had happened to the women but I didn’t feel like we were getting closer to the answer.
I also could have done without the romance (if you can even call it that) between Sloane and Grant. I did really like her getting a dog.
The ending was very good. I finally got the tention I was waiting for for most of the book. Very glad everything worked out the way it did.

Fast paced and exciting thriller with an interesting main character. Good plot with plenty of twists

I just finished What She Saw by Mary Burton, and wow, what a thrilling ride! Set in a small town, this gripping mystery unravels around a music festival that promised security and peace—but instead, it became the backdrop for a nightmare. Four girls went missing, and 30 years later, their bodies still haven’t been found.

The story is told through two timelines, with Sloan (the daughter of one of the missing girls) and Taggart, the sheriff from 30 years ago, as the central characters. Sloan is tough, direct, and fiercely protective of the underdogs, while Taggart is a rule-follower who genuinely cares about finding the truth. The way their stories intertwine makes for an emotional and suspenseful journey as they work to uncover the secrets buried deep within their town.

The author does an amazing job of keeping readers on the edge of their seats, constantly questioning who can be trusted. Each twist makes you feel like you're part of the investigation, piecing the puzzle together. The character development is spot-on, with everyone feeling so real and layered.

If you love a good mystery with well-developed characters, suspense, and plenty of surprises, What She Saw is a must-read! Highly recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC review in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview #WhatSheSaw #MaryBurton #Mystery #Thriller #Suspense #BookRecommendation #NetGalley