The Reaping

book notes

title: The Reaping
author: Jess Lourey
series: Steinbeck and Reed #2
published: 9.3.2024
publisher: Thomas & Mercer
genre(s): thrillers
pages: 302
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | StoryGraph | Goodreads
rating: | series rating:

the blurb

By-the-book forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck and rogue BCA agent Van Reed must catch a cold-case killer who’s returned to abduct a small town’s children one by one in this heart-stopping novel from the Edgar Award–nominated author of Unspeakable Things.
In 1998 an Alku, Minnesota, family of five was brutally murdered in their sleep. The event shook the insulated community but, without any solid leads, was relegated to the cold case files, where it moldered for twenty-five years. Until today.
Agent Harry Steinbeck hoped never to return to the northland, a place that holds terrible memories of his sister’s abduction. But when a recent homicide is connected to Alku’s unsolved mass murder, he and cold case agent Evangeline Reed have no choice but to investigate.
The case grows impossibly darker as, one by one, the children of Alku begin disappearing. And Harry and Van can’t shake the sensation that someone is watching every move they make.
As an elusive killer’s trail leads to a truth more sinister than either imagined, Harry knows there’s only one way to crack this he must finally face the secrets of his own past—even if doing so will cost him everything.

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a few notes

trigger warning: ❗violence, child abuse, religious fanaticism❗

POV: 3rd person; multi
setting: Alku/Duluth, MN
keywords/phrases: cold case, religious lore, secrets
tropes: unlikable victims, red herrings, righting past wrongs, dramatic reveals, haunted pasts
spice: 0/5
language: 2/5

mood reading: in the mood for a twisty read with deep emotions and eerie vibes
bonus points: Honeybee. She’s the true star of the show!

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my review

This book, unlike the prequel and the previous, was more from Harry’s perspective than Van’s, something I quite liked. It was interesting to see the chinks in his armor, to get to know him beyond the calm, cool, and collected persona he’s thus far presented. His past forms the subplot to The Reaping, weaving itself throughout the main storyline.

The story takes place largely in Alku, an insular (and fictional) village outside Duluth, Minnesota. It has a long history, the village entirely populated by the descendants of the seven original founding families. The families immigrated from Finland, and much of their history came with them, which resulted in a community that had deeply cultish vibes. To add to that eeriness is the village’s sole source of income… a prison/nursing home for serial killers who need more care than a normal prison can provide. Also adding to the eerie feeling are the cases being investigated. Harry and Van are investigating a cold case and its possible connect to a current case. But quickly, the investigation begins to encompass so much more.

The present-day story is interspersed with the flashbacks of both Harry and a character of Alku. I enjoyed this aspect of the storytelling, as it really allowed me as a reader to get to know the characters, to understand them and how their pasts informed their experiences.

I truly love the dynamic of Van and Harry. On the surface, they are very different people, yet they work so well together. This book went a long way toward showing that in many fundamental ways, however, they have some areas of commonality. Watching that dynamic change and grow is fascinating.

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Rating Report
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Overall:

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge
• 2025 Linz the Bookworm & Logophile Reading Challenge
• 2025 PopSugar Reading Challenge

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