Release date: June 9, 2026
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Narrators: Bailey Carr, Christine Lakin and Mia Wurgraft
Synopsis:
For readers of Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods, a small-town detective reopens an unsolved case, sending shock waves across generations of women in this gripping new mystery from the Edgar Award–winning author of Please See Us.
1994. In the myth-riddled woods of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, sixteen-year-old Annabelle Riley’s twin sister, Sabrina, has been having an affair with a mysterious older man, and Annabelle is determined to uncover what’s going on. Then, inexplicably, both sisters disappear.
In this same town years later, newly instated Police Chief Callie Hauser makes an arrest that unexpectedly resurrects details from a heartbreaking cold case. As she digs deeper, the past and the present collide, challenging everything Callie believes about right and wrong, about who she is, and about the town she’s always called home.
A propulsive mystery as incisive as it is forgiving, Heatherbears a visceral reminder that the truth of a woman’s life is often complicated and unknowable—to those on the outside, and sometimes even to herself.
Review:
Heather by Caitlin Mullen is the kind of slow burn mystery that gradually wraps itself around you and refuses to let go. Set against the eerie backdrop of New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, the story weaves together a decades old disappearance and a present day investigation, creating an atmospheric and deeply layered cold case mystery. The alternating timelines are equally compelling, and I found myself just as invested in uncovering what happened to Annabelle and Sabrina in 1994 as I was in following Police Chief Callie Hauser’s present day search for answers. Mullen takes her time building the story, but every piece feels intentional, resulting in a rich, character driven mystery packed with emotional weight and complexity.
The audiobook elevates the experience even further. Bailey Carr, Christine Lakin, and Mia Wurgaft each deliver phenomenal performances, bringing depth, vulnerability, and distinct voices to the multiple perspectives. Their narration captures the emotional range of the novel beautifully, from grief and longing to determination and heartbreak, pulling me even deeper into the story. The shifts between past and present feel seamless in audio, and each narrator helps create an immersive listening experience that enhances the haunting atmosphere.
While slower paced thrillers don’t always work for me, Heather kept me fully engaged from beginning to end. This is less about nonstop twists and more about unraveling the complicated lives, secrets, and choices that ripple across generations. Thoughtful, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant, it’s an excellent pick for readers who enjoy police procedurals, cold case mysteries, and character driven suspense that takes its time developing but delivers a rewarding payoff.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 