Don't Open the Door is the second book in this series, and I actually enjoyed it more than the first book. While you could get away with reading this as a standalone, I don't recommend it as you will get a richer background if you take the time to read the first book as it discusses the reasons why Regan left Virginia and the difficulties she had with her husband. One of the things I enjoyed about this book, which has been a criticism by others, is that it doesn't necessarily wrap up everything neatly at the end. Personally, while that is nice to see happen in cozy mysteries, I am not always a fan of things doing this when it comes to more serious issues, especially in longer running series as that is not how things work in real life, so this pleases my heart much more.

Personally, I felt the character development was the weakest part of this book. It's not that I don't enjoy introspection, and I did think it was merited for Regan as well as Grant, but then it became repetitive, and it bogged down the story line and slowed down tension and overall excitement in the book. I enjoyed Regan's character, in the beginning, but thought the author did a poor job with Grant. He was a top notch lawyer, used to handling stress, but his character turned into this whining mess you just wanted to slap. I felt the author could have done better with him. And the same complaint I had with the first book continues with this one - there is little character development with Regan as she just doesn't seem to grow throughout the book, learning from her mistakes. She's the same one-dimensional character at the end as she was in the beginning.

Thank goodness the plot was far better than the character development or this book would have been a disaster. I don't mind the slower pace at times, as I enjoy police procedurals and like the actual police detective work. Every page doesn't have to be action after action after action for me. In that case, I would read a Jason Bourne novel. I liked the complex puzzle, trying to figure out who was who, and who was involved, actually hoping the story would continue into a third book. Unfortunately, some of the introspection interfered at critical moments and lowered the overall tension of certain scenes, and this is something that needs to be resolved. It's not necessarily about adding more tension, it's about not adding unnecessary details and dialogue that ruin the tension and suspense when it is happening, allowing the reader to follow along in a super alert state.

Verdict
Don't Open the Door starts out slowly, something I liked, as Regan searches for clues and evidence as to what is really happening, and then the story picks up quite a bit. I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but wasn't a fan of the lack of character development as I felt they were one-dimensional, for the most part. I liked the fact that not everything was tied up at the end, although there was still some type of denouement that did leave me feeling satisfied, even though I was happy there could be more adventures for Regan in the future. When it comes to complex cases, I tend to feel disappointed when they are wrapped up nicely at the end, so this made me happy. ( )

Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller/procedural and the second book in the series featuring Regan Merritt.

Regan Merritt has left the US Marshals and her ex-husband, Grant after the murder of their ten-year-old son, Chase, and moved to Arizona. When her former boss, US Marshal Tommy Granger, is shot and killed after contacting her claiming he had new information about Chase’s murder, Regan returns to Virginia. She plans to investigate what happened to Tommy and what new information he had uncovered in his investigation into Chase's murder. As Regan begins to look into what happened and tries to meet with Grant, it becomes clear quite quickly that there is a whole lot more going on and someone wants to stop any questions or additional investigations into.

Don't Open the Door is a wonderfully written complicated mystery/thriller/ procedural that will quickly pull you into the plot and hold your attention throughout. Although it is the second novel featuring Regan Merritt, the first is The Sorority Murder, I feel that it can work as a standalone. There is enough background information to bring readers up to speed quickly. (You might want to read it, however, because it is a very good novel.)

Regan is a fully realized character and you will support her in her search for truth and justice. It is unimaginable to have to deal with the murder of a child, but as Regan discovers more information and it seems that there are insiders involved, she isn't sure who she can trust. Her level-headed reaction to information is a perfect character trait. The FBI's involvement makes it worse and more complicated. There are numerous characters but they are all easy to keep track of within the context of the narrative.

The pace is quick throughout with short chapters to keep things moving as the twists keep coming in the developing investigation. The plot is riveting; full of twists, danger, suspense, and surprising information. Regan is a great character as she takes information in and processes what it means. Don't Open the Door is a novel you won't want to miss.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/01/dont-open-door.html ( )

Good mystery in the Regan Merritt series. Is a longer-than-necessary read with convoluted language at times but has several good storylines and mystery moments. The action continues throughout the book as the various schemes are revealed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. ( )