What She Saw
- Judith D Collins
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
By: Mary Burton
Narrators: Samara Naeymi, James Anderson Foster, Andrew Eiden, Patrick Lawlor Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 978-1662516047
Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: 11/01/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
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 by New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton.
Cold case reporter Sloane Grayson has come to a small mountain town in Virginia to solve a mystery.
Thirty years ago, her mother was one of four women who vanished during a music festival. The event’s promoter was eventually convicted of their murders, and Sheriff CJ Taggart closed the case. But for Sloane, it’s still open. Because the bodies were never found.
With Taggart now long dead, Sloane must make do with questioning the victims’ families and the few remaining witnesses once again. If they’re still willing to dredge up memories of a crime that made their town notorious. As for the incarcerated killer, he has always maintained his innocence. Sloane isn’t entirely convinced he’s lying.
Somewhere nearby, unmarked graves conceal the bones and secrets of the dead. Sloane will do anything to find them and unearth the truth, even if that means playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with someone determined to stop her…
About the Author
Meet Mary Burton, a suspense author who dives deep into the minds of serial killers in her New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels. Mary takes a hands-on research approach by immersing herself in the world she writes about. Whether interviewing professionals, attending forensic seminars, or delving into evidence collection and analysis, she leaves no stone unturned in her quest for authenticity.
Mary’s mastery of the genre is evident in her frequent appearances among the top ten writers in Amazon’s Author Rankings for suspense, romantic suspense, and thrillers. Her recent titles, including Another Girl Lost, The House Beyond the Dunes, and The Lies I Told have captivated readers worldwide.
Honored with the 2019 Montlake Romance Diamond Award for reaching one million readers, Mary’s accolades continue with a nomination for the 2023 International Thriller Writer Award and three RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America. She incorporates her journey from her Richmond, Virginia, roots to her current home on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in her vivid storytelling.
She graduated from Virginia’s Hollins University and enjoyed a successful career in marketing before she became a prolific author. With an impressive repertoire of forty novels and five novellas under her belt as Mary Burton, and eleven works of contemporary fiction as Mary Ellen Taylor, including The Promise of Tomorrow, When the Rain Ends, and The Brighter The Light, she continues to enchant readers with her diverse storytelling, each tale a testament to her rich and varied experiences.
A proud member of the International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Mystery Writers of America, Mary finds joy in connecting with readers at bookstores, festivals, and conferences. Despite her busy schedule, she remains a true homebody at heart, cherishing quiet moments and morning walks when she’s not on the road exploring new stories. WEBSITE
In this gripping suspense thriller by New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton—a cherished favorite—an investigative reporter embarks on a compelling journey to confront her unresolved past against the backdrop of a haunting, decades-old crime in WHAT SHE SAW.
About...
The Cold Case:
In 1994, four women, including the protagonist's mother, mysteriously disappear during a music festival in a small rural Virginia town.
Dawson made the Top 10 list for out-of-the-way haunted mountain locations. As the bands played through the night, four women vanished from the festival. Named, The Festival Four or the Lost Ladies. Dawson was the last town they ever saw.
Rafe Colton, the festival's promoter, is convicted of their murders, yet the bodies of the women remain undiscovered.
Dawson became the newest "Murder Capital of the South." The locals made peace with the dark past and agreed to keep it buried along with the women. Memories faded, and the names of the missing were forgotten.
Until...
The New Investigation:
Thirty years later, committed cold case reporter Sloane Grayson returns to her hometown with a singular mission: to uncover the truth. Arriving in a picturesque mountain town in Virginia, she is determined to unravel a chilling mystery.
One of the women was her mother. Patty Reed. Eighteen and pregnant, feeling an abusive boyfriend, wanting a better life. So this is PERSONAL.
With Sheriff Taggart now deceased, Sloane must delicately navigate the re-interviewing of the victims' families and the dwindling pool of witnesses, many of whom may be reluctant to revisit the painful memories of a crime that has long overshadowed their community.
Meanwhile, the imprisoned Rafe Colton continues to maintain his innocence, prompting Sloane to question whether he might be telling the truth.
As Sloane interviews witnesses and family members, she uncovers long-buried secrets that put her in jeopardy. She finds herself in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with someone intent on preventing her from discovering the unmarked graves and revealing the truth.
Everyone had assumed the same person had murdered all the women, but what if the killer had help?
For Sloane, this investigation is not merely a story; it is a mission to finally put her unsettled past to rest and ensure the right person is held accountable for the crimes.
My Thoughts...
As always, Burton masterfully employs multiple perspectives —including those of Sloane, the accused murderer, Rafe Colton (from Red Onion State Prison, Pound, VA), and the former sheriff from the time of the crime—to heighten intrigue and tension. We also hear from Joe Keller and the events leading up to the festival.
The novel's dual timeline structure unveils how the original investigation, led by the now-deceased Sheriff CJ Taggart in 1994, was conducted. Through past accounts and Sloane's present-day inquiries, readers witness how initial assumptions misdirected the investigation and obscured the true motives behind the disappearances.
The festival itself is not just a setting but the core of the novel's central mystery. The lingering questions—who really killed the women and where are their bodies?—keep the suspense high and drive the plot toward its climactic revelations.
Sloane's return to reopen this decades-old cold case stirs a whirlwind of secrets, trauma, and suspicion. Sgt. McKenna, the current sheriff's sergeant, initially interacts with Sloane in a professional capacity, displaying some resistance to her probing.
Sloane's investigation challenges the accepted narrative, compelling the town to confront the unsettling possibility that the truth may have remained hidden all along.
The relationship between cold case reporter Sloane Grayson and Sergeant Grant McKenna evolves from a professional dynamic into a romantic connection, as he becomes her protector while she engages in a perilous game with someone determined to thwart her quest for truth.
Burton maintains a high level of suspense, keeping readers eagerly turning the pages and fully engaged with well-developed characters. Sloane is fiercely independent yet haunted, driven by her need to solve this cold case and motivated by her mother’s unresolved disappearance. This personal connection lends her a layer of emotional vulnerability, even as she presents a tough exterior.
With more than 40 romance and suspense novels under her belt, a long-time devoted fan, I admire Mary Burton’s dedication to her extensive research, which distinguishes her from other writers in the thriller genre. Whether you’ve enjoyed her enthralling thrillers or her delightful, captivating historical fiction under Mary Ellen Taylor, a treasure trove of expertly crafted page-turners and captivating storytelling awaits you.
Recs...
WHAT SHE SAW is perfect for fans of the author and those who relish crime thrillers, cold cases, true crime, suspense, and those intertwined with romantic suspense. It will also resonate with fans of Lisa Jackson, JT Ellison, Lisa Gardner, Karen Slaughter, Sandra Brown, Tami Hoag, Fiona Barton, and Michael Robotham.
Special thanks to Montake and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest opinions. WHAT SHE SAW was also my Kindle First pick.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Nov 01, 2025
