If Two Are Dead

If Two Are Dead by Rick Mofina
4/29/25; 416 pages
MIRA Books 

If Two Are Dead by Rick Mofina is a very highly recommended suspenseful, twisty thriller.

Luke Conway and his wife Carrie with their one-year-old daughter Emily have moved back to Texas to spend time with her terminally ill father, Vernon Hamilton, during his final days. Luke has already obtained a position as a deputy with the county where his father-in-law was a sheriff. The decision was a difficult one. Carrie left years earlier after she was the sole survivor of an attack that left two girls dead in the woods. Carrie was hospitalized with brain injuries at the time and still has no memory of what happened. Luke was involved with a shooting as an LAPD officer and is ready to make a new start.

In the opening of the novel, just as Carrie and Emily are ready to move to Texas, Luke is driving home in a storm and hits something or someone. He gets out of his car and looks for what he hit but finds nothing so he decides to not call it in after his experience in LA. He ends up investigating on his own. This decision torments and distracts him. At the same time, after Carrie arrives some fleeting memories begin to return to her. She is still receiving support from her therapist, Dr. Bernay. Adding to the stress is the fact that residents of small towns never forget and take vehement sides on all manner of events.

The uneasiness, secrets, and stress remain high throughout this well-written, fast-paced, un-put-downable thriller. Honestly, much of the tension is due to the fact that you don't know if any of the characters are trustworthy. At one time or another it seems any or all of them have done some nefarious deed in their past. Both Luke, Carrie, and Vern are searching for answers, from the present and the past. You don't know if you should be sympathetic for their positions or hope they are caught.

The secrets, twists, and information just keeps coming strong right to the surprising, shocking, and unpredictable ending. Honestly, Mofina plotted and paced this novel like the skillful writer he is, which kept me glued to the pages waiting for the next revelation or crumb of information. The ending, though, was masterfully played and is what made the rating so high. Thanks to MIRA Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.