No Rest for the Wicked: A Novel
Suspense/Thriller
Setting – Wisconsin
Publisher : Minotaur Books
Publication date : September 16, 2025
Hardcover
Print length : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250362113
ISBN-13 : 978-1250362117
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 978-1250362124
ASIN : B0DPV2Y6P5
Audiobook ASIN : B0DV7D7V4X
With an expert hand, Rachel Louise Adams’s debut No Rest for the Wicked reads like an edge of your seat, heart-pounding scary movie.
In one Halloween obsessed Midwestern town, everyone’s on red alert after a local politician goes missing. Little do they know it’s only the beginning.
It’s been close to twenty years since forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne left her hometown of Little Horton, Wisconsin. The town is famous for its Halloween celebrations, but also its history of violent deaths linked to the holiday. To Dolores, it’s the place she fled, family, bad memories, and all. Until the FBI calls to tell her that her father–the former mayor turned US Senator–is missing under mysterious circumstances.
Some people count to ten to wake up from a nightmare. Dolores always counts the bones of her head instead: sphenoid, frontal, lacrimal. But no matter how many times she counts them, it doesn’t change the fact that her father is missing, that his final words of warning to her were to trust no one, and that now, the rest of her family is giving Dolores a chilling welcome. With Halloween fast approaching, Dolores must face the past she left behind before it’s too late.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Dolores Hawthorne, a forensic pathologist in Los Angeles, receives a call from Special Agent Wyatt Holt with the FBI telling her that her father has been reported missing and there is evidence of foul play. He asks her to return to her hometown of Little Horton, Wisconsin, to answer questions regarding the case. It’s been nearly 20 years since she left Little Horton, vowing never to return. She has obligations in LA, including a pending divorce, but she and her father had once been very close. She agrees to make the trip while unsure what information she has to contribute.
Little Horton is a town that goes all out for Halloween, bringing tourists from all over. The town also has a reputation for violent deaths connected to the holiday. Is the former mayor and former US Senator now one of those deaths? Or will he be found alive? Delores doesn’t know what kind of reception she will have when she returns home, but she hopes to arrive in time to save her father.
That cover grabbed my attention, and then when I saw it was set in my home state of Wisconsin, I was all in, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Ms. Adams has created characters with depth who continue to evolve as the story continues. Dolores is well-known in her field, but she ended up in California after a Halloween incident in Wisconsin 18 years ago. She thought she was making a good life for herself, but has been unlucky in any kind of personal relationship. Her job is stressful; heck, her life is stressful. She has an unusual way of calming herself – she counts the bones of her head – sphenoid, frontal, lacrimal. Sadly, it doesn’t work to settle her with all that is happening now. The woman has her flaws and was truly relatable.
Dolores returns home to her stepmother Charlotte and two much younger step-siblings, Archer and Josie. The family dynamic is strained after her long absence and even more so with her father missing. Charlotte was a catalyst for Delores leaving her family behind, bringing tension to every interaction. Her siblings have missed her and want answers that she may not be able to give. Dolores was close to her father, and leaving him was the hardest thing. We are also introduced to FBI agents Wyatt Holt and Paul Turner, and local police officer Kate Butcher. Kate went to school with Delores, and there’s no love lost in that relationship.
The author captures small-town life very well, including a misogynistic police force. Little Horton has a feral cat problem, and Officer Butcher is routinely placed on Operation Cat. I enjoyed the pivotal role she ends up playing in the investigation. Two families basically ruled the town. The Hawthornes and the Lawsons, a politician and a rich business owner. That relationship changed after Delores left, with the two former friends avoiding each other at all costs. Like all small towns, people butt into each other’s business, and gossip is well fed.
Told from several points of view, the dark mystery is well-plotted with twists and turns, and a spooky Halloween theme. There were a variety of theories regarding the disappearance of the former Senator, putting forth a variety of suspects. But then the body count continued to rise, eliminating suspect after suspect. The suspense started to hit a fever pitch with scary and heartwrenching scenes. Then there was the final twist, and it was epic. Totally unexpected. I was gobsmacked.
Now, back to that cover. Looks are deceiving. I get it, black cats go with Halloween, but the cats in this story are not witches’ familiars or another Halloween trope. Little Horton has a feral feline problem, and the fate of those felines wasn’t good.
No Rest for the Wicked is a fast-paced, thrilling read, deftly plotted with well-developed characters. It is hard to believe this is Rachel Louise Adams’ debut in the literary world. She is definitely an author to watch. I am eager to see what she pens next. This one was an enjoyable getaway. 4 Stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Author
RACHEL LOUISE ADAMS was raised in a small town in Brittany by a French father and a North American mother. After studying literature at university, she wrote her PhD thesis on American fast foods and meat-eating. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found advocating for animal rights, spending time with her fiancé, her friends, and her two cats.
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