ARC Review: The First Scarlet Door by J.D. Barker
The First Scarlet Door
Series: 4MK Thrillers #4
Author: J.D. Barker
Narrators:
Michael Crouch
Piper Goodeve
To Be Published: TOMORROW, September 22, 2026
Paperback: 400 pages
Audiobook: 10 hours 41 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read/ Listened To: September 6- 16, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
In the first of three prequels to New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker’s wildly popular 4MK series…
Before he was known as the Four Monkey Killer, he was just a boy trying to survive.
Charleston, 1999. Fifteen-year-old Anson Bishop didn’t mean to kill—not the first time, anyway. Raised by parents who taught him that murder was simply survival, Anson thought he’d escaped his dark past when his home burned and his mother vanished with stolen mob money.
He was wrong.
Someone is hunting Charleston’s forgotten children—the runaways, the addicts, the ones no one will miss. When the few people Anson has come to care about vanish into the night, he discovers a truth more horrifying than anything his parents taught him: there are monsters in the world far worse than the one he sees in the mirror.
Behind a door the color of spilled blood waits a killer who has perfected his craft over two decades. To save his friends, Anson must walk through that scarlet door and face a monster. But in doing so, he may become something more dangerous than what awaits him on the other side.
Some doors, once opened, can never be closed.
Discover where it all began in the first of three prequels to New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker’s wildly popular 4MK series.
Jessica’s Review:
J.D. Barker, where do you come up with the ideas for your books?!?!? I am a fan and I always look to see what your books are about when they are announced. I was excited to hear earlier this year that the first in a prequel series was coming out in 2026, and that it looks like we are getting closer to a 4MK television series! Being I complete audiobooks much quicker that physical or e-books I bought all of the original trilogy on audio and planned to listen to them before the prequel was released. And then I was fortunate to receive both an arc and alc of The First Scarlet Door!
If you ever wanted to see the evolution of a child to eventual serial killer, you must read these books! First, read the original trilogy, and then move on to The First Scarlet Door! In the original trilogy we do get some of Anson’s childhood through diary entries, but The First Scarlet Door is Anson’s story as a fifteen-year-old boy in 1999. With everything that Anson has gone through, its no surprise that he eventually becomes 4MK! He never stood a chance to be ‘normal’.
This is a dark, chilling, and horrific novel with what happens to these young children and teenagers. No one should go through everything that they endure, let alone these kids at their age! What is going to ultimately happen with these kids? This series is not for everyone with the graphic nature content involved. If you have even read one of the previous books then you know what you are getting yourself in for.
We are left with a cliffhanger ending and I just wonder how long we will have to wait on the next two novels in the series. And then of course, just what will happen next!?!?
I was excited to receive a package from J.D. Barker and his publisher Hampton Creek Press which consisted of the original trilogy in paperback, and an arc of The First Scarlet Door, some additional information and swag! Then as I started to read Scarlet Door, I saw the audiobook was narrated by Michael Crouch and Piper Goodeve. I was excited when I saw Crouch’s name attached and was overjoyed to be granted an advanced listening copy of the audiobook from RD Media/Recorded Books. Because of this I was able to go between reading and listening to the book! Both Crouch and Goodeve did a fabulous job.
As with the original trilogy, Scarlet Door is composed of short chapters that make putting this continuing story hard to put down! Again, how long do we have to wait for the next two novels?
J.D. Barker, what terrifying world will you take this reader/ listener of yours down next?!?!?!
Thank you again to J.D. Barker and his publishers for all the 4MK goodies I have received!
Pre-Order Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
If you have read just one of the books in this series, then you know what may be in this box! Be afraid, be very afraid…
Audiobook Review: The Date by T.H. Murdock
The Date
Author: T.H. Murdock
Narrator: Rory Barnett
Published: July 1, 2026
Audiobook: 10 hours 18 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 19-25, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
What would you do if your first date ended in murder?
A year ago, after a perfect date, Miles Deverill was charged with murder. The handsome young actor became front-page news when he was accused of killing Caira Kennedy, a social worker he had just met that night.
Now acquitted, Miles can’t escape the past. He tries to rebuild his life, but journalists won’t leave him alone. And then the threatening messages start—in Caira’s own voice: This is not over. Is she still alive or is someone playing a twisted game?
Desperate to escape, Miles joins friends on a remote road trip. But deep in an isolated forest, one of their group is murdered. Someone close to Miles knows exactly what happened on his date—and this time he has to face the truth. Guilty or innocent, there is nowhere left to run…
Jessica’s Review:
The premise is intriguing and starts off with many things that I enjoy including multiple povs! We have Miles who a year ago had a first date and after that date, Caira was found dead. The trial proceeds and we get snippets of that, (which I was all about that trial!). Miles is found not guilty, this is not a spoiler as this story focuses after the trial with Miles trying to move on. But Miles has a stalker! Or is it Caira??? Because Miles is getting emails in Caira’s voice and she’s dead. Or is she????
Miles joins his sister and a couple of friends and they head to New Zealand. They meet up with two other young ladies and they all go on a road trip in an RV. But things go downhill fast and one of them is murdered. Two murders around Miles? Who is responsible?
Overall, The Date was a decent read. The last act of the story could have been improved upon, along with who the killer was and their motive. It just didn’t work for me. This was a debut novel and I would be willing to read Murdock again. And he has another novel coming out in October and a third scheduled for release in March at this time. I enjoyed the narrator, Rory Barnett. He did a good job.
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a copy to listen to and review!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: The Good Samaritan by John Marrs
The Good Samaritan
Author: John Marrs
Narrators:
Elizabeth Knowelden
Charlotte Cole
Matthew Lloyd Davies
Tim Campbell
Published: December 1, 2017
Audiobook: 11 hours 36 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: February 6-13, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
She’s a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her?
The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die.
Laura hasn’t had it she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn’t love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it.
But now someone’s on to her—Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together?
The sinister truth is within Ryan’s grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths Laura will go to…
Because the best thing about being a Good Samaritan is that you can get away with murder.
Jessica’s Review:
The Good Samaritan. The title leaves you to believe we are in for a story about a ‘good’ main character, but Laura is just the opposite: She is the villain that you love to hate! I actually listened to this one after finishing Dead in the Water but wish I had listened to Samaritan first.
The Good Samaritan is a dark and twisted novel that plays a cat and mouse game with the two main characters: Laura and Ryan. Laura is a volunteer for End of the Line, which is a suicide hotline. She is a master manipulator who abuses her position to get what she wants: People dying. We also have Ryan who lost his pregnant wife to suicide. He is trying to find answers and Laura is seemingly responsible.
Like always with Marrs’ novels, we have quick chapters that keep a reader/listener coming back for more. I really had no idea what was going to happen at the end. And when you are finished reading The Good Samaritan go ahead and read Dead in the Water for more in this world.
The narrators did a great job with the narrations and one narrator is back for Dead in the Water.
Needless to say, there is a trigger warning for suicide and suicide attempts.
What will John Marrs bring us next?
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK