Indie book reviews

IndieReader’s reviewers are tough, but fair

Our Reviewers won’t judge your book as compared to other self-published titles, but against other books, period. Our ratings are based on the following criteria, although reviewers are able to award partial stars (i.e. a 1.3 or a 4.7), rather than rounding up or down to a whole or half number.

1/5

Really bad 
Work on it.

2/5

Mediocre
1-2 bright spots.

3/5

Good
Worth reading.

4/5

Very Good
1-2 spots that need work

5/5

Excellent!
Must-read.

* IndieReader receives compensation for most of the books it reviews, along with copies of those books.

IR Approved
November 20, 2024

THE AVATAR MURDERS

By Jim Rowson
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Rendering a colorful world in noir black-and-white, Jim Rowson’s THE AVATAR MURDERS successfully blends the grim charm of its genre with near-future science fiction.

November 13, 2024

TANGLES

By Kay Smith-Blum
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

TANGLES by Kay Smith-Blum is an emotionally resonant mystery combined with a compelling conspiracy story.

November 11, 2024

SEVEN TIMES DEAD

By Roy Chaney
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

Roy Chaney's SEVEN TIMES DEAD is a lively, energetic action/adventure novel with a dizzying array of twists, turns, and characters.

November 8, 2024

SOUTHERN RIPLEY COUNTY

By Dennis Clay Smith
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

Dennis Clay Smith's raucous, overstuffed debut novel SOUTHERN RIPLEY COUNTY offers a gumbo of small-town melodrama and twisty crime thriller sure to satisfy readers with...

IR Approved
November 6, 2024

GONE MIA — DEADLY DECEPTION

By Tess Raynes
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

Tess Raynes's psychological thriller GONE MIA—DEADLY DECEPTION grabs readers by the throat and doesn’t let go until the closing pages.

IR Approved
October 30, 2024

A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT

By Marlene M. Bell
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Relatable characters and a well-built story keep Marlene M. Bell's enjoyable A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT moving along at a page-turning clip.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Briskly plotted and charming, S.A. Reeves’s THE BOOKSHOP MYSTERIES: A BITTER PILL is a delight by and for murder mystery aficionados.

September 30, 2024

THE ETERNAL SECRET

By Mary Romasanta
Rating:
3.3 / 5.0

Mary Romasanta's THE ETERNAL SECRET is a fast-paced, compelling story involving a scientific study of near-death experiences.

IR Approved
September 18, 2024

THE ORBRIALLIS INSTITUTE: Lost Grove (Part Two)

By Alex J. Knudsen, Charlotte Zang
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

THE ORBRIALLIS INSTITUTE: Lost Grove (Part Two) by Alex J. Knudsen and Charlotte Zang offers up a compelling story, engaging and complex characters, and a...

September 2, 2024

CHOICE OR CHANCE

By Abby Reilly
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Though the prose style is uneven and the perspectives are tough to stomach, Abby Reilly’s CHOICE OR CHANCE still has enough to offer a dedicated...

IR Approved
August 28, 2024

DEADLY RIVALRIES

By Ken Tentarelli
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Florence during the Italian Renaissance is at the heart of Ken Tentarelli's engaging murder mystery, DEADLY RIVALRIES. Well-sketched depictions of the behaviors, objects, and people...

IR Approved
August 26, 2024

THE EINSTEIN EDICT: A Dr. Sean Nolan Mystery

By E.W. Johnson M.D.
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Affecting and compelling, E.W. Johnson’s THE EINSTEIN EDICT: A Dr. Sean Nolan Mystery is both a tight small-town thriller and a spotlight on some of...

Get A PROFESSIONAL REVIEW FOR YOUR BOOK!