My Readers Guide to No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams discusses this debut suspense story about a forensic pathologist who returns to her small hometown to face down evil. This book is dark and disturbing, with a compelling narrative voice and a small town setting. Let’s find out if this book is for you!
Readers Guide to No Rest for the Wicked
Table of Contents:
- Jen’s Quick Take and Takeaways
- Spoilers for No Rest for the Wicked
- No Rest for the Wicked: Ending Explained
No Rest for the Wicked: Jen’s Quick Take
No Rest for the Wicked is a dark procedural mystery that includes a forensic pathologist, the FBI, and the local police. It’s set in a small Wisconsin town that is known for its Halloween celebrations.
Good question: I am always happy to consult on content if you have topics you’d rather not read about. I put more details in the spoiler section, and you can email me or DM me on Instagram. This book has some dark themes (abduction, sexual assault, and a scene in which feral cats are hit by a car.)
I described it to someone as Gillian Flynn (angry main character/dark themes) crossed with Karin Slaughter (dark procedural). Adams is a confident and accomplished writer, the small town setting is eerie, and the main character is prickly and standoffish (due to the secrets of her past and her recent divorce.)
It has a high Goodreads rating with people praising the writing. Other mention that the audiobook is excellent.
The book has the measured pace of a procedural, so if you like very fast paced stories, this might not be for you. I liked the quirkiness of both Doll and the writing, and this was the kind of dark book I enjoy!
September 16, 2025 by Minotaur Books. Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy for review.
List of Major Characters in No Rest for the Wicked
The Hawthorne Family:
- Dolores (‘Doll’ ‘Dolly’) Diaz (formerly Hawthorne): a forensic pathologist
- Senator Alexander Hawthorne: her father, a retired senator, now missing
- Asher: her younger brother
- Celia: Dolores’s late mother
- Charlotte: her stepmother
- Josie: her teenage stepsister
The Winslow family
- Gregory Winslow
- Jacob: his younger son, now the town mayor
- Teddy: his older son
Law Enforcement
- Special Agent Paul Turner
- Special Agent Wyatt Holt: had been investigating financial crimes involving Alexander Hawthorne
- Kate Butcher: Little Horton police
- Nathan Gunn: Little Horton police
Other Little Horton Residents:
- Kristen Horowitz: a local girl who went missing when Dolores was in high school.
- Michael Burke: town doctor and medical examiner
- Melissa Dylan: Burke’s assistant
Spoilers for No Rest for the Wicked
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Dolores Diaz is forced to return to Little Horton, Wisconsin, after her father’s abduction from his home office.
She hasn’t been in Little Horton for eighteen years (since 2003) and has taken her mother’s maiden name.
Two FBI agents come to question her and are in awe of her work on some high profile cases. They give her a letter her father had addressed to her, ending with “trust no one”
As the FBI goes to speak to Michael Burke, the town doctor and medical examiner, they find him shot to death in his office.
Since the medical examiner is now dead, the FBI asks Dolores to look at the scene. She finds it odd that the killer left a clear footprint and a bullet lodged in the wall.
FLASHBACK: Dolores had a teenage romance with Jacob Winslow. In addition, a teenager named Kristen Horowitz sent missing when Dolores was in high school. Kristen had a younger brother named Junior who was on the autism spectrum and devastated by her disappearance.
In the present Paul and Wyatt discuss Gregory Winslow and his possible involvement in the corruption case that Wyatt was investigating before Alexander disappeared.
Kate Butcher finds a bag of bones and a photo of Kristen Horowitz behind City Hall.
FLASHBACK: we learn that Jacob dated Kristen before dating Dolores. Dolores tells her father that Kristen’s brother asked Dolores to find her.
In the present, Dolores examines the bones, which are consistent with Kristen’s height and age.
Someone comes to the Winslow house and shoots Gregory in the head.
Jacob arrives at the Hawthorne house, shaken and distraught. Charlotte throws him out, but Dolores goes after him. She also calls the FBI, who discuss whether Hawthorne could be the killer.
Kate (who dislikes Dolores) discusses Kristen and her secret boyfriend with Dolores.
Afterwards, Kate recalls Halloween 2003, when Dolores invited her to a party and she walked in on Dolores having sex with Jacob. She suddenly wonders if what she saw then was sexual assault.
Dolores always thought that Jacob assaulted her and got her pregnant. She and Charlotte told her father that she had to have her appendix out.
The Winslow crime scene has the same footprints and the same caliber gun. No one can find Teddy Winslow. In addition, Kate is trying to track down Kristen’s family.
Meanwhile, it’s Halloween, which is giving Dolores terrible flashbacks to 2003. Teddy shows up and says his father suspected someone was after him. Alexander’s body shows up at the Halloween carnival.
Kate finds a witness who tells her that Alexander Hawthorne took Kristen. She finds a picture of Junior Hawthorne and realizes she knows him.
No Rest for The Wicked: The Ending Explained
Wyatt has taken Dolores to a cabin in the woods. He tells her that her father got what he deserved, and she realizes the same thing as Kate: Wyatt is Junior Horowitz.
Wyatt tells her that Alexander came to their house and packed a suitcase of Kristen’s things. That Alexander gave his family money.
As an adult, he joined the FBI and researched the corruption case against Alexander.
Gregory and Alexander covered up Kristen’s murder. Then Gregory bribed Alexander and Burke to keep quiet.
Wyatt wants to find Jacob and Teddy.
In a flashback, Dolores remembers Teddy at the Halloween party in a mask. Giving her a drink, then assaulting her.
Teddy killed Kristen. He was her secret boyfriend, and he claims she OD’d on drugs he gave her. To protect Teddy, Gregory and Burke decided to stage Kristen’s disappearance. Alexander told Wyatt that Dolores didn’t remember her assault.
Kate and Paul find Dolores after Wyatt tied her up and left to find Jacob and Teddy.
Paul goes after Wyatt and finds him holding a gun on both brothers. Two of the men are shot.
Dolores learns that Charlotte also helped dispose of Kristen’s body. She claims she needed to keep Dolores safe from Gregory, who would do anything to protect his sons.
Dolores confronts Teddy, who survived the shooting, at the hospital. Jacob resigns as mayor. Dolores and Jacob finally discuss Halloween of 2003 and part as friends.