4.0 (1 rating)
When Matches Burn: A Gripping Small-town Psychological Thriller with a Killer Twist
Ten years ago, Della Jones fled Belclaire, Louisiana, desperate to outrun the fire that nearly destroyed her.
Now she’s back.
Her mother has been murdered. Her sister is missing. And the town she tried to forget is ready to make her the villain all over again.
Haunted by guilt and hunted by suspicion, Del is forced to confront the ghosts she left behind, including the man she once loved, now the lead detective on the case. As she digs into her family's secrets, she uncovers something far more sinister than she imagined. Her sister was hiding something. So was her mother. And Belclaire? It’s been burying more than just bodies.
The truth is out there. But in a town that remembers everything, forgiveness is hard to come by, and survival isn’t guaranteed.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Twisty, southern, and full of secrets.”
“This was Sharp Objects meets Where the Crawdads Sing. I devoured it in one sitting and didn’t see the ending coming.”
—ARC Reviewer, NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A slow-burn masterpiece of psychological suspense.”
“I was hooked from the first page. The atmosphere is so vivid, I felt like I was in Belclaire myself. A brilliant debut.”
—Early Reviewer, Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Tarryn Fisher.”
“This had everything I love. Dark family secrets, a strong female lead, and a small town with a long memory. Absolute must-read.”
—Beta Reader, Author Launch Team
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A southern gothic gem.”
“The atmosphere is so thick you can almost smell the rain on the bayou. Della is one of the most complex, vulnerable, and sharp heroines I’ve ever read.”
—Advance Reader, Southern Fiction Book Club
Now she’s back.
Her mother has been murdered. Her sister is missing. And the town she tried to forget is ready to make her the villain all over again.
Haunted by guilt and hunted by suspicion, Del is forced to confront the ghosts she left behind, including the man she once loved, now the lead detective on the case. As she digs into her family's secrets, she uncovers something far more sinister than she imagined. Her sister was hiding something. So was her mother. And Belclaire? It’s been burying more than just bodies.
The truth is out there. But in a town that remembers everything, forgiveness is hard to come by, and survival isn’t guaranteed.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Twisty, southern, and full of secrets.”
“This was Sharp Objects meets Where the Crawdads Sing. I devoured it in one sitting and didn’t see the ending coming.”
—ARC Reviewer, NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A slow-burn masterpiece of psychological suspense.”
“I was hooked from the first page. The atmosphere is so vivid, I felt like I was in Belclaire myself. A brilliant debut.”
—Early Reviewer, Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Tarryn Fisher.”
“This had everything I love. Dark family secrets, a strong female lead, and a small town with a long memory. Absolute must-read.”
—Beta Reader, Author Launch Team
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A southern gothic gem.”
“The atmosphere is so thick you can almost smell the rain on the bayou. Della is one of the most complex, vulnerable, and sharp heroines I’ve ever read.”
—Advance Reader, Southern Fiction Book Club
Published: June 30, 2025
Pages: 356
ISBN: 9798288668234
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Available in: Paperback
Reader Reviews
4.0
1 rating
Jolene C.
Feb 8, 2026
I’m surprised this was a debut, M.E. Mullen came out of the gate strong with this one. From the first page, I was hooked by Del’s character and the quiet menace hanging over her return to Belclaire. What she thought would be a short trip back turns into a deep dive into everything she tried to leave behind; murder, family secrets, and a whole town that hasn’t forgotten who they think she is.
Ten years ago, Del ran. Now her mom is dead, her sister’s gone, and people are side eying her like she brought the trouble with her. There’s a ton of tension between her and the people she left behind, especially the detective on the case, who also happens to be her ex. (Yeah. That kind of messy.)
This one’s got small-town drama, unsolved crimes, and just the right amount of slow-burning suspense. It’s not scary, but it’s definitely eerie. I flew through it and didn’t want it to end. If you’re into secrets, Southern settings, and stories where nothing is quite what it seems, this is definitely worth picking up.