Book: THE GIRL IN THE RIVER
Author: Rita Herron
Pub Day: DECEMBER 6th 2022
About the Book:
The body lay in the river, arms outstretched. Long brown hair swirled in all directions, flowing with the current of the water. Her eyes were wide open in death, pale pink lips parted in a scream.
Detective Ellie Reeves should be enjoying the wedding of her dear friend Mia Norman. But instead of celebrating, she is frantically searching for the missing bride. Something is terribly wrong—just hours ago, Mia was blissfully happy. Why would she suddenly vanish?
Bursting through the dressing room, Ellie finds it in disarray—chairs overturned, a perfume bottle shattered. Hiding in the bathroom is Mia’s six-year-old daughter Pixie, curled in a ball and sobbing her heart out. The little girl says she was locked inside when she heard a man’s voice, and her mother crying. “I just want my mommy back,” she pleads. Ellie vows to make that happen.
Turning the venue upside down, Ellie’s blood turns to ice when she reaches the riverbank. Someone is dead in the rippling water, floating beside a white veil. Ellie holds her breath as she turns the body over. It belongs to Tori, Mia’s bridesmaid, a gunshot wound in her back. Near the murder scene, Ellie discovers a button from a man’s shirt, and her friend’s engagement ring. The race is on to find Mia—before it’s too late.
When forensics come back, the investigation takes a dark turn. DNA proves that Mia was actually Jesse Habersham, a woman who went missing five years ago. Ellie is certain that Mia was running from someone. Did her past finally catch up with her?
Facing the most complex case of her career, Ellie is in a race against time. Can she uncover the truth before her friend is brutally killed? And when the murderer comes after innocent little Pixie, will Ellie save her from the clutches of death?
This pulse-pounding and utterly addictive crime thriller will have you staying up way past your bedtime, and scared to turn the lights off! Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Lisa Regan and Kendra Elliot.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Girl In The River' by Rita Herron.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Rita Herron, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 6th December 2022.
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. It is also the seventh book in the 'Detective Ellie Reeves' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Wildflower Graves' which is the second book in this series, 'The Burning Girls' which is the third book in this series, 'Frozen Souls' which is the fourth book in this series and 'Stolen Angels' which is the fifth book in this series and I would highly recommend reading them all.
I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'This pulse-pounding and utterly addictive crime thriller will have you staying up way past your bedtime, and scared to turn the lights off! Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Lisa Regan and Kendra Elliot.' I am a huge fan of Melinda, Lisa AND Kendra so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Rita and if this is as good as 'Wildflower Graves', 'The Burning Girls', 'Frozen Souls' and 'Stolen Angels' it is sure to be an amazing read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 171 chapters. The chapters are short in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in North America, USA 🇺🇸.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Detective Ellie Reeves and Special Agent Derrick Fox. I enjoy books written in third person with several protagonists as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters.
'The Girl In The River' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Rita discusses/includes child abduction and death.
WOW!!! JUST WOW!!! CONGRATULATIONS RITA ON YET ANOTHER HUMONGOUS PAGE TURNING SUCCESS!!!!
OMG!!!!! What did I just read!!?!?!? Right, OK, hold on a minute let's start at the beginning!! First impressions after what attracted me to the book. 171 chapters!!! 463 pages!!! OK yep this is going to take me ages!! Ummmmm.... Nope!!! I need more!!! Absolutely flew by!!! The chapters range from one page to about four pages so please don't let the amount of chapters put you off, you will miss out on one of the best books I've read in a while!! I could not out this book down. I would read one chapter, tell myself one more, just to find the next one ended in a cliff hanger and there was no chance I was leaving it there!! Several chapters and hours later its 2am and I have finished the book without even noticing the time!!
The book is extremely smooth and well written so you just glide through the pages turning one after another and getting completely lost in them. The descriptions are vivid so I really did feel my heart pounding with our characters. The storyline itself was scarily realistic which made it even easier to imagine everything going on. The cover and the synopsis all work perfectly well with the plot. Although this book is part of a series it can be read as a standalone. Anything that you need to know about previous cases, etc is explained in just the right amount of information, not too much to be too repetitive if you've read the previous books and just the right amount to understand what's happened if you haven't.
The storyline itself was extremely compelling and gripping. It was also unique and I haven't read one anything like this one. Get ready for one heck of a roller-coaster ride. Absolutely rammed full of suspense, secrets, shocks, plots, twists, turns, murder, tension and everything else that you love in a psychological thriller. This is not just one storyline, you are getting so many plots in this book that it will keep you guessing all the way. I have read sooo many crime novels now it is very hard for me to be surprised and shocked but that I was and very wrong on many occasions. Just as I thought I was a smart Alec and worked it all out thwack... Here comes another explosion. Honestly, just Wow!! I would have never guessed who was doing what and then it wasn't just one shocker there were several twists thrown in. You will take this book wherever you go because once your hooked that's it!! I don't think I've actually read a larger book so quickly in months!! I absolutely love the setting of this series with the small town with its close-knit community who does not trust "outsiders" and strangers. It also makes it even harder to work out who the suspect while tensions run high. The chapters are short, sharp, gripping and addictive so you can never just read the one more. I absolutely love this series and I have no idea how Rita does it but each book just keeps getting better, grittier and more explosive!! I can't say anymore than that as it will give too much away but definitely clear your schedules and get ready for a rollercoaster ride. I have only just turned the final page but am itching for the next book already so I hope you are writing as I am typing this Rita!!!
Although this is the seventh book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
I absolutely loved meeting all the fantastic strong characters again!!! I love the range of different characters, their personalities and all the different relationships they had... The hate, the secrets, the heartbreak, friendships and most definitely a spark of hidden love. Ellie Reeves you are a hero!!! Absolute wonderwoman!! I LOVE books that have such strong female leads and you cannot get much stronger than Ellie, that girl is a fighter!!! She goes through so many emotions and traumas yet isn't wrapped up in an institution but kicking butt!!! I love her independence and the fact that she point blank refuses to stand down even when confronted by others to do so. Derrick and Cord played their parts perfectly and I cannot wait to look back at the first book which I have yet to read and more ahead to see the history and future of all these fantastic characters. I love seeing the relationships between Ellie and Derrick and Ellie and Cord and every book I keep wondering if this is the one where something happens but alas I am still left dangling. Although it has been quite a while since I've read 'Stolen Angels' and I've read loads of books since, as soon as I started reading this all the characters and cases came straight back to me which show how much of an impression Rita leaves with her books. Ellie, Derrick and Cord have become like friends to me know and I look forward to meeting them every time. Here's to hoping the next time won't be too far away 🥂
I have raved about this book long enough but I will tell you a few things to end. You WILL miss out of what is definitely one of the best psychological thrillers if you do not pick up this book. This book NEEDS to be turned into a movie. I CANNOT wait to read more books by this extremely talented woman.
This is why you are one of my favourite authors Rita and here is to yet another page turner and I am eagerly awaiting the next which will be hopefully coming soon 🥂
Overall a mind blowing, page turning, explosive psychological thriller that will keep you up at night.
Genres covered in this novel include Noir Crime, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Women Sleuths, Serial Killers, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Melinda Leigh, Angela Marsons, Kendra Elliott, Lisa Regan Carol Wyer, Tess Gerritsen, everyone and YOU!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!
463 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £10.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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Author Bio
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn't think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn't have to get a real job.
With over ninety books to her credit, she's penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy, and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.
For more on Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also find her on Facebook/ritaherron.com and Twitter @ritaherron.
Social Media
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaherron
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritaherronauthor/
Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/rita-herron
Purchase Link
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0B8ZTGJMQsocial
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