Series: Detective Josie Quinn #15
Published by Bookouture on August 11, 2022
Format: eARC
Source: Net Galley
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: Her Mother's Grave, Her Final Confession, The Bones She Buried , Her Silent Cry, Cold Heart Creek, Find Her Alive, Save Her Soul, Breathe Your Last, Hush Little Girl, Her Deadly Touch, The Drowning Girls, Watch Her Disappear, The Innocent Wife, Close Her Eyes, My Child is Missing
Through swirling dawn fog, they follow the trail of discarded items at their feet: a tube of glittery lip gloss; a cell phone; a cracked make-up compact, broken chunks of ivory powder spilling into the grass. Then the mist parts—just for a second—to reveal a beautiful young girl on the ground, her pale lips frozen forever in a silent scream…
On a winding mountain road into the small town of Denton, Pennsylvania, Detective Josie Quinn finds the body of a local teenage girl, Dina Hale. The sight of plum-colored bruises gathering around the girl’s neck pierces Josie’s heart, but the discovery of a second girl’s empty purse in the dirt nearby gives her a flicker of hope that one person, at least, made a lucky escape.
Dina’s parents are grief-stricken as the town rallies together in a desperate search for the second girl, Alison Mills, who waitressed with Dina at a local hotel. The two best friends were on their way to a shift when they were attacked. Josie was too late to save Dina, but she won’t rest until Alison is home safe.
Hitting a dead-end with interviews, Josie thinks she’s on to something when a photo surfaces suggesting Alison was romantically involved with one of the hotel staff. But when Josie arrives at the man’s house to find a bullet in his head, and the house ransacked, the case comes crashing down.
Evidence of frantic searching at both crime scenes has Josie convinced a twisted killer is on a hunt for something very personal and precious. And that they won’t stop until they find it. But how many innocent lives will be destroyed before Josie can uncover the missing piece at the heart of this deadly puzzle?
And what sacrifices will she have to make to find Alison alive?
I am starting with my apologies for how late this review is! I received bad news about my knee that set me back, no excuses but I am sorry!
Wow, another belter from Lisa. It was shocking and terrifying in some places. A powerful start with the fog causing a dark and damming beginning, causing confusion which followed through in the book.
This was not a story I was expecting. I loved how Lisa brings the mundane into the story and little quips to make everything feel so realistic. Things like eating when they can and turning their phones off when they are about to raid somewhere. Things that you don’t think about but I loved that they were pointed out and explained. Like I said things feel more realistic and you get to gel with the characters so much more because of it!
Josie has a tough case this time and when not all the facts are given she has a tough time trying to solve it. I felt like I was right there with her, except I had more information than her through the chapters by Pea. What harrowing chapters they were, I was guessing who Pea was throughout and I think I got there on my 2nd guess but I didn’t connect the dots with another character who was linked, I love how important people can be that you would never expect!! There are some twists and things that just don’t add up and man there were some shocking things, but I love how we can follow the investigation too. We are part of the team!
The one thing I want to know more about is the bouncy castle and the party, I mean come on that sounded like fun!
I love this series and I know I say that everytime but it’s true. I am completely invested in these characters and Josie and Noah are two of my favs. I love the team and I love the way how they all work together. A well-oiled machine. I can’t wait for the next outing with them.
Until next time xxx
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Kelly says
Hope you’re okay! xx