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Detective Nikki Cassidy #1
The Nowhere Girls
My younger sister was murdered fifteen years ago. Now the killer is back. But this time, I’m going to take my revenge…
On the anniversary of her sister’s death, FBI agent Nikki Cassidy takes a call that makes her heart pound in her chest, the image of her beautiful sister Caitlin’s lifeless body wearing a crown of roses etched in her mind. Another girl has been taken.
Nikki rushes to missing thirteen-year-old Natalie’s home in the small town of Groveton, Ohio. The girl’s heartbroken family say she was loved by everyone, and the kind of daughter who would never lie. But when Nikki uncovers a hidden note in Natalie’s bedroom, marked with a red rose, it’s clear she was keeping dangerous secrets. And that Caitlin’s killer has taken another vulnerable young victim.
Days later, the body of another thirteen-year-old schoolgirl is found in a remote patch of woodland, a crown of roses delicately placed on top of her head. Just like Caitlin.
Terrified that Natalie will be next, Nikki retraces her last known steps, sure that whoever wrote the note in her bedroom was there when she vanished. She’ll risk everything—even her own life—to save Natalie and finally get revenge on her little sister’s killer. But can she track down this twisted monster before another innocent life is taken?
If you love reading Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot, you won’t be able to put down this gripping crime thriller. Full of heart-racing twists and turns, you’ll be hooked!
On the anniversary of her sister’s death, FBI agent Nikki Cassidy takes a call that makes her heart pound in her chest, the image of her beautiful sister Caitlin’s lifeless body wearing a crown of roses etched in her mind. Another girl has been taken.
Nikki rushes to missing thirteen-year-old Natalie’s home in the small town of Groveton, Ohio. The girl’s heartbroken family say she was loved by everyone, and the kind of daughter who would never lie. But when Nikki uncovers a hidden note in Natalie’s bedroom, marked with a red rose, it’s clear she was keeping dangerous secrets. And that Caitlin’s killer has taken another vulnerable young victim.
Days later, the body of another thirteen-year-old schoolgirl is found in a remote patch of woodland, a crown of roses delicately placed on top of her head. Just like Caitlin.
Terrified that Natalie will be next, Nikki retraces her last known steps, sure that whoever wrote the note in her bedroom was there when she vanished. She’ll risk everything—even her own life—to save Natalie and finally get revenge on her little sister’s killer. But can she track down this twisted monster before another innocent life is taken?
If you love reading Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot, you won’t be able to put down this gripping crime thriller. Full of heart-racing twists and turns, you’ll be hooked!
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
March 28, 2024
Returning home is not always easy. The Nowhere Girls is the twist filled first book in the intriguing new series by Dana Perry. The plot drew me in right away and did not let go. FBI agent Nikki Cassidy meets with the man who is imprisoned for kidnapping and murdering her sister fifteen years ago. They sit in silence until this year, when he requests to meet with her and informs her, that he did not kill her sister.
Then she learns that another young girl has been taken and days later her body has been found. Nikki is determined to catch the killer no matter what it takes. Questions swirl through her mind. If the man imprisoned for killing her sister didn't do it, then who is responsible. Is the current missing girls case related to her sister Caitlin's murder case?
Nikki is a great character. She is determined, intelligent, and driven. Her father was a police officer who passed away shortly after her sister's death. Nikki has lived with guilt over inviting her sister out the night she was taken, and this guilt has motivated her to not only become an agent but to bring her sister's killer to justice. This case is personal for Nikki, and she is not willing to stop even if it affects her personal life.
I found this book to be captivating, twist filled, secret filled, and hard to put down! I enjoyed the mounting tension and danger that kicked into high gear the later part of the book. I had both the book and the audiobook version of this book and thought the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life!
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Thank you to Bookouture, Dreamscape Select | Bookouture, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Then she learns that another young girl has been taken and days later her body has been found. Nikki is determined to catch the killer no matter what it takes. Questions swirl through her mind. If the man imprisoned for killing her sister didn't do it, then who is responsible. Is the current missing girls case related to her sister Caitlin's murder case?
Nikki is a great character. She is determined, intelligent, and driven. Her father was a police officer who passed away shortly after her sister's death. Nikki has lived with guilt over inviting her sister out the night she was taken, and this guilt has motivated her to not only become an agent but to bring her sister's killer to justice. This case is personal for Nikki, and she is not willing to stop even if it affects her personal life.
I found this book to be captivating, twist filled, secret filled, and hard to put down! I enjoyed the mounting tension and danger that kicked into high gear the later part of the book. I had both the book and the audiobook version of this book and thought the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life!
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Thank you to Bookouture, Dreamscape Select | Bookouture, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
April 3, 2024
Narrated by Madeline Pell
Presented by Dreamscape Select
An interesting idea but not a lot really happens.
The story is classic: big shot FBI agent has to leave big shot fiancé to travel back to her home town to investigate a crime close to her heart. In this case, Nikki Cassidy is off to re-open the investigation into the death of her little sister fifteen years ago because another girl is missing in the present.
The setup was so familiar that it didn't suck me in right away - rather, I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes at the stereotypes. There's a strong focus on Nikki's relationships more than the criminal activity, and most of the book is Nikki talking to people.
There's very little progression in the actual crime side of things, and even the case itself is washed out and uninteresting. There are no twists along the way and very little action to speak of.
There's also way too much talk about the obvious situation of Nikki not actually wanting to marry the man she's engaged to. Yuck. I've read this same story in far too many other books - normally chick lit. I really didn't need it, here, since it adds nothing to the story OR the character.
When the revelations came, I really felt nothing. It was incredibly underwhelming, and all the connections were stretched a bit thin for my liking.
Narration was okay, but there were some spots where they'd obviously re-recorded lines and these stood out like a sore thumb. Listened easily at 2x speed and it flowed naturally.
Not too solid a crime novel, I'm afraid - there's better on offer elsewhere.
With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC
Presented by Dreamscape Select
An interesting idea but not a lot really happens.
The story is classic: big shot FBI agent has to leave big shot fiancé to travel back to her home town to investigate a crime close to her heart. In this case, Nikki Cassidy is off to re-open the investigation into the death of her little sister fifteen years ago because another girl is missing in the present.
The setup was so familiar that it didn't suck me in right away - rather, I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes at the stereotypes. There's a strong focus on Nikki's relationships more than the criminal activity, and most of the book is Nikki talking to people.
There's very little progression in the actual crime side of things, and even the case itself is washed out and uninteresting. There are no twists along the way and very little action to speak of.
There's also way too much talk about the obvious situation of Nikki not actually wanting to marry the man she's engaged to. Yuck. I've read this same story in far too many other books - normally chick lit. I really didn't need it, here, since it adds nothing to the story OR the character.
When the revelations came, I really felt nothing. It was incredibly underwhelming, and all the connections were stretched a bit thin for my liking.
Narration was okay, but there were some spots where they'd obviously re-recorded lines and these stood out like a sore thumb. Listened easily at 2x speed and it flowed naturally.
Not too solid a crime novel, I'm afraid - there's better on offer elsewhere.
With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC
March 13, 2024
There’s a lot I liked about this, especially the whole mystery element, but also a fair amount that didn’t work for me.
What I liked:
Detective Nikki Casey is an unapologetically career-focused woman.
The mystery is clear at all times and unfolds believably.
The pacing is fantastic, I was never at all tempted to put this down.
I *had* to know how it ended.
We never got to know the sister and yet I was so invested in solving her mystery. That’s all we really want, right?
I couldn’t figure out the ending, even if I had ideas about the direction it’d take.
My complaints:
The romance element doesn’t work for me. She’s ranting about her sister’s murder and then her fiance is suddenly like ‘are you turned on like I’m turned on.’ Um… no??? Halp.
Speaking of, she gives literally 0 f*cks about her fiance. She describes him as a rich, good looking guy with no actual likable character traits and no explanation for why she likes him other than passable sex… and she doesn’t really like him. From his first mention it’s clear he’s at odds with her career and too traditional in his views to root for. He wants her to be the little lady at home, but she’s an FBI agent. So when she misses him 0% and immediately launches into a full fledged crush on a new guy, Billy, we’re not at all surprised. I just don’t get why she’s with the fiance?? Stop stringing him on, he’s right for someone.
The dialogue doesn’t read believably to me. It’s pretty expositional and formal (some of which can be explained by the protagonist being an FBI agent, but it serves to dehumanize a character who is already not particularly personable).
The way the agent thinks of herself is odd, too - she thinks like ‘became the woman I am today’ and the same wording is used by someone else later ‘became the woman you are today.’ Sure, she’s confident and has good reason to be, but OTOH isn’t adulting a little bit figuring it out as you go for everyone?
Some of the writing reads as boomeresque to me, like when she reconnects with an old high school classmate and says ‘I had no idea what to expect of you, you could have gained 50 pounds!’ like some weight gain would have fundamentally changed who her friend was as a person.
Still, this author can craft a compelling mystery so I’d read more from her… just preferably featuring a different protagonist.
Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked:
Detective Nikki Casey is an unapologetically career-focused woman.
The mystery is clear at all times and unfolds believably.
The pacing is fantastic, I was never at all tempted to put this down.
I *had* to know how it ended.
We never got to know the sister and yet I was so invested in solving her mystery. That’s all we really want, right?
I couldn’t figure out the ending, even if I had ideas about the direction it’d take.
My complaints:
The romance element doesn’t work for me. She’s ranting about her sister’s murder and then her fiance is suddenly like ‘are you turned on like I’m turned on.’ Um… no??? Halp.
Speaking of, she gives literally 0 f*cks about her fiance. She describes him as a rich, good looking guy with no actual likable character traits and no explanation for why she likes him other than passable sex… and she doesn’t really like him. From his first mention it’s clear he’s at odds with her career and too traditional in his views to root for. He wants her to be the little lady at home, but she’s an FBI agent. So when she misses him 0% and immediately launches into a full fledged crush on a new guy, Billy, we’re not at all surprised. I just don’t get why she’s with the fiance?? Stop stringing him on, he’s right for someone.
The dialogue doesn’t read believably to me. It’s pretty expositional and formal (some of which can be explained by the protagonist being an FBI agent, but it serves to dehumanize a character who is already not particularly personable).
The way the agent thinks of herself is odd, too - she thinks like ‘became the woman I am today’ and the same wording is used by someone else later ‘became the woman you are today.’ Sure, she’s confident and has good reason to be, but OTOH isn’t adulting a little bit figuring it out as you go for everyone?
Some of the writing reads as boomeresque to me, like when she reconnects with an old high school classmate and says ‘I had no idea what to expect of you, you could have gained 50 pounds!’ like some weight gain would have fundamentally changed who her friend was as a person.
Still, this author can craft a compelling mystery so I’d read more from her… just preferably featuring a different protagonist.
Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2024
I thought this was going to be a new crime series that I could get into, but sadly no. The plot wasn’t bad and neither were the characters. However, this was so repetitive that 50/60% into this I was getting annoyed by it. I would try to read the next book to see if it’s better. Hopefully, if it’s not repetitive like this one, it should be decent. It’s not that the writing was terrible, so a second chance seems feasible.
March 14, 2024
On the fifteenth anniversary of the murder of her younger sister Caitlin, Nikki Cassidy, now an agent with the FBI, returns to her small Ohio hometown, only to find out that another young girl has just been taken. But with Caitlin’s killer behind bars, are the parallels to her sister’s case just a coincidence, or is something more sinister at work?
With such a promising premise, I am actually shocked at how average this book managed to be. Seeing it was the first in a series featuring FBI agent Nikki Cassidy, I had high hopes for it, but I figured out pretty quickly that I was in for a major disappointment.
Part of this might be due to the absolutely false book description. From the name of Nikki‘s hometown (Huntsdale, not Groveton), to the fact that the body found in the woods does *not* belong to Natalie Jarvis, and that there is no note addressed to Nikki next to it, it almost seems like I read a completely different book. Furthermore, while the book‘s title is amazing, there actually already exist not one but two books by that same name (one was written by Amy Reed, one by Alex Urquhart, and both were published in 2017), which probably could have been avoided.
As for the actual content of the book, I found it to be slightly below your average mystery/suspense.
My main gripe with the book is that it seems to assume its readers are either of below average intelligence or have the attention span of a three-year old, judging by the repetitiveness of the writing. First, every single detail of the case is repeated seemingly at least once in every chapter for the first half of the book, mostly under the guise of Nikki talking to a new person. To make matters worse, anytime someone on the periphery of the story is mentioned, we are repeatedly reintroduced to them: not only are we reminded of their full names (yes, again and again), but most often also to their occupation, lest we ever forget that, for example, „Tommy Thompson“ (yes, that‘s his name, though I‘m not sure about the spelling since I listened to the audiobook) is actually „District Attorney Thommy Thompson“. If your reader still needs to be reminded the third or tenth time a name is mentioned, they are probably the wrong audience for a mystery novel. Not only does this repetitiveness take away from the suspense, it also gets irritating quickly.
As for Nikki herself, while I appreciated that she is unapologetically career-driven, she is actually not that great at her job, but comes across as insubordinate and gullible; for all her pride in her ability to read people, she gets it wrong all the time, which does not humble her one bit. Not surprisingly (but annoyingly), she frequently goes off on her own to follow leads, and even hijacks a press conference by giving away all all the details of her case when you‘d think playing your cards close to the vest is investigation 101. It‘s not even clear why she even needs other agents there with her (one serves to give her relationship advice, while the other is mostly comic relief), as none of them actually really do anything of substance for most of the book.
The underlying mystery itself sounded far more interesting in the somewhat misleading description than it played out to be in the actual book. To be fair, that also might have at least a little to do with the questionable investigative tactics displayed. Conflicts of interest aside, it feels like none of these supposedly highly trained agents know how to behave during an investigation (for example, while securing a potential crime scene - unmistakable, complete with open door and blood on the floor - they amicably chitchat with each other, all while the culprit might still be on the scene and they‘re supposed to secure the perimeter). But on the other hand, there isn‘t exactly a criminal mastermind at work, either, so maybe it evens itself out? (Who goes through the trouble of setting up a website on the dark web only to choose a password as simple as a name? Not even Google would allow that these days!)
Finally, there is a completely unnecessary romance angle that takes up way too much space, though Nikki‘s fiancé is as dull as dishwater, insensitive (trying to get into her pants right after she talks about her dead sister), and beyond misogynistic. In fact, Nicki herself isn‘t even sure she loves him, and he adds nothing to the story. I actually found myself secretly hoping he was the killer just so she could shoot him in the end.
Tl;dr: a promising premise with a disappointing execution.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
„The Nowhere Girls“ is slated to be published on April 2, 2004.
With such a promising premise, I am actually shocked at how average this book managed to be. Seeing it was the first in a series featuring FBI agent Nikki Cassidy, I had high hopes for it, but I figured out pretty quickly that I was in for a major disappointment.
Part of this might be due to the absolutely false book description. From the name of Nikki‘s hometown (Huntsdale, not Groveton), to the fact that the body found in the woods does *not* belong to Natalie Jarvis, and that there is no note addressed to Nikki next to it, it almost seems like I read a completely different book. Furthermore, while the book‘s title is amazing, there actually already exist not one but two books by that same name (one was written by Amy Reed, one by Alex Urquhart, and both were published in 2017), which probably could have been avoided.
As for the actual content of the book, I found it to be slightly below your average mystery/suspense.
My main gripe with the book is that it seems to assume its readers are either of below average intelligence or have the attention span of a three-year old, judging by the repetitiveness of the writing. First, every single detail of the case is repeated seemingly at least once in every chapter for the first half of the book, mostly under the guise of Nikki talking to a new person. To make matters worse, anytime someone on the periphery of the story is mentioned, we are repeatedly reintroduced to them: not only are we reminded of their full names (yes, again and again), but most often also to their occupation, lest we ever forget that, for example, „Tommy Thompson“ (yes, that‘s his name, though I‘m not sure about the spelling since I listened to the audiobook) is actually „District Attorney Thommy Thompson“. If your reader still needs to be reminded the third or tenth time a name is mentioned, they are probably the wrong audience for a mystery novel. Not only does this repetitiveness take away from the suspense, it also gets irritating quickly.
As for Nikki herself, while I appreciated that she is unapologetically career-driven, she is actually not that great at her job, but comes across as insubordinate and gullible; for all her pride in her ability to read people, she gets it wrong all the time, which does not humble her one bit. Not surprisingly (but annoyingly), she frequently goes off on her own to follow leads, and even hijacks a press conference by giving away all all the details of her case when you‘d think playing your cards close to the vest is investigation 101. It‘s not even clear why she even needs other agents there with her (one serves to give her relationship advice, while the other is mostly comic relief), as none of them actually really do anything of substance for most of the book.
The underlying mystery itself sounded far more interesting in the somewhat misleading description than it played out to be in the actual book. To be fair, that also might have at least a little to do with the questionable investigative tactics displayed. Conflicts of interest aside, it feels like none of these supposedly highly trained agents know how to behave during an investigation (for example, while securing a potential crime scene - unmistakable, complete with open door and blood on the floor - they amicably chitchat with each other, all while the culprit might still be on the scene and they‘re supposed to secure the perimeter). But on the other hand, there isn‘t exactly a criminal mastermind at work, either, so maybe it evens itself out? (Who goes through the trouble of setting up a website on the dark web only to choose a password as simple as a name? Not even Google would allow that these days!)
Finally, there is a completely unnecessary romance angle that takes up way too much space, though Nikki‘s fiancé is as dull as dishwater, insensitive (trying to get into her pants right after she talks about her dead sister), and beyond misogynistic. In fact, Nicki herself isn‘t even sure she loves him, and he adds nothing to the story. I actually found myself secretly hoping he was the killer just so she could shoot him in the end.
Tl;dr: a promising premise with a disappointing execution.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
„The Nowhere Girls“ is slated to be published on April 2, 2004.
March 14, 2024
The nowhere girls is a captivating crime thriller about main female character Nikki who is an fbi agent on the hunt to figure out who kidnapped and k*lled her sister. This reads as a whodunnit thriller and the premise is very interesting. The first 30-40% of the book sets the scene and story of Nikki’s sister the town and their officer father. In this section of the book it’s written kinda slow paced and a little boring but once you get past that first 30% things kind of start to happen. The questions start coming and the edge of the seat or fast pacing really gets you wanting to keep reading and finish it to figure out what’s happening and who is the killer. I had my suspicions of the killer and the twists but in the end I was actually wrong. This book leads you down a path of both trying to figure out the crime/criminal but also wanting to figure out the family/romantic stuff too. I’m not used to wanting to have romance in thriller like this but it was good. I never thought I would be rooting for a potential suspect to actually get together with the lead. I was also not expecting to cry or get attached to a character so fast and then have it ripped out from under me but this book is literally giving you all the things:romance, family drama, swooning, crime, emotions all in one. I know this is only the beginning for Nikki and I can’t wait to jump into the next one.
March 25, 2024
I enjoyed this new series staring a female FBI agent. I liked that while a police procedural novel it had multiple twists and turns along the way. Additionally the fact that it was not a romance was an added bonus.
April 1, 2024
The Nowhere Girls is the first instalment of a new series about a maverick FBI agent investigating the murder of her younger sister fifteen years earlier. I had not come across this author before and for some reason thought he was British, but saw a couple of rave reviews and requested the first on a whim without paying too much attention to what it was about - I was also seduced by the comparison with Robert Dugoni. Unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed - the story was okay - all the usual serial killer thriller tropes, but the writing very pedestrian and the narrative horribly repetitive.
Nikki Cassidy has never forgiven herself for the actions as a teenager that led to the disappearance and subsequent murder of her twelve year old sister. Now she works to rescue other missing kids as part of the Crimes Against Children division of the FBI. When the man in prison for the crime breaks his silence and tells her that he’s not the killer after all, Nikki returns to her home town to investigate, but then another girl vanishes under similar circumstances and the local police chief is less than thrilled at her interference. Can Nikki and her colleagues track down the real killer before it’s too late?
I think my problem here is that it was all too familiar - the characters, plot and twists felt the same as every other entry in this overcrowded genre, and my expectations had been raised by all the 5-star advance reviews. This is the first of three novels in this series being published simultaneously, and from what I can tell, all covering the same kind of ground story wise. I’m just glad I didn’t ask for all three. If you like this sort of thing, and I certainly used to, and don’t mind an irritatingly cocky heroine, and unrealistic dialogue, then do give this a shot, but I can only muster an unenthusiastic 2.5 stars, rounded up because I at least didn’t predict who the baddie would turn out to be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The Nowhere Girls is published on April 2nd.
Note - at the time of writing, the blurb on both Amazon and GoodReads is completely wrong - I’m surprised no one else seems to have noticed!
Nikki Cassidy has never forgiven herself for the actions as a teenager that led to the disappearance and subsequent murder of her twelve year old sister. Now she works to rescue other missing kids as part of the Crimes Against Children division of the FBI. When the man in prison for the crime breaks his silence and tells her that he’s not the killer after all, Nikki returns to her home town to investigate, but then another girl vanishes under similar circumstances and the local police chief is less than thrilled at her interference. Can Nikki and her colleagues track down the real killer before it’s too late?
I think my problem here is that it was all too familiar - the characters, plot and twists felt the same as every other entry in this overcrowded genre, and my expectations had been raised by all the 5-star advance reviews. This is the first of three novels in this series being published simultaneously, and from what I can tell, all covering the same kind of ground story wise. I’m just glad I didn’t ask for all three. If you like this sort of thing, and I certainly used to, and don’t mind an irritatingly cocky heroine, and unrealistic dialogue, then do give this a shot, but I can only muster an unenthusiastic 2.5 stars, rounded up because I at least didn’t predict who the baddie would turn out to be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The Nowhere Girls is published on April 2nd.
Note - at the time of writing, the blurb on both Amazon and GoodReads is completely wrong - I’m surprised no one else seems to have noticed!
March 27, 2024
“The Nowhere Girls” is the first of an FBI agent trilogy being released in the US at the start of April 2024. Nikki Cassidy is still haunted by her sister’s murder and father’s death 15 years ago. Each year on July 19, she meets with the man convicted of Caitlin’s murder and each year, he refuses to talk. But not this year… Nikki returns to her hometown in Ohio with the assurance that he will share information this year. Unfortunately, this visit coincides with another abduction eerily similar to Caitlin’s. Nikki races against the clock to attempt to save another girl’s life.
I liked Nikki’s self-awareness and unapologetic career focus. I detested the romance. From the get go, her fiancé seems like a mismatch. He may be “the perfect guy” but his attitude and personality are grating at best. Nikki’s life has enough complications without a misguided love affair.
I was completely surprised by the murderer, which is unusual. I’d want to read another to determine if this was inventive or due to an inadequate foundation.
I found the writing, especially the dialogue, to be a bit clunky and expositional, but it was not egregious. Provided you know what you’re getting (beach lit vs. literary fiction), it is not a reason to avoid Dana Perry’s FBI agent Nikki Cassidy series.
TW: violence, prison, mental health, child abduction
“The Nowhere Girls” will be released in the US on April 2, 2024. Many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I liked Nikki’s self-awareness and unapologetic career focus. I detested the romance. From the get go, her fiancé seems like a mismatch. He may be “the perfect guy” but his attitude and personality are grating at best. Nikki’s life has enough complications without a misguided love affair.
I was completely surprised by the murderer, which is unusual. I’d want to read another to determine if this was inventive or due to an inadequate foundation.
I found the writing, especially the dialogue, to be a bit clunky and expositional, but it was not egregious. Provided you know what you’re getting (beach lit vs. literary fiction), it is not a reason to avoid Dana Perry’s FBI agent Nikki Cassidy series.
TW: violence, prison, mental health, child abduction
“The Nowhere Girls” will be released in the US on April 2, 2024. Many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 14, 2024
Book Review:
The Nowhere Girls (Detective Nikki Cassidy 1) by Dana Perry
Bookouture, 2nd April 2024
FBI agent Nikki Cassidy returns to her hometown on the fifteenth anniversary of her sister's death. The murderer is behind bars, and has remained silent until now. He has just told Nikki he was not the one who shot her sister.
With another young girl missing, Nikki re-examines her sister's case whilst working with the local police department to track down the missing girl.
This is a fly by the seat of your pants novel with a lot of attention to detail. Nikki is a strong female lead who will stop at nothing to crack her case. As every clue is explored, we get sucked deeper into the case. And as more shocks and twists unfold, it's clear that with Nikki Cassidy, Dana Perry has created someone you want to get to know and explore more cases with.
Professionally, she's tough, but she has a dilemma to deal with in her personal life. These different sides of Nikki really show depth of character and let us get to know her personality, just enough to whet the appetite for the next book in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bookouture and Dana Perry for the ARC provided via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.
#TheNowhereGirls #Bookouture #NetGalley #NikkiCassidy #CrimeFiction #BookReview
The Nowhere Girls (Detective Nikki Cassidy 1) by Dana Perry
Bookouture, 2nd April 2024
FBI agent Nikki Cassidy returns to her hometown on the fifteenth anniversary of her sister's death. The murderer is behind bars, and has remained silent until now. He has just told Nikki he was not the one who shot her sister.
With another young girl missing, Nikki re-examines her sister's case whilst working with the local police department to track down the missing girl.
This is a fly by the seat of your pants novel with a lot of attention to detail. Nikki is a strong female lead who will stop at nothing to crack her case. As every clue is explored, we get sucked deeper into the case. And as more shocks and twists unfold, it's clear that with Nikki Cassidy, Dana Perry has created someone you want to get to know and explore more cases with.
Professionally, she's tough, but she has a dilemma to deal with in her personal life. These different sides of Nikki really show depth of character and let us get to know her personality, just enough to whet the appetite for the next book in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bookouture and Dana Perry for the ARC provided via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.
#TheNowhereGirls #Bookouture #NetGalley #NikkiCassidy #CrimeFiction #BookReview
March 25, 2024
Nikki Cassidy is an FBI Agent. She is from small town Ohio, originally, but left there many years ago.
Actually, 15 years ago her little sister Caitlyn was killed there…and she has never stopped blaming herself. Neither has her mother…
Nikki returns every year to visit her sisters grave…and also to speak with the convicted murdered, who sits in jail. But he never speaks with her…
This year though, he has requested to speak with HER!
She is looking forward to this as she wants to know WHY he did this to an innocent 12 year old girl…But, what she finds out from him doesn’t solve anything. As a matter of fact, it makes her doubt everything!
And then, 15 years later, on the same day, another young girl goes missing…and strange things start to happen!!
Absolutely loved the premise of this book!
Was able to guess a couple of things as we went along, but not able to guess SO MANY MORE!
And the ending…NOT AT ALL what I expected!
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook which releases on 4/2/24!
#TheNowhereGirls by #DanaPerry.
Although many reviews praised the narrator, to me it was like nails on a chalkboard…very hard to listen to.
Sorry, just my opinion…
Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.
Thanks so much for reading!📚⭐️
Actually, 15 years ago her little sister Caitlyn was killed there…and she has never stopped blaming herself. Neither has her mother…
Nikki returns every year to visit her sisters grave…and also to speak with the convicted murdered, who sits in jail. But he never speaks with her…
This year though, he has requested to speak with HER!
She is looking forward to this as she wants to know WHY he did this to an innocent 12 year old girl…But, what she finds out from him doesn’t solve anything. As a matter of fact, it makes her doubt everything!
And then, 15 years later, on the same day, another young girl goes missing…and strange things start to happen!!
Absolutely loved the premise of this book!
Was able to guess a couple of things as we went along, but not able to guess SO MANY MORE!
And the ending…NOT AT ALL what I expected!
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook which releases on 4/2/24!
#TheNowhereGirls by #DanaPerry.
Although many reviews praised the narrator, to me it was like nails on a chalkboard…very hard to listen to.
Sorry, just my opinion…
Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.
Thanks so much for reading!📚⭐️
March 21, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up
This is a solid start to a new crime thriller series based around Detective Nikki Cassidy. There were a lot of things I liked about this book, but there were also factors that made this one not work for me.
What I enjoyed:
The plot was good. I truly liked the mystery elements to this story, and how aspects of the ending were unpredictable. I thought I had it figured out a few times, and I winded up being wrong. I also enjoyed getting to know the Detective. I’m always a stan for a female lead that is a boss in their own right. There were also twists that I thought were well written and one even left my mouth wide open!
What didn’t work for me:
The romantic elements in this story were strange. Nikki’s interactions with her fiancé were very awkward. I do feel that whole relationship could’ve been left out. There was also a LOT of repetitiveness the first 50% of the book.
I do plan to continue with the series. I’m looking forward to what happens in book #2.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a solid start to a new crime thriller series based around Detective Nikki Cassidy. There were a lot of things I liked about this book, but there were also factors that made this one not work for me.
What I enjoyed:
The plot was good. I truly liked the mystery elements to this story, and how aspects of the ending were unpredictable. I thought I had it figured out a few times, and I winded up being wrong. I also enjoyed getting to know the Detective. I’m always a stan for a female lead that is a boss in their own right. There were also twists that I thought were well written and one even left my mouth wide open!
What didn’t work for me:
The romantic elements in this story were strange. Nikki’s interactions with her fiancé were very awkward. I do feel that whole relationship could’ve been left out. There was also a LOT of repetitiveness the first 50% of the book.
I do plan to continue with the series. I’m looking forward to what happens in book #2.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 16, 2024
"The Nowhere Girls" by Dana Perry was a riveting and action-packed read, earning a well-deserved 5-star rating! The story follows star FBI Agent Nikki Cassidy of the Crimes Against Children Squad, whose heroic arrest of a killer in Denver catapults her into the spotlight. However, Nikki's world is turned upside down when she receives a summons from David Munroe, the man imprisoned for the murder of her sister. This unexpected encounter sets Nikki on a relentless quest for the truth about her sister's tragic fate.
I thought this was a well-written story that held my attention from start to finish. Nikki is very likable, even with her flaws, which make her feel human. I found myself fully invested in her journey, eagerly turning pages to uncover the secrets of her past.
Overall, "The Nowhere Girls" is a well-written and compelling novel that promises an exciting series ahead. I am looking forward to the next two books in this series!
Thanks to Bookouture, Dana Perry, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.
I thought this was a well-written story that held my attention from start to finish. Nikki is very likable, even with her flaws, which make her feel human. I found myself fully invested in her journey, eagerly turning pages to uncover the secrets of her past.
Overall, "The Nowhere Girls" is a well-written and compelling novel that promises an exciting series ahead. I am looking forward to the next two books in this series!
Thanks to Bookouture, Dana Perry, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.
March 24, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Nowhere Girls by Dana Perry, an audiobook narrated by Madeline Pell was a gripping crime thriller that made you guess constantly what the hell is going on. I really liked the investigation process, it was clever and twisted, and OMG the last twist I didn't see coming! It was shocking!
The only downsize was repetitiveness. So many parts were repeated again and again.
FBI agent Nikki was a really interesting character, she was strong-minded, dedicated, career-focused, and clever! Really clever!
Madeline Pell did fantastic narration. It was easy to follow, the speech was clear and she managed to make different voice intonations.
15 years ago Nikki's little sister was kidnapped and kiIIed. Every year on 19 July Nikki visits her hometown and pays respects to her sister and father who had a heart attack soon after her sister's funeral. But this year was different because one more girl has been kidnapped and Nikki sees the pattern and is ready to jump on this case.
Is it possible that cases are connected as kiIIer is still in the prison? Will Nikki convince her boss to let her stay and take part in this investigation? Is the local police chief will be happy to have Nikki around? Is it possible that Nikki sees what she wants to see and there is no connection?
I am grateful to Dreamscape Select, Bookouture and NetGalley for this copy!
The Nowhere Girls by Dana Perry, an audiobook narrated by Madeline Pell was a gripping crime thriller that made you guess constantly what the hell is going on. I really liked the investigation process, it was clever and twisted, and OMG the last twist I didn't see coming! It was shocking!
The only downsize was repetitiveness. So many parts were repeated again and again.
FBI agent Nikki was a really interesting character, she was strong-minded, dedicated, career-focused, and clever! Really clever!
Madeline Pell did fantastic narration. It was easy to follow, the speech was clear and she managed to make different voice intonations.
15 years ago Nikki's little sister was kidnapped and kiIIed. Every year on 19 July Nikki visits her hometown and pays respects to her sister and father who had a heart attack soon after her sister's funeral. But this year was different because one more girl has been kidnapped and Nikki sees the pattern and is ready to jump on this case.
Is it possible that cases are connected as kiIIer is still in the prison? Will Nikki convince her boss to let her stay and take part in this investigation? Is the local police chief will be happy to have Nikki around? Is it possible that Nikki sees what she wants to see and there is no connection?
I am grateful to Dreamscape Select, Bookouture and NetGalley for this copy!
March 25, 2024
Nikki is an Fbi agent. Her sister was killed 15 years ago. Every year on the anniversary of her sister's death, Nikki goes and visits the killer in prison. She is just looking for some answers as to why he chose her sister. Every year, the prisoner says nothing. But this year, he isn't silent and decides to speak. He tells Niki that whatever happened has something to do with her father
But Nikkis father died of a heart attack right after her sister was killed, so how is she supposed to ask him.
While visiting her hometown, another girl turns up missing. Missing on the exact date that her sister was killed. Is this a copycat, or did they put the wrong man in jail all these many years ago
Nikki is determined to find out the truth. She doesn't care that she has no jurisdiction in this town. Someone knows something! Was her father hiding something all those many years ago, or is everyone in this town corrupt and knows more than they are willing to discuss
But Nikkis father died of a heart attack right after her sister was killed, so how is she supposed to ask him.
While visiting her hometown, another girl turns up missing. Missing on the exact date that her sister was killed. Is this a copycat, or did they put the wrong man in jail all these many years ago
Nikki is determined to find out the truth. She doesn't care that she has no jurisdiction in this town. Someone knows something! Was her father hiding something all those many years ago, or is everyone in this town corrupt and knows more than they are willing to discuss
April 25, 2024
We have another winner. The Nowhere Girls is the first book featuring FBI agent Nikki Cassidy. Her sister was abducted and murdered when she was 12. Nikki has always held some guilt over the her death. When she is called back to her home town to find a missing girl, she might be able to solve what happened to her sister.
I really enjoyed this one. So much that I binged the second and third books in 2 days. Stay tuned for those reviews later in the week. I really like Nikki as a character. She isn't perfect and makes a few wrong guesses. I really liked that part because nothing is more boring than a detective or agent who gets everything right the first try. I also enjoyed her relationship with her partner Alex. There are red herrings and twists throughout. There are also some unanswered questions that will pour over into the next books. I highly recommend this one.
I really enjoyed this one. So much that I binged the second and third books in 2 days. Stay tuned for those reviews later in the week. I really like Nikki as a character. She isn't perfect and makes a few wrong guesses. I really liked that part because nothing is more boring than a detective or agent who gets everything right the first try. I also enjoyed her relationship with her partner Alex. There are red herrings and twists throughout. There are also some unanswered questions that will pour over into the next books. I highly recommend this one.
March 4, 2024
This book is very gripping. When I read the description for it I was intrigued.
The opening chapter captured my attention and made me want to keep reading. I was frightened and scared throughout. I dreaded to think what was going to happen next. There are a lot of gasping moments in the book that shock you to the core.
This is a tremendous read and I am going to get stuck straight into the next book in this series.
The opening chapter captured my attention and made me want to keep reading. I was frightened and scared throughout. I dreaded to think what was going to happen next. There are a lot of gasping moments in the book that shock you to the core.
This is a tremendous read and I am going to get stuck straight into the next book in this series.
March 28, 2024
The Nowhere Girls is a new novel highlighting FBI Detective Nikki Cassidy. This is the first in a series. Overall the plot of the story was well-paced; I was interested in what was unfolding and wanted to see where it ended up. The “whodunnit” actually was unexpected to me and was a plausible ending to the story. The downfall for me was some of the dialogue and that the style leaned more to YA. I also didn’t completely root for Nikki, but that’s just a personal preference of mine...I must like at least one character. I may pick up the second in the series to see if the characters are more developed in the future.
April 3, 2024
This was a miss for me. I did not care for the MC at all. I think her engagement was supposed to make her more personable, but it seemed forced, especially with the flirting she had with Billy.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing, especially the dialogue. It seemed a little clunky and didn’t really flow how normal conversations would.
While the killer was a surprise, I don’t think the motive for becoming a serial made very much sense.
It was an easy listen, and would probably listen to subsequent books to see if some of the loose ends are tied up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing, especially the dialogue. It seemed a little clunky and didn’t really flow how normal conversations would.
While the killer was a surprise, I don’t think the motive for becoming a serial made very much sense.
It was an easy listen, and would probably listen to subsequent books to see if some of the loose ends are tied up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 1, 2024
The story - 4 stars
The writing- 2 stars
The characters - 3 stars
The writing was very simplistic and kind of childish. Lots of repetitive statements.
The writing- 2 stars
The characters - 3 stars
The writing was very simplistic and kind of childish. Lots of repetitive statements.
March 25, 2024
Nikki Cassidy is an interesting character. Being from Ohio I really enjoyed the settings and accuracy. The case kept me guessing and the overall book arc kept me invested. The end left me running for book two.
March 26, 2024
This was a good book! Detective Cassidy is such a likable character that you can’t help but enjoy. This book had a good story and is worth the read if you like books trying to solve a crime.
February 23, 2024
When a young girl disappears, I cannot imagine the agony the parents must go through. The hours they have to wait, hoping and praying the news will be good. And sometimes, there is good news and the family is reunited. Sometimes though they never find the missing person and there never will be closure. Sometimes the body is found and this means the end of the long wait and the feelings of hope change into those of sadness and loss.
Killers are found, but there are often not found either, allowing them to keep on playing their sick games.
Sometimes putting the killer behind bars is not enough and the family wants some answers to the why.
Nikki is still trying to get those answers from the man who killed her sister. After 15 long years he drops a bomb shell and Nikki is determined to get to the bottom of it all. It seems like she has stirred the nornet's nest...
I liked Nikki. She goes after what she wants even if she has to color out of the box. She is like a dog with a bone and wiating is not one of her strong points. When she sniffs a lead, she will follow her nose no matter where it takes her.
The author has written a splendid start to a new series I am looking forward to devour as soon as possible. Books two and three are already waiting for me and I won't leave them hanging for too long.
5 stars for this story that made me trust the wrong person as per usual and that can only mean kudos to the author for creating this great book and for leading me down the wrong path. :)
Thank you
Killers are found, but there are often not found either, allowing them to keep on playing their sick games.
Sometimes putting the killer behind bars is not enough and the family wants some answers to the why.
Nikki is still trying to get those answers from the man who killed her sister. After 15 long years he drops a bomb shell and Nikki is determined to get to the bottom of it all. It seems like she has stirred the nornet's nest...
I liked Nikki. She goes after what she wants even if she has to color out of the box. She is like a dog with a bone and wiating is not one of her strong points. When she sniffs a lead, she will follow her nose no matter where it takes her.
The author has written a splendid start to a new series I am looking forward to devour as soon as possible. Books two and three are already waiting for me and I won't leave them hanging for too long.
5 stars for this story that made me trust the wrong person as per usual and that can only mean kudos to the author for creating this great book and for leading me down the wrong path. :)
Thank you
March 12, 2024
Talk about twists and turns!
This story had so much going on!
Definitely a great start to a new series.
I am looking forward to reading more about Detective Nikki Cassidy.
Perfect series to start for crime fiction fans.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#shortbookthyme
@shortbookthyme
This story had so much going on!
Definitely a great start to a new series.
I am looking forward to reading more about Detective Nikki Cassidy.
Perfect series to start for crime fiction fans.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#shortbookthyme
@shortbookthyme
March 12, 2024
Holy cow! This was an amazing thriller. There were so many twists and it really kept me guessing. Nikki Cassidy is my new favorite book character!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!
April 9, 2024
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Nowhere Girls' by Dana Perry.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Dana Perry, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 2nd April 2024.
This is the third book I have read by this author it is also the first book in the 'Detective Nikki Cassidy' series. I have previously read 'Her Ocean Grave' (book 1 in Dana's 'Detective Abby Pearce' series) and 'Silent Island (book 2 in the 'Detective Abby Pearce' series),and I would also highly recommend them both.
This novel consists of a prologue and 64 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
'The Nowhere Girls' discusses some topics that may upset 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 Dana discusses/includes child murder.
Wow!!!!! What did I just read!!! Mind blown!!!! Absolutely shattered after being up all night reading but boy was it worth it! Absolutely unputdownable!! Clear your schedules before picking this book up as you will not be able to put it down!!! An extremely well written novel with vivid descriptions that suck you into the storyline. The cover, title and synopsis suited the storyline perfectly!!
There are very few male authors I know if that can pull off a female lead in a novel but boy oh boy does Dana do it perfectly!!! Unfortunately when female leads are written by men they tend to make them very sexualised, this was not the case at all!!! In fact I can't even remember the last time I read such a page turner by a male author, not for a very long time!!! This book is an absolutely explosive and perfect way to kick off what is guaranteed to be an absolutely addictive series!!! The storyline was fast paced, addictive, breathe taking, nail biting, suspense filled and had me completely absorbed!!! It was filled with crime, mystery, lies, murder, friendships, romance and deceit. Absolutely everything you need to make a fantastic crime thriller!!!! I was absolutely mind blown by the explosive twist which I would never have seen coming in a million years!!! I have read thousands of books and many of them are psychological thrillers so it is getting harder and harder to shock me but Dana managed it hook, line and sinker!! Not only that but it is also so hard to come across a unique storyline which is another thing Dana has managed with this gripping and nail biting page turner so a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS DANA!!! Everything tied in perfectly at the end, I absolutely hate loose ends!!! Dana has most definitely done his research into past crimes along with police procedures and it absolutely shines!! A pet hate of mine is reading crime novels and having so many small things being obviously wrong due to authors not doing any research. This would make a heart racing movie and I for one would absolutely love to see it!! It is one of this absolutely addictive books that I just could not put down!! Each and every single time I promised myself just one more chapter it would end in a way that I just HAD to know what happened next!! This happened over and over until I had come to the mind blowing ending! I just could not put it down and had my kindle glued to my hand walking around the house and doing housework! It is also one of those books that is perfect to read wrapped up in front of a fire or reading it under the sun on a beach!! Yet another well done Dana you not only managed to shock me once but several times which is not an easy feat after reading so many crime novels!!! Dana's evocative writing skills brings the locations, surroundings, emotions and characters to life and it feels like you have been sucked into the storyline!! I shouted, screamed, laughed, smiled and even ended up shedding a few tears after a certain event so you may even want to get the tissues at the ready!! I am not the type who cries easily (unless it comes to animals, sorry humans!!) but OMG a certain part of this book had me welling up! There were several occasions where I looked up and it took me a while to work out where I was as I was so lost on the storyline!! I absolutely LOVED this brilliant start to this new series and as soon as I have finished writing this up I am off to read the second book in this series which is called 'Last One To Die' so keep your eyes peeled for my review for that book which is coming soon!!
I clicked and connected with FBI agent Detective Nikki Cassidy immediately and became completely invested in her!!! Nikki and her fantastic team very quickly became to feel like friends and I am definitely looking forward to meeting her again as soon as I start her next adventure!! My heart went out to her for how she blamed herself and I could not stand the way her mother blamed her. Nikki is determined to discover the truth about her sisters death and no threats or attacks will stop her and I love how determined and strong willed she is. I just absolutely loved her kick a**e personality and she is definitely not someone to be messed with!!! . I also enjoyed meeting many of the other characters including Alex Del Vecchio, Les Polk, Officer William (Billy) Weller, DA Tommy Thompson and several more. I was not a fan of Nikki's fiance Greg who I found to be too needy and not understanding enough of her job or Chief Frank Earnshaw who I thought was just a stubborn, childish mule (to put it nicely). Each character was unique, well defined with their own backgrounds and personalities. They were all realistic and the team dynamics were intriguing. I was devastated when I came to the end and had to say Goodbye but am definitely looking forward to meeting many of them again.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Dana on an explosive start to what promises to be an epic series!!! This is why your on my top 3.male author list!!! I cannot wait for your next promising success 🥂 !!!
Overall an addictive, gripping, explosive page turning unputdownable crime thriller that will keep you up all night!!
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and first three chapters of Dana's ' Last One To Die' which is the second book in this series. It promises to be just as addictive as this book and is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading myself. Keep your eyes peeled for my review of it coming soon!!
Overall an absolutely unputdownable, action packed, intriguing psychological thriller that will keep you up at night on the edge of your seat with a pounding heart!!
361 pages
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 for the audiobook with Audible and 8.99 in paperback via Amazon at time of review 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.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
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Review for 'The Nowhere Girls' by Dana Perry.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Dana Perry, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 2nd April 2024.
This is the third book I have read by this author it is also the first book in the 'Detective Nikki Cassidy' series. I have previously read 'Her Ocean Grave' (book 1 in Dana's 'Detective Abby Pearce' series) and 'Silent Island (book 2 in the 'Detective Abby Pearce' series),and I would also highly recommend them both.
This novel consists of a prologue and 64 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
'The Nowhere Girls' discusses some topics that may upset 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 Dana discusses/includes child murder.
Wow!!!!! What did I just read!!! Mind blown!!!! Absolutely shattered after being up all night reading but boy was it worth it! Absolutely unputdownable!! Clear your schedules before picking this book up as you will not be able to put it down!!! An extremely well written novel with vivid descriptions that suck you into the storyline. The cover, title and synopsis suited the storyline perfectly!!
There are very few male authors I know if that can pull off a female lead in a novel but boy oh boy does Dana do it perfectly!!! Unfortunately when female leads are written by men they tend to make them very sexualised, this was not the case at all!!! In fact I can't even remember the last time I read such a page turner by a male author, not for a very long time!!! This book is an absolutely explosive and perfect way to kick off what is guaranteed to be an absolutely addictive series!!! The storyline was fast paced, addictive, breathe taking, nail biting, suspense filled and had me completely absorbed!!! It was filled with crime, mystery, lies, murder, friendships, romance and deceit. Absolutely everything you need to make a fantastic crime thriller!!!! I was absolutely mind blown by the explosive twist which I would never have seen coming in a million years!!! I have read thousands of books and many of them are psychological thrillers so it is getting harder and harder to shock me but Dana managed it hook, line and sinker!! Not only that but it is also so hard to come across a unique storyline which is another thing Dana has managed with this gripping and nail biting page turner so a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS DANA!!! Everything tied in perfectly at the end, I absolutely hate loose ends!!! Dana has most definitely done his research into past crimes along with police procedures and it absolutely shines!! A pet hate of mine is reading crime novels and having so many small things being obviously wrong due to authors not doing any research. This would make a heart racing movie and I for one would absolutely love to see it!! It is one of this absolutely addictive books that I just could not put down!! Each and every single time I promised myself just one more chapter it would end in a way that I just HAD to know what happened next!! This happened over and over until I had come to the mind blowing ending! I just could not put it down and had my kindle glued to my hand walking around the house and doing housework! It is also one of those books that is perfect to read wrapped up in front of a fire or reading it under the sun on a beach!! Yet another well done Dana you not only managed to shock me once but several times which is not an easy feat after reading so many crime novels!!! Dana's evocative writing skills brings the locations, surroundings, emotions and characters to life and it feels like you have been sucked into the storyline!! I shouted, screamed, laughed, smiled and even ended up shedding a few tears after a certain event so you may even want to get the tissues at the ready!! I am not the type who cries easily (unless it comes to animals, sorry humans!!) but OMG a certain part of this book had me welling up! There were several occasions where I looked up and it took me a while to work out where I was as I was so lost on the storyline!! I absolutely LOVED this brilliant start to this new series and as soon as I have finished writing this up I am off to read the second book in this series which is called 'Last One To Die' so keep your eyes peeled for my review for that book which is coming soon!!
I clicked and connected with FBI agent Detective Nikki Cassidy immediately and became completely invested in her!!! Nikki and her fantastic team very quickly became to feel like friends and I am definitely looking forward to meeting her again as soon as I start her next adventure!! My heart went out to her for how she blamed herself and I could not stand the way her mother blamed her. Nikki is determined to discover the truth about her sisters death and no threats or attacks will stop her and I love how determined and strong willed she is. I just absolutely loved her kick a**e personality and she is definitely not someone to be messed with!!! . I also enjoyed meeting many of the other characters including Alex Del Vecchio, Les Polk, Officer William (Billy) Weller, DA Tommy Thompson and several more. I was not a fan of Nikki's fiance Greg who I found to be too needy and not understanding enough of her job or Chief Frank Earnshaw who I thought was just a stubborn, childish mule (to put it nicely). Each character was unique, well defined with their own backgrounds and personalities. They were all realistic and the team dynamics were intriguing. I was devastated when I came to the end and had to say Goodbye but am definitely looking forward to meeting many of them again.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Dana on an explosive start to what promises to be an epic series!!! This is why your on my top 3.male author list!!! I cannot wait for your next promising success 🥂 !!!
Overall an addictive, gripping, explosive page turning unputdownable crime thriller that will keep you up all night!!
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and first three chapters of Dana's ' Last One To Die' which is the second book in this series. It promises to be just as addictive as this book and is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading myself. Keep your eyes peeled for my review of it coming soon!!
Overall an absolutely unputdownable, action packed, intriguing psychological thriller that will keep you up at night on the edge of your seat with a pounding heart!!
361 pages
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 for the audiobook with Audible and 8.99 in paperback via Amazon at time of review 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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March 28, 2024
This is the first book in the Nikki Cassidy series and WOW! Loved it! Nikki goes back to her hometown to find out what actually happened when her sister Caitlin was murdered . Why was she murdered? Nikki uncovers with the help of partner Alex a very sinister group that is still killing young girls. Something very dark is going on in her hometown and Nikki will not stop till she finds out. This is a very thrilling page turner, and I look forward to reading the next in the series. Don't miss out on this first book in this series!!!
March 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.
The Nowhere Girls is a well-meaning attempt at an FBI mystery that did not have enough character depth for me.
While the suspense was definitely there and I wanted to find out what happened to the missing girls, the narration from the MC's point of view felt very clinical at times, especially considering that one of the dead girls is the MC's baby sister and this is the case that is the reason for the MC's career. She also does not seem to have any deep feelings towards the people in her life apart from what she thinks she ought to feel. For example, she thinks the following about her own father's death, a father that she describes being very close to, I might add *spoiler alert* : when it is revealed that he was in fact killed and did not have a heart attack: "he had a heart condition that would have killed him anyway". That seems incredibly detached from the situation. She doesn't even bother to think about her own father's emotional state of mind. Even if he had died soon after his murder, he was incredibly close to solving the case and could have died knowing he solved the case and most probably saved a lot of girls' lives. Moreover, having heart problems does not necessarily mean immediate death. He might have had a few more nice years and the MC's mother would also not have been secluded from the world for all these years, thinking the case killed her husband.
The readers get to know a few more characters, but just like the MC, the descriptions of the characters are very surface-level. The MC has a relationship in the beginning of the book and we get to read a bit about their interactions, but ultimately we don't really get to know the MC's boyfriend, nor is there any real point to this relationship. It seems that the author thought she had to add something additional to the MC, so she came up with the boyfriend, when in fact this relationship just highlights how one-dimensional all the characters are. This book is definitely story-driven and not at all character-driven.
In the same vein, the dialogue did not seem natural to me. I read like the author decided I want the reader to know information A and B, so during the dialogue one of the characters says "A" and the next says "B". The natural flow of conversation was missing, no jokes were made or things were said that were not at least somewhat important to the story, there was also no familiarity between characters that should know each other. When the MC talks to her partner from the FBI for example, the partner mentions her child like the two of them had never talked about her child before.
Descriptions like "Medical people" and "crime people" also made it a bit harder to believe we are receiving a narration of a true "crime professional".
Spoilers:
I appreciated that the resolution of the case had some intricacies, but at the same time, it was noticeable here as well that the author's strengths do not include character building.
So supposedly Tommy Thompson was driven to murder innocent (only) children because his daughter was killed at a young age. This motivation does not make any sense and the author hides behind this fact by leaving ambiguity as to whether Thompson might have killed her himself. But what was his motivation for killing her then? And if he killed her how does it explain a motivation to kill other children like her?
This, and the fact that we don't actually know what happened to his daughter makes the ending very unsatisfying for the reader and I also felt like the book ended rather abruptly.
It seems that this is meant to be the first book in a series and these questions might be resolved later, but for me, this is not a strong enough pull for me to continue a series. The unanswered questions don't seem fundamental enough and don't create enough mystery and I don't believe the base of the story is strong enough to carry another book, let alone a whole series.
This was a 2,5 star read for me.
The Nowhere Girls is a well-meaning attempt at an FBI mystery that did not have enough character depth for me.
While the suspense was definitely there and I wanted to find out what happened to the missing girls, the narration from the MC's point of view felt very clinical at times, especially considering that one of the dead girls is the MC's baby sister and this is the case that is the reason for the MC's career. She also does not seem to have any deep feelings towards the people in her life apart from what she thinks she ought to feel. For example, she thinks the following about her own father's death, a father that she describes being very close to, I might add *spoiler alert* : when it is revealed that he was in fact killed and did not have a heart attack: "he had a heart condition that would have killed him anyway". That seems incredibly detached from the situation. She doesn't even bother to think about her own father's emotional state of mind. Even if he had died soon after his murder, he was incredibly close to solving the case and could have died knowing he solved the case and most probably saved a lot of girls' lives. Moreover, having heart problems does not necessarily mean immediate death. He might have had a few more nice years and the MC's mother would also not have been secluded from the world for all these years, thinking the case killed her husband.
The readers get to know a few more characters, but just like the MC, the descriptions of the characters are very surface-level. The MC has a relationship in the beginning of the book and we get to read a bit about their interactions, but ultimately we don't really get to know the MC's boyfriend, nor is there any real point to this relationship. It seems that the author thought she had to add something additional to the MC, so she came up with the boyfriend, when in fact this relationship just highlights how one-dimensional all the characters are. This book is definitely story-driven and not at all character-driven.
In the same vein, the dialogue did not seem natural to me. I read like the author decided I want the reader to know information A and B, so during the dialogue one of the characters says "A" and the next says "B". The natural flow of conversation was missing, no jokes were made or things were said that were not at least somewhat important to the story, there was also no familiarity between characters that should know each other. When the MC talks to her partner from the FBI for example, the partner mentions her child like the two of them had never talked about her child before.
Descriptions like "Medical people" and "crime people" also made it a bit harder to believe we are receiving a narration of a true "crime professional".
Spoilers:
I appreciated that the resolution of the case had some intricacies, but at the same time, it was noticeable here as well that the author's strengths do not include character building.
So supposedly Tommy Thompson was driven to murder innocent (only) children because his daughter was killed at a young age. This motivation does not make any sense and the author hides behind this fact by leaving ambiguity as to whether Thompson might have killed her himself. But what was his motivation for killing her then? And if he killed her how does it explain a motivation to kill other children like her?
This, and the fact that we don't actually know what happened to his daughter makes the ending very unsatisfying for the reader and I also felt like the book ended rather abruptly.
It seems that this is meant to be the first book in a series and these questions might be resolved later, but for me, this is not a strong enough pull for me to continue a series. The unanswered questions don't seem fundamental enough and don't create enough mystery and I don't believe the base of the story is strong enough to carry another book, let alone a whole series.
This was a 2,5 star read for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2024
Huntsdale! Huntsdale! Huntsdale!
Nikki Case is an FBI agent who has found social media fame after she solved the case of a missing girl. Now, she is being brought back to her hometown (you guessed it, Huntsdale) when the man convicted of murdering her sister 15yrs ago, has finally agreed to open up about the crime that devastated her family. Not only did she lose her sister that tragic day but her dad was a casualty too. He was the town sheriff, tasked with investigating the murder of his own daughter, and the stress caused him to die of a massive heart attack. These two terrible events shaped Nikki's life forever. That's why she jumps into a new investigation when another young girl goes missing, in her home town, with startling resemblance to her sister's murder. Can Nikki bring this new victim home and uncover the secrets of her sister's death that have long been buried?
The premise of this book was very appealing to me and could have worked, but for me it was a huge miss. I love a strong female lead but found Nikki to be grating. She was insubordinate, shallow (glad you didn't gain 50 pounds), self absorbed and reckless. I have no clue why she was with her fiancé beside him being rich and good looking, because they were clearly miles apart. They would be talking about her dead sister and he wants to start hooking up...weird. The other characters are fairly flat. The story is told from Nikki's POV.
I absolutely despised the writing. First off, did the author receive a kickback every time she used the word Huntsdale? It is used hundreds of times at nauseum. The author's style seems to be repeating every fact or name of a character over and over and over. Missed a detail? Don't fret it will be said a dozen more times before the end of the chapter. I considered making Huntsdale a drinking game but by the end of the book I would be in rehab. Speaking of, if you are going to use a name a million times, shouldn't it at least be correct in the book's official description? It reads Groveton.
Possible Spoilers:
The plot is weakened with too many character stereotypes (fat small time sheriff hates big bad FBI woman) and plot leaps (cases have to be linked because of a date and a rose). Did no one question why she believed the convicted murder who wants to clear up the true story but tells her nothing? There were a lot of inconsistencies in the story. For example, she would say that in a small town no one wants to talk to the FBI agent they don't know and then immediately that person would know who Nikki was and her whole backstory talking directly to her. The ending was okay with a couple minor twists.
I waited a couple of days to write a review but the more I thought about it the more I disliked.
I had the audio version read by Madeline Pell. I did not enjoy her reading. She over enunciates and has little character changes in her voice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nikki Case is an FBI agent who has found social media fame after she solved the case of a missing girl. Now, she is being brought back to her hometown (you guessed it, Huntsdale) when the man convicted of murdering her sister 15yrs ago, has finally agreed to open up about the crime that devastated her family. Not only did she lose her sister that tragic day but her dad was a casualty too. He was the town sheriff, tasked with investigating the murder of his own daughter, and the stress caused him to die of a massive heart attack. These two terrible events shaped Nikki's life forever. That's why she jumps into a new investigation when another young girl goes missing, in her home town, with startling resemblance to her sister's murder. Can Nikki bring this new victim home and uncover the secrets of her sister's death that have long been buried?
The premise of this book was very appealing to me and could have worked, but for me it was a huge miss. I love a strong female lead but found Nikki to be grating. She was insubordinate, shallow (glad you didn't gain 50 pounds), self absorbed and reckless. I have no clue why she was with her fiancé beside him being rich and good looking, because they were clearly miles apart. They would be talking about her dead sister and he wants to start hooking up...weird. The other characters are fairly flat. The story is told from Nikki's POV.
I absolutely despised the writing. First off, did the author receive a kickback every time she used the word Huntsdale? It is used hundreds of times at nauseum. The author's style seems to be repeating every fact or name of a character over and over and over. Missed a detail? Don't fret it will be said a dozen more times before the end of the chapter. I considered making Huntsdale a drinking game but by the end of the book I would be in rehab. Speaking of, if you are going to use a name a million times, shouldn't it at least be correct in the book's official description? It reads Groveton.
Possible Spoilers:
The plot is weakened with too many character stereotypes (fat small time sheriff hates big bad FBI woman) and plot leaps (cases have to be linked because of a date and a rose). Did no one question why she believed the convicted murder who wants to clear up the true story but tells her nothing? There were a lot of inconsistencies in the story. For example, she would say that in a small town no one wants to talk to the FBI agent they don't know and then immediately that person would know who Nikki was and her whole backstory talking directly to her. The ending was okay with a couple minor twists.
I waited a couple of days to write a review but the more I thought about it the more I disliked.
I had the audio version read by Madeline Pell. I did not enjoy her reading. She over enunciates and has little character changes in her voice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2024
The Nowhere Girls is a thriller and suspense novel that definitely had some great plot twists and reveals that I was not quite expecting, and kept me interested throughout. The entire storyline is centered around Nikki Cassidy, an FBI agent who lost her sister to murder years ago and the person in prison now wants to speak to her regarding the murder. While she is there, another girls body is found. The same age as her sister. Could these cases be related?
Though there were lots of twists and turns throughout this book, and I ultimately wanted to keep reading to know what happens, the main character Nikki kind of drove me a little crazy. The way she acted (kind of. like a teenage brat needing to get her way), the way they also portrayed her through other characters eyes. The way she wanted attention and how they portrayed media and going viral with an FBI agent. I just was not a fan. SO much of this story also was just way too far fetched for me. Things would happen and the book would make a simple sentence said by an FBI agent sound like it was so dramatic and like 'OMG' factor, when in reality, these are normal conversations to be had as an FBI agent. Many other things in this book just had me thinking, "umm this would never happen" or "this is so unrealistic". Also how quickly Nikki just automatically assumed so much was connected with her sister's case, and really prioritizing a personal matter over an actual real life case she was helping with? Just a smidge too unrealistic for me.
I also felt that as the story went on, things were so repetitive. Many times things were mentioned over and over like the character was rehashing in her head about this one question she had, or about the clues that she would uncover but would mention them so many times. We know she has these questions, its basically the whole point of the book. I would have loved to see more built into the story about Nikki working through said questions and clues and the investigation itself. Also there was a major lack of character development here. I think so much more could have been said about Nikki, her partner, as well as a few other characters in the story. I also hated the dynamic with her current relationship status and how she felt. Something was missing there for me and really irked me with that. I think so much more could have been written in the story regarding that.
All in all, this book was just "ok". It was a quick read and the ending was something I did not expect at all and I appreciated that twist.
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