I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Wildfire Girl by Carolyn Arnold Also by this author: The Little Grave, Stolen Daughters, The Silent Witness, Black Orchid Girls
Series: Detective Amanda Steele #11
Also in this series: The Little Grave, Stolen Daughters, The Silent Witness, Black Orchid Girls
Published by Bookouture on 20th June 2024
Genres: Crime, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 356
Format: eARC
Source: from Netgalley
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle
The woman panics as the thick smoke starts to curl under the locked door. She can’t breathe and desperately tries to open the window, but it’s been sealed shut. Falling to the floor, she finally accepts there’s no way out of this room alive. And as her vision starts to fade, she prays she dies before the flames find her.
When human remains are discovered behind a dumpster in Woodbridge, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele rushes to the scene. Her heart drops when she arrives and is hit by the unmistakable stench of gasoline. Soon, her worst fear is the victim was burned alive.
With only an engraved gold wedding band surviving the blaze, Amanda knows it could be days before they have a confirmed ID. But when her partner Detective Trent Stenson arrives, he pales at the sight of the ring, recognizing it as belonging to his Aunt Gertrude’s husband, Don.
Trent is convinced his aunt isn’t involved, but as more is unearthed about her troubled relationship with her husband, and she fails to provide an alibi, Amanda isn’t so sure. Desperate to prove his aunt’s innocence, Trent soon discovers someone from Don’s past is back in Woodbridge—someone who wants revenge. But Amanda and Trent are shaken to their core when that person is discovered brutally murdered.
Convinced the cases are linked, Amanda knows she has to find the cold-blooded killer before they strike again. And as Trent becomes even more emotionally entangled in the case, she’s terrified he could become the next victim…
Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the 11th book in the series but it is not necessary to have read the previous books. Carolyn provides enough information that if you hadn’t read them you wouldn’t be completely lost.
If you have read the previous books then you will know of Trent’s aunt and her abusive husband. This case is very personal to Trent. Amanda has to keep him on a short leash to ensure justice is served. This causes quite the conflict for the two especially given their past. The case was quite an interesting one. Given Don’s life he’s not exactly someone you feel sorry for and want justice for. I did however really want to know what happened to him. I was eagerly turning page after page to find out the truth.
I really felt for Amanda in this book. She has a duty to her job and both Logan, her boyfriend, and Zoe, her daughter, made her feel guilty for doing so. Sadly this is the life of a cop. Bad guys aren’t going to just commit crimes 9-5 and I felt like they were really trying to make her choose. I get that its hard for them but it’s also hard for Amanda.
This book was another excellent addition to the series. It’s fast paced and I seriously struggled to put it down! If you are looking for a police procedural with high stakes and personal involvement then this is for you!
About Carolyn Arnold
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2024 Goodreads Challenge
- 2024 Netgalley Challenge
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