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Emma Griffin FBI Mysteries #25

The Girl and the Secret Passage

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“They were found slain nearby campus in that gruesome manner?” After the horrific killings of two young people, the murder investigation immediately took on another twisted turn as the killings are linked to bloody and cryptic passages within books from the college library. With shocking clues leaving the local police bewildered and desperate, they called on the FBI to spearhead the investigation. Unfortunately, the killer seems to have just begun his bloodthirsty path as more students are found killed in brutal fashion. And when the rookie agent in charge of the Campus Killer case is critically injured, veteran agent Emma Griffin is tasked with putting an end to the demented serial killings. As more suspects emerge at every turn, and mysterious book excerpts continue popping up in a taunting and terrifying fashion. It seems fear and chaos hold the once bustling campus hostage. What is the meaning of the puzzling torn and bloody passages? Could the sadistic serial murderer be hiding right under her nose? They say the enemy we know is better than the enemy hidden in the secret passage...

207 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2023

649 people are currently reading
602 people want to read

About the author

A.J. Rivers

148 books1,536 followers

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5 stars
1,539 (60%)
4 stars
678 (26%)
3 stars
267 (10%)
2 stars
62 (2%)
1 star
11 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
61 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2023
Not really Emma…

75% of the book is about a different agent and Emma coming in at the end. Not much of an ending. Several poor editing issues such as mis-spelled words and incorrect words in sentences.
8 reviews
November 28, 2023
The most disappointing book out of the series

This book and a word was boring and predictable. You don’t introduce somebody into your story and then have 3/4 of the book. Be about them when you’re calling yet and Emma Griffin book I could skip 50 pages and still know what was going on. For the author to continue to explain things bit by bit about investigating in the FBI was a waste of reading. It’s the exact same thing she did at the beginning of the series with Emma. I hope this is the last one because it certainly needs to go back to being about Emma and Sam and her family.
Profile Image for Amy Mitchell.
38 reviews
January 29, 2024
Ugh

Just skip this one. I've read all of Rivers books and this has to be the worst in the series (well if every series). It was so repetitive, take out the repeats and it would be 50 pages shorter. Convoluted and a snore.
27 reviews
November 30, 2023
Dissatisfied

This book was about Agent Callan not Emma. I was expecting something else as it’s the last book written. It’s confusing the story.
9 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2024
disappointing

Not sure if this is the end of the Emma Griffin series or what. I've never been disappointed in any of these books and usually fly through them but for some reason I couldn't get into this one. Kept waiting for things to get back to Emma. Took me forever to get this one read.
Profile Image for Kaytey.
176 reviews
June 23, 2024
Read 2024 - I give this 3.5/5. There were some grammatical errors and I don’t care for the parts about Agent Callan Thorne because I read this series for Emma Griffin. Half of the book was about Callan but it wasn’t too bad.

Agent Callan Thorne is the lead investigator when two people are murdered in Richmond. More bodies are being found as she and her partner, Agent Jackson Blanchard, are investigating. All the victims have a link to Agent Blanchard but he swears he has nothing to do with it. After Agent Thorne is almost killed and ends up in the hospital, Eric calls Emma to take over. With clues being left from passages in books, it takes some time but finally Emma realizes the serial killer is this psychology instructor at the nearby university, Asher Vance.

Asher Vance is a smug, arrogant narcissist who thinks he’s God’s gift to earth and when people go against that, he kills them. He tries to pin the murders on another professor then aims to pin them on Agent Blanchard but Emma figures out it’s him and shoots him dead after killing several more people and taking a shot at her.

Callan wakes from her medically induced coma and Jackson is alive after being shot by Asher. This story was a little more predictable with the killer because of how smug Asher Vance was throughout this book and I rather read about Emma than other agents. It was still well written but not my favorite in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Liz Wright.
Author 1 book5 followers
February 13, 2024
I love the Emma series. I have read all of the books (even the Dean and Ava books, not Bella, she annoys me). I love Emma and Sam and Dean and Xavier, but reading this book gave me the "But this isn't what I paid for" feeling. The writing is still on par for Rivers' work, but there were probably 22 pages with Emma actually in them (I'm just guessing, but it wasn't a lot). Most were about a newer female agent who had been influenced to join the FBI when she saw Emma at the bus station bombing. The outcome was pretty trite and predictable. There were a few logical jumps that the characters made that weren't sufficiently detailed throughout the story for the reader to make the deduction as well.
Off to read #26 :)
417 reviews4 followers
December 2, 2023
The Girl and the Secret Passage (Emma Griffin FBI Mystery Book 25)

Where do I begin, this book starts out kind of confusing, there are 2 murders and there seems to be no connection. But as more murders occur, you start to see connections. Someone is trying to confuse you. But in the end it all makes sense. It is sad that so many people died, but it was amazing reading about how it was solved. I get really invested in the characters and the story line, I can't wait for the next book, but am totally excited and I love the anticipation of waiting for the next book. Thank you for many relaxing and exciting times.
18 reviews
March 6, 2024
redeeming agent.

This book came along for me during a very hard time in my life. I lost my husband to a brain tumor. Trying to enjoy anything was hard. FBI mystery’s were one of my favorite. The complicated characters were hard to follow until my sorrows lightened and I could appreciate the twists and turns of twisting and turning characters. I particularly liked the passionate confessions of the killer and the humility it takes to grow professionally and mentor others as their future evolves. Well done.
5 reviews
July 1, 2024
Like many other reviews say, this isnt an Emma Griffin book, but the author introducing another character that I’m sure will be another spin off. More than half of the book is from the other character’s perspective. There were a ton of type-o’s and mistakes in the kindle version, and a lot of the book felt like filler. I think the book could have been at least 50 pages shorter and still gotten the point across. I have read all of this series, along with all the spin offs, and I have to admit that I am getting bored with it. I hoped this was the book to reel me back in but it was not.
Profile Image for Natalie Jordan.
38 reviews
December 22, 2025
Amazing

I really enjoyed the new perspective of this story, it shows how diverse the author is and it also gives insights to other agents in the story. I think most importantly aside from the new perspectives I’ve particularly enjoyed how mature Emma has gotten over the years, she’s grown as a person, an agent, and a character in general. Before I would get annoyed when she’d put herself in insane situations, but now she instructs others to be mindful of those those and it makes me appreciate her more because you can see it as growth in her.
Profile Image for Tiffany nixon.
143 reviews28 followers
January 31, 2024
I just pre ordered the next two books and I’m sooooo excited for them!!!

This has been the absolute Best series I have ever read and I really hope there will be more after book 27! Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

When you think you know who did it and AJ Rivers just throws a big curve ball and you’ve never been more wrong ❤️

I highly recommend this series to EVERYONE I’m not even joking. I promise you will not regret it for a second!!
Profile Image for Karen Wright.
605 reviews4 followers
December 1, 2023
I liked this book but it was not really from Emma's point of view. At the end I found it a little confusing at times. Another female agent is on a case but gets attacked so Emma is called in. It doesn't seem to flow and work together as Emma's stories do. It definitely is not my favorite book in the series though. It's nice to have new characters but no one seems to follow rules or protocols. Honestly, I still don't know what I think about this story.
119 reviews
December 2, 2023
Mysterious

This book totally had me totally confused, in a good way. The story line keeps the reader thinking throughout the entire book. Had some trouble getting started but soon I couldn't hardly put it down and the ending was perfect and brought it all together. Just wondering if maybe a new series might be in the works.
Profile Image for Kelly Smelcer.
403 reviews
January 7, 2024
Love the new characters!

This Emma Griffin installment showcases a couple of new characters, and they're great! Hopefully this is the jumping-off point for a new series.

When people start dying on and around a college campus, FBI Agent Callan Thorpe is tasked with leading the investigation into the murders.
Profile Image for Stephanie Seifferlein.
115 reviews
April 7, 2024
As this is book 25, I enjoy reading about Emma, Sam, Dean and Xavier. The writer deviated from the others in the series and 70% of the storyline is about a different FBI agent. I don’t think I liked it. I enjoy this series because it follows the characters I feel vested in. I hope book 26 is like 1-24.
Profile Image for Garry Bell.
96 reviews
May 21, 2024
New agent, but, still Emma in the story

Little perplexed by this novel. Intro of new female agent. But, Emma came in toward the end. Writing style in this one, threw me off a little. Per my take, A little different read and feel to story. I'll stay a little reserved on this and see how the next in series is.
154 reviews
July 30, 2024
Good read

It was interesting reading this book from the perspective of another agent. I liked the story and could not put it down. The clues were hard to follow even though I was familiar with the works they came from. So it was like reading blindly in several sections. Even the character, Jackson, said he didn't get it. Overall, the book was an interesting read.
Profile Image for Tracy (The Complicated BookSnob).
78 reviews4 followers
May 30, 2025
Introducing a new character?

I was not prepared for this introduction and was pretty annoyed since I was reading about and strictly for Emma but hold on to your seats. I’m a big fan of Callum and I’m a bigger fan of the introduction to her. This is never what I expected and this story was perfectly placed.
399 reviews4 followers
November 27, 2023
Loved this

As always...any Emma Griffin story is great! This is a very good storyline...I enjoyed it all the way through. The characters were terrific and I liked having some new ones. You will enjoy it too. Promise.
207 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2023
Growing on me

This was less of an Emma Griffin book than I expected. Emma almost seemed like an afterthought when she finally arrived. However, the book and the crime were intriguing and I enjoyed it very much.
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,622 reviews8 followers
December 13, 2023
I missed something

The title doesn’t make sense to me, but then I read through quickly.

This one held my interest, although I didn’t see where Callan’s thought processes led her into getting attacked and injured
139 reviews
December 14, 2023
great way to bring a new character in

I liked the way we had a new agent working the case that was eventually taken over by Emma. This one had us trying to figure out what direction to go with.
1,507 reviews7 followers
December 17, 2023
The Girl and the Secret Passage

OMG. This is the best mystery series that I read. This series is always exciting and keeps you in suspense until the very end. Each new book always keeps me in suspense. Can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend this book and series.
2 reviews
December 23, 2023
A.J. Rivers did it again!

A.J. Rivers books has never disappointed me. I take every chance I can to read even if its just for a few minutes here and there. I highly recommend this series and the others to anyone who enjoys reading a great mystery.
122 reviews
February 21, 2024
Not Rivers best.

The story line was alright but not really an Emma Griffin story, she was more like an accessory who finished up the investigation. I think Emma is running out of steam.
Profile Image for Colleen Criswell.
Author 94 books11 followers
March 17, 2024
I love the Emma Griffin books but this was not really an Emma Griffin book imo. Yeah she shows up at the beginning and end , but it was more focused on this new agent. It made it harder for me to read.
Profile Image for Katie.
145 reviews2 followers
July 11, 2024
had me guessing

Book 25 had guessing and guessing who the killer was when Emma had the help out the new agent because she was in a coma and Emma had to take it over and found out who the killer was just blow me away
Profile Image for Nadine Younger.
124 reviews4 followers
August 14, 2024
Enjoyed the introduction of Callan

Another enjoyable read in the Emma Griffin series. Good character development, and some interesting twists. Would like to have had more info on the back story of Jackson….. maybe I’m getting ahead of myself?
230 reviews
October 23, 2024
good series

Have read all of the books in this series,so far. Very hard to put down, and not only a good FBI mystery series but also a great love, family story. Looking forward to more adventures of Emma Griffin.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

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