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The Girl in the Sand
Shallow graves scar the desert landscape. A cemetery in the sand. Some of the lost are never found.
Thousands of girls go missing every year in Las Vegas. Taken. Bought and sold. Or worse.
And now the dead are calling.
These lost girls summon FBI Profiler Violet Darger to Sin City -- a new case. There are fresh dead to sort through -- two bodies burned beyond recognition in the trunk of a sedan -- and there’s reason to believe that there are missing girls waiting to be saved.
Rumors swirl that a legendary killer is responsible for these crimes. An escaped prisoner with a personal grudge against Darger -- one who wants her and her partner dead. One who disappeared for 20 years.
But the desert is full of deadly secrets -- horrors waiting beneath the sand.
If Darger finds the killer in time, the girls will live. If not…
Thousands of girls go missing every year in Las Vegas. Taken. Bought and sold. Or worse.
And now the dead are calling.
These lost girls summon FBI Profiler Violet Darger to Sin City -- a new case. There are fresh dead to sort through -- two bodies burned beyond recognition in the trunk of a sedan -- and there’s reason to believe that there are missing girls waiting to be saved.
Rumors swirl that a legendary killer is responsible for these crimes. An escaped prisoner with a personal grudge against Darger -- one who wants her and her partner dead. One who disappeared for 20 years.
But the desert is full of deadly secrets -- horrors waiting beneath the sand.
If Darger finds the killer in time, the girls will live. If not…
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2018
8419 people are currently reading
1491 people want to read
About the author
L.T. Vargus
52 books1,093 followersLex Vargus is the co-author of over 20 thriller and horror novels.
FIND LEX ON:
Amazon - Twitter - LTVargus.com
BOOKS BY LT VARGUS
The Violet Darger series
The Victor Loshak series
The Charlotte Winters series
FIND LEX ON:
Amazon - Twitter - LTVargus.com
BOOKS BY LT VARGUS
The Violet Darger series
The Victor Loshak series
The Charlotte Winters series
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 447 reviews
July 16, 2018
Not good! I'm sorry for all of you that were hoping to find an interesting book series to start reading this summer. I do not recommend this one. I was ok with the book until somewhere in the middle when the 2 main characters started acting like they were 12 years old and never worked in the FBI before. Who in the world, jumps into a serial killers truck (unnoticed by the killer) then hides out and rides in the truck for a very long time, without calling for backup or help!!! She (the trained FBI Agent) conveniently waits until the killer stops the truck in a remote location that "of course" has no cell phone service.
I got so tired of the inept characters I had a hard time finishing the book. I don't expect super hero efforts, just some simple common sense would have been good.
I got so tired of the inept characters I had a hard time finishing the book. I don't expect super hero efforts, just some simple common sense would have been good.
April 2, 2018
Wow. This is the best book in the series so far! I just finished it and I'm already wishing I had another book so I can find out what happens to Violet and Loshak next. It's really a bummer that it's over. I'm about to make a bad joke, so brace yourself. ok? OK.
Violet should change her last name to DANGER.
ok I'm really sorry about that.
But seriously, folks, this book has me shook. I stayed up three nights in a row to read it, and I regret nothing! If you're a new reader you're in for a treat, because you get to binge and binging is the best.
A couple things stand out when I think about why I love these books. First of all, the dialogue. It's hard to master really good, believable dialogue. I'm not a writer but I am a reader, and I know it's hard because so many authors miss the mark with dialogue. It just feels like you're reading a book when the characters talk. And really, it's not supposed to feel like that. It's supposed to feel like a real conversation. And these authors nail it every single time.
Another thing. I love horror. That's my specialty. I'm not really into crime fiction. But these books are kind of a nice combination of crime fiction and horror. Ok nice might not be the right word to use. How about gruesome. Or thrilling? Terrifying? Gripping? They're all that. They suck you in right away. And you just can't put them down until it's over. And then you wish you could read the next one immediately. They're pretty much perfect. Like a large, fresh, warm pizza. Delicious and satisfying.
If you've read any books by L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain, you know how they have this way of getting inside people's heads and expressing complex ideas in a really believable way. That's probably my favorite thing about them. It's also the main reason I wouldn't advise crossing them. Because anybody who can get inside the mind of a killer like they do? Well, I wouldn't want to get on their bad side.
And that's the sickest part isn't it? Their stories always show how much we have in common with the monsters. How close we really are. It's not as far as you think to the other side. You can glimpse evil in the bathroom mirror. You can find it without even leaving home.
So buckle up, kids, and hold on tight. It's gonna be a hell of a ride.
ps. if you haven't read the supplemental mini books in between these, you really should. They add a lot to the whole experience.
Violet should change her last name to DANGER.
ok I'm really sorry about that.
But seriously, folks, this book has me shook. I stayed up three nights in a row to read it, and I regret nothing! If you're a new reader you're in for a treat, because you get to binge and binging is the best.
A couple things stand out when I think about why I love these books. First of all, the dialogue. It's hard to master really good, believable dialogue. I'm not a writer but I am a reader, and I know it's hard because so many authors miss the mark with dialogue. It just feels like you're reading a book when the characters talk. And really, it's not supposed to feel like that. It's supposed to feel like a real conversation. And these authors nail it every single time.
Another thing. I love horror. That's my specialty. I'm not really into crime fiction. But these books are kind of a nice combination of crime fiction and horror. Ok nice might not be the right word to use. How about gruesome. Or thrilling? Terrifying? Gripping? They're all that. They suck you in right away. And you just can't put them down until it's over. And then you wish you could read the next one immediately. They're pretty much perfect. Like a large, fresh, warm pizza. Delicious and satisfying.
If you've read any books by L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain, you know how they have this way of getting inside people's heads and expressing complex ideas in a really believable way. That's probably my favorite thing about them. It's also the main reason I wouldn't advise crossing them. Because anybody who can get inside the mind of a killer like they do? Well, I wouldn't want to get on their bad side.
And that's the sickest part isn't it? Their stories always show how much we have in common with the monsters. How close we really are. It's not as far as you think to the other side. You can glimpse evil in the bathroom mirror. You can find it without even leaving home.
So buckle up, kids, and hold on tight. It's gonna be a hell of a ride.
ps. if you haven't read the supplemental mini books in between these, you really should. They add a lot to the whole experience.
October 18, 2021
Darger and Loshak are so well matched, bouncing off of each other with petty jibes and well intentioned criticisms. Reading a new story is like checking back in with absent friends.
Previous titles have been brutal and fast paced but also a but light hearted, mixing sarcasm into the storyline, developing the characters we love so much.
This time around, things have gone a lot darker. The whole story is a lot tenser and the feeling is of approaching dread. Following a trail of victims and clues from previous murders, Loshak and Darger have to pull out all of the stops to tackle a worthy adversary from their past - but at what cost?
Previous titles have been brutal and fast paced but also a but light hearted, mixing sarcasm into the storyline, developing the characters we love so much.
This time around, things have gone a lot darker. The whole story is a lot tenser and the feeling is of approaching dread. Following a trail of victims and clues from previous murders, Loshak and Darger have to pull out all of the stops to tackle a worthy adversary from their past - but at what cost?
March 21, 2018
Reading a Violet Darger novel always feels like coming home to an old friend—we hang out, we drink some coffee, we talk about her and Loshak’s personal lives, we interview victims’ families, we chase down some serial killers—all the stuff you normally do with your friends, except better. More exciting. So exciting, in fact, that I usually stupidly start reading them at ten o’clock at night, thinking I’m just going to check out the first chapter or two before bed, then realize at five in the morning my kindle says I’ve only got ten percent left to go and I can’t put it down, I HAVE to know what happens. The Girl in the Sand was no different. A flock of wild crowbars couldn’t pry this book from my hands. Darn you, Violet, always getting into trouble the second I start to think it might be safe to turn in for the night!
In addition to giving us a glimpse into the lives of our favorite FBI criminal profilers, Darger’s books also help us connect with the most overlooked element in the serial killer equation: the victim. The Girl in the Sand takes this to a whole new level, fully immersing us in Emily’s fight to survive the most feared serial killer in Las Vegas history, Leonard Stump. Emily’s no overpowered protagonist or cliched whore with a heart of gold. She’s just a woman who caught Stump’s eye, the next victim in his inevitable killing spree.
While Darger and Loshak are chasing leads and burning cars across Vegas, Emily’s fighting for her survival and her sanity at Stump’s hands. There’s no way she can win, but she keeps fighting because sometimes just not losing is the closest you can get to victory. In a way, that’s both horrifying and inspiring…which is why I have about fifty passages from her chapters highlighted. In addition to writing incredible, action-packed suspense, Vargus and McBain toss off gems of truth like it ain’t no thang to bring the disturbing realities of the world into such sharp relief.
The Girl in the Sand takes everything the Violet Darger stories have been building on, then cranks that to eleven and blows all the speakers. There’s a point during one of Loshak’s chapters where he muses that every desperate act springs from a fatalism in the person committing it. Well, it’s probably a good thing Darger didn’t hear him think that, because it doesn’t get much more fatalistic than that climax or more desperate than Darger’s last stand. If your pulse isn’t pounding by the time the showdown with Stump ends, then you need to see a cardiologist immediately.
In addition to giving us a glimpse into the lives of our favorite FBI criminal profilers, Darger’s books also help us connect with the most overlooked element in the serial killer equation: the victim. The Girl in the Sand takes this to a whole new level, fully immersing us in Emily’s fight to survive the most feared serial killer in Las Vegas history, Leonard Stump. Emily’s no overpowered protagonist or cliched whore with a heart of gold. She’s just a woman who caught Stump’s eye, the next victim in his inevitable killing spree.
“They always say ‘it could happen to anyone,’ but in a way, I think it’s better said, ‘it actually happens to someone.’ Every awful thing, every tragedy, every nightmare—it happens to someone. A person. A real live human being.” … “This time, it’s us.”
While Darger and Loshak are chasing leads and burning cars across Vegas, Emily’s fighting for her survival and her sanity at Stump’s hands. There’s no way she can win, but she keeps fighting because sometimes just not losing is the closest you can get to victory. In a way, that’s both horrifying and inspiring…which is why I have about fifty passages from her chapters highlighted. In addition to writing incredible, action-packed suspense, Vargus and McBain toss off gems of truth like it ain’t no thang to bring the disturbing realities of the world into such sharp relief.
The Girl in the Sand takes everything the Violet Darger stories have been building on, then cranks that to eleven and blows all the speakers. There’s a point during one of Loshak’s chapters where he muses that every desperate act springs from a fatalism in the person committing it. Well, it’s probably a good thing Darger didn’t hear him think that, because it doesn’t get much more fatalistic than that climax or more desperate than Darger’s last stand. If your pulse isn’t pounding by the time the showdown with Stump ends, then you need to see a cardiologist immediately.
June 26, 2018
This is probably one of the best books yet from L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain.
The story follows FBI agent Violet Darger as she arrives in Las Vegas, in pursuit of serial killer Leonard Stump, who has apparently emerged from retirement and resumed killing after a 20-year hiatus.
I don't want to give spoilers, so I will go light on details, but this book held me spellbound while I was reading it. I literally could not put it down, and was up until 4:00 am because I *HAD* to find out how it ended.
I liked the fact that they didn't resort to "deus ex machina" at the end. I don't want to spoil the ending, but it's very suspenseful, and it's a pet peeve of mine when authors put characters into impossible situations and then pull some unbelievable gimmick out of thin air to miraculously extract them and save the day. That's not the case in this book, and that's all I'm going to say about that.
I would recommend that people read the books in order. This book builds upon previous books, and someone trying to read this as a stand-alone novel would likely feel lost.
The story follows FBI agent Violet Darger as she arrives in Las Vegas, in pursuit of serial killer Leonard Stump, who has apparently emerged from retirement and resumed killing after a 20-year hiatus.
I don't want to give spoilers, so I will go light on details, but this book held me spellbound while I was reading it. I literally could not put it down, and was up until 4:00 am because I *HAD* to find out how it ended.
I liked the fact that they didn't resort to "deus ex machina" at the end. I don't want to spoil the ending, but it's very suspenseful, and it's a pet peeve of mine when authors put characters into impossible situations and then pull some unbelievable gimmick out of thin air to miraculously extract them and save the day. That's not the case in this book, and that's all I'm going to say about that.
I would recommend that people read the books in order. This book builds upon previous books, and someone trying to read this as a stand-alone novel would likely feel lost.
March 17, 2018
If you like Criminal Minds, then I highly recommend the Violet Darger Series. In my opinion you need to start with the first book The Dead End Girl. Now on with my review. This is the third book of the Violet Darger Series. This book starts where the last one ended. This is full of suspense, mind bending drama and lots of action. I could not put it down. This book is not as grisly as the first two, but the blood was not needed. There were three stories going on, the kidnapped girl Emily, the last victim Claire and Darger and Loshak. Sometimes this caused the book to lose some of the flow. L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain certainly know how to write action packed, suspenseful books. It was interesting seeing how strong the women in this book were. They never gave up. In my opinion if you like suspenseful books then I would highly recommend. I received an ARC edition for my honest and voluntary review.
March 19, 2018
This latest Violet Darger story takes the reader on the hunt for Leonard Stump. Vargus & McBain have filled this story with nonstop action, lots of insight into the various characters and Stump’s motivations for his killings. They were able to elicit a number of emotions on my part as I was reading this book from suspense, relief and outright anger.
While having read the previous Violet Darger stories provided a good backstory in Darger and Loshak’s relationship, this book stands on its own and would be an excellent introduction to Vargus & McBain’s Violet Darger stories. One note of caution, this is one of those books that grabs you from the start and is incredibly hard to put down once you start reading.
I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide this review.
While having read the previous Violet Darger stories provided a good backstory in Darger and Loshak’s relationship, this book stands on its own and would be an excellent introduction to Vargus & McBain’s Violet Darger stories. One note of caution, this is one of those books that grabs you from the start and is incredibly hard to put down once you start reading.
I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide this review.
May 4, 2018
Great storyline, but....
So I have read all three, and I get so irritated when women are made to look stupid in books. The fight scene at the end was dynamic, but the fact an FBI agent would forget her gun when searching for a serial killer is ridiculous, and then not use your phone to call for backup before you're in the boonies, really? Where was Darger's backup firearm? Well, the story was good.
So I have read all three, and I get so irritated when women are made to look stupid in books. The fight scene at the end was dynamic, but the fact an FBI agent would forget her gun when searching for a serial killer is ridiculous, and then not use your phone to call for backup before you're in the boonies, really? Where was Darger's backup firearm? Well, the story was good.
March 18, 2018
Full disclosure - I was provided with an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the authors but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own. The Girl in The Sand is scheduled for a March 22, 2018, release.
Face to Face with a Killer
The Girl in the Sand is the follow up to last year’s “Killing Season” and follows FBI agent Violet Darger and her partner Victor Loshak as she is called out to Las Vegas to assist her partner in a chilling discovery. Set in the old stomping grounds of Violet’s serial killer obsession, the bodies have once again started reappearing. While not unusual in a city where an average of three people goes missing on any given day, this new rash of departed bears many markings of the murders attributed Leonard Stump almost 20 years ago. As Violet investigates, she unearths several clues that would suggest that not only are the new killings indeed the work of Loshak’s old nemesis but that he may have gone “underground” all these years; hiding in plain sight while satisfying his murderous urges. Violet and Loshak set to undertake an operation that may very well head off the infamous killer but leaves both dangerously exposed.
The Girl in the Sand is the third full novel in the Violet Darger Series of novels, but if you count last year’s shorts, The Last Victim, and Image in a Cracked Mirror, this is actually the fourth time we have had a novel, or a story related to this cast of characters.
As The Last Victim sets up Loshak’s presence in Las Vegas with him interviewing “the one that got away”, The Girl in the Sand continues that narrative as Leonard Stump resurfaces after two decades to continue his gruesome killing spree right in the face of a massive law enforcement operation to catch him and bring him to justice.
So, this is definitely an intense read from start to finish, and both Violet and Loshak find themselves in situations that could definitely be considered life ending. I can think of at least three instances where I found myself yelling at my kindle as a choice was made that placed one of the two characters in jeopardy. But, as is the case with these two, they run headlong into the melee without a thought of themselves. There is definitely closure for Loshak and Violet in the end, but there is also so much more than I can see to be done with not only this dynamic duo but also the slippery, sinister Leonard Stump in future episodes of this series. If you have yet to read the previous books in this series, you will still be able to enjoy this one without feeling lost, but if you want the full backstory then you should also check out the prior books Dead End Girl and Killing Season. I guarantee it will be time well spent.
Face to Face with a Killer
The Girl in the Sand is the follow up to last year’s “Killing Season” and follows FBI agent Violet Darger and her partner Victor Loshak as she is called out to Las Vegas to assist her partner in a chilling discovery. Set in the old stomping grounds of Violet’s serial killer obsession, the bodies have once again started reappearing. While not unusual in a city where an average of three people goes missing on any given day, this new rash of departed bears many markings of the murders attributed Leonard Stump almost 20 years ago. As Violet investigates, she unearths several clues that would suggest that not only are the new killings indeed the work of Loshak’s old nemesis but that he may have gone “underground” all these years; hiding in plain sight while satisfying his murderous urges. Violet and Loshak set to undertake an operation that may very well head off the infamous killer but leaves both dangerously exposed.
The Girl in the Sand is the third full novel in the Violet Darger Series of novels, but if you count last year’s shorts, The Last Victim, and Image in a Cracked Mirror, this is actually the fourth time we have had a novel, or a story related to this cast of characters.
As The Last Victim sets up Loshak’s presence in Las Vegas with him interviewing “the one that got away”, The Girl in the Sand continues that narrative as Leonard Stump resurfaces after two decades to continue his gruesome killing spree right in the face of a massive law enforcement operation to catch him and bring him to justice.
So, this is definitely an intense read from start to finish, and both Violet and Loshak find themselves in situations that could definitely be considered life ending. I can think of at least three instances where I found myself yelling at my kindle as a choice was made that placed one of the two characters in jeopardy. But, as is the case with these two, they run headlong into the melee without a thought of themselves. There is definitely closure for Loshak and Violet in the end, but there is also so much more than I can see to be done with not only this dynamic duo but also the slippery, sinister Leonard Stump in future episodes of this series. If you have yet to read the previous books in this series, you will still be able to enjoy this one without feeling lost, but if you want the full backstory then you should also check out the prior books Dead End Girl and Killing Season. I guarantee it will be time well spent.
March 6, 2019
One Trick Pony
I’m always up for a good mystery series, and I really wanted to like this one. Sadly this is read one, you’ve read them all experience. The formula: Pick a city and a serial killer. Bring in the female FBI profiler and her partner. Read overly long, overly descriptive passages of killer’s mind dialogue and of victims’ thoughts and body responses. Violet (woman FBI profiler) ends up in clutches of serial killer and, against all, beyond-ridiculous odds—being shot in the head in this one, for example —emerges victorious over said serial killer, in every single book.
An essential element of good storytelling is the story being real within its context. One agent having one such experience in a 30-year career is unbelievable on its face. That one agent would have three in a few months is beyond preposterous.
Very disappointing.
I’m always up for a good mystery series, and I really wanted to like this one. Sadly this is read one, you’ve read them all experience. The formula: Pick a city and a serial killer. Bring in the female FBI profiler and her partner. Read overly long, overly descriptive passages of killer’s mind dialogue and of victims’ thoughts and body responses. Violet (woman FBI profiler) ends up in clutches of serial killer and, against all, beyond-ridiculous odds—being shot in the head in this one, for example —emerges victorious over said serial killer, in every single book.
An essential element of good storytelling is the story being real within its context. One agent having one such experience in a 30-year career is unbelievable on its face. That one agent would have three in a few months is beyond preposterous.
Very disappointing.
September 15, 2018
Holy-moley! Whadda read. I haven’t read anything as tense and suspenseful as this in a long time. And the writing duo of Vargus - McBain just keep cranking up the suspense until you’re totally freaking out. I’m not gonna tell you what happened, but it just knocked my socks clean off. Then there’s the Big Finish. Gadzooks! I could hardly stand it.
When I reached the 50% point I was doomed to finish without stopping. It’s a page-turner for sure. I call it an excellent psychological thriller. It’s the third book in the series. That’s where I started. Now I have to go back and read the previous ones. No problem there.
Thanks so much for a really top-notch read!
Cheers and Happy Reading!
JIM in MT (Adam James)
When I reached the 50% point I was doomed to finish without stopping. It’s a page-turner for sure. I call it an excellent psychological thriller. It’s the third book in the series. That’s where I started. Now I have to go back and read the previous ones. No problem there.
Thanks so much for a really top-notch read!
Cheers and Happy Reading!
JIM in MT (Adam James)
March 20, 2018
Well, Vargus and McBain have given us another twisty, gut wrenching thrill ride. Loshak and Darger are once again on the prowl, getting the crap beat out of them, making new “friends”, meeting up with “old friends” and providing us with all around general mayhem. These two authors just keep getting better and better. They have a way of pulling you in and making you feel like you know the main players on a personal level. There were a few “holy crap” moments that literally had me holding my breath. I love Darger and Loshak and that’s because of the way McBain and Vargus bring them to life. I highly suggest you grab a copy and get ready to be in the middle of an insanely on edge thriller.
March 21, 2018
Beautifully written....snappy and hard-hitting, as always! If you haven't read anything by them, you're an idiot. Go buy something now! Hard to put down...and really, what more can you ask of a thriller? It stands on it's own two feet but is part of a series. Do yourself a favor and get the whole group of the Violet Darger series so you won't have to waste time buying the early ones once you've gotten hooked. ;)
I got an ARC, but I love their writing so much that I bought a copy too. They are THAT GOOD.
I got an ARC, but I love their writing so much that I bought a copy too. They are THAT GOOD.
March 15, 2018
Wow this just gets better and better.Violet Dagger is one tough agent.She goes after a known serial killer who has escape and starts killing again.One of his victim Emily is a stronger person than even she knows .This is not for the faint of hearts. This is action from beginning to end.I can't get enough of this woman,she is what every woman should want to be.A fighter to the end. No spoiler alerts,but the end is only the real beginning for Violet Darger.
March 21, 2018
I won't give any spoilers or too many details on this latest adventure of our favorite two FBI agent.
This is the best book of the series so far. It is a page turner and at times so intense that I had to take a breath before turning a page. This book really makes a star of Violet but not so much of her partner, although I am sure that the working relationship will change in their next case. You will know what I mean after reading The Girl in the Sand.
An excellent read worthy of five stars!
This is the best book of the series so far. It is a page turner and at times so intense that I had to take a breath before turning a page. This book really makes a star of Violet but not so much of her partner, although I am sure that the working relationship will change in their next case. You will know what I mean after reading The Girl in the Sand.
An excellent read worthy of five stars!
March 16, 2018
The third installment for the Darger Loshak series is a good one. Mind numbing suspense. A real pager turner. I highly recommend this very suspenseful novel and pretty much anything else by this dynamic author team. Great read!
August 31, 2019
The first two books in this series were good and while the writing was not par excellence, it kept my attention. There was the random typo or grammatical whoops, but I still enjoyed the stories. The main characters, FBI agent and profiler Violet Darger and her partner, Agent Loshak, did the distrust dance around one another for an entire book before they were able to find any connection, but I still liked them.
But after finishing The Girl in the Sand, I am ambiguous about continuing with the series. The characters made so many stupid mistakes (Violet, gun, phone. Seriously??) and the story focused a large chunk of narrative real estate on the victims and their kidnapper. The POV of one of the victims is written in present tense, which kind of baffled me because the rest of the cast is past tense. The kidnapper, whose name we learn way too soon in the story, spends a lot of time telling his hostage his psych history and why he does what he does. And he does some really wacked out things.
Then halfway through the book, both agents take right turns from one another and are separated in the story. Violet's story makes sense even though her behaviour makes the reader want to send her back to Quantico so she can relearn the basics of agent safety. Chekhov wrote that one must never place a rifle onstage unless it will be used. Violet's corollary: if you put down your gun, it will be left behind.
At the same time Violet is paying for her gross negligence, Loshak's storyline adds very little to the plot except it distracts him from the fact he hasn't heard from Violet in a really long time. And it was a very very long plot line.
So I spent the last quarter of the book skimming just so I would get to the end. The ending does add an element that could be interesting in the following books, but I think I'll take a break for now.
But after finishing The Girl in the Sand, I am ambiguous about continuing with the series. The characters made so many stupid mistakes (Violet, gun, phone. Seriously??) and the story focused a large chunk of narrative real estate on the victims and their kidnapper. The POV of one of the victims is written in present tense, which kind of baffled me because the rest of the cast is past tense. The kidnapper, whose name we learn way too soon in the story, spends a lot of time telling his hostage his psych history and why he does what he does. And he does some really wacked out things.
Then halfway through the book, both agents take right turns from one another and are separated in the story. Violet's story makes sense even though her behaviour makes the reader want to send her back to Quantico so she can relearn the basics of agent safety. Chekhov wrote that one must never place a rifle onstage unless it will be used. Violet's corollary: if you put down your gun, it will be left behind.
At the same time Violet is paying for her gross negligence, Loshak's storyline adds very little to the plot except it distracts him from the fact he hasn't heard from Violet in a really long time. And it was a very very long plot line.
So I spent the last quarter of the book skimming just so I would get to the end. The ending does add an element that could be interesting in the following books, but I think I'll take a break for now.
March 13, 2018
This next book in the in the Darger/Loshak series is an intense, page turner. It picks up where the the last book left off. Loshak in Las Vegas and has Darger on the way. Losak has traced the case of his life there. Sure that he's found Leonard Stump again,a serial killer he's been chasing for 20 years. But proving that will cost not just them, but others a price that may be too high for all involved to pay.
The local police don't believe the team. Though they are standing at the scene of a current murder that has every sign of a Stump killing. They refuse to believe that he's still killing at his age. This new horrific killing is not going to be released in the news it's Vegas. It's bad for business after all. Besides, it was just a couple of hookers.
After Darger uncovers a grisly crime scene that they can tie to one of the first killings where a victim got away. They have to agree, he's not just still killing he's slaughtering women in a large number. As the search for Stump is conducted. It will lead both Loshak and Darger to the most dangerous night of their lives.
The local police don't believe the team. Though they are standing at the scene of a current murder that has every sign of a Stump killing. They refuse to believe that he's still killing at his age. This new horrific killing is not going to be released in the news it's Vegas. It's bad for business after all. Besides, it was just a couple of hookers.
After Darger uncovers a grisly crime scene that they can tie to one of the first killings where a victim got away. They have to agree, he's not just still killing he's slaughtering women in a large number. As the search for Stump is conducted. It will lead both Loshak and Darger to the most dangerous night of their lives.
April 6, 2018
The girl in The sand is a High octane thriller in the top order best way to describe it
this book started and took off and didn't stop the Author has given us 3 top serial killer Books with this one the last
sort of hope our author gives us a sequel
a Five star read
this book started and took off and didn't stop the Author has given us 3 top serial killer Books with this one the last
sort of hope our author gives us a sequel
a Five star read
February 28, 2025
I'm going to be honest, to me personally, this book was ok. but I guess I had more expectations, I mean Stump was mentioned so much in the last few books, built up so much that...this kinda fell flat for me.
January 24, 2025
These books just keep improving in this series. This was the best one yet. Special Agents Loshak and Darger are pulled in to an investigation that may bring Loshak back to the one that got away. 20 years ago Loshack was after a serial killer named Leonard Stump. Believing that Stump was out of action for 20 years, but after finding a mass grave in the deserts around Las Vegas they now know this wasn't true. He just changed his MO. He would abduct two girls at the same time, when he was through he would place the girls in a trunk of a car and set the car on fire. But for twenty years after he escaped from prison he layed low and just buried the two abducted girls in the desert for twenty years. He has returned and started burning the girls again to say hey I'm still here. For either Loshak or Darger it might just be a fight to the death. I recommend you read this one. The ending is amazing and very unexpected. 2 thumbs up on this one.
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September 6, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (9/6/2018)!💝
Blurb:
Shallow graves scar the desert landscape. A cemetery in the sand. Some of the lost are never found.
Thousands of girls go missing every year in Las Vegas. Taken. Bought and sold. Or worse.
And now the dead are calling.
These lost girls summon FBI Profiler Violet Darger to Sin City -- a new case. There are fresh dead to sort through -- two bodies burned beyond recognition in the trunk of a sedan -- and there’s reason to believe that there are missing girls waiting to be saved.
Rumors swirl that a legendary killer is responsible for these crimes. An escaped prisoner with a personal grudge against Darger -- one who wants her and her partner dead. One who disappeared for 20 years.
But the desert is full of deadly secrets -- horrors waiting beneath the sand.
If Darger finds the killer in time, the girls will live. If not…
Blurb:
Shallow graves scar the desert landscape. A cemetery in the sand. Some of the lost are never found.
Thousands of girls go missing every year in Las Vegas. Taken. Bought and sold. Or worse.
And now the dead are calling.
These lost girls summon FBI Profiler Violet Darger to Sin City -- a new case. There are fresh dead to sort through -- two bodies burned beyond recognition in the trunk of a sedan -- and there’s reason to believe that there are missing girls waiting to be saved.
Rumors swirl that a legendary killer is responsible for these crimes. An escaped prisoner with a personal grudge against Darger -- one who wants her and her partner dead. One who disappeared for 20 years.
But the desert is full of deadly secrets -- horrors waiting beneath the sand.
If Darger finds the killer in time, the girls will live. If not…
October 15, 2025
It was fine. A pretty average detective novel. The worst thing was that it is written from three different women’s point of view and the chapters switch between them. The author would mention the girl’s name exactly once at the beginning of each chapter and then only “she” through the entire chapter. And they do not have unique voices. So I spent half the time trying to figure out who I was following. Really annoying once they all end up in the same place.
April 7, 2018
I was excited to read this because I enjoyed the previous books in the series & I was not disappointed at all! This was great! It was gritty & disturbing, of course, but so great to revisit these characters. During the last 1/4 of the book I couldn’t put it down! Looking forward to the next installment.
March 9, 2022
The first book in the series was about a troubled teenage girl with an FBI badge. She behaved so stupidly that the person was interesting. It was more fun than a thriller, but I decided to read another book. I finished the third book now. Darger is still a troubled lady with serious problems, but she doesn't behave like a total dumbass anymore. I can't say that the third story is plausible, but it is fun to read. There are again WTF moments, no spoilers this time, and I liked the twisty ending. If you want an easy-to-read thriller with a detective with “I am responsible for everything” complex, read this book.
January 6, 2021
Just when I thought the series couldn’t get any better, I read a page turner. Wow- great thriller. But you need to read the previous books! Enjoy.
December 23, 2020
Another great book in the Darger series. Girls are going missing in Las Vegas and all the clues point to Darger’s nemesis from the past, Leonard Stump. This book is loaded with action, lots of surprises, some bone chilling events, and just what you expect in a Darger novel. An excellent book.
December 22, 2020
Gripping
Thriller that will keep you guessing about this serial killer. Have me the willies. Give you nightmares. Had to read it in spurts. Gets into your psyche.
Thriller that will keep you guessing about this serial killer. Have me the willies. Give you nightmares. Had to read it in spurts. Gets into your psyche.
March 26, 2018
I had a ton of fun reading The Girl in the Sand. It's dark, twisty, and quirky--all the things you'd expect from a Vargus and McBain book. Even though it's part of a series, you don't have to read the books in order to understand what's going on. I highly recommend The Girl in the Sand to people who enjoy thrillers with well-developed characters that mess with your mind. I couldn't stop thinking about this book after I put it down, and I look forward to reading whatever is next in line from these authors.
December 17, 2020
Omgoodness.
This is the first of this series I have read. Wow! I am blown away with the plot twists and ending.
This is the first of this series I have read. Wow! I am blown away with the plot twists and ending.
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