The Girls Across The Bay

Knox and Sheppard #1

by Emerald O'Brien

Filled with emotion and packed with tension, The Girls Across the Bay is the first book in The Knox and Sheppard Mysteries. Lovers of Tess Gerritsen, Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot, Allison Brennan, Melinda Leigh, and Meghan O'Flynn are sure to enjoy this gripping, heart-wrenching, and unpredictable series by bestselling author, Emerald O'Brien.

A bond stronger than blood.

Madigan Knox and Grace Sheppard became sisters the day they entered their foster home. After living through a childhood nightmare, one brave act set them free, but split them apart into different homes.
As adults, they are reunited in the small coastal town they dreamed of living in as children, but the reality of life in Tall Pines is far from what they had imagined.

A connection that could end it all.

When a woman is found dead in her home, Madigan reports on the crime while Grace investigates. A dark connection to the victim is discovered, pulling them both closer to the crime and the traumatic past they are desperate to move on from.
With old wounds ripped open and dark secrets threatening their bond, the sisters must rely on each other more than ever before to survive.

"Dramatic and tense... For fans of Rizzoli and Isles and Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk." -Meghan O'Flynn, bestselling author of the Mind Games series

"... a clever and thrilling mystery with plenty of intrigue, suspense, and dramatic moments." -Goodreads Review

"I was hooked from the very beginning..." -Goodreads Review

"Love this series... couldn't put them down!" -Kristy Cantrell

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Amazon

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2017

About the author

Emerald O’Brien is a Canadian writer who grew up just east of Toronto, Ontario. She studied Television Broadcasting and Communications Media, and graduated from the program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.

When Emerald is not reading or writing unpredictable stories packed with suspense, she loves baking, bonfires, binging Netflix shows, and spending time with family.

A horror movie enthusiast, Emerald can be found watching them at the movie theatre with her best friend or while cuddled up on the couch with her favourite snacks.

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Reviews

[Greta Cribbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went back and forth a bit in deciding how to rate this book. I've finally decided on five stars because I realized that the little things I was getting hung up on while reading it were truly little things. When I stepped back and looked at the big picture, what I found was an engaging story with likeable characters set in a beautiful location. What more could I want?

Yes, I thought Mac was a little too crotchety to be believed, but Grace and Madigan were beautifully written, as were Evette and John. Yes, I felt that some aspects of the police investigation were glossed over and parts of it seemed rushed, but I was compelled to keep reading because I needed to know all the connections between the characters. The personal drama between the two main characters and their former foster family made the book a page-turner for me, and the way it all came together at the end was fantastic.

The author did a wonderful job of weaving the backstory into the narrative. Some data dumps are inevitable when writing a story in this way, but this book managed to avoid having too many of them. And when I did come across one in the course of reading, I was intrigued rather than annoyed. Finally, I was getting some answers! And because they were spread throughout the book rather than all being clustered together at the beginning, there was plenty of time to become engrossed in the story before getting plunged into stuff that happened in the past.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read murder mysteries.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. It was fast paced, and very exciting. I didn't figure out who the murderer was...It revolved are two young girls that were sent to the foster home from hell....Wow... looking forward to the next in the series.

[BookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s disappointing when an author shows potential but a book is published without going through enough edits, which I believe is the case here. The plot and storyline were terrific and kept me wondering about the mystery until the end, but my positive reading experience was significantly diminished with this one. Typos, awkward phrasing, incorrect subjective pronouns, inconsistencies, repetition and the overuse of “alright," which isn't even a word, are all things I might have overlooked in light of this quality of storytelling.

What I couldn’t get beyond was the author's use of excessive introspective dialogue of the main characters, written in first person and italicized to set it apart, in a third person narrative. At best it was distracting and annoying, occurring on just about every page, and a worst it was insulting to the reader’s intelligence. It eliminated any need for the reader to make suppositions or draw any conclusions because thoughts were stated and then reiterated, just in case we didn’t get it the first time.

In spite of this I persevered and plodded along to finally find out who the killer was. Grace and Madigan were well constructed characters and I enjoyed the small-town setting. I liked the characters and setting well enough that I would be interested in reading the next book in the series, provided it is styled differently. If it will be similar to this one, I’ve had a sufficient dose of frustration and disappointment that I’m left with after reading what could easily have been a five-star read with a bit more editing.

*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/18/2019)! 🎁

[Rachel Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sat on the edge of my seat until the very end! Great characters, the storyline and detective work were spot on. The story progressed throughout, giving us just enough to want more and I loved trying to figure out the case right along with the sisters. They had better detective skills than me, as they figured it all out before I did, lol. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series and can't wait until its release!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a good intricate plot. But I felt there wasn't enough differentiation between the two main characters. Grace and Madigan were too much alike. And the 'thoughts' after much of the action and speeches were too numerous, often not clear who they belonged to and way over-explained. The author needs to give the reader more credit for understanding the situation and import without the "this is what she means" stuff.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dazed and confused"

My first problem was I struggled with understanding the plot. Then I wondered why it read like a cozy murder mystery at first, but everything about the blurb told me it was definitely not cozy. I was dazed and confused by halfway. It wasn't that it was badly written or that I couldn't identify with the characters. Maybe it was just one of those books that wasn't meant for me.

[Maureen Hetzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many twists in this book. A key clue happens early but will it be noticed? Many family dynamics involved too which adds to the drama. A satisfactory read but in my estimation not As special as it could have been.

[Betsy Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

I absolutely love this author! He is one of my favorites! I'm so glad that there is five in this series now and hopefully they keep going!

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blimey, this was hard work !! Totally confusing and I gave up with it in the end at 28%. I hadn't realised till it was too late that I'd tried another book by this same author last year and again I gave up as it was plain baffling to me !!! I need to pay better attention in future for sure. The idea sounded really interesting, though.
One of the girls had lost an adoptive brother yet we learn that although it was 11 years before, we're not informed how old she was at the time. Her adopted parents then relocated but we've no idea what happened to her then or whether she was old enough to fend for herself ??? And I kept flicking backwards and forwards trying to figure it out but there's no mention of how old she is in the present day so I couldn't even figure it out that way. Then a policeman has a whole conversation with a cafe proprietor about someone called Martha and we're left hanging here as well. We've no idea who she was or what has happened to her, so why even mention her ? Highly irritating.
Chick was spelt as chic, there were apostrophes in the wrong places, this line is just horrible English, "There is a chance this was accident," Lazy-Boy should read La-Z-Boy, I've no idea what the Seventh is but one minute it was capitalised and on another page it isn't. A chap breaks up with a girl he deems unfaithful as she kissed another chap, despite the fact she pushed him away......yet a couple of pages later he says, "Why would I fight with her ? It wasn't her fault some jerk didn't take no for an answer !!"
I reached a point where a policewoman leaves a building after gathering colleague statements and she notices file 6 is missing in her folder.......and then once she is back in the police station she is in her coworker's office and, "She leaned over the desk and grabbed Mickey's sixth file that had been tucked under one of John Talbot's files." Confused ???????? I was as well, and totally fed up once I read this. It just made no sense whatsoever. It's like the author forgets she hasn't told us something and just assumes we know what the hell she's referring to !!
I certainly won't be trying anymore by her, I'm afraid.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m curious if all these 5 star reviewers have read a book before. A twisted plot that makes no sense and constant italicized internal monologue.

Two sisters who are not really sisters are the main characters. Grace and Madigan. We know that much about them. Nothing else. Their age, where this is taking place, their appearance, we learn none of this. There’s a Jack and a Joe and a John and honestly every character in the book is as bland as those names.

I see this is the first of a series and I hope for everyone’s sake things got better as the books progressed, but I won’t be giving this author another minute of my precious reading time.

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GIRLS ACROSS THE BAY by Emerald O'Brien has an excellent red herring in the storyline that I didn't see coming until BAM! I'd been sideswiped. I love it when that happens. A great lineup of characters — O'Brien had me rooting for the underdog. I recommend this book.

[Meghan O'Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dramatic and tense--the first in the Knox and Sheppard series will keep you reading if you're into police procedurals with a crime-fighting sisters twist. For fans of Rizzoli and Isles and Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girls Across the Bay - a review by Rosemary Kenny


Book one in Emerald O'Brien's Knox and Sheppard series is The Girls Across the Bay, the fine, inspirational story of two girls who've become foster sisters in a dreadful, abusive situation and the way they overcome their shared nightmare, plus the after-effects as the situation changes with the imprisonment of their abusive foster-father Eli and later the encounter with a previous foster-child, who like the younger of the two girls was eventually adopted by the couple. Having been removed from the residence, one girl goes on to become a journalist and the other a police officer.
I like the variety of scenarios that link the girls when they end up living in the same small town of Tall Pines and the flashbacks that make sense - however disturbing - of past situations and nightmares. Yet even finding their 'brother' - now suspect in a new murder investigation - plus visiting their former foster-mother - raises more questions, doubts and suspicions.
Who is telling the truth - or only a twisted version of it? Who has most to lose by revelations that follow further encounters?
Can the sisters work together or will the journalist frustrate and hamper the police investigation?
An exciting murder-mystery thriller from Emerald O'Brien, The Girls Across the Bay gives nothing away in its innocuous title, but what lies within will shock and enthrall the reader like no other book you may read this year...don't miss it!

[Bonnye Reed]

TheFussyLibrarian

[Todd McPencow · Rating 5 out of 5]

An other great book my Emerald O'Brien. Great new characters, fast action and unpredictable. Can't wait until the 2nd book comes out.

[Melissa Levine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okay story. It was slow at times, in my opinion, and it took me a good while to finish it.
All the inner dialogue, wow! What was the author thinking? In my opinion, the amount of inner dialogue used goes along with someone who isn’t confident in their writing skills, as in the more they use the less confident they are. In this case, they aren’t sure if the reader will “get” how Harper or Madigan feels, so they include more obvious details, I guess you could say. The editor or anyone else who’s good at picking up on little things in stories should have helped the author with that problem.

While the ending was a nice surprise, the fact that a fair amount of their evidence was questionable. First, the witness who’d seen Valerie with another man. Yes, the girls ended up with a stuffed bunny similar to the one Valerie had been seen carrying. But there was no proof of it being the same bunny, and there was no proof that Eli had been the man with her. John’s word against Eli’s. It was all circumstantial. Second, when Grace accuses Evette of having killed Valerie, again there was no point; it was just her theory. I’d be curious as to how a case like this would go in real life.

Questions/Comments:

Mac is able to walk inside a strangers house (John’s and Lily’s house) and is able to tell that nothing was stolen. How?

Madigan is outside, down the street, from Evett’s house. She wants to go in and talk to her and John. “She had planned to pretend it was a regular visit…” That would make no sense given Madigan has never visited and had only just done her first visit to Evett’s since she was eleven a day or two prior.

I found it questionable that Mac was all about facts (“I like to work with facts”), no hypothetical questions, scenarios, etc. Yet, in reality, he’s all about hypothetical…stuff (“There’s a possibility John came home late”).

“Covered or uncovered. Doesn’t matter to the ones who view women as less than.” Grace thought this after noticing a customer of Thom Hank’s checking her cleavage out. I’m wondering why the author would have used the phrasing she did – view women as less than. Do women not check out the opposite sex (or whatever sex they’re into)? Everyone checks out other people, whether they realize it or not.

Grace is told by John that he hasn’t dealt drugs in a long time. So why when she meets up with Mac again, she informs him that John had been dealing, as though recently, hence he wanted to stop and “get out?”

Lily’s parents arrive at the police station: “and this has just been deemed a murder investigation.” Hadn’t they already figured it was a murder? Anyway, Grace ends up thinking that Lily’s mother “must have thought it could have been an accident.” Huh? Her mother never thought it was an accident. What was Grace smoking? Lily’s mother had told her since day one that it had been murder, that John had killed her daughter.

Will figures the best time to propose to Madigan is after a time period of her being distant from him and never saying she loved him? That makes sense.

Why was it that not until around 80% did I find out the story wasn’t taking place in the US? I saw that a couple of words, here and there, were spelled differently (favourite), yet it wasn’t until after Grace mentions how Leah had wanted to go to the US to stay with her stepsister that the truth came out. Where was the story taking place in? This is an issue I have with writing. If the story is going to take place in another country, please use terminology that is common to that country as opposed to writing strictly “American.” Given the characters aren’t American, I now imagine they’d have an accent of some kind.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madigan Knox and Grace Sheppard were innocent girls placed in the foster care system. Together they created a bond as close if not closer than sisters could ever get. The girls were made to do things no child should be forced to do while in the system. Then one night something happened that split them apart. When they become adults they both re-unite in the town of Tall Pines. Madigan is a reporter and Grace is an investigator. When a woman is killed, old wounds are opened that could cause big problems for both Madigan and Grace. The author wrote this story with emotion so strong you will feel it. I would give this story more than five stars if possible. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. The review is of my own opinion, but don't take my word for it....get it and read it for yourself.

[Madilynn Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girls across the Bay (The Knox and Sheppard Mysteries, Book 1) by Emerald O’Brien

5-Stars

The Girls across the Bay by Emerald O’Brien was an excellent mystery novel. I loved the two sisters Grace and Madigan. They were both very strong and determined females. The author did a magnificent job with their development and I loved the background she provided on them. I hate that they were separated for a time while in foster care while they were young but I felt it really helped play into their strength. I also really enjoyed the flow of this novel and descriptive scenery. I found it easy to place myself in the characters shoes to visualize what was happening. This novel is definitely worth the 5-stars and I highly recommend. I look forward to reading more from this author as well as from this series.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story that has you wanting to read more. Two people united and then separated. Loved it from the first page. Suspense to the end.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

The Girls Across the Bay is the first book in the Knox and Sheppard series by Emerald O’Brien. It is quite a clever and thrilling mystery- with plenty of intrigue, suspense, and dramatic moments. I was definitely caught up in the web of intrigue, wondering at all the possibilities, looking for clues, and being suspicious of everyone and everything- all while hunting for the killer. The story twists and turns, which left me guessing- and when I thought I finally had everything pinned down, BAM, another twist.
This proved to be quite a complex and multi-layered storyline, with several threads playing out at the same time and throughout Ms. O’Brien orchestrated everything quite seamlessly. A couple of minor issues for me were that there were moments where the story was a little slow, such as in the beginning as the foundations were being laid out. And there was a lot of inner dialogue from the two main characters, whose perspectives drive the story. Madigan and Grace had been through quite a lot, but through it all had formed such a close bond, which still stood strong after all the years. But some of their inner dialogue was quite negative and defeatist- and I understand why it was written that way, but knowing didn’t make it any less frustrating (for me). And at the same time, I really felt for them and wanted to tuck them under my wing and ‘mother’ them.
I liked that we got to see the characters grow and develop a little over the course of the story, and I hope that they will continue to do so through the rest of the series. I will definitely be reading the other instalments in the series- to see what’s in store for the characters next. I like the ‘direction’ the storyline seems to be heading in, which holds a lot of promise for the other books books.

Thank you, Ms. O’Brien!

[E.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girls Across The Bay (Knox and Sheppard #1) by Emerald O'Brien was a pretty okay read that kept me reading and engaged.

I very much got sucked into this book right away, I loved the cold open, and the way the first sister was introduced. We get to see her passion and get some dark back ground on her. Told in duel POV, we actually get inside both of the sisters heads, and I loved that the author choose to go that path. It added a nice layer of complexity that draws you in.

Now, I will say that when the sisters were together I had a bit of a time trying to separate their voices, and inner dialogue. It was hard to keep track of, and I had to do some rereading to get it all straight in my head. The transitions were a little rough, there was no break you could say, thus making the reading choppy and a little disconnecting. Sometimes the best way for transitions is to put a physical break in, like a symbol, to let the reader know that one scene has ended, before jumping into the next. Quick cut jumps only work in TV/Movies.

Other than that, I loved the plot and the mystery. It was compelling, well thought out and entertaining. I loved the sisterly connection and the strong bond they shared. It was for me the true highlight of this suspenseful read. There was wit mixed with darkness, that drives this story, and the tone has a bit of that heart pounding urgency that you can't help but get addicted to. This book will have you on edge, and have you piecing the clues together with them. I'm fully committed to these two sisters, and I will be checking out more from not only this series, but this author as well.

With that said, this book gets my high recommendation and my stamp of approval.

Happy Reading

-E.A. Walsh

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Don’t give up—on the kids or the front page. It might take some time, but she’ll come around. You’ve got a great eye for detail and you bring heart to this paper.”

Madigan and Grace became each other’s “family of choice” when they were dumped into the foster system as kids. Find the weakness, the flaw, and note the strength. It may be the only thing Maddie took away from her stint in foster care, but its gotten her noticed as a reporter.

Grace lost everything in her attempt to save a woman. Despite the effort she put forth, the most heartbreaking loss could never be reversed or changed.Now,back in Tall Pines, she’s begun working with the small police department and found keeping a low profile might be her best idea.

Can Madigan and Grace overcome the past and work together to help solve a case? Or will that same past implode their renewed friendship?

Two women who were in foster care together as children work together to solve a mystery. Seen from the perspective of each - a newspaper reporter and a police detective- the reader sees how Madigan and Grace react to the clues as they appear in the course of the investigation. This book needed a really good editing before it was released. I’d keep putting it down and picking it up, hoping it would get better, but it kept distracting from the story. And it got so disappointing I’m sorry, I gave up. It’s a good story if it was cleaned up, otherwise, I give it 3 stars.

[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]

[Rhonda Pulk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girls Across the Bay (The Knox and Sheppard Mystery Book 1)
By Emerald O’Brien
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Emerald O’Brien takes a look into the lives of three small town residents as they dig into a mysterious death of a local housewife. The past shows its ugly head as unusual clues and coincidences tie them to a second mystery. As the investigation continues, they find that their own childhood nightmare is somehow linked to the crime.
Grace has overcome many obstacles from her childhood to get to where she is today. She is a police detective who is all about the job. So when one fatal mistake finds her struggling to stay on the job, she finds herself starting over in Tall Pines.
Madigan is a reporter for the local newspaper. She finds herself in a daily struggle to get that elusive front page story. Thane, her nemesis, is the editor go-to reporter and he always seems to be just one step ahead of Madigan.
John is a troubled soul who finds his whole world turned upside down when his wife is found murdered in the living room of his home. His past and some mistakes have made him the prime suspect in a crime he couldn’t have committed, or could he?
The author uses easy to read storytelling and unique characters to draw and keep our attention. Her descriptions help to make the characters real and you can almost feel the emotions that they are experiencing. The story unfolds at a quick pace, making this page turner hard to put down. I am excited to read the second book! I highly recommend this book!

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will you allow the past to destroy the new life that you have built? Grace & Madigan both grew up in foster care and that is where they both learnt that evil does exist. They were lucky enough to escape but the damage was done and now they are both drawn back into the past. Grace knows that she has to prove to her new partner that one mistake doesn't make her a bad cop she has to live with knowing that someone died because of her actions. She knows that this is going to be a hard new experience and she knows that she has so much to make up for. She was undercover for so long and she wasn't able to keep in contact with Madigan and she knows that she hurt her. She hopes that she can make up for it but she can't share what happened yet. Madigan knows that something bad happened but she can't push Grace to share until she is ready. She hopes that they can repair their relationship. She has just been given a chance at getting her story on the front page of the local newspaper, unfortunately, she has to work with another writer but nothing goes to plan and she is about to find out that the past doesn't stay hidden for long. She has found someone from the past and she hopes that he isn't guilty. Can she prove that John didn't murder his girlfriend but she knows that she saw him all those years ago with a body but will he tell her the truth? John knows that he is in alot of trouble but how does he rove that he is innocent? Will they find the truth about the past and what really happened? Can Grace forgive herself? Will the past be put to rest for the last time? A good read.

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girls Across the Bay (The Knox and Sheppard Mysteries Book 1)
By: Emerald O’Brien
5 out of 5 stars

The story The Girls Across the Bay (The Knox and Sheppard Mysteries Book 1) by Emerald O’Brien is a wonderful mystery book. I was hooked from the very beginning and I didn’t want to put it down until I had read the last page. It is a story that had me turning pages in order to find out what happens next. I enjoyed reading about the characters of Madigan Knox and Grace Sheppard. They became sisters when they lived in a foster home and a strong bond formed between them. They live through a nightmare and then they are split up. Years later they are reunited in a small coastal town. When a young woman is found dead Grace is the one that investigates the crime. What happens next opens old wounds and secrets are revealed. What happened to the young woman who was found dead? Is the bond between Grace and Madigan strong enough to withstand the rumors and secrets? How much danger are Grace and Madigan in? Read this book to find out. This is a story that takes you on a journey that keeps you guessing. The book has scenes that are intense. There is suspense and mystery. I grew to care about Grace and Madigan with each chapter that I read. They had been through so much and I couldn’t help but have empathy for them. There is also emotional moments and dialogue. Don’t miss out on a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. It is a story I would highly recommend reading.

[Mommy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an edge of your seat, can't put it down thriller for me. The characters were great, the story and the detective work was very interesting. The story progressed and giving us just enough to want to keep reading right until the end. I loved trying to figure out "whodunit" and the sisters had better detective skills than me because I was totally off! I am not a big fan of detective novels but with this one being told in two POV - Medigan the reporter and Grace the detective - I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading the second book in the Knox and Shepperd series that was published this year!

Here's a quick synopsis: Madigan and Grace became sisters the day they entered their foster home. After four years of living in a childhood nightmare, one brave act set them free but they were split into different homes. As adult, they are reunited in a small coastal town they dreamed of living when they were kids. When a woman is found dead in her home, Madigan reports on the crime while Grace investigates it. A dark connection is discovered and pulling them closer to the crime and their traumatic past they are desperately trying to forget.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emerald O'Brien for my electronic copy.

[Kerry Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girls Across the Bay by Emerald O’Brien if the first book in the Knox and Sheppard Mysteries series. This is an intriguing book that will keep you guessing right to the very end.
From the moment I read this story I was hooked. I wanted to know what was going on and how everything was going to connect. I found myself trying to guess what I thought the outcome would be – I can definitely say I was wrong! I also felt that the book had really strong characters. Madigan and Grace were such strong characters that, for me, they definitely carried the whole book. They had such a depth to them and I really felt like I connected with them both immediately.
My only niggle about this book was that it would have been nice to get fewer descriptions of the characters thoughts. Although I am one of those who absolutely loves to be able to get inside the minds of the characters I do also like to be given the chance to “fill in the blanks” so they say. I had such a strong sense of personality with the characters that I don’t think so much input was needed from the author. However, this didn’t put me off the book at all – it was just my personal preference of how I like books to be constructed – and I will certainly be reading more in this series.

[DianaRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is full of twists, turns and suspense - exactly what you want in a crime novel. The plot and storyline were terrific and kept me wondering about the mystery until the end. My reading experience was diminished with typos, awkward phrasing, misused pronouns, repetition and the overuse of the misspelled word, alright. Therefore only 4 stars.

Madigan and Grace grew up in the foster care system. At age 4 they find themselves in a nightmare foster home. In an effort to survive, they forge a strong bond, declaring themselves sisters forever. Years after being separated, they find each other again: Madigan's a struggling journalist looking for her first big story, Grace is a police detective looking to prove herself in a new town. They begin investigating a murder from their own respective work angles.

I'm already looking forward to the next book featuring these strong and determined women. I highly recommend this crime story!!

What's next for Madigan, Grace, Jack, Mac and John?? I hope I'll be chosen to review the next book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book and am posting a review voluntarily.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give The Girls Across the Bay (The Knox and Sheppard Mysteries Book 1) by Emerald O'Brien, 5 stars.

Madigan and Grace met in foster care when they were young and have been sisters ever since. Madigan is a reporter but is frustrated with her job. Grace is a cop who has ended up in a small town since an incident in the city. The two are struggling, but are stronger together. When a murder happens in their small town, the two try to figure out just what happens. But the more they find out, the more it looks like things from their past may be lurking. Will they get to the bottom of it? At what cost?

I really enjoyed this book. Both women have struggled in life, they're very complicated characters. This makes this book so much more interesting. The other characters just round a good whodunit even more. The story itself is quite interesting too. There are so many twists and turns, which always makes for a great murder mystery. Not to mention all the possible suspects, but you will never know just what happened until the end. I cannot wait to read more of this series.

If you enjoy suspense murder mysteries with strong female main characters, this book is for you.