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The Taken Girls
Someone is watching them…
When a missing teenage girl reappears unharmed but pregnant, the case falls to DI Edina Ogborne, the newest recruit of Canterbury Police. But Ed’s already got her hands full with a team who don’t want her, an ex who won’t quit, and terrible guilt over a secret from her past.
As Ed investigates the case, she discovers Canterbury has seen this crime not once, but several times before. And when Ed and her detectives encounter missing historic police files, falsified school records, and Ed’s new lover as a prime suspect, it becomes clear that the system has been corrupted.
Can Ed find the kidnapper behind these depraved crimes before he strikes again? Or has time already run out?
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2018
367 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 20, 2018
3.5☆ A Unique Crime Plot
(Rounded down to a 3☆ for Amazon and Goodreads)
The Taken Girls is a debut book in a new crime fiction series.
I had mixed feelings when reading this book.
I found the beginning introduction to DI Ed Ogborne a little disjointed. I felt at times, it was like I was reading a second or third book, and I wasn't being given the full story.
Don't get me wrong it's ok to keep the reader guessing but when it's a new Book I want to be able to warm to my characters quiet quickly.
But Ed wasn't a particularly likeable character. She is a deeply flawed Character, makes plenty of poor choices which lead to her being kicked out of the MET. Unfortunately she doesn't really redeem herself, that said she was a good detective.
The story is about kidnapped girls who disappear then they are bought back to discover they are pregnant. Which I know is all very odd. It's rare an abducted person is returned.
I thought the premise of this story was intriguing, unique and handled really well.
The pace was slower than I'm used to with crime fiction reads. I feel that the length could of been shorter as it felt as times parts were drawn out.
But I did enjoy the suspense between the abducter and Lucy.
It certainly kept me guessing as to who the abducter was.
Overall this was a well written, good debut novel with a unique crime story with interesting characters.
I do believe it has the potential to be a really good crime fiction series. I just would of liked it to be a bit faster paced, more gripping suspense and tension, but that is just my personal taste for this genre.
I'm intrigued to see what's next for this new series.
Thank you to Avon books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/1...
(Rounded down to a 3☆ for Amazon and Goodreads)
The Taken Girls is a debut book in a new crime fiction series.
I had mixed feelings when reading this book.
I found the beginning introduction to DI Ed Ogborne a little disjointed. I felt at times, it was like I was reading a second or third book, and I wasn't being given the full story.
Don't get me wrong it's ok to keep the reader guessing but when it's a new Book I want to be able to warm to my characters quiet quickly.
But Ed wasn't a particularly likeable character. She is a deeply flawed Character, makes plenty of poor choices which lead to her being kicked out of the MET. Unfortunately she doesn't really redeem herself, that said she was a good detective.
The story is about kidnapped girls who disappear then they are bought back to discover they are pregnant. Which I know is all very odd. It's rare an abducted person is returned.
I thought the premise of this story was intriguing, unique and handled really well.
The pace was slower than I'm used to with crime fiction reads. I feel that the length could of been shorter as it felt as times parts were drawn out.
But I did enjoy the suspense between the abducter and Lucy.
It certainly kept me guessing as to who the abducter was.
Overall this was a well written, good debut novel with a unique crime story with interesting characters.
I do believe it has the potential to be a really good crime fiction series. I just would of liked it to be a bit faster paced, more gripping suspense and tension, but that is just my personal taste for this genre.
I'm intrigued to see what's next for this new series.
Thank you to Avon books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/1...
December 17, 2018
This is a debut novel featuring DI Edina Ogborne who is stationed at the Canterbury police force. Ed (Edina) has just been transferred to Canterbury from the Met. She investigating the abduction of a sixth form schoolgirl, Lucy Naylor. As the investigation progresses, they discover links to two other abductions.
I was intrigued straight away when I read the blurb for this book. An "abducted girl" that looked like it was going to be different to similar stories. The first half of the book was good but the second half felt a bit flat. There is more repetition in this story than there is action. The story is drawn out a bit, but then again, authors with many books under their belt are guilty of doing this as well. With a little bit more tension, this would have been a better read. Overall, it's a fairly decent debut novel. I will read more from this author in future.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author G. D. Sanders for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was intrigued straight away when I read the blurb for this book. An "abducted girl" that looked like it was going to be different to similar stories. The first half of the book was good but the second half felt a bit flat. There is more repetition in this story than there is action. The story is drawn out a bit, but then again, authors with many books under their belt are guilty of doing this as well. With a little bit more tension, this would have been a better read. Overall, it's a fairly decent debut novel. I will read more from this author in future.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author G. D. Sanders for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2019
This is an exciting new novel by new author G.D.Sanders, and is one to look out for in the future.
In this novel a missing teenage girl reappears unharmed but pregnant and the case is given to DI Edina Ogborne, the newest recruit of Canterbury Police. New girl Ed is already struggling to win over her new team and further personal secrets from her past.
When Ed investigates the case she discovers Canterbury has seen this crime several times before. And when Ed and her detectives encounter missing historic police files, falsified school records, and Ed’s new lover as a prime suspect, it becomes clear that the system has been corrupted.Ed needs to find the kidnapper behind these depraved crimes before he strikes again, but time is running out.
A very good debut novel.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In this novel a missing teenage girl reappears unharmed but pregnant and the case is given to DI Edina Ogborne, the newest recruit of Canterbury Police. New girl Ed is already struggling to win over her new team and further personal secrets from her past.
When Ed investigates the case she discovers Canterbury has seen this crime several times before. And when Ed and her detectives encounter missing historic police files, falsified school records, and Ed’s new lover as a prime suspect, it becomes clear that the system has been corrupted.Ed needs to find the kidnapper behind these depraved crimes before he strikes again, but time is running out.
A very good debut novel.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2018
The Taken Girls, the first novel in the DI Edina "Ed" Ogborne series set in Canterbury, is a tale of duplicity and secrets, but I'm afraid it fell flat for me. The premise sounded unique and interesting and could've equated to a compelling read, however, there was a real lack of tension, and I never found myself all that bothered about following the investigation or finding out what had happened and who the perpetrator was. What would've helped significantly in making the story exciting and compulsively readable is if it had been edited and shortened as it felt as though it dragged rather a lot and that had an effect on the ability to create suspense. There were also a lot of times when it became annoyingly repetitive.
That said, it was well-written it just could've done with a large number of pages removed. One of the biggest issues was that I wasn't particularly fond of Ed Ogborne as a character as her private life indicated that she merely stumbled from one calamity to another. She's an astute and tenacious investigator though but appears to exhibit classic narcissistic traits. There were also quite a few sexual encounters that I found completely out of place and gratuitous. The characters really need to be more fleshed out, and I hope that learning more about Ed in future books will change my opinion of her.
Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
That said, it was well-written it just could've done with a large number of pages removed. One of the biggest issues was that I wasn't particularly fond of Ed Ogborne as a character as her private life indicated that she merely stumbled from one calamity to another. She's an astute and tenacious investigator though but appears to exhibit classic narcissistic traits. There were also quite a few sexual encounters that I found completely out of place and gratuitous. The characters really need to be more fleshed out, and I hope that learning more about Ed in future books will change my opinion of her.
Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
October 18, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy of The Taken Girls, a debut novel featuring DI Edina “Ed” Ogborne of the Canterbury Police.
Ed is about to start her new job as Detective Inspector in Canterbury following a transfer from the Met when teenager Lucy Naylor is abducted. Keen to get off on a good foot she starts early and plunges into the case but there is little to go on. When Lucy turns up a month later, pregnant and unharmed, like two others before her, the team are still struggling to identify the perpetrator and his motive.
The Taken Girls is a bit of a mixed bag. It is a long novel and could do with a bit of a prune because, while the plot premise is interesting and unusual, the execution is slow, ponderous and, at times, repetitive. It means that there is little sense of tension or urgency and the novel lacks the oomph of a compulsive read so I found it easy to put down in favour of doing something else. The narrative switches between Ed’s investigation and Lucy’s ordeal during her abduction, not my favourite narrative style as it is distracting and interrupts the momentum. I like the author’s depiction of the abductor which is unusual and novel but perhaps not as penetrating and chilling as it could have been. The investigation is well handled with small developments and setbacks in every chapter, mixed in with the usual politics and differing priorities.
I can’t say that I took to Ed Ogborne. She is obviously a smart, intuitive investigator but she seems to lurch from one poor decision to the next in her personal life. She dismisses it as impulsiveness, to the disengaged observer it always follows a few shandies.
The Taken Girls is a solid read.
Ed is about to start her new job as Detective Inspector in Canterbury following a transfer from the Met when teenager Lucy Naylor is abducted. Keen to get off on a good foot she starts early and plunges into the case but there is little to go on. When Lucy turns up a month later, pregnant and unharmed, like two others before her, the team are still struggling to identify the perpetrator and his motive.
The Taken Girls is a bit of a mixed bag. It is a long novel and could do with a bit of a prune because, while the plot premise is interesting and unusual, the execution is slow, ponderous and, at times, repetitive. It means that there is little sense of tension or urgency and the novel lacks the oomph of a compulsive read so I found it easy to put down in favour of doing something else. The narrative switches between Ed’s investigation and Lucy’s ordeal during her abduction, not my favourite narrative style as it is distracting and interrupts the momentum. I like the author’s depiction of the abductor which is unusual and novel but perhaps not as penetrating and chilling as it could have been. The investigation is well handled with small developments and setbacks in every chapter, mixed in with the usual politics and differing priorities.
I can’t say that I took to Ed Ogborne. She is obviously a smart, intuitive investigator but she seems to lurch from one poor decision to the next in her personal life. She dismisses it as impulsiveness, to the disengaged observer it always follows a few shandies.
The Taken Girls is a solid read.
December 14, 2018
Arriving at a new posting in Canterbury, DI Edina ‘Ed’ Ogborne is thrust straight into the middle of a big case - a young woman has gone missing. It’s quickly apparent that the case bears similarities to a similar one from four years ago, and Ed must try to integrate with a new team which resent her arrival and try to solve the case before a tragedy occurs.
The villain in The Taken Girls is an interesting character, one who experiences no sexual desire for his victims, just an obsession with having children. The young women taken are kept in captivity, never see their captor’s face, but are well treated for several weeks until their release. Soon after, they discover they are pregnant, which is a unique twist in this sort of crime novel I hadn’t heard of before. Because of the nature of the crime, I had my suspicions from early on about who the perpetrator was which were proved correct, though the author did plant lots of red herrings to try and keep the reader guessing until the very last minute.
As a protagonist, Ed is fascinating but it’s hard to feel empathy for her, mainly because for a supposedly smart woman she shows absolutely deplorable judgement when it comes to her personal life and particularly the men in it. Forced out of the Met because of an affair with a married man, which I have to admit made me dislike her immediately (I despise adultery) she promptly gets involved with another sleazebag without even making an effort to discover if he’s married or not. I wanted to shake some sense into her, I’m afraid.
There were some pretty toxic tropes surrounding the villain as well, with him blaming his mother and sister for everything he’d become. Fortunately he wasn’t the only character in the book behaving badly, with a network of wealthy and influential men proving to be doing some pretty terribly things too; this was the part that most disappointed me, that Ed didn’t get the chance to roll up this old boys’ network as a side benefit of her investigations.
There’s a lot of repetition and since the book is set in 2012, it seems a little ‘dated’ in regards to technology usage, particularly CCTV. I’m a little surprised the editorial team didn’t get the author to update it as well as tighten up the prose and rewrite Ed as somewhat more relatable.
All in all, an interesting story let down by poor characterization and a lack of editing. Three stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGallley.
The villain in The Taken Girls is an interesting character, one who experiences no sexual desire for his victims, just an obsession with having children. The young women taken are kept in captivity, never see their captor’s face, but are well treated for several weeks until their release. Soon after, they discover they are pregnant, which is a unique twist in this sort of crime novel I hadn’t heard of before. Because of the nature of the crime, I had my suspicions from early on about who the perpetrator was which were proved correct, though the author did plant lots of red herrings to try and keep the reader guessing until the very last minute.
As a protagonist, Ed is fascinating but it’s hard to feel empathy for her, mainly because for a supposedly smart woman she shows absolutely deplorable judgement when it comes to her personal life and particularly the men in it. Forced out of the Met because of an affair with a married man, which I have to admit made me dislike her immediately (I despise adultery) she promptly gets involved with another sleazebag without even making an effort to discover if he’s married or not. I wanted to shake some sense into her, I’m afraid.
There were some pretty toxic tropes surrounding the villain as well, with him blaming his mother and sister for everything he’d become. Fortunately he wasn’t the only character in the book behaving badly, with a network of wealthy and influential men proving to be doing some pretty terribly things too; this was the part that most disappointed me, that Ed didn’t get the chance to roll up this old boys’ network as a side benefit of her investigations.
There’s a lot of repetition and since the book is set in 2012, it seems a little ‘dated’ in regards to technology usage, particularly CCTV. I’m a little surprised the editorial team didn’t get the author to update it as well as tighten up the prose and rewrite Ed as somewhat more relatable.
All in all, an interesting story let down by poor characterization and a lack of editing. Three stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGallley.
December 21, 2018
The premise for this story sounded interesting, but sadly there was a general lack of tension throughout the book and the action was thin on the ground. The protagonist immediately ruffled my feathers! She had reached the heights of Detective Inspector, but was portrayed as someone who makes poor decisions and 'sleeps around'. I expect a much stronger female lead in my books these days. The story was interesting enough to keep me reading but there was no excitement in reaching the conclusion. I feel there is a good book lurking here, but it was marred by repetitive writing and characters that need more fleshing out.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2021
Very rare I ever leave a 5 star review, but this had me hooked from start to finish. Lots of well thought out detailing and left me guessing right to the very end, something that doesnt usually happen. Great read.
November 6, 2020
I actually feel so annoyed with this book because from the start to about 80% of the book I was convinced I was going to give this book at least 4 stars, if not more but the ending was so awful it ruined it for me.
However, the writing was great and for the majority of the book I was hooked. I didn’t expect the reveal of the person to be who he was (which was nice) and I liked that we got to see inside his mind and why he was kidnapping the girls. I also thought the pacing was very well done.
The characters: Ed was okay. I thought she was a bit stand-offish and kind of neurotic at times. I liked that the author made the time to research police procedures though and had a good understanding of their roles.
I thought the ending was awful. Like completely awful. I was expecting something very different, especially with how the book was playing out and it just felt really quickly wrapped up and there was no real explanation or aftermath. It kind of felt like the author was trying to make everything fit when in reality I still had so many questions.
Overall, a decent thriller!
However, the writing was great and for the majority of the book I was hooked. I didn’t expect the reveal of the person to be who he was (which was nice) and I liked that we got to see inside his mind and why he was kidnapping the girls. I also thought the pacing was very well done.
The characters: Ed was okay. I thought she was a bit stand-offish and kind of neurotic at times. I liked that the author made the time to research police procedures though and had a good understanding of their roles.
I thought the ending was awful. Like completely awful. I was expecting something very different, especially with how the book was playing out and it just felt really quickly wrapped up and there was no real explanation or aftermath. It kind of felt like the author was trying to make everything fit when in reality I still had so many questions.
Overall, a decent thriller!
September 16, 2019
The female detective lead in this really sucked and considering the novel surrounds her, this book was painful enough to get through, without the OVERLY descriptive nature of everything. Honestly i was waiting for the colour blue to be described in 10 different ways it was just too much. Not for me!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2020
"A well-crafted chiller"
This was certainly different to the run-of-the-mill thriller in its story line. However, the naivety of the main character took some swallowing. It doesn't say much for the calibre of senior female officers if they behave like Ed Ogborne.
That said, the team around her was solid, if unspectacular, and there were half a dozen red herrings to muddy the waters.
This was certainly different to the run-of-the-mill thriller in its story line. However, the naivety of the main character took some swallowing. It doesn't say much for the calibre of senior female officers if they behave like Ed Ogborne.
That said, the team around her was solid, if unspectacular, and there were half a dozen red herrings to muddy the waters.
January 13, 2021
An unusual plot and far fetched but did keep me guessing who the perpetrator was. The new woman detective transferred straight from the London Met because of errors of judgment made in her personal life, frustratingly, taught her nothing. Not brilliant but worth a read.
May 7, 2021
A wonderful first novel! It was gripping and I enjoyed it immensely. Can't wait to read book 2,The Victim!
December 17, 2024
What an actual mess holy crap
December 1, 2020
Definitely a good read and a clever new angle in crime novels.
December 28, 2018
I read the synopsis for ‘The Taken Girls’ and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. I soon got hold of a copy and I started reading as soon as I could. Boy oh boy, ‘The Taken Girls’ is certainly a read and a half and I thoroughly enjoyed it but more about that in a bit.
I am not entirely sure what to make of Detective Inspector Edina Ogborne. She is a young and very ambitious police officer. For example, she wanted to make the rank of Detective Inspector by the age of 27. She seems to be an extremely talented and dedicated police officer but at times her people skills let her down. She realises that she has to work as part of a team but I think that she would actually rather work on her own. Ed is determined that she is going to prove herself to be a valuable asset to her new team. Ed had to leave the Metropolitan Police under a bit of a cloud and she resents leaving the Met because that is the force that she originally joined and that is the force she wants to remain a part of. Ed is very organised in her work life but the same cannot be said of her personal life. She seems to have inappropriate relationships with men, who couldn’t be more unsuitable for her if they tried. Ed doesn’t seem to have many, if any friends and in all honesty I can’t say that I am that surprised. She doesn’t exactly endear herself to people. Ed is desperate to make a good impression in her new team and to rubberstamp the promotion that she is supposed to have got.
I have to say that ‘The Taken Girls’ certainly starts in such a way that I won’t forget in a hurry. For me, the story hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. The author’s writing style certainly entices you into the book and it doesn’t take you long to become addicted to reading the book. That’s what happened to me at any rate. I found it practically impossible to put the book down and I was finding any excuse I could to get back to reading. I seemed to race through this book but because I was so focused on the case, the story and the characters I didn’t notice how quickly the time was passing. The characters are so realistically described that they seem incredibly life like as if they were stood in front of me. I have to say that the baddie in this book has some twisted ideas and his reasons for doing what he is doing are truly chilling. For me the baddie is not only bad, he is mad and very dangerous to know. I certainly wouldn’t want to be anywhere near him.
‘The Taken Girls’ is very well written and well plotted. I found it very hard to believe that this is the author’s debut novel, as the author writes so confidently and writes in a very polished fashion.
Reading ‘The Taken Girls’ was very much like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with twists and turns aplenty. There were also several unexpected moments that seemed to creep up on me and when they happened, left me feeling as though I had been punched in the gut knocking the stuffing out of me.
In short, I loved reading ‘The Taken Girls’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to read G. D. Sanders comes up with next. Fortunately I don’t have too long to wait because his next book called ‘The Chosen Ones’ is due for release on 27th June 2019. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I am not entirely sure what to make of Detective Inspector Edina Ogborne. She is a young and very ambitious police officer. For example, she wanted to make the rank of Detective Inspector by the age of 27. She seems to be an extremely talented and dedicated police officer but at times her people skills let her down. She realises that she has to work as part of a team but I think that she would actually rather work on her own. Ed is determined that she is going to prove herself to be a valuable asset to her new team. Ed had to leave the Metropolitan Police under a bit of a cloud and she resents leaving the Met because that is the force that she originally joined and that is the force she wants to remain a part of. Ed is very organised in her work life but the same cannot be said of her personal life. She seems to have inappropriate relationships with men, who couldn’t be more unsuitable for her if they tried. Ed doesn’t seem to have many, if any friends and in all honesty I can’t say that I am that surprised. She doesn’t exactly endear herself to people. Ed is desperate to make a good impression in her new team and to rubberstamp the promotion that she is supposed to have got.
I have to say that ‘The Taken Girls’ certainly starts in such a way that I won’t forget in a hurry. For me, the story hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. The author’s writing style certainly entices you into the book and it doesn’t take you long to become addicted to reading the book. That’s what happened to me at any rate. I found it practically impossible to put the book down and I was finding any excuse I could to get back to reading. I seemed to race through this book but because I was so focused on the case, the story and the characters I didn’t notice how quickly the time was passing. The characters are so realistically described that they seem incredibly life like as if they were stood in front of me. I have to say that the baddie in this book has some twisted ideas and his reasons for doing what he is doing are truly chilling. For me the baddie is not only bad, he is mad and very dangerous to know. I certainly wouldn’t want to be anywhere near him.
‘The Taken Girls’ is very well written and well plotted. I found it very hard to believe that this is the author’s debut novel, as the author writes so confidently and writes in a very polished fashion.
Reading ‘The Taken Girls’ was very much like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with twists and turns aplenty. There were also several unexpected moments that seemed to creep up on me and when they happened, left me feeling as though I had been punched in the gut knocking the stuffing out of me.
In short, I loved reading ‘The Taken Girls’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to read G. D. Sanders comes up with next. Fortunately I don’t have too long to wait because his next book called ‘The Chosen Ones’ is due for release on 27th June 2019. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
October 14, 2019
I would like to thank Avon Books and the Netgalley website for this partnership.
I was immediately attracted to the cover of this book: you see a woman in profile and a catchphrase that says a lot about the book: "time is running out"
A missing teenage girl reappeared pregnant one day. Edina Ogborne is investigating, but her team doesn't want her. After searching everywhere, she learned that in Canterbury this was not the first time teenage girls had disappeared. She learns that files on these old unsolved cases are missing, that school records are being falsified. Time is running out to solve these cases.
A book read in one go so much I hooked on the story so captivating, addictive and full of suspense and twists and turns with engaging characters.
I was immediately attracted to the cover of this book: you see a woman in profile and a catchphrase that says a lot about the book: "time is running out"
A missing teenage girl reappeared pregnant one day. Edina Ogborne is investigating, but her team doesn't want her. After searching everywhere, she learned that in Canterbury this was not the first time teenage girls had disappeared. She learns that files on these old unsolved cases are missing, that school records are being falsified. Time is running out to solve these cases.
A book read in one go so much I hooked on the story so captivating, addictive and full of suspense and twists and turns with engaging characters.
July 2, 2019
Unputdownable! It kept me gripped until the end. If you enjoy crime and suspense novels, this is definitely a must-read.
February 14, 2019
An exciting and twisty plot.
Three girls go missing, two are returned seemingly unscathed. But no attempt is made to find or apprehend the perpetrator. Despite the lack of evidence and hardly any substance to work from, Ed Ogborne is convinced that the third girl was taken by the same sick psychopath. Will she suffer the same consequences as the other girls?
Ed Ogborne is the new Detective Inspector with the Canterbury Criminal Investigation Department. Born in Brixton, her goal is to develop her career in the Met. However, a bad relationship choice creates embarrassment within the department, and she is promptly transferred to Canterbury. Here, her chief does not mince words when she informs Ed that her arrival has caused discomfort and obstructed the promotion of another officer. As she takes charge of her team, Ed knows that the only way to alleviate their animosity is to prove her skill as an investigative officer.
The third victim lies enveloped in darkness and silence that press in from all sides. There is no air, and she fights the impulse to scream because it would push the last breath from her body. When he enters, the freakish voice of ‘Punch' in a carnival show comes to her from a faceless body. A bloody package drops to the floor, and she watches horrified as he gently lifts something that resemblances a pound of flesh. Clearly agitated by his carelessness, he disappears into the other room where he keeps his collection - a collection so different, but far more important, than the one he had as a boy.
As Ed’s team pieces together bits of evidence on the attack on the other girls, they try to make sense of the mysterious abduction and subsequent return of two of the girls. They narrow their search down to four suspects, but their sense of urgency is heightened by the fact that the perpetrator seems to have unfinished business. Their frantic search to save the girl leads to an unexpected twist and leaves the reader wondering to what extent the psychotic maniac is also a victim of circumstance.
A fluid read, with a twist in the plot that is cleverly linked from beginning to end.
Ange
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Three girls go missing, two are returned seemingly unscathed. But no attempt is made to find or apprehend the perpetrator. Despite the lack of evidence and hardly any substance to work from, Ed Ogborne is convinced that the third girl was taken by the same sick psychopath. Will she suffer the same consequences as the other girls?
Ed Ogborne is the new Detective Inspector with the Canterbury Criminal Investigation Department. Born in Brixton, her goal is to develop her career in the Met. However, a bad relationship choice creates embarrassment within the department, and she is promptly transferred to Canterbury. Here, her chief does not mince words when she informs Ed that her arrival has caused discomfort and obstructed the promotion of another officer. As she takes charge of her team, Ed knows that the only way to alleviate their animosity is to prove her skill as an investigative officer.
The third victim lies enveloped in darkness and silence that press in from all sides. There is no air, and she fights the impulse to scream because it would push the last breath from her body. When he enters, the freakish voice of ‘Punch' in a carnival show comes to her from a faceless body. A bloody package drops to the floor, and she watches horrified as he gently lifts something that resemblances a pound of flesh. Clearly agitated by his carelessness, he disappears into the other room where he keeps his collection - a collection so different, but far more important, than the one he had as a boy.
As Ed’s team pieces together bits of evidence on the attack on the other girls, they try to make sense of the mysterious abduction and subsequent return of two of the girls. They narrow their search down to four suspects, but their sense of urgency is heightened by the fact that the perpetrator seems to have unfinished business. Their frantic search to save the girl leads to an unexpected twist and leaves the reader wondering to what extent the psychotic maniac is also a victim of circumstance.
A fluid read, with a twist in the plot that is cleverly linked from beginning to end.
Ange
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
December 25, 2018
Someone is watching them…
When a missing teenage girl reappears unharmed but pregnant, the case falls to DI Edina Ogborne, the newest recruit of Canterbury Police. But Ed’s already got her hands full with a team who don’t want her, an ex who won’t quit, and terrible guilt over a secret from her past.
As Ed investigates the case, she discovers Canterbury has seen this crime not once, but several times before. And when Ed and her detectives encounter missing historic police files, falsified school records, and Ed’s new lover as a prime suspect, it becomes clear that the system has been corrupted.
Can Ed find the kidnapper behind these depraved crimes before he strikes again? Or has time already run out?
My Thoughts
Rating :3
Slow going into the story , kept bring up parts of Ed's past we already know about, I mean come on you already told us a some of her past that happened when she was a teenager ,you didn't have to keep remind us it, and she kept making stupid decision that could and would and have affected her job, a job she wants and loves . Would have finished it sooner but there was times I just wanted to put it down.Glad I didn't because even though it's slow , it does pick up a little bit not that much , and other thing I can't sstand was how the author also kept bring up the past of one of Ed's teammates, and once again we didn't need to be reminded of . So I the question I'm asking myself right now is this a new series and if it is I want to go on with it, and it's a maybe for right now.
When a missing teenage girl reappears unharmed but pregnant, the case falls to DI Edina Ogborne, the newest recruit of Canterbury Police. But Ed’s already got her hands full with a team who don’t want her, an ex who won’t quit, and terrible guilt over a secret from her past.
As Ed investigates the case, she discovers Canterbury has seen this crime not once, but several times before. And when Ed and her detectives encounter missing historic police files, falsified school records, and Ed’s new lover as a prime suspect, it becomes clear that the system has been corrupted.
Can Ed find the kidnapper behind these depraved crimes before he strikes again? Or has time already run out?
My Thoughts
Rating :3
Slow going into the story , kept bring up parts of Ed's past we already know about, I mean come on you already told us a some of her past that happened when she was a teenager ,you didn't have to keep remind us it, and she kept making stupid decision that could and would and have affected her job, a job she wants and loves . Would have finished it sooner but there was times I just wanted to put it down.Glad I didn't because even though it's slow , it does pick up a little bit not that much , and other thing I can't sstand was how the author also kept bring up the past of one of Ed's teammates, and once again we didn't need to be reminded of . So I the question I'm asking myself right now is this a new series and if it is I want to go on with it, and it's a maybe for right now.
November 17, 2018
What a brilliant debut book ,I really enjoyed reading this abduction story ,with its twists and turns being investigated by DI "Ed" Ogborne transferred from the Met to Canterbury..She is a newbie and has to make an impact on her first case with her new team .The story gripped me from the first chapter and moved along at a fast pace making it one of those books that is hard to put down ! There are young girls being abducted but they are returned a few weeks later safe and sound .Why ?What is the reason ?This is a Police Procedural story and I liked DI Ed ,I found her a quite interesting character leading her new team determined to find the Perpetrator with at first only a few leads .The story is dark in places and very gripping and sometimes chilling ! I thought the ending was very good and I am hoping there will be more books about DI Ed Ogborne as I would like to get to know her and her team more .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review .
December 22, 2018
A new DI, abducted girls, a serial weirdo and office tensions - all the makings of a good thriller. DI Ogborne has moved to Canterbury from the Met and is thrown into her first case of an abducted girl who is never found but turns up randomly, unharmed claiming she has been treated well.
Deja Vu hits and again, another girl is taken, only this time the realisation hits, thanks to the local paper, that this is indeed not the first abduction or even the second, it is the third. With no real leads, no suspects, no witnesses or any clues we are taken on a journey of investigative team work to try and find out what is going on.
I had high hopes for this to become a gritty novel with twists and turns through the plot. It wasn’t quite that and part way through, for me, it became obvious who the perpetrator is, despite there being the option of at least 4 people. I felt the ending was rushed and it left unanswered questions as to what would happen with certain parts of the storyline, but, it was an easy and enjoyable read.
Deja Vu hits and again, another girl is taken, only this time the realisation hits, thanks to the local paper, that this is indeed not the first abduction or even the second, it is the third. With no real leads, no suspects, no witnesses or any clues we are taken on a journey of investigative team work to try and find out what is going on.
I had high hopes for this to become a gritty novel with twists and turns through the plot. It wasn’t quite that and part way through, for me, it became obvious who the perpetrator is, despite there being the option of at least 4 people. I felt the ending was rushed and it left unanswered questions as to what would happen with certain parts of the storyline, but, it was an easy and enjoyable read.
February 22, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.
This is the first book I have read by this author and it was very enjoyable. This book had a good plot with lots of twists and turns. When a missing girl reappears, unharmed but pregnant, DI Edina Ogborne is on the case and discovers that this has happened a few time previously, and no one has been any the wiser as to what has happened. As she delves into the mystery, she finds missing evidence, misleading records and discovers she may be too close to the culprit. It was a really good, unique story-line with a great ending. I did find the pace of the book was a little slow at times and I did find the main character a bit un-likeable and unredeeming, at first, but she grew on me and I would like to read another book and see where she goes form here. An enjoyable first book, a set up for a really good series is here and I cannot wait to read the next book.
This is the first book I have read by this author and it was very enjoyable. This book had a good plot with lots of twists and turns. When a missing girl reappears, unharmed but pregnant, DI Edina Ogborne is on the case and discovers that this has happened a few time previously, and no one has been any the wiser as to what has happened. As she delves into the mystery, she finds missing evidence, misleading records and discovers she may be too close to the culprit. It was a really good, unique story-line with a great ending. I did find the pace of the book was a little slow at times and I did find the main character a bit un-likeable and unredeeming, at first, but she grew on me and I would like to read another book and see where she goes form here. An enjoyable first book, a set up for a really good series is here and I cannot wait to read the next book.
January 6, 2019
Ed Ogborne has been transferred to Canterbury with a promotion after a fling with a married member of the force. She soon finds herself not welcome as it means taking someone else's job. She has no time to dwell on it though as a young girl has gone missing and it could be linked to two other cases. Can she win over the team and solve the case.
This was a really good read. The plot was interesting if a little gory at times. There was plenty going on in the story and it was never clear who the perpetrator was. His reasons were very different and it made an interesting story. The ending was good and tied the story off well. A clever story with plenty to keep the pages turning.
I wasnt sure what to make of Ed to start with but she grew on me. It's a small cast of characters but each played a vital role in the story. I found Mike's story added more depth to his character and would love to learn more about him.
This was a really good read. The plot was interesting if a little gory at times. There was plenty going on in the story and it was never clear who the perpetrator was. His reasons were very different and it made an interesting story. The ending was good and tied the story off well. A clever story with plenty to keep the pages turning.
I wasnt sure what to make of Ed to start with but she grew on me. It's a small cast of characters but each played a vital role in the story. I found Mike's story added more depth to his character and would love to learn more about him.
June 5, 2019
D I Ed Ogborne is sidelined from the Met to the fairly small town of Canterbury in Kent where she immediately finds herself in charge of the team charged with locating the person kidnapping young girls only to release them shortly afterwards with a little something extra. This is a story with a difference, a bit strange, no violence and the one doing it is kind hearted, which is more than can be said for Ed and her team!. Most of them were a bit odd, with no flesh to their bones, so to speak. Some of this book is repetitive and in places a bit clunky but it was easy enough to read even if it was obvious who did it. I prefer to find it much harder to work out who is the criminal. Not really gripping, but intriguing enough to keep reading. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 14, 2018
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I enjoyed this story and the cover really caught my attention.
This is the first book in a new series, it was a good introduction to the characters and I did enjoy the plot, it was a different take on the standard abduction plots that I normally see and the twist made it standout for me..
The pace was good but I did feel as though it slowed a little in the middle but it did pick up again towards the end and made for an entertaining read.
3.5 stars from me rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – looking forward to the next book in the series!
I enjoyed this story and the cover really caught my attention.
This is the first book in a new series, it was a good introduction to the characters and I did enjoy the plot, it was a different take on the standard abduction plots that I normally see and the twist made it standout for me..
The pace was good but I did feel as though it slowed a little in the middle but it did pick up again towards the end and made for an entertaining read.
3.5 stars from me rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – looking forward to the next book in the series!
December 17, 2018
The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!
January 30, 2019
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Great characters and story made this a book I could not put down.
This was thoroughly entertaining.
Great characters and story made this a book I could not put down.
This was thoroughly entertaining.
December 30, 2020
Fully hated this. I forced myself to read the first 2/3 and then skipped to the end. By then end of the dragged out story I forgot who the perpetrator was.
January 8, 2020
This was the first book I had read by this author. Wasn't sure about this when I first picked this book up. I read the first couple of pages and found myself engrossed, so it went on my interested pile. I wasn't disappointed.
The gist of the book is the DI Ed Ogborne transfers to a new station in a different town after having to leave the previous station. On arrival in the new town hits immediate resistance from colleagues as they believe she has been responsible for a longstanding detective move to another city. As well as having to prove her abilities to the boss but also to her colleagues.
Then to add more of a challenge is tasked with solving the latest kidnapping that appears to be related to others in the past and getting to know the locals.
I liked the book it had a different view and a different edge certainly kept the reader guessing. It only took me a couple of days to read and from I coudn't put it down until I completely finished this. I think this is one author that I will look out for in future.
The gist of the book is the DI Ed Ogborne transfers to a new station in a different town after having to leave the previous station. On arrival in the new town hits immediate resistance from colleagues as they believe she has been responsible for a longstanding detective move to another city. As well as having to prove her abilities to the boss but also to her colleagues.
Then to add more of a challenge is tasked with solving the latest kidnapping that appears to be related to others in the past and getting to know the locals.
I liked the book it had a different view and a different edge certainly kept the reader guessing. It only took me a couple of days to read and from I coudn't put it down until I completely finished this. I think this is one author that I will look out for in future.
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