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Detective Alyssa Wyatt #1
All His Pretty Girls
Detective Alyssa Wyatt is hunting a serial killer. She doesn't know that he's hunting her.
A woman is found naked, badly beaten, and barely alive in the New Mexico mountains. The shocking discovery plunges Albuquerque Detective Alyssa Wyatt into a case that will test her to the limit.
It appears that Callie McCormick is the latest plaything of a shadowy psychopath that leaves a long shadow on the streets of New Mexico - an individual linked to a string of deaths but leaving no evidence. But when Alyssa makes a breakthrough that just might reveal the killer, she unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a brutal maniac - one with an old score to settle.
Because the killer knows Alyssa very well, even if she doesn't know him. And he's determined that she'll know his name - even if he has to extract his deadly revenge on her and everything she loves.
The launch of a dark, gripping, completely unpauseable crime thriller series, All His Pretty Girls introduces New Mexico detective Alyssa Wyatt. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh, and Angela Marsons will be utterly engrossed.
A woman is found naked, badly beaten, and barely alive in the New Mexico mountains. The shocking discovery plunges Albuquerque Detective Alyssa Wyatt into a case that will test her to the limit.
It appears that Callie McCormick is the latest plaything of a shadowy psychopath that leaves a long shadow on the streets of New Mexico - an individual linked to a string of deaths but leaving no evidence. But when Alyssa makes a breakthrough that just might reveal the killer, she unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a brutal maniac - one with an old score to settle.
Because the killer knows Alyssa very well, even if she doesn't know him. And he's determined that she'll know his name - even if he has to extract his deadly revenge on her and everything she loves.
The launch of a dark, gripping, completely unpauseable crime thriller series, All His Pretty Girls introduces New Mexico detective Alyssa Wyatt. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh, and Angela Marsons will be utterly engrossed.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2019
936 people are currently reading
14199 people want to read
About the author
Charly Cox
6 books988 followersCharly Cox is the bestselling author of the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series and holds a Bachelor's Degree in English and Secondary Education. Born in the South, raised in the Midwest, Charly now resides in the Southwest in the Land of Enchantment, Green Chile capital of the world, with her husband. When not writing or planning sinister evils with her antagonists, she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time on or near the water, and visiting her son in Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,103 reviews
April 21, 2024
What a book. Literally just finished and already added both of Charly Cox’s other books to my WTR list.
This book is haunting, gripping and beautifully written. From start to end I kept saying one more chapter, just one more! Honestly if I hasn’t had back to back work meetings today I would have stayed up all night to finish this!!
Cannot recommend enough!!!! X
This book is haunting, gripping and beautifully written. From start to end I kept saying one more chapter, just one more! Honestly if I hasn’t had back to back work meetings today I would have stayed up all night to finish this!!
Cannot recommend enough!!!! X
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November 26, 2019It's hard for me to rate this book. It was definitely an edge of your seat thriller. I rooted for Detective Alyssa Wyatt to find the killer. Where my feelings go south is the violence. I think I have a threshold and this one went over the top for me. I find it hard to explain when I think it's too much. If descriptive violence bothers you, skip this one.
It's the author's choice of course to write how she sees fit. Honestly, I found the violence gratuitous. I feel it easily could have been toned down and nothing would have been lost in a well plotted book.
I'm willing to give Charly Cox another read as the story was interesting but if the second is like the first, I'm out.
It's the author's choice of course to write how she sees fit. Honestly, I found the violence gratuitous. I feel it easily could have been toned down and nothing would have been lost in a well plotted book.
I'm willing to give Charly Cox another read as the story was interesting but if the second is like the first, I'm out.
June 17, 2025
Charly Cox's All His Pretty Girls had my heart racing and aching in equal measure.
Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner are working tirelessly to catch a sadistic serial killer hunting down local females.
What particularly stood out for me is that the listeners/readers are the only ones who are given the murderer's identity. This knowledge put me through the wringer as the stakes continued to rise ... and with no end in sight.
Narrator Kate Zane kept me white knuckling it from start to finish with her breathtaking solo performance.
On to book two.
Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner are working tirelessly to catch a sadistic serial killer hunting down local females.
What particularly stood out for me is that the listeners/readers are the only ones who are given the murderer's identity. This knowledge put me through the wringer as the stakes continued to rise ... and with no end in sight.
Narrator Kate Zane kept me white knuckling it from start to finish with her breathtaking solo performance.
On to book two.
October 22, 2019
Wowsers! What a start to a new crime series!
Firstly I have to start with Alyssa’s husband Brock. Oh my goodness I loved this guy! He is every woman’s dream husband. Usually in a detective series, it’s rare that the lead detective is even still married, never mind happily. So it was a refreshing change to meet Brock who is as understanding and as caring as they come. Yes I am ever so slightly in love with him.
Family is something that is obviously important to Alyssa, which shines through out the novel. I think this made meeting this new character more appealing. Usually in a first book in a series, a lot of the story focuses on getting to know the characters but the way the author introduces us to them, had me feeling like I knew them within no time and I felt relaxed as well as enthralled by the gripping story line.
This is one brilliant case that Alyssa and her team find themselves working on. As soon as I started I was hooked straight away. The closer they get to catching the killer, all I can say is wow! The story line totally blew me away.
All His Pretty Girls is an absolutely brilliant crime thriller. It had me gripped from beginning to end and as desperate as I was to get to the finish to see who the killer was, I didn’t want it to end as I was enjoying it to much. An addictive detective novel that makes for a nail biter of a read.
My thanks to Hera Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Firstly I have to start with Alyssa’s husband Brock. Oh my goodness I loved this guy! He is every woman’s dream husband. Usually in a detective series, it’s rare that the lead detective is even still married, never mind happily. So it was a refreshing change to meet Brock who is as understanding and as caring as they come. Yes I am ever so slightly in love with him.
Family is something that is obviously important to Alyssa, which shines through out the novel. I think this made meeting this new character more appealing. Usually in a first book in a series, a lot of the story focuses on getting to know the characters but the way the author introduces us to them, had me feeling like I knew them within no time and I felt relaxed as well as enthralled by the gripping story line.
This is one brilliant case that Alyssa and her team find themselves working on. As soon as I started I was hooked straight away. The closer they get to catching the killer, all I can say is wow! The story line totally blew me away.
All His Pretty Girls is an absolutely brilliant crime thriller. It had me gripped from beginning to end and as desperate as I was to get to the finish to see who the killer was, I didn’t want it to end as I was enjoying it to much. An addictive detective novel that makes for a nail biter of a read.
My thanks to Hera Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
November 18, 2022
I wish I could say this was new and exciting and unlike anything I've ever read before.
August 4, 2020
If this series continues, I would probably be interested in reading the other books. But please, for the love of pete, quit talking about how much coffee Alyssa drinks. We get it already!
July 27, 2021
How is this book rated so high? In the first 25% the author alluded to a painful, mysterious past so many times that I sprained my left eye socket from rolling my eyes so much. It was so predictable that I only finished it to make sure I was right. I wasn't 100% correct though, so, good job, I guess...
I understand suspending believability to get into a book but this was just too far fetched and coincidental.
I understand suspending believability to get into a book but this was just too far fetched and coincidental.
August 27, 2022
One of the best books I’ve read in a while! I wanted something a little spooky for the season, and this was so good I couldn’t put it down!
February 15, 2024
This was a good read good plot twist and good wrighting.
Happy Reading 📙📚📓📗📚📖📕📙📚📓📒📘📔📚📗📓📒📘📕📚📙📕📚📓📗📔📘📒📓📚
Happy Reading 📙📚📓📗📚📖📕📙📚📓📒📘📔📚📗📓📒📘📕📚📙📕📚📓📗📔📘📒📓📚
October 23, 2019
Detective Alyssa Wyatt is called to investigate when a woman is found beaten and just barely alive in the mountains.
This is not the first victim ... and it won't be the last.
This serial killer is smart, determined, and never leaves any evidence ...
And then the killer turns his eyes on Alyssa and those she loves.
This is the debut of a new crime series featuring a feisty female detective balancing her professional life with her personal life of husband and children. This is well written with lots of action, and great characters. There is a huge twist that I didn't see coming and it changed everything for the character of Wyatt. I look forward to seeing the next in this series.
Many thanks to the author / Hera Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this c rime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own .
This is not the first victim ... and it won't be the last.
This serial killer is smart, determined, and never leaves any evidence ...
And then the killer turns his eyes on Alyssa and those she loves.
This is the debut of a new crime series featuring a feisty female detective balancing her professional life with her personal life of husband and children. This is well written with lots of action, and great characters. There is a huge twist that I didn't see coming and it changed everything for the character of Wyatt. I look forward to seeing the next in this series.
Many thanks to the author / Hera Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this c rime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own .
October 23, 2019
This was a police procedural which was a complete thriller. As the story unfurled, a dread started building up in my stomach, the kidnapper was one vicious SOB. Any name I called him in my mind was lesser than he deserved.
A woman was kidnapped and tortured to an inch of her life and buried. She was barely alive when discovered by hikers. Detective Alyssa and her partner Cord were called to investigate. Soon they realized that they were dealing with a serial killer. Then Alyssa's son was kidnapped, and she came into the crosshairs of the kidnapper.
My first book by author Charly Cox, I read this with bated breath. I don't think I took even a single deep breath while reading this. Written in both Detective Alyssa and kidnapper Evan's POV, I couldn't believe what I was reading. Each chapter raised my tension and I couldn't stop tapping my kindle.
The author's brilliant mind was seen in the way she interlinked subplots and made this police procedural a mind-blowing, pulse-spiking thriller. The graphic scenes of torture caused my insides to quiver, but the scenes raised my ire to the point that I wanted the kidnapper to be skewered and burned on a barbeque one inch at a time. Whew!!
I guessed the twist earlier on, but it was more like a fleeting thought in my mind, that if the author did this, she would have a forever fan in me. And she did, and now I am a complete fan. A thriller-y police procedural, 2 fab genre in one complete story.
A woman was kidnapped and tortured to an inch of her life and buried. She was barely alive when discovered by hikers. Detective Alyssa and her partner Cord were called to investigate. Soon they realized that they were dealing with a serial killer. Then Alyssa's son was kidnapped, and she came into the crosshairs of the kidnapper.
My first book by author Charly Cox, I read this with bated breath. I don't think I took even a single deep breath while reading this. Written in both Detective Alyssa and kidnapper Evan's POV, I couldn't believe what I was reading. Each chapter raised my tension and I couldn't stop tapping my kindle.
The author's brilliant mind was seen in the way she interlinked subplots and made this police procedural a mind-blowing, pulse-spiking thriller. The graphic scenes of torture caused my insides to quiver, but the scenes raised my ire to the point that I wanted the kidnapper to be skewered and burned on a barbeque one inch at a time. Whew!!
I guessed the twist earlier on, but it was more like a fleeting thought in my mind, that if the author did this, she would have a forever fan in me. And she did, and now I am a complete fan. A thriller-y police procedural, 2 fab genre in one complete story.
November 19, 2019
Freaking awesome! And just like that, I have a new favorite!! All His Pretty girls by Charly Cox is compelling, exciting, and has some big twists. I loved the atmosphere Charly created in this one. It's nail-bitingly good! I loved reading this book and only hope that there are more to come- and soon!
When the beautiful Callie McCormick goes missing, Alyssa and her team of detectives leave no stone unturned in finding Callie and her kidnapper. Soon a woman barely alive is discovered on the New Mexico Mountains - she has been left badly violated, beaten, bruised, naked and close to death. With Callies's fate and her inability to find her weighing heavily on Alyssa's mind, Alyssa and her team rush against time to find who tormented Callie to death. Her search leads her to discover a string of other murders with no evidence left behind and a fingerprint of a dead man. But the cases have one common factor - All women missing bear a striking resemblance to Alyssa. Unbeknownst to her the killer/kidnapper knows her very well and has an old score to settle. But getting to Alyssa is not just his plan. He first plans to kill and torture all those who she holds dear in life starting with her youngest child. Will Alyssa save her family in time?
The book opens with a scene that hooks you straight in. I had the misfortune of watching The Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix right before diving into this one and this made it 100% more chilling. The characters are amazing! I love how Alyssa and her partner Cord runs around the town and work the case in hunt of a vicious kidnapper/killer. Her team and she appear to be brilliant and methodical. At first, I did not appreciate reading chapters from the POV of the killer. But as the book progresses, we see new stuff and shocking truths that will leave you wanting for more! Unlike other books, the killer is revealed quite early on but the intrigue doesn't die. The suspense just amps up and continues till the very last page is turned! Detective Alyssa Ward now is part of the Detective squad I am an absolute fan of and eagerly am looking out for the next book, and then next.
It's very difficult to believe that this book is Charly Cox's debut novel. It has everything that I look for in a book and then some. I'm extremely fascinated with Alyssa and cant wait to see what she does next!
Thank You, NetGalley, Hera Books and Charly Cox for an arc!
When the beautiful Callie McCormick goes missing, Alyssa and her team of detectives leave no stone unturned in finding Callie and her kidnapper. Soon a woman barely alive is discovered on the New Mexico Mountains - she has been left badly violated, beaten, bruised, naked and close to death. With Callies's fate and her inability to find her weighing heavily on Alyssa's mind, Alyssa and her team rush against time to find who tormented Callie to death. Her search leads her to discover a string of other murders with no evidence left behind and a fingerprint of a dead man. But the cases have one common factor - All women missing bear a striking resemblance to Alyssa. Unbeknownst to her the killer/kidnapper knows her very well and has an old score to settle. But getting to Alyssa is not just his plan. He first plans to kill and torture all those who she holds dear in life starting with her youngest child. Will Alyssa save her family in time?
The book opens with a scene that hooks you straight in. I had the misfortune of watching The Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix right before diving into this one and this made it 100% more chilling. The characters are amazing! I love how Alyssa and her partner Cord runs around the town and work the case in hunt of a vicious kidnapper/killer. Her team and she appear to be brilliant and methodical. At first, I did not appreciate reading chapters from the POV of the killer. But as the book progresses, we see new stuff and shocking truths that will leave you wanting for more! Unlike other books, the killer is revealed quite early on but the intrigue doesn't die. The suspense just amps up and continues till the very last page is turned! Detective Alyssa Ward now is part of the Detective squad I am an absolute fan of and eagerly am looking out for the next book, and then next.
It's very difficult to believe that this book is Charly Cox's debut novel. It has everything that I look for in a book and then some. I'm extremely fascinated with Alyssa and cant wait to see what she does next!
Thank You, NetGalley, Hera Books and Charly Cox for an arc!
August 11, 2021
All His Pretty Girl by Charly Cox is the first in the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series and what a great start it is.
It keeps you gripped from page one and continues untill the last one.
It's a typical crime thriller but it has a different kind of edge to it which keeps the excitement of the story going.
I'm definitely recommending this 📖
It keeps you gripped from page one and continues untill the last one.
It's a typical crime thriller but it has a different kind of edge to it which keeps the excitement of the story going.
I'm definitely recommending this 📖
November 2, 2019
I should have gone to bed a couple of hours ago, but I sat down with this book later in the evening and I simply could not put it down without finishing. What an amazing debut! This is one of the best crime thrillers I've read in ages! Introducing Detective Alyssa Wyatt, her incredible team, and her amazing family, this first book in a new series is one you won't want to miss.
Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner, Cord Roberts, are getting coffee when the call comes in about a missing person. Callie McCormick had allegedly been taken from her home in an upscale Albuquerque neighborhood at some point during the day. The detectives are surprised that Callie's car has gone but her phone was left behind and there's a hole in the wall and blood. Of course, Alyssa has some suspicion about the husband but shortly it becomes clear that he was not involved. As they diligently work the case, new information comes to light. And then a nearly dead woman is found partially buried high in the Sandias. Then the twists start coming and the suspense doesn't let up as a very complicated investigation turns personal for Alyssa. NO SPOILERS.
I loved all the characters in this book (well, except for the bad guy, naturally) and it was so refreshing to see a happy family unit where there are loving interactions and good relationships. The teenagers aren't bratty and Alyssa's husband is a good guy and very understanding. The detectives form a cohesive unit and keep their focus on important stuff. I can't wait to learn more about them. I enjoyed the way the narrative flipped between points of view giving us access into the killer's thoughts and motive. I want more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for a copy of this e-book ARC to read and review.
Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner, Cord Roberts, are getting coffee when the call comes in about a missing person. Callie McCormick had allegedly been taken from her home in an upscale Albuquerque neighborhood at some point during the day. The detectives are surprised that Callie's car has gone but her phone was left behind and there's a hole in the wall and blood. Of course, Alyssa has some suspicion about the husband but shortly it becomes clear that he was not involved. As they diligently work the case, new information comes to light. And then a nearly dead woman is found partially buried high in the Sandias. Then the twists start coming and the suspense doesn't let up as a very complicated investigation turns personal for Alyssa. NO SPOILERS.
I loved all the characters in this book (well, except for the bad guy, naturally) and it was so refreshing to see a happy family unit where there are loving interactions and good relationships. The teenagers aren't bratty and Alyssa's husband is a good guy and very understanding. The detectives form a cohesive unit and keep their focus on important stuff. I can't wait to learn more about them. I enjoyed the way the narrative flipped between points of view giving us access into the killer's thoughts and motive. I want more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for a copy of this e-book ARC to read and review.
May 29, 2024
Baffled by the overwhelmingly good reviews on this one. It felt like someone decided to see if they could build an entire main character around the “loving coffee is not a substitute for a personality” meme. It was a success in that regard I guess, but at what cost?! Every single character felt like a cardboard cutout of a very cliche archetype…. I lost count of the times I stopped reading to yell out loud that NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT!!
Every time that I read about how Alyssa’s detective training made her so good at or prepared for xyz I believed it less and less. The type of reiterating basic known facts of the storyline or character over and over to the point of it being insulting to the reader.
Also this book contained one of the most egregiously ableist scenes I’ve ever read. It was made exponentially worse because it was not written as if from the perspective of flawed people doing incredibly messed up things, nope, fully presented in a inspiration corn sorta way that insinuated it was a good and correct action to take.
Every time that I read about how Alyssa’s detective training made her so good at or prepared for xyz I believed it less and less. The type of reiterating basic known facts of the storyline or character over and over to the point of it being insulting to the reader.
Also this book contained one of the most egregiously ableist scenes I’ve ever read. It was made exponentially worse because it was not written as if from the perspective of flawed people doing incredibly messed up things, nope, fully presented in a inspiration corn sorta way that insinuated it was a good and correct action to take.
October 20, 2019
I’m having a hard time putting into words how much I enjoyed All His Pretty Girls!
A woman is found badly beaten and barely alive after being missing for days. Detective Alyssa Wyatt is assigned to the case which she finds disturbing evidence that there might me a serial killer on the loose.
As she investigates, she unwittingly puts herself and her family in the cross hairs of a psychopathic killer. Will she find him before he gets to her first?
Wow did All His Pretty Girls pack a punch! I was shocked when I found out this was a debut, I see a bright future ahead for Charly Cox I can tell you.
When I started reading, I instantly warmed to Alyssa, even though she’s not to be messed with, especially when she hasn’t had her coffee! She’s mum to two teenagers with a loving husband but she carries around guilt and pain from something that happened in her past.
This is one of those novels which you think you know what’s going to happen then boom, there’s something completely throws you. I can’t say too much more in case of spoilers but if you love a quality police procedural you should pick this up.
All His Pretty Girls is a heart in your mouth read that will have you racing through those pages. I can’t wait for more from Charly Cox.
A woman is found badly beaten and barely alive after being missing for days. Detective Alyssa Wyatt is assigned to the case which she finds disturbing evidence that there might me a serial killer on the loose.
As she investigates, she unwittingly puts herself and her family in the cross hairs of a psychopathic killer. Will she find him before he gets to her first?
Wow did All His Pretty Girls pack a punch! I was shocked when I found out this was a debut, I see a bright future ahead for Charly Cox I can tell you.
When I started reading, I instantly warmed to Alyssa, even though she’s not to be messed with, especially when she hasn’t had her coffee! She’s mum to two teenagers with a loving husband but she carries around guilt and pain from something that happened in her past.
This is one of those novels which you think you know what’s going to happen then boom, there’s something completely throws you. I can’t say too much more in case of spoilers but if you love a quality police procedural you should pick this up.
All His Pretty Girls is a heart in your mouth read that will have you racing through those pages. I can’t wait for more from Charly Cox.
June 8, 2020
This is the first novel in the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series and Cox’s debut. Alyssa Wyatt is a coffee loving, tenacious detective driven by guilt that makes her the perfect detective to hunt down a brutal serial killer.
What starts as an abduction case quickly morphs into the hunt for a serial killer as Detective Wyatt, her partner and their team piece together unsolved murders from the past.
The author delivers this fast-paced, tightly woven tale from the perspectives of Alyssa Wyatt and that of the serial killer. There are a few perspectives from the victims which only amplifies the suspense. Kate Zane gave each character, victim and the killer their own voice. She easily delivered believable male and female voices.
I slipped into the story and was drawn to Alyssa and her partner, Cord Roberts. Alyssa is direct and Cord’s more diplomatic and cordial approach meshed well with her personality.
The victims and killer’s own story are dark and gritty. Delivered with just enough detail to set your mind skittering. How the author pulled Detective Wyatt into their narrative was twisted, brilliant and grounded with facts, threads and surprises.
The author balances the darkness of the cases with the human side of her detectives, their unit and families allowing us access. Steeped in reality with situations ripped from headlines and parents’ worst fears. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
What starts as an abduction case quickly morphs into the hunt for a serial killer as Detective Wyatt, her partner and their team piece together unsolved murders from the past.
The author delivers this fast-paced, tightly woven tale from the perspectives of Alyssa Wyatt and that of the serial killer. There are a few perspectives from the victims which only amplifies the suspense. Kate Zane gave each character, victim and the killer their own voice. She easily delivered believable male and female voices.
I slipped into the story and was drawn to Alyssa and her partner, Cord Roberts. Alyssa is direct and Cord’s more diplomatic and cordial approach meshed well with her personality.
The victims and killer’s own story are dark and gritty. Delivered with just enough detail to set your mind skittering. How the author pulled Detective Wyatt into their narrative was twisted, brilliant and grounded with facts, threads and surprises.
The author balances the darkness of the cases with the human side of her detectives, their unit and families allowing us access. Steeped in reality with situations ripped from headlines and parents’ worst fears. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
April 14, 2025
❗️TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️: Kidnapping of both adults and kids. Child abuse. Physical and sexual assault. Murder.
I hate giving 5 🌟's to books that contained such brutal, horrible acts. It's very conflicting for me. This mystery thriller was SOOO freakin good, though!! The things that happened in the story were horrific and terrible, so definitely be forewarned. This book held my attention more than 100% from literally start to finish. It's the first book in what I can already tell is going to be an incredible series! The suspense throughout this story was so tense that I felt like biting my fingernails lol although i did not do that. It had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. And I did not foresee that ending with who the culprit was. I am excited to see what the rest of this series entails. Major kudos to Charly Cox on such a phenomenal book! I HIGHLY recommend this read if you are seeking a great mystery thriller!
I hate giving 5 🌟's to books that contained such brutal, horrible acts. It's very conflicting for me. This mystery thriller was SOOO freakin good, though!! The things that happened in the story were horrific and terrible, so definitely be forewarned. This book held my attention more than 100% from literally start to finish. It's the first book in what I can already tell is going to be an incredible series! The suspense throughout this story was so tense that I felt like biting my fingernails lol although i did not do that. It had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. And I did not foresee that ending with who the culprit was. I am excited to see what the rest of this series entails. Major kudos to Charly Cox on such a phenomenal book! I HIGHLY recommend this read if you are seeking a great mystery thriller!
October 24, 2019
This is one hell of a beauty to make you twitchy! I loved this book which made me curl myself into a little ball while I was reading with my comfy blanket tucked firmly around me, but it didn’t stop the shivers and raised hairs on my arms, or from looking over my shoulder when I finally turned the lights out to go to bed.
Within the first couple of chapters, I felt totally invested in this book, my heart ached, my eyes filled with tears and I felt so helpless. Are monsters made or are they born like this? I wondered which it would be in this story. The story dropped back a few days to the abduction of a woman and her harrowing captive time that followed. I slipped in and out of the abductor’s angry mind and the reasons for every interaction with his victim.
This is the first book in what seems, if this book is anything to go by, a pre-order must for the next one and subsequent ones that follow, as it blew me away. Set in Albuquerque New Mexico Alyssa Wyatt is a strong character, confident, happily married with two teenage children and a past that makes her a compassionate and understanding Detective.
Oh, boy, was I swiped off my feet as what was already a totally gripping read escalated into my top five for this year. Could I read on? OMG darn right I could!!!!!!! It felt like my heart was beating in the back of my throat! What a super intense read this was and it still hadn’t finished with me. Simply stunning, so excited about this author.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
Within the first couple of chapters, I felt totally invested in this book, my heart ached, my eyes filled with tears and I felt so helpless. Are monsters made or are they born like this? I wondered which it would be in this story. The story dropped back a few days to the abduction of a woman and her harrowing captive time that followed. I slipped in and out of the abductor’s angry mind and the reasons for every interaction with his victim.
This is the first book in what seems, if this book is anything to go by, a pre-order must for the next one and subsequent ones that follow, as it blew me away. Set in Albuquerque New Mexico Alyssa Wyatt is a strong character, confident, happily married with two teenage children and a past that makes her a compassionate and understanding Detective.
Oh, boy, was I swiped off my feet as what was already a totally gripping read escalated into my top five for this year. Could I read on? OMG darn right I could!!!!!!! It felt like my heart was beating in the back of my throat! What a super intense read this was and it still hadn’t finished with me. Simply stunning, so excited about this author.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
November 10, 2019
**ARC received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Oh Ok WOW!! What a surprise!!! My heart is still racing!
All His Pretty Girls, is a superb thriller and the debut of Charley Cox’s new crime series featuring Detective Alyssa Wyatt and let me tell you it was surprisingly a very great read! The story was gripping, captivating and suspenseful and I can’t believe it was a debut! I’m definitely going to read the next story in the series. It is a bit hard for me to write a review without revealing much but I'm going to try!
Alyssa is not your typical detective as in most of the police procedural reads - she’s happily married with two teenagers which is refreshing since in most of the books I’ve read, the detective almost never is settled home. Alyssa hasn’t sacrificed her personal life for her professional one, yet something has happened in her past that still haunts her. She's working with her partner Cord and her 5 stars team in Albuquerque Police Department, trying to apprehend a psychopathic criminal who in turn has his eyes on Alyssa!
There are lots of curveballs thrown at you throughout the story and if feels like you’re on a rollercoaster, not knowing or seeing where all those twists and turns are coming from.
If you’re a fan of this genre (like myself), make sure to add this to your TBR list and move it up. It’s worth skipping the other prospects and a definite pageturner!
I would like to thank again the author, publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy!
For more reviews follow me on instagram @pani.reads
Oh Ok WOW!! What a surprise!!! My heart is still racing!
All His Pretty Girls, is a superb thriller and the debut of Charley Cox’s new crime series featuring Detective Alyssa Wyatt and let me tell you it was surprisingly a very great read! The story was gripping, captivating and suspenseful and I can’t believe it was a debut! I’m definitely going to read the next story in the series. It is a bit hard for me to write a review without revealing much but I'm going to try!
Alyssa is not your typical detective as in most of the police procedural reads - she’s happily married with two teenagers which is refreshing since in most of the books I’ve read, the detective almost never is settled home. Alyssa hasn’t sacrificed her personal life for her professional one, yet something has happened in her past that still haunts her. She's working with her partner Cord and her 5 stars team in Albuquerque Police Department, trying to apprehend a psychopathic criminal who in turn has his eyes on Alyssa!
There are lots of curveballs thrown at you throughout the story and if feels like you’re on a rollercoaster, not knowing or seeing where all those twists and turns are coming from.
If you’re a fan of this genre (like myself), make sure to add this to your TBR list and move it up. It’s worth skipping the other prospects and a definite pageturner!
I would like to thank again the author, publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy!
For more reviews follow me on instagram @pani.reads
November 1, 2022
Such a pretty cover but I think I'm getting a little burnt out on police procedural/detective mystery stories. Because this one just didn't feel like anything new.
I loved that Alyssa Wyatt loved coffee. She drank it day and night and it really was her happy juice. Other than that, this was a little broiler plate. I guessed many of the twists in the first 1/3 of the story and the last twist, one I didn't guess, I think it was because I'd already checked out from the story. This one inovled just too many leaps I had to base on "destiny" and too many POV of the bad guy obsessing over blood, wanting to inflict paint or scaring people until they puked. Meh, it just wasn't for me.
I loved that Alyssa Wyatt loved coffee. She drank it day and night and it really was her happy juice. Other than that, this was a little broiler plate. I guessed many of the twists in the first 1/3 of the story and the last twist, one I didn't guess, I think it was because I'd already checked out from the story. This one inovled just too many leaps I had to base on "destiny" and too many POV of the bad guy obsessing over blood, wanting to inflict paint or scaring people until they puked. Meh, it just wasn't for me.
January 23, 2020
Wow! Wow! Wow! What a Psychological thriller. This book had me hooked from the first chapter and didn't let go until the last page. It was delightfully creepy in all the best ways. I normally read in bed each night before I go to sleep - this is not a book to do that with (at least not for a wuss like me). There were several twists in the story that I didn't see coming. One was so huge that I had to stop reading for a bit to absorb the shock. Excellent debut novel by Charly Cox. I can't wait to read more of her work.
July 21, 2021
This book is the author's debut novel, and it's a really good piece of crime fiction. It begins with an investigation into the case of a missing woman, then gets more complex as the investigator's traumatic young life is linked in with the murders of several women.
There's a fair bit of back and forth from past to present, and chapters from different characters POV, but it doesn't confuse, and how everything is pulled together at the end was unexpected. I thought this was a well written and compelling story.
There's a fair bit of back and forth from past to present, and chapters from different characters POV, but it doesn't confuse, and how everything is pulled together at the end was unexpected. I thought this was a well written and compelling story.
January 15, 2022
Started out really strong. Nice to read about a detective who is in a healthy, strong relationship for a change. Towards the end, certain events / decisions were so unrealistic that I didn't enjoy it quite as much anymore, hence 3.75 stars rounded up.
Warning: some very violent scenes and dark content.
Warning: some very violent scenes and dark content.
June 21, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
July 24, 2025
This one delivered plenty of twists and turns, with a fast moving plot that rarely let up. From the start, the story barrels foward with murder, torture, and kidnapping. While I appreciated the energy, the constant momentum and how the suspense built steadily throughout, at times the violence felt a little gratuitous....more for shock than for story. Dark themes come with the genre and by no means is a deal breaker but it started feeling like a crutch.
The big reveals toward the end that I didn't see coming definitley brought some payoff, except for the last one. It felt like a cheap shot for an easy win. It had me rolling my eyes. However, overall, this made for an enjoyable afternoon of reading...so 4 stars.
The big reveals toward the end that I didn't see coming definitley brought some payoff, except for the last one. It felt like a cheap shot for an easy win. It had me rolling my eyes. However, overall, this made for an enjoyable afternoon of reading...so 4 stars.
June 30, 2025
10/10! I don’t give those easily.
Lisa Gardner vibes and that is the highest compliment (she’s my favorite author). I devoured this in one day. I absolutely loved it.
(Be sure to read other reviews on the TW)
Lisa Gardner vibes and that is the highest compliment (she’s my favorite author). I devoured this in one day. I absolutely loved it.
(Be sure to read other reviews on the TW)
November 11, 2019
A genuine thrill ride of a debut novel!! So much suspense and great plot twist! Love Alyssa and her family. Can’t wait to read more about the detective and her team! Definitely a must-read for mystery and suspense lovers!
November 18, 2024
It's a nice story, but too predictable.
The characters are well developed, easy to relate to. However, it was too easy to see where the story was going. No suspense for me, no real intrigue.
The characters are well developed, easy to relate to. However, it was too easy to see where the story was going. No suspense for me, no real intrigue.
October 28, 2020
THE DETAILS✎ ❐ MY RATING➯ 4½ STARS ❐ DETECTIVE ALYSSA WYATT #1 ❐ SUSPENSE/THRILLER ❐ SERIAL KILLER MYSTERY ❐ NAIL-BITING WORTHY ❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 11 HOURS, 6 MINUTES ❐ I LISTENED ON HOOPLA THROUGH MY LIBRARY
If you're looking for a super intense suspense/thriller then look no further especially if you dig a story that doesn't shy away from graphic depictions of violence. With one of these scenes, I even had tears in my eyes. It was so powerful. This was not only well written with an engaging and refreshing cast of characters it had me on the edge almost the entire time I was listening. It's also a debut.
A second narrator for the male parts of this book would have been really awesome...but other than that, the narration by Kate Zane was perfectly performed. She is a new-to-me narrator and one that I would gladly listen to again. I'm impatiently waiting for the next book to be recorded in this series so I can do just that.
BREAKDOWN✎
Narration ➯ 4¼ STARS
Plot ➯ 4.5/5
Characters ➯ 4.5/5
The Feels ➯ 5/5
Pacing ➯ 4.7/5
Addictiveness ➯ 5/5
Theme/Tone/Intensity ➯ 5/5
Originality/Believability ➯ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 4.5/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery ➯ 4.3/5
Ending ➯ 4.3/5
SUMMATION ➯ 4½ STARS
If you're looking for a super intense suspense/thriller then look no further especially if you dig a story that doesn't shy away from graphic depictions of violence. With one of these scenes, I even had tears in my eyes. It was so powerful. This was not only well written with an engaging and refreshing cast of characters it had me on the edge almost the entire time I was listening. It's also a debut.
A second narrator for the male parts of this book would have been really awesome...but other than that, the narration by Kate Zane was perfectly performed. She is a new-to-me narrator and one that I would gladly listen to again. I'm impatiently waiting for the next book to be recorded in this series so I can do just that.
BREAKDOWN✎
Narration ➯ 4¼ STARS
Plot ➯ 4.5/5
Characters ➯ 4.5/5
The Feels ➯ 5/5
Pacing ➯ 4.7/5
Addictiveness ➯ 5/5
Theme/Tone/Intensity ➯ 5/5
Originality/Believability ➯ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 4.5/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery ➯ 4.3/5
Ending ➯ 4.3/5
SUMMATION ➯ 4½ STARS
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