Stolen Daughters – ARC Book Review

The girl looked so peaceful, she could have been asleep. Except her eyes were open, blankly reflecting the flickering flames spreading towards her…

When firefighters discover the body of a teenage girl at an abandoned house, Detective Amanda Steele hurries to the scene. Dumfries, Virginia is a small town, yet no one seems to have any idea who the dead girl is until Amanda finds a dragonfly pin with the name Crystal engraved on it.

Working tirelessly, Amanda traces the pin to Crystal Foster, a thirteen-year-old who disappeared three years ago from her wealthy parents’ home. Breaking the news to the distraught parents won’t be easy, but the loss of her own daughter still haunts Amanda, and she knows this will bring them closure. But when Amanda goes to see the Fosters, they do not recognize the girl. She isn’t Crystal.

Before Amanda can react to this new development, she gets an urgent call. A fire has consumed another vacant house, and the remains of two more girls have been found. Who are these girls, and why are they being picked off? Amanda must stop this killer before the pattern continues, and the death toll climbs.

When Amanda receives a taunting note from the killer, she realizes that she holds the missing piece of this puzzle. The victims are connected to Amanda’s past, to a case she can never forget, and which almost claimed her life. As she follows the clues to their deadly conclusion, can she save more innocent lives… even if it risks her own?

An unputdownable, pulse-pounding mystery. Fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni will be gripped.

No. of pages:- 359 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- April 6th 2021

Genre:- Thriller

Second book of the Detective Amanda Steele series, the story starts off with a girl who was being strangled and the man sets a fire to that place. When Detectives Amanda and Trent come over at the scene, they discover that the girl was a victim of sex trafficking.

I do like the author’s writing style and I was actually hooked into the story, wanting to know who is the actual killer. This was fast paced actually with some twists and turns and just like her previous book, the victim is involved in a sex trafficking ring. The murders sounded a little brutal to me, but nonetheless I was hooked into the story and I didn’t even until I came to the end that I have finished the book! Detective Steele doesn’t seem to have a good relationship with some of her colleagues and so I cannot wait what is going to happen to her next in the third book of the series.

Overall, this was quiet an unputdownable fast paced thriller that will keep you hooked until the end–worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC–the review is based on my honest opinion.

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.