I first discovered Melinda Woodhall through Book Siren, when I read River Girls. I enjoyed the story and was happy to receive a copy of the second book, Girl Eight, for review.
Girl Eight delivered a page-turning story, suspenseful mystery that kept me guessing for most of the story.
In this installment, Eden and Nessa are recovering the events of the previous book. Meanwhile, Joe, Eden’s love interest is working assiduously to find his mother’s killer and clear his father’s name. At around the same a young girl who is a resident at Mercy House, a facility for vulnerable girls has mysteriously disappeared. Eden is determined to find the girl, but time is not on her side as a hurricane is approaching, which would make the search difficult.
It was fun reuniting with the characters from the previous book. The dynamics of Leo and Eden’s relationship has changed. They have grown closer. Eden has finally opened up to Leo about the tragic incident from her past. Her fighting spirit and her willingness to protect the vulnerable at risk to herself came to light once again.
Nessa was juggling personal and work issues. I admired her strength and determination and as the only female in the unit she had a lot to prove. She proved to be good at her job. She was smart, observant and intelligent.
The villain was evil to the core. Hiding in plain sight, he was not someone you would have suspected of anything nefarious. Therefore, you can imagine my surprise when his identity was revealed. I loved that parts of the story were told from his POV. He may appear smart, but his arrogance would prove to be his downfall.
I found the mystery riveting and complex. Danger lurked at every turn. At first, it appeared that Leo’s investigation and Eden’s search for the missing girl were separate, but as the events unfold, the link between the two cases became clear. The two cases came together seamlessly giving rise to a suspenseful and twisty ride. This was not an easy book to put down. Every chance I got I read/ listened to it.
Narration
Melinda Carey narrated once again. My listening experience proved to be better this time around. Her southern accent didn’t sound forced like in the previous installment. The pacing and tone was good and she brought the characters to life.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Fans of mystery and suspense will want to pick up this series. The books are best read in order as the lives of the characters develop over each installment.
Story
Narration
Will another girl be added to a killer’s deadly collection?
In this gripping second book in the Mercy Harbor Thriller series, a ruthless serial killer, who has evaded detection for over a decade, is once again preying on Willow Bay’s most vulnerable women. Can the unlikely killer be stopped in time to save girl eight?
Eden Winthrop turns to Detective Nessa Ainsley for help after a vulnerable girl goes missing, and together they discover that a prolific serial killer lurks in the shadows of their small Florida town.
Determined to stop the remorseless killer before he takes his next victim, Eden realizes that to catch the killer, and to save the life of an innocent girl, she must be willing to put her own life in danger.
And as Leo Steele works to earn Eden’s trust and win her heart, his investigation into his mother’s death uncovers a series of abductions and murders that span more than a decade and reveals the horrifying truth that lies behind his own tragic past.
Nadene's addiction to reading began at an early age, when a family friend gifted her a copy of Wuthering Heights. From that moment she was never without a book.She will read anything as long the material is compelling enough to hold her attention. She gained many experiences through the pages of the books she had the opportunity to read.She created this blog to share her love of books with like minded individuals hopes that in sharing reviews of the books read visitors to the blog will discover their next addictive read. When not reading, Nadene enjoys cooking, listening to music and watching television.
Follow Me
Latest posts by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading (see all)
I love a story with a lot of suspense and twists, and I think it’s neat how the author seamlessly showed you how the two cases came together. Great Review Nadene 🙂
That’s good news that the follow up book was just as riveting and brought back all the characters from the first, continuing their stories with the mysteries.
This does sound really good and I haven’t had the chance to try this author yet. Great review!
this looks interesting. The bad guys point of view always weirds me out
Nice too see you had a good time again and I confess that I’m intrigued!
I am adding these to my wishlist. They sound well done. I love when the author is able to surprise me.
I love the ones that shock you when the killer is revealed, making for a suspenseful story. Great review Nadene! Hugs, RO
I love a suspenseful mystery so this might be a book for me. Great review.
I like the sound of this one – well done!
I love a story with a lot of suspense and twists, and I think it’s neat how the author seamlessly showed you how the two cases came together. Great Review Nadene 🙂
Lindy@ A Bookish Escape
That sounds really good. Thanks for the great review.
That’s good news that the follow up book was just as riveting and brought back all the characters from the first, continuing their stories with the mysteries.
Excellent review. With only two books in the series thus far, I might just grab them and follow this.