Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold is the fourth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series. I have been following the series from the beginning and became invested in the lives of the principal characters. So imagine my joy when offered a copy for review. Once again Arnold delivered a story filled with twists, turns and a shocking end.
The first rays of sun filter through the tall trees, casting a faint light on the girl lying at the water’s edge. Her tears have frozen on her pale face, a black orchid rests against her cold white skin. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.Title: Black Orchid Girls
Author(s): Carolyn Arnold
Series: Detective Amanda Steele #4
Also in this series: The Little Grave , Stolen Daughters , The Silent Witness , Her Frozen Cry , Last Seen Alive , Her Final Breath, Taken Girls , Her Last Words , Missing Before Daylight , The Wildfire Girl , Her Deadly Rose
Published by Bookouture on February 10, 2022
Pages: 286
Genre(s): Crime Fiction, Mystery
Source: Netgalley, Publisher
Format: eArc
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
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When hikers find the body of a beautiful young girl on the banks of the Potomac River, Detective Amanda Steele is shaken and confused. What is the significance of the delicate flower resting on the girl’s torso? A sign of affection, or a twisted killer’s calling card?
The girl is Chloe Somner, a local nineteen-year-old ecology student well-known to the park rangers and loved by all her classmates. Searching Chloe’s home, Amanda can’t work out who could have tempted her to the water in the early hours of the morning, but a long night hunting through cold cases gives her a possible lead: twenty years ago another local girl was murdered, a red rose left on her body. But why would this killer strike again now?
Focused on the past, the last thing Amanda expects is the news that Chloe’s roommate has been found dead, another black orchid left. Terrified that more innocent victims will follow, can Amanda uncover the significance of the flowers and stop this cold-hearted killer before he returns for the next orchid girl…?
Nineteen-year-old college student Chloe Somner was found murdered on the banks of the Pontomac River. What made this puzzling was the manner in which the body was displayed. The killer placed a black Orchid on the victim’s torso. What was the significance of the black Orchid? Are they dealing with a serial killer or was this an isolated situation? Amanda and her partner, Trent, find themselves in a race against time to the killer before he claims another victim.
Each book in the series features a different mystery, making each easy to read as a standalone. However, to get a better understanding of the growth of the characters throughout the series, I would recommend reading the books in order.
Amanda made a life-changing decision in the previous installment. In Black Orchid Girls, she juggles the pressures associated with being a detective with this change in her life. It’s difficult, but like all the strong and independent women, she handled it like a champ.
The mystery held me captive from the discovery of the body to the taking down of the murderer. I made several attempts to figure out the villain’s identity, but each time I was off the mark. Arnold sprinkled so many breadcrumbs, which led to several potential suspects, all of whom had motive and opportunity. This, along with the many twists and turns, made for a complex mystery. As Amanda and Trent got closer to the truth, the danger intensified.
I enjoyed how well Amanda and Trent worked together. Their partnership has come along way since the first book. It also appears that a tiny spark is developing between them. This will no doubt change the dynamics of their relationship. Not sure how Arnold will handle that aspect. I will wait and see how it will play out.
In Black Orchid, Arnold delivered a suspenseful, fast-paced tale that keeps the reader on their toes from start to finish. It features characters with whom readers can relate. Fans of police procedurals, mysteries and thrillers should read this series.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Fantastic review! I have enjoyed a different series from this author so I’m sure I would like this one.
I believe you enjoy it as well.
I’m glad to see you like it, I have this one on my TBR
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I am so happy that you enjoyed this one. Its always the best when a suspense turns out to be such a win of a read.
This sounds like a series that I would really enjoy! Amanda sounds like a great character and the mystery sounds solid.