The First Girl by Jennifer Chase is the eleventh book 11 in the Detective Katie Scott series. The previous book, Her Dying Kiss, left readers with unanswered questions regarding Katie’s missing fiancée. This instalment not only provided answers to that mystery, but it also gave readers the chance to experience another nail-biting tale. Katie and her partner while trying to solve a cold case involving a missing person finds themselves on the trial of a diabolical serial killer. Can Katie and her partner find the killer before he claims another victim? A must-read for fans of police procedurals.
The cold night breeze slams the barn door shut with a sickening crash. The girl curled in the corner wakes with a start. Her gold butterfly necklace catches the pale moonlight as she clutches it tight, thinking of her family. Will she ever escape? Or is his the last face she’ll ever see? 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: The First Girl
Author(s): Jennifer Chase
Series: Detective Katie Scott #11
Also in this series: The Fragile Ones , Pretty Broken Dolls , Her Dying Kiss
Published by Bookouture on December 19, 2023
Pages: 382
Genre(s): Crime Fiction, Mystery
Source: Publisher
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating: 
Series Rating:
Detective Katie Scott stares in horror at what she and her service dog Cisco have discovered: seven shallow graves, the bodies of young women each wrapped carefully in a blanket and buried in makeshift coffins. Miles of abandoned farmland stretch out from the treeline behind her. Has Katie uncovered the horrifying graveyard of a monster who has been stealing Pine Valley’s daughters for years?
Katie quickly identifies one of the victims as Abigail Andrews, a beautiful young woman who disappeared fifteen years ago. Katie is heartbroken that she’ll have to tell Abigail’s mother her darling girl is gone.
When Katie is ambushed working late at the scene, fired upon by an unknown assailant, she knows she must be close to finding the killer. But the shooter vanishes into thin air. And when a new young woman is taken, dark haired and dark eyed like the others, Katie realizes her time is running out. Can she stay alive long enough to track down this twisted murderer before another young life is stolen too soon?
Cold Cases are the speciality of Detective Katie Scott and her partner, Sean McGaven. Known for their 100% solve rate, complex cold cases are the assigned to them. Their latest case has them puzzled, threatening their 100% solve rate. This latest case involves a young woman, named Abigail Andrews, who went missing fifteen years ago. They found her car, however, no trace of her or her dog. Meanwhile, Katie struggles with the fact that her fiancée is still missing without a trace. Despite her struggle, she knows she needs to focus on solving this latest case.
The tale that unfolds was twisty, addictive, and entertaining. The story was well-paced and fascinating, with a complex mystery that possessed many moving parts. At first, they seemed unconnected, but the deeper into the story one goes, the connections become clear. It was a pleasure reconnecting with Katie and Sean, as well as their colleagues. Now, the killer in this case has been a very busy bee. His ability to stay one step ahead of law enforcement shows his astuteness. However, his arrogance would be his downfall.
There were instances in the story where one feared for the main characters. These chilling scenes gave way to many nail-biting moments. The suspense increased with every page turn. This was not an easy book to set aside, be prepared for a single sitting read. Fans of police procedural and thrillers will want to grab themselves a copy of The First Girl. I look forward to more cases with this dynamic duo. The author kept me guessing from start to finish while delivering a well-developed tale.
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About Jennifer Chase
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today BestSelling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.
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