7️⃣ BOOK / REVIEW 👧

I have about 12 books by Allison Brenner on my @netgalley shelf right now. I decided to pick #sevengirlsgone because I was immediately intrigued by the book description, but I made one fatal mistake. I had NO idea this was a #bookseries, so I ended up not enjoying this as much as I could have.

Yes - you can read this as a standalone. Most of the background relates to the 2 main characters and their their history together. That being said, I just felt like something was missing in this book. One of my biggest issues was the sheer volume of characters - and they all had similar names.

If you listen to this on #audiobook (thanks @hoopladigital), you may get confused like me. I had a hard time keeping track of everyone, which made me lose interest. This isn't a gory or "chilling" read in my opinion, but this was a fast-paced #mystery. Despite it being pretty predictable for me, it wasn't a total loss. I liked the setting of the book and do believe that I would pick up another installment in the series.

There are a ton of favorable reviews on @Goodreads for this, so I think I am the odd man out. Not a must-read, in my opinion, but it still kept my interest.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Allison Brennan’s Seven Girls Gone takes readers on a heart-pounding journey through the murky bayous of St. Augustine, Louisiana. For three years, in these bayous, women have vanished without a trace, their lifeless bodies eventually surfacing in the same small town.

Enter police detective Beau Hebert, a lone voice determined to unravel the sinister web of corruption and murder.

Brennan masterfully weaves suspense into every page. The tension escalates as Beau’s investigation faces roadblocks at every turn. Witness silencing, a corrupt police department, and secrets buried deep—all set against the backdrop of a tight-knit community where talking can be lethal.

LAPD detective Kara Quinn, part of the FBI’s Mobile Response Team, joins the fray. Her undercover work and razor-sharp instincts add depth to the narrative. Meanwhile, team leader Matt Costa investigates an in-custody death, further entangling the case.

The bayou setting oozes with atmosphere—sticky heat, haunting swamps, and a sense of foreboding. Brennan’s vivid descriptions immerse readers in the Deep South’s dark underbelly.

As the team digs deeper, they uncover a drug-trafficking ring that extends beyond the town’s borders. Brennan keeps us guessing, revealing unexpected connections and hidden motives. Who’s truly behind the murders? The answer lies in the shadows.

Seven Girls Gone is an intense, pulse-pounding thriller that grips you from the first page. The danger is palpable, the stakes high, and the suspense unrelenting. I couldn’t put it down—a testament to Brennan’s skillful storytelling.

I rated this book three stars. The beginning was way too slow for me. It was more of a crime mystery than a thriller. Not enough twists and turns for me, but I would read more books in this series. I liked the lead characters

Seven Girls Gone is the fourth book in the Quinn & Costa series, best read in order to understand the character relationships, like the romance between Matt and Kara. I like that the team is getting closer, appreciating each other’s quirks and talents, and really starting to mesh. The mystery is wrapped up in a nail-biting, action-packed conclusion! I’m looking forward to the next one!

Corruption runs deep in St. Augustine in Louisiana. It is a small town with corrupt cops. With cold cases mixing with current murders, it is questionable as to whose territory should handle things, local cops or the FBI. Definitely a battle of jurisdiction.

LAPD detective Kara Quinn is in St. Augustine and is hoping to remain incognito for as long as possible. Able to assume many looks by donning various disguises, her approach to finding the killer of several women differs from that of Matt Costa of the FBI and local police detective Beau Hebert.

Time is of the essence as danger is at every turn. Lots of pieces, like the most complicated of puzzles, and Kara is often overwhelmed while working hard to put things together. Meanwhile, things continue to grow more intense between Kara and Matt, with the sexual tension between them ready to explode.

Page after page the intrigue becomes palpable, and with a jaunt of action in this book, it truly was a stellar read. I went on to read The Missing Witness, book five in this fabulous series.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

An absolute Allison Brennan fan, I was excited to catch up on this series and read this one and the one following in quick order. And before I dive in, this is one of those mystery series where the mystery is contained in each book, but the main characters have development from book to book, so I recommend going back to book one and start at the beginning.

Kara Quinn and team are called to Louisiana where there has been a string of young ladies murdered, but it seems as though the local police aren't prioritizing solving these murders anytime soon. At the beginning of this book, I felt like I was thrown in and maybe missed something, but this feeling ended when Kara and team show up and it almost feels like Detective Beau Herbert goes back to the beginning to get the team caught up and also the reader!

For some reason Allison Brennan is able to twist and weave a few mysteries all at the same time and while it could feel like too much, because they interplay so much, it is just right! This had a lot of victims and a few culprits, so took a bit to get all the players straight, but it was worth reading slow at the beginning to enjoy the fast pace as all the puzzle pieces came together in the end.

I have always loved every mystery that Allison Brennan releases. I’m hooked on every series and genuinely can’t get enough.

Enter Quinn and Costa, part of the Mobile Response Team series, and in this book they’re trying to determine what’s happening to all the girls who are going missing in St. Augustine, Louisiana. It’s not until Kara Quinn goes undercover that they start to get some answers.

I honestly love how Kara and Matt work together. I love how they play off of each other, and I love how in depth Allison Brennan gets when it comes to the research behind the areas she’s writing about but also the detective work they go through. I feel as though I’m watching it as a TV show — it’s amazing.

One of my favorite authors. Fast paced, well written and entertaining novel. I am really enjoying this series. I can’t wait to read the next book.

I am a huge fan of Allison Brennan books and this one doesn't disappoint. Women have been disappearing and turning up dead in the small town of St. Augustine, Louisiana. Police detective Beau Hebert is the only one who seems to care, but with witnesses silenced and a corrupt police department, Beau’s investigation is going nowhere. Beau calls his friend on the FBI’s Mobile Response Team. While LAPD detective Kara Quinn works undercover and team leader Matt Costa, Beau might finally have help solving the case. This story involves so many layers of corruption and drug deals that cover small town secrets. Seven Girls Gone is a great read.

Allison Brennan is a talent author who has created characters that comes to life walking in the same world as the readers.
One thing I have to say is every time this is the best the author has written she pulls out another story that somehow even better than her last novel.
This story hit close to many when it comes to police corruption and what could happen when the ones supposed to be protecting you are hurting you.
The story makes sure readers are up to date on what happen in the pervious story without dragging the current story down.
If you love a good gritty mystery, you can't not go wrong with Allison Brennen
Thank you to Netgalley

I really like this series and have read all of the books. I am now waiting for the next one. I strongly suggest you start at the first one and read them in order. I am a big fan of mysteries but also like a bit of romance too and these books have both! I give it 4 stars. The book is the 4th in the series about a special unit of the FBI that has a lab that travels around to underserved areas to help with murder investigations. Most of the characters are well developed and written so you care about them. I really like the main two--the Director of the group and the woman detective from LA. Her story is very interesing and makes all the books really grip you. The relationship between the two characters is also quite interesting although in this book it is not as central to the plot as in the other 3. The book ends on a mysterious note so that you will want to continue and read the next book. I read a lot of mysteries and this one has captured my interest more than most. I recommend it!

Louisiana is a place unlike any other. There is much to love, see and do. However, there is also much to fear for the people of St. Augustine, deep in bayou country. Several missing women are found dead and it's up to Detective Beau Hebert to try and figure out what is happening. His boss puts up road blocks at every turn so Hebert turns to his military buddy on the FBI's Mobile Response team.

FBI Team Leader Matt Costa comes up against an army of silence and an obvious corrupt police department. It's up to his team and Detective Hebert to figure out the conspiracy before more people are killed.

As the fourth book in the Quinn & Costa series by Allison Brennan, I knew I would love it. The characters are loyal, smart and driven to solve crimes. This was a page-turner until the end. The story was so well crafted that I couldn't figure it out which I loved.

Take a chance on this crime solving series by Allison Brennan.

I have been provided with a review copy of Seven Girls Gone from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I read approximately 50% of this book but struggled to keep track of so much information. Names, dates, connections, places. It was too much for me and ultimately I had to stop. However, I did enjoy the style of writing, I wish my mind had been able to keep track of it because I was enjoying it.

I think someone who enjoys mysteries would be better suited to this book.

This was a fast paced suspenseful and thrilling police procedural with a sprinkle of romance. The setting is in the Louisiana Bayou a place I long to visit but I will pass on the gators. Kara is bad ass and Toni was the grandma I wish I had. This was an excellent read it was so well written I could visualize every detail. This is my first book by this author will definitely be reading more. I just found out this is a series so will be adding it to ever growing TBR. Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Beau Hubert is the only one who seems to be invested in finding the killer of all the women that keep showing up dead. There are silent witnesses and corrupt politicians that continue to get in his way. Enter FBI and LAPD Costa and Quinn and the investigation might finally take off.

This is a great book that is full of twists and turns and even a bit of romance. I have enjoyed this series thus far and look forward to the next book!

A big crime operation, murder, sex, and drugs. There is a romantic angle thrown in for balance too. This is book 4 in the series. I haven’t read the other 3, but had no trouble with knowing the characters or following the story.

I am enjoying the Quinn & Costa series and Seven Girls Gone is a great addition to it. It is book four, and although you can read it as a standalone story, I recommend this whole series. Detective Beau Hebert is investigating a string of unexplained deaths and/or disappearances of young women in St. Augustine, Louisiana over the last three years. He is being not getting anywhere, being stonewalled and knowing that there is corruption within the police and the courts. He calls his friend, Michael Harris, an FBI agent with the Mobile Response Team, for help. They arrive in nearby Lafayette and realize that they will get no help from the locals, and that this is a challenging case. With LAPD detective Kara Quinn working undercover to dig into the women’s murders and team leader Matt Costa officially investigating the in-custody death of a witness, Beau might finally have a chance at solving the case. The only problem is that is you talk, you disappear or die.

I have to say that listening this this book gave me a real creepy, crawly feeling. Several of the characters (some police officers) were greasy and disgusting and I wanted to reach in and smack some of them. How Kara kept her cool is beyond me. I really enjoy this series. The characters are well developed and the plots intriguing. Trying to figure out who the good guys were was difficult and the fear of talking made this story even harder to solve. Corruption is a huge part of this story, greed, power and crimes that were far reaching all made this one interesting, gripping, but harder to figure out. The reveal was jaw dropping, but it made sense. This is also a romantic suspense story and we continue to see Kara and Matt trying to have a relationship while working together. I like that aspect of the story, as it seems quite realistic. Overall, this was a gritty, fast paced, police procedural with great characters and well developed story line. I definitely recommend it.

Set in the Louisiana swampland I was hot and itchy as soon as I started this sweltering hot novel. A small time cop is overwhelmed and calls in Kara and Matt, the super duo. So many young women die, corruption is a way of life, drugs abound and nobody cares, and if they do, they have no power. I really enjoy this series and read them mostly for the latest on Kara.

This is the fourth installment in the Costa and Quinn books by Allison Brennan. I don’t believe I’ve read this author before, and found the writing skilled and engaging, as well as the Louisiana setting and teamwork from various agencies. But the set-up felt long and involved. I wasn’t completely wrapped up in the story. Still, a good read, especially if this is an author or series you follow.