For those of us with children, the fear of losing a child to kidnappers, serial killers, pedophiles, or some other murderer (or miscellaneous freak) out there is an ongoing fear. This book not only plays on that fear, but reminds us that we need to remember to fear people we know far more than strangers lurking on the street. This tale is frightening in all the normal ways, but also has a mother that I often wanted to slap. Clearly, the author had great character development. The plot was strong, and the tension remained high enough through out the book that I read it in a single sitting.

4.5 stars
First Line – Jamie Brandt was not a bad mother.
Summary - When two young sisters disappear from a strip mall parking lot in a small Pennsylvania town, their devastated mother hires an enigmatic bounty hunter, Alice Vega, to help find the girls. Immediately shut out by a local police department already stretched thin by budget cuts and the growing OxyContin and meth epidemic, Vega enlists the help of a disgraced former cop, Max Caplan. Cap is a man trying to put the scandal of his past behind him and move on, but Vega needs his help to find the girls, and she will not be denied.

Highlight - This is the kind of book that has you sitting on the edge of your seat, unable to put it down until you finish the last page. Great original characters and so many twists and turns! I hope this spins off into a series.

Lowlight – I can’t really think of any.

FYI – Some graphic scenes involving children.

I loved Alice Vega as a character, though I don't feel like I got to know her as well as I would have liked. I hope this means there will be a sequel because she can definitely support more books. This was a very twisty mystery with some true surprises, the "who-done-it" most of all. Truly evil villains for the protagonists to face. I hope to read more from this author.

Two sisters are missing from a local mall in a rundown Pennsylvania town. The family hires Alice Vega, noted for her ability to find missing persons. To find the girls, Alice teams up with a local PI who resigned from the town’s police force under a cloud.

Although I initially had a difficult time getting into this book, I really liked it. It is a fast paced story with good character development and a plot that hangs together. I definitely would recommend it to mystery fans.

Louisa Luna is known for her Young Adult fiction; she has made a successful transition to writing for adults. I think this would make a great series; I’d love to read more about Cap, the divorced PI with a precocious daughter, and Vega. There are a lot more adventures they could have and so much of their history to learn about.

I really enjoyed the character of Alice Vega. She was a badass. The plot didn't engage me as much as I had thought it would but it was an interesting story. I liked it but didn't love it. Would still recommend to friends.

I could not put this book down. I loved the characters and the quick pace. I’d read many more books with Cap or Vega in them.

Free copy courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Louisa Luna's Two Girls Down is a binge-worthy whodunnit crime fiction novel that realistically paints how rural America is affected by today's drug epidemic. The story starts off with single mother Jamie Brandt taking her two daughters Kylie and Bailey to the mall so they can get a gift for Kylie's friend's birthday party. Jamie is a struggling single parent in a town where income inequality is rampant. Denville, Pennsylvania is a small town outside of Philadelphia—modest, poor, ignorant, and proud, 'Murica. After Jamie returns from the mall to get her daughter's friend a gift, she is startled to see that her daughters are missing. The kidnapping of Kylie and Bailey Brandt has received considerable attention in the news; throwing the town of Denville on a loop. The police force is struggling to find any leads, so the Brandt family hires private investigator Alice Vega to help with the case.

Alice Vega is a no-nonsense Californian who acts first and speaks later. She has an impeccable track record in finding missing children, arriving to Denville and ready to investigate. The town doesn't take to Alice very well—they too proud to accept her services. Alice quickly starts figuring out that things in Denville aren't exactly what they seem. Everyone has an alibi, everyone has a story, but who has something to gain from these two missing girls?

Two Girls Down was a very interesting read for me because when I first picked it up, I was initially thinking, "oh this will be just like every other crime fiction/detective novel", but I was happily mistaken. Alice Vega might actually be my favorite heroine of all time. She is a bad ass to the Nth degree! She is witty, strong, funny, smart—ugh I can keep going. I really hope Louisa Luna continues writing stories including Alice Vega because she really is just amazing and nothing I can say here can perfectly describe how much I fangirl over her. Alice Vega easily gives me the ability to give this read a 4 star rating without even batting an eye.

I also really enjoyed the way the plot began to unfold before my eyes. I really thought this story was going to take a certain turn, but I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. It kept me on my toes and captured my attention. The story unfolds in an interesting, unique way; without the gimmicky plot twists that many novels are throwing out there to try to shock the reader. Ms. Luna also intelligently mentions the drug epidemic sprawling throughout America; showcasing it through the town of Denville and its inhabitants. I really haven't picked up anything recently that portrays that aspect of American society and it was something that actually made me take a second to think about. It was a really robust story that pieced everything together seamlessly.

Two Girls Down will be released January 9, 2018. Thank you Netgalleys, Doubleday Books for my advanced copy for my honest review. You can find this review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2190415637?type=review#rating_140129550 and it will also be on my bookstagram and on thesuspenseisthrillingme.com early next week.

(2 1/2). With the exception of the first and last 10 pages his book cooks right along. A not totally unusual storyline is handled really well with a terrific, kick ass protagonist in Alice Vega. A serious helping hand from a (incorrectly) disgraced cop, his precocious daughter and an unbelievable, phantom IT guy keep the layers of the onion peeling nicely. A touch of local yokels and an exciting conclusion made this little book much more fun than I anticipated. Exceeded my expectations.

This was a quick read with an interesting, but difficult, storyline. The story focuses on Vega, a private investigator, and Cap, a former cop, who she partners up with to find two girls who have gone missing. Vega seems to have a knack for finding missing children, but it's never really fleshed out as to why. It sort of hints at her having special abilities, but then never goes down that path. There are so many characters introduced throughout the story, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what relevance they played, so that took me out of the story many times. Overall, it was interesting, but could have been better.

More - more - more! What a nice surprise this novel was. This author is new to me, as she usually writes YA novels, which I don't usually read. She outdid herself here, introducing two protagonists that we definitely want to see more of. Alice Vega is a bounty hunter hired by the family of two missing young girls, last seen outside of a Kmart at a strip mall. She has found over a dozen missing children with her tenacity. She'll challenge obstacles that the police won't or don't have manpower for. She engages the services of a former disgraced cop, Max Caplan, who is not interested in taking on work, but Vega is not one to take no for an answer and eventually acquiesces.. With Caplan's expertise and Vega's drive and ingenuity, they make a mighty team, putting themselves into precarious situations that propels the story forward, keeping us on the edge of the precipice.

Though I found it repetitive in parts, it wasn't enough to sway me away from the read. I loved the characters. Max Caplan is divorced, not remarried but living with his feisty but loyal 16-yr old daughter Nell was also a delight to meet. Alice Vega gives us the impression she is fighting ghosts in her past, but is a strong and admirable woman. I certainly hope author Luna is considering a series featuring Vega and Caplan so we can get to know them even better. Thumbs up on this one. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Vega and Cap make for two exciting protagonists! Vega especially is a very interesting character. Hope she appears again in future tales! Enjoy!

This book had me at hello. Ok, maybe not hello but the very first page. I knew I was going to like it. I love a good thriller, mystery that keeps you guessing and Two Girls Down had me going around in circles wondering who did it. I thought for sure I knew but guess what? I didn't! The subject matter is tough, missing children and Ms. Luna does a wonderful job of helping us get to know all of the characters from the main detectives/investigators all the way to the petty criminals along the way. She really helps you love or hate the characters. When I was about halfway through the book I looked to see if Louisa Luna and written other books I could go back and read but found she had only written YA books. I will watch for any thrillers she writes in the future and look forward to reading her coming works. Very well done for Luna's first foray into thrillers/mysteries!

I could definitely see the main characters Max Caplan and Alice Vega being characters in a series! I was drawn in from the very beginning, it was suspenseful and entertaining. Louisa Luna did a fabulous job character building and I just want more, I want to know what happens next in their lives, what about Alice's next case? How is Max going to fit in her life? I definitely recommend this book to those of you who enjoy suspense and strong characters! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, I loved it

I was able to read Two Girls Down for free from Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a page turner with well developed characters, an intriguing plot, suspense and a feeling of dread. It had twist all the way from the first page to the last. The main characters, Alice Vega is a seriously bad-ass bounty hunter from California who specializes in finding missing children. Max Caplan (Cap) is a disgraced ex-police officer who is now a private investigator. Together they are able to do things the cops are not able to do to find the missing children. A very unexpected ending.
This is the first book I have read by Louisa Luna and I am very impressed.
After this one I will continue to read her books.

I would give this book a 4.5/5

Two Girls Down is my first book from Louisa Luna, and while I probably won't read any of her previous books, I will definitely read any other adult books she will (hopefully) put out. This book was intense, very mysterious, and I had no clue who it was until it was revealed at the end.

The cover of this book is beautiful, and I'm sure it will be even prettier in person once the book is out. I read an ARC via NetGalley and the publisher, and it had a different cover on my uncorrected proof.

Vega is a very strong female character and I LOVED her. She literally kicked ass and it was amazing. Although this book had a very heavy subject manager it was very well done. Cringe worthy moments were interspersed with plenty of funny moments and one liners, and it was a very nice touch.

I also thought the main characters were well developed and I got to know them enough that I actually cared about them, that is to say I cared about Nell, Cap and Vega. You don't get all the details about any of their lives, but it was enough for me to connect to them and worry about their well being during this book.

It has plenty of action, and I found myself not wanting to put it down. Some parts got a little slow for me, but overall there was a ton of action, and it kept me hooked for the entire read.

My only small disappointment is what happened at the end with Vega and Cap, wish that would have ended differently.

A definite 4.5 star book. A great suspenseful mystery that will keep you interested the whole time. The mystery surrounds 2 girls who have just gone missing, with a private detective Vega and her new partner Cap in pursuit. While investigating they connect this case with two other girls who have disappeared which adds to the mystery and hunt for who is involved. Cap and Vega both have interesting backstories that add to the plot, along with a little romantic interest budding between them. While the backstories were key to understanding who they are, I wish there had been a little more information or resolution to Cap's story. I love when an author can surprise you at the end with the final reveal of who the villain is without it being too far fetched, and this book will not disappoint in that regard. Definitely a recommended read and I look forward to reading another by this author.

Man what a rush. This story has more twist than you can imagine and it makes the story so much better. Love Vega and Cap both have their own baggage in their history but end up working well together. They play off each other so well as they pull no punches to uncover the heavily protected people they search for. Loads of action and intrigue make for a wonderful story that you will most definitely enjoy. This is my first read by this author and I love her style and can't wait for more.

This took me far too long to read due to personal circumstances. I wanted to read this book in like, a day. It was really good, kept my attention, and kept me wanting to finish it.

I really enjoyed the two main characters, Alice Vega and Max Caplan. I would read more series with both or either of these characters. I also like the way the authors writes. I had to keep putting the book down, but when I picked it back up, I jumped right back into the story. I like that the author wrote from several different points of view. You could get a little insight to each of the characters and how they were feeling or what they were thinking. But without going overboard.

I hope the author keeps going with Alice Vega; I really enjoyed the tough girl/badass character. Max Caplan and his daughter I would read about too. Hopefully as a team.

Thank you for the ARC!

This was a terrific mystery/thriller. I wanted to read it in one sitting. It was very suspenseful. I loved Vega. She was strong as nails and I love how she was the tough one and Cap was softer and more vulnerable. The only objection I had to the book as I wanted more Nell! She is awesome! I want a series of books just about her! The best part of this is that I didn’t guess the ending. Sometimes that can really take away the enjoyment of a book (looking at you Girl on the Train!) and I was shocked at the ending.

This is another one of those books you just can't put down: a plot that grabs you by the front of your shirt and doesn't let go, with excellent character development, and what a way with words. Two Girls Down, by Louisa Luna, takes the reader through the emotional roller coster of searching for missing children. That emotional trauma is, of course, felt most by the children's families, but we are shown how it also affects the authorities involved in the search.

Two Girls Down is the heart-wrenching story of the kidnapping of two little girls, and the search and rescue effort. It would be easy to blame the mother, Jamie Brant, as she curses at them and is, herself, an abuser of both drugs and alcohol, but she loves her children. Jamie's aunt hires a famous bounty hunter, Alice Vega, to find the girls.

Lead character, Vega, refers to herself as someone who finds missing persons. Lead supporting character, Max Caplan (Cap) is a disgraced police officer turned private investigator who Vega hires to assist her. Cap's disgrace is due to his taking the fall for a younger officer who had a family to support.

Through the voices of her characters, Luna reminds us of the dangers of starring at our phones instead of watching our children in any public place; of our prejudices: one character disliked Vega because of her appearance - she was a quarter Mexican. Then there is the effect drug use and alcoholism have on families: one older couple was at risk of losing their home because of their daughter's abuse of drugs and alcohol. The opioid crisis was mentioned several times.

Through the voice of the narrator, she reminds us of many of today's issues: urban sprawl is mentioned more than once, and runoff from a coal mine is said to be causing a stream to be named Black Creek. One character with leathery skin was said to resemble another attractive character, except that she had spent too much time in the sun. Also, mentioned was the dangers of tobacco use (a person who had smoked for years and looked it, and another who didn't know if her cancer was caused by a life with parents and a husband who smoked or by asbestos in her workplace).

All of these things are subtly woven into a compelling yet agonizing, and all too realistic story. This is one that will stay with you after you have closed the book, or turned off your e-reader.