First, let’s look at the good things about Two Girls Down. It’s a really good story with twists and turns that you don’t see coming. It contains a good amount of suspense and keeps you turning the pages almost relentlessly. It also does justice to the genre, does not shy away from violence, and keeps you guessing till the last minute. As a crime thriller, it does well and has a lot of interesting angles.

But, it also has aspects that take away from how good it could have been.

Alice Vega and Max Caplan’s characters are really interesting. They are honest, raw, and easy to associate with, and unfold as the book progresses. But, there are these random moments where their actions make no sense and don’t even remain consistent with their characters.

A large part of the writing is through thought based narration. So you can really tell what the characters are feeling in any situation and you get to see the entire moment through their eyes and thoughts. I’m assuming that this was meant to come across as “intense” and to a great extent, it does. But at times, the writing is just so convoluted in its attempt to be human that it becomes too confusing and even annoying.

The most irritating part, though, is Vega and Caplan’s relationship. It’s an interesting and honest relationship, for the most part. But there is this element of attraction that is weakly explored at odd times. Honestly, I think the story could have been even better if that aspect was either ignored altogether or explored more fully. The way the attraction angle is used comes across more as forced than the intended (I assume) impulsive.

There are also a lot of characters who are briefly mentioned and then play an important role. With so many names being thrown at you on every page, keeping track can get difficult. And this makes the story a bit cumbersome.

These tiny problems really reduce the reading quality of the book. And yet, the book manages to be interesting enough to want to finish. It also has some great “kick-ass” elements for both the protagonists that are a lot of fun to read. It flows really well and in the end, has a great story. Although it is being published as a standalone, I’m hoping that Luna will write sequels because I want to see the development of the very interesting partnership between Vega and Caplan as they take on new cases.

So, in spite of its flaws, it can definitely be enjoyed, especially by:
- crime fiction fans
- mystery and thriller fans
- fans of female-centric books

Suspenseful with twists and turns and a great character in Alice Vega, a female bounty hunter. I would love to see a series where she and her partner Cap team up. Really well-written.

If you like sleep I would skip this book. This is a fast wild ride so get ready. Love this author.

When I first saw that Louisa Luna's TWO GIRLS DOWN was being compared to THE WIRE, I immediately knew I had to read it. The Wire is perhaps one of the finest television shows every produced. And it features the writing of some of the best crime fiction novelists in the game today (Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, Richard Price et.al.). I thought it was a bold move for the publisher to compare this novel from a relative newcomer to such a lauded piece of work as THE WIRE.

Happily, I can say that the comparison isn't far off. I found the writing to be fresh, gritty, lyrical, and above all else compelling. In TWO GIRLS DOWN you ostensibly have two characters with equally interesting backgrounds. Alice Vega is an enigmatic bounty hunter who will no doubt draw comparisons to Lisbeth Salander. And by the way, those comparisons are also just. The other main character is a disgraced former cop named Max Caplan. Both characters are competent, despite their quirks, and committed to justice. With two girls down, the basic story lies around finding two young girls who were taken from a store parking lot while their mother shopped inside the store. Though Vega and Caplan are in many ways looking in on the investigation from the outside (the local authorities don't want their help) they manage to gain more traction in finding the girls than the police ever could. There are some interesting side stories to this tale as well that add texture and dimension. I believe Louisa Luna is a writer to watch!

There is the legal way to do things and then there is the Alice Vega way to do things. Alice's way gets more results and were very enjoyable to read.

Alice Vega is a Bounty Hunter in California who has a reputation of finding missing children. She's a yoga fanatic and can kick anyone's ass. She has one heck of a hacker on her side too who gets her better information than even the FBI can come up with. She is contacted by the Aunt of a mother in Pennsylvania whose two girls are taken and the police have no leads.. She decides to take the case and travels to Denville, PA. After being brushed off by the cops she decides to enlist the help of ex cop Max Caplan who is now a PI.

Max wasn't your typical over the top alpha hero. Divorced father of a teenager, with whom he has a great relationship with, he's more a rational thinker and great investigator. Unlike Alice who goes to any extreme to get her skip trace or perp or information. I dont think he knew what to think of balls to walls Alice at first but it was plain to see the two balanced each other out during the investigation.

The investigation into the missing girls was an interesting labyrinth that didn't lead in the end where I thought it would. I was immediately wrapped up in the story and stayed that way till the end. Alice and Max were great characters who I hope we get to see again.

I usually don't care for books that have missing children involved but this one was written tastefully. It was a great account on a mother who has been having issues and goes to find her two young children missing. The book I would recommend that anyone liking crime novels to pick up and read because it's a truly good book. I am grateful for Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved this book. Alice Vega is smart, intuitive, ex-military with an uncanny ability to find missing people. She'said like a slightly more socially adept Lisbeth Salander. Great character development, strong female characters and well paced story. Highly recommended.

Two Girls Down Louisa Luna

One of the best things about e-readers, and the various sites from which you can download books, is that I have discovered authors that I would never have encountered in the bookshops of the UK.

Various holidays over the years have resulted in me finding authors, and then have the frustration of not being able to buy their books here.

Today’s review highlights how good it is to find a good book by a great author, who is published in the UK, but on a small scale, and who I would probably never found.

Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna is a gem of a book.

When two very young girls go missing from a Mall in Pennsylvania their single mother is left distraught. Jamie Brandt is a single mom and her two girls, Kylie (10) and Bailey (8) are her life. The small-town Police Department are understaffed and over worked and, as much as they want to find the find the girls, it seems an impossible task.

Jamie’s Aunt contacts a Private Investigator in California with a history of recovering missing children.

A bit like a Female Jack Reacher 33 (but a lot more realistic) year old Alice Vega arrives in town and starts her own investigation.

Realising she need local help, and restricted by the Police, she reaches out for former cop Max (Cap) Capland, a single father with a very forthright 16-year-old daughter.

The investigation into the disappearance of the two girls leads Vega and Cap through the underworld of small town USA. Whilst battling with the underworld they butt heads with the Local Police.

There is the inevitable will-they-won’t-they element to the relationship but it definitely adds to the story.

The twists and turns come fast in the case and it is not a book where you will easily guess what the ending is going to be, but it’s a great ride getting there.

For those of you, like me, who have never read a Louisa Luna book before, I would compare her stories, and writing style, to Marnie Riches. If you like the Girl Who….. series and Born Bad, you are going to love this book.

Pages: 320

Wow! I hadn't heard of this author before, I believe she's mostly written YA books. And for a debut thriller novel, this is outstanding!

The story is about two young sisters who going missing from a mall parking lot in Denville, NJ. The family hires bad ass bounty hunter Alice Vega, who enlists the help of local former cop Max Caplan. Together they stay 3 steps ahead of the already overworked police force.

All characters were well developed, the story was engrossing and a very well written who-done-it. I could easily see (and hope for) a series with Vega.

I very much enjoyed and recommend reading as soon as it comes out January 9, 2018.

Thanks to NetGalley, Doubleday and Louisa Luna for ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Suspenseful thriller, interesting characters. Never leave your kids in the car alone!

“Two Girls Down” by Louisa Luna starts with bang. Jamie Brandt is not a bad mother, but perhaps not the best either. She struggles with everyday life; stress and anxiety reign supreme. She has trouble coping with anything and everything. She takes her two daughters shopping; letting them stay in the car and play does not seem like a bad idea to her, but when she returns to her car, the girls are gone. Bang!
Other players are slowly introduced, one by one. Max Caplan is an ex-husband, private investigator, disgraced cop, and dad. He spends his day chasing unfaithful spouses and people who run out on their debts, bails, or other obligations. Alice Vega is a girl who does handstands while she thinks. At thirty-three, she is too old to be called a girl, but she still feels like one. After a traumatic past, she now spends her time finding missing persons. She is unconventional, and secretive, but she has special skills, and she has her SOURCES.
The police are unable to make progress on finding the girls, so the family seeks outside help. Alice and Cap, two seemingly incompatible people, are drawn into the search for the missing Brandt girls. Cap and Alice are unconventional in their search methods to say the least. What starts as a search for just two girls, morphs into something much more. Information is revealed that was previously secret. Events that seem to be unrelated are suddenly connected, but why? People are connected in unexpected ways, but how are they connected to the Brandt girls? What about three other people who disappeared in the past few years? There are abundant questions, but no answers. Time is ticking away and the girls are still missing.
“Two Girls Down” gathers speed as the pages go by. This is a compelling tale, and I was “on the edge of my seat” while I read. Unconventional search and interrogation methods are used because, after all, Alice and Cap are not cops, and two girls are missing.
I received a copy of “Two Girls Down” from Double Day Books, NetGalley, and Louisa Luna for my impartial review. I loved the book, and recommend it to all fans of mysteries and thrillers.

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For me its 4 mystery ⭐⭐⭐⭐.
I really enjoyed this mystery thriller, never saw that twist coming though. I literally devoured in one sitting. Vega is one damn hard woman. Coupled with Caplan, they make a mean team after being shunned down by local police department. They leave no stone unturned in finding the sisters. And once again I'm saying, never saw that twist comin.

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I loved this book, for the most part because of the main character, Alice Vega. This is a 100% "real" character, one who experiences (and handles) situations and emotions that inspire empathy... because we've all experienced some or all of them ourselves. She's tough, with lots of demons she battles every day. And yet, she stays focused on her investigation and doggedly pursues every lead. I was drawn to her as an intelligent, intuitive woman, and enjoyed her interaction with all the other characters, good guys and bad. Intricate, well-written plot and satisfying ending. Highly recommended.

Review based on an ARC from NetGalley. Thanks!
I’ve read this book with interest although sometimes it was hard to see where and how exactly Alice Vega and Max Caplan got their leads. There are very many people named in the book and it is difficult t oremember all those names when you haven’t got a clue whether they are important tot he story or not.
At the start of the book, it appeared that the kidnapped girls’ mother would be the main character. I’m happy she was not because I did not like her very much. Cap and Vega make an interesting couple though, and right from the beginning there is more between them than they want to admit to themselves.
The plot of the book is fine, with some unexpected (sometimes very unexpected) twists and turns. I for me hope there will be more books with Cap and Vega as main characters.

2 Girls Down is the story of two PI's searching for 2 missing girls. The two PI's come from very different backgrounds and have very different views on how to approach the missing persons and how to get the necessary information from suspects to track down the actual kidnappers. There are a few subplots regarding the mother's mental fitness, several unreliable (at best) witnesses, and a police force that is more than happy to let the lead detective's ego get in the way of the investigation.
I liked the characters, particularly the PI's - Alice Vega seems almost autistic and Max Caplan is a comfortable father figure/mentor for her. A good first novel.

Showed Promised But A Few Issues

The first chapter introduces all the central players. There is the harried mother, Jamie Brant, taking her two young daughters, Kylie and Bailey, to a birthday party. The daughters disappear when she leaves them in her car in a shopping mall parking lot as she goes in to buy a present. The second is Max Caplan, an ex-police detective, who had to quit the force after a death in custody incident. He currently shares custody of his daughter, Nell, and works documenting cheating spouses and returning “skips” — people who skip on their bail. Lastly, there is Alice Vega, who is introduced standing on her hands. She has a fugitive recovery background that has had recent success in recovering kidnapped children.

Vega is contracted by Brant’s aunt to find the two girls. Vega tries to convince Caplan to work for her to help with the local police. After clearing his plate, they start working together. The police detective in charge of the investigation does not want any outside help especially from a outsider and a disgraced cop, so they start on their own. The storyline has steady paced with more than I expected in twists and turns all the way up to the end. This storyline captured my attention and kept me riveted to my Kindle reading it.

This novel has a signature feature in that the first sentence of each chapter and two major sections within chapters. They all started in lower case and generally appeared to be entirely all lower case. I found this to be a distractor right from the start because it took my thought process away from the flow of the storyline.

I had an issue with the B-story with respect to the main heroine, Alice Vega. The author provided some insight into her character is the short section in the first chapter, but then for almost half of the novel, she was a one dimensional as Sgt. Joe Friday in the 50s Dragnet TV show. Finally, her character opens up and you can start to see her as a person. This aspect made it challenging to bond with the main character for almost half of the novel. The B-story was well developed for Max Caplan with his daughter. Even the numerous other characters were adequately developed and supported their actions in the storyline very well.

Vulgar words occurred fairly regularly in this novel. These words did fit the characters and circumstances at the time of their use. This aspect of the novel did not bother me while reading it, and, in fact, I had to go back and count the instances. I have read many reviews complaining about language, so readers beware.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this work. It captured my attention, and many times I could not put it down. With a few rough edges, I rate this novel with four stars. I do recommend reading this novel as I believe that you will find it enjoyable and entertaining also.

I have received a free Uncorrected Proof/Advanced Reading Copy of this novel through NetGalley from Doubleday Books with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read this novel early.

A good story. Not great but very good.
Amazingly written. The writing style alone will keep your reading.
Two kids are left alone in the car while their mother runs into the store to pick up a last minute gift. First of all, don't leave your kids in the car!
(I know it's so cliché.) The entire story is like that.
But there are two characters, a “retired” cop and a PI who are dope. Separately they are awesome at what they do, together they are unstoppable.
You think you know who kidnapped these girls? Well I'm sorry you don't. Plot twist. Exciting!
I'm new to this writer and I glad to be apart of the readership.

Great book, easy read… Held my attention and was sad to see it end. Thanks for the opportunity to read it!

I have received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. Two Girls Down had my interest from the first page, it captivated my interest immediately. When I finished a page I couldn't wait to see what was around the corner. It was a fast paced thriller book. I couldn't put the book down once I started it. The characters an the plot was very liked, and let me tell you I did not see the ending coming at all! I will defiantly recommend this book to my whole family. Louisa Luna will defiantly be on my list of new authors to read!!

Two Girls Down was a bit of a slow burn for me - it took me a while to get interested in the main characters and I often found myself wanting more from them. By the end, I was happy with the book. I didn't LOVE it or stay up all night reading it, but it was well written, witty, and kept me guessing. I could see this turning into a series, as there are many storylines that could be developed and many main characters that could be developed further. I rate this 3.5/5 stars.

I would recommend this read to others who are into mysteries or detective stories and want to try something new. This would be an easy book to recommend to a parent or friend who wants their books fairly PG13.