Alice Vega was trained to hunt down those who skip. They skip out on their bail. They skip out on their debts. They change their names and move away and start over somewhere new. But she finds them and returns them to the person who was looking for them, to the person who is paying her for her services. But it turns out that the skills she developed to find and retrieve those who skip out on their responsibilities can be used in another way. They can be used to find missing children.

So when Jamie Brandt’s two girls go missing from the Kmart parking lot in Denville, Pennsylvania, Jamie’s aunt hires Vega to find them and bring them back home. And Vega is a woman on a mission to do just that.

She joins forces with local private investigator Max “Cap” Caplan, a disgraced local cop who knows the area and its people, and whose easy smile and charm help him get answers without Vega having to use her (often violent) tactics. Along with her master hacker, known only as “The Bastard,” Vega and Cap go into the dangerous and distasteful underbelly of Denville to try to track down those two innocent girls.

After fighting with local law enforcement and some lowlife drug dealers, Vega and Cap find themselves closer to the Brandt girls. And also closer to danger. As the hours tick by, will they finally find the thread they need to find the girls before something happens to them, will they be too late, or will they simply get killed in the process?

Louisa Luna has written a tight, taut thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. Two Girls Down is not an easy book to read, as the topic is as painful as they come. But I have to say that I fell madly in love with Alice Vega and wanted this story to end well but the series to go on and on. While she is no Kinsey Milhone, she does scratch the itch that Sue Grafton created in me about 20 pages in to A is for Alibi. I see Vega as a strange amalgamation of Kinsey and Jack Reacher, and I can’t wait to read more of her adventures in the (hopefully near) future.

I listened to the audiobook on this one, and narrator Tavia Gilbert really brought this story to life. I thought she was the perfect voice for Vega, and I just wanted to keep listening to her tell me this story. I had a very hard time walking away from this story, as the tension was real, and I was hooked in deep.

But as I said, it’s not an easy book to read (or listen to). This is a painful, difficult subject, what happens to children when they go missing. And there are some particularly abhorrent characters in this story. But there are also some really lovely characters, like Cap’s teenage daughter Nell, who is truly surprising in every way. If you can stomach the crime, then give Two Girls Down a shot. And maybe you’ll find yourself falling for Alice Vega too.

Galleys for Two Girls Down were provided by Doubleday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I bought the audio book myself, through Audible.

Two Girls Down is a very intriguing thriller. As I read I became attached to the characters. The author did an excellent job with character development. The story was very engaging and not a predictable ending.

I did see a flaw in the development of the relationship between Alice and Cap. It seemed like the writing style was a little different towards the end with some corner line. But it did not distract from the story.

As the book goes on it gets dark. There are a few images I will have a hard time getting out of my head after reading this book.

This was the first book I read by this author and I will defiantly look for more. I recommend this book as a great thriller for anyone that likes a good mystery.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

What a ride! When Jamie Brandt’s two daughters disappear from a parking lot in their home town Jamie’s aunt calls in Alice Vega, a PI from California. Vega teams up with ex-cop Max Caplan to get to the bottom of things. What they unravel I didn’t see coming! If you love a good thriller try this now! Hopefully Vega and Cap will be back soon!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

Two Girls Down was a taut thriller that introduced two characters that I hope become part of a series. Cap & Vega are brought in to help find two missing girls. Their chemistry is excellent, both bringing something to the other to make a well balanced and highly capable team. Several twists and turns keep you guessing until the end. Well written with an interesting plot, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good mystery that keeps you on your toes.

A gripping mystery/thriller with a disturbing subject that draws the reader in. Was archived before I downloaded, but got my own copy and don't regret at all!

It's a mother's greatest fear. A mother leaves her 13 and 8-year-old daughters in the car while she goes in the store. When she gets back, her daughters are gone from the car and no one can tell her where they went.

The police are working the case but they have very few leads. Enter private investigator Alice Vega and former police, Cap. What follows is quite the twisty ride.

I don't normally enjoy mysteries, but I did enjoy this. There are some disturbing elements that some readers may find triggering, but not surprising considering the subject matter. Cap and Vega are an quite the team and I wouldn't mind exploring future mysteries with this pair.

This is one mystery worth the read!

I got the chance to read a prepublication thriller from Simon & Schuster, Two Girls Down, by Louisa Luna. Jamie Brandt was a single mother who understandably struggled to deal with the responsibilities for her two girls, 10-year-old Kylie and 8-year-old Bailey. The girls’ father just took off when Jamie was born and he had not been seen or heard from in years. On the way to a birthday party for Kylie’s friend, they stopped at a Kmart. The girls stayed in the car while Jamie ran in to buy a gift which she could barely afford. Despite having been under strict orders not to leave the car, by the time Jamie returned, the girls had disappeared. Very quickly it was determined that they had been kidnapped.

Luna brought a great cast of characters to this story. Alice Vega was the protagonist who specialized in finding missing children, and she was very good at it. Arriving from her home in California, Vega needed some local assistance, and she turned to recently disgraced and voluntarily retired police officer Max “Cap” Caplan, now doing very mundane work as a private investigator. There was more to Cap than his story suggested. He was a divorced father with a precocious 16-year-old daughter, Nell. There were other well-designed individuals in the police department and in the families of all the principal characters, but Vega and Cap were the ones who carried this story.


As Luna developed the characters and set up the plot, the first chapter was a little slow, but by midway through chapter two, I was hooked. My only frustration was that my own life kept interrupting me from reading it all the way through in one sitting – it was that good. The author had twists in the plot that I did not see coming – the resolution was not what I expected. Vega and Cap are the sorts of characters that could carry a long set of novels. I hope to see more from Ms. Luna. The novel is scheduled to be released after the first of the year, so get this one reserved right now.

New author Luna introduces us to Alice Vega, a private investigator who specializes in finding missing people. Two young girls disappeared from the car in Pennsylvania and Vega is flown in from California by their aunt to help track them down. Vega recruits a local PI, a former cop who did not leave the police department on good terms, to help her with the search.

Max Caplan, the former police officer, has a daughter of his own and an uncomfortable relationship with the local police force but he dives in to help solve the mystery. 'Cap' and Vega run into lies, uncooperative officials, and the difficulties of rural infrastructure but are determined to find the children--preferably alive. This thriller keeps you guessing until the end. Dr. Cheryl Youse, Colquitt County High School

Ah I love a great mystery! I tend to judge a good vs a great mystery when I can't figure out the ending or the major twist before I get to the big reveal in the book, and I really enjoyed reading this one. Strong writing, great characters (that I hope we see more of - I don't know what this author is writing next, but this could be the start of a series) and enjoyed it!

An interesting read. I had trouble connecting with this story at first, but if you stick with it you're sure to be surprised and entertained. A pretty good mystery that most will surely enjoy

The story begins with a frazzled single mother who leaves her daughters in the car while running errands and returns to find them missing. Enter a private investigator from away who finds a way to get hired and who in turns hires a local former police officer to help. It’s a race against time to find the missing children as clues pile up, pointing in several directions.
This had the potential of being the “same old” missing children plot but crisp writing and well developed characters make this an excellent read. Once I picked this up I couldn’t put it down, and when I got to the end it did not disapppoint. And no spoilers, but the ending is off the chart on the creepy scale!

Great psychological fiction, kept me intrigued throughout. I had a clue midway through who the culprit might be (and I was right), but I didn't know the details so that had me invested to figure it out. Great story and I loved Alice, I hope that Luna will have more books featuring her as a main character. She's quirky and smart and I really liked every scene she was in.

Two Girls Down really grabbed my attention. The book is full of twists and turns that you are not expecting. The characters are well rounded, especially the main character, bounty hunter, Alexa Vega. This was a good read and if you like suspense you will like this book!

Talk about suspenseful! My heart was racing through out this entire book. Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna is every mother's nightmare, and is sure to pull you in and not let you go until the very last page.

Jamie and her daughters Kylie and Bailey are shopping one day, when Jamie decides to head into a store alone, when she comes back out, she notices that her daughters are no longer in her car. After seeing the security camera footage, Jamie realizes that her daughters exited the vehicle on their own, but something or someone lured them away from the camera's angle. Talk about having a heart attack. No mother or father ever wants to go through something like this in their life.

When there are no other leads, Jamie and her family decide to hire a bounty hunter named Alice, as well as a private investigator named Max. The pair are determined to find the girls and bring them back home to their family. The local police are not happy that these two outsiders have started working on the case as well, but with very little resources, the police have to let the pair step in.

As the story unfolds, there is no doubt that you will be pointing a finger at every single character in this novel. Once you find out what really happened, though, you will be shocked beyond words. This book is incredible, it will leave you breathless! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, Louisa knows how to create that utter terror in her characters that will make you feel sick to your stomach.

Definitely a gritty thriller. I found some of the descriptive parts unsettling, so would skim. There are plenty of twists to figure out what happened to the two girls from the mall.

Two Girls Down is an unputdownable, well-written mystery with a cast of complex and fascinating characters. I read this so fast and loved it! I think any fan of suspense books will feel the very same!

This story is about a single mother, Jamie, who has two daughters ages 8 and 10. She’s feeling worn down from parenting and just wants even a few minutes of peace. She leaves her girls in the car while running into a store and when she returns, both girls are missing. This leads Jamie to eventually hire a bounty hunter, Alice, and a former police detective, Max “Cap.” The pair work together to uncover what happened to the girls, following leads and determining which people pose a threat or not. Along the way, they find out just how deep this crime is rooted within the town while battling their own personal demons and trying their best to bring Jamie’s girls’ home.

I absolutely loved how Luna made me suspect EVERYONE. It’s one of those books where you’re not quite sure who to trust but you’re still rooting on your main characters. Cap was a really interesting character and Alice was badass. For me to truly love a suspense books means for me to empathize with the characters, and Luna excelled at that.

Not only that, but the reveals that occur are surprising and well-thought out. I’m so looking forward to the next book that Luna writes. She’s an author to watch, without a doubt.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Doubleday for a copy of this book.

I loved Cap and Vega and really hope the author has plans for more books with them. This was a terrific crime story that I got really sucked into.

I've really been interested in mysteries and thrillers lately, so when I saw this book available through my association with NetGalley, it piqued my interest.  I had never heard of Louisa Luna, but the cover and the story definitely seemed right up my alley.

The story begins with two little girls - Kylie (10) and Bailey (8) - who disappear from a parked car in a strip mall when their single mother, Jamie, leaves them in the car to quickly run in and buy a gift for a birthday party they are on their way to attend. When she comes out of the store about 10 minutes later, her car is there but the girls are missing.  (Really? Who does that? Wow.)

The police department is short-staffed and unable to provide the time needed to do a thorough job investigating the situation.  Alice Vega is a private investigator from California with a reputation for locating missing children. Vega is hired to find two little girls in Pennsylvania, and she enlists the assistance of a former policeman, Max Caplan, as her partner in this pursuit.

Vega and "Cap" form a very interesting partnership; they are two flawed people who work against the police and distraught parents in a race to save the two missing girls.  Very slowly, Vega and Cap must determine which leads are false and which might have potential. They need to determine who poses a threat and who might have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

This is a fast-paced, tension-building story as if the girls are to be found alive every hour counts. A good mystery that kept me flipping the pages and hoping for the girls to be found unharmed.  It's a well-written, suspenseful "who done it" with some really fascinating characters. The only negative I would say is that I could have done without all the swearing. The book would have been just as good without them. I did enjoy this book and read most of it in one sitting. You can bet that I'll be looking out for the next book in Luna's career!

I received an advanced readers digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Doubleday Books in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review, but I did because the book was great!! Thank you NetGalley!

This was a great thriller, with well developed characters and a great plot line! It had some excellent twists that kept me guessing. I definitely recommend, if you’re looking for a fun thriller.