This was my first book by Erica Spindler and I really enjoyed it. The book was fast-paced and kept my attention. I didn't find the ending shocking, but it was still enjoyable to read. I liked that the dialogue within the plot didn't seem forced or cheesy. Miranda and her partner Jake were great. I will look for this author again!

Oh my! Now the synopsis sounded promising and it had potential, it was a total mess. I could not for anything get I to this book. Tha k you for the early access though!

This novel is a mess. While the plot has the potential to be intense, emotional and twisted, it reads like there was pressure to get something written and this is the rushed final product. Everything in this novel escalates quickly, from the plot elements that really deserved a more thoughtful approach, to the emotions of the characters.
Issues around rape, believing women and why someone might not report that kind of crime were important and should have been given the proper space on the page that they deserved, but instead these topics were screamed at the reader and then dropped.

The novel relies heavily on clichés for the genre and the kinds of characters and plot that you’ve seen a million times before.

I don’t know, maybe Spindler was under the gun to get something out, but this is just not what I expect from such an established author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Randi has a reputation in her hometown of Jasper as a bit of a troublemaker. Truth be told, she's just a normal teenager doing normal teenager things until one night when it all goes very bad. The problem is nobody believes her story and her reputation now includes the label liar.

Officer Miranda Rader has worked really hard to prove herself trustworthy and reliable. When she's called to a horrific crime scene and finds a newspaper article about her in the victim's desk drawer she's not sure what to think. It sets her on a trail that nobody else wants her to go down, one that takes her all the way back to that night when she was 15 years old and called Randi.

The further she digs the less support she gets from the people she thought she could trust. Now she's not sure who is her ally and who is her enemy.

I was expecting this to be kind of the typical woman cop story with a little punch here and there but Spindler came shooting out of the gate with the crime scene her Officer Miranda Rader is called to. Wow. Gruesome. And from there she takes the reader on quite a ride that contains disappointment, shock, and discovery. Her twists and turns in the story are to be commended for sure. My mind was trying to keep up. I might be giving other Spindler titles a try after this one.

I'm surprised I haven't heard more about this book. I really enjoyed this grisly, brutal thriller involving the investigation of a small-town murder. There were some great twists that I didn't see coming.

When one of the college’s professors is murdered, Officer Miranda and her partner are called in to investigate. What initially seemed like a one-time crime turns into a string of murders designed to bring up one of the worse moments of Miranda’s life.

I listened to the audiobook and I must say that it was really well done. I think the narrator did a wonderful job!

The plot is not very complex. However, the mystery is fun and builds up quite nicely.

The book also has a bit of romance sprinkled in, which I really enjoyed.

This is the first book I read by Erica Spindler and I was impressed! I can’t wait to read more from her.

Miranda Rader was once 15-year-old Randi from the wrong family, caught with a pack of marijuana, telling the unbelievable story about her being kidnapped along with another girl - only that she had escaped. And her begging the police for help for the another girl, who has been already subjected to sexual violence only results in disbelief and later in juvie for possession. But Miranda has grown up, got her life together and now is serving her community as policeman. So she is not surprised to be called to investigate a murder...but who has been murdered is the very important question. And why has been she involved and how deep the involvement really is?

The psychological parts of this novel are very good, the pace is fine and Miranda herself is a good, complex character. Yet - she is quite lacking as a policewoman. She should be asking the very important questions much sooner! If only she was not blocking her past so deep within herself, she could much faster see who is behind all this. While I understand the issue of blocking the hard memories - yet, she supposedly is a smart, experienced investigator. Also the romance is very improbable here - from mere colleagues to lovers in 5 minutes and it is immediately the absolutely deep connection. This is a movie motive, but does not work truly.

But except these few lapsuses - the read is truly good, engaging and from now I will follow Ms Spindler's work. Because not everybody can offer an interesting story, but she definitely can do that!

The Other Girl is definitely categorized in my opinion as a must read. Erica Spindler takes us on an adventure in Louisiana with a strong group of characters. Miranda "Randi" starts you off with holding your breath and in her wild ride in her youth with a strong story line. The plot twists and relationships between all of the characters make you instantly glued to the book and unwilling to put it down until its finished.

The history of the characters and the backstory keeps you hooked while at the same time you're trying to solve the murder and wonder who can you trust? Who could've committed the crimes and is it someone you've already met or a new character to come.

The scenery displayed in the writing and the emotions described are lifelike in every chapter leaving you wanting more and more. The bond between Miranda and Jake create an everlasting longing for what the future brings and a wonder of where the story will go.

I read this book in less than a week and honestly could've finished it in one day had it been a weekend. I couldn't put it down and kept running to my tablet anytime I had a moments break to keep reading.

There were only wonderful things to say about this book and absolutely no negative feelings or opinions. I truly feel as though Erica Spindler continues to outshine herself every single time she writes a new book.

Thank you again Erica for taking us on this adventure. I look forward to your next book.

This book introduced Erica Spindler to our library patrons, many of whom want good suspenseful beach reads. The romantic aspects of the story are not my favorite but other readers enjoyed them. Spindler books are now a regular purchase for us.

"You can sleep with a blonde, you can sleep with a brunette, but you'll never get any sleep with a redhead!"
—Jamie Luner

A humorous, and very memorable, quote spoken by one of the prettiest copper-haired women on Earth.
Humorous because there is a great deal of truth to it.

Take the ginger-haired Erica Spindler, author of the tale currently under review, for instance. Her dialogue here is so entertaining that it kept me awake until past 2 a.m. for four nights in a row. I was so absorbed in the author's fictional world on these pages that I hated the concept of time. I hated its inability to wait for anyone. Time continued to move forward—mocking me and reminding me of my fatigue—despite my attempts to ignore the slumber and continue on with my reading.

Indeed, it had been quite a challenge to fall asleep on this one.

GETTING UNDERWAY.

Followed in a sequence of date and time-stamped chapters, The Other Girl opens (in Jasper, Louisiana, circa 2002) to introduce the reader to its leading lady, Randi Rader, who just so happens to be a fifteen-year-old rebel with many causes.

The product of a highly dysfunctional family, including an imprisoned father, two criminal-minded older brothers, and a mother who just doesn't seem to care one iota, the misguided Randi sneaks out of her family’s trailer home (also called a ‘double-wide’) in the middle of the night in search of the revelrous fast life: a party, some beer, some harder booze, some weed, some debaucherous cohorts, and any other distraction that will assist in her quest to forget the pain and hardship of her everyday life.

She finds it.

While waiting to be picked up by her two older brothers, Wes and Robby, at a certain location near a power station at 8 p.m. on the night in question, Randi sees a red Ford F-150 appear out of nowhere and pull up alongside her. The pickup is being driven by none other than Billy "Billy-Bo" Boman, who tells the wild child, Randi, this lie: 'Your brothers told me to come pick you up.' Believing his words to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—just based on the characteristics of her lazy, good-for-nothing siblings, not to mention knowing that Billy-Bo has a cooler full of ice-cold beer—Randi quickly jumps into the passenger seat of Billy-Bo’s pickup, and the devil gets busy.

The two chat as Randi cracks a beer and begins to guzzle it down. At this point, Billy-Bo sees an opportunity to violate her body and prepares to make his move. Randi plays along until Billy-Bo’s advances start to become more forceful. Suddenly realizing her predicament, Randi fights Billy-Bo off, robbing him of a bag of weed in the process. She soon jumps out of his prized pickup, but not without being showered with a barrage of skank epithets. Once Billy-Bo is out of her hair, Randi—with her feet clad in a pair of flimsy flip flops—starts walking down the dark and deserted road. She soon sees another vehicle—with its headlights delightfully bright in the darkness—approaching her. And when the car finally slows to a stop, its occupants, a man sitting in the driver’s seat, and a mysterious young girl about Randi’s age sitting in the passenger seat, smile at her. The man then speaks and says to Randi that both he and his female passenger, Cathy, are headed to a party. And when he asks Randi if she would like to join them, she answers him by quickly jumping into his car—her second vehicle of the night—and settling in for the ride. And with that foolish decision, Randi Rader’s life would never be the same again.

FOURTEEN YEARS LATER.

Miranda Rader, a detective with the Harmony, Louisiana Police Department, has been called to the scene of a gruesome murder. The victim is Richard Stark, a prominent college professor who just so happens to be the son of a rich and highly influential college president. Miranda is on the scene at the request of her superior officer and mentor, Chief Buddy Cadwell. After Chief Cadwell, who adores Miranda like a daughter, assigns the murder investigation to Miranda and her partner, Jake Billings, the pair, known all over town for their investigative prowess, jump into action without hesitation. But as they probe further, Miranda is soon forced to realize that her abysmal past, now knowing her whereabouts, has come back to reacquaint itself with her.

YOU GOT ME FEELING EMOTIONS.

Set in Spindler's home state of Louisiana, The Other Girl is a touching tale that will take the reader down an emotional road paved with frustration, anger, sadness, irritation, and hopelessness.

When you feel as though the entire world has banded together against you.

When lies and the double-headed monster of deception seem to hold the upper hand over the truth.

When your entire world feels like it's coming apart and being snatched out from under you.

When you feel as though you have no one, no one at all.

Those are the emotions projected on these riveting pages.

With The Other Girl, Erica Spindler spins a tale that holds a firm grip on its reader, pinching on the psyche without cessation. And although characters like Miranda's best friend, Summer, and Jake Billings would be able to carry this narrative in their own respect, there's only one Miranda Rader. She is a true champion among female leads in the mystery-thriller genre today. And she is sure to become one most beloved.

WINDING DOWN.

There are books, and then there are books that have the power to enwrap readers because they represent the human experience. Compositions of that sort embody the very qualities that make us human: personality, heart, flaws, faults, regrets, anger, bitterness, compassion, love, integrity, dignity, forgiveness, and self-forgiveness. Erica Spindler's forthcoming effort, The Other Girl, is a gorgeous member of the latter. And when the time comes for its public release, I will be right there cheering it on, and wishing it a great success among its literary peers.

Five empathetic stars.

• It is my kindly pleasure to thank St. Martins Press, as well as NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Other Girl, in exchange for my honest review.

Analysis of “The Other Girl” by Erica Spindler is courtesy of Reviews by Cat Ellington: https://catellingtonblog.wordpress.com

Date of Review: Friday, June 23, 2017

(Source: I would like to thank the publisher for providing the copy. This will not influence my review.)

“You can’t run away from your past. It always catches up to you.”

The other girl has so many undertones. It speaks the true life and struggles of being a woman who experienced sexual abuse and harassment.

Miranda is a police officer and was assigned to a brutal crime to this guy named Richard Stark. While looking for the real reason of the crime, it leads to the past that she’s been holding for years.

Personally, the other girl has two reasons. One is the the past of Miranda during her teenage years and the other one is the other girl who’s with Miranda during that night of the harassment. During Miranda’s teenage years, she asks for help to the police because there this other girl named Cathy she left at the forest where the guy brought them and when they went there suddenly it was all cleared. She has a lot of questions after that night especially when a lot of people doesn’t believe on her because of her wild attitude and they couldn’t trust her.

This sums up about our society these days, when someone had been raped or sexual abuse they gave them a benefit of the doubt and worse they didn’t have a proper justice. Women are scared to step on and tell the truth because other people will not understand them. Boys will be boys as what they said, it is the story that shows the dark truth of society.

The author’s writing is great, I truly admire the way she writes that it isn’t confusing. The pacing of the story is good and you can finish it in one day since each chapter is very quick.

For me, this story will open up a lot of discussion and will also help women to take each other’s back. After all, we know the struggles that we faced each day.

I recommend it to all people because this book deserves more discussion.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Other Girl. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Officer Miranda Rader of the Harmony, Louisiana PD has tried very hard to shed her checkered past and become an officer known for her integrity and honesty. When the investigation into the murder of a beloved college professor challenges Miranda's recollection of a pivotal moment in her past, will she be able to separate her personal feelings for the sake of her professional career?

The Other Girl is a fast paced suspense thriller about how the secrets of the past have a way of coming to light in the present. The plot was pretty predictable, but I did like the main character for her strength and perseverance. Parts of the novel seemed unrealistic to me, especially regarding the conduct of the police, though I am unfamiliar with the inner workings of law enforcement in small, southern towns. The Other Girl was a quick read, good for those who like mystery and suspense.

Great story by Erica Spindler!! Really thrilling read, great characters and an enjoyable story. Highly recommend to others!!

Totally guessed wrong on who the killer was. Brilliant story and characters and I will be looking at the author for other stories. One of the best stories I have read this year.

Could. Not. Put. This. Down.

Gripping thriller and Monica is a heroine I'd want to spend more time with. Recommended for any thriller fan.

Why I like to read thrillers? They make me think, force me to use my little grey cells to decipher, untangle and examine every conversation, action, and thought of the characters involved. They give me a rush, an adrenaline boost. I expect them to be, well, thrilling. The first few chapters of The Other Girl had me hooked, I was excited to read the next line, the next page. The book was unputdownable until, like a popped balloon the storyline just fizzled into a mass of convenient and predictable plot twists. It was a fun, fast read but a little too cliché for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to review this book! This was my favorite novel to date by Erica Spindler!! A rollercoaster of a thriller, I couldn’t put it down! If you haven’t read a book by Spindler, I would suggest this to be your first.

4 stars!!

The Other Girl grabs you and draws you in right from the start.
Detective Miranda Rader and her partner Jake are investigating the killing of a college professor. This brings her back to her past where she was kidnapped and escaped , however in doing so she had to leave the other girl behind .
This thriller will have you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole story.

The Other Girl is a police procedural, murder mystery novel that is quite relevant in the world today. Told from the detective's point of view, who later discovers a link between herself and the victim; who may not have been a good a person as believed.
Fast paced read, enough story that even those not big fans of police novels will still enjoy.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy to review.