I always love to be able to jump on the bandwagon for book 1 of a series and what a way to kick off a series! The book centres around Alex (the Boss) and Chloe her partner. Despite the age difference between the two they make a cracking team and I warmed to both characters immediately. There is a great build of back story for both characters and you as they develop through the book you just know that book 2 is going to be even better (no pressure Victoria Jenkins!!!)

Called in to investigate the murder of a young girl whose body is found in the park, the pair work together brilliantly to try and catch a killer but when a second girl goes missing just days later the pressure really builds for the pair.

But as is always the case things are not as straightforward as they seem and Chloe finds her past being dragged back into the present and someone is desperate to keep a secret buried.

I honestly cannot wait for the next book I this series, these two have already become long lost friends.

This book was read over the space of two days simply for the fact that its school holidays and as chief entertainer couldn’t get a clear run at this…otherwise it would have been a one day read for sure!

I loved this book! It kept me hooked all the way through and I read it in one sitting. Bring on the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I must say that I liked the fact that the author chooses to use two female main characters as opposed to having one male and one female lead detective in most other procedural crime novels.

A body of a female is found in the water in a park on a cold winter morning. There aren't any leads and identifying the body is not easy as it has been partially decomposed. Detective Alex King and Chloe Lane are called in to investigate. They had not made much headway and another body turns up. I don't want to give too much away, but the investigation starts picking up the pace soon after that. It became quite nail-bitingly intense towards the end. I loved it.

I was not very fond of either of the two females, but what I did like is that they are 'real' and have some real issues. I think that is a promising start to what could be a very exciting series. I am excited to see what the author will do with the development of the main characters and what will happen next. I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed.

I enjoyed this detective novel with a psychological thriller twist. DCI Alex King and colleague Chloe Lane are investigating a murder when a girl is found in the water. When a second girl is discovered in water, there must be some connection. As the story unfolds Chloe becomes a bigger part of the story as it twists around with her in the focus.
The style of writing is good as we read from many different perspectives. A good ending with more than one potential twist wondering where you will be taken.

A very good story and plot. Would love to have had more characterisation and the book to be longer, definitely worth reading,

I was immediately drawn to this book thanks to that stunning cover. And then I read the blurb and knew it would be a match made in heaven (that’s me and the book, by the way!). There’s nothing I like more than a gripping police procedural/serial killer thriller but when the two lead female protagonists are feisty, head-strong, kick-ass detectives then I know I’m in for a corker of a read.

As soon as you start reading you are hurled, by the well-constructed prologue, into a harrowing scene of mental child abuse. Your heart goes out to the unknown boy who is being berated by his mother for something that, whilst distressing, is blown all out of proportion in order to serve the mother’s own needs. The boy’s attempts to distance himself from the hurt were a tough read and I felt incredibly sad for this unnamed character. I admired this debut author’s ability to create such a heart-wrenching and intriguing opening to her novel.

Before long you meet DI Alex King and DC Chloe Lane. I wanted to fall head over heels in love with both characters but I’m afraid it didn’t happen immediately. It was much more of a slow build over the course of the novel. I initially warmed more to DC Lane as she felt more spontaneous, more outgoing and a lot more fun to be around than her superior. However, as the story progressed I felt I had a lot more in common with DI King (plus she’s more my age, obv.!). She felt like a safe and trusted pair of hands and she shone that little bit brighter for me.

DC Lane becomes quite distracted with an older case at an early stage in the story which creates an interesting discord between Chloe and her senior officers. It’s clear to see there has been a lot of careful planning in creating the character’s back stories as these all add real value and link seamlessly as you approach the conclusion. For a debut, this book is incredibly well plotted and the characters felt very credible.

Would I recommend this book? I would and I plan on pre-ordering the next book in the series as soon as it is available. There is one twist in this book that I really didn’t see coming and it knocked me sideways. As an avid crime reader I will always appreciate the books that can do that! A brilliant debut and I look forward to reading more from Victoria Jenkins in the near future.

Four out of five stars.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Girls in the Water. The above review is my own unbiased opinion. My thanks to Kim, Noelle and the Bookouture team for asking me to join the blog tour.

Wow, wow, wow this book was amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this superb serial killer thriller. Full of twists and turns throughout, I couldn't press the buttons on my kindle quick enough to discover what was going to happen next. This is the first book I have read by Victoria Jenkins and I'll most definitely be looking out for her next instalment. I loved both the main characters and the relationship between Alex and Chloe was realistic and believable. If you love books by Robert Bryndza, then you will definitely love this one. A well thought out and clever thriller.

Not every story starts in the present. Most of them start a long time ago. One boy lives with his mother. There are men coming into and out of her room all the time. The boy is locked in the closet in the other room. He hates them. He hates his mother. He considers her dirty.

Two other children have been abused by their parents. They think it is love, but as they grow older, they realise it is not. They try to escape. First, the older girl runs away, leaving her brother behind. She does everything to collect money to rescue her brother. And by everything, I mean everything.

In the present day, a body of a young woman is found in the water. Her body is in underwear, her hair has been cut off, her nails have been ripped off. Who killed her? And why she has been tortured? Nobody deserves to die that way! Detective Alex King and her new recruit Chloe Lane work on the case.

Several days later, another young woman disappears. She is a possible second victim. Alex and Chloe are running out of time to find the woman alive.

With closets full of skeletons, both Alex and Chloe are trying to solve the case. It is not that easy to focus on your job when everything becomes personal. And the skeletons are trying to get out of their closets.

The Girls in the Water is a debut and the story has two main characters. Detective Alex King is older and wiser, with failed marriage behind her, and Chloe Lane is younger, a little bit naive and very impulsive, but with more weight on her shoulders than people twice her age. Their characters are very different and always seems that they have different opinions about everything. But because they are different, they complement easily and fill the gaps in another’s character. The balance is there.

I found the story interesting and creepy, with twists on every corner. I liked how the story developed and loved the unpredictable ending. It is very well written, I even can’t believe it is a debut. If you are n the search for a detective story for the summer read, look no further! The Girls in the Water is going to make you sit on the edge until the last page.

#minireview
I really enjoyed listening to Victoria Jenkins’ THE GIRLS IN THE WATER as it set the tone nicely for what I had to look forward to….and OMFG what a grisly and twisted read did I have!
Set in Wales, the reader is confronted with fear, beliefs, haunting pasts that taunt the present, obsessive behaviour and the search for the truth.

This was one interesting, intricate and utterly compelling plot with a prologue that had me hooked from the start! The descriptions were fantastically written and I found myself cringing in all the right places and for all the right reasons! The storyline kept me guessing and I loved the fact that it started out at a steady pace and then picked up to whiz me through to the bitter end.

This book was full of interesting and diverse characters but as this is a mini review, I’ll stick to the two main characters: DI Alex King & DC Chloe Lane. We get to learn a lot about the characters in this book as this debut novel sets the reader up nicely with some excellent background information. The author lays it all out nicely in a meanigful and relevant way.

King & Lane are likeable but also can be annoying. When characters get under your skin, this can turn out to be awesome or disastrous – fortunately for Victoria Jenkins, this pair rubbed me up the wrong way for all the right reasons! We learn a lot about King & Lane’s personal lives and often drift from the past to the present. I loved that I found myself constantly asking questions and looking for links in my own sad attempt of being one step ahead of this police duo. There is quite a strong bond/relationship between these characters which I really enjoyed learning about. I look forward to what is next for this pair in future books!

Do I recommend THE GIRLS IN THE WATER? Erm….You bet your sweet arse I do! Dark, twisted and full of suspense, this Detective thriller will leave you gasping for more!

Good beginning to this suspense series!

Detective Alex King is in charge of a new case involving the torture and killing of a young troubled woman. Alex's team has to find the killer before he/she does it again. Chloe Lane is a young police officer who's part of her team. Alex trusts Chloe but she can't help feeling like Chloe is hiding things from her.

Chloe likes and respects Alex. She looks up to her. Yet, Chloe has difficulty revealing the truth about her past and the death of her own brother. Chloe was never satisfied with the ruling of his death as a suicide. She knows her brother didn't kill himself. Someone was behind it and it's time she uncovers the truth with or without Alex's help. Breaking the rules might be worth it especially now that someone is sending her cryptic messages.

When another girl goes missing, the stakes become much higher.


The Girls in the Water was quite enjoyable. I liked how the author was able to tie together the strings of the storyline. Both Alex and Chloe were having problems in their personal life, making it harder to concentrate on what was happening to the missing girls. I thought this made it more realistic.

I'd like to know what is going to happen to both women and their future adventures. Count me in for the next book in this series.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An exciting and suspenseful new series that is full of so many twists and turns. I always love reading mystery and suspense books that have strong female leads and this new series has two Alex and Chloe. The way that the author added the backgrounds of the two women made for a much stronger story line. I have read so many books and the end of this one still surprised me and I loved that. Thank you NetGalley and Victoria Jenkins for allowing me to read and give an honest review of this book.

Detective Alex King and her new recruit, Chloe Lane, are on the case of a killer who leaves his victims in bodies of water. These victims seem to share a sordid past and as the clues start to come together, Chloe realizes her past is catching up with her. Her poor choices in her past life and her obsession with proving that her father killed her brother, puts her life in danger. But can her and Alex find the killer before more are killed?

Bookouture really can do no wrong in the thrillers they present to their readers. This particular book, first in a series, starts off at a moderate pace as Jenkins introduces her characters. There is great character development here - we see Alex in her career and trying to balance her complicated relationship with her ex husband and CHloe trying to keep her past hidden while having to confront it and find some closure in her brother's death. With some twists and turns like all Bookouture thrillers are known for, you're in for quite a ride. A debut novel that doesn't let you down. Can't wait to see what else Alex and Chloe gets into!

I found this book not for me but I see a lot of potential in it as well. The characters are well written just the story wasn't for me

Great debut and start to a series. This book is a bit slow to start but does draw you in and keep you interested. I like the suspense and the characters. Look forward to the next in the series!

This is my first book from Net Galley, so it would be my first review on Net galley as well.

The story and plot

Dead by drowning...or what seems like it. The connections between the murders doesn't really link with each other, except for the water. So, yeah, there's the link which is water.
But the good thing is the link didn't come up until quite later in the story, when Alex make the connection with the possible first victim's death. It's quite twisted to figure out how apparently the son of the first victim has something to do with all the deaths.
The crime itself is quite ordinary. Nothing too gore or fantastic there.
But what I like from this story is it's like smooth sailing. Like eating ice cream, with a lot of cream and chocolate. It's delicious and you could really enjoy the story without too much emotional jolt.

The characters

The relationship between the characters is smooth and not too much emotional bumpy ride.
It seems like everybody is easy going, good friends, good relationship.
I like the relationship between Alex and Chloe. It's how Alex supported Chloe during her difficult times that I find touching.
Chloe as a character could be quite strong headed and strong willed, but it's good to add more weight in the characters in this story.
Alex on the other hand, seems a bit of having too much self pity about her failed marriage and inability to have children.
However, I would like to see some friction between the characters, just to make it more interesting.

The end

Nothing surprising there, but like any good book, things have to end and with good explanation.

Recommendation

I would recommend this book to readers who likes to read crime and mystery book, but without too much emotional jolt or fast paced plot.
This is a good book when you want to enjoy reading the crime on holiday.

Thank you netgalley and bookouture for this arc in exchange for an honest review..
there is a killer on the loose, killing vulnerable women for his own beliefs. Can DI King and DC Lane find him before their luck runs out? I started this book then put it down then picked it up again and I'm so glad I did! The female leads were brilliant and each have their own agenda to how they do things. I really enjoyed seeing a strong female character which made a refreshing change. Please hurry book 2!

When Lola Evans is pulled out of water in a local park experienced detective Alex King and her protégé Chloe King are called in to investigate. But all too quickly there's another girl missing and they realise they are linked by a support group they both attended. While they seem to hit wall after wall in the investigation Chloe is taunted anonymously over her past distracting her dangerously from the investigation at hand.

This novel has a lot of work to do and in the main it's accomplished well. There's a back story for both main characters to introduce and then there's trying to nail the chemistry between the women. The back story is achieved well but the chemistry not so much. A maternal relationship is intended but it's not until the end of the book I really felt it.....maybe that was intentional but I felt a bit disconnected at times. BUT the plot is excellent. In true crime thriller style we have a mix of twists and red herrings that add up to a gripping story. This was so very nearly a 5 star book, I get the feeling part 2 definitely will be.

You can read all.my reviews at www.dejaread.simplesite.com

Things I liked about this book: strong female characters, male characters that weren't jerks, great storyline, good writing. Things I didn't like about this book: I felt like I missed a previous book. So many previous events were referenced in this story that I feel like we should have gotten another book before this one to fill us in. I was also somewhat disappointed that one of the story arcs was resolved within this book. While I am not the world's hugest fan of cliffhangers, if this is going to be an ongoing series, that would have been the perfect storyline to continue on. But, obviously that means that I hope to see more books in the series because I really enjoyed getting to know DS King and DC Lane (or is it the other way around?).

I was delighted to discover this was the first of a new series and after reading it I eagerly supplied my email address for updates on further books in the series. I found it absolutely enthralling and refreshingly different from other police procedurals. DI Alex King and Chloe were a perfect team and so genuine, authentic and likeable. Alex the dedicated, divorced and lonely but movingly compassionate detective and Chloe the damaged vigilante DC. Her background & religious childhood was fascinatingly appalling. I've never heard of revenge porn or webcam sites. I thought it was scary how a killer can be addicted to killing. This was brought out so well. There was good use of killer cliff hanging chapters to say nothing of the hold-your-breath ending. I shall post this on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads and my blog and look forward to the next in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for introducing me to this brilliant new series.

Two detectives, DI Alex King and her partner and new recruit DC Chloe Lane investigate the brutal murder of a young woman found days after her death washed up on a riverbank. The evidence points to sadistic torture. When another woman goes missing the detectives discover that she and the original victim share one thing in common. Both attended the same support group. It is up to Alex and Chloe to hunt down this killer before more women become victims.

Okay, I promised myself I would stop reading books with the word “Girl” in the title. The thriller genre is filled with authors cashing in on the popularity of The Girl on the Train. The book addict in me saw this first book in a series published by Bookouture, my favourite publisher in this genre and I had to have a look.

Like all new series, time spent on worldbuilding and character development is expected. Alex King has been a DI for several years and is a capable investigator although she does spend a lot of time second guessing herself. Unlike many lead detectives, Alex is a team player and not a rogue officer out to solve her crimes on gallons of coffee and little sleep. She also has an unusual relationship with her ex-husband. DC Chloe Lane is an enigma. DI King believes her to be a brilliant young detective yet for the majority of the novel Chloe is distracted and detached, adding little to the ongoing investigation. She is all consumed with her own personal agenda, one which she reveals with reluctance to her boss. Getting to know the inner turmoil in our two lead detectives slows the progress of the murder investigation to a crawl. Few clues are dished out and interviews with suspects are some of the weakest scenes in the novel.

Patience by the reader is rewarded once the groundwork has been established. The reasons behind Chloe’s actions become clear and the murder investigation ends with a satisfying adrenalin rush. This case may not be as complex as other books in this genre but clues to solving the crime are there for the detectives (and readers) to uncover once they pull their collective heads out of the sand.

3 Stars for this debut novel and an author who shows a lot of potential. Looking forward to more books starring detectives King and Lane.

ARC received with thanks from Bookouture via NetGalley for review.