Laura Watson survived the mass murder of her family by hiding in an unusual place. Fifteen years later, an astute FBI agent senses something awry with the case after speaking with the serial killer in his last days on death row. She brings in a profiler colleague to review all of the serial killer's case to determine if they must now hunt a copycat killer.

This story starts off with a bang, well, actually more than one bang, and a stabbing, as all family members are killed. Wolfe does a great job of introducing the complex, complicated Special Agent Tess Winnet and weaving her into Laura's story of a mistaken murderer. SA Tess is as determined to keep her private life private as she is to catch a killer. Socializing her is a big task for her superior and colleagues, as Winnet's priority remains saving Laura from a killer only she believes is still at large.

Readers who appreciate complex characters and complicated situations in twisty mysteries will love this book that gives readers just enough information to figure out the killer.

Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

What if your whole family was killed but the killer couldn’t find you during the killing? What if you were adopted by by your father’s best friend and business partner and his family? What if you couldn’t remember the night of the killing and now a therapist is saying that she has a method to bring those memories back?

This is the story of Laura Watson. And up until now, life has been okay. Sure there are ups and downs, I mean how would you feel if you had lost your Mom, Dad, and brothers at five years old, but for the most part Laura is doing ok. They found the killer who murdered her family and 30 plus others and he is behind bars.

Enter FBI agent Tess Winnett. Agent Winner has never lost a case. Agent Winnett has found out that the killer behind bars did not murder Laura’s family. What now? This book is told from alternate points of view, from the angles of Tess and Laura. I have to say, I guessed the whodunnit at about 70% of the way through but thought there would be a twist bringing it in a whole other direction. Turns out I was right. Fantastic read that kept me engaged the whole way through.

Thank you to Netgalley, Leslie Wolfe, and Italics Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Italics Press for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. I'd put this off for a bit, concerned it was going to be too dark for my mood at the time, but it was a very good book. One girl survives when the rest of her family is murdered at home. The killer is soon going to be executed, but there's a chance it wasn't him. FBI Special Agent (really enjoyed this character) Tess Winnett tries to find the real killer and make sure the surviving daughter is safe.

FBI Special Agent Tess Winnett is a unique character, and is featured in a series of serial killer thrillers by bestselling author Leslie Wolfe. Tess has had a traumatic life; she was a rape victim, and a recent stabbing victim, leaving her slightly bitter and very difficult for her co-workers to partner up with. She is a perfectionist and works cases without thinking of the consequences to others – her only focus is to solve them and she will stop at nothing. In the second installment of the series, The Watson Girl, Tess has found new evidence that a serial killer dubbed The Family Man isn’t responsible for at least three murdered families that he is blamed for; her work to bring the actual serial killer to justice will step on many toes and make several of her law enforcement colleagues look incompetent, which doesn’t make her very popular. It seems she is on the verge of being fired, and most of the other agents would like to see that happen.

Laura Watson isn’t aware that her family’s murderer is free and still murdering, but she wants to remember the details of that horrible day 15 years prior when she was five years old and hid in a laundry hamper to escape being killed. Laura needs closure, and appears on television with a psychologist who believes she can help Laura remember by using some new methods. This, of course, makes the real killer anxious that he may be caught, and he decides it’s time to kill Laura.

The chapters in the story go from Tess to Laura to the serial killer. The prose is well-written, and the most interesting part is that readers can get insight into how a serial killer actually thinks. Although it may not be what serial killers really think (who can really be sure), it seems very true-to-life and is very believable. What is a typical story in the thriller genre has been elevated to fascinating because of these insights into the killer’s thoughts.

As with any good thriller, the protagonist and main characters, who, incidentally, are well-developed, are in danger for their lives, and the building suspense makes it difficult to put the book down. Wolfe has done an excellent job of telling the story and most thriller aficionados will welcome Tess as a new and innovative hero. The Watson Girl is a fast read with a great storyline.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Fabulous read,was hooked on the first page,and wasn't disappointed with the finish.highly recommend!!

Fantastic book!! Thank you to NetGalley and Italics Publishing for a copy of this book to read and review. The Watson Girl is the lone survivor when her family were murdered in their home 15 years ago. She was hiding in the laundry basket and the killer missed her. Now it is almost time for the killer to be executed and FBI Special Agent Tess Winnett is told by the murder on death row that he didn't kill the Watsons as well as 2 other families. Laura Watson is in danger and Tess is the only one who believes it.

Reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs, the second of the Tess Winnett trilogy has a "creep factor" that I loved! As many of the chapters are told from the killer's point of view, we witness his fascination with his prey as a "feast" that he compares to the many varieties of delectable apples that he anticipates savoring. When five-year-old Laura Watson is mistakenly left behind in the brutal murders of her entire family, she enrolls in a study to help regain her lost memories. In the meantime, FBI agent Tess and her team try to unravel the mystery as they suspect that another serial killer on death row who is slated to die is not the killer in this case. Working against time, Tess must deduce, eliminate, and follow leads that will eventually lead to the truth. Breakneck pacing and witty dialogue make this my kind of thriller! Now I will go back and read the first and the third. Tess is a heroine to follow!

Thanks to NetGalley for this book. Although I had not read the first in the series by Ms. Wolfe, I don't think it was necessary (although I plan to - as well as the rest of them).

Tess Winnet is an FBI agent, recovering from an attack, who's brought back to interview a mass-murderer called "The Family Man" before his execution. Which leads to the discovery of another serial killer.

This book is written from the points of view of the three main characters: the uncaught killer, the survivor, and the FBI agent.

FBI Special Agent Tess Winnett returns to work after a period of respite following an attack in the line of duty. Her first assignment is to interview a convicted murderer – The Family Man (Garza) accused of murdering more than 30 families. Except he denies being responsible for the death of 3 families. Tess must then consider whether he is telling the truth – but why lie? Is there a copycat killer out there responsible for these deaths – a serial killer that has got away with it for 15 years?

The narration is structured to unveil the plot through Tess and through ‘The Chameleon’ the pseudonym of the real killer.

Laura Watson’s family was murdered 15 years before and she escaped because she hid in a laundry basket. Now assimilated within her neighbours family she does not remember any details of the attack – until she does through the medium of regression.

Well written and thoroughly absorbing – but I did guess the baddie. Well worth a read.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

The Watson Girl was an exciting and quick read. It kept me on the edge. Despite the fact that I was able to guess the "whodunit" part early on in the book, it was well written and still an enjoyable read. The author has created the personality of the killer extremely skillfully...It was refreshing to see things from the point of view of the killer - one of the main things I loved about the book. The story reminded me a little bit of Thomas Harris' work, so if you're a fan of Harris, you'll like this one too. Recommended.

4.5 Stars

The Watson Girl is Laura Watson. Fifteen years ago her entire family plus a neighbor's young son were brutally murdered in their home. Laura hid in a laundry hamper which saved her young life.

The murderer is sitting on death row ... his execution will be carried out in a few days. What they call The Family Man killed more than 30 families.

Special Agent Tess Winnett is instructed to interview the Family Man one more time, especially as there are questions that Tess needs answered. Much to her surprise, the killer denies killing 3 of the cases ... he says he didn't do those.

If he didn't kill them ... then who did? Does that mean there is a serial killer who has gotten away with murders for at least 15 years.

Tess and her team need to start at the very beginning of these cases and look for any anomalies. Is this a true copy cat running around free? Tess gets the honor of informing Laura that the man she thinks killed her family is not behind bars. Laura has agreed to regression therapy as she remembers nothing about that night. Will the killer come after Laura .. now that her memory may be repaired?

This is an excellent crime thriller! It is very well written with alternate chapters in the voice of the killer. The twist is that he seems to be speaking directly to the reader. The phrase Apple Of My Eye refers to something or someone that one cherishes above all others... he killer puts a new twist that phrase.

The characters are all defined with an eye to detail. Tess suffers from PTSD after being an assault victim. Laura is showing her strength in making her own decisions, and more or less telling everyone else to leave her to it. The killer is unique .. or uniquely written. He's the most captivating character of all.

Many thanks to the author / Italics Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this most interesting crime thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This was a very good read with a twist I never saw coming. A very good psychological thriller and my first time read by this author. I really look forward to the next one. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon and Goodreads.

The Watson Girl is the second exciting book in the F. B. I. Special AgentTess Winnett series written by author Leslie Wolfe. There's plenty of action and mystery. Excellent ending. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Italics Publishing for the advance copy.

Interesting narrative that the chapters alternate between the thoughts of the serial killer and the FBI Agent, Tess Winnett. Tess is one strong character or is that stubborn. Enjoyed the Cat backstory with Tess and her "team". There was a point that didn't ring true for me at the beginning but Ms. Wolfe gave the reasoning in her notes at the end of the book and then it made perfect sense.

I'll just say the comparison to apples made me very glad the killer didn't find a McIntosh among his victims.

Would be interested in seeing more of Tess Winnett in future stories.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Compelling from start to finish. This book featured well crafted characters and storylines that kept me intrigued and eager to learn more. I appreciate the fact that the book wasn't graphic, despite the subject matter. I look forward to reading more books in this series!

It was a great thriller that reminds was like criminal minds.

For some reason, Laura Watson escaped the killer that wiped out her entire family, but she breathed a sigh of relief when a mass murderer was caught and convicted of killing her family, along with many more. Now the killer is about to be executed, but something doesn’t sit right with FBI agent Tess Winnett. While the man about to be executed is certainly a killer, he had always claimed not to have killed Laura’s family. But if that’s true, that means that the real killer is still out there. Is Laura in danger, or has he already set his sights on another innocent family? A literate thriller that readers of the genre will enjoy