The aura of suspense increasingly bumped up my anxiety, notch by excruciatingly-taut notch. The palpable tension held me in thrall. The twists made me audibly gasp with shock and awe. The fast pace of the dark, wildly-captivating plot kept me swiping the pages feverishly from beginning to end. A MUST for your TBR list!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Bookouture in order to read and provide a voluntary and honest review, should I choose to do so.

#LittleGirlsSleeping #NetGalley

A very enjoyable read with twists and turns everywhere. I loved the main character of Katie and how tough she is as well as her persistent need to solve the mystery. I'm looking forward to more books in the series.

An enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. I loved the main character, and I'm looking forward to more books in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 3 1/2
Katie Scott is back from serving overseas and is trying to put her life back together. She goes back to her childhood home and starts working for the local Sheriff’s office to help her uncle out. When Katie stubbles upon a cold case file that is too close for comfort. Katie starts her own investigation into some missing girls.

This was a good read and I really enjoyed that the main character Katie is tough and fragile all at the same time. Ms. Chase does a great job with the red herrings in this story too. Just when I thought “I know who done it” she sent me down another path. I am very much looking forward to more books in this series and to see how Katie develops as a detective and learn more about her backstory. And of course Cisco and Chad. :)

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Upon returning from the military, Katie Scott takes on some easy desk work in the Sheriffs office thanks to her uncle, who is the sheriff. She stumbled across a cold case of a missing little girl, and becomes consumed with the idea that the investigation was incomplete. The mundane tasks of her days allow her to be focused on the case and when she makes a breakthrough, she also makes some enemies along the way. As she navigates her newfound position within the police department, she also must navigate through friendships, relationships, and protecting herself from the “Toymaker,” as he sets his sights on her as well.

Sorry, But this was really boring and repetitive. How many times can you hear the main character relive her time and experiences in the military? My husband and son were in the army, one during Vietnam and the other in the Gulf War and they tend not to lament constantly about it. The dialog was immature. I felt like it was written by by a high school student. This book just didn't hold my interest and I found myself skimming to reach the eye end.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a book that shows you that women have more gumption and determination than men when it comes to figuring something out. Jennifer Chase has done a superb job of writing this interesting story - suspense, edge of your chair high jinks, character portrayal is wonderful, and every page has female determination written on it! Enjoy!📚

This was such a well written book. I read it all in one sitting. So many plot twists. I love that there is a strong female character instead of the typical weak damsel. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Loved Katie, the main character! She was so strong, yet definitely had her vulnerable side and very likeable and easy for the reader to engage with. I also thought the plot was brilliant, it was tense, sinister, unpredictable and the ending took me completely by surprise.

Disliked the added detail that one of Katie’s friends as a child had also gone missing. Combined with the fact she had just come out the army, it felt like a lot for her to contend with and perhaps a bit much to throw at the reader all at once. The scenes where she ‘saw’ her missing childhood friend didn’t seem to fit the story at times. I would personally rather have seen more exploration of her emotions regarding her years in the army, but as I said, I generally really loved her as a character.

Favourite moment was probably when Katie was hiking through the woods. Although her intention was to look for the missing girls, the description of the countryside and Katie’s emotions was so vivid and clear that I felt really connected to the scene, as if I could have been there myself!

Favourite character is Katie at the moment, but I do have a soft spot for her deputy, McGaven. I’d love to hopefully see more of him in the rest of the series.

For fans of Carol Wyers and Angela Marsons

Final comments: This is a really fast-paced, emotive and incredibly tense book, with a strong and determined main character and the beginning of what looks to be an awesome series.

Oh wow this was a fabulous book to read, it gripped me from the start and with all its twists and turns I just couldn’t figure out who was murdering the little girls.
It was a complete surprise to find out who it was with such a wonderful twist at the end.
When I finished it I felt like I had lost a friend, so, I will be happy to read more of Jennifer’s books in the future.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book for free in return for an honest review.

That is a good thriller. I enjoyed it very much, from the idea of Katie Scott coming back home from the military in Afghanistan to the link between two murders, one more personal than the other and all the way through the plot twists. I actually recommend it as it is really nicely constructed.

The first installment in the Detective Katie Scott series will have readers racing through! This will be on everyone's to be read pile.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and publisher Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

I am not usually the biggest fan of police procedurals but I couldn't help but be intrigued by one with a premise as creepy as this. Our protagonist Katie Scott has just returned from serving in the army when she stumbles into a missing-girls case in her home town. Someone has been putting the girls into glass coffins and preserving their bodies for years. With the help of her support dog Cisco, Katie is determined to find out who is responsible.

Straight off the bat, I really liked Katie. There is occasionally the odd clumsy line which is designed to hype her up as a character which was somewhat annoying, but overall she was a brilliant protagonist. The other characters are sadly a lot more basic and there are very clear standard roles here. You have the persistent newcomer in Katie herself, you have the derisive detective who hates her inexplicably, you have the hesitant partner who learns to have her back...there's not really anything new here. Having said that, these features are common of most police procedurals so that's not necessarily a negative.

The plot itself was very well-paced and I felt like the book was just the right length. There was no padding or pointless story threads and this created a very tight narrative which kept you reading through it quickly. The solution to the whole plot was satisfying and didn't have the usual problem of it just being some random, fairly obscure character. Perhaps some readers will find it a bit basic but it was done well so it didn't bother me in the slightest.

Overall, I think people who love police procedurals will probably enjoy this a lot more than I did. This is a strong example of the genre with a likeable detective and a decent hook. I would definitely consider reading more in the series, especially if a more complex plot was incorporated.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Absolutely brilliant!! The first in what promises to be a fantastic police series!
Gripping and edge of the seat stuff!! I would highly recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this Arc.

Little Girls Sleeping by Jennifer Chase...........Just Brilliant throughout!

A great new start to a brand new series of Detective Katie Scott Book 1.

An eight-year-old girl, called Chelsea Compton, goes missing in Pine Valley, California. For Detective Katie Scott it’s a very cruel reminder of a friend who disappeared from summer camp twenty years ago. Lots of memories come flooding back and Kate is unable to shake those memories off. She failed to protect her friend many years ago.
Kate will do anything to stop the killer to strike again...........Is she too late to find the Chelsea?
Before it's too late?
But, Katie won’t rest until she discovers what happened to Chelsea.

I loved the new Detective Kate Scott she was a strong character and had a lot to offer in this new series and looking forward to read more of her. This book has a lot of twists and turns that will have you gripped throughout this brilliant book!

Highly Recommend this new series..... Looking forward to read more of Detective Kate Scott's books

Big thank you yo the author "Jennifer Chase", the publisher "Bookouture" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and have given my own unbiased review.

This book was interesting but it wasn't a standout. With the blurb I expected something thrilling yet it was so meh. I enjoyed the protagonist and feel she was well written.

Really enjoyed reading this, it was exciting and thrilling. I warmed to Katie immediately and I love Cisco. I'll look forward to reading any future books in the series

Unfortunately this book fell short for me. It’s very similar to other thriller novels and I felt nothing set it apart. The main character was ok but the development fell short.

Just finished Little Girls Sleeping and wow, I LOVED it. Talk about a page turner, and tight, smart writing that never lets you rest. Super twisty, clever plot with a few shockers I never saw coming. GREAT characters, even when I didn’t like them, I loved them as a reader. This book will stick in my head for a while, like all book hangovers should!

This wasn't a bad book, but to be completely honest, this wasn't a good one, either. It's not that it's boring or else, it's just that it wasn't so captivating as I was expecting. And I had a lot of problems with the MC. It's not that Katie is bad, it's just that we didn't click at all. I have tried, because she is a strong female lead, and usually they are my favorite but... not this time. I appreciate that she is strong, she knows what she wants and she is really determined, but I couldn't connect with her, and I found her, from time to time, irritating.
And then we have Cisco. I appreciated him, to a point. I am always happy when there is a dog (or an animal companion, whichever animal it is) but the author forces the story to let him in and... this wasn't so good. I know that it's not so clear what I am meaning, but... let's try with an example! She is overjoyed to have him with her again, and she really cares for him. She's always taking him to walk and all, but one morning she just went running around without him. The thing doesn't make sense at first, but then something bad happens and if the dog was with her... well, he would have died. So yeah... now it makes sense. From our point of view. But it doesn't make sense for the story. And this is not the only case in which the author forces her way around. It wasn't bad but, again, it wasn't good either.
I enjoyed the reading, to a point, but I won't read the next ones.