Little Girls Sleeping is the first book of the Katie Scott series by Jennifer Chase.

Set in Pine Valley and Katie Scott is on her way home after finishing her time in the Army, completing tours in Afghanistan. She suffers from anxiety and panic attacks due to her experiences.

Her Uncle Wayne Scott is the local Sheriff and has pulled a few strings to enable Katie’s, beloved dog, Cisco to be reunited with her. He’s also arranged for her to return to Sacramento Police Department In an admin role while she decides whether she is going to take up her old role as a police officer.

While filing old cases, she gets intrigued by a case of a missing girl, 8 year old Chelsea Compton…..she starts to look into the case herself, upsetting Detective Templeton as he was the detective working the original case.

When Katie manages to find a body, hidden in a remote area, in a hand built coffin she is made a detective on a temporary basis to help with the investigation, which doesn’t endear her to some.

Then young Dena is taken…..will they find her in time?……will Katie be able to find out anything new? And will they be able to stop a serial killer in their midst?

A fast paced, gripping thriller, which really keeps the killers identity a secret, which I really enjoyed…it kept me guessing…with some truly claustrophobic, edge of your seat moments too. I loved it and I’ll be waiting ‘patiently’ for the next in the series.

Thank you to Bookouture, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book in a series following Detective Kate Scott, a former Army veteran working in a Californian Sheriff’s department on cold cases. It is written by Jennifer Chase, and throughout the book you can tell she has thoroughly researched all aspects of the story and clearly has links to forensics and criminology. She was clearly well versed in the subject, making a lot of the information and character interaction incredibly believable.

For me, the clear knowledge and understanding was a major plus with the story. The writing was interesting as well and I found the characters to be relatable when they needed to be and dislikable when required as well.

So, why 3 stars? It seems like I really enjoyed this book, so why not a 5 star read?!

3 stars is NOT a bad rating. This doesn’t mean I hated the book. It just means I wasn’t as in to it as I hoped I would be. I was really excited about it but instead of having me on the edge of my seat desperate to read the next one, I was left feeling a little deflated at the end. It was just ok. I wasn’t that intrigued by the plot points, the character dilemmas or the murder investigation. I just thought it was ok.

I will totally read the next in the series, but I’m hoping for a little more than this. Fingers crossed.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions in this review are my own.

Unfortunately, this book was not my favorite. I felt like the dialogue was forced and the vocabulary felt awkward and unnatural. That always pulls me out of a story, and it made it difficult to connect with Katie and the other characters. I liked the storyline overall, it just wasn’t a great fit for me.

I love discovering new authors (to me) and this is an interesting start to a new series by the type of protagonist I love - a strong, slightly flawed character with an investigative dog to boot. A depth of understanding of criminal justice helps this rather standard plot move along but I’m looking forward to a little more character development in the next book.

My first thoughts about the book were how refreshing it was to have a character who doesn’t always believe in herself and suffers from anxiety. Katie is a brave young woman who has been through a lot whilst serving in the Army. It was her and her service dog Cisco’s job to make sure the paths/roads were clear of bombs and she saw too many of her fellow comrades killed in action.

Throughout the book, we see passages from Katie as she recalls the time spent with her friend who was murdered as a child and her last day with her. There are also chapters from the mind of the killer.

The book moves at a fast pace and there was plenty of action. I can’t really say that I had any clue as to who the culprit was and never really suspected anyone until just before the killer was revealed. As the series title tells you, Katie eventually becomes a detective due to her help with the case and it was lovely to watch her get the recognition she deserved. It wasn’t quite so nice to see her being bullied by officers who had been stationed at Pine Valley longer than her though for doing her job and being more efficient than them.

There is plenty of criminological and forensic language but what else would you expect from an expert criminologist turned author. I also like the twists and turns that were created to keep you on the edge of your seat along with a couple of red herrings thrown in for good measure too.

I am now intrigued to see what author Jennifer chase has for us in book two as I enjoyed spending my time with Katie and can’t wait to see her detective skills again.

"Capture. Protect. Sleep..."

Katie Scott returns home to Pine Valley, California, after serving as part of a K9 team with the US Army in Afghanistan. She was a former police officer with the Sacramento PD, but wasn't sure she wanted to return there. Fortunately, her uncle Wayne Scott, is the Sheriff and he is more than willing to have Katie do some admin duty at the station until she sorts herself out and makes some decisions. Almost immediately, Katie is drawn into a cold case involving a missing eight-year-old named Chelsea Compton. Though her disappearance was 4 years ago, no body had ever been found. Katie sneaks the files and as she looks through the notes she finds that not a lot of effort had been made to investigate. Katie figures she would look into this further and discovers that there are other missing girls in the area. Through painstaking search tactics, she discovers "the sleeping girls." When she's suddenly elevated to the temporary position as a Detective in Pine Valley working with a special task force, there are those on the team who aren't very happy with this development. Can they find the "Toymaker" before he collects the next girl? NO SPOILERS

OK, if you're going to start this one, prepare to sit glued to the pages until the end! This one grabbed me and never lost momentum as I raced to see if I could solve the case before Katie figured it all out. I enjoyed the setting, the writing and the characters. Katie is a very interesting young woman and her backstory provides a special history that is a bit different to most of the books in this genre with female detective protagonists. I can't wait to read more about her and will be waiting impatiently for the next book in this new series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I'm not sure which enticed me more, the title or the blurb of this one. Either way, I had to read it. Sadly, those two things were the best of it for me. Between that little extra added to the title and the blurb, I was promised a gripping and compulsive crime thriller that would have me gasping in shock. I was none of those. I expected and even hoped for a story that would have me checking the doors at night to make sure they're locked. We do get some chapters from the killer's perspective, and they were promising, but the whole thing together just doesn't deliver on the thrills that should come with a thriller of any kind. There is mystery and what I would consider crime drama, but the story is choppy and even after reaching the end, I didn't feel any real connection to any of the characters. This is the first in the series, so maybe the author plans on giving us more insight and development of Katie's character as the series progresses, but I didn't find enough here to entice me to go further.

This is the first in the series featuring Detective Katie Scott . She stumbles upon a cold case of a young girl that's been missing the past four years . She finds a makeshift grave that links back to other missing girls! I loved this book ! This is a heart-stopping serial killer thriller that you won't soon forget ! Can't wait for the next in the series ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the chance to review this book ! The opinions are my own ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #LittleGirlsSleeping

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see what is in store for Katie and Cisco next.
Having finished her time in the US army, Katie returns home to figure out what to do with her life.
She starts working with her uncle, the town sherif and uncovers a case of a missing girl which she believes has been poorly investigated.
She ruffles quite a few feathers, when she starts investigating herself, but she has some big kahoona’s and seems pretty fearless!
Great writing, great characters and the makings of a great series!

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Little Girls Sleeping’ by Jennifer Chase in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first in a new series featuring Detective Katie Scott. Katie has just returned to Pine Valley, California after her second tour in Afghanistan where she worked with a K-9 unit. Her canine partner, Cisco, has also accompanied her home. Previously she had been a police officer with Sacramento PD though as a patrol officer.

Circumstances, including the fact that her uncle is the local sheriff, leads to her being deputised as a temporary detective. She has been investigating a cold case involving a missing girl that triggers memories of her friend who had disappeared from summer camp and later found murdered. The cold case becomes hot when Katie makes a shocking discovery and another local girl is snatched.

This was a solid police procedural that proved very readable. It has a likeable lead (with delightful furry companion). I felt this was a strong start for the series. I was pleased that while a couple of possible romantic partners were introduced these were not forefront in the story but rather teasers for the future.

Certainly recommended and I will be on the lookout for more books in the series.

Katie Scott is back in her hometown of Pine Valley, California after serving in Afghanistan. Unsure if she wants to go back to being a police officer in Sacramento, Katie takes an admin job at her Uncle’s Sheriff’s department. Here she stumbles on a cold case of a young girl who has been missing for the past four years and reminds of her of a time when she lost a friend during her time in camp when she was a young girl. Doing her own search, she stumbles upon a makeshift grave that link back to other missing girls. But, now a killer has his sights set on Katie and will stop at nothing to get her out of the way. Will Katie solve the case before she becomes a killer’s latest victim?

Wow! What a great start to the Detective Katie Scott series by Jennifer Chase. The story is engaging and held my attention all the way through. I just could not stop reading this one at all. I stayed up well past my bedtime just so I could find out what happens and who the killer might be. Chase does an excellent job at keeping you guessing right up until the final reveal. While the story is primarily told through Katie’s perspective, we also get glimpses inside the killer’s mind and why he is killing little girls. The story behind the killings slowly unfolds and I was left quite shocked.

Katie is such a standout character. She is pulled in and made detective by her uncle even though the other detectives in the sheriff’s office were not very pleased about it and often gave her a hard time or made her the butt of all the jokes. But, Katie held her ground and stood up to those who tried to bully her into leaving. Katie is definitely not a pushover and can hold her own in any situation. She did not scare easily, but she does have a caring and vulnerable side. She also suffers from panic attacks and PTSD due to her tours in Afghanistan. I am really looking forward to learning more about Katie and it seems as if she may have one or two love interests in upcoming books in the series. Ugh! Which ever guy Katie doesn’t want I will take! HA!

Little Girls Sleeping is an unputdownable heart-stopping crime thriller that keep you reading on well past your bedtime. I am definitely looking forward to following this series and I highly recommend it if you are a fan of crime thrillers. A five star read for me.

A well written and fast paced story about a woman returning from a war zone to take on a job with a sheriff department in a sleepy town in California though not so sleepy as there are bombs, a serial killer and disappearing cities!
I truly enjoyed the book while not believing a lot of it to be possible. This is after all a book of fiction and I read it as such. Though I wasn’t thrilled with the ending I still wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Good mystery thriller that had me guessing to the end. There were definitely a lot of shady characters to point fingers at and I really liked Katie and her cute furry sidekick. I'll be looking for more Katie Scott stories in the future.

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part of this book. Detective books are now one of my favourite genres so I was excited to start a new Detective series.

I found it difficult to get into this book but after about 10-15% I was HOOKED. I raced through the rest of the book and really struggled to put it down. There were a few times at the beginning where the author tells some really well-known crime information. If you haven't read or watched much crime based then this will be super helpful. I have read and watched a lot of crime so a lot of it was old hat for me.

Detective Katie Scott was an easy character to like. She has been through a lot and is trying to readjust to her new life. I also loved Katie's dog Cisco. Katie is determined and hard working. She risks her own life more than once in this book to bring justice for the little girls and their families.

Katie meets a range of people in the department and I hope that we will get to see these relationships grow as the series develops. I really liked the coroner, Dr Dean. He was interesting and really helpful to Katie. I think he is going to be a big supporter of her. I also loved the CSI Supervisor Jack Blackburn. I feel like this is going to be an interesting relationship. I also pictured Steve McGarrett from Hawaii Five-O (super hot)!

This book was addictive and gripping I was constantly turning page after page because I just needed to know what happened next. I am excited to see what happens next for Detective Scott.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Little Girls Sleeping, the first novel to feature Detective Katie Scott of the Pine Valley, California Sheriff’s Department.

Katie has just returned home from a military tour of duty in Afghanistan and while deciding whether or not to return to Sacramento PD she takes an administration job with the Pine Valley Sheriff’s department. While there attention is caught by eight year old Cheryl Compton who disappeared four years earlier and was never found. Determined to find her Katie starts searching and discovers more than she bargained for.

I thoroughly enjoyed Little Girls Sleeping which is a lightweight police procedural that held my attention from start to finish. It is mostly narrated from Katie’s point of view with the occasional foray into the unnamed killer’s thought processes. It’s all standard stuff but there is enough action to keep the reader interested and entertained. As I said it isn’t a profound novel and serendipity plays a major role (my jaw dropped in the final action scenes) but it flies along at a fast clip with different events in every chapter making it a fun read.

Katie Scott does not have her troubles to seek. As a veteran who has seen combat she has what she calls anxiety attacks and the rest of us call PTSD and being parachuted into a serial killer investigation with little relevant experience and plenty of resentment from the other detectives doesn’t help. Despite this she is resilient, resourceful and smart and more than capable of standing her ground.

Little Girls Sleeping is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

First off - let me explain the rating and acknowledge the second half was worthy of four stars. The first half, unfortunately, just moved too slowly, and I just could not get into the build-up.

The premise is absolutely gripping.

Young girls are missing, and someone out there is determined to place them in constant sleep in a graveyard he created. Creepy.

New detective, Katie, is a war veteran and also newly appointed to solve these cases. Will she find this murderer before he strikes again? Is it closer to home than she knows? Working with her partner, uncle, and ADORABLE dog, she races against the clock before any more lives are lost.

Little Girls Sleeping by Jennifer Chase was an amazing book that I couldn't put down. On her website Ms. Chase describes the main character, Detective Katie Scott as "the feisty, ex-Army K9 handler." which I think fits Detective Katie well.

Katie Scott returns from her second tour of Afghanistan where she worked in the K9 unit of the Army. Her parents have passed and she goes home to Uncle who is the Sheriff. She's not totally sure what she wants to do, if she wants to rejoin the police force or not. But her Uncle some how pulls some strings and is able to reunite Katie with her partner from Afghanistan, her dog Cisco. He also asks her to help with data entry at the station.

Little Girls Sleeping kept me wanting more. I thought I had the killer all figured out and boy was I wrong.

"I guess I've always handled problems I can't solve by going back to the beginning"
Detective Katie Scott

Here is my one word of advice when reading this book, when you feel like the information you are being given is not relevant or important, it is and remember it. A few times I said to myself "what does this have to do with anything", oh it has a lot to do with everything. I think it takes a skilled writer to be able to do that and keep you engaged in the book (when most would give up) and then is still able to surprise you with the ending.

I'm not sure if this is going to turn into a series but I hope Detective Katie Scott get's a couple more stories. She was so relatable as a character and I also really liked that it focused on her, this wasn't a female detective who solved the case and fell in love. Yes, there is some hint of possible romance but this book really focused on Katie, Cisco, the case and Katie trying to figure out what she wants to do and how she's going to fit back into her community.

Little Girls Sleeping is available Friday May 31, 2019

Thank you to Jennifer Chase, Bookouture and Netgalley for the advanced copy of Little Girls Sleeping for my kindle.

Little Girls Sleeping is a great way to start a new series! It's a wonderfully written roller-coaster ride. A must read!

The characters were believable. I loved Katie's character. She's a strong woman that isn't afraid to prove she can be as good as a male officer. Most of the police force seemed to resent her for being assigned as Detective, maybe because they think she had connections since her uncle is the Sheriff? She also discovered the bodies of the little girls so the officers originally asssigned to the case resented her even more for making better progress than them. I also loved how Katie's military background seemed to make the killer nervous.

I loved the chapters from the killer's POV. It was very intriguing and intertaining. I couldn't wait to find out who it was.

It's a great crime thriller and I look forward to what comes next! Highly recommend!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I did enjoy it but it took awhile for the storyline to get going and grip me but once it did I flew through it. Great storyline but when it all came to a head it was a little disappointing as it just seemed a bit to easy the way it went. I did enjoy it and would definitely read more by the author along with this particular character.

This is book #1 of the Detective Katie Scott series. To be honest, I’ve never heard of this author before despite her being a multi award winner author!! How she has managed to slip through my crime author net, I do not know!! But now I know about her I will definitely be looking for other books by her.

Katie Scott has just returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan with her service dog, Cisco. Having lost her parents’ years before, her only living relative now is her uncle, who also happens to be the local sheriff. When her uncle employs her on an administrative basis, Katie comes across a cold case of a missing girl who disappeared some years before. Before she knows it, Katie is thrown right into the middle of the case when she starts doing some investigating of her own. This then becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse….

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a refreshing change from some of the crime books that are around at the moment. I loved the angle that Katie is a military person, and also that she has her very protective, and very clever service dog, Cisco, by her side and found this to be an original storyline! Katie is a fantastic character and can certainly sniff out a lead on the missing person case quicker than Cisco can. She does though suffer from panic attacks, obviously mainly due to her military service, and these can be really crippling at times. She is a strong character though and I loved the way that she deals so well with some of her fellow detectives (we all know which one I’m talking about!)! I’m not sure if I could have been so level headed about it!

The storyline was very gripping and grabbed me from the first page. There was a lot of forensic details in the book which really held my interest, but that’s hardly surprising with the author’s own experience in this field! There were plenty of suspects to keep me questioning everyone, and I didn’t really guess who it was until it was revealed! (I was proved wrong with my two suspects!) The story twisted and turned and there were moments that had me holding my breath with anticipation! I would definitely recommend this book and I will certainly be going and reading more by this author.

Thank you to the Publishers, Bookouture and the author for providing me with this copy to review.