This was my first Karen Katchur book and i throughly enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading the first two. This book was full
os suspense. It was a real page turner

Spring Girls by Karen Katchur is a highly recommended murder mystery/procedural and the third book in the Northampton County series.

Detective Geena Brassard and her partner, Parker Reed, are on the trail of a serial killer, dubbed the "Spring Strangler," whose victims have been given the moniker the "Spring Girls." The killer's victims are always young women who have been strangled, their bodies are left in a body of water, and it happens in the spring. A new victim has been found in a lake in the Appalachian foothills. Geena knows that there was a first victim, one who survived, but her name was kept secret by her former partner, Albert Eugenis, who has now retired. Geena visits with Albert and learns the woman's name is Janey Montgomery. Janey is very reluctant to help and claims she can't remember much from the attack. Although she knows she has information to help the investigation, she also has the most to lose.

This novel features a fast-moving plot and recurring characters. Character development is nominal, but since this is a third book in the series and I have not read the first two, I'm going to assume more development happens in the first two. The first book in the series is River Bodies and the second Cold Woods. Even though Spring Girls is a third installment, it does work as a standalone, especially if you aren't focused on character development and just want to follow the investigation and the clues provided. For me, both the investigation and final big reveal were predictable and a little disappointing. I was especially disappointed in the ending, which is very similar to another novel I read recently. Setting that aside, the investigation itself and the insights into Janey's life and struggles were compelling and held my interest. This is a good choice for escapism reading or those who enjoyed the first two books in the series. 3.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I don't think this writer is as well known as she should be. Discover a writer who writes astonishingly great books.. I read a lot of thrillers written by strong women author's and she's at the top of my list. This is book three of a series and it's just as good as book one. Check it out. Check her out and check out the series. You won't be disassembled. Happy reading!

Okay. Let me start out by saying that this was the very first book I ever requested on NetGalley and I did not do any research beforehand. Therefore, I didn't realize this book is the third in a series. Not that it really matters, this book loves to tell you (in very obvious Nancy Drew style) about the other books in the series.

Let me also say that it is VERY rare that I give a book only one star. I tend to be a very ~optimistic reader and can usually find at least SOMETHING to like.

Well, uh, not this time.

There were several times when I almost didn't finish this book. I honestly didn't like it from the very first chapter. This is written with a very poor, juvenile writing style (almost like you are reading a Nancy Drew book but with less interesting characters and subjects that are clearly meant for adults) and at first it felt more like I'd picked up a fifth grader's creative writing project. This doesn't feel like a book written by a semi experienced novelist (and from reading reviews of the first two books, that seems to be the norm for this series; but since this is the third book, how did the writing not get any better....?).

So because of the very poor writing, I had a hard time getting into this book. That and the extremely flat, underdeveloped characters. One of the two main characters, Geena, constantly tells us two things: one, that she is a woman and, therefore, has had to fight to be respected as a detective (in a man's world) and two, that she has an eidetic memory. The latter never truly seems to be important (except for a truly cringey scene where her partner asks her how an eidetic memory work and she ladysplains it to him). And the former, well, it just felt like she was complaining about being a woman and never really showed us how she excelled above her male counterparts. Because, as far as I could tell, she wasn't really a great detective???? But then again, "show, don't tell" is a writing device that this book really could've utilized...

I am honestly baffled that this is the third book in a series. This book definitely could've used some editing (or at least some rigorous constructive criticism). When you can read entire paragraphs where ever single sentence starts with "she," I think it's time to, I don't know, maybe take a creative writing class? (Isn't that literally Creative Writing Don't #1? Don't start EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE with the same word???????) .... I'm sorry I just can't get over this being the THIRD book and the writing style still being this poor. I shudder to think of the writing in the first two...

Anyway, as for the actual plot, well, the "twists" could literally be spotted miles away but, yet, it took the characters SEVERAL HUNDRED pages to figure out. (I seriously rolled my eyes so hard at the discovery of the first big "twist," about a hundred pages in, because it was obvious from the second chapter????) So even as a thriller, this just didn't keep my attention. Nothing shocking happened here.

So I don't know. Do I wish I had skipped this one? Yes. I truly had the hardest time making it through this book. I didn't like any of the characters (or I guess I never had the chance to connect with them since they were all so flat). For being a ~thriller, nothing shocking happened. This never once kept me on my toes and the writing style was just the icing on the cake. So I can't, in good conscious, recommend this one, especially if you tend to read a lot of thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. Next time I'll be far more careful about what I request and definitely do my research ahead of time!

The story opens with Detective Geena Bressard standing on the shoreline of a lake. Bodies are piling up, unsolved murders of young women which happen in the spring, ergo the title.

She had a partner who took his secrets and retired, never disclosing all his information, never solving the spring murders. She is completely loyal to him but has misgivings about his handling of these murder cases. She has a new partner who unfortunately adds nothing to the story. Actually, I found much of the story and descriptions to be simplistic and unnecessary. Some of the characters are drawn with artifice, are they challenged, troubled, monsters or something else. There is a subtle cat and mouse game going on but it is in plain sight.

This story, for whatever reason, never challenged me. I found it mildly interesting but not compelling, much like this review. The syntax and repeated use of the term “unsub”, was like nails on a chalkboard - change it up – use the term unknown subject, person, perpetrator anything but the constant repetition. This is another time a half star would be useful – 3-1/2 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy.

I really enjoyed this book and especially the psychological aspect of a child with darkness in them. It definitely hadsome Killer's Mind vibes. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Katchur is at the TOP of her game! "

"Her Northampton County trilogy (3 of 3) is a dynamite must-read riveting crime series for thriller fans of Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner. Fiction doesn’t get any better than this. Do not miss the masterful grand finale, SPRING GIRLS.” — @JudithDCollins #JDCMustReadBooks

On My Blog:
Northampton County Series
My Reviews

Spring Girls (Top Books of 2020)
Cold Woods (Top Books of 2019)
River Bodies (Top Books of 2018)
Q&A Elevator Ride Interview with Karen

In Book #1, RIVER BODIES, we met Becca, a veterinarian and faithful German Shepherd, Romy. We also are introduced to Detective Parker Reed, a Pennsylvania homicide detective tackling a cold case.

In Book #2, COLD WOODS, Detective Reed returns on another cold case called The Slate Sisters and an intro of new partner Detective Genna Brassard.

In Book #3, SPRING GIRLS, Detective Genna Brassard of the Pennsylvania State Police takes the lead as the partner of Detective Parker Reed in another serial killer series. Each spring, girls are drowned and pulled from the lake in the Appalachian foothills.

Set in Bangor, Pennsylvania, as the book opens, there is a tragic drowning of another young woman and college student, Valerie Brown, the third victim. Albert, the retired detective, had suspected there was a fourth victim, the real first victim, who had survived.

Soon after that, there are more. The fifth strangling victim in seven years, with her hair neatly braided as if wearing a crown. Why springtime, and why the hair braided? They were also all college students. What else connects them?

Detective Geena Brassard has been working on the case, now dubbed as the “Spring Strangler” for two years. The victims were called the Spring Girls. In her mind, serial killers weren’t human, and maybe that was what had broken her former partner.

She was working with Albert, her now-retired partner. Presently, she has a new partner, Detective Parker Reed. The jury is still out is she can trust her new partner.

Things seem to be at a standstill on the case until a clue comes to the surface. There was a survivor. Janet Montgomery. She was the first victim. The retired detective kept her name out of the press due to her privacy, among other reasons. (you will need to read the book to find out all the juicy details). 😎 Janey is an interesting character.

She works at a local craft store in town, as an assistant manager. The store is family-owned, operated, and closed on Sunday to honor God. She comes from a strict God-fearing family. She was a good girl. However, Janey didn’t know what that meant anymore.

Now she deals with her six-year-old son Christian who is quite the handful. He has behavior problems and causing problems at school and home. He is currently seeing a psychologist. She is concerned about him. She purchased a small house and desperately trying to find a safe place to raise her son as a single parent.

She could feel it deep inside her bones—the serenity of the lake, the rolling green mountains, the promise of another victim.

Detective Genna Brassard is determined to solve this case. Another girl’s body found in Minsi Lake. Another spring girl. Right on time. Who was the madman behind the crimes?

The word leaks out, and now Janey’s life is front and center. Is she the key to solving this case?

Janey wants to put the past behind her, and now, she has to try and recall it all again. She had been living with the ghosts every day, and now they were here circling her. She is not only worried about her safety but her son’s. She has to find a way to help other women. How does a church bulletin connect the girls?

Will Genna, Janet, and Parker be able to connect the victims? The wrong place at the wrong time, or something much more sinister at play? Will they be able to connect the dots before someone else is the next target?

Another edgy thriller series from one of my favorite authors! The sinister factor starts early and builds quickly. What a fantastic book! The Northampton Series has been a favorite of mine since the first book, but I believe SPRING GIRLS is my favorite.

I enjoyed the way the author broke out the “Drowned” and the “Undrowned”, diving into the thoughts of the different victims. It was fun getting to know Genna on a more personal level and her complex relationship with Jonathan, as well as catching up with the relationship between Reed and Becca.

The two women (Genna and Janey) and Christian are well-developed character studies. The patient/psychologist (Janey/Helen) added intrigue and fear. As they investigate, the mysterious past points to the dangerous and chilling present-day crime. Learning the meaning behind the SPRING GIRLS was chilling and fascinating.

Unpredictable and full of surprises. You will be on the edge of your seat as the identity is revealed. The writing is superb and if you enjoy crime and psychological suspense thrillers, look no further. My fingers are crossed for a TV series 🎬 as this is prime for the small or big screen.

Packed with twists and turns, brimming with emotion and heart, fast-paced and gripping. Fans of kick-ass female investigators will be well satisfied. Spring Girls can be read as a standalone; however, I highly recommend reading all the books in the series! I cannot wait to see what comes next from this extraordinary author!

#JDCMustReadBooks

A special thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy!

A Riveting Race to Find a Seasonal Serial Killer.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Another spring, and another dead girl is pulled from a lake in the Appalachian foothills. She is the latest victim in a series of murders with very few leads. But Detective Geena Brassard and her partner, Parker Reed, finally land a break when they receive a tip about a previously unknown survivor of the so-called Spring Strangler.

The survivor is fearful and very reluctant to help with the case. Geena uncovers a small connection between the victims, and recently discovered DNA that brings her closer to the killer’s identity. But Geena knows the survivor has the most to offer the investigation, but also the most to lose...


REVIEW
SPRING GIRL is a riveting race to find a serial killer who only kills in the Spring. Take a deep breath before you start reading, because this one will leave you breathless. I loved Geena Brassard’s character and appreciated her memory quirky as well as her perseverance.

Author KAREN KATCHUR’s writing put you in the midst of the story. You will feel Geena’s frustration from the lack of leads as well as the immense fear of the previous victim. It’s an entertaining and chilling build to a satisfying conclusion.

Katchur’s previous novels include River Bodies (2018) The Sisters of Blue Mountain (2017) and The Secrets of Lake Road (2015). Geena’s partner in Spring Girls, Parker Reed, is also a character in the River Bodies novel. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Thomas and Mercer
Published June 16, 2020
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Spring may symbolise new beginnings but for some girls, it marks the time of their death. Geena has been working on this case for the past seven years but she is no closer to finding the killer of the Spring Girls than she was all that time ago. But with the latest victim, evidence is finally found and slowly, slowly the case begins to come together.

Although thrillers would not usually be classified as a slow burn, this one kinda was but I thought the pacing was perfect for it and it was still a page turner. I couldn't have predicted any of what was going on and there were twists all the way up to last couple of chapters.

One of the perspectives that the story unfolded from was Geena, but what made this book different to other thrillers is that the other perspective shared was from the first victim; the only living survivor. I haven't read a book about a serial killer where there are any survivors and I felt that this added an extra depth to the narrative as I learned what the after effects of an ordeal such as this could be like. The fear, the trauma, the distrust of strangers, living on edge all the time. What kind of life is that?

Whilst reading, the movie Room came to mind (I haven't read the book) and so did the Netflix show Unbelievable. If you've seen those and enjoyed them, you'll definitely like Spring Girls.

Thank you @netgalley for this arc.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on June 16, 2020

Spring Girls is the third book in the Northampton County series, and although I haven't read any of the previous books in the series I had no problem following along with the storyline. This was a new author for me, and I really enjoyed her writing style. I found this to be a thrilling page turner, and one that was hard to put down. I did figure out who else was involved before it was revealed in the book, but not long before it was revealed. I would definitely recommend this book to others that enjoy this genre.

I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for my fair and honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank. you for the advanced e-ARC win exchange for my honest review. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.

This book was a great read. One twist and turn after another, it felt like it was all over the place in a good way, it made it very interesting trying to figure things out and it didn’t get bogged down in petty details. Love this author!

The focus in this series (don't worry if you haven't read the earlier ones) has now shifted in large part to Detective Geena Brassard from her partner Parker Reid. This time out they are dealing with a long running serial killer case where the villain has been dubbed the Springtime Killer because the victims are always found in, well, the spring. As Geena revisits the case, she discovers that one victim lived- Janey. Janey's got a son with issues and she's not up for working with the detectives to find the killer. There are some good twists here, an appropriate use of DNA as a plot element, and well drawn characters. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a quick read.

There's elements of this novel that were enjoyable, but otherwise it fell flat. There were too many lines that were just unnecessary, as if no one had bothered to go through and get rid of the excess. The characters didn't react proportionally to different actions and the twists came and went with no real impact.

The main detective character, Geena, isn't particularly interesting or memorable - her only real identifying qualities are being the only woman on the team (which has been done better) and having a maybe eidetic memory which just didn't serve any purpose. We're supposed to believe she's a great detective who just hasn't had her chance to shine, but she does not demonstrate anything that would make the reader believe that assumption.

The second "main" character, Janey, was just a bit of an upset - she's a little too naive and a little too concerned, but does absolutely no parenting, choosing instead to blame everyone but herself. It comes off as an attempt to create a Victim rather than an interesting narrative character. Most of the time spent with her was spent rolling my eyes. None of her qualities are necessarily "bad" qualities for a character to have, but they were all misused.

Overall, this novel could have used another edit or two and more interesting main characters. It wasn't a bad read and the idea was there; the execution could have used some work, however.
You don't need to have read any previous books in the series to understand this novel.

#NetGalley #Spring Girls #Crooked Lane Books

There is a serial killer on the loose that seems to always strike in the spring. When a fifth girl is found along with new clues and the discovery of one survivor, Detective Geena Brassard and her partner Parker Reed are determined to catch the killer. Plenty of twist and turns, this story kept me guessing. This is the first book that I have read by Karen Katchur and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Spring Girls is actually the third book in the series. I did not know this and had not read prior two books in series. That said I did not have a problem following the story. I did find beginning a bit slow maybe if had read others might not have felt that way? This book is a detective mystery told from the detective's point of view and from the only survivor's point of view also. Only one of the "Spring Girls" survived... The end will surprise you, or at least it did me.
Thank you Net Galley, Karen Katchur and the publisher for this ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Spring Girls by Karen Katchur was an awesome, fast paced thriller and I am excited to read the others in the series! I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat and using every spare moment to read. The story shows two perspectives. Detective Geena Brassard is trying to solve the case of The Spring Girls and Janey is a single mom trying to raise a difficult son. I hadn’t read the other two books in the series so I worried that I would be lost but that wasn’t the case!

This 3rd book in a series stands alone well since it's a new case for Det. Brassard & Det. Reed who have recently become partners & are still getting to know one another. The first half of the book moved a little slow but the set-up was great because it dropped little details that would all make sense in the end. You learn of The Spring Strangler's identity as the police do so you experience all the doubts, dead ends, & frustration along with them & the first victim, Janey. Janey, is a young single mom who is battling with her past but also trying to move forward for her son who may or may not have issues depending on who you ask. I highly recommend this quick but well written thriller!

Follow detectives as they try to determine who is responsible for the murder of the Spring Girls. Also, Janey is a single mom to Christian, a young boy who appears to have some social challenges. Janey will do anything to protect her child. This was a good detective story with twists and turns.

When I request this book I didn't know it was the third in the Northampton County series.
In Spring Girls, detective Geena Brassard and her partner Parker Reed investigate the murder of Valerie, a 23-year-old girl who is found dead in a river. The Spring Strangler has killed other girls in similar circumstances in the past couple of years and has never been caught.
Without going into too much detail the book was very entertaining and it grab me from the first page.
If you are interested in reading this book its not necessary to read the previous ones, but it is definitely worth checking the others in this series.
4 stars
Thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this Arc in exchange for an honest review