I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion, and let me just say, I WAS IMPRESSED. This book took me on this wild ride and I honestly never would have guessed the ending. This book helped me get out of a long reading slump. I love Ellie’s determination and appreciate everything she did to try and find those little girls. The next book can’t come out soon enough!!

Oh my goodness, what a start to a series! I was drawn into this American based psychological thriller/police procedural instantaneously and know that I will be reading all subsequent Ellie Reeves books to find out how her career is going and what other unfortunate incidents will befall the detective.
Book 1, The Silent Dolls is a truly nail biting read. 7 year old Penny Matthews is missing. She disappeared whilst out on a family picnic on a part of the Appalachian Trail and Ellie Reeves , detective in Bluff County is determined to find her before it is too late.
FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox has never recovered from the guilt he feels over his sister Kim disappearing along the trail 25 years before. He was meant to be looking after her but she wandered away and has never been found. Fox has been monitoring the area and believes there have been many more girls all aged between 5 and 7 years who have disappeared. He is certain there is a serial killer on the loose and makes the decision to meet with Ellie Reeves to share his information and maybe at long last make the connections that will catch the killer.
There is just one snag though. Sherriff Randall Reeves, Ellie's father, was the investigating officer at the time of Kim's disappearance and Fox harbours resentment that the sherriff let the case go cold far too quickly.
Is the Sherriff hiding something?
The mountainous terrain where this story is set is so alien to me but so well described. You sense the vastness and danger and feel menace lurking in the woods and beyond. Ellie and her father know the area well but even so there are many points where a foot placed wrong could lead to death. With a snowstorm brewing and another disturbing development at the Cornbread Festival in town, time is running out for Penny, Can she still be alive or is this wishful thinking? Both Reeves and Fox have dark and traumatic pasts to deal with but they need to be able to put personal pain aside and work together to bring the Matthews' torment to a happy conclusion.
With incredible twists that had me gasping in shock and horror, this book comes with a warning. Keep the light on and be careful where you tread. You might never want to see a doll again...

The silent dolls is a new detective series featuring Ellie Reeves set along the Appalachian trail in Bluff County.
With such wonderful place names like Crooked Creek and Stony gap the setting sounds idyllic. However this is harsh territory which even the most accomplished hikers can struggle to cope with. Ravines and creeks and disused mines are just part of this wooded and wild landscape, a perfect playground for this disturbing thriller.
The action kicks off with the disappearance of a young girl Penny Matthews, who was enjoying a family picnic playing happily by the creek before she either wandered off or was snatched. It’s up to Ellie Reeves to locate this child before more severe weather sets in but apart from Penny’s discarded friendship bracelet she doesn’t have any other clues to go on.

Child disappearances are always going to have maximum impact on the reader since occurrences like this tap into our own fears and horrors, unable to imagine being faced with such a heart stopping moment when you realise your child isn’t where they are supposed to be. It can happen in an instant, in the blink of an eye and in cases like these it’s always the parents that are the first people to come under the scrutiny of the investigating officer. Has Penny fallen foul of her own parents or is something more sinister going on? It doesn’t take long for the media to get hold of the news, desperate for the scoop so it’s unsurprising Penny’s disappearance comes to the attention of Special Agent Derrick Fox who has a personal interest in events that are unfolding. It’s his belief this latest disappearance could be linked to similar unsolved mysteries, all involving small girls, and happening somewhere along the Appalachian trail, beginning with his sister Kim. Immediately the tension is ramped up a notch with this sinister turn in the proceedings. There’s a distinct possibility Ellie could actually be on the hunt for a serial predator. When the pair discover a small grave with what looks like the bones of a child together with a carved wooden doll their worst fears are confirmed. The race is on to find the unsub (a word I’d never heard until reading this book!)

It is the setting that is crucial to the plot line and the descriptions of this hostile unforgiving landscape add to the menacing feel. Many good thrillers take place in similar isolated, threatening environments and The Silent Dolls is no exception. Whilst I can imagine the trail to be scenic, it’s natural beauty a tourist attraction, I think I would be petrified hiking here, tense and fearful there was someone lurking, waiting to attack me. My imagination was in overdrive so full marks to the author for successfully tapping into my worst nightmare! I could sense the shadows and unknown eyes watching, sending chills down my spine.

However I’m not sure I entirely got the measure of detective Ellie Reeves and hope that as the series progresses her character becomes more fully developed. Obviously together with ranger Cord (very dubious character!) she knows the territory well but why does she seem petrified of the dark and enclosed spaces? Occasional flashbacks to her childhood hint at a traumatic experience and an imaginary friend Mae but that’s all I’ll divulge!

Ellie’s father Sheriff Randall Reeves is an odd character who I didn’t particularly like from the beginning. The family dynamics felt unbalanced with my suspicions on high alert. I couldn’t help wondering what secrets he and his wife Vera might be hiding.

Whilst I was shocked and scared and desperately wanted Penny to be found unharmed I thought the pace of this thriller was a trifle too slow. Despite this feeling, I was on tenterhooks towards the end, with the tension mounting, knowing I couldn’t put the book down until I’d read the last page. Fearful for everyone’s safety as the hunt turned into a terrifying game of cat and mouse, I was blindsided by the twist when it came, which did seem to come out of nowhere.

The Silent Dolls is an easy, creepy thriller to read, with just about the right level of tautness throughout. This book reminded me slightly of Karin Slaughter’s latest thriller The Silent Wife, although I don’t think the writing style here has the same level of panache. All in all this is a credible thriller that I recommend and I can’t wait to discover what’s in store next for Ellie Reeves. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

When 7 year old Penny Matthews disappears from a picnic spot in the Appalachians Trails, Detective Ellie Reeves is called in to help. Ellie has her own fear of dark spaces because of a childhood experience but she realises that time is of essence while finding a miising child, especially when a storm is brewing. Meanwhile Special Agent Derrick Fox gets to know about the Penny missing case and he realises thats its the same trail where his sister, then 6, went missing from the same area, 25 years ago. He is convinced that she was the first on the long list of victims over the years. He joins in the search for Penny, in the hope that he will get closer to the killer. A Second girl also goes missing and suddenly there are mysterious wooden dolls next to graves of the young victims. The list of likely suspects grows and finally the girls are found, but not before some unpleasant memories from the past come tumbling out.

The story is gripping and I liked the characters and definitely looking forward to the next book in the series

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC

Detective Ellie Reeves #1

Penny Matthews is just five years old and she has disappeared from the small town on the Appalachain trail. Detective Ellie Reeves is called in to investigate. this case brings back dark memories of Ellie's childhood. FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox is also on the case. His sister went missing years ago in similar circumstances. He has compiled a list of similar cases, all were little girls. Is Penny the latest victim of a serial killer?

The suspense builds throughout the book. There's several suspects for you to choose from. Ellie's father is the sheriff and had been the lead investigator into Derrick Fox's sisters disappearance. The story is told mostly fron Ellie's point of view with snippets from other characters. The book is well written with plenty of twists. The characters are well developed and believable. The conclusion was perfect. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this new series.

i would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Rita Herron for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5★s

Detective Ellie Reeves was reeling from the confrontation with her parents, Randall (the local sheriff) and Vera, plus the deputy sheriff, as she left her parent’s house after what she’d thought would be a night of celebration. But her anger was interrupted by a call from the station to say a little girl was missing, gone from a picnic area by a creek in the Appalachian Mountains. Ellie headed there immediately, shuddering at her own memories.

While Ellie interviewed Penny’s parents, her team organized the search. The weather was against them, with a storm the bureau had dubbed Tempest heading their way. The volunteers and police, along with the Search and Rescue dogs, headed into the wild, dark forest where old mines, tumbling creeks, ravines and the unknown waited for those who were unprepared.

FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox watched the unfolding news with mounting trepidation. His little sister Kim had gone missing twenty five years previously; she was never found and Derrick was now sure there was a serial killer out there. Derrick joined the searchers, talking to Ellie about his theories and it wasn’t long before Ellie was convinced. The race was on, but when they found a small grave, they knew their suppositions were right…

The Silent Dolls is the first in the Detective Ellie Reeves series by Rita Herron and it was good!! Fast paced, twists, chills (not just from the weather!), deep, dark secrets – I really enjoyed it. I’ll be looking for the 2nd when it’s published. There was one spot toward the end where it was completely unrealistic, but other than that, I was hooked. Another new author; another new series! Ellie and Derrick were both good, strong characters albeit with trauma in their pasts. And what was it with Cord? Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

When Penny Matthews, a seven year old girl goes missing along the Appalachian Mountains, Detective Ellie Reeves takes lead on the case, knowing from past experiences the dangers of the mountains. Pennys disappearance grabs the attention of FBI Agent Derrick Fox, who sees connections between Penny & his missing sister Kim. Is there a someone taking little girls in the mountains?

This book dived head first into a 20 year old mystery. And I loved it, and Ellie. She was written so well, that I felt I knew her, and I was angry/happy/sad as she was, even right at the start. This book was fast paced, it had short chapters and was an easy read - the best part was that every single chapter moved the story along, there was no boring parts, no "filler" chapters, every chapter had action and clues, and there were side stories that played out too. There was way more to this book than I originally expected, more complicated than I anticipated; and the ending I only half guessed, and I say this as someone who reads a lot of mysteries. I thought half way through I knew how it would play out but the twists at the end not only made sense (something a lot of mysteries are missing), but also did genuinely surprise me.

The only reason this book didn't get 5 stars, is because I dislike the term "sex" in reference to a womans anatomy. This only appears once but, I also felt the scene wasn't necessarily needed. Although the intimacy made sense, I would have preferred a lighter scene here.

Overall the book was enjoyable and I read it fast once I started, there's a few things we never learn in this book, but I hope that means that there will be a sequel (and one that I'll be excited to read).

This is the first book in a brand new series following Detective Ellie Reeves. This story follows Detective Ellie, who is called in to investigate a missing child and the circumstances around it. There is a lot of suspicion that the parents have something to do with it, until a FBI agent tracks her down and shows her evidence that this missing child may be linked to a serial killer that has been operating for over 20 years.


Let me just say, hang on for a wild ride! This new series was great - so many twists and turns and you couldn’t really guess what was going to happen next. Even when the mystery of “whodunnit” was solved, there was still another twist added at the end. I’m so looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book.


** I was given a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review **

This is a brilliant start to a new series. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one.
Ellie is a Detective on the Appalachian Trail (AT) which is a mountainous region and is contacted when a young girl goes missing.
A search party is set up straight away but there’s no sign of the little girl.
An FBI detective becomes aware of the case and heads over to see Ellie as he thinks it’s linked to other cases of young girls going missing across the country.
One if these girls is his sister so it has a personal meaning to him, to find out what happened to her.
Ellie’s father is the Sheriff and when he puts someone else forward to replace him, she’s deeply hurt. He has his reasons but they’re not what Ellie initially thinks they are.
Soon another girl is taken and the pressure is on the team to find the missing girls.
Ellie is left a carved wooden doll which prompts a memory from her childhood but she is confused by this.
They then find more of the dolls on the AT and also some small graves so they know they’re getting closer to him.
This is a gripping crime thriller that has a shocking final few chapters that had me racing through the pages.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow ! This book kept me guessing till the end ! A major league suspense written by a master storyteller ! You don't want to miss this book ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #SilentDolls

First, I want to thank Rita Herron, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Rita Herron’s incredibly intense, suspenseful, dark, twisted, thrilling, terribly heartbreaking, jaw dropping shocking new series Detective Ellie Reeves is a must read!! I totally fell in love with her first book in the series Silent Dolls. Rita definitely has an incredible gift for writing in this genre! She definitely acquired me as a new fan!

If you love really good detective stories, abductions, stories that pull hard on your heart strings, books that are extremely fast paced, has a lot of family tension, etc. Then this is a book for you.

Rita straight away got into the heart of the story. Instantly, I was fascinated by this storyline. The investigations, the press, the family dynamics and secrets, the wicked twists and turns, and oh the shocking moments that I never saw coming.

I am extremely excited to see where Rita takes this storyline. There are so many angles she could go with this. The sky's the limit for Detective Ellie Reeves.

I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.

First off, I would like to point out an error in Chapter 58 - remains are found, and the ME notes that the femur had been broken at some point. One of the officers remarks they may know the identity of the remains based on a prior victim having broken their arm at one point. The femur is the thigh bone, not a bone in the arm. The author should amend that to either the radius or ulna (lower arm) or humerus (upper arm). I am sure this will have been addressed before the book is released.

Rita Herron is a new-to-me author, and despite the anatomy error, I enjoyed this book very much. The story captured me from the very beginning, especially as you learned more about the central character - Ellie Reeves - and her family.

Police work is in Ellie's blood, and she will do anything to prove to those in charge that she is a capable detective, and worthy of following her father as Sheriff in their small Georgia town. Intriguing characters and a captivating back-story keep the action moving, and several red herrings throw you off until the true suspect is finally revealed. There are several twists that keep you on edge right up to the very end. And even at the end, you're still left with questions.

I thought this was a good introduction to a new series, and anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists and gritty action should definitely give this one a try.

This is a great thriller about young girls who go missing and the possibility of there being a serial killer spanning over 20 years. The story keeps you engaged and there are many twists and turns along the way. Some of them are a bit predictable, as I did guess some that were revealed at the end.
I do wish some things had been checked by the author, as one point they are going on about a girl having broken her arm in the past and the damage showing on the femur bone. The femur is a leg bone not an arm bone, so this just made the autopsy reports less believable and didn't feel right when it's coming from professional characters. Just a small error I know, but something that needs altering.
The ending felt a bit sudden, but it has made me want to read the next book when it comes out, as I want to know what is next in store for the characters. I did enjoy the book and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Silent Dolls, the first novel to feature Appalachian detective Ellie Reeves.

When seven year old Penny Matthews disappears from the Appalachian Trail Ellie Reeves is put in charge of finding her and it’s not easy with no clues and a rugged terrain. When FBI agent Derrick Fox learns of the disappearance he is desperate to join the hunt because his sister, Kim, disappeared on the Trail 25 years ago and his research suggests that she and Penny are not the only ones. Ellie soon comes to believe, like Derrick, that they are hunting a serial killer after a series of hand carved wooden dolls are found.

I enjoyed The Silent Dolls which has an interesting plot that held my attention from the tense start to the bombshell finish. It is told mostly from Ellie’s point of view with interjections from other characters, notably Penny describing her ongoing ordeal and the unnamed killer expressing his rather jumbled thoughts. This gives full coverage to the story but while I found Ellie’s side of things interesting and propulsive and Penny’s heartbreaking, if a touch redundant, there is nothing interesting or new in the killer’s thoughts or motivations. I could sum it up in a few words but I don’t want to issue spoilers.

This is very much a plot driven novel so the characterisation is fairly shallow. I did, however, think that the parents’ reactions were authentic and spot on. How all the events affect Ellie and her family are revealed in several denouements at the end of the novel. They are impactful, offer more than one bombshell and are more than worth the journey to that point. How realistic they are is open to interpretation but they certainly pack a punch. The journey itself continually moves forward with developments in every chapter. There is a shadowy deus ex machina figure, known as The Watcher, to help them make their discoveries and forestall any potential lull in the investigation. How he knows is never explained.

The Silent Dolls is a good read that I can recommend.

The premise of the lost girls is good and the twists the story takes but the only character I found likable and vulnerable was Cord. The ending was tied up quickly and weirdly with new facts coming out of nowhere
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review

This was a rollercoaster of a mystery. It was gritty and tense with a fascinating cast of characters. There was a number of potential suspects and I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded. I found the ending a little farfetched and over the top but overall it was a really good read.

What a crazy ride through the Appalachian Trail we are taken on in search for a missing girl taken by a serial killer who been killing young girls for 25 years.

I was riveted to the story from page one through to the shocking ending. Which was an ending for somethings but an opened Pandora's box for others. I hope there isn't to long a wait for the next book.

Fascinating cast of characters.. Detective Ellie Reeve who is tough as nails in her professional life but suffers from nightmares from a childhood incident that may or may not be tied to her current case.. FBI Agent Derrick Fox whose sister went missing 25 years ago and he thinks was the first victim in a long line of girls taken in the 25 years since. He has been relentless in his pursuit and this current case is as close as he as ever gotten to the killer. Ranger Cord McClain is dark and broody but has helped in many missing person cases in the Appalachian trail. His scars hint at a traumatic childhood but he keeps his secrets close to the vest.

To say much more would be giving spoilers so I will just highly recommend reading this book and patiently wait for the next one.

What a fantastic thriller! A search for little Penny Matthews who disappeared from a picnic with her parents along the Appalachian Trail with a major storm brewing leads to much action and suspense. Detective Ellie Reeves is on the case and willing to face bad weather and any danger to find Penny. Finding out from FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox that he suspected that this case was part of a serial killer case he was investigating floored Ellie. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises as Ellie and Derrick work to find Penny. I really enjoyed this book.

A little girl goes missing at a site on the Appalachian Trail. Ellie, a detective is determined to find her. She knows what it’s like to be lost in the woods, knows how scared this little girl is.
I loved Ellie’s character, she is so determined. I really need more of her.
I was drawn into this book quickly and it was very hard to put down. I cannot wait to read the next one. This is going to be a wonderful series..
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I've been a HUGE fan of Rita Herron's for a long time and when I saw on social media she was releasing another series I was very excited!! Well I just finished the first book in the Detective Ellie Reeves series and it was no surprise to me that this book was absolutely fantastic. This author just grabs you into the book from the very first pages with so much suspense from the get go. Ellie is such a great character that you can't help but not want to follow her story. There is a serial killer kidnapping and murdering young girls and it is up to Ellie and her team to find him before the next girl is murdered. Suspense, thrills and great female lead character you can't help yourself you will be up all night reading. Loved it and I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes a great mystery with suspense and a shocking twist at the end. I look forward to reading the next in the series! Great book and great author!