A review of “The Little Grave: A completely heart-stopping crime thriller” by Carolyn Arnold

When the past comes crashing into the present, will Detective Steele survive

Full disclosure - I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review.

The Little Grave is set for a January 11, 2021 release

Detective Amanda Steele, on the outside, is the perfect picture of a Dumfries Virginia police detective. The daughter of a retired police chief, she has worked her way up the ranks and is a respected member of society; but inside she is falling apart. As the fifth anniversary of the death of her husband and daughter at the hands of a drunk driver approaches, Amanda’s life has descended into a cycle of overwork, one-night stands, and overall bad choices as she tries to ease the pain and fill the void left behind. When she is partnered up with a rookie detective for a new murder case, personal demons and professional credibility collide as the victim turns out to be the very man who took her world from her not too long ago. Trying to chase down her own alibi and against her superior’s wishes, Amanda works the case from the sidelines at first, but the more details she uncovers, the connections are made to a cold case in another county as well as possibly a larger operation involving the lives or more than her and the victim. As the pieces fall together and the murderer is revealed, the revelation could cause Amanda to lose more than she ever thought possible.

The Little Grave is the first in the Detective Amanda Steele series of novels by author Carolyn Arnold, which is set for an early January release. Having previously read titles in both the Brandon Fisher FBI series and the Detective Madison Knight series, and as I am familiar with how well Arnold excels in this genre, I was excited to be at ground zero for this new adventure. Arnold does not disappoint, as from the opening sequence Steele is portrayed as a woman on the brink of self-destruction. As the story unfolds and Amanda’s personal demons are laid bare for the reader, Arnold captures the pain that only a mother can feel when they have lost a child. That angle alone would have made for an excellent story, but Arnold is not one to stop at mediocre as she weaves in seemingly unrelated side plots that ultimately works into the overall story and the true crime that has been committed. The ending chapters and ultimate climax sees Steele evolving into a stronger person than we saw in the opening of the story; and with more than one plot twist revealed, I am really looking forward to the direction the story takes in the upcoming books.
With “The Little Grave” Arnold has provided a strong opening to what I hope to be a long-running series. I am curious to see what adversities and challenges away Detective Steele in the future.

Published: January 11, 2021
Bookouture
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Carolyn Arnold is an international bestselling and award-winning author and a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries and thrillers to action adventures.

“Even if it kills me, she thought. Then again, she didn’t give a shit if it killed her because she was already dead inside.”

Amanda Steele has lost a lot. Her husband and daughter were killed by a drunk driver, leaving her alone. As she struggles to come to terms with her new normal, she gets news that the man driving the car that killed her family has been released from prison after serving his joke of a sentence and has been found dead. She knows she shouldn’t, but she shows up to the scene and flashes her badge. She has to see. She has to know. If only she knew the rabbit hole she was about to fall into... now Amanda is stuck with a partner she doesn’t want, a victim she couldn’t care less about, and a past that haunts her. Will she survive this case? Or will she be joining her beloved family?

I enjoyed this book. It has a lot of emotional levels, and they are all interwoven in such an intricate way. Amanda is such a complex, deep character with a lot of baggage.

Amanda Steele is damaged, she is angry, and she wants revenge. But the law and her career also want justice. So when she steps into a case that she knows she can’t be apart of, she finds herself conflicted.

Does she want to find out who murdered Palmer? The man who killed her family? The man who had a hand in destroying her life as she knew it?

Amanda has lost a lot. Her husband, her daughter, her unborn child, and ultimately her family due to her need to retract herself into herself for her sanity.

As the details start to unfold, Amanda finds herself back at her parents' house, in their embrace, and possibly finding a small semblance of her life returning to some level of normal.

As the analysis starts to unfold, and the details start rolling out, Amanda starts putting things together. And soon, she realizes that this case is a lot bigger than anyone realized.

The biggest twist of all is when Amanda discovers who the murderer is. You will not see it coming, and it will shock you. It is such a beautifully twisted arc in a complex story.

The writing is so well done. The way Amanda is written, you feel her pain. You feel her loss. Her rage. All of the characters have been so carefully written, and their stories have all been told in such a way that you feel you know them enough to start making assumptions.

I think this series is going to be strong. I think every novel will get better, with stronger storylines. And hopefully, each story heals a little piece of Amanda’s broken heart. I will be on the lookout for book 2.

Amanda Steele, Carolyn Arnold's main character in The Little Grave, is a broken woman when we meet her in the early pages of this book. Self medicating and bad behavior are helping her cope with the tragic loss of her husband and daughter. Then, the person who killed them is found dead in a seedy motel and Amanda inserts herself into the case. Her sergeant allows this, but only if she's second... she needs to take on a new partner. For an independent detective, this is not ideal, but it keeps her in the game. As the book progresses, the reader sees how tough a detective Amanda is, starts to understand her personal relationships, and watches her partnership with Trent... I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! Amanda Steele is one heck of a detective, and I cannot wait to see where M.s Arnold takes her next!

Gripping mystery - hooked me from the beginning.
Amanda Steele, Detective in homicide, has been battling the painful memories of the deaths of her husband and daughter for five years. One night, feeling lower than ever, Amanda gets a call that the man who killed her family was released from jail and found murdered in a motel room. Fighting against her bosses that want her to stay away from the case, Amanda persuades them to let her assist. When she stumbles upon a sex ring targeting young girls, she knows she needs to solve this and help these girls return home in honor of her lost daughter. But , Amanda never would have believed who the killer is.
Great book, kept me guessing throughout. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A gritty detective mystery with a very personal aspect. Working on a new case for Detective Steel brings back flooding memories of her daughter. Juggling between personal and professional approach can Steele solve the case for her own sanity.

Told at a good pace with some great police procedural methodology, it makes for a gripping read.

Great charters and easily enjoyable.

What if you see the person, you have been wishing dead for the past 5 and half years, dead.
Amanda Steele’s (Homicide Detective) husband and young daughter were killed in by drunk driver, and she has been struggling to keep going, she feels justice, or is it, as she sees the drunk driver dead in a motel room.
A surprise ending (it really was!) and another mystery brewing.
The internal struggle, justice, and different twist and turns. Great start to a new series. Looking forward to the continuing story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advanced copy for my honest review.

The Little Grave is the first in the Detective Amanda Steele series and a gripping, heart wrenching opener that certainly bodes well for future novels.

For Amanda life changed forever when a drunk driver ploughed into their car killing her husband and young daughter and now that driver having just been released from prison is found in a motel room, murdered.

Her personal connection with the murdered man meant technically Amanda shouldn't be in charge of the case so for it to happen a rookie detective, Trent Stenson, was assigned her partner and on paper made lead detective, much to Amanda's resentment.

A determined Amanda sets out to find the killer but with so many twists, a race against time and her own life in danger that could be almost impossible.

I LOVED this book, fabulous characters and a great plot and storyline made this an engrossing page turner and that ending, phew I didn't see that coming at all !!!
Cant wait for the next in the series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC for my honest review.

Detective Steele wants to solve the murder of the man who killed her husband and daughter, in a tragic accident. But, to do so, she needs to show her alibi to her superior, and it's taking more than 70% of the book to meet the man she spends the hours of the killing. Why??? She is a cop! Why is this taking so looooong? Sorry, but nothing spectacular in this book, just a destroyed cop, more than one death.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this book.

An American crime thriller. A detective, Amanda, was involved in an accident in which her 6 year old daughter and husband were killed. Now the drunk driver who causedthe accident has been found dead, probibly murdered, in a motel room . Amanda wants to investigate, though it did not seem like a good idea to me (or some of her co-workers) and she is paired up with Trent, a colleague, a new detective.
On the whole a gripping story which kept my interest. I liked the way the author described the thought processes when solving the crime(s) and this came across as quite believable. I did not always like Amanda as a character and there were scenes of violence that highlighted the differences between the US and UK society. Saying that,I am interested to see how Amanda gets on further and wouldlike to readmore about her.
Thank you to Net Galley for an ARCin exchange for an honest review

Detective Amanda Steele is called to a death in a seedy hotel. When Amanda arrives and looks at the face of the dead man, she is staring into the eyes of the drunken driver who took the life of her husband and young daughter. He had just been released after serving five years for killing her family. What starts out as one death soon turns into a string of murders and a very well organised peodaphile ring. A good police procedural not to mention a hunt for a very cold killer. Corruption, tension and suspense. A really good crime thriller and the start of a new series and I can't wait to read more.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

#TheLittleGrave #NetGalley
Thanks NetGalley, Bookouture and Carolyn Arnold for an ARC to review.
The first book in Detective Amanda Steele series. After five and half years, detective Amanda comes face to face with the man who stole her family and life away, but as a dead body choked by his own vomit. She broke all rules and insisted working the case ignoring her personal involvement. The case draws attention to two more cold cases bringing morbid details. As Amanda approaches the truth unpleasant facts surface and the case gets personal.
A really gripping full of twists book, you wouldn't put it down till the end only to wait for the next Amanda Steele book.

A new series, a new police team, a new leading lady in this case.
And a leading lady, that’s what she certainly is… She has build the highest walls around her and won’t let anybody come near her. Alone, that’s want she wants to be.
Being a detective must be hard. You have to find the right balance between your heart and your head. Some cases must really tear you apart, but you can’t let your feelings get in the way of your judgement. That’s often easier said than done, but what if a case involves someone you not only know, but hate with a vengeance as well…
To work this case or not to work this case, that’s the question.
Amanda is determined. She wants to see this through. It seems there is a lot more hidden than she bargained for.
When the culprit is finally found, who could have guessed this outcome?? Not me, that’s for sure. It was shocking and heart breaking at the same time.
Are the walls showing some cracks? That’s what I hope we are to find out in the next part.
I loved this book. It’s a good start to something that has the potential to turn into a great series. 5 stars.

Thank you, Carolyn Arnold and Bookouture

First off I want to say huge  thank you to the publisher Bookouture,  the author Carolyn Arnold , and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it.
A Great start to a new series by an author that I've read before and liked, and just like her other series,it didn't let me down at all, it had me hooked from the very start of the story, the twist and turns kept me guessing and the story will pull at your heart. Other thing I loved was how the author handle a topic that is very much in the news about kids been kidnapped and sold,but the best thing I loved about the was the main character herself , she was sarcastic, and raw , and just seemed like a real person then a character in a story.

The Little Grave is the first book in the Amanda Steele series. Amanda is a Detective, who five years ago had her world tore apart, when a drunk driver killed her husband and little girl. The driver just was released from prison and a few days later found dead in a motel room. Can Amanda keep her hated for the victim from doing her job and does she have a alibi for the night he died. This story had a lot of twists and turns and I couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait for the next book in this series. Thanks Netgalley for this arc.

Amanda Steel lost it all one night when a drink killed her husband and daughter. Now that drunk has been murdered. I have not read anything by this author before, but I will be on the lookout for he next book in this series. I like Amanda. She's gritty, sarcastic, and raw. There were many interesting twists to the story, especially who was the real murder is. I'm interested to see what occurs next with the one night stand guy. The series is off to a good start.

A multi dimensional thriller. Book 1 in this series starts with heart wrenching sorrow, memories of and guilt, be it deserved or not. Sometimes the pain was so deep you could feel it seeping through the pages and just when I thought I was drowning there e would be some light, some hope. The ending twist was absolutely mind boggling. Just goes to show you never really know anyone. I like that we can feel the sun seeping through the cracks of the pain in Amandas soul and heart and we end with a possibility. Thank you Carolyn Arnold, Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.
All thoughts an opinions are my own which I freely share

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoy Police procedural books and I am delighted that this is going to be a series with Detective Amanda Steele. Great storyline, great characters. Loved it.

The first book in a new series, The Little Grave is an incredible read. As she tries to solve a murder, Detective Amanda Steele is torn. The victim is the man who killed her family. Throughout the novel, there are twists and turns that lead us down very dark paths. This book is an intense page turner that is, at times, heartbreaking. I loved the characters in this new series and do look forward to reading more…. And with the ending, we know that some very disturbing books are coming in this series. Carolyn Arnold has knocked it out of the park with this great tale.

The Little Grave by Carolyn Arnold is the first book in a new crime series. Detective Amanda Steele lost her husband and daughter several years ago in a drunk driving accident. The driver, Palmer, who killed them was just released from prison and is almost immediately found dead in a motel room under unusual circumstances. Amanda is drawn to work the case but isn’t allowed to by superiors. Can Detective Steele put her personal feelings aside and really find out how Palmer died? Looking forward to the next book in the series.

You know those books you tell yourself you’re only going to read a little bit of before bed and then end up reading the whole thing instead? This is one of those books. From the very start, I knew I was going to be hooked. That feeling only increased the further I got into the story. And that ending? Never would have put money on that one!

Let me go back a bit, though.

If you asked any of the cops around her, Amanda is the last person that should be working on this investigation. If you ask Amanda, she’s the person who wants it solved the most. But can anyone honestly expect her to keep her feelings aside when she’s investigating the murder of the man who killed her family? More than that, can she even attempt to focus when she also has someone threatening her life and her fathers as well?

Amanda is faced with more obstacles than any one person should face. But she’s a determined woman, and history has shown that women like that don’t let anything stand in their way.