I really liked the format of this book, in the form of a podcast looking into a series of kidnappings and murders of young females in Minnesota 20 years ago interspersed with present day occurrences in the life of Elle, the podcaster. Each victim was a year younger than the one before and the first victim was 20, except that the 11 year old escaped, hence the book title, plus there were specific numbers as to how long they were kept and when they were killed, the point of which was known only to the killer. The book was very well written and a smooth read. One of the best debut novels I've read. The tension really escalated during the last 25% or so of the book and I had to keep reading until I found out what happened. My only complaint would be the length of the chapters, or segments, since quite often I was ready to call it quits and I hate to stop when there isn't a chapter break. There seem to be a few books currently out there with a podcast format and I don't think I'd like a steady diet of them so I'm glad I got to read this one first. The cover is very striking also. I'd definitely recommend this book to a friend and look forward to reading future books written by this author.

This was my first read through NetGalley so many thanks to them and to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the publisher, for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication. As per their request, I'll post this review on Goodreads on publication day.

If you take coffee as your booster for the day ahead you might also read this book and have the
same effect. A powerful and spine-tingling story almost like a true to life one. It is as if I was Elle
Castillo while reading this. Following clues leading to the justice, the girls deserved. The story
follows Elle Castillo a popular host of a podcast about crimes. She tackles the left and almost
forgotten cases of missing girls. She was obsessed with one killer and her alias is “The
Countdown Killer or TCK”. He had a lot of victims and one truly psycho if you asked me. He
killed girls with a pattern of whipping them before taking their lives. When he took his 11 th victim
he suddenly disappeared and almost proclaimed dead or it is how people want to believe. Elle
on the other hand believes that TCK is still alive, planning and waiting for his next target. 20yrs
later TCK made his move and Elle has too. She is still a bit confused thinking that this might be
a copycat or a fan making fun of her but a tip she gets from an audience from her podcast leads
her to a dead body. And now her life is in danger as well as this means that the killer knows her
and her obsession. Elle never fazed and determined to find the real identity of TCK. A one tough
woman and a perfect character for this one awesome story.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Everyone needs to pick this one up. I'm loving every word

Girl, 11 is a wonderful debut by Amy Suiter Clarke! I love how this book is part crime podcast/investigation/thriller and suspense. This was a great story that kept me wanting to read and even read faster at parts because I really wanted to know what happened next.

Elle Castillo hosts a true crime podcast which has already had 2 successful seasons solving missing children cold cases. With two successful seasons under her belt, she moves onto a case that has haunted her, as well as the twin cities, since the 90s; the TCK case. TCK, aka The Countdown Killer, was a horrible serial killer who murdered a series of young girls in a specific order. He would murder 3 girls within 7 days and each girl was a year younger than the last. Suddenly, after number 11, he abruptly stopped. Many people have theories as to why he stopped, but Elle is determined to solve this case once and for all.

She gets a tip from one of her listeners and she rushes to meet him. Upon entering his home, she finds him dead. Just a short time later a young girl is kidnapped; following the TCK MO. Most law enforcement and the media is insistent that TCK is dead and they believe he died by committing suicide. Elle knows that TCK is alive, and he's not going to stop his gruesome countdown. Frustration fuels Elle as time keeps ticking against her. She knows she has to act fast before another victim is claimed.

Girl,11 was an edge-of-your seat thriller. There were a couple different twists throughout the book. One of the twists I figured out early on, but didn't guess the other. I really liked how this story read almost like a true crime book. I felt like I was actually reading about someone that truly existed. Everything felt very well researched as well. I recommend giving this one a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this ARC.

This was such a good book 😭💕

I really loved this one. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while and it’s by a debut author 💜

Elle Castillo hosts a popular podcast, Justice Delayed. It serves as a true crime podcast that seeks to uncover serial killers to bring them to justice. Her newest case focuses on The Countdown Killer. TCK kills his victims, each a girl one year younger than the other. Each year, he takes three girls three days apart. On the seventh day the girl is missing, she’s found dead in a public place. Twenty years ago, he stopped killing and no one knows why.

Now, Elle is diving into his case once again. When an email comes in with a tip for her about TCK, she goes to investigate. Arriving, she finds her tipster dead. This sets off a chain of events that she must unravel before it’s too late.

This book did it all for me-it was exciting, thrilling, kept me on the edge of my seat, and left me wanting more. Twists and turns came along the way and I didn’t predict any of them- just the way I like it! Throughout the novel, we get transcripts from Elle’s podcast which gives us all of the background about TCK. I really loved the feel of the podcast scripts. I hope to get a hard copy of this book at some point because it was just that good 😍 thank you Amy Suiter Clark for this amazing debut novel. I can’t wait to read everything else you write!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This novel is set to publish April 20, 2021.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a digital ARC of Girl, 11 in exchange for an honest review. Elle Castillo used to be a social worker; now she hosts a true crime podcast. Her most recent case is the Countdown Killer. The Countdown Killer has not been caught and he has not killed for twenty years. Elle receives a tip from a viewer saying he knows who the killer is. When Elle arrives at his home, she finds his dead body. Elle will stop at nothing to determine who the Countdown Killer is. This book had an interesting format going back and forth between Elle's daily life and her podcast with viewer's. I enjoyed the book; it kept my interest.

Fantastic debut!!! As soon as I heard about this book, I wanted to read it, and it did not disappoint! Expertly paced psychological thriller with find a serial killer action, I read it in less than 24 hours. There are lots of twists and turns along the way, with great characters. Elle seems to be a bit of a mess, until you find out why, but she's a good investigator with an overwhelming need to help. The supporting characters, including her husband and police officers, are fully realized.

"Once a social worker specializing in kids who were the victims of violent crime, Elle Castillo is now the host of a popular true crime podcast that tackles cold cases of missing children in her hometown of the Twin Cities. After two seasons of successfully solving cases, Elle decides to tackle her white whale—The Countdown Killer. Twenty years ago, TCK abruptly stopped after establishing a pattern of taking and ritualistically murdering three girls over seven days, each a year younger than the last. No one’s ever known why—why he stopped with his eleventh victim, a girl of eleven years old, or why he followed the ritual at all.

When a listener phones in with a tip, Elle sets out to interview him, only to discover his dead body. And within days, a child is abducted following the original TCK MO. Unlike the experts in the media and law enforcement who have always spun theories of a guilty suicide, Elle never believed TCK had died, and her investigation was meant to lay that suspicion to rest. But instead, her podcast seems to be kicking up new victims."

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Girl, 11 had me biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat from the second half of the novel until the very end. Elle was a such a strong character, her relationship with her supportive husband is enviable, and you cannot help but cheer for her throughout the novel. The subject matter is dark, but is handled with care, sensitivity, but never sensationally. Although the twist was predictable, it never diminished or took anything away from the pleasure of reading this thriller. Also, I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives that enabled us to understand the killer's motivations and own trauma that in no way justified his monstrous acts, but provided context for the violence. Overall, I highly recommend Girl, 11.

I loved this book. With all the true crimes in the news right now,You will keep reading and the twists will keep you guessing. A serial killer, a podcasters who been on his trail for years and why? His countdown on his victims and what all the numbers means.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Houghton MIfflin Harcourt for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

OOH this book, this book freaked me out! It was one of those books that play into nightmares and wow did I have my strange dreams after finishing this one. I loved how dedicated Elle Castillo is to advocating for these children who disappeared. She will stop at nothing to find the man who was called The Countdown Killer (TCK). Elle also runs a podcast where she talks about all cold cases.

I really liked how the podcasts themselves played a part in the book. I really thought having the transcripts in the book really added to the story. I'm a huge HUGE true crime addict so this book was right up my alley!

A fast-paced book, great for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, the Serial Podcast, and the Limetown podcast.

Received this book free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
I wish I could say I liked this book, but it just was not for me. It has a tired plot that seemed to plod along. Many redundancies, endless dialog. While I was off to a good start, I found that by 57 percent on Kindle, I had enough. At that point I did not care and did not finish. At first I liked the Podcast concept but that too got tedious.
So sorry, I did not finish.

This book was written as if there was a checklist of items it had to include. At times it felt like I was reading a police blotter instead of a thriller. I wanted more story telling, more visuals and more lovable characters. Elle was a great lead, but I could not connect with anyone else in the story.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of GIRL, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

Crime podcaster Elle is on the hunt for The Countdown Killer, who murders females in descending age (22, 21, 20, 19) in a ritualistic manner. Next up for TCK would be an eleven-year-old, the same age as her niece. Elle has some baggage of her own she’ll have to go through, but with the help of her medical examiner husband and a cop friend, she may just solve the case before another murder.

Amy Suiter Clarke sets the story with both podcast episodes and prose, a device I always enjoy. The podcast was my favorite part, conversational yet informative. The actual mystery didn’t hold my interest as much as how Elle uncovered the pieces. Without spoiling, the wrap up underwhelmed me.

I liked Elle, though she made some reckless decisions that didn’t make sense with her history.

GIRL, 11 is a necessary read for everyone who loves mysteries and podcasts.

Another dark, heart pounding, disturbing thriller is ready to give you nightmares and truly deserve to be read with full concentration at one sit.

True crime podcast format combines with the narration of one of the toughest heroines you may love to be introduced: Elle Castillo is a true protector of young women who were victims of violence.

Once upon a time she was a social worker and now she’s one of the most popular hosts to present true crime podcast. She’s specialized on cold cases of missing girls and her main subject is Countdown Killer who is presumed to be dead. But Elle still insists he is out there waiting for kidnapping his latest victim.

The killer is obsessed with the numbers. He ritually killed three girls each a younger than the other, captivated them for seven days and whipped them twenty one times after taking their lives. When he takes his 11th victim’s life, he suddenly stops. There are too many dead end theories explain why he stopped killing or what happened to him. But none of them are reliable facts.
After 20 years later another child is kidnapped, showing exactly the same ritual he has been practicing years. Is it a copy cat or is he really back from death?

Elle gets a tip from one of her listeners but as she accepts to meet with him, he finds his dead body, everything is getting more chaotic at each second and Elle drags herself a dangerous cat and mouse game. Will she help the officers to catch the real killer, can she save the 12th girl from her ominous fate.

Buckle up and jump into this thrilling ride!
I enjoyed the dark, claustrophobic premise and twisty, surprising, fast pacing story telling so I’m proudly giving for mind numbing, moving, action packed, disturbing four stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sharing this exciting reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

When I saw the mention that this book was for fans of Riley Sager, I jumped at the chance to read it. Sadly, it didn't come close to meeting my expectations.

I'm not sure if it was the podcast format (as I don't generally even listen to them) or the unnecessary information, of which there was too much, but I struggled with getting into this book and connecting with the characters. The pace stayed steady, but it was too slow for the genre, in my opinion. I'm not sure if I'll check out future books or not.

I’m really really loving this new trend in crime fiction novels where the main character hosts a true crime podcast or was featured in a true crime documentary, etc. (Think: The Night Swim or Every Last Fear.) True crime media is something I’ve been consuming effectively since I learned how to read, so it’s fun for me to see those podcasts and documentaries, etc. brought into the crime fiction world as well.

My Midwestern soul enjoyed that this took place in The Cities in Minnesota and I also thought the author did a good job of including POC, LGBTQA+, and disabled representation in the book without feeling like those characters were dropped in just to act as the token minority. The plot was interesting and well-paced and it was easy for me to connect with the characters. This was an excellent debut novel and I can’t wait to see what this author churns out in the future.

This is a fast-paced story that fans of suspense and mystery will absolutely love. Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke which I read in record time. Well written, expertly paced and gripping, this story follows Elle who is a former social worker turned crime podcaster. She wants to figure out the truth behind the infamous Countdown Killer. This murderer was counting down his crimes but abruptly stopped, no one knows why.

When Elle gets a tip about this case, she follows up and quickly learns TCK is dead. But when a child is abducted with details echoing that of the Countdown Killer, she wonders if he ever really died…

Synopsis:

Once a social worker specializing in kids who were the victims of violent crime, Elle Castillo is now the host of a popular true crime podcast that tackles cold cases of missing children in her hometown of the Twin Cities. After two seasons of successfully solving cases, Elle decides to tackle her white whale—The Countdown Killer. Twenty years ago, TCK abruptly stopped after establishing a pattern of taking and ritualistically murdering three girls over seven days, each a year younger than the last.
No one’s ever known why—why he stopped with his eleventh victim, a girl of eleven years old, or why he followed the ritual at all. When a listener phones in with a tip, Elle sets out to interview him, only to discover his dead body. And within days, a child is abducted following the original TCK MO. Unlike the experts in the media and law enforcement who have always spun theories of a guilty suicide, Elle never believed TCK had died, and her investigation was meant to lay that suspicion to rest. But instead, her podcast seems to be kicking up new victims.
Don’t miss this one, coming in April!

Elle runs a true crime podcast, and her new season focuses on The Countdown Killer, a man who years earlier had kidnapped and killed young women in sets of three, each one decreasing in age, a 20-year-old, a 19-year-old, etc., until the 11-year-old girl escaped. Now Elle is re-examining the case and gets a tip from a listener. When she gets to him, he is dead, and then abductions begin again. This was really good. Books about true crime podcasts seems to be a thing now; I think this is the fourth one I've read. It's also probably the best and the best book I've read so far this year. 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

Thank you, NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke in exchange for my honest review.
Girl, 11 follows MC Elle Castillo, a former social worker who specialized in kids who were victims of violent crimes, who left her job and eventually decided to start a cold case podcast to get justice for the victims that are ignored or forgotten.
I honestly had a very hard time getting into this book. I found the mystery interesting. I thought Elle was okay, although a little selfish. The people around her were interesting; her ME husband, her BFF next door, and her sassy daughter, commander Ayaan was great, and even detective Sam was acceptable, but it took me 16 days to finish this one and that’s not normal for me.
The narration style may have played a role. I’m not sure. I sometimes have a hard time with styles that flip back and forth and Girl, 11 flips between podcast recordings and Elle’s current day. Then partway through we are introduced to the villain and he gets some chapters. At times it felt like a lot to switch from, I’m not sure I can explain why. But don’t let that detract you from giving this one a read.
What kept me going was the location, Minnesota. I have a soft spot in my heart for Minnesota and, reading a book that takes place in a familiar place keeps me hooked. The cities, the streets (some not all), the schools, they kept me going until I finally reached the point of no return. I would say approximately 35-40% in, then I couldn’t put it down. And thus the 4-star rating over 5.
I can say this, without giving any details away, there are a lot of twists and turns that had me second-guessing myself until the end. Every time I thought I knew what would happen next and who was doing what another twist knocked me off my feet. Elle’s podcast is on its 5th season (I believe) and she is covering the Countdown Killer (TCK) who went on a spree in the mid-to-late nineties. Investigators eventually ran out of evidence and the case went cold. Nearly 20 years later, Elle has taken up the case and is determined to find the man. And chaos ensues.
Elle gets caught up in the case to the point that her scattered, sleep-deprived thoughts start to make you feel confused and a bit out of it. You want to believe her through the process, but you can see she’s got a lot going on. And then disaster strikes and Elle is desperate to find the man behind a new set of kidnappings. The last quarter of the book is fast-paced, and clues are tossed out at lighting speed. Including a few significant reveals.
The end is wild and exhausting! The intensity and fear consuming Elle are palpable and when I finished it I needed a few minutes for my pulse to slow down. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys true crime, mysteries, or cold cases. My slow start doesn’t darken my overall feelings. Girl, 11 a wild ride and a gripping thriller.