I know at first glance some of these crime books seem to be like a Hallmark movie with similar plots and characters with a difficult event in their past, but I keep reading the good ones because they really are much more than they appear at first glance.

While the story is definitely plot driven, as with most crime novels, the characters are well developed and you feel like you know them. There were chapters told from the villain's point of view, and they made him human and not creepy.

There was a complex plot with a lot of suspense, especially when the drive to solve the case turned personal for Amanda. The pace started out a little slow, but as the book progressed, the pace intensified. And with a complex plot, the author did a good job of not losing her way.

While this is the second book in the series, it isn’t necessary to read the first book to follow the main plot of the novel, but I was a little unsure what carried over about her Mother and the trial, so I’ll be tracking down the first book in the series to catch up. I recommend this book for all the crime buffs out there. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series.

Stolen Daughters is the second Detective Amanda Steele book in the series and by Holly, it was better than the first! Every spare moment had me glued to my iPad reading it. The main character is such a strong minded woman, who learned from the best - her dad who was a former chief of police. I can't wait to read the next book.

Rating 4.5/5*
This is an enthralling, gripping police procedural and crime thriller, a great addition to the series but also a story that can be read as a standalone.

Homicide Detective Amanda Steele is called to the scene of a house fire in which the body of an unidentified teenage girl has been discovered. As she works with her partner, Trent, they discover she’s been branded in the same way victims of a known child trafficking ring. Could this help bring the ring to justice? With more girls found in burnt properties, it is a race against time to discover the serial killer and bring them to justice. However, this is another case where Amanda’s past is key to uncovering the truth but it is also a race against time as she and others she cares for are also in deadly danger . . . .

This story deals with the crime unsavoury human trafficking, sharing an insight into the investigations into this atrocity, its victims, perpetrators and some of its consequences. It is an emotional read because of the nature of the crimes and everything that Amanda has been through in the past and is going through now. It is a story that has great characters, horrendous events, horrific crimes and an ending that has me keen to read more in the series as soon as possible! If you enjoy murder mysteries with well developed lead characters that it is easy to relate to make sure you check out this book and the others in this series, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

Stolen Daughters is a brilliant second installment in the Amanda Steele series. The opening captures you, and draws you in to what becomes a disturbing case involving young girls and fires. The descriptions will give you chills. Between Amanda’s complicated private life and the increasingly disturbing case she’s working with her steadfast partner Trent, there’s plenty to keep the reader enthralled. There were moments that broke my heart, and ones that made me hold my breath. A thrilling mystery that will have you turning pages and guessing to the end. Cannot recommend this book enough for all mystery lovers! (Although this can be read as a standalone I really recommend reading book one as well)!

Detective Amanda Steele are her partner are called to the site of a house fire. The house had been abandoned several months earlier, so who was the female victim found inside doused with gasoline?

Working relentlessly trying to identify the victim, she's mortified to learn that another two female victims were found inside another abandoned house, which has burnt to the ground.

The only identifying mark the medical examiner has found is a tattoo on one of the victims, It's a mark that Amanda knows only too well. The victims are connected to Amanda’s past, to a case she can never forget, and which almost claimed her life.

The intricate plot swirls around multi-layered characters. It's well written with suspense and angst that starts on the very first page and doesn't waver until the very explosive conclusion. Second in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading the books in order.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the police procedural/crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Just wonderful. Loved this one. Tense. Pact. Original. Absolutely thrilling and addictive. One of my best reads of the year.

Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold is the 2nd book in the Detective Amanda Steele mystery series, and my first book by this author. Detective Steele is called to the scene of a fire at an abandon house, where a girls body is found. When a women is killed in the same neighborhood as the abandon house, there is talk of a serial killer. I found this book to be fast-paced, and like a roller coaster ride with it's ups and downs. This book has a well developed plot and characters and I will be reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this book to all mystery book lovers, like me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

So this is my first Carolyn Arnold book but the second in the Amanda Steele series, but it's easily read as a standalone. I would probably recommend going back to the first and starting there, just to get a bit more history of the characters.

The story opens with a young woman being found dead in an abandoned house after a fire was started deliberately. She's got no ID and they do not know who the young girl is. Amanda Steele is assigned to the case with her partner Trent. Dealing with the aftermath of her last case, she has a higher up officer gunning for her badge. As the body count rises, the case takes a personal turn. Can Amanda deal with it all and solve the case?

Stolen Daughters is an American police procedural that leans more towards the procedural aspects with a bit of psychology thrown in there for good measure.

I usually read British police procedurals, but it made a nice change to read one set in a small town in America. I enjoyed seeing the differences and similarities between policing methods, although one thing they certainly have in common is all police officers seem to run on caffeine and junk food!

I do so love to get inside the mind of a killer, and it intrigued me to see little peeks into this killer's twisted mind throughout the book.

I struggled a bit to warm up to Amanda at first. She's a good cop but seems to rub a lot of people up the wrong way. She was also a bit standoffish, refusing to cross the boundaries between professional and perhaps friendship with her partner Trent. In future books I'd love to see a bit more of Trent, I feel there's a lot of potential with his character.

I felt the pace was a little slow to start off with but it builds nicely to an action paced ending that leaves it open for the next in the series.

Stolen Daughters is a realistic and gritty read with an ending that leaves you wanting more.

Stolen Daughters is the second instalment in the Detective Amanda Steele series, set in the small town of Dumfries, Virginia. It's Thursday, April 1st and Amanda is currently in Washington DC visiting her mother, Julie Steele, as they attend an appointment with Hannah Byrd, her mother's lawyer regarding a murder charge over an incident that occurred in the first book, to plan their defence strategy. But her boss, Sergeant Malone calls to inform her they have a case and that she's needed back in Dumfries stat. 35-year-old Amanda is currently a detective with Prince William County PD Homicide Unit stationed out of Central District Station in Woodbridge—a small town about ten minutes from Dumfries. Heading to the address she had been given - 532 Bill Drive, a long-abandoned building often frequented by squatters, they later find that the property was repossessed last August by Woodbridge Bank. Amanda and partner Trent Stenson come upon a cordon and a mess of emergency vehicles. The two-story century-old clapboard home seemed to be pretty much intact. Even the victim seemed untouched by the fire, but there was no doubt in Fire Marshal Craig Sullivan’s mind that this was arson. The petechiae in the victim’s eyes and around her gums indicated she had been deprived of oxygen; she had died before the fire had been set and had bruises around her neck where she had been strangled to death and left atop of a dirty mattress. On the collar of her jean jacket was a dragonfly pin with iridescent wings of teals and purples engraved with the words: "To our dear Crystal". The pin is later traced to Crystal Foster, a 13-year-old who vanished 3 years ago from the home of her affluent parents. However, when the pair visit them to break the bad news they recognise the brooch but not the girl. It isn't their daughter.

The killer likely set the place alight to destroy evidence of the girl’s identity but thanks to early-rising neighbour Shannon Fox, a nurse at the local medical centre, who noticed the blaze at 5:50 am and called 911. Trent and Amanda begin their investigation and their search for The young woman’s identity; the only clue they really have to go on is the unique dragonfly brooch. The killer who calls himself 'The Merciful' was infuriated to find out that Fox had been the one to thwart his plans to burn the place to the ground and ends up murdering her out of rage. It doesn't take long before another house, this time in a higher-end neighbourhood, is set on fire and the bodies of two other young girls are discovered in the rubble of 816 Clear Mountain Circle. It was also vacant and had been on the market for around 2 months; strangely it was also owned by Woodbridge Bank. But Amanda’s personal and professional lives soon collide when she receives a taunting note from who they now believe to be a serial killer. What makes this even more disturbing is that it's left for her to discover at Eagle Cemetery where her late husband and daughter, Kevin and Lindsey’s graves are situated. It reads: “We’re on the same team. Be grateful that your angel will always stay innocent.” Can Amanda get to the bottom of who is murdering these innocent youngsters and why? This is a compulsive and enthralling procedural with everything required for a riveting read. There's intense drama, wicked twists, well placed red herrings, a disturbed serial killer, multiple exciting races against time, great characterisation and a compelling mix of murderous main plot and protagonist Amanda’s complex private life. Together it all makes for a pulse-pounding, absorbing and thoroughly entertaining read. Highly recommended.

I loved this book. It’s the second in the series and builds on the first book in regards to Amanda’s personal life.
The book begins with a body being found in a building that was on fire. As they caught the fire in time, the body of a teenage girl is not destroyed so they have a chance to identify her.
Amanda and Trent start their investigations and then Amanda finds a note left on her daughter’s grave for her, from the killer.
This doesn’t help them identify him but the murder shortly after of a woman who called the fire service out, makes Amanda think they have a serial killer on their hands.
More information comes to light after two more teenagers are found dead and this leads Amanda and Trent closer to the killer.
I loved the way the book ended and can’t wait to find out what happens next.
This is a fast paced crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is a newer author for me and I look forward to reading more in the future. This is a well developed story about a teenage body found murdered. Decective Amanda is one the case only to recieve a note from the killer themselves. How are they connected to the past and what does this note have anything to do with it? I enjoyed the characters and what they brought to the story. They made the story come to life with their twists and turns. This is a fast paced story that kept me turning pages to the end. I highly recommend this book.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Stolen Daughters’ written by Carolyn Arnold in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detectives Amanda Steele and Trent Stenson are called out to a burning house where they discover the body of a teenage girl wearing a dragonfly pin. Soon after another house is on fire and the remains of two more girls have been found. The killer is making this personal to Amanda by leaving messages on her daughter’s grave and sending her a birthday card so Amanda has to work out the reason behind the deaths before the body count increases.

‘Stolen Daughters’ is the second exciting police thriller in the Detective Amanda Steele series and is every bit as gripping. It has a well-written and strong storyline, plenty of action, suspense and twists and turns making it impossible for me to even guess at the identity of the killer. I like the partnership between Amanda Steele and Trent Stenson which can only get stronger and it’s good to read that her personal life is improving with the introduction of Logan Hunter. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this thriller and as we’ve been left with such a huge cliffhanger I can’t wait to read the third in the series.

I really enjoyed this one!

I liked that they toned down Steele's illegal streak (In the first book she goes to a known drug dealers house to buy drugs that she could easily have gotten prescribed to her through a normal doctor) and the one night stand situation. I like that Steele has an edge, bit of a dark side, I think that's what sets her apart from other female detective protagonists, but this installment's toned-down version was definitely more relatable.

I also really liked the story line, it was completely different than the first and different from a lot of other arson based crime fiction I've read which was refreshing.

The only criticism I had is that it was definitely a slow burn (no pun intended!) and it was easy to forget about once I put it down. Definitely highly recommended for people who like a solidly built crime mystery, rather than fans of page turning thrillers.

When firefighters discover the body of a teenage girl at an abandoned house, Detective Amanda Steele hurries to the scene. Dumfries, Virginia is a small town, no one knowa who the dead girl is until Amanda finds a dragonfly pin with the name Crystal engraved on it. Amanda traces the pin to Crystal Foster, a thirteen-year-old who disappeared three years ago from her wealthy parents’ home. But when Amanda breaks the news to the Fosters, they do not recognize the girl. She isn’t Crystal. Before Amanda can react to this new development, she gets an urgent call. A fire has consumed another vacant house, and the remains of two more girls have been found. Then Amanda receives a taunting note from the killer, she realizes that she holds the missing piece of this puzzle. The victims are connected to Amanda’s past, to a case she can never forget, and which almost claimed her life.
This is the second book in the series & can easily be read on its own but it is also a great follow on from the first. Very well written with strong characters, I love Amanda, & a pace that never lags, in fact the pace gradually increases until I couldn’t read fast enough at times. There are twists & turns along the way until this case is solved but openings are made for the series to continue, which I hope it does & the next book is soon
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Stolen Daughters is the EPIC new crime thriller by the amazingly talented Carolyn Arnold, and it is the second book in the Detective Amanda Steele series. You can of course read this book as a stand-alone, but as an avid reader and fan of Arnold I’d highly recommend purchasing book one to share in the knowledge of Detective Amanda Steele and her history.

A teenage girl is found murdered in a burning house and without a name or a suspect, its for Detective Steele and her partner to try and solve the case.

But like all of Arnold’s thrillers what starts out as a case solving one murder soon turns into a web of crime, lies, deception and non-stop action and drama.

I am obsessed with this series! I love playing detective alongside Detective Steele and I try my hardest to try and guess and work out each and every plot twist (often to no avail!). I love to be kept guessing and Arnold certainly keeps you on your toes with her incredibly detailed and highly realistic story.

Everything about this book felt real and it evoked that heart-thumping eager anticipation to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the killer. It was suspenseful, gripping and incredibly well thought out.

I love where these books are headed, and it felt like a nice continuation on from book one. I am interested in not only Detective Steele’s working life, but also her personal one. What will become of her and Logan? Will Trent remain her partner? I have so many questions which have me crying out for the next book.

I’d recommend this book to all those who love nitty gritty crime thrillers, but also those wanting to mix up their reading genres and delve into a really incredible book. It was fast-paced, and a total page-turner. I blitzed this all in one sitting, and I’m confident other readers will feel just as hooked!

This is the second Amanda Steele book and very good. I liked that she and Trent are working better together. I would really like to know why CSI Blair and her son are so cold towards Amanda, maybe a buried secret?? I found the ending interesting and hope Amanda is back soon. Good read and looking forward to more.

Having not read the first book in the series I did feel a little bit lost about where this book starts, and the attitudes of some of the people towards our main character Amanda. This book does have a little bit of a slower start during the beginning of the investigation of a murdered young girl. Once they have a direction to start looking things do begin to pick up quite a bit. Amanda and her partner Travis work night and day to figure out who is behind this horrible crime. While I liked Amanda I did have a hard time connecting to her or the story, though that could be because I havent read the first one. I was really interested in a character named Brandon Fisher a profiler for the FBI who seems to have his own series, and I think that sounds like a series I would really like, I also want to read the first book in this series and see if that helps me connect with Amanda any better.
I did enjoy this book, and would like to continue on in the series and see where it leads, especially with how this one ends.

Another difficult and disturbing mystery for Detective Amanda Steele. Not fully recovered from her last case and dealing with her mother’s upcoming murder trial, Amanda is called to another murder scene. A young woman’s body was found in an abandoned house that was set on fire, but the fire was extinguished before the body was consumed. Before Amanda can begin the search for the killer, a woman living near the first victim is murdered. Evidence from the first case leads to an unsolved case of a young teen that disappeared years ago. In addition to her active cases, Amanda continues to receive threats from within her own department as a senior officer tries to make her life more difficult. Amanda is a strong, gutsy detective who is known for doing whatever is necessary to solve a case and save lives. How will she react when her very career may be on the line? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

This thriller started off slow but quickly gathered pace, although there were a few loose ends left by the final chapter. I like the character of Amanda, there is a lot more to come from her I am sure. She appears a lot more impulsive with her decisions in this book but she is a strong character but overall I felt a bit disappointed with the second half of the story. For me, just an ok read but I would read the next one to find out what happens with the loose ends. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold is the 2nd book in her Detective Amanda Steele series. As I have noted before, I have been a big fan of Arnold, having read most of her series. I feel this series is her best one yet, and love its wonderful heroine, Amanda Steele.

Amanda Steele, our heroine, is a homicide detective in Dumfries, Virginia Police Department. She is called to the scene where a young girl’s dead body was found in an abandoned building fire. As she and her partner, Trent begin their investigation, they discover that the girl was part of a sex trafficking ring. Shortly thereafter, a woman who had called in the fire to the police, is also found murdered; they suspect this may be the work of a serial killer. As they interview the family of some of the missing children over the years, Amanda is consumed with finding these missing girls.

Amanda is determined to stop the killer before they kill again, but then there is another fire, with two more dead girls who were probably part of the sex trafficking; the danger escalates as the killer is now setting their site on Amanda. How does the killer know about her past, and the deaths of her husband and daughter?
What follows is an exciting, intriguing, pulse pounding mystery that kept me unable to put the book down, especially knowing how Amanda continually put herself in danger. We did get a POV of the killer throughout, giving us a look at his madness. To say too much more would be spoilers, and this was a very good story that needs to be read from start to finish. I like all of the secondary characters that Arnold has created, but I was not crazy about the chief, who was trying to get rid of Amanda; even though she was their best detective.

Stolen Daughters was an excellent crime thriller that was suspenseful, dark, intense, and kept us glued to the end. Amanda, Trent & Sergeant made an excellent team. I really liked Amanda, as she was a great heroine, and a fantastic detective. Stolen Daughters was so very well written by Carolyn Arnold, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in future books, especially with the surprise ending. If you like mystery thrillers, police procedural, then you need to be reading this book.