Special Agent Nikki Hunt is a very likable character. I fell in love with her in the first few pages of the book. Being able to put up with the main character is a very vital thing for me when it comes to reading a series. Hunt was able to stir my interest so I’m in for the ride.

I love the way her character was written. She was very genuine, compassionate and imperfect. She held her ground and she knew what she was doing.

I think that the story went really well. The mysteries were solved and all my questions were answered. I gotta remind myself to read the first book in the series. I’ll gladly dive down the rabbit hole.

Thanks again to Netgalley and Bookoture for the ARC. ⭐️

Stacy Green’s Nikki Hunt series keeps moving right along with book number four titled, The Girl in the Ground . Nikki is just returning to work after a leave-of-absence following her ex-husband/fellow FBI agent’s death during her last case. She is not only feeling responsible for his death, but now she is worried about leaving her young daughter Lacey, as her job as a profiler requires her to work long, unpredictable hours. Fortunately, Lacey has hit it off with the Todds, her boyfriend Rory’s parents, who are equally enamored with the girl. On the eve of her return to work, Rory’s crew turns up bones on their construction site, leaving the job in limbo and producing some high anxiety for Rory. He recognizes certain items found with the remains, and when it turns out she was pregnant – well, you can imagine where things progress from there. Fortunately, Sheriff Miller is in charge, not the guy who handled his brother’s case years earlier. Note: it is helpful to know Rory and Nikki’s background story.

Nikki’s first day back starts out with a bang. Not only does she encounter an agent from her agency training days who is still thinks too highly of himself, but then the two of them wind up working a case together. Things get mighty complex when Justin Nash’s informant, a young surrogate for a well-heeled couple, goes missing. This event unleashes a massive search for the woman and the baby, since the woman was due to give birth at any time.

When two more bodies of pregnant girls turn up in a different location, Nikki suspects they may be related, but the sheriff continues to press Rory for information, which does not sit well with him. He begins avoiding Nikki’s calls, stating that he does not want to create a conflict of interest. Trouble in paradise? Nikki is so caught up in her own case that she can barely worry about Rory’s situation. She does manage to check in with Lacey but calls to Rory go to voice mail. Hmmmm…. What’s up with Rory?

This book is as intense as any of the three previous ones. Besides the personal drama between Nikki and Rory and also between Justin and “Nicole,” as he calls her, trying to seem professional, there is also tension between Nikki and her partner Liam, who is also working with Sheriff Miller to provide FBI expertise with that investigation – and because Nikki needs to keep her distance because of Rory’s potential involvement. There is also quite a bit of strain at the home of the expectant couple; the expectant mom was staying with them, and they are quite concerned about her safety as well as that of their child.

As more information becomes known, one major issue comes to the forefront: sex trafficking. Stacy Green has done a good job with a difficult, complex subject and has compressed from a wide, expansive, overwhelming problem to a localized, personal situation that readers can wrap their minds around.

Ms. Green also portrays the relationships between the characters in a very real way without sugar-coating anything. Loving relationships can be challenging. We see that in The Girl in the Ground . I look forward to reading more of Nikki Hunt’s adventures.

I wish to thank NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for providing this ARC edition in return for my unbiased review.

This is a good read.
Nikki is about to return to work at the start of the book and is asked to attend her boyfriend’s work site, as a body has been found.
It turns out the victim was Rory’s girlfriend back when they were teenagers, so Miller has lots of questions for him.
Nikki is asked to help an old colleague with a trafficking case involving young girls.
She is convinced the recent body found is linked to the trafficking case but Miller is not convinced.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was always going to be a bit different, considering how Lost Angels finished. There were a couple of situations that didn't sit especially comfortably with me but, that it no way impacted my overall enjoyment of the book.

Personally, I'd say that this can't be fully enjoyed without having read at least part of the series. The characters, their interactions with each other and the bond developed over their 'working relationship' is an important aspect of the overall series but especially so in this particular novel.

The mystery, intrigue and information gathering that epitomises a Nikki Hunt book is all present and correct and Stacy Green has certainly conjured another page turner for us all to enjoy.

As they are laid out, it's difficult to imagine how all the individual aspects of this story are going to become intertwined. But it's astounding how the author manages to weave them all together to produce any semblance of a story never mind one as expertly crafted as this!

I love the Nikki Hunt series and The Girl in the Ground is a good addition to the series.

Rory lands a career making construction job - halted when human bones are found. When Rory sees the locket, he knows the victim- his ex girlfriend from high school. And fetal bones.
Nikki's team are called to the scene - while Nikki steps aside.
An fellow agent, Nash, who graduated with Nikki, comesnto town. His case investigating human trafficking draws Nikki in.
Great suspense, great writing, love these characters. And the continued realization Rory isn't perfect.
Highly recommend.

Maelstrom of Cases Greet Nikki Upon Return to Work

Two little girls play along a beach in Minnesota. While a mother duck holds both of their attention, the older girls notices that a man is watching them. The action switches to Nikki Hunt who is returning to work after a six-month recovery after serial killer that she had been tracking killed her ex-husband and kidnapped her daughter Lacey. Nikki receives a call from her live-in boyfriend, Rory, who owns a construction company and is starting a major housing project. Bones have been found at the construction site. Rory believes that he knows the identity of the victim and tells Nikki that he will be a suspect. Nikki offers to the local sheriff all assistance that her office can offer that includes Liam Wilson, her partner. Then, on Nikki’s first day, her boss calls here to investigate the missing surrogate mother just days before the expected due date. The novel takes off from here.

The main storyline consists of three threads. The death investigation of the woman found at the construction site is one. The second is the search for the missing surrogate mother. The third is Nikki assisting. a fellow FBI agent who is working with Department of Justice (DOJ) on a series of local human trafficking cases. The author weaved together this milieu of threads quite well. I did not have a problem following them. All the threads have tension. The pregnant surrogate mother has gestational diabetes and is due to deliver in ten days. The woman found at the construction site has Rory very upset because he feels that it may be pinned on him but will not explain why. While Liam is assisting the Sheriff in that investigation, he cannot share any information with Nikki. Lastly, that FBI agent working with DOJ seems not being totally truthful deteriorating a previous good relationship with Nikki. Each thread had their own twists, turns and misdirections. My interest was quickly captured and maintained all the way to the end.

The B-storyline is very detailed on the effects from her ex-husband’s loss and the kidnapping of her daughter had on her, and on how much Rory and his family stepping in giving Nikki and her daughter the stability they needed. A new aspect of Nikki’s history is provided with the fellow FBI agent. These B-storyline threads add a layer of richness to the main storyline threads that enhanced my reading enjoyment of this novel. Even though references to events in previous novels, I believe there is adequate background provided that this novel can be the first in the series to read.

All readers should be able to read this novel. There are not any intimate scenes. I do not remember seeing any vulgar language, and only a very low level of rude language. Almost all of the violence is described in the less edgy after the fact vice as it occurs.

This novel for me presented a believable storyline to me. I was happy with the ending, and there were not any loose ends. This novel did not have any negative aspects for me. Besides capturing and maintaining my interest, my second criteria for a high star rating is that I could not stop reading when I should have been doing other things like sleeping. I have read two of the previous three novels in this series. I purchased the one I missed from Amazon. This author has cemented her position in my Must-Read Author category. I hope that this novel is not the last in the series, but whatever she writes next, I will want to read it. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I recommend reading this novel. If the teaser interests you, do read this novel. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Bookouture. My review is based only by my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

The Girl in the Ground by Stacy Green is the fourth in the FBI Agent Nikki Hunt series....and worth the read!

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
Series Background:   (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Nikki Hunt is an FBI Agent whose parents were murdered when she was young.  She helped put away Mark Todd for their murder, but 20 years later, discovered he was innocent, and fought for his release.  She is now dating Rory, Mark's younger brother.  Family dynamics are awkward.  She has a young daughter (Lacey), and her ex-husband (Tyler) was recently murdered.  Nikki heads the BAU unit based out of St. Paul Minnesota.  Her team consists of Crime Scene Analyst Courtney Hart and Agent Liam Wilson. Her boss is Victor Hernandez.


Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Nikki is seeing a therapist, trying to rid herself of the guilt she feels for her ex-husband being killed.  Fortunately, her 5-year old daughter Lacey is recovering from her kidnapping with the help of her boyfriend Rory's parents.  They have really stepped up, and although they still blame Nikki for the 20 year incarceration of their son Mark, they are also thankful to her for proving his innocence.

Rory has just been awarded a contract for a big construction project, but as they were digging, they found a skeleton of a woman in a leather chest.  She had a silver locket around her neck, and she was pregnant.

Much to Nikki's dismay, Rory is sure that the remains are that of his high school girl-friend, Becky.  She went missing 24 years ago, and it looks like Rory was the last to see her alive.  Rory's fear of being railroaded by the police is understood, since his brother spent 20 years in jail due to a bad cop, but his attitude isn't helping his case.  Nikki will have to stay away from the case.

Meanwhile,  an old FBI acquaintance asks for Nikki's help with a human trafficking ring involving young pregnant women.  But Nikki is not a real fan of Justin Nash, and her instincts may prove correct.

Then a young pregnant woman goes missing, and Nikki has her hands full trying to find the surrogate mother before she is hurt.  The "parents" of the soon-to-be baby boy are frantic with worry.

But everyone seems to be keeping secrets.


My Opinions:   
These books keep getting better.  My only complaint would be that there always seems to be a problem around Nikki and her extended family.  Hopefully that is over.

Nikki is a wonderful, caring, and very bright character.  She is determined and resourceful, and makes a wonderful lead character.  I wasn't a fan of Rory in this book, as his attitude was very childish, and his grief after 24 years for his missing teenaged girlfriend seemed a little over the top.  I did, however, earn some respect for his parents. Even Lacey's character is good (although I'm not usually a fan of children in mystery books).  As always, Liam, Courtney and their boss were equally inspiring.

The plot was really fast-paced, and with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.  There was really quite a lot going on, but it all concluded nicely.

Overall, a good, fast, and easy read, and I'll definitely watch for the next in the series.

As the book opens we find Nikki returning to work after the death of her ex husband and the abduction of her daughter. She’s thrown straight into the deep end and her fragile home life balance put to the test by a case of human remains being found on the site of building her partner is working on and the disappearance of a pregnant lady. A race against time ensues to both clear her partners name and to find the missing mother to be. While people from her past appear and profess to be there to help some may not have as clear a motive as others. Number four in the series and possibly the best one yet

Nicole “Nikki” Hunt returns to her job as an FBI agent after her three-month sabbatical following her ex-husband’s murder and daughter’s abduction. When human remains are found on her boyfriend’s construction site, followed by the disappearance of a pregnant female, Nikki becomes entwined within a web of evidence. Can she unravel the network of clues and solve the case, or will the case unravel her?

Take a look behind the scenes of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Stacy Green’s The Girl in the Ground. An elaborate story that gives her readers a glimpse into the intricacies of how seemingly unrelated events, can ultimately be linked. Mix that in with the internal struggles of the main character, and an interesting plot takes form.

Yet, unfortunately, this book was a lot of talk and a little action. The majority revolved around strategy and conversations discussing the next move. Granted, this may be how FBI agents actually complete their jobs, but it did not catch this reader’s attention. Add the confusion associated with constant name variances (use of last name, first name, and nicknames) plus the influx of profanity and a rating of 3 out of 5 stars is awarded.

Given this book is about an FBI detective and her vicious crime cases, some actions may be triggering. Please read with caution if any of the following may cause you distress: serial killers, kidnapping, murder, wrongful imprisonment, divorce, drugs, alcohol, sexual harassment, sex trafficking, foster system, missing persons, cheating, bullying, gestational diabetes, witness protection, abduction, molestation, abandonment, Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, physical and mental abuse, PTSD, pedophiles, suicide, and rape.

A continuation of the Nikki Hunt Series, The Girl in the Ground can be added to your collection when it releases on December 1, 2021.

Thank you to #TheGirlInTheGround, #NikkiHuntSeries, #StacyGreen, #Bookouture, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy and give my honest review.

Original Post found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/the-girl-in-the-ground-review

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and author for the Arc ebook copy of this book!

What would go through your mind if, on the job, you dug up an old trunk with a body inside? And, to complicate matters more, you knew that person? How much would you reveal? This is just one string in a complicated web of storylines that weave together a larger web of deceit and darkness.

I had not previous read any of the books in this Stacy Green penned series, but it did not hinder my experience at all and, if anything, intrigued me to want to backtrack and find out the origin of our protagonist.

This was a fast paced tale with lots of intertwining aspects and details to pay attention to. Once into the story, the reader becomes invested in the outcome and safety of the good guys and want to get to the bottom of the injustice. It was also easy to picture the setting of the different locations and dwellings showcased in the novel. Was justice served? One must get to the very end to find out and determine that.

What’s next for Special Agent Nikki Hunt? Only time will tell…

Nikki is back on the job after her ex husband's murder and a three month absence. Her latest assignment is to locate a missing woman, which leads on to more mystery and old secrets revealed. I love the developing characterisation of Nikki as we get to see her vulnerable side. The pace is steady and the book can be read as a stand alone, although I would recommend starting with book one. This is a good solid read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Three stars.


I didn't realise this was part of a series prior to me requiring this title. There's slot you will miss if you don't read true first three books. I had a hard time understanding what was happening because of this. It wad my fault though for not being familiar with this series. I plan to read the first three even though ir was this one already. Its written very well and I liked the story alot.

She was beautiful once.

Now all that remains are her bones and a silver locket around her neck....

This book begins with Nikki returning to work after the murder of her ex-husband and what a day back! Workers have unearthed a girl’s skeleton on the site of her boyfriend, Rory's construction site. He calls her in, and it is obvious that the girl was murdered but what is even more alarming is that Rory recognizes the trunk she was buried it. It turns out the body is that of his high school girlfriend, Becky. Plus - you guessed it - the locket around her neck was a gift from him. Nikki is forced to take a step back when Rory is named a suspect.

Nikki's new assignment is to locate a missing pregnant woman and that search leads her to more discoveries, secrets, deception, and danger. As the investigation delves deeper, there is a mounting sense of dread, tension, and apprehension.

This is book four in the series, and I have enjoyed every one of them. It's not too late to dig into the series with the first book The Girls in the Snow. True, this book would work nicely as a stand-alone, do yourself a favor and begin at the beginning. You will not be disappointed.

Stacy Green grabbed my attention with the first book in the series and I have been a BIG fan ever since. Nikki Hunt is such an interesting and likeable character. She is tough and vulnerable at the same time. She has suffered many losses in her life but keeps moving forward. Not only is she likeable but the regular characters are likeable as well. Although there was one that I wanted to talk some sense into.

As the investigations delves closer into both the dead body found at the construction site and the missing pregnant woman, the tension mounts and Nikki and her team get closer and closer to danger. This book became a gripping page turner for me. Fans of Green and the Nikki Hunt series will not be disappointed.

This book was a gripping, tense page turner!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Still coping with her grief and guilt over the death of her ex-husband (Tyler), Detective Nikki Hunt returns to the FBI hoping to ease back into work. That is not what awaits her. First, the body of a young girl is found in the ground of a new development her boyfriend, Rory, is building. The shock of the body is compounded when it turns out to be an old girlfriend of Rory's who was pregnant, and he's a prime suspect. Then, an old FBI romance of Nikki's shows up wanting her help on a sex trafficking case. Meanwhile, her boss calls her to a possible kidnapping of a pregnant surrogate mother. All of it causes great stress for Nikki, who is also trying to help her daughter heal from losing her dad. Will Nikki be able to solve the cases of the kidnapping, sex trafficking, and dead girlfriend? How will it affect her relationship with Rory and his family? It's an exciting read!

Such a good read, it was tense, suspenseful and unpredictable. The atmosphere of the book was so good and added a new depth to an already brilliant storyline. It was well written with good characters that were really well developed and all put together it was an absolutely gripping read. I loved it.

Book 4 In the series and the intensity hasn't let up.

Nikki is just going back to work after the events of Book 3 and if she thinks she's in for an easy few days she's very much mistaken. The plot is dark, sickening and at times heart breaking.

Full of drama and twists to keep you reading late into the night.

I highly recommend this brilliant series and can't wait for the next one.

This was another suspenseful entry in the excellent Nikki Hunt series. Work is halted at her boyfriend’s construction site when a body is found during the excavations. FBI Special Agent Nikki arrives at the scene although Sheriff Miller will head the case. When the body is uncovered Nikki is shocked to learn that her boyfriend, Rory, recognises the victim - it’s his high school sweetheart, Becky Anderson!

Naturally Rory will need to be questioned but it doesn’t help that he doesn’t tell the police everything. Rory is distrustful of police since his brother Mark was falsely convicted of murder. When Becky turns out to have been pregnant Rory is under an even greater cloud of suspicion but Nikki can’t get involved in this one. She has another case. Agent Justin Nash, whom Nikki knows from her academy days asks for her help in profiling a man he suspects of trafficking young girls but they tell him he’s being questioned about tax fraud. The man blames his wife, says it’s all her and he is divorcing her but when they talk to the wife she says it all his fault. Something fishy is going on!

But it gets a lot more fishy yet. Now Nash wants help with finding another girl, Joyce Ross, who is acting as a surrogate to a wealthy couple and she is three weeks away from giving birth. The couple are worried about both their baby and Joyce whom they have grown very fond of.

This was a fast paced plot with many moving parts that somehow all joined up in a very dramatic conclusion - quite an exciting story. It was intricately plotted and, although busy, I managed to keep track of it all. My only negative, and this really unfair because it’s my fault not the author’s is that I am growing weary of stories about abused women and children, trafficked women and children, women being hunted etc. I have really enjoyed the series so far and would love it if the next book had a different focus. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

I really enjoyed this Nikki Hunt book. I feel like this series improves with each book and in this book Nikki acts a bit more rationally. She is returning to work after a leave when her ex husband died. She gets drawn into a murder case that turns into a lot more with her boyfriend Rory getting dragged in also.

I was given a copy by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review

Once again Stacey smashes it out of the park with another thrilling edition to the Nikki Hunt series.

I’ve not had the best of years for books but picking up this book hasn’t just proven to me that it’s not because I just didn’t like those books. It’s because they weren’t half as thrilling or engaging! If you know, you know.

The Girl In The Ground is the 4th instalment to the Nikki Hunt series and the first where Nikki is truly ‘free’. It’s a fantastic development on the previous books whereby we see a much more fragile yet determined Nikki. Following the loss of her exhusband and the arrest of Frost. We start the 4th book with Nikki’s first day back at the office after a leave of absence.

The concept and the intricate detail of the story is brilliant. Full of connections and twists and with a real sense of urgency and intense heat (everyone is very sweaty!)

This is the first time where we see Rory needing Nikki and not being so reliable or trustworthy? I must admit I was surprised with the way in which Stacey chose write him into the investigation. His reaction was understandable and did lend itself to the nature of the story but I didn’t feel it was convincing enough for his character as he came across as a bit of a stubborn, pouty school boy. Not the Rory we know.

Out of all the books so far this one is less police procedural and more emotionally focused. But it is wonderfully written and a book that I really didn’t want to put down!

If you haven’t read the previous books then this book is probably not a bad starting place. Nikki’s backstory does get drip fed into this book but fyi it is light on detail so don’t expect to feel like you’ve read the whole series based on this book. But as mentioned above, you could theoretically pick up book four and treat it as the first novel (if you wish) as this is the first time we start to see Nikki ‘going it alone’.

Thank you as ever to Bookouture and to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was another adventure in the series which keeps getting better and more developed as it continues. It was a relatively easy read and flowed really well. The story all jelled and made sense and so there was no suspending belief which happens a lot recently.

All in all a good read thoroughly recommend

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.