This is book #13 in the Josie Quinn series. Whilst it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone book, although I would recommend reading the books in order for better understanding of the characters. I love this series and have read all the books since the beginning. Josie Quinn is such a strong character despite everything that is thrown at her. She’s still struggling with things that has happened in her past, and her latest case reminds her of some of those.

The book begins straight into the action when Amber Watts, the Press Liaison for the Police Department goes missing. Her boyfriend, Detective Finn Mettner thinks it’s under suspicious circumstances, but Josie isn’t so sure. When a woman’s body is found, Josie and her team have to face up to the fact that it may be Amber and it becomes a fast-paced ride to find out the truth. I love this author’s writing as she takes you right into the heart of the action, leaving you on the edge of your seat with anticipation of what may happen. The fast pace continues through the book, leaving you to work out how everything is connected.

We meet again the usual characters from previous books, and I love how Josie works with her team Noah and Gretchen. Josie, whilst a gritty, tenacious detective who works in such a methodical and logical way, is still trying to deal with her grief in her personal life and it’s really sad to see that she’s suffering. The storyline keeps you in suspense right through to the very last page and the last few chapters become a rollercoaster of a ride, twisting and turning throughout. Thirteen books in the series, and surely, we still have so much more to come in Josie’s life. I can’t wait to see where the next book takes us! Would definitely recommend!

One thing is for sure, Josies newest case is anything than boring. Gripping from the start with a frantic search for Amber, Denton PD’s missing press liaison, there are new twists and turns every few pages.

While searching for Amber and trying to solve murder(s), slowly new information about Amber’s life comes to light. There are multiple layers to this case and not everyone is who he seems to be. I am a huge fan of Josie and her team and I always enjoy reading about their work.

Book 13 definitely fulfilled my expectations, it was a truly captivating read and I really enjoyed this book. I can’t wait for Josies next case!

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Lisa Regan for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Drowning Girls, the thirteenth novel to feature Detective Josie Quinn, set in fictional Pennsylvania town of Denton.

Josie is enjoying family time when her colleague Finn Mettner knocks at door looking for help. His girlfriend, the department’s press liaison Amber Watts, is missing. A clue at her house takes them out to the local dam, but the body they find isn’t Amber. Now they have two cases, murder and a missing person.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Drowning Girls, which is an absorbing read, full of twists and turns. The plot is quite convoluted and the motivation behind the crimes doesn’t become apparent until much later in the novel. Until then the reader has to make do with imagining scenarios (none of mine were lurid enough) and living a high octane experience vicariously.

The novel is told from Josie’s point of view, so the reader knows what she knows and that is only small parts of the bigger picture for most of the novel. Unfortunately for her the people she most wants to talk to are’t answering her calls or have disappeared. This is a good tactic by the author as it allows for speculation and keeps the tension high, with everyone waiting for answers. The ending is a bit unconvincing. Josie has some unanswered questions but, as her boss says, that’s the nature of investigations and then, boom, the author throws in a final twist. It didn’t seem likely to me, but what do I know? On the other hand it definitely took me by surprise and is a nice piece of misdirection.

Josie is still mourning the murder of her grandmother, but she seems to be healing. A bit of insomnia and a bad dream, but mostly it’s business as usual.

The Drowning Girls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Typical Josie Quinn book. Enjoyable but so out there. One of Josie’s officers partner is missing. She also works for the police. We get to witness Mett acting the fool and Josie doing foolhardy things before the deep family secrets are revealed. And when you think you know the story there is still a bit more to go.

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

Another brilliant read from Lisa. You have to be on your toes reading these books. Always great characters and story lines. I really love the storyline with Josie and Noah. Can’t wait for the next one or 10.

Book 13 and one of the best! Make sure you sit comfy because you are not going to want to move.
Is Amber, the new press liaison and Mett’s girlfriend, missing? Foul play or on her own accord? Then a body is found who is very similar to Amber, why? Very intriguing story plot, can you ever completely leave your past behind?
If you haven’t read any of the books in the series, you can totally read this one, but be warned you will want to read the others, I know I did!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy in exchange for my opinion.

I like Lisa Regan’s Josie Quinn detective series and look forward to each new release; I have read 6 of them.

Still mourning the death of her beloved grandmother (in the 11th book), Josie is stronger in this the 13th of the series. All of the familiar supporting family and work characters are here. Although the plot is a bit convoluted, this is another fast, engrossing read. Unfortunately for Josie, aspects of the case remind her of her abusive upbringing and she must cope with some break through reactions while still conducting the case.

I always appreciate revisiting the repeating characters in Josie’s life. Although this would work as a stand alone, I think it will be appreciated more by those who have read others in the series and are familiar with Josie’s personal story.

If you like well written police procedurals/thrillers, and are not familiar with Lisa Regan, I would recommend her. I can’t wait for the next one!

I am a great fan of Lisa Regan and this book certainly did not disappoint. I loved the mystery and the twists and turns of the storyline.. I would thoroughly recommend this book and cannot wait for the next in the series. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion..

Lisa Regan once again masterfully weaves together an extremely complex murder mystery. She takes the character development even further than I could ever imagine. The series of twists and turns that ultimately leads to the reveal of the whole story is fast paced and exciting.

I love the Josie Quinn series and this didn’t disappoint. I feel that this series gets better with every book. This was a thrilling read full of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I don’t hesitate in giving it five stars, totally deserves it.

I love Lisa Regan and her Josie Quinn series. I don think I’ve read them all, but enough to get a sense of the storyline and characters. What a great character writer Regan is!

Being a police detective, might make you think she is less flawed or more unflappable, but The Drowning Girls and the entire series seem to prove just the opposite. Josie is flawed, she is emotional and she has had her share of a difficult life.

Just when it looks like things might be running down a smoother path Josie and her husband/partner are caught up in a holiday season of murder with a years’ old motive of secrets, sex and greed.

And just when it appears the murders have been solved and the culprit revealed, we take another turn down an even more disturbing road.

Of course, Josie saves the day, a police department co-worker and manages Christmas with her family.

Where does this series go next? Only Lisa Regan knows.

Thank you Net Galley.

Small-town Denton, Pennsylvania, detective Josie Quinn is enjoying holiday time with her husband, Noah (a police force lieutenant), her twin sister and TV show host Trinity and other family members when a co-worker, Detective Finn Mettner, knocks on the door. He's been dating Amber Watts, the department's press liaison, and he frantically insists she's gone missing. He convinces Josie to come with him to Amber's home; when they see a reference to a nearby dam written in the ice on Amber's car windshield, Josie heads out. What she finds is a woman's hand, but she manages to grab it too late to stop it and the rest of the body from being washed away. The good news? It's not Amber.

The only real clue is Amber's diary - with Josie's name on it - containing a set of numbers that no one can decipher. The cause of death is determined to be murder, but when the dead woman finally is identified, the investigative waters become even more muddled. Some leads point to a possible connection with a wildly popular preacher-man who, with his wife, is building a mega-church at the outskirts of town. But that, too, goes nowhere fast. A couple of Amber's relatives who turn up turn out to be quirky as all get-out, but there's no hard evidence that they're connected to the murder. And Finn's almost stalker-like behavior toward Amber doesn't help, instead pushing him to the top of the suspect list despite Josie's initial insistence that he's innocent.

The fact is, Amber remains missing and feared dead. But hope springs eternal, so Josie, Noah and the rest of the team keep looking for her while trying to solve the murder at the dam. Still, time is of the essence; If Amber has been kidnapped and is still alive, can they find her before the searchers' worst fears come true? The only thing I'll say is that the last handful of chapters makes for the most frenzied, twisted-up ending I've read in a long while. All told, it's another solid entry in this enjoyable series (this is the 13th book), and I'm pretty sure it will please old fans and create new ones as well. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy.

I can hardly believe that this series is now on book #13. I avidly read these books and I love that fact that Lisa Regan publishes them so quickly. With her usual strong writing and spot-on pacing, this one was a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read.

Josie is again on the case, but this time the victim is too close to home. Amber, the Denton PD press liaison is missing.

A tip leads the team to a nearby dam and there’s an attempted water rescue. In fact, as you might guess from the title, this one features a lot of water rescues!

Where is Amber and does it have anything to do with the woman at the dam? Josie and team race against the clock to figure things out as Amber remains missing. There’s a megachurch opening in Denton and that seems to be connected to things as well.

This one kept me turning the pages as I hoped that Amber would be found and that the team would figure out the clues as the bodies pile up. This is another excellent addition to the series, I do recommend reading them in order.

I'm a huge fan of Lisa Regan's Josie Quinn mystery series. The latest installment "The Drowning Girls" is my favorite so far! The story starts as Josie's colleague Mettner stops by her house to enlist Josie's help in discovering what has happened to his girlfriend Amber who seems to be missing. Amber is also the press liaison for the police department. What follows is a well crafted and intricate plot that takes you on a wild ride. Josie and her team realize that the secret to finding Amber before it's too late is to unravel the mystery of Amber's past which is dark to say the least. Added to the mix, is the presence of an Evangelist minister and his megachurch. How will they fit into the mystery of Amber's disappearance? Again, the BEST Josie Quinn novel to date!!!!

The Drowning Girls is book 13 in the series with Josie Quinn as the main character. This is my second book of the series. I was captivated from the beginning of this book. I could not put it down. Lisa Regan is a fabulous writer that crafts a story in such a way that keeps you guessing. In this particular story I thought the story was wrapped up with a tidy bow. But I had questions about some details that had not been explained. I looked at my Kindle and saw 86%, Wait!!! It's not over yet. And the story kept going. I love the fact that she took me on this roller coaster ride while reading her book but she had yet to get to top of the last hill and there was one more thrill ahead for me. What an amazing ride. I don't want this to end.

Josie is dealing with life after her beloved grandmother, Lisette, has passed away and left her to deal with life without her. Josie is about to sit down with the family she has left to watch her sister’s latest special reporting. Detective Finn Mettner is on her doorstep, and wants Josie's help. His girlfriend, and the PR liaison for the Denton PD, was missing, and Mett thinks something is wrong.

Mett gets placed on suspension during the investigation, Josie is down a detective, and forced to look at one of her own as the perpetrator of violent murders and kidnapped women.

The story guides us along the way giving us many different possibilities but there is more to this story and you need to strap in for the ending.

The Drowning Girls is by @lisareganauthor and obvi the first one I’ve read by her, and certainly won’t be the last. This book did read smoothly, even tho I was late to the game, which I hate. But Ms. Regan did an amazing job going back to details from other books which helped me piece together what I needed. It was action packed and had strong characters. My head was spinning from the very beginning! But mainly, my heart fell for the Boston Terrier named Trout. We all no my love for dogs and well; I just wanted to cuddle the hell out him!

I really enjoyed this book and I read it really quickly. It was well written with a great storyline and good characters and the thing that I love about the Josie Quinn books is that although it is a running series they are very easy to read out of sync or if you have not read any of the others. It was tense, suspenseful and unpredictable and I loved it.

I really devoured this book, it was a nice easy read and can be read as a standalone.
Throughout the book I kept guessing and was rewarded at the end with a fantastic ending.

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

Lisa Regan has done it again! I could not get over all of the twists and turns. I love this series so much and this book did not disappoint, it kept me guessing right up until the very end. A gripping, suspenseful page turner. A thrilling ride to the very end. Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Lisa Regan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Drowning Girls
Lisa Regan
December 10, 2021


In Regan´s 13th episode of Detective Josie Quinn we find Josie at home with family. Holidays are approaching and she and husband Noah are hoping for a peaceful stretch before the next case they encounter with the Denton, PA police department. Josie is in the kitchen attempting to make popcorn. The family has gathered round the TV to watch her twin sister, Trinity broadcast the premiere of her new show, Unsolved Crimes. Unfortunately the gathering is interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Detective Mettner is at the door asking for Josie. He needs her help. His girlfriend, Amber, who works for the department has gone missing. No calls or messages have been answered. She has been absent from work without calling in. He's been to her apartment, her car is in the drive, her lights are on. Josie wants him to wait till a wellcall can occur the next day. On Amber´s car, written in the snow, they find a message - Russell Haven 5A.
The investigation continues with the first of the drowning girls being found in the dam. Ms. Regan gives us a frightening plot with unearthly descriptions of the exploration in case findings. Her frightening documentation of the facts draws the reader in. This journal becomes detailed and at times difficult to follow, causing a reread of character conversations to make certain recent facts are understood.
Lisa Regan´s novel, The Drowning Girls is published by Bookouture. It will be available on November 10, 2021. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review this latest Detective Josie Quinn suspense publication. Her followers are awaiting this sequel. Suspense lover? This is a terrific series. Enjoy!