Cover Image: The Serial Killer's Girl

The Serial Killer's Girl

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I really enjoyed this book. It did have me gripped and turning those pages.

It is a slow burning read and for me picked up in the second half of the book.

I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author.
⭐⭐⭐💫

Was this review helpful?

This is the kind of book that really draws me in and holds my attention and this novel was a good read.

This is my first novel by L.H Stacey and the blurb sounded right up my street.

We meet Lexi, she has not had the best start in the world as her father is a serial killer. Lexi has sort of put the past in the past - well as much as she can - and has a job and a family herself. Her partner does not know about Lexi's past so he is very much in the dark.

When Lexi's own mum is found dead, killed by what appears to be a copy cat of Lexi's father, Lexi obviously panics and decides to take her daughter and flees.

I did enjoy the novel, but it did taper off towards the end for me personally as I felt it dropped its sparkle and my mind started to wander. I really did enjoy the premise of this book and the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, L.H. Stacey and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I read, loved and reviewing this author’s previous book, which is called ‘The Sisters Next Door’ and which was released last year. Since then I have (im)patiently waiting for her next book to be released. Well ladies and gents the wait is over as her second book is called ‘The Serial Killer’s Girl’ and it was released on 27th April 2022. Overall I did enjoy reading ‘The Serial Killer’s Girl’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to be honest and say that it did take me a little while to get into this book which has a lot to do with the fact that I was tired and finding it hard to concentrate and cannot be taken as a criticism of the book itself. Once I got into the book I found it rather difficult to put this book to one side for any length of time. The storylines and characters intrigued me and I had to keep reading to see whether or not the story would develop in the way I expected it to. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. The first time I checked on my reading progress, I was staggered to realise that I had read a third of the book in one go. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. All too quickly I got to the end of ‘The Serial Killer’s Girl’. I found ‘The Serial Killer’s Girl’ to be a gripping, tense and dramatic read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘The Serial Killer’s Girl’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a read. For me the story hit the ground running and maintains a fairly fast pace throughout. The tension level of the story steadily increases and culminates in a tense and dramatic conclusion. Reading ‘The Serial Killer’s Girls’ felt like being on a bit of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster with several twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which the author makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short and overall I did enjoy reading ‘The Serial Killer’s Girl’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of L. H. Stacey’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

Was this review helpful?

erial Killer? Umm what? Do not be fooled by the title.
The description of this book was definatly intriguing, but that is about all the reader is left with.
Extremely dull, I felt like nothing happened. If you do happen upon this book, I guess you could read the first 2 chapters to get the jest: Lexie has a daughter with boyfriend Nate (possibly). Her dad was a serial killer, he is in prison. The book opens with her mother being killed. Lexie goes back to where she was raised in a foster home type situation. Nothing happens for the next 200 pages. You can find the ending in the last 30.
Not a surprise twist.
What this book left me with was. Lexie was very irresponsible and selfish and frankly irrational.
She never told Nate about who she really was (that she was a Serial Killer's daughter) she feels threatened that someone might know who she is and instead of *Gasp calling the police like any normal human being* she retreats without a word to Nate--really? who does that? Dumb characters I guess.
And can we please discuss the age of Isla? So she is 2 years old but at times she is treated and acts more like a 6-7 year old. Her vocabulary and ability to do things was beyond what any 2 year old can process. Except for the fact that she called the cat Agafa--eye roll
The food in this book bothered me too....I think the author was trying to let us know she was British. Eating "Eggy on Toast" and "Sausage and Beanies" I think at this point I may just be nit picking. But.....
They book was just a long drawn out process where nothing exciting happened. No suspense. Just a constant Lexie being super paranoid and making stupid decisions......

Sorry not a good read.

Thank you Net Gally for this advanced reader copy I was not influenced to write this review. This review reflects my honest opinion. (less)

Was this review helpful?

Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!

Was this review helpful?

I didn’t enjoy this book, I found it difficult to get in to, and the plot was a tad predictable.

Thank you for letting me read this book.

Was this review helpful?

The book synopsis sounded so interesting but I just could not get into it. I DNF at 20%. I’m sure this will be a favorite for some but it just wasn’t the book for me.

Was this review helpful?

This book started out with a lot of promise, opening with the POV of the person who stalks and kills Lexi Jakes' mother, in the same fashion as her serial killer father. It then devolves into Lexi running about trying to protect her daughter and keep her safe, a phrase that is repeatedly hammered into your head every chapter.

Not alot happens in this book until the last 10% when the killer is revealed. Throw in a twist that was so far fetched, it felt like it was forced to give some kind of shock factor (it did not) and an unnecessary love triangle and you have a book that would probably have made a better Lifetime movie.

Was this review helpful?

She has a past that she's tried to keep hidden, but someone figured it out...
Lexi Jakes thought she could keep her past hidden, by changing her name and creating a nice life for herself. All is going well with her husband and daughter, until her biological mother turns up dead. What's even more disturbing about her mother's death is that she was strangled with a red silk scarf and is left holding a chess piece. These are the trademarks of serial killer Peter Graves, her own father, but he's in prison for all the murders he committed. Who is the copy cat killer and are they coming for her next?
What a novel by L.H. Stacey! I couldn't put this book down; I was dying to know what would happen next. There were so many twists and turns I didn't see coming and I loved the unexpected ending. I switched between the e-book and audiobook and highly recommend listening to the audiobook! Anne Dover, the narrator, did such an amazing job capturing each character's emotions and giving them their own voice. I highly recommend this thriller and can't wait to read more work by her!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I Had to DNF this book. I felt it was slow, boring and a bit dull. I always tell other readers if you're not feeling joy in reading what you're reading then pass on it. There are too many books out there and not enough time to read them all.

Was this review helpful?

First, I want to say thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for allowing me to join the tour.

This is the first book by L.H Stacey that I have read.

I love psychological suspense and when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to get my hands on it and read, and I am so glad that I did.

The Serial Killer's Girl was well written and gripped me from the first page until the last. I definitely keep an eye out for more books by this author and I recommend that if you are looking for a good thriller, then look no further.

Was this review helpful?

I always like books that deal with serial killers and their families and this one had a slightly different take than the ones I’ve read before. We have the daughter that has changed her name and grown up after her father’s arrest and the possibility of a copycat taking new lives. Throw in creepy chapters from the new killer’s perspective and why they are doing what they are doing, and I was left guessing who could possibly be the copycat. I suspected everyone but Lexi and was not really right until it was time for the reveal. I was a little disappointed with the reveal, but all things equal, I wanted to know who did it and didn’t guess. This was a quick read that moved right along.

This review was part of the blog tour.

Was this review helpful?

A psychological thriller written from two POVs. The killer who we meet immediately & know their motives; the girl in the title who has tried & failed to escape her past.

Lexi is the daughter of a serial killer, when he was jailed & she was abandoned by her mother, she was fostered by a family on Lindisfarne. Fast forward 20 years. Her mother is murdered in the same manner as her father used. She returns to Lindisfarne with her young daughter in the belief she’ll be safe there.

Not the most torturous read as some in this genre can be, but good nonetheless, with a surprising conclusion. Some sentences could’ve done with some extra punctuation but, besides that, an easy & enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

A fantastic on the edge of your seat read. I read it in a day as I was eager to see how it ended and I was not disappointed. I'm looking forward to reading more by this Author

Was this review helpful?

The Serial Killer’s Girl starts off really strong and pulls you in with a phenomenal prologue from the murderer’s point of view. Even though we know why they are committing the crime, we just don’t know who it is…yet.

Lexi Jakes would do anything to protect her family, except her significant other, Nate and her young daughter, Isla, really have no idea who she is as her world slowly starts to unravel and her buried secrets start to rise to the surface. I do have to say, I understand why Lexi was reluctant to let most people into her terrible past and it was easier to pretend to be normal. But, Lexi does not always seem to make the best choices during the course of this story and sometimes I felt like slapping her around. Get your act together! Geez!

The plot of the story is what really drew me in along with the serial killer aspect because - okay let’s just face it - I love books with serial killers in them. This particular serial killer is actually quite interesting because of how they are connected to Lexi's serial killer father, Peter Graves. How they both mirrored each other was quite interesting to read as they shared so many similarities even though this new serial killer would not think he/she was anything like Peter Graves.

I know this book is labeled as a thriller but I would definitely say it is more mystery with some thriller elements thrown in.

Was this review helpful?

Well this was truly difficult to put down… so much so that I read it in a day and half! I was gripped from the very beginning. This intense thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. At one point I thought that the ending was going to be a little predictable but I was so wrong!! Some brilliantly thought out twists and a very creative story line make this a brilliant read. The story follows Lexi, the daughter of a serial killer, who has managed to hide in her new life successfully until it becomes apparent to her that someone is out for revenge and that she could be in danger. The characters are well written and I felt real sympathy for Lexi as she struggles to keep her family safe from something that she had nothing to do with and had tried to escape. The introduction of each new character cleverly has the reader thinking, “could it be them?” as the writer expertly weaves in red herrings to make us think we have the case solved! I really liked the narrative structure of the book and how it switched between Lexi’s life and the thoughts/ narrative of the mystery killer. This helped to build the suspense as it became clear to us through reading this perspective that the killer was closer to Lexi than she knew. Thus, making everyone a suspect! A great ending finishes this off perfectly and I would definitely recommend a read if you haven’t already! Can’t wait to see more from this author…

Was this review helpful?

I did like reading this book. I was eager to find out what was going to happen with Lexi and Isla, however, I didn’t find there was a lot of suspense in this book. I felt there was a lot of descriptive writing but not enough build up to the final events.

I thought Lexi was an okay main character. She done what she thought was right for her daughter by moving away to keep her safe. I thought her relationship with her partner was odd, mainly due to the lack of communication between the pair. The initial idea of the plot was interesting but the lack of suspense made me less excited about what was to come. Although I was curious to how the author would finish off this book. I did find the ending was rushed but the killer for me was unpredictable.

The chapters alternated between Lexi and then we got to read some chapters in the killers perspective. The killers chapters were good, they were kept vague in terms of not knowing much about them personally, although they did give away their location so it could be narrowed down to a few individuals. I did enjoy reading this book, I feel this author has potential because their writing style was gripping.

Was this review helpful?

I read the blurb and just knew that this was a book that I had to read. I wasn’t a huge fan of Lexi and found her character to be annoying at times. I really enjoyed where the majority of the story took place because it was a really intriguing island. There were some really interesting characters on Holy Island but I won’t mention anything more because it will ruin the story. There were some interesting twists and secrets that were revealed throughout the story which kept everything interesting.

I totally guessed who the killer was.. Okay so it turned out to be like the eighth person I accused but I guessed right (eventually).

Was this review helpful?

A well deserved 5 stars for The Serial Killer’s Girl. Is it slow paced? yes, does this add to the tension? oh yes! Not all psychological thriller need to rush along, hurtling towards the end, then finish. Oh no The Serial Killer’s Girl builds the tension slowly as the whole story unfolds and you can’t help but feel you are right in the story with Lexi. What a brilliant character she is. Her world is about to be turned on it’s head yet again only now she has her own child to protect. How can she do this? Her only hope is to return to her childhood home of Lindisfarne, where she feels safe and cut off from her past.

Riveting is the word that sums this story right up. I really could not stop reading, I was still reading in to the wee small hours, my eyes stinging but I just had to l know how this story ended. An enthralling read that is written superbly well. The Characters are strong and the creepy stalkerish behaviour of the “Killer” is really unnerving and the danger he brings is palpable.

I relished every page in The Serial Killer’s Girl. I would highly recommend this to all who love a slow burn, tension building plot line that will leave you exhausted and somewhat shocked then this is the one for you. Perfectly spine-chilling.

Was this review helpful?

I was intrigued by the synopsis, I love a good serial killer thriller, so I thought I'd give the book a go.

Lexi Jakes has been hiding the fact that she's the daughter of a serial killer for so long it feels like it's just going to be like that for the rest of her life. Unfortunately for her, someone kills her biological mother using her dad's MO, forcing her to flee to keep her young daughter safe. But the killer won't let things go and won't stop until Lexi is dead.

I felt for Lexi. She was only six years old when her dad was arrested and her mum abandoned her. All of that is hard enough, but a killer is after her too hellbent on revenge and all she wants to do is keep her daughter safe. I'll be honest, it took me a bit of time to warm up to her. There were a few times I found her a little whiny.

I loved the setting of Lindisfarne aka Holy island, which gets cut off from the mainland of Britain during high tide and there's only one road off the island. It added atmosphere and excitement to the story.

We have Lexi's perspective, but alongside, we have the killer's thoughts and feelings. I always enjoy peering inside the mind of a killer, seeing their motivations for their twisted deeds and how they justify things to themselves.

I will say this was slower paced than I expected it to be, which is not a bad thing, but I was expecting a faster pace with a bit more tension.

The Serial Killer's Girl is a slow burn, character driven thriller, perfect if you're looking for a bit of escapism.

Was this review helpful?