A truly difficult story to read but it was extremely well written and you really felt for the characters. I think if you can handle the story I would recommend this author.

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first book by this author and i will be reading more.
This book does have some triggers in regarding child abuse to please make sure to air caution whilst deciding to read this title.
This book has so many twists and turns that you dont see coming.
Thankyou again
5/5 stars

This book is every parents nightmare.
It really sucked me in.
It has sone really hard parts to devour if you’re a parent. Tge disappearance of a child and subsequent reasons why is very hard to swallow.
I found myself crying a lot during this book

I love Stacey Green's Nikki Hunt series so was very excited to read the Lucy Kendall thrillers , all 4 were released together and it probably took me less than a week to read all 4 .
Lucy is not our typical heroine , she operates from a deep dark past and feels obliged to meet out vigilante justice to those she believes deserve it , this doesn't always keep her on the right side of the law , but she has a good support system that just about keep her grounded . Fascinating routing for an anti hero , well written , well paced and I really hope there are more .............. This has a film/TV adaption written all over it

Wow! This is quite the book. I'll start by saying if child abuse triggers you, put this book down. It's not for you. This book is dark, twisted and quite the thrill to read. Lucy Kendall, the protagonist, has a good heart, a dark past, and highly suspect methods of dealing with the bad guys. There are plenty of twists and turns and if you're like me, you can read a chapter and say WHAT??!!

I liked some parts of this book but not others. The plot was intriguing and felt unique enough that I was excited to keep reading. However, I found it quite repetitive, and the characters felt very one dimensional, which made it hard for me to care about them. I won’t carry on with the rest of the series, but I’m sure this will find the right readers. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

I love a good suspense that turns into a multiple series book. I chose this book because of that and it did not disappoint. I found the overall storyline pretty compelling and it made for a quick read. Overall solid 3 suspense and good beginning to a continuing series.

I found "The Girl in the Pink Shoes" to be a very interesting take on the theme of serial killer and the moral question of when, or if, it's ever okay to take a life. The author delves into the psychology of the killer and the people affected by their actions, creating a complex and thought-provoking story.
That being said, I have to warn potential readers that the book contains some difficult and uncomfortable topics, particularly the abuse of children. While the author handles these themes with sensitivity, they can still be hard to read about.
One of the book's strengths is the character of Lucy, who is both sympathetic and intriguing. I could really understand her thought process and the difficult choices she had to make. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more about her in the next book of the series.
Overall, "The Girl in the Pink Shoes" is a gripping and well-written thriller, although readers should be aware of its darker themes.

The Girl in the Pink Shoes (A Lucy Kendall Crime Thriller Book 1)
by Stacy Green
5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date 30 Jan 2023
Description:
My baby girl. This morning she was so excited for school. I bought her new shoes last night. Pink, sparkly shoes. She loved them so much. She wore them for the first time today. And now she is gone.
It is every mother’s worst nightmare. Eight-year-old Kailey Richardson skips out of the school gates in her brand-new pink shoes and never makes it home. Between the school and the safety of her shiny red front door, someone has taken her.
Private Investigator Lucy Kendall sees the fliers of a smiling gap-toothed Kailey and knows she won’t be able to sleep until the little girl is found. Having lost her own sister to the darkest evil, she is determined to help find Kailey before it is too late.
As Lucy talks to Kailey’s friends, desperate to find out who has taken the happy little girl, she begins to form a worrying picture of the days before Kailey’s disappearance. The blue car idling in the street outside the school. The friendly man across the road. And Kailey’s mother, Jenna, hollow-eyed and jumpy, clutching Kailey’s teddy bear and not telling Lucy everything.
Lucy has promised Jenna she will do everything to find her daughter. But then she discovers Jenna has a connection to the prime suspect in Kailey’s disappearance… and one which brings Lucy’s past rushing back to haunt her. Time is running out to find Kailey, but will Lucy be able to save this innocent little girl before her own demons destroy her?

❤ MY REVIEW ❤

This well written story has good character development and a twisting, dark plot that - though tragic touches on child trafficking , missing and murdered children . This book is definitely dark and twisted and not for the faint of heart. While graphic it is not overly graphic . The very first chapter starts off with BANG. From there the story does not slow down until the very last word. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I had to know just what happened to this child and why. All while holding my breath she would be found alive. I was so glued to the pages that i tuned out the world and read it in just a few hours.This had to be a very difficult subject to write about and will be hard for some to read about . Sadly this is something that happens everyday in this messed up world we live in. I am looking forward to reading more of her books. Right now this book is free on kindle with the rest of the series on kindle unlimited. Does Lucy find the missing girl before she is sold or murdered ? Find out by grabbing your copy of this gripping thriller today.

#TheGirlinthePinkShoes #NetGalley

I love a good crime thriller, and Stacy Green does not disappoint! This book had me turning page after page and finishing in just 2 days. The story is dark and gritty and definitely has its fair share of difficult topics, but they’re handled well in a sensitive but realistic way. The pacing is on point and the characters have me already looking forward to the rest of the series.

I would recommend to anyone who already enjoys crime thrillers and enjoys kicking off into a series. But with the caveat of checking trigger warnings first if some things may be an issue to you.

Stacy Green https://stacygreenauthor.com/ is the author of more than two dozen novels. The Girl in the Pink Shoes was published in 2023 and is the first of her Lucy Kendall Crime Thriller series. This is the 7th book I completed reading in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, mature situations, and mature language, I categorize this novel as R. The primary character is Private Investigator Lucy Kendall. Kendall started her career in Child Protective Services. The system made her burn out quickly. That was when she became a Private Investigator. The rules didn’t constrain her as much.

Eight-year-old Kailey Richardson has gone missing. Kendall feels strongly that she has become the latest victim of a child molester. Kendall promises Kailey’s mother that she will find the girl. Over an 18-month period, Kendall had found five different pedophiles. They are all dead now. The system would have let them slip through its fingers. Kendall carried out the justice she knew they deserved.

Her life became more complicated when Chris Hale entered it. He had figured out her mission. Until then, the only other person that knew was her friend and hacker, Kelly. Now she has to worry about Chris. But his willingness to help can’t be ignored.

Kendall focuses on Justin Beckett. He had been one of her CPS clients. He had spent years in prison for killing a young girl, but now he was out. He also lived across the street from the Richardson home. She feels certain he is responsible.

Then she meets Detective Beckett. He is Justin’s older brother and investigating the disappearance. At first, she fears a coverup, but as she learns more, the long-hidden truth comes out.

I enjoyed the 7+ hours I spent reading this 306-page mystery. The plot is dark but very good. Suspects are in abundance, with many twists in the plot. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

I enjoyed this Stacy Green novel. This is a fast paced story that drew me in right away. Lucy is a complicated character with a good heart and questionable methods. I am looking forward to Lucy’s next case, and to reading more by this author.

Thank you, Stacy Green, Bookouture &, Netgalley for this ARC.

The Girl in the Pink Shoes is the first book in the Lucy Kendall Crime Thriller series.  Lucy is a Private Investigator who tries to help children who are victims of pedophiles as she lost her sister after she was abused as a child.  In this book, Kailey goes missing, she never made it home from her walk to school with a couple of older neighborhood girls.  Lucy talks to Kailey's mom, Jenna, who agrees to let her help.  Secret after secret begins unraveling as Lucy worries that an old client of hers, out of prison but not needing to register as a sex offender may be involved as he lives across the street. And his brother is one of the detectives on the case.   There were a TON of twist and turns in this book and I absolutely could not put it down (and then quickly read books 2 and 3 - reviews on those coming soon)  I absolutely loved the writing style, how you're not sure which characters you should or shouldn't be rooting for and the rollercoaster of a ride.

I received a free e-copy of this book from Net Galley to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

This book took me a month to read but not because it’s a bad book. This is. Great book!

My daughters name is Kailey spelled the same way and almost the same age. So I had a hard time reading this book at first. I actually closed the book and was going to stop but I loved the main character. I wanted to know where this book was going to go. I loved the side characters. So I pushed through and loved this book.

This book does not get slow. It is fast paced through out the whole. When you think you found the suspect, she turns and throws a wrench into it.

I’m glad I pushed through and now I’m onto the second book to binge this series.

Gripping, twisted, a little sadistic..

This is everything I had been hoping for in a book. I have devoured this in just one sitting. I can’t wait to delve unto the rest of the series (swipe to see titles).

This is a terrific read with a really questionable protagonist. Lucy Kendall is unlike any I’ve encountered previously.

This is well researched and brilliantly written. I have felt as though I have been watching the events play out in front of me.

This moves at a perfect pace and is completely addictive. I definitely didn’t expect this to play out as it has.

I absolutely can’t wait to read more

Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

Was looking forward to reading this author as this is the 1st book I have read from them. I found this book a little "stodgy" and felt it didn't flow and was very confusing at times, in my opinion. Lots of twists and turns that made it hard to know who was who and what they had done!! Also felt there was too much unimportant and unnecessary dialogue and description which stopped the story moving at any pace.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC! The Girl in the Pink Shoes is out now!

3 ⭐️

I liked this one! At the beginning, though, I had a hard time separating the characters (especially Kelly and Kailey) because of similar names, but I managed to really get in to the story. I’m not sure how I felt about the climax, but I’d definitely check out more Lucy Kendall books when they come out. A recommendation for everyone that loves fast-paced thrillers with twists and turns throughout the entire book, not just at the end, which is a plus for me!

The Girl in the Pink Shoes is the first book I have read by Stacy Green, but it won't be my last. In fact, I already have the next 3 Lucy Kendall books downloaded on my kindle. Lucy Kendall is a Private Investigator who has her own business on the side, one she doesn't get paid for. She is a vigilante who has killed several child abusers and pedophiles. She used to work as a Child Protection Services Social Worker, but when a case goes wrong, she quits. Now she works with a computer whiz, who also works for the police and a chemist to do her work. When an eight year old girl disappears and she finds out that a man who raped and murdered a schoolmate years ago lives across the street, she is sure he has her. She is joined by another man, Chris Hale, a paramedic, who tells her he is a psychopath, but he knows what she has been doing and uses that to force her to let him help. Between them, they chase down leads, work with Kailey's mother and Detective Todd Beckett to try and find her before she ends up another dead child.

What can I say about Lucy. Murder is never justified, or is it. She is a complicated woman with a different view of right and wrong. Lucy believes that in order to save others, she has to kill these abusers. There were times I liked her and cheered her on, and other times I didn't like her very much. It's a thought provoking story that I found myself thinking about long after I finished. The case was difficult, with more than one suspect which is a sad commentary on our world today. With any story dealing with child abuse, it can be difficult to read at times, but I found it was not too descriptive, but could still be a trigger to some readers. There were a lot of twists and turns and at times, I wasn't sure who to trust or who was being honest. I was glad that Lucy was willing to skirt the law a bit to get to the man who had little Kailey. I will say that once I started this book, I didn't want to stop. I definitely recommend this book to those who like thrillers, involving other law enforcement or Private Investigators. I am ready to start the next one.

Have any of you ever wondered what happens to children of serial killers? What kind of life do the survivors of a horrific crime lead? What it will be like to read a story lead completely by broken people - people who have been victimized one way or the other? Well, Stacy Green's "The Girl in the Pink Shoes" is an answer to all these questions.

The book opens with a murder-attempt by someone you won't exactly expect. And then the story kicks-off when the main female lead Lucy Kendall, previously working in CPS and currently a private investigator, hears the kidnapping of a little girl, who is the neighbour of a known sexual offender, and drafts herself to do everything to find the girl. In the course of her investigation, she happens to come across many people with whom she had been previously acquainted with during her CPS days and she has to struggle to find the right path towards the truth when her own preconceived ideas and judgements take her towards a completely different direction.

What follows next is a series of events so convoluted, complex and dark that sometimes it can actually disturb the readers brutally. In fact, I had to take breaks in between the reading to prevent being too overwhelmed by the darkness. The darkness is only offset by the many unexpected plot developments which keep the readers totally hooked into the story. There are a couple of twists occurring every few chapters or so; and the penultimate twist is something most people won't see coming.

I must say I absolutely loved the way author Stacy Green has laid out the various characters. The main female lead Lucy Kendall is quite a compelling person; she is a contradictory combination of compassion and fierce hate. We, as readers, might not always understand nor agree with her actions. But one can't help but feel for her most of the time. I also was very much intrigued by Lucy's more recent acquaintance Chris Hale; I have a feeling the author plans to do a lot with him and his circumstances. It's a very unique premise and I can't wait to see how his character is taken forward in the upcoming books.

In a nutshell, I had the most entertaining time reading this completely intriguing and engaging thriller. And can't wait to see where the 2nd book goes.

Trigger warning : Please be warned, the story features quite a lot of traumatic and horrific incidents which may be triggering.

Why have I not started to read this series before!

A fantastic read. Cannot wait to read the rest

5/5