This was a dark police procedural driven by Captain Freya Sinclair with a shocking plot. I enjoyed the main characters including her detectives Candy, Brad and Esther who had taken her in when her own parents abandoned her. Freya has her own past of her issues but deals with them appropriately.

I found the book quite disturbing in all honesty but thoroughly enjoyed it, if that makes sense at all. I would recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre Publishing

A really interesting book, following a Detective recently returned to her home town (to a not super welcoming reception, because of the actions of her parents). A young girl is discovered drowned, and other young girls seem to be going missing...

This was a solid mystery, a little repetitive in places and a few times when I thought they should have come to conclusions a bit quicker, but it kept me interested and I enjoyed hearing about these characters. Would be interested to read more from this author.

I listened to an advanced readers copuy of the audio book of Three Drowned Girls by Emily Shiner. The book was well narrated, and the story was interesting. The book tells the story of a police detective who has returned to her home town to work, five years after having left when her parents were convicted of a series of murders. Detective Freya Sinclair has returned at the wrong moment, as a drowned girl has been found in a local river. And then a second body is found along a lake. Add to it, there are several young girls who have been missing from the local elementary school - or at least not showing up for school.

The book tells an intriguing tale of a criminal investigation seeking to solve a mystery. The story has a lot of pieces, and requires the reader to pay close attention to it, but the story is interesting, and compelling enough to keep reading to the end. There were a few times when I felt like the author was a bit repetitive with the constant theme of going to a person of interest, and threatening to get a warrant when they don't cooperate. In many instances, I wasn't sold that there actually was probable cause, just a sense of suspicion. BUT minor quibbling, an interesting book. AND it is the first in a series featuring Detective Freya Sinclair.

Themes: murder, child abuse, detective, crime
Book Cover first thoughts: Beautiful and I love the trees, I think the title / author's name is too large.
First Book in the series: Three Drowned Girls

The main character, Freya Sinclair is a detective who grew up in a small town, Fawn Lake, North Carolina. I read more books with strong female lead characters and this did not disappoint. Everything is the viewpoint of Freya. The book jumps into the story quickly with Freya going to a crime scene where a young girl has been found in the lake. Freya then tries to find information and review files to identify the missing girl when another girl is reported missing. As the book progresses Freya continues to try to solve a case involving 3 young girls.

Overall, I think the book was exciting, had some intense moments. I could see the book triggering those that maybe have lost a child or lost a friend.

Con: I do wish the story about her parents was discussed more, what they did, etc. I expected that to be discussed more and be a bigger part of the story overall based of the description of the book.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Three Drowned Girls by Emily Shiner. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be April 22, 2024. This review is being shared on NetGalley, Goodreads and Amazon.

I thought the story and writing was great, however the narration wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t catch certain parts of the story due to it, but overall great story. I will read it next time

When Detective Freya Sinclair moves back to her hometown she didn't expect her first case to be about an unidentified girl that was found in the river. But little did she know this girl was going to the first of many. What is happening to the girls in this town? And why is no one looking for them? Follow Freya and her new team as they solve these cases.
This book had me laughing, crying and glued as I worried if another girl would go missing. I would describe this book as part Law and Order SVU and part Criminal Minds. And I would recommend this book to anyone who loves crime, mystery and thrillers! Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

What a great thriller!!! This book was so good! Very well written only thing was I didn’t really like the narrator. But the book is great!!!

A carefully creative story of a parents worst nightmare that will have you wondering about the human race. Remaining clean takes on a new horrific meaning

I had a very hard time with this book. The narrator did a great job in production but I struggled to follow timelines

Three Drowned Girls (Detective Freya Sinclair Book 1) by Emily Shiner
Narrated by Amelia Sciandra
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: April 22, 2024

Three Drowned Girls is the first book in the new Detective Freya Sinclair series by Emily Shiner. This is the first book I’ve read by the author and I’m sure it won’t be the last!

I loved the narration by Amelia Sciandra. She did such a great job bringing this story to life!

I love Freya! She has gone through so much, and continues to go through so much, while she tries to be of service to her home town.

Following Freya while she tries to solve and stop future homicides of little girls was captivating! The author wrote this in such a way that I could not stop reading!!! I loved seeing how this mystery unraveled and how everything worked out.

I can’t wait to read the next book, I know it’ll be just as good!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Three Drowned Girls is the first book in the Detective Freda Sinclair series.
Freya comes back to her hometown after escaping several years earlier over her own past.
Girls start to come up missing/unaccounted for and some even drowned.

While the book room several turns and seem to have so many “hmm maybe he did it” scenarios, it always kept me on my toes. I really enjoyed it. I was completely clueless as to who dun it. I will 100% read the next in the series.

I just loved the narration by Amelia Sciandra. She really left me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for a chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's a book by Emily Shiner, I'm going to love it!! But I made the mistake this time of listening to the audiobook and I had to give up half way through. I really wasn't enjoying the narrator and because of that, I missed some of the story. So I read the last 40 % and yes, I missed some of the story but what I read I really liked.

It didn't feel like a first book in a sparkly series, but an already well established on. Freya has a dark backstory and I hope we see more about it in the future books, it sound so messed up and shocking! It got me intrigued. Brad, too, he has a story that needs to be told. The way he clammed up at the end, well colour me intrigued!! This is definitely a great start to a series, and I am excited by it, just a bit gutted I listened to it first and I'm NEVER like that! It might have been my concentration too.

This story was a hard one to digest, I couldn't believe, but at the same time I could, the way these mum's were behaving. My heart broke again and again. Having Freya on the case was the saving grace with her makeshift team of Candy and Brad. Whilst this was going on, we had a side story of a dodgy school principal. But the main focus was on Freya and how the town blamed her for her past, because of mis-judgement she made on an arrest but that said case wrapping up. I felt for her but she was so strong and she was focused and determined!

I am excited about this series and Freya and I can't wait to read more!

Emoji Book Review: 😯🥱😕

⏰Short Summary: Detective Freya Sinclar has gone home after being away for five years. Her first case involves the tragic drowning of a girl in the river. Then the bodies start to pile up. Freya races against time to solve this case and stop a killer, while encountering many challenges along the way.

⚡Thoughts: This is my first read by this author. Definitely a good read although a little slow paced for my liking. I dig a page turner through and through. I’d find myself reluctant to pick this one back up, which is never a great sign. There were also a lot of sub plots that oftentimes felt laborious and confusing.

The story was compelling - but the mystery aspects left me wanting. Don’t get me wrong there were some captivating parts for sure, but overall it just didn’t come across as fully believable for me and I struggled with those aspects.

Overall, I definitely say give it a try. There is a good story here, you just have to wade in a little further than I like to get to it.

📚Genre: Mystery

📅Publish Date: April 22, 2024

Big thank you to the author, NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy. 🥰

The first installment in the Detective Freya Sinclair series is interesting. I'm immediately hooked from the grizzly discovery that was mead early on in the story. A very interesting take on a serial-killer thriller series, expertly narrated by Amelia Sciandra. Detective Freya Sinclair returns to her hometown to face suspicion and hostility as she investigates a chilling case involving drowned girls. I can't help myself but feel for Det. Freya. Her past is bad but I feel like she is doing the best that she can to correct her wrongs. Amelia Sciandra's narration captures the emotional depth of Freya's journey, drawing listeners into a captivating mystery filled with suspense and intrigue.

I enjoyed reading this book, and found the solution to be satisfying. It is personal preference, but I prefer to be kept guessing a bit more as the reveal for the killers was revealed earlier than I would have expected.

This is the first I’ve read by this author and will not be the last! This was insane and intense! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one afternoon!! But it does have you wondering who is drinking the Kool-Aid!
Starting at the beginning of the book I was captivated by Freya's story. She made a mistake in a previous investigation resulting in her hurt in action and gained an unsavory attitude with the town. She then transferred to Texas and at the first chance she saw they were looking for a detective, she applied and got the job. On her first day back they found a deceased little girl in the water and then there were several other girls missing from the school as Freya and her partner are following all the leads she has a lot on her plate. She has to prove herself to the community, solve the cases of the missing girls, and find out what is happening in their community to all the girls while everyone gives her a hard time as she investigates. But once she finds out what's happening in her hometown, it is much more sinister than she ever imagined!
I was given the audiobook from Bookouture Audio and Netgalley to listen to and it was just an amazing treat! The narrarator fit the story and the characters, she was very engaging and kept my attention! Thank you for the opportunity and it is definitely a treat!

TW a lot of child death

This book was hard to read—well written but oh my god. I didn’t realise it was a sequel so I’ll be checking out the other book but I was unprepared for the reveal. If you aren’t able to stomach cult drama resulting in a lot of death this may not be for you. Like Jonestown preschool.

Thank you so much for the ARC! I enjoyed it. It was an interesting storyline. Audiobook narration was great. I felt the ending was predictable but still interesting. The moms were wack.. it was almost like a small town, mom cult horror story. I love serial killer stories. I do not read many police procedurals but Freya was an interesting MC, and is interesting enough I would pick up the next book easily. I think this will make a great series.

What a start to a new crime detective series! Detective Freya Sinclair comes back to her home town after leaving under a cloud when her parents were discovered to be serial killers. Now back, she is all guns blazing when the body of a girl is discovered in a river, but when trying to identify her, finds there are a number of local girls missing. Soon another body is found and the race is on to find our what is happening to these girls and who is behind it.
A powerful pinch of a book that I devoured in one sitting. Slowly the background of Freya revealed the details of her past and reluctance of the town to welcome her back. She makes some allies on the team and together they bring justice to the town. You are never let down with a Emily Shiner book and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.

Thanks Bookouture, NetGalley, and Emily Shiner for the opportunity to read and listen to this amazing book. Freya Sinclair has returned to her hometown after five years away. Unfortunately, as a child she had the bad luck to be raised by parents that turned out to be serial killers. Ultimately she was responsible for the arrest of her parents but even so it made life hard on her in her town. Now she has come home to take on a position in the police department with her first case covering some missing girls. Soon the bodies of two little girls are found and another is reported missing. Freyra is desperate to find her before it’s too late.
Excellent book and I look forward to more in this upcoming series. This was book 1 and I look forward to reading book 2