This is a easy page turner, with plenty of twists, some you might guess, but nothing too ridiculous. The story jumps back & forth between an event that happened to Miranda in her childhood & present day. It's not so much a book about trying to track down the murderer, more trying to figure out why the victim was killed.
This is the first book I've read by this author, but would be happy to give others a go.
The scenes of violence/sexual assault are not explicit, which was good for me, as excessive detail here just makes it an uncomfortable read.
Light hearted perhaps isn't the right word! But an enjoyable read.

I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.



This is the kind of book, that I thought I had figured out from the get-go, and I thought to myself, "Hmm, well let's see how predictable it turns out to be". I am happy to say, this book was not at all like that! I had thought I figured it out, but I was entirely wrong.

I love Miranda, and her partner Jake. They made this book addicting, and engaging. You wanted to know about them, and their back story, and how they would fit in this wonderful twisty puzzle of a book!

This was my first Erica Spindler book, and thanks to St. Martins Press for sending it to me to read and give this honest review. I will now be on the lookout for anything Erica Spindler, because this book was stellar, and I bet the rest of them are too.

It's out on August 22nd Guys! Click the link below to Pre-Order on Amazon. (or any of your favorite book stores.

The Other Girl is a fast-paced crime thriller that I devoured. When Miranda begins investigating a murder she realizes her past is connected to the murder victim leading her to question the motives of those closest to her and the case. Loved the characters, especially Miranda.

ARC provided by Netgalley

While this dealt with the important topic of sexual assault and was a quick read, there was nothing in this that really stood out to me from other thrillers.

Unlike with other books, this one didn't have me on my toes and I was always kind of sure that everything would work out. I mean, 95% of books have everything work out, but normally I'm not entirely sure. Because of that, I never really felt nervous or tense or anxious about how the book would end.

This might be because I never really felt connected to Miranda. Sure, she has a tragedy in her backstory and a stubborn personality, but I couldn't quite bring myself to really care about her. The subplot of romance was more a subplot of sex and not something I entirely appreciated, perhaps because I felt like she was settling.

I did very much appreciate the statement that the book made about sexual assault and how commonly it goes unreported. Power and influence in the hands of a perpetrator create a serious problem, and this book is not afraid to examine these subjects. This is the biggest strength to the story.

This book is worth your time if you're looking for a decent book to fill some time, but it's not one I'll be raving about.

Great story! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

I greatly enjoyed The Other Girl. I don't think I've read other books by this author, but I'll be checking some out now.

There are plenty of reviews that will give you the entire backstory, probably more than you want to know, so I'm not doing that. I'm just going to say that I was immediately drawn in and while I do agree with other reviewers that Miranda was shown to be making rookie mistakes, who wouldn't when it impacted their past and future?

There was foreshadowing, but done in such a way that I still was hesitating as the end approached. I liked one character as the murderer and then thought well, it could still be this person....and then back I went to the first one.

If you enjoy thrillers and strong female characters, you'll enjoy this novel. Pick it up and see!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

Excellent, fast paced thriller. I was excited to read this because I loved Erica Spindler's last book. This did not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review
Bestselling author Erica Spindler is back on the scene with her new police crime novel, “The Other Girl”. When teenaged Miranda “Randy” Rader is kidnapped and escapes, everyone believes it to be just another lie told by the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. No matter how hard Randi tries, no one will believe her story and what’s most heartbreaking for Randi is she wasn’t the only one held captive- when Randi escaped she left behind another young girl, and the promise that she would return with help.
Decades later, Miranda is now a police officer, putting criminals behind bars. When a wealthy university professor and son of a prominent and influential man is killed, Miranda and her partner take the case. However as the investigations unfold Miranda makes a startling discovery- all the evidence at the crime scene points to her as the perpetrator.
I am unfamiliar with Spindler’s former work but I can definitely say that she knows how to write a police procedural. This novel has action, suspense, and even a little romance and it plays out like a television crime drama (not a bad thing as they are one of my favourite genres!). Miranda is a brave, misunderstood woman who will quickly build empathy and support from readers. Although there are quite a few supporting characters (various detectives and officers, etc.) each has their own personality and role to fill, making it easy to keep up with the fast-paced storyline.
The novel is written well, and is only slightly predictable. In fact, the end has just the right amount of surprise built it and will leave the reader feeling satisfied. Although the market seems to be inundated lately with police novels with a strong female lead, this novel has enough creativity to stand on its own. It is definitely something fans of the genre should investigate (no pun intended) and I will definitely keep an eye out for Ms. Spindler’s works in the future.

Wow! I read this in one sitting! Really enjoyed and will recommend to anyone. Great storyline and great characters. I always enjoy Erica Spindler's books and this one isn't any different! Looking foward to the next one!

I am unable to review as I did not read past 5% in this book. It was give to me by the publishers because I read and reviewed another book. I love mystery thrillers, however, this one was too gory and and graphic for me.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy of The Other Girl! It was a fast-paced read that I would give an overall 3.5/5 rounded up to 4. While the very first chapter did draw me in, I also found myself irritated with the southern drawl depicted in the dialogue. I’m sure it’s accurate however I found it distracting and I was happy it wasn’t used beyond the introduction. My favorite thrillers are the ones that have an ending that I don’t see coming, so I was disappointed to learn that my hunch was actually correct – I was expecting that the person I thought was responsible for the murders was actually a decoy. Overall, I did enjoy the book despite the fact that the ending didn’t turn out as twisty as I’d hoped.

This book was pretty fabulous. I binge read it in day. Interesting, believable characters and a compelling mystery that leaves you hungry to find out what happens next. Really captures some interesting truths about living in a small town and how class and gender can change how you are perceived by others.

Knocking a star because the sex scenes kind of bugged me. Not that people had sex, but that the descriptions of said sex seemed schmatzy to me (EVERY time it was the best, most magical sex in the history of sext time? Really?). Also I thought the realization at the end of who was behind everything was a little too on the nose. These are small quibbles though. Overall, a great book.

I received this book "The Other Girl" from Netgalley for my honest review.

First time reading a book by Erica Spindler. This is a suspense mystery book that keeps you guessing. I did some late night reading and enjoyed this book. Randi/Miranda Rader came from the wrong side of town but turned her life around. She becomes a detective on the police force. Richard Stark - who is he? Well he turns up dead and he is also a person from Randi's past. Who killed him? Miranda is all grown up and is the lead detective trying to find out. Will you guess who it is? I look forward to reading more by this author.

If you love a good thriller with characters that you can't trust at all... This is your book! For the life of me, I couldn't figure out "who-dun-it" which made for an interesting and gripping read! I look forward to reading more of the authors work based on this one.

** full review to be posted online come release week **

The Other Girl takes place in a small Louisiana college town (although nothing much distinguishes the town as Louisiana). Officer Miranda Rader is called to the scene of the gruesome murder of a college professor, whose father happens to be the dean of the school. If there is aristocracy in any small college town, regardless of location, it belongs to the administration and professors. The college dean will always be influential.

Right away it is apparent to Miranda that this case will receive special handling, but there are a number of things that disturb her immediately. As a matter of fact, there is an unpleasant blast from the past that alarms and unnerves her.

Nothing moves this book above the tremendous crowd of mystery/police procedural novels available. You will guess where it's going pretty early.

Read in May; blog review scheduled for July

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press

Police Procedural. August 22, 2017.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for giving me a copy of this book.

I am a huge Erica Spindler fan. Her books never fail to keep me engrossed. This book was no different.

Miranda Rader is a former bad girl who has changed her life completely and is now on the other side of the law as a cop. She has been doing well, but then a horrific crime happens and she is implicated in it. This starts a series of events which result in her credibility going out of the window and many of those closest to her start to suspect her as well.

I really felt for the character as it is tough when people think the worst of you and suspect you of a crime you did not commit. This was a good mystery, but I will be honest in saying that it was not as fast paced as her other books. I still did enjoy it and will look out for her other books in future. She is an excellent author!

Police Officer Miranda Rader is a respected officer in Hammond, Louisiana. She is known for her work ethic, dedication and professionalism. This was not always the case. When she was younger she spent 6 months in juvenile detention for possession of marijuana. She was known to engage in underage drinking and came from a troublesome family. At the age of 15, she was the victim of a crime and no one seemed to believe her as she was constantly in trouble and was known in her hometown to be a liar.

Miranda has worked very hard to improve herself and to become a respectful member of society. She has become a police officer who is looked up to and respected in society. Although she is not the same girl she once was, she is haunted by the past. She is haunted by a crime that no one believed occurred. What do you do when a crime has been committed against you, when you run for help, when another girl is being held captive and no one believes your story? No one goes to help the other girl. How does this affect your life?

One day Miranda is called to investigate the gruesome murder of a respected professor at a local college. While on the scene she finds a newspaper clipping referring to the heinous crime committed against her and another girl in the past. Just what was the professor doing with a clipping from her past? Who is this man? Does he know who she is and what happened to her? Is this just research for a book he is writing?

Just when she begins to put things together, her fingerprints are found at the scene of the crime. Her work ethic, honesty, integrity and professionalism are questioned. To make matters even worse, another murder occurs - a death which is related to that fateful night years ago. Why does she appear to be the only suspect? Who is the real killer and why does this killer seem to know everything that happened to her all of those years ago?

Miranda is a strong female character who cannot seem to keep from getting into trouble in this book. She continues to defy orders and break police procedures in order to get to the truth. She knows that the college professor is not the "nice" guy everyone believes him to be. She will not stop until she has uncovered the truth about his killer and has exposed the murdered professor to be the predator she knows him to be.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast paced read with a few twists and turns. There were a couple of times that I wanted to shake the main character as she acted without thinking on numerous occasions. This story jumps back and forth between the current day and when Miranda was a 15 year old girl. As the book progresses, the reader is shown what happened all those years ago. This book is a double "whodunit" as there is a killer in the current day, a predator from the past and also the question remains...what happened to the other girl all of those years ago?

This is a good mystery but not an earth shattering one. I think most readers will have figured out a couple of the plot points. The ending is not a big shocker but it is still an enjoyable one. I figured out a couple of things but even guessing the truth did not prevent me from fully enjoying this book. I found that the past and present story lines really worked in this book.

This was my first Erica Spindler book and it will not be my last.

I received a copy of this book form the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Randi Rader is a hardly a southern belle-at fifteen she's already well acquainted with weed, beer and fast living, yet is naive enough to think getting into a car with a strange man is a good idea. It turns out the man has another girl in the car and he takes them both into the woods and ties them up. When the stranger leaves to get food Randi is able to free herself, but as she is untying the second girl-she tells Randi her name is Cathy-they hear their assailant return and Randi flees, promising Cathy she will send the police to rescue her as soon as she can. But Randi has a reputation for not telling the truth and the police think Randi made up the story of being kidnapped to turn their attention away from the small amount of pot they find on her. Randi does convince the police to return to the spot in the woods where she and Cathy were held captive but there is no sign anyone was there, and Randi is sent to a juvenile detention center for six months for possession of marijuana. It is there Randi decides to turn her life around, but she is always wondering what happened to the girl she left in the woods. Fourteen years later Randi is now Officer Miranda Radar (I love it when cops are named Miranda!) with the Hammond, Louisiana police department. When a professor at the local college (whose father is the school president) is found murdered in a way that would make Lorena Bobbitt blush, Miranda starts hearing from women who claim the professor had sexually assaulted them. But the chief of police is a close friend of the victims's father, and he dismisses Miranda's theories. The Other Girl has a clever plot twist-you know from the beginning who the killer is-but you don't find out until the end who she really is. The only flaw with the story is how long it takes Miranda to connect her abduction to the professor's murder...once she does put the pieces of the puzzle together the race is on to find the identity of the other girl who was kidnapped with her. There is also a back story of Miranda's reconciliation with her estranged family, and her budding relationship with a fellow officer. The Other Girl is a quick read, with short chapters and brisk writing-the kind of book that keeps you entertained but doesn't totally consume your every waking thought. A perfect summer read.

Officer Miranda Rader, former bad girl makes good, investigates the murder of a popular and well-respected professor in a small Louisiana town. Gruesome and outside the realm of her department, she intends to find the killer. However, she realizes her past may relate to her past. How far will she go to solve this crime and what ties does her past hold with the case?

Erica Spindler creates an entertaining story with an excellent premise. She presents a first chapter with all the right tools to push you further into the story: a grisly murder, small town, sexual undercurrents, and a female detective pushing to solve the case. You aim to finish this book as soon as possible to find out the whodunit. Also, Spindler helps by creating quick and short chapters.

While this story entertains, you find, as you read more chapters, a story committing more crimes than a juvenile delinquent. First, the story rests on cliche: Misunderstood female detective with a personal vendetta (though well within reason), sexual predators, and cover-ups within the department. While I do not mind these cliches (I like them beyond reason), I enjoy well-written stories using these tropes. Spindler misses the mark by over-explaining key plot points readers will gather on their own (sooner than desired). Into one-third of the story, I figured the ending without breaking half the sweat Miranda emits. In a debut novel, I forgive these momentary lapses. A veteran novelist? Not so much…

Furthermore, for a fine detective, Miranda scores a myriad of rookie mistakes (including talking too much to iffy folks around her, telling others about discoveries). For a known liar, she trusts with the naivete of a Girl Scout at a Friday night frat party. This behavior earns a few eye-rolls.

Maybe it’s the arc, but the story runs short. The ending feels rushed a bit. A subplot involving her mother comes and go without much fanfare. A romantic subplot runs in and out the front door before the windy draft pokes inside and says “hello”. There’s a moment where her partner mentions leaving town, hinting darker paths, which leads to nowhere. I would prefer some padding in these subplots. The ending wraps too concise and sanitary.

If you want an entertaining and swift beach read, go for this tale. If you want something deeper, seek elsewhere.

Verdict: 3 out of 5

*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*