I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had read every Erica spindler book and this was did not disappoint.
I was happy to see her return to fiction away from The paranormal type books as I’m not a big fan of that genre!
I would recommend this book and can’t wait for her next!

Officer Miranda Rader and her partner Jake are called to investigate the murder of the towns loved college professor. Unknown to Miranda, she will be connected to the crime and her past will have to be faced again.

I have read and enjoyed many books by Erica Spindler. Her last few offerings however have not been as good as her earlier novels. This book however is a lot better and I enjoyed it.

The book has the regular formula of a crime, a love interest and of course a sex scene or two. What the story also had however was a little bit of predictability and it wasn't hard work working out who had done what.

This book was quite an easy read and not too taxing. I quite enjoyed it overall and will always seek out new books by this author.

Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Officer Miranda Rader of the Harmony, Louisiana PD is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis—but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from the town of Jasper, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community.
When Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the brutality of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. The night she’d buried, along with her past and the girl she’d been back then. Until now that grave had stayed sealed…except for those times, in the deepest part of the night, when the nightmares came: of a crime no one believed happened and the screams of the girl they believed didn’t exist.
Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop. Not just any cop—the one who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common—except Miranda.

*2.5 stars*

Erica Spindler has been one of the go-to authors that I can rely on, an author I can recommend to customers looking for something different in the romantic suspense genre. Her stories are re often than not populated by great characters, a plot that drags you in and holds you for the entirety, a mystery that usually requires a lot of thought and has a finale that blows away whatever you thought you had worked out...

But I don't know what happened here...

I have to start by saying that Miranda was an absolute highlight in this story. Her backstory was sad (to some degree) and the motivations for her present are well understandable. She is tough, smart and very determined to get to the answers...

However, after that, there isn't a lot to write home about. The plot was just so-so: the death of a beloved local reveals secrets about the detective's past...nothing new nor was it done particularly well. The constant switch from one drama sequence to another felt like the author had written a bunch of scenes and then was too bored to put any depth around them and just tacked them together. No flow, no build-up of suspense...

And the less said about the secondary characters, the better. We didn't get to know any of the other characters, as the focus was definitely on Miranda. It was hard to connect with any of them...

And the romance? I don't like the romantic part of my romantic suspense books to get out of hand. Nothing irks me more than a book that is billed that way is so focused on the romance, they forget the plot. But the romance in this hardly did anything but make me want to have a nap. I was dry, tired and felt like it was "expected" so, let's not try too hard...

This isn't a really bad book - it was marked as low as it was because I know the author can do so much better than this and I was disappointed. Certainly not the worst romance/suspense novel I will read this year...


Paul
ARH

I enjoyed this book to begin with but the story became hard to follow. Overall a good enough read, but not to my taste.

When she was just 15, Randi Rader got caught up in a horrifying situation. At the time, no adult believed her story. Fast forward 15 years and she is now a police detective. When she is called upon to investigate a murder, her past will suddenly come back to haunt her in ways she could never imagine.

Wow! This is my first Erica Spindler novel and all I can say is - where have I been? It was fast paced with great suspense that went down to the last page. This is definitely an author I need to read more often.

ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgally

I was a little skeptical coming into this book. I read one other book by Erica that I didn’t really end up enjoying as much. I have to say I ended up being surprised by this book.

I found myself reading through this book pretty quickly. I would start reading and then tell myself I would stop at the next chapter. The chapters weren’t too long so I would just keep going. So I ended up finishing this book fast.

I do have the say I feel the title pretty much gives a lot away. I mean you still have to figure out who the other girl is but I feel that isn’t very obvious either. I felt the there could have been a better job at building the suspense. Maybe if it was named something different I would have been a bit more surprised. I feel that gives a lot away. I just don’t know how to talk about this book otherwise. I just felt there weren’t too many girls in the story so you can assume what you want.

Overall I did like the concept of the story. I just wish it could have had more suspense to it. I feel like things were pretty obvious. I feel it can easily be put together. It’s a shame because this book had potential. I don’t think I will try anything from this author again. I just haven’t gotten what I want out of her books.

Have you ever started reading a book and within the first chapter thought to yourself, “I will never finish this book”? For a split moment, I thought The Other Girl was going to be that book for me. But, thankfully, I pressed on. So don’t let the first chapter fool you!

The novel opens with the narrator, Miranda, hitching a ride from a stranger. What got me at this point was the narration style. The narrator is a teenage girl whose vernacular is difficult to read on paper. It was meant to portray the level of education the girl had received while at the same time showing that she was part of a rural community. I get that. But it came across as almost insulting. Like the author was dumbing down the character for us to show the contrast and growth the narrator makes as an adult. But I digress (remember, I liked this book!) Anywho, Miranda’s lift turns into a nightmare when she and the female passenger are drugged by the driver of the car and they both awake in the woods, bound, the driver nowhere to be seen. Miranda manages to escape the situation, but is unable to save the other girl, and promises she will find help. Unfortunately, this seems to be analogous to the boy who cried wolf in the town, and instead of saving the girl, the town comes to believe she made the entire event up. Fast forward, and she is now a cop (and has an educated writing style!). The murder she is investigating begins turning up clues to that night with the other girl and she is driven to seek answers, even if it means investigating the most powerful family in town.

This was my first Spindler book, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into it. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, I will not turn down the opportunity to read her books in the future. The Other Girl was a fast-passed read that had me finishing the book over the course of just a couple sit-downs. All of the clues are nicely laid out, to the point that I was able to solve the mystery along-side the characters. I didn’t become particularly attached to any of the characters, but the action ad grotesque nature of the crime kept me going. When all is said and done, it was fun and a perfect read to fill my time.

Overall, 3/5

THE OTHER GIRL had all the ingredients for a good crime thriller, starting with a heroine with a painful past that linked to the current case she was working on, and I hoped this was going to be a thrilling ride. Unfortunately though, what I got was a half hearted version of what I expected.

The story starts off, and revolves around, Miranda, a police officer who comes from the wrong side of the tracks and who’s been through something terrible fourteen years ago. While we get bits and pieces about that fateful night-the one that changed her life- we also experience the current case she works on. With every detail or so coming out, you’re left wondering who could be doing this, and whether Miranda is a reliable character and so on. So far so good? Yes, and no. While the plot was intriguing, the execution of it was not so good. Certainly not satisfying enough.

First of all, some of the things in this book, some of the dialogues didn’t make sense to me. They jumped off from one thing to another and I felt like I missed the punchline in most situations. Characters who were supposed to be seasoned police officers didn’t act like it, and this is not me expecting too much but just enough to make a connection with these people and believe what they’re trying to do. Not much added up in the story or character development. Then there was the romantic side the story had taken up with Miranda and her partner, and that was not at all necessary in the grand scheme of things. It neither added something to the plot nor did it make any sense. I thought it felt forced, it just wasn’t something that fit into this particular story.

This was a read that had what needed to make it good but failed when it came to executing it.

I’m adding three spoonfuls of this story into my hodgepodge.

It took me a few chapters to get into this book. I am not sure why, the opening chapter is exciting but after a few chapters it was really difficult to put this book down.
This book is a great puzzle mystery. The story is told from the investigator point of view making it possible to puzzle along easily and get confused by the same things. I did not manage to crack the solution early in the story which was really great. The puzzle does get solved and I was satisfied with the outcome. I did not feel that there were loose ends or things unexplained.
Miranda is a likeable character. Her story about growing up, the struggle and how she got away escaping her past and becoming this other person. I liked how she had strong believes and stood for them. Her storyline with Jake was a bit disturbing though. I did like their characters together but the relationship part felt a bit forced and sudden taken their past into consideration.

This fell a little flat for me. It took Miranda too long to consider what seemed obvious to me very quickly. Parts of the story had me turning pages and anxious to read more. I was very interested in "the other girl". The personal scenes with family and friends felt shallow and simplified. There were some surprises and it's always fun to put the clues together in a mystery. I didn't connect with any of the characters, though.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at Netgalley for review.

3.5 to 4 Stars

This book was good, once I started I was not able to stop. Total page turner; however it was very predictable. I already knew who the killer was before the heroine discoverer it but I still managed to enjoyed it. The story is written from a female point of view; Miranda had a terrible experience when young that left her wanting to change. The past comes back and she finds herself in a situation similar to her past. This time around she is well educated and with a career as a police officer and she won't stop till she gets the answers.

I think readers who enjoy fbi detective books will find this book appealing. The story is short and you will find yourself reading it in one setting.

The formula here is familiar... female detective with a troubled past, hesitant to trust anyone, new things coming to light... but there's just enough here to make it feel fresh and keep your interest. This is a quick read I devoured in a couple of sittings, and I actually thought it could have been longer. The ending felt a little rushed and I wasn't thrilled with part of it, but everything in the book happened pretty quickly. It's a very engaging and fast paced book, filled with mystery, drama, and a bit of romance. Aspects of the story felt topical in our current climate, touching a bit on victim blaming, abuse of power, and exactly why a lot of women who have been assaulted stay silent.

Nothing is usual about the crime scene Miranda Rader has just been called to. It's incredibly gruesome, seemingly a crime of passion, and the victim is a highly respected college professor. Suspecting a spurned lover had a taste for revenge, Miranda digs into his history... but no one has anything bad to say about the man. He was so intelligent, so kind, so professional... there's not a soul around with a single negative comment. The other unusual thing is personal to Miranda: a clipping from a newspaper in the dead man's office. An old article about her. Why would he have that, and why have her fingerprints been found on the scene? She begins to worry someone is setting her up to take the fall, but why?

No one would have thought young Randi, having already gotten in a bit of trouble with the law as a teenager, would one day become a fine police officer. When she was only a child, she had a terrible experience which almost ended up with her being raped and perhaps murdered. But she wasn't the only one. The Other Girl, the girl she left behind and promised to come back for with help, still haunts her. She has no idea what became of the young woman, and no one with any authority believed anything young Randi had to say. She was simply gone by the time Randi made it back, leaving no evidence behind. Though Randi cannot be blamed for anything that happened, she still carries guilt every day.

Another man is soon murdered, and Miranda starts to feel like she might go down for crimes she didn't commit. Her superiors brush off her suggestions, making it difficult to get much done. Her boss seems more worried about making sure the dead man keeps his good name, thanks to his important father. Will she find out who is really responsible for the murders before she ends up behind bars herself?

Pieces of the story with Jake, her partner who has just confessed feelings for her, add some lighter moments. At times they feel a little forced, but they're necessary for a bit of a break in the story. This is a great read to pick up when you want something on the shorter side that still packs a punch.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, thank you! My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Erica Spindler’s The Other Woman is a slick and confident thriller. It was engaging and I often found myself getting swept along – one chapter became many and before I knew it, I was making break inroads into the book until I was finished.

If there are flaws to be had, it is that the story feels to be lacking magic. The character of Miranda Rader appears to be complex, but feels more to be made up of a series of situations hung together loosely – the character, as written, could be anyone regardless of her tragic backstory. I also found the twists fairly predictable and, as a result, wanted the book to be more twisty. The bad guys were always the bad guys, and I would’ve loved something less generic and predictable. I also figured out who the murderer was before Miranda even considered it a possibility, so it's not great on that account.

This was a perfectly enjoyable read, but one I feel is disposable. It doesn’t linger in the mind or demand to be read again.

I absolutely loved this book. I literally read it in less than 4 hours. Couldn’t put it down. This was my first Erica Spindler book but definitely won’t be my last. This book had so many twists and turns. I would think i figured it out, only be thrown a loop. I had suspected what the ending would contain but it was better than i had expected and left me open mouth as everything was revealed. I was kind of hoping this would end up being a series.

She could have stopped him, protected all those women-if she had been a different girl. One who didn't lie. One who was cautious instead of reckless. The kind of person people believed. Back then no one believed her. Knowing the truth but nobody believing you. Like a scream echoing in your head and not ever knowing what happened next. The other girl would believe her. she had been real-despite the fact that nothing ever appeared in the local media, not news of a missing girl, not a reported rape or homicide. No Jane Doe.


Miranda has lived in Harmony, LA all her life. Her life took a turn when she was abducted by a man and woman. She willing went in the car with them thinking it would be ok. When it was far from ok. The next thing she knew, she was bound and other girl was next to her bound as well. The man gone and their time limited. They both had to get away. Miranda did leaving the other girl behind. This has haunted her for 14 years.

Miranda now works as a detective for Harmony under her mentor and with her partner Jake. They are called to a brutal murder scene where Miranda finds a clipping of what happened 14 years ago. Does she know the victim Richard Stark? The victim's father is Ian Stark a well known citizen of Harmony with influence is pushing for the case to be solved without the authorities digging into his son's past. It is the son's past that will solve the crime and it is the past that trains wrecks Miranda's good standing with the force.

Miranda has fought long and hard to redeem the life she had to the life she desires. Will finding the real killer change what she carefully built.

The narration was done presently and in the past. Taking the simple act of drinking coffee would bring memories to Miranda to her past and the struggle she faced. No one would believe her because of her own family that tended to get in all kinds of trouble.

The plot was twisted and turning but it also was predictable as well. The character development did not go deep enough. I think what kept me from connecting to the character was with everything that she went through with the police force and her family, that she would stay in Harmony and work for the same force that did not help her. There was redemption for her willingness to stay but you think she would have more questions or challenged what had happened to her. The development of her character was proving herself which for me left me somewhat at a disconnect.

Other than the few things that kept from really loving this read, I still had to know the bow would be tied in the end.

A Special thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

This book had me quickly hooked. Great thriller with great characters

I really enjoyed this suspense/mystery/detective thriller. It started out with a bang; the main character Miranda (Randi) Radar in the past with a traumatic event that happened to her when she was 14 years old. That event having had a lasting effect on her entire adult life. The story is told with the past and present unfolding before us. I love how the story is told letting the reader only slowly see what is happening. The building up of a great story with good and bad characters that have you guessing who did what until the very end. I loved the human touch of this story, and the redemption of Miranda's past and family. Unique story and kept me turning pages to the every end. A good strong, solid story and writing. Great character development.
This is the first book I’ve read by Jessica Spindler, and I look forward to reading more of this same genre from her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good suspense/mystery.

*A very special thank you to St. Martins Press/NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review*

ARC provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgally for free, but doesn't influence my review in any way.

This was my first Erica Spindler novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the twist and turns, although I realized who done it early on, it was still interesting to see how everything came together.

Miranda is a police officer in a small town in Louisiana. She didn't have the best upbringing, came from what is considered the wrong side of the tracks, and had family that didn't seem to care much about her. She is investigating a murder of a very well liked college professor. There are so many twists, and turns. You learn a lot about Miranda's past and "The Other Girl". While this is more of a who done it type story, there is a romance involved with a handsome cop named Jake

Once I was able to get into the story, I couldn't put it down.

Thanks to net galley, Saint martins press, and Erica Spindler for this arc in exchange for an honest review. This is a definitely I psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You will love or hate the characters, and be indecisive about whether they're good or evil. Erica Spinnler definitely knows how to weave a tale. This is one book I couldn't put down.