Very well written, Next Girl to Die is just as described - It’s been fifteen years since Claire Calderwood’s sister, Rachel, was brutally murdered in their small hometown in Maine. Claire has finally carved out a life for herself as a homicide detective in Detroit, but the past comes calling when the local police back home ask for her help with a murder eerily similar to Rachel’s.

Great story! The author makes you feel as if you are right there alongside Claire. Can't wait to read more by this author.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

I thought this book was, overall, a solid thriller. I felt that it would be better without the one random sex scene, which was unnecessary.

I feel like this book had potential but simply didn't live up to it. It reminded me of many other police mysteries- and I'm almost 100% positive I read a book where the main character becomes a cop because her sister was killed. There just wasn't anything that made the book stand out. I didn't particularly care for the characters either, probably because they were uneven and underdeveloped. One minute the protagonist is unlikable and emotionless, and the next she is swept away by her feelings. This one just didn't do it for me. I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Next Girl To Die is my first read from Dea Poirer and I was drawn in by the blurb of the story. I have always been fascinated with murder mysteries, and the mystery genre is the main reason I was drawn to reading in the first place.

Unfortunately, this book did not meet my expectations and I was not satisfied with how the story unfolded.

The first few chapters of this book was very engaging and enticing that I really thought that this would be my new favorite read. But, after the initial impact, I felt that the book failed to deliver on the overall premise.

The characters, except for the lead, are a little underdeveloped and I felt no connection to any of them. In fact, the lead character was very frustrating and it was tiring to be in her immature mind.

The plot on itself is also a little weak and underdeveloped. Many things are unrealistic, which is a little frustrating considering what the blurb was promising.

I hope the next books of this series would be better, but I'm not sure if I would still pick it up.

A nice enough book with a nice storyline. However, it felt a bit over the top with the amount of girls going missing and/or dying. A nice quick summer read nonetheless

I thought this book was an excellent thriller. It wasn't the best ive ever read but overall was a good book

This mystery is filled with suspense, twists, turns, surprises, and just a touch of romance. The story introduces Detective Claire Calderwood, who works homicide for the Detroit PD. Her life is sent off the rails when she receives a request from the sheriff of her hometown in Maine. There has been a murder of a young girl's, and her body was discovered in a similar position and at the same park as Claire's sister, Rachel, who died when she was a teenager. Despite the fact that she had fled the tiny island of her childhood, the eerie similarities to her sister's murder entice her to agree to the sheriff's request. The return immerses Claire in the painful memories and a small town environment, much different from Detroit. As she begins her investigation, another dead girl is found, who confirms that the murderer has a type: young, blonde, connected to the church, and tattooed. The anniversary of Rachel's death has drawn a freelance reporter, Noah, who the sheriff brings in to help the investigations. As the murderer seems to escalate and past murders are uncovered, the heat between Claire and Noah builds. Despite her desire to be closed-off, she can't seem to resist the attraction. As she uncovers secrets and escapes near death, Claire is driven to solve the cases and catch her sister's murderer. If this is the first of a series, I can't wait until the next book.

Talk about a fast paced thrill ride. I really enjoyed this book. From the very first page to the last. The writing was great and couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and the story. It's my first book from this author and won't be my last.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the tone of this book, even though it wasn't particularly fast-paced. I enjoyed the main character's personal connection to the cases, and the end was neatly wrapped up (which is always nice). I did enjoy the writing style, so I will be keeping an eye out for more releases from this author.

Claire comes back to her hometown to become the detective in a small town police department. Her first case is unknowingly tied to the murder of her sister Rachel. Small town secrets come to light in this very suspenseful fast paced thriller. Loved Claire and Noah! I was very excited to see there is a sequel coming. Great start to a series. Loved it! Perfect amount of romance, lots of mystery and great story line!

3.5 Stars

You can read all of my book reviews at http://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.wordpre....

Claire Calderwood grew up in a small town in Maine. When she was a teenager, her sister Rachel was brutally murdered and the culprit was never arrested. After high school Claire fled her small town and made a life for herself as a homicide detective in Detroit. When another girl in the small town is killed in the same way as her sister, the police ask Claire to return to help them solve the case. Despite her grief and haunted past, Claire agrees to move back and help.

As she begins to investigate the murder, a tenacious reporter refuses to back off and repeatedly asks Claire questions she'd rather not answer. As he continues to dig into Rachel's death, he uncovers evidence that may point to the killer. After another girl is found dead, Claire reluctantly allows him to aid in her investigation.

I liked this book. The pace was steady and there were plenty of red herrings to keep a reader guessing until the end. Parts of the story were pretty far-fetched, especially some of the attacks on Claire and her ability to easily escape injury. The romance was also a bit over the top. Just because we have a tough, driven woman doesn't mean she always has to have a love interest to distract her. Overall, though, I liked the book and will read the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My review is on carolintallahassee.com
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I wrote about my likes and dislikes. I realize this is a series, which I am thrilled to have pre-ordered the second book! I cannot wait for it to launch.
I high school recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

Wow what an intense book. This is the first time I’ve read anything written by Dea Poitier but I’m here to tell you I will read her books again. This was a page turner and I didn’t expect the ending! Great job!

"No matter how many murders I solve, it won't fix me."
The first paragraph sets the very personal stakes for Detroit Homicide detective Claire Calderwood.
Written in the first person point of view, Claire takes us with her as she takes a call from the police dept in her home town of Vinalhaven.
They need her help to investigate a murder on the small island community where she grew up and where her own sister was murdered 15 yrs earlier.
What Claire finds is not one murder, but a serial killer at work.
It has to be someone from the island.
Someone she knows.
Someone who wants to stop her from getting to the truth.
Stakes increase with every chapter.
Exhilarating, tense and emotionally charged, this is real crime writing with heart.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I think I ended up requesting this book mostly based on the cover (which looks great). I don't usually love novels about a cop who is working to solve a crime, particularly one that is looking to set up for a series all about that same cop. So I did like this book and enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite right for me - I'm just not interested in this particular style of novel. Claire as a character wasn't my favorite either, she was a bit too gloomy for me. There were definitely some good parts to the novel and also there were a few very good plot twists. The ending felt pretty underwhelming for me, there weren't any great twists at the end or anything too exciting. I still liked the book though and thought it was a good read, I think that the genre it's in just isn't for me. If you liked series like Rizzoli & Isles or other series about a cop who solves crimes, I'd check this one out!

Next Girl to Die
The Calderwood Cases, Book 1

by Dea Poirier

Thomas & Mercer

Thomas & Mercer

General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 01 May 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Next Girl to Die through Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley:

If she solves the case, Claire Calderwood’s Sister Rachel’s murder will be avenged but not if the killer finds her first.

Fifteen years ago Claire Calderwood’s Sister Rachel was brutally murdered in their small hometown in Maine. Claire has finally made a life for herself as a homicide detective in Detroit, but when she is asked for help by the local
Police back at home, to a murder that is eerily similar to Rachel’s she finds herself thrust back into the past.

Claire returns home still haunted by Rachel’s cold case she hopes to solve the case so she can finally start putting her grief to rest. The last thing she needs as she starts investigating is Noah Washington a determined journalist, asking questions she is not ready to answer. Noah is a lot like her in the fact that he does not give up until he gets the answers he needs. Soon Claire reluctantly finds herself reluctantly relying on him more when Rachel’s death to come to light.

When the killer strikes yet again Claire knows he is not done. Now he sets his sites on Claire, can she make it safe.

This book is a powerful, suspenseful read, it had me on the edge of my seat!

I give Next Girl to Die five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Fifteen years have passed since the murder of her sister, Rachel when Detroit homicide detective Claire Calderwood is called home to Vinalhaven, Maine to investigate an all-too-similar murder. But as she investigates, she digs up secrets that someone would rather keep buried, and now she must solve both her sister's cold case and the new crimes before the killer can strike again.

Sound familiar? Yeah, it does, because it is practically the same basic plot-line as most mystery books out there: the heroine with some dark secrets in her past must return home and solve what is going on before more tragedy can strike.

"Next Girl to Die" by Dea Poirier wasn't a terrible read, but it wasn't terribly exciting or really that much different than other thrillers out there, either.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had the most intense build up to the climax, only to seriously drop the ball with the ending. I was on the edge of my seat through Next Girl to Die by Dea Poirier until I fell off my chair due to the rushed and predictable ending. It hurt fellow readers; I had such high hopes for this book.

Claire Calderwood is living in Detroit where she’s been working as a homicide detective. She ran away from her small town past as quickly as she could after her sister, Rachel, was found dead when they were teenagers and the killer was never found. When a call comes in from her hometown asking for her assistance in a murder that resembles her sister’s, Claire knows she has to go back. As she seeks out new details for the recent murders, secrets come to light about her sister’s murder years ago, details some people in her hometown wish never would come to light.

I was so captivated by this book. I was hooked on every little word until Poirier gave us the murder. From there, the book felt rushed and predictable all the way to the end. I was really hoping for a twist ending, where Poirier pulls a fast one and the murderer isn’t someone as likely as this. It almost felt like the she had given up and had to send in what she had. Let’s just say, it could have been an outstanding mystery thriller had it not been for the ending.

I found Claire, the main character, to be pretty interesting. She is deep and likeable, but has perseverance, a trait female readers can relate to; she really doesn’t back down from this fight, and even the desire to find her sister’s killer.

I wouldn’t say Next Girl to Die by Dea Poirier is a great book, but it is a solid debut novel. I would be very interested to see where Poirier takes Claire next. If anything, she needs to delve deeper into her backstory a bit more. I wouldn’t dismiss this book, especially if you’re looking for something with great pace and character development, but watch out for the ending, that was a major let-down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller
Triggers: Murder, Kidnapping

Claire is from a small town where her sister was brutally murdered. When a new murder is committed that is eerily like her sister’s, Claire is called back to her small island town to help solve the case.

Noah is a reporter who knows far more about these cases and wants to help. I found his character almost endearing because of how much he wanted to help. Claire is incredibly wary of him at first, mainly due to his profession. However, when Noah is able to prove himself useful, Claire is all in.

Claire and Noah will have to worry about small town gossip, missing information, and teasing out who they can trust and who is lying to them.

This story is full of twists, turns, and complexity that allows the reader to truly search for the killer while reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved how it ended. I can't wait for the next one to come out.