Detective Ellie Reeves #1

Penny Matthews is just five years old and she has disappeared from the small town on the Appalachain trail. Detective Ellie Reeves is called in to investigate. this case brings back dark memories of Ellie's childhood. FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox is also on the case. His sister went missing years ago in similar circumstances. He has compiled a list of similar cases, all were little girls. Is Penny the latest victim of a serial killer?

The suspense builds throughout the book. There's several suspects for you to choose from. Ellie's father is the sheriff and had been the lead investigator into Derrick Fox's sisters disappearance. The story is told mostly fron Ellie's point of view with snippets from other characters. The book is well written with plenty of twists. The characters are well developed and believable. The conclusion was perfect. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this new series.

i would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Rita Herron for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5★s

Detective Ellie Reeves was reeling from the confrontation with her parents, Randall (the local sheriff) and Vera, plus the deputy sheriff, as she left her parent’s house after what she’d thought would be a night of celebration. But her anger was interrupted by a call from the station to say a little girl was missing, gone from a picnic area by a creek in the Appalachian Mountains. Ellie headed there immediately, shuddering at her own memories.

While Ellie interviewed Penny’s parents, her team organized the search. The weather was against them, with a storm the bureau had dubbed Tempest heading their way. The volunteers and police, along with the Search and Rescue dogs, headed into the wild, dark forest where old mines, tumbling creeks, ravines and the unknown waited for those who were unprepared.

FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox watched the unfolding news with mounting trepidation. His little sister Kim had gone missing twenty five years previously; she was never found and Derrick was now sure there was a serial killer out there. Derrick joined the searchers, talking to Ellie about his theories and it wasn’t long before Ellie was convinced. The race was on, but when they found a small grave, they knew their suppositions were right…

The Silent Dolls is the first in the Detective Ellie Reeves series by Rita Herron and it was good!! Fast paced, twists, chills (not just from the weather!), deep, dark secrets – I really enjoyed it. I’ll be looking for the 2nd when it’s published. There was one spot toward the end where it was completely unrealistic, but other than that, I was hooked. Another new author; another new series! Ellie and Derrick were both good, strong characters albeit with trauma in their pasts. And what was it with Cord? Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book in a brand new series following Detective Ellie Reeves. This story follows Detective Ellie, who is called in to investigate a missing child and the circumstances around it. There is a lot of suspicion that the parents have something to do with it, until a FBI agent tracks her down and shows her evidence that this missing child may be linked to a serial killer that has been operating for over 20 years.


Let me just say, hang on for a wild ride! This new series was great - so many twists and turns and you couldn’t really guess what was going to happen next. Even when the mystery of “whodunnit” was solved, there was still another twist added at the end. I’m so looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book.


** I was given a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review **

This is a brilliant start to a new series. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one.
Ellie is a Detective on the Appalachian Trail (AT) which is a mountainous region and is contacted when a young girl goes missing.
A search party is set up straight away but there’s no sign of the little girl.
An FBI detective becomes aware of the case and heads over to see Ellie as he thinks it’s linked to other cases of young girls going missing across the country.
One if these girls is his sister so it has a personal meaning to him, to find out what happened to her.
Ellie’s father is the Sheriff and when he puts someone else forward to replace him, she’s deeply hurt. He has his reasons but they’re not what Ellie initially thinks they are.
Soon another girl is taken and the pressure is on the team to find the missing girls.
Ellie is left a carved wooden doll which prompts a memory from her childhood but she is confused by this.
They then find more of the dolls on the AT and also some small graves so they know they’re getting closer to him.
This is a gripping crime thriller that has a shocking final few chapters that had me racing through the pages.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow ! This book kept me guessing till the end ! A major league suspense written by a master storyteller ! You don't want to miss this book ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #SilentDolls

First, I want to thank Rita Herron, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Rita Herron’s incredibly intense, suspenseful, dark, twisted, thrilling, terribly heartbreaking, jaw dropping shocking new series Detective Ellie Reeves is a must read!! I totally fell in love with her first book in the series Silent Dolls. Rita definitely has an incredible gift for writing in this genre! She definitely acquired me as a new fan!

If you love really good detective stories, abductions, stories that pull hard on your heart strings, books that are extremely fast paced, has a lot of family tension, etc. Then this is a book for you.

Rita straight away got into the heart of the story. Instantly, I was fascinated by this storyline. The investigations, the press, the family dynamics and secrets, the wicked twists and turns, and oh the shocking moments that I never saw coming.

I am extremely excited to see where Rita takes this storyline. There are so many angles she could go with this. The sky's the limit for Detective Ellie Reeves.

I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.

First off, I would like to point out an error in Chapter 58 - remains are found, and the ME notes that the femur had been broken at some point. One of the officers remarks they may know the identity of the remains based on a prior victim having broken their arm at one point. The femur is the thigh bone, not a bone in the arm. The author should amend that to either the radius or ulna (lower arm) or humerus (upper arm). I am sure this will have been addressed before the book is released.

Rita Herron is a new-to-me author, and despite the anatomy error, I enjoyed this book very much. The story captured me from the very beginning, especially as you learned more about the central character - Ellie Reeves - and her family.

Police work is in Ellie's blood, and she will do anything to prove to those in charge that she is a capable detective, and worthy of following her father as Sheriff in their small Georgia town. Intriguing characters and a captivating back-story keep the action moving, and several red herrings throw you off until the true suspect is finally revealed. There are several twists that keep you on edge right up to the very end. And even at the end, you're still left with questions.

I thought this was a good introduction to a new series, and anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists and gritty action should definitely give this one a try.

This is a great thriller about young girls who go missing and the possibility of there being a serial killer spanning over 20 years. The story keeps you engaged and there are many twists and turns along the way. Some of them are a bit predictable, as I did guess some that were revealed at the end.
I do wish some things had been checked by the author, as one point they are going on about a girl having broken her arm in the past and the damage showing on the femur bone. The femur is a leg bone not an arm bone, so this just made the autopsy reports less believable and didn't feel right when it's coming from professional characters. Just a small error I know, but something that needs altering.
The ending felt a bit sudden, but it has made me want to read the next book when it comes out, as I want to know what is next in store for the characters. I did enjoy the book and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Silent Dolls, the first novel to feature Appalachian detective Ellie Reeves.

When seven year old Penny Matthews disappears from the Appalachian Trail Ellie Reeves is put in charge of finding her and it’s not easy with no clues and a rugged terrain. When FBI agent Derrick Fox learns of the disappearance he is desperate to join the hunt because his sister, Kim, disappeared on the Trail 25 years ago and his research suggests that she and Penny are not the only ones. Ellie soon comes to believe, like Derrick, that they are hunting a serial killer after a series of hand carved wooden dolls are found.

I enjoyed The Silent Dolls which has an interesting plot that held my attention from the tense start to the bombshell finish. It is told mostly from Ellie’s point of view with interjections from other characters, notably Penny describing her ongoing ordeal and the unnamed killer expressing his rather jumbled thoughts. This gives full coverage to the story but while I found Ellie’s side of things interesting and propulsive and Penny’s heartbreaking, if a touch redundant, there is nothing interesting or new in the killer’s thoughts or motivations. I could sum it up in a few words but I don’t want to issue spoilers.

This is very much a plot driven novel so the characterisation is fairly shallow. I did, however, think that the parents’ reactions were authentic and spot on. How all the events affect Ellie and her family are revealed in several denouements at the end of the novel. They are impactful, offer more than one bombshell and are more than worth the journey to that point. How realistic they are is open to interpretation but they certainly pack a punch. The journey itself continually moves forward with developments in every chapter. There is a shadowy deus ex machina figure, known as The Watcher, to help them make their discoveries and forestall any potential lull in the investigation. How he knows is never explained.

The Silent Dolls is a good read that I can recommend.

The premise of the lost girls is good and the twists the story takes but the only character I found likable and vulnerable was Cord. The ending was tied up quickly and weirdly with new facts coming out of nowhere
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review

This was a rollercoaster of a mystery. It was gritty and tense with a fascinating cast of characters. There was a number of potential suspects and I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded. I found the ending a little farfetched and over the top but overall it was a really good read.

What a crazy ride through the Appalachian Trail we are taken on in search for a missing girl taken by a serial killer who been killing young girls for 25 years.

I was riveted to the story from page one through to the shocking ending. Which was an ending for somethings but an opened Pandora's box for others. I hope there isn't to long a wait for the next book.

Fascinating cast of characters.. Detective Ellie Reeve who is tough as nails in her professional life but suffers from nightmares from a childhood incident that may or may not be tied to her current case.. FBI Agent Derrick Fox whose sister went missing 25 years ago and he thinks was the first victim in a long line of girls taken in the 25 years since. He has been relentless in his pursuit and this current case is as close as he as ever gotten to the killer. Ranger Cord McClain is dark and broody but has helped in many missing person cases in the Appalachian trail. His scars hint at a traumatic childhood but he keeps his secrets close to the vest.

To say much more would be giving spoilers so I will just highly recommend reading this book and patiently wait for the next one.

What a fantastic thriller! A search for little Penny Matthews who disappeared from a picnic with her parents along the Appalachian Trail with a major storm brewing leads to much action and suspense. Detective Ellie Reeves is on the case and willing to face bad weather and any danger to find Penny. Finding out from FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox that he suspected that this case was part of a serial killer case he was investigating floored Ellie. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises as Ellie and Derrick work to find Penny. I really enjoyed this book.

A little girl goes missing at a site on the Appalachian Trail. Ellie, a detective is determined to find her. She knows what it’s like to be lost in the woods, knows how scared this little girl is.
I loved Ellie’s character, she is so determined. I really need more of her.
I was drawn into this book quickly and it was very hard to put down. I cannot wait to read the next one. This is going to be a wonderful series..
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I've been a HUGE fan of Rita Herron's for a long time and when I saw on social media she was releasing another series I was very excited!! Well I just finished the first book in the Detective Ellie Reeves series and it was no surprise to me that this book was absolutely fantastic. This author just grabs you into the book from the very first pages with so much suspense from the get go. Ellie is such a great character that you can't help but not want to follow her story. There is a serial killer kidnapping and murdering young girls and it is up to Ellie and her team to find him before the next girl is murdered. Suspense, thrills and great female lead character you can't help yourself you will be up all night reading. Loved it and I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes a great mystery with suspense and a shocking twist at the end. I look forward to reading the next in the series! Great book and great author!

This story is set in Appalachia and starts out with the disappearance of a little girl. Penny. For the lead investigator the case stirs up disturbing memories from her own childhood. The SA involved in the case has baggage of his own and thinks Penny's disappearance is linked to a host of others with similar MO in the Appalachias. The story culminates with several loose ends and unanswered questions. Entertaining and intriguing read. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me access to this book for review.

The Silent Dolls by Rita Herron
Wow what a rollercoater read! You are straight into the story and the tension is well maintained right through to the gripping end.
I loved Ellie, and look forward to more books in this series. She is a great female lead, and I enjoyed her detective work.
A good solid read and 5 stars from me.

The Silent Dolls the first book in a new series from Rita Herron, featuring Detective Ellie Reeves.

Ellie Reeves is a Detective in Crooked Creek, Georgia, near the Appalachian mountains trail. Her father is the Sheriff and, as he’s retiring soon, Ellie Reeves intends to succeed him. Those plans gets derailed in the very first pages, but Detective Reeves won’t have time to dwell much on it, as news of the disappearance of a little girl on the trail scramble a coordinated response team. With a winter storm approaching, fears are high that the lost kid could die of hypothermia. Soon, however, foul play is suspected. And, when FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox, from Decatur, links the disappearance with multiple others over a course of twenty years, including the one of his very own sister, there is no doubt left.

The characters in this novel are quite disconcerting at first. With a troubled past awakened by the case, afraid of the black and claustrophobic, Ellie Reeves is reckless. As if she had to prove something to herself or others, she barges into a meth lab (and fires rounds in it) without backup, rushes into a house without clearing it first, and asks her poor captain for warrants and subpoenas by phone without providing cause (maybe judges are more lax over there). A FEMA SAR Agent, the taciturn Cord McClain, man of the mountains and ranger, also has a troubled past and troubling habits. Special Agent Derrick Fox’ obsessions lead him to some lack in judgment, reminiscent of another, cherished, FBI agent named Fox.

The Appalachian mountains, woods and trail, the animals and humans inhabiting them, give a nice and unusual atmosphere. Not only as a background but as an integral part of the story. I don’t remember having read a thriller set in rural Georgia before.

The writing is solid, and reading this novel comes easy. This is a quick entertaining read, quite thrilling too, as long as you’re capable of some suspension of disbelief (It’ll really be tested in the final chapters). In spite of this, there is no regret at having picked up this book, and I’ll keep my eyes open for the next entry in the series.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Silent Dolls by Rita Herron that I read and reviewed.
This this the first book in a new series by Rita Herron and if this book is any indication of what we as readers have what to look forward too with this series I can’t wait for more. I loved this first book from the first page to the last page and I am waiting for the next book to come out to see what happens with Ellie and what she found out at the end of this book. Rita Herron has a great series started with The Silent Dolls!
I was in love with this book and the story from the start and it only got better as it went on. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen and I could never get it just right and that is what I look for in a great suspense book. Then the end what can I say about that except for WOW! I can not wait until for the next book to see who Ellie turns to for help and what she ends up doing with everything. This book was one of the best books I have read so far this summer.
The Silent Dolls gets five out of five stars!

What a way to start a new series, this is a fantastic read which had me gripped till the last page.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series