I love to start a series from the beginning and this one, The Girls in the Snow by Stacy Green is the cat's pyjamas!

Nikki Hunt has come back to Stillwater, Minnesota after twenty years of working away. FBI Profiler/ Special Agent Nikki has been given the case of missing best friends Madison and Kaylee, discovered frozen solid in a field of snow. Nikki was 16 when her parents were murdered and Madison's stepdad, John, supported her at that terrible time, and when she identified their killer, Mark Todd. Now, Mark has appealed his conviction and his brother, Rory begs Nikki to look at some new facts. Nikki is forced to confront the possibility that Madison and Kaylee’s deaths could be connected to her parents’ murders, and that everything she believes about that time is therefore questionable.

This compelling and engaging story hotted up with alacrity. The characters were very well portrayed and protagonist Nikki was created and developed wonderfully. I found her to be resourceful, intelligent and dogged in her quest for justice. Her supporting team, Agent Liam Wilson and Forensic Analyst Courtney Hart, were likeable, professional characters and the dynamics between them were great. As the book bounded towards the resolution, the suspense and edge-of-your-seat tension culminated in an unpredictable, jaw-dropping finale. I’m very keen to read the next instalment in this promising new series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.

Nikki Hunt has spent her life trying to hide from the memories of the night of her parents' murders. She became an FBI agent to seek justice for other people. When she is called to Stillwater, MN, she finds the bodies of two girls, frozen to death. At first, Nikki thinks they might be victims of a serial killer she has been pursuing, but the MO doesn't match. When she finds out that one of the children is her high school boyfriend's (John Banks) stepdaughter, memories begin flooding back of the night of her parents death. Meanwhile, there is a protest claiming that the man convicted of murdering Nikki's parents (Mark Todd) is innocent.

I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced. A great procedural. I am rating it 4 stars for a few reasons, but the writing itself was fantastic and absolutely worth a read.

I really wanted more from Nikki as a person. She is exactly who I expected her to be, damaged and tough, and I love that! But I would have loved to see more scenes with her daughter, Lacey. I loved the scenes we did get because it showed Nikki's heart.

I did feel that some things were drawn out a lot, and how many times we were reminded that Nikki was damaged or didn't want people to recognize her slightly annoyed me, because I didn't feel that I needed the constant reminder with her thinking the same things over and over. But this is me being super nitpicky.

I had a difficult time connecting with Liam and Courtney. I love when I can connect with the side characters, too, but I didn't find it in this book. I really wanted to connect with them, but I don't think we learned enough about them in this book, which is okay. I also wanted more Tyler.

What I did love was the romantic build up with Rory Todd. ABSOLUTELY loved how that subplot was laid out and how it turned out. I hope we get to see more of Rory in the future.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I liked Nikki and I can't wait to see what she is up against next! I look forward to learning more about her and her character arc. The settings were awesome and I was able to follow along and picture every single place Nikki was at. It was fast paced and kept my attention. The character's leaving me wanting more isn't a complete bad thing, because they also caught my attention and I'm anxious for the next book.

Definitely worth reading!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3602103835?book_show_action=false

Thank You Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

FBI Agent Nikki Hunt is called back to her hometown, Stillwater in Minnesota where she wanted to be further away from. The murders of two teenage girls, Madison and Kaylee were eerily similar to the Frost murders that FBI is investigating--they were left frozen to death on the snow with a red ribbon on their hair. Meanwhile, Nikki's past comes haunting back to her when a man who she thinks is guilty of murdering her parents is appealing and many are supporting him as DNA tests came to light. And while trying to solve the two girls' murders, her past is haunting her and the secrets long buried is come back to live...

This book is the first book I have read from the author. This book is also the first of the Nikki Hunt series. This thriller is quiet fast paced which I like and is quiet a page turner and unputdownable. There is so much suspense in the book that the author did a good job keeping the reader hooked into the story, I mean who actually killed those two girls? Is it the serial killer or someone doing a copycat murder? And then about Nikki's past about her parents' murder--is the man behind the bars innocent as he claims and who is responsible then? These questions haunt you in your head as you read more and more, wanting to know more. I like Nikki's estranged relationship with her hometown as she has mixed feelings about returning back to the town as well her relationship with colleagues and her ex-boyfriend, John Banks. There were some twists and turns and towards the end, it was a bit unexpected. The writing was good and I simply couldn't put down the book and read it really quick. Really enjoyed this thriller. Worth five stars!

Years ago, Nikki’s parents were killed and she helped put the man in prison. She studied hard and got out of town to go to college. Now she’s an agent in the FBI in the behavioral unit. Nikki returns after two girl go missing and turn up dead. The cops believe it’s a serial killer Nikki has been after. Nikki finds out the step dad of one of the girls is her ex boyfriend. Evidence has been newly discovered and the killer of her parents might go free. As Nikki investigates the girls murder, evidence is pointing to it having something to do with her parents murder. Can Nikki find the killer before they strike again?
First time reading this author and I couldn’t put it down. Suspense that will keep you hooked until the very last page. Even when I wasn’t reading it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This book only tells Nikki’s point of view. Now me personally likes to read different pov but I had to see what happened.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *

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

Bookouture you have done it again!! You have introduced me to not only an incredibly gifted criminal thriller author Stacy Green but her latest book The Girls in the Snow is part of a series. YES-this is one series I want to continue with! This book stood out to me more than any other I had read in the past-and trust me I read a lot.

This cover is so unique and different unlike any cover you will see too. It is very mysterious yet cryptic. You will learn later why this title and this cover is so spot on to the story!

Reading The Girls in the Snow was like watching the movie version on Lifetime Channel play out in my head. Stacy, you should really consider sending them the manuscript! This is a phenomenal movie that would be so fun to see on the screen!!

There was one thing that I could relate to in the book that makes you think. We all have career goals when we are younger. However, either an event in our lives or tragedy makes you rethink your career priority. It happened with Nikki and me as well.

What I loved about this book that was so different about any other book was it was in a small town where everyone knew everyone!! So, for Nikki to come back into town it was a unique reunion as she knew the residents. She had to solve two murders but also at the same time deal with her own demons from the past. The combination of the two stories made it an overall incredible book!

The Girls in the Snow was full of heartbreak, tragedy, graphic scenes, investigating the past while reliving it, all the twists and turns, the mystery and suspense of what really happened. Not to mention the very climatic ending that I never saw coming.

I just have to start by saying that I cannot wait for a next book to be published. I simply couldn’t put this book down.

FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt and her team got me completely hooked up and I just couldn’t stop until I found out how was the story going to unravel.

Fast paced with a lot of mystery, twists and turns and amazing characters, this books hits all the necessary points for making it a great read.

There were some parts that were a little bit predictable but it didn’t make it any less interesting in my opinion. I loved to puzzle the story together, whilst the detectives were trying to do the same.

I loved to learn about Nicole’s past and I hope that the next books bring her some more happiness. I would love to learn more about her colleagues Liam and Courtney as well as Rory and the Serial Killer that was mentioned throughout the book.

Overall, I just can’t wait for more books in the series! This book was simply thrilling and I can’t wait to follow the adventures of Nikki Hunt and her team

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and Stacy Green for the opportunity to read and advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This is a great start to a new series.
Nikki Hunt is a Special Agent for the FBI and returns to Stillwater, Minnesota as two teenagers’ bodies having been found frozen in the snow.
Twenty years ago she found her parents brutally murdered in their home and hasn’t been back home for many years.
Now she’s back she can’t help but notice the media attention her parents’ murderer is getting. With protestors outside the courthouse and station they all say Mark is innocent.
Nikki knows what happened that night - doesn’t she? Things make her question her memories and soon she is reviewing the case file.
With not many leads Nikki and Miller are struggling to work out who killed the teenage girls and when a woman is then found dead, they step up the investigations a gear.
Nikki is trying to concentrate on the girls’ murders but her parents’ murders are weighing heavily on her mind. Plus she’s got a nasty feeling they could be linked and the wrong person is in prison.
This is a brilliant start to a new series and I can’t wait to find out what’s next for Nikki.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

A great start to a new series.

I was absolutely hooked from the first page. I read this in two days as I didn't want to put it down.

Nikki is a fantastic character and I can't wait to read more about her.

This was a quick read, but for me the character background overshadowed the murder mystery. I know all crime books have a leading character of someone with a difficult history, but this was distracting for me. The plot was fast and interesting though, and still an enjoyable read.

Nikki Hunt #1

In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen year old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local. The whole town had been looking for the missing best friends, Madison and Kaylee. When Nikki finds out who Madison's stepfather is, she wants to lead the case. She had once trusted John and he had stood by her when her parents were murdered when she was just sixteen.

This is the first time Nikki has been back home in twenty years. The story is more complex than we first believe it to be. With two plotlines playing out together, you are in for an action packed read. Nikki Hunt is an FBI Profiler who's leasing a team that's been dispatched to thank #NetGalley,#Bookouture and the author #StacyGreen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A promising start to a new series.

The plot was interesting and the story had some good twists towards the end but I felt it dragged a little in the middle. Also some of the characters felt a little flat so I'm hoping they get a little more developed in later books.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for the sequels!

I loved the premise of this book and once I started reading, I found it more than lived up to expectations. An FBI agent gets called back to her hometown to investigate the murder of two teenage girls, at the same time that her parent's killer is seeking a release from prison due to new DNA evidence. A few minor quibbles to get out of the way. There is still a lot of editing to be done here. Some parts of the dialogue just don't flow at all and could really use some help being moved around a bit. This is a hard to put down book so when a distracting dialogue flow pops it, I found it annoying. And as far as the backstory goes, it needed to be fleshed out a bit more. There is one part where we are introduced to a seemingly minor character and Nikki references him several times throughout and yet it's not until a short while later that it's revealed she knew him in high school. It doesn't add anything to the story by holding out on this information and again, it's distracting. Ok like I said minor quibbles! I loved everything else about this book from the character development to the plot to the twists to the ending to the fact that this is the first in a series of more to come! Stacy Green's writing is on point and I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!
**Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an unbiased review**

The Girls in the Snow is the first instalment in the Nikki Hunt series, set in Stillwater, Minnesota. FBI Special Agent and criminal profiler Nikki Hunt has been chosen to head up a new Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU) that deals with crimes in the jurisdictions of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Nikki is returning to her hometown of Stillwater, after nearly 20 years, to investigate the murders of two teenage girls, 15-years-olds Madison and Kaylee, discovered frozen solid in a snow-blanketed field. After weighing up the deaths she initially believes the perpetrator to be Mr Frost, a serial killer she has been chasing for years but soon comes to the realisation that the slayings were the handiwork of a different individual. The reason Nikki has tried to stay well away from the town is because of the memories it evokes. Almost two decades have passed since both her mother and father were murdered seemingly by Mark Todd who was convicted of the brutal crime. But now the townsfolk are calling for a judicial review due to new facts coming to light, but surely he must be guilty when he was found in her parents bedroom covered in blood with his fingerprints on the gun, right?

This is a riveting, twisty and difficult to put down read which not only has a central plot but also has an interesting backstory concerning Nikki and her tumultuous past, which happens to be just as fascinating as the search for Mr Frost. It's well written, with twists and turns aplenty and plenty of investigative action to sink your teeth into. Because it's told exclusively from Nikki's perspective it helped me to become fully immersed in the story and is apt given she knows most of the locals personally having grown up there. It's fast-paced and held my attention from the very first page with its compelling and utterly absorbing story, and despite how intense and drama-filled it is, it remains easy to follow and understand and there is never a dull moment. Nikki is a great protagonist who is resourceful, intelligent and rarely gives up on her quest for justice and her team, Agent Liam Wilson and Forensic Analyst Courtney Hart, work well together and have a positive dynamic. It all builds as the book progresses towards a resolution and the suspense and edge of your seat tension culminate in an unpredictable and shocking conclusion. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

The Girls in the Snow is a well-written, well-researched police procedural featuring a strong female protagonist, profiler Nikki Hunt, who is on the trail of a serial killer. After new bodies are found, Nikki believes someone else may be behind the killings. Could the murderer be tied to a tragic event in Nikki’s own past?

Though this book was well-written and well-executed, it’s a premise I’ve read so many times already: damaged female profiler still trying to solve a terrible trauma in her childhood as she pursues a serial killer. I didn’t feel this book covered any new ground here, and most of the plot was somewhat predictable to me. Nonetheless, Nikki is a strong and interesting character and the law enforcement procedural elements are very well done. Fans of strong female FBI and law enforcement characters in other series like Andrew Mayne’s will also love Nikki Hunt. 3.5 stars.

The Girls in the Snow is the first book by Stacy Green which I’ve read, and you can label me a big fan. I hope this is the first book in a long-running series featuring FBI Agent Nikki Hunt; I can’t wait to read more.

The police are already looking for a sadistic serial killer, and when the bodies of two young girls are discovered, the police instantly draw a connection. But Detective Nikki Hunt isn’t sure that the perpetrator is the same. She believes that the killer is local and that it isn’t in the same style as the killer they have been previously hunting for. And this new case they are investigation is about to blow haunting memories of her past wide open.

I thought Nikki was a really intriguing character. The book opens with a chilling flashback scene from her past when her parents were murdered. For years her parent’s murders have been an open and shut case after the killer was identified and sentenced. But new evidence comes to light shining doubt on the prosecution. Is it possible that the wrong man was convicted? Who is the real killer who has let an innocent man go to prison in his stead?

You can see just how much the reopening of old wounds haunts Nikki. She can’t bear the thought of the wrong man being convicted. In a bid to push these thoughts to one side, she throws herself into the current investigation. But as they ramp up efforts to track down the killer, who has so far evaded them, she can’t help but be drawn back to her parent’s murders all the time.

The Girls in the Snow made for an absolutely gripping read. I flew through it, and Stacy Green kept the tension turning up a notch. It was the investigation and Nikki’s personal story that kept me hooked. I really felt for Nikki as she grappled with coming to terms with the fact that the wrong man may have been put in prison for her parent’s murder. You can see that she doesn’t want to believe it, and she is keen to put off looking again at her parent’s case. She doesn’t want to be drawn back into it, but she also knows that it will be inevitable.

I’ll certainly be downloading the next book in this series when it is released. This is definitely recommended for fans of crime and psychological thrillers. This is another crime series which I’m sure will become a favourite of mine.

This is the first time I’ve read a book by this author, but I can guarantee it will not be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this book. If you’re into true crime and love reading about detective investigation, pick this up! I was immediately hooked after only a few pages in. The story revolves around an FBI agent who is called back to her hometown after the bodies of two teenage girls have been discovered frozen in the snow. Our main character is plagued by her own demons after her parents were brutally killed when she was a teenager. As you read on you start thinking there might be a connection between the murders of these girls and that hideous crime 20 years ago. I did NOT guess who the killer was!

Twenty years after her parents were murdered, with her sixteen-year-old self finding their bodies, Nikki Hunt was a Special Agent for the FBI. She had never returned to Stillwater, Minnesota, the hometown she’d left as soon as she was able. Now, with two teenagers’ bodies having been found frozen in the snow, Nikki had been called on to help find the killer. The eeriness of her return wasn’t lost on her, and when she found the media bringing back her parent’s murders, Nikki was frustrated, determined to stay on track with the current murders.

When another young woman’s body was found, Nikki knew they were running out of time. But things were escalating, and the danger was multiplying. Would Nikki and her team find the killer? And was there any connection to her long ago past?

The Girls in the Snow is the first in the Nikki Hunt series by Stacy Green and it’s gritty, filled with tension, and riveting! Just like all I’ve read before by this author! And although it’s been awhile since I’ve read any of her work, I’ll definitely be continuing with this series. Nikki is a great character and her daughter, five-year-old Lacey, is adorable. A thoroughly enjoyable crime thriller which I highly recommend.

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

😲Wow! The sins of the past come back to roost in rural Minnesota🎑 Really well done👍

I thoroughly enjoyed this entire, fast-paced whodunit. Author Stacy Green kept the suspense high, the outcome in question right through to the end and even threw a touch of romance in to the mix. I can't cite one example of an element in the story I did not like.

Female lead FBI profiler Nikki Hunt, in a great twist and complication to the plot, is both a victim through the brutal slaughter of her parents twenty years past and the hero who leads a team of her FBI colleagues and local police to right old wrongs and solve the newly-discovered gruesome murder of two young teenagers from her small hometown. This is a heroine I want to see more of.

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

I loved this book so much!! It is a crime mystery/thriller and is sooo addicting!!
The bodies of two missing fifteen-year old girls are found frozen in a forest in Stillwater, Minnesota. Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local; someone who the area and hid them in a place where they thought they would never be found. Nikki is home for time in 20 years and when she finds out one of the girls is the step-daughter of her ex-boyfriend John who she dated in high school she is determined to lead the case. John was once the person she trusted the most in the world, and who stood by her when her parents were murdered when she was 16. John also helped her through the trial where she testified and identified their killer, Mark Todd. But Nikki arrives at the Sheriff’s office and is confronted by protestors eager to see Mark freed. New evidence in the case could clear his name, Mark’s appeal has lead Rory (Mark’s younger brother) to beg Nikki to look over the case. Nikki is determined to focus on the girls, but she is constantly wondering if she put her trust in the right people and if the same person who killed these two girls also killed her parents all those years ago.
There is so much that goes on in this book and honestly I can’t even describe to you what else goes on. There is SO much. This is a high-speed thriller with twists and turns you will NEVER see coming.

The Girls in the Snow opens with a creepy "girl comes home to find parents slain" prologues. From there, we're zipped into the future, where the same girl is now a woman, working for the FBI.

This opener in the Nikki Hunt series is quite good: Hunt is back in Stillwater, Minnesota. It's business, this time, though. Two teenage girls have been found dead in the snow, after previously vanishing from a trail. Hunt has been working a serial killer case known as Frost (as he leaves his victims in the snow after killing them), but Hunt knows this is not his work. Still, she decides to stay on and work the case. This is my quibble with the book, which I'll touch on further below.

She discovers while she's in town that the man convicted of murdering her parents is getting a new hearing. There are protestors outside the courthouse, convinced that the investigation done at the time was faulty and Hunt's memory of the events that night even moreso. That man's brother also wants her to go talk to the man face to face and also review the case notes. She pushes him away, but tendrils of doubt start her questioning the events of that night. Oh, and her ex-boyfriend is still living in town, too, now married - and is the father of one of the girls found murdered.

The investigation into the current day murders starts very slowly, but pick up steam, and when another body is found - this time a dancer from one of local clubs. Hunt and her team pick up that case, too, and soon the two come crashing together, albeit in a way that might surprise readers.

Overall, a good read. There weren't many laggy parts, and the characters were all pretty rounded out - no cardboard cutout secondary characters here. My only issue was that Hunt stayed on to head up the investigation once it was clear the girls were not victims of the Frost killer. There was a potential conflict of interest (her ex-boyfriend being the father of one of the dead girls) as well as the issue with the potential that the man she'd helped lock away when she was a teen herself would receive a new trial (not to mention the emotional aspect of it all).

Other than that - and I'm willing to overlook this for fictional purposes in a story that's well done - it was an enjoyable read.

A solid four out of five stars.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy.