BOOK REVIEW: The Killers Girl by @helenphifer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Firstly a huge thanks to @netgalley and the author for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Official Synopsis:

‘Mama, wake up.’
The little girl reached for her mother’s face with one pudgy hand. But the eyes stayed closed, and the blood continued to trickle across the floor.

When the body of a young woman is found, tied to her bed and the victim of a brutal attack in her own home, Detective Morgan Brookes is sickened by what she finds as she searches the house. And unprepared for the nightmares it inspires about her childhood.

When the DNA collected gives a positive ID, Morgan can’t wait to put the attacker behind bars. But the person it matches to is already in prison. How could the DNA of someone who has been locked up for over twenty years have shown up in Morgan’s crime scene? And then they make another close match. To Morgan herself.

Faced with the impossible proof that she is somehow connected to this case, Morgan delves deep into the crimes of a killer who stalked the Lake District two decades ago. But distracted by the old case, she misses the signs that he has found a new victim. And when he strikes close to home, Morgan finally realises that she has been living on borrowed time. To find this killer, it’s clear she must confront the nightmares in her past.

MY THOUGHTS:
Now when I was first gifted this copy I had no idea it was book 2 in a series - and to be honest that is the ONLY reason I only gave it a four out of five because I really do think you need to have read the first one to wholly enjoy the plot of this one. There are a lot of back references to the previous books’ murders and the relationships between the characters are quite important so the background is almost necessary to figure out what’s happening in this one.

That being said - Wowzers I loved this book! I raced through the pages reading well into the night and I definitely can’t wait to read the next one.

#policeprocedural #crimebook #thriller #serialkiller #mystery #psychologicalthriller #bookstagram #bookreview #arc #thrillerbook #books #whattoreadnext #booksofinstagram #kindle #booksandcoffee #killer

This is the second book in the series featuring Detective Morgan Brookes and I enjoyed it even better than the first one. The book opens with a murder in 1999 where a young mother is murdered by her husband in front of her two young children. In the present day Morgan and her boss DS Ben Matthew’s are called out to a particularly nasty murder of a young woman, Gabrielle. Her parents have returned from their holiday to find her dead, in pool of blood, apparently murdered three or four days earlier. Morgan is sickened by the murder and vows to find the killer. She is perplexed when the DNA collected matches the DNA of someone who has been in prison the the last twenty years and that it is also a close match to Morgan herself. Wondering how she can be connected to the case Morgan starts investigating the killer in prison but before long she herself becomes a suspect. Ben knows that this cannot be true but they have a real race against time to find the real killer as Morgan’s own life seems to be in danger. This book was impossible to put down, full of tension, suspense and red herrings as there were so many secrets to be revealed. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Killer’s Girl starts with a flashback that sets the scene for…something. There’s an act of violence but it is difficult to tell what is most important about the event. Is it the suspicions of the victim? The brutal suddenness of the perpetrator? Or that a child witnessed the entire thing? The answers to the above questions become apparent over the course of the investigation, as Morgan tries to track down the killer. As I mentioned in my review of the previous book Morgan being a rookie led to some of her behaviors being unusual. As usual, I’m not going to give away the plot points of the crime, but it’s another good one. I find that in crime procedurals, it’s more about the investigation itself – at least, that’s how I look at it. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

Loved this! So good, so exciting, so gripping and great story. Can't wait to read more by this author - absolutely brilliant.

This is book two in the Detective Morgan Brookes series. A young woman is found brutally attacked inside a home with her toddler daughter. Detective Brookes arrives at the scene and is disturbed she begins having nightmares about her childhood. She gets a DNA match to a person, but he’s already in jail and the other set of DNA is hers. How could this be?

Detective Brookes throws herself into the two decades old case, missing signs from the current one. She will need to figure out her past to find the killer before he takes anther victim. This is my first introduction into the author and I’m hooked, I’ll be reading the first book in the series! It’s fast paced, suspenseful, and quite intense. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

This book was great! I love the main character, Morgan who is climbing the ranks to detective really fast but you can tell she has great instincts and this job acceleration brings tension to other characters in the story. The story is pretty gruesome in the bodies that are found, but the story and climax were really well written. I hope there is a book three in this series.

I did not read the first book in this series but still loved this one. It has all the things that I love in a thriller. That edge of your seat fear. The wondering who did it. Rooting for the good guy and hoping the bad one is brought to justice.

This is a very intense thriller that will keep you reading. You will find yourself holding your breath.
The characters are great and well developed.
The storyline is suburb and the descriptions are great.
How things play out was done great.

I look forward to more books by Helen Phifer.

Thank you #NetGalley, #HelenPhifer, #Bookouture for this ARC. This is my own thoughts about this book.

5/5 stars and a high recommend.

The second in this series.
Another great read.
D.C Morgan Brooke’s and her superior D.S Ben Mathews are called to a house where they find a young woman tied to her bed murdered.
When the D.N.A is identified it belongs to someone already in prison but also to Morgan.
Morgan then starts getting texts of the murdered girls phone .
Her colleagues are worried for her.
Morgan hasn’t been on good terms with Stan (her dad) but he seems to be turning his life around and stopping drinking.
But the next murder shocks them to the core .
Can they stop the murderer before he strikes again.
A great read
Thanks NetGalley

The second book in the Morgan Brookes’ series was fast-paced with so much happening in Morgan’s life as well as in the new murder case. A young woman is found murdered in her own bed at home; she is the first victim. The serial killer is toying with Morgan and getting closer and closer to the one he really wants under his control. Ben is the head detective on the case and tries to do all that he can to protect Morgan from the threat of the killer, but he ends up killing really close to home. With a broken heart and a lot of reflection, Morgan’s story slows down some in the middle but picks up again quickly. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters and how well-fleshed out they were. They seemed like real people who could just step out of the written page. I also enjoyed the cat and mouse game that the killer played; it made a good mystery. There were a few red herrings and twists, enough to keep me engaged from beginning to end. I am definitely looking forward to the next Morgan Brookes book because I enjoy her youthful enthusiasm and her intuitive detective skills. Fans of police procedurals and mysteries will enjoy this book. It can be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading the first book in the series so you know Morgan’s backstory.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Helen Phifer never fails to provide us with a gripping plot, and The Killer's Girl is certainly no different
This is the second instalment in the Police procedural series that follows Detective Morgan Brookes.. Although this book can quite easily be read as a standalone, I would certainly recommend reading the previous book in this series first as it helps give you a real sense of the characters.

This book was impossible to put down at the best of times! The characters throughout are so well developed and realistic, with each individual adding a new spin to the story.
The plot was perfectly paced, with the suspense levels increasing as the story came close to its conclusion, keeping me sat on the edge of my seat and holding my breath too. The storyline is unique, and incredibly detailed, you get a real sense of what those dealing with the tragic events are seeing and feeling.

This was an absolute page turner, and I sincerely hope that there will be future books in this brilliant series!.

THE KILLER’S GIRL is the second book in a police procedural series featuring Detective Morgan Brookes by Helen Phifer. I’ve read a few of Helen Phifer’s books and this second book in the series is a definite winner! Although this book can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the books in order to get a full history. This is my review of The Killer’s Girl.

The books in the Detective Morgan Brookes Series:
BOOK 1-ONE LEFT ALIVE
BOOK 2-THE KILLER’S GIRL

DC Morgan Brookes and her boss, DS Ben Matthews investigate a recent crime scene, a sudden death on Park Avenue, the body of a young woman, Gabby Stevens, tied to her bed, a victim of a brutal attack in her own home. This stirs up recent memories, as only a few weeks ago, a killer broke into Morgan’s apartment and attacked her. The horror from inside Gabby’s bedroom would forever remain in Morgan’s mind.

When the DNA collected gives a positive ID, Morgan can’t wait to put the attacker behind bars. But the person it matches to is already in prison. How could the DNA of someone who has been locked up for over twenty years have shown up in Morgan’s crime scene? And then they make another close match. To Morgan herself.

Morgan suffered from bad dreams but can’t remember them. She always wakes up at four twenty-five, since her mum died. Morgan and her alcoholic father, Stan, are in the process of repairing their relationship after a long absence.

But when Morgan’s father is murdered, the DNA points to Morgan. There are now discrepancies with the DNA results from both crime scenes. How was this possible?

Morgan must dig deeper into the crimes of a killer and must confront her childhood past to find the killer, and confront the nightmares in her past.

I loved this second well-written novel as well as the first, with its concise plot and well- developed characters that come alive on the pages. From the ending, I can only speculate that there will be a third book, to continue the series. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.

Title: The Killer's Girl
Author: HELEN PHIFER
Publication Day: 10/12/20

Description:

‘Mama, wake up.’

The little girl reached for her mother’s face with one pudgy hand. But the eyes stayed closed, and the blood continued to trickle across the floor.

When the body of a young woman is found, tied to her bed and the victim of a brutal attack in her own home, Detective Morgan Brookes is sickened by what she finds as she searches the house. And unprepared for the nightmares it inspires about her childhood.

When the DNA collected gives a positive ID, Morgan can’t wait to put the attacker behind bars. But the person it matches to is already in prison. How could the DNA of someone who has been locked up for over twenty years have shown up in Morgan’s crime scene? And then they make another close match. To Morgan herself.

Faced with the impossible proof that she is somehow connected to this case, Morgan delves deep into the crimes of a killer who stalked the Lake District two decades ago. But distracted by the old case, she misses the signs that he has found a new victim. And when he strikes close to home, Morgan finally realises that she has been living on borrowed time. To find this killer, it’s clear she must confront the nightmares in her past…

A heart-racing, nerve-wracking crime thriller. Fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Patricia Gibney will be completely gripped.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Killer's Girl' by Helen Phifer.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 10th December 2020

This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in her 'Detective Morgan Brookes' series but can be read as a standalone. The first book in the series is called 'One Left Alive' which I also highly recommend and I also loved her second book in her 'Beth Adams' series 'The Girls In The Lake'.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis. It is also the second book in the series that I have read the first one of so I'm looking forward to continuing it. It also stated in the synopsis that fans of Angela Marsons will be gripped. I am a huge fan of Angela's books so am looking forward to see if it loves up to this. I haven't got any doubts to be honest as I also love Helen s books. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 58 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in the Lake District, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited the Lake District on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Helen has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist are Detective Constable Morgan Brooks, Detective Sergeant Ben Matthews and Detective Constable Amy Smith. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.

Wow!!! Just Wow!!! I did not see that one coming!!! Another brilliant book from this very talented author. Fantastically written and such an addictive and compelling read. Excellent descriptions making it so easy to imagine what's going on. The book cover and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.

The storyline is an absolute roller-coaster ride filled with suspense, crime, drama, red herrings and is a very good psychological thriller that kept me up until late at night. Did not see that one coming at all so well done Helen. It gets harder and harder to surprise me when it comes to crime books after reading so many yet that was a shocker. I loved the twist and just loved watching it all unfold. I was absolutely gutted by a certain part of what happened (I won't say more than that as to not spoil it for future readers) and did not expect that to happen at all. I loved that another character came back into the storyline from the previous book and I'm looking forward to reading more about them. The storyline itself was very realistic and I would say that Helen has done quite alot of research in regards to procedure plus more which shines through when your reading. I loved how the book ended and am looking forward to see how the next one plays out.

I loved meeting all the characters again. As I said previously I'm glad that a previous character has been given a bigger role let's say and am looking forward to meeting them amongst all (well mainly all) the other characters. The characters were all very strong and the fact that Morgan and Amy are such strong females was definitely a bonus with me being female myself. I loved Amy and Morgan and her relationship with Ben and would love to read more about her. I'd love to read more about Ben, Morgan and a few others actually. I am looking forward to see what becomes of the relationship between Ben and Morgan also and I liked the way they had quote similar histories. Declan is another big character for me and I really love his funny yet caring and compassionate personality.

Well done in another massive success Helen and here is to the next success in an amazing series 🥂.

Overall a compelling, page turning, addictive and intriguing psychological crime drama.

Genres covered in this novel include Romance Novel, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, CL Taylor, Tess Gerritson and anyone looking for an epic read.

301 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Author Bio:

Helen Phifer lives in a small town called Barrow-in-Furness with her husband and five children.

Helen has always loved writing and reading. Her love of horror films and novels is legendary. Helen adores reading books which make the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Unable to find enough scary stories to read she decided to write her own.


Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Helenphifer1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenphifer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/helenphifer1

Website: https://www.helenphifer.com

Buy Links:

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Last week I called myself to a meeting to evaluate why I was reading so many cop procedural and starting way too many series. This book re-affirmed my decision to keep discovering new series. The Detective Morgan Brookes series is so far one of my favorite ones and it just keeps getting better.

Morgan Brookes was a rookie when we first met her in the first book. She had just discovered a body while on her first patrol. Identifying her astuteness as an investigator, the lead detective, moved her to the DCI unit. In this installment, a woman is found murdered in her house and once again, Morgan and the team are on the case. We get to hear from the killer who is cold, calculating and elusive. I had no idea who it was until the detectives made the connection.

This case was tough to begin with. Then it got personal for Morgan hence raising the stakes. Every single clue had me scratching my head wondering where the evidence would lead us. I was also curious to find out how the case connected to a serial killer rapist incarcerated for life.

With deftly drawn characters, an engaging plotline and unpredictable ending, The Killer’s Girl is certainly a riveting read and great addition to the Detective Morgan Brookes series. The ending promised more drama to come and I can’t wait for it!

Morgan is a magnet for evil, that’s what Ben thinks when for the second time Morgan is drawn into a murder investigation. But it’s More complicated and sinister than he could have imagined.
I love this series about Morgan and can’t wait to see what’s happening next. The ending of this book promises a lot of charges for Morgan and her colleagues and friend.

Police thriller featuring new detective Morgan Brookes. A grisly murder throws up all sorts of surprises and Morgan has to face her past before solving this one.

Detective Morgan Brookes is investigating another brutal murder case. Younger than her colleagues, she proves more than adept at any job at hand. However, as she vigilantly searches for a killer, along with her team, she soon discovers that she is facing someone closer to her than she could ever have imagined.

Morgan is faced with two dilemmas. The first is the positive hit on the DNA, yet it could not really be a match, could it? Secondly, Morgan has been beset by nightmares for years, always waking at a certain time of night. How these nightmares play into what is going on right now is rather chilling.

I loved Morgan's team members and their level of protectiveness. but I especially enjoyed Morgan's stubbornness when she would not back away from the danger that would no doubt soon envelope her. The convergence of past and present was laid out in thrilling fashion in this electrifying book by Helen Phifer. The first book in thise xciting series is One Left Alive, another equally captivatng book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The Killer's Girl by Helen Phifer is the second book in the Detective Morgan Brookes series and I just loved every page of them. However, this book could easily be read as a stand alone as well.
Detective Morgan Brookes is called to a gruesome crime scene, where Gabrielle Stevens is found tied to her bed and has been brutally attacked, by her parents who've just returned from their holidays.
As she As she checks the house over, she is horror-struck by what she finds........and is unprepared for the nightmares it inspires about her childhood.
DNA is collected and it gives a positive ID, Detective Morgan Brookes and her team can’t wait to put the attacker behind bars. However, the person it matches to is already in prison. (Scratch my head)

How can the DNA of someone who has been locked up for over twenty years have shown up in Detective Morgan Brookes crime scene?

And then they are a close match to herself.

WoW.....What a book......and it will not disappoint. You will find The Killer's Girl full of twists and turns and you will be hooked within the first few pages. This is what I love about all Helen's books I have read.

I highly recommend this series of books and then again all of Helen's books. They are all an excellent reads.

Big Thank you to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author #HelenPhifer for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

Helen Phifer writes such amazing series. This is the 3rd series of hers that I have read and I don’t know if I can pick a favourite. They’re all so good.

My only issues with this book is it’s hard to take Morgan seriously with how quickly she became a detective and the fact that she uses crime shows as a reference. I’m also not sure how I feel about Ben and Morgan. Individually I love both characters but their relationship feels a bit inappropriate considering the age gap and the fact that he’s her boss and the one who got her promoted. However, as I said I do really like Ben and I love the banter he has with Amy, who I think might be my absolute favourite. She’s just so sassy.

The book is fast paced and kept me hooked. I had my suspicions about a certain character but I kept doubting myself. Such a great reveal though. I did also struggle with the fact that no one seemed to understand that the close match DNA didn’t mean that it was actually Morgans DNA. All in all, this is a great read with some lovable characters and I really hope we get a third book.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brutal but brilliant and with some surprising shocks and revelations that I did not see coming at all. In fact I was pretty sure I had it all figured out early on, how wrong I was!

I thought the first book was brilliant but this was on a whole other level. The sheer deviousness of the author on getting you to like characters and well….all I will say is I’m waiting for an apology about that.

Morgan is as tough and feisty as ever and Ben protective and charming as they are caught up in their latest case. This one being as dark as they come and a little too close to home for Morgan. Although it is dark there is some much needed humour and my favourite quote has to be “This lot wouldn’t know a sexually motivated killer if he invited them to an orgy and brought a severed head out on a silver platter”.

All of the faces from book one make an appearance and there are again a few different plots that weave together intricately. Book one I guessed correctly but I had the rug pulled out from under me with this one. I hope from the ending that I can look forward to a third book in the series as I’m not ready to let go of the characters and Morgan’s ability to attract death and destruction.

The Killer’s Girl is the second book in the Detective Morgan Brookes series, but I did not read the first one and was able to enjoy this one very much. The story begins in September 1999 with Janet Marks be killed by her husband, rapist Gary Marks. Her 3 year old daughter, Sky, witnesses that murder, while her 5 year old son continues to sleep. Fast forward to present-day, when Gabrielle Stevens is followed home from The Golden Ball pub. She is alone as her parents are away on a holiday in Madrid. She turns down her bed and finds a note, then she knows she is not alone. She's grabbed from behind by a man in a ski mask, brandishing a knife. Before he gags her and ties her up, she manages to remove his balaclava and realizes she knows exactly who he is. How are these two cases, many years apart, connected? DC Brookes and her boss are called to the scene and thus begins the investigation.

I really liked the character of Morgan Brookes. She has a lot going on in her life. Her mother died when she was just 15 and she has not slept beyond 4:25 am since. She is trying to reconcile with her father who became an alcoholic after her death. She is relatively new in her job, but is smart as can be. She has feelings and hunches that might or might not play out. Her colleagues added much to the story and for the most part, I liked them and liked how the worked together and cared about one another. This is a taut thriller that had me quickly flipping the pages to see what was going to happen. I did figure out a few things, but not all. The DNA sent them on a merry chase and caused more than one problem with this case. There is plenty going on in both the main plot and Brooke’s personal story that kept me entertained. This story had me hooked right from the start and held me all the way through to the inevitable climax. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy police procedurals, suspense and thrillers. I will definitely be reading the first book in this series that I missed and will be watching for the next Detective Morgan Brookes story.