Thank you to Netgalley and bookouture for letting me read this..
It was a good book.. It kept my attention as I read and made me wonder what would happen next.. I didn’t see one of the plot twists coming which is always nice to have it guessed and they swap it on you.. lol.. I would continue on with this series just to see how they story evolves and what goes down if anything with Amanda and Trent or if it stays just partners.. recommend..? Yes
~Happy Reading~

This is the first book in a new series. The first book must always contain some back story that the series is built around. In this case, a detective that lost her family to a drunk driver five years previous. Obviously, she's spent these years trying to figure out how to live her life without the foundation of family. This is her back story, her life experiences will color her decisions from now on.

When responding to a homicide call, our detective learns the victim is the drunk driver that was responsible for her family's death. This places her at a cross roads that few of us could reasonably predict. The story from this point picks up pace as she investigates who would want to kill this man....other than her. The story does take a few twists that surprised me and the outcome is NOT predictable, so it's a very good series starter and it's going to be interesting to see where Carolyn Arnold takes our detective next.

The Little Grave is the first in a new series following Detective Amanda Steel who is going through the motions after a drunk driver killed her husband and child. She is grieving heavily and taking drugs to get through the day and is in a downward spiral. When responding to a call of a body found at a motel she finds the man responsible for ruining her life. Recently released from prison, did he commit suicide or was he murdered?

I had higher hopes for this one than I got, it could be a decent enough start to a series if we get more character development going forward but I can't see myself continuing. I didn't like Amanda as a character and I found her grief quite annoying. She treated everyone around her really badly especially her new partner. He was a really decent guy and dealt with her admirably and gave her more patience and respect than I could have mustered. I'm not suggesting the portrayal of grief was unrealistic as it can often make people act out but even when she started to get her head in the game I just couldn't connect with her. I had an issue with her being on the case at all with her conflict of interest and though this was addressed it still didn't sit right with me.

The plot was fine, fairly average but enjoyable. The ending I didn't overly love but fine. My overall feelings of this was was just fine (with a side of annoying main character). Definitely potential for the series going forward but a basic start.

With thanks to NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review

This book was a great introduction to a new series by Carolyn Arnold. I enjoy the author’s writing style and look forward to reading any new releases. The characters are well developed and the story keeps you invested. While you will find yourself not liking Amanda Steele, the primary character, you understand why she is doing the destructive behaviors. And she manages to redeem herself by the end. A very good police procedural book that will have you flipping the pages to get to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Amanda Steele has been dealt a difficult hand. She has lost everything that she loves and is speeding down a path to finish the loss full circle to finish things off by putting her career on the line. Immediately, we see her facing yet another nightmare -- the man who caused the death of her husband, daughter, and unborn child is released from prison.

In a small town, I can see Amanda being allowed to work the case because of her father being a previous esteemed officer and the respect she's amassed on her own. But it's a potential disaster waiting to bring Amanda, and everyone around her, to their knees.

For the first third of the book, I was hesitant to like Amanda. She was overstepping boundaries by being in involved in the murder case and self-soothing with unscrupulous methods. But her dedication, ability to compartmentalize, and focus are sharp. At the halfway mark, I was cheering her on as she shifted to assisting, rather than trying to control. Her relationship with her partner is one I'm anxious to see play out!

I always love how Arnold sets up the secondary characters for future larger involvement. The cast is well-balanced, ensuring that this series is going to be one I can't put down!

This book is amazing. Proper page turner, you will not be able to put it down.
The ending is a jaw drop moment, did not see it coming

Gritty police procedural with a strong main character who is a detective. The murder victim is the man who killed her family when drunk driving and she wants to solve the case. Lots of twists and surprises.

In The Little Grave, we are introduced to Detective Amanda Steele. Amanda works for the Prince William County Police Department. A few years ago Amanda lost her whole family in a car accident. Amanda is still dealing with the death of her husband and little girl. After five long years, their deaths are still haunting her and probably always will.

A friend of Amanda’s called her to inform her that the man responsible for her family's death had been found dead in a hotel room. It appears that he drank himself to death. Amanda is the first detective on the scene. Amanda against her boss's better judgment agrees to let her investigate the case with a couple of stipulations of course. One is that she is assigned a partner.

Amanda’s grief is laying on her heavily even after five years. I think that Amanda is also surfing from survivors' guilt as well. On several occasions, I could feel Amanda’s pain as the story was written so well. I felt as if I was there with Amanda through all the twists and turns throughout the whole story.

The Little Grave is a great introduction to a brand new series. It is filled with secrets from beginning to end. The whole time I was reading The Little Grave I kept trying to figure out whodunit as each clue was revealed and just when I thought I would have it all figured out, bam, I was slammed in the face with yet another clue or twist that had me on the run again searching for yet another clue. When the truth finally came out I was totally shocked as I did not see that one coming at all. I can’t wait to read more of Amanda’s story in the next chapter of her life in this new series Detective Amanda Steele.

I would highly recommend The Little Grave to all mystery, suspense thriller fans. One-click your copy of The Little Grave today to begin this epic new series today!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I enjoyed Amanda, Becky and Trent's characters. This book is set between Prince William and Dumfries County. This is a quick paced book. It will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happened. This is the first book in this series. I would highly recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. It is in stores for £1.99 (GBP). I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.

I am a huge fan of Carolyn Arnold’s writing! She writes amazing adventures with accurate information that leaves the mystery hanging until the very end – and I cannot get enough!!

Detective Amanda Steele is on a path of destruction that, while she has good cause, could lead her down a path that I do not wish to see her take; but what can you do?

She has lost her drive, her motivation, and is making some pretty precarious decisions in her life when she inserts herself in the potential murder of the man who killed her family.

What develops is an adventure of threats, mystery, and a crime that I did not see coming. Not to mention a suspect who was never even on my radar when it come down to it! (I love a good “who done it” that keeps me guessing!)

This is just the start of Amanda’s series and I cannot wait to see what comes out of her future. There is a lot of potential for romance, her job, and no doubt her career. I can see different life paths for her and cannot wait to see which direction she goes and how her life, hopefully, gets better.

The first book in the Amanda Steele series. It was a good start to the series but I did find the first half of the book a little slow in places with the main gist of the storyline in the last quarter or the book. I also felt their was a part of the storyline that was unanswered but could be carried through to the next book in the series. Looking forward to seeing how the main character develops in the next book.

This book was an interesting read , and wow that ending was awesome. It was very well written with lots of action. Characters were engaging. It was a fast paced read and I couldnt stop turning the pages.

Amanda Steele is still grieving the loss of her husband and child caused by a drunk driver 5 years prior when she, a police detective, is called to the scene of a death in which the dead person happens to be the man who was responsible for her families death. I enjoyed the story but I don't know if I'll read the next one.

It's been five years since Detective Amanda Steele's life was derailed by a drunk driver who killed her husband and daughter. When the driver who killed her family after being released from prison is found murdered in a motel room Amanda feels compelled to work the case.

The Little Grave by Carolyn Arnold is the first book in the Detective Amanda Steele series. A Police procedural, it makes for an interesting read with an unexpected ending.

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This is the first book in the Detective Amanda Steele series and a great start to what I hope is a promising series.

Steele has issues, I love that she is certainly not perfect, she lost her daughter and husband in a road accident 5 years previous, killed by a drunk driver, Chad Palmer. She is going down a dark rabbit hole since and can’t seem to drag herself out of the abyss, her friend rings her and tells her that Chad Palmer has been found murdered having been released from prison. Steele someone manages to persuade her boss to let her investigate what happened and whose better to investigate than some who has more motive than anyone, she needs to get to the truth and clear herself. This is a gripping read, full of suspense, red herrings and a great plotline.

I’m already looking forward to Book No. 2 to see where this series goes and the evolvement of the characters. If you’re looking to get your teeth into a new series, definitely recommend this one.

I think this series has a lot of potential but I somehow the story didn't keep my interest and fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

In the past two years, I had read a lot of police procedural, and I still kept longing for more. This was book 1 in a new series with a kickass and strong main character, vulnerable in moments. The story had twists and turns and I liked how Amanda dealt with them. Fast-paced, the book kept me hooked to my kindle right till the very end.
A great beginning.

A brilliant start to a new series. Amanda is a smart, strong, and tenacious heroine. She pulled her life together after a horrifying tragedy. She's not perfect - she has her flaws but they make her more real. As for the story-it’s brilliant. There are enough twists to keep you guessing, just when you think you know who did it, something new happens. The pacing is perfect, making this a true page-turner and the story is so engaging you won't want to put this book down! Highly recommend for mystery lovers who like a little thrill with their whodunits.

I have mixed feelings for this title, the protagonist Amanda Steele didn't grow on me maybe because I'm used to UK procedural novels. It started well with what happened to Amanda's family 5 years ago but then it got a bit flat I continued for a few more chapters thinking it would get better but for me it didn't. I hate giving this kind of reviews but I have too.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

I have mixed emotions about this book. On the one hand, I liked that the protagonist (Amanda Steele) had such a personal connection to the case she was trying to solve. That feeling of “get up, go through the motions, get through the day” was well-captured by the author. That’s kind of the problem I had with the believability of it. From what I know, no supervisor in their right mind would even think about allowing someone to be that involved with such a personal case, much less essentially take the lead on it. The author did a great job of tying threads together. All in all, I think it was a successful first book of the series, and I look forward to seeing how Amanda progresses through future investigations. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.