<b>The magnificent cover of this thriller really pops! It’s one of those that you can’t pass, without at least scanning the synopsis.</b>

<b><i>“Genetics load the gun, personality and psychology aim it, and experiences pull the trigger.”</i></b>

Elle hosts a podcast—Justice Deferred—and her current season focuses on a serial killer she feels a special connection with—The Countdown Killer. Most people are happy to believe that TCK is dead or no longer a threat, since he’s been dormant for 20 years. But Elle is sure that he’s still out there, waiting for the right moment to pick up where he left off. We get glimpses of Elle’s past and a traumatic event in her childhood along with podcast episodes that are mingled in with the rest of the narrative.

I’ve never listened to a Podcast, even though they seem to be super popular. But reading several books with Podcast episodes has piqued by curiosity...maybe one of these days!

The book is broken down into four parts, which reminded me of a bell curve. Slow build-up, the middle was unputdownable, then it slid back down into a slow ending. This is the author’s debut novel and her writing style is terrific. I’m excited to see what she comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Suiter Clarke and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!

<b>My Rating: </b> 3.5 ⭐️’s (rounding up)
<b>Published:</b> April 20th 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
<b>Pages:</b> 352
<b>Recommend:</b> Yes, if you like slow burns

#AmySuiterClarke #HoughtonMifflinHarcourt @NetGalley
#psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills #InExchangeForReview #JustFinished #BookReview #NetGalley
#SerialKiller #Girl11 #WomensHistoryMonth

This story drew me right in and is well-woven together with the multiple POVs, the podcast transcripts, and the flashbacks. The main character, Elle, really sucked me into her obsessive journey to catch The Countdown Killer (TCK) and I wanted to know as much as she did, so it was hard for me to put the book down. I was thoroughly impressed with the pace of the story and the twists I encountered along the way. Cold cases fascinate me and Girl, 11 was an intricate puzzle.

“Girl, 11,” a debut psychological suspense novel by Amy Suiter Clarke, is a cleverly written, dark and disturbing narrative about an amateur sleuth on a journey to find a killer.

Feisty Elle Castillo is rising in popularity with her true-crime podcast. As host of ‘Justice Delayed,’ a crowd-sourcing investigation format used to solve cold cases in Twin Cities, Minnesota, Elle uses the podcast to catch child killers in her hometown. Twenty years ago, The Countdown Killer (TCK), a notorious serial killer, stopped his killing spree and is presumed dead. Eager to crack his established pattern, Elle decides to tackle the case. TCK, a killer obsessed with numbers and ritualistic patterns, kidnaps three girls at a time, each a year younger than the rest, and keeps them for 7 days before killing them. His last victim was his 11th and an 11-year-old girl. When a listener phones in with a tip, Elle goes to investigate and finds him dead. This sets off a chain of events that lead too close to home for this obsessive investigator. With another child abducted, there’s a race against time to prove that TCK is back.

Effectively written using transcripts from her podcast between the narration of the protagonist’s story, this is a unique style Clarke employs to reference past events without dialogue. This fast-paced and creepy novel is full of psychological tension and great fuel for sleepless nights. If you enjoy the thrill of true crime podcasts, serial killer stories or if there’s an amateur sleuth within, you’ll want to read this book. If not, proceed with caution.

Thank you to Amy Suiter Clarke, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and NetGalley for the chance to read this debut advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

When a podcast host receives an unexpected tip about the killer at the center of the latest season of her investigative podcast, she thinks she just might have the lead to finally crack this cold case. But her meeting with the tipster goes awry, kicking off a chain of events that will lead much closer to home than she could ever have expected.

Girl, 11 is the debut novel from author Amy Suiter Clarke, and it’s an impressively strong beginning. The novel is occasionally broken up with episodes from Elle Castillo, lead character and podcast host, and they were some of my favorite parts of the book. The author has a real knack for writing an authentic voice, and it was easy to imagine Justice Delayed fitting right in to my current true-crime podcast rotation.

I appreciated a lot about this book. The recent rise in popularity of true crime media of all stripes has prompted plenty of conversations regarding all the various issues that come from talking about incidents that affect people’s lives still, regardless of how long ago they were – issues of language, focus and consideration. Girl, 11 is a book that is conscious of these issues, and not just for itself as a book, but for the podcast woven into its storyline. It’s not the first book to be aware of the fine line it’s walking, but it manages a better balance than many of the others I’ve read; preserving a real sense of suspense and mystery while respecting the real people behind the genre it’s a part of.

That sense of suspense and mystery, by the way, is a strong one. The crimes at the center of this book are chilling, and following the investigation was the kind of challenge that keeps me reading much longer into the night than perhaps I should be! Elle Castillo is surrounded by a very well-rounded cast of support characters, who all have a part to play; it makes a network of people into a team. She relies on each in their turn, which I love to see; it’s easier to connect to characters who find strength in their connections to other people.

This was a remarkably strong debut, one which entertained and kept me in suspense in equal measure. Amy Suiter Clarke is an author to be excited about, and one who I’ll certainly be watching.

I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts which is why I picked up this book.  I am at 37% and considering a DNF.  Elle, the podcaster, is close to dislocating her shoulder from patting herself on the back.  And why do you need to describe people like this:   "white couple", "Black man".  There are better ways to describe people, if it's even necessary.
Well I fell asleep last night reading this book so I guess it ended up better than my initial reaction.  I didn't like the way it ended but it was a pretty good mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Elle Castillo hosts the trending true crime podcast, Justice Delayed, focusing on serial killers. The latest subject is The Countdown Killer, who abruptly stopped his killing spree 20 years ago. The Countdown Killer began with a 20-year old woman, then continued with a victim a year younger than the last. His killing spree stopped at Girl, 11, as she managed to escape, but so did the killer.
The book is told almost entirely from Elle’s perspective, in flashbacks and in real-time. Other perspectives are podcast-style interview transcripts.

Listeners become internet sleuths, and one calls Elle to say he knows who the killer is. When she arranges to meet him, she finds him dead. And soon the killing begins again, this time much closer to Elle. But is it the original killer, or a copycat? Is it a warning for her to backoff? Or is the killer trying to draw her in?

The book did start off well, grabbing your attention from the first page. It’s an intense story, and the author did extremely well for a debut novel. However, it did start to get a bit repetitive about halfway through. There was also a big surprise that is slowly revealed, and quite strangely it never seemed to be addressed head-on until the last few pages of the book.

I would recommend it if you’re looking for a good psychological thriller with a few surprises, and it’s a natural for true crime podcast listeners.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

Elle Castillo is the producer of the popular Justice Delayed podcast, investigating cold cases where she tries to shine a light on the victims and bring their killers to justice. She becomes obsessed with The Countdown Killer, who abducted and murdered girls in Minneapolis the 1990s. His signature style of murder involves a strange pattern of numbers, starting with abducting a 20-year-old woman, then 19-years-old and so on. His killings stopped when one girl, aged 11-years-old, escaped. Many believe he killed himself, but Elle thinks he is still alive. When another girl ages 11-years-old goes missing, Elle is concerned and is called in by the police to help investigate. And then her beloved niece, aged 10-years-old also goes missing, Elle is convinced The Countdown Killer is back. Do these abductions have something to do with Elle's podcast? Or is something even more sinister going on?

I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. The narrative includes transcript of Elle's podcast to great effect. There are lots of surprises, including unexpected switches in POV characters and a reveal about Elle that I didn't see coming. This is a fast-paced thriller, full of suspense and an excellent debut novel. It would also make a great movie or television series.

The description of the book, at least for me, proved to be more engaging than the book itself. Elle Castillo is a former social worker turned full-time podcast crime investigator, who focuses on solving cold cases. After multiple years of success in her new career, she decides to tackle her biggest case to date: The Countdown Killer, despite the fact that many think the killer died years ago in a fire after his last victim managed to escape. To her horror, her reopening the case seems to lead to a whole new set of victims. First, she finds the man who called in a tip to her podcast dead in his apartment and then her best friend's daughter disappears.

To its credit the book gets off to a good start; the podcast format is intriguing; the protagonist is likable, and the family's dynamics of the protagonist are interesting. But my interest soon waned after a detective invites her to work her on an active investigation, because the family likes her podcast. This development simply is not believable and it was not the only such unrealistic development. Although I am certainly willing to suspend disbelief, the plot increasingly became so formulaic that I never found myself sufficiently emerged in the world of the characters to do so. For this reason, the book just did not hold my interest.

I really enjoyed this book. It's hard to find something different, most books in this genre turn out to be somewhat the same. This one hooked me from the start and kept my interest throughout. The format alternated between the story and podcast posts. The main character, Ellie< is somewhat unlikable but this just adds to the story. Some of the twists were predictable and the ending was quite abrupt. It was quick read.

It's funny - I find stories about true crime podcasts fascinating, but cannot actually listen to true crime podcasts. Ditto the DIY cold-case-solving websites. I'm fascinated by the concept of regular people - housewives and students and retirees and office workers and random everyday folks - crowd-sourcing solutions to problems that have stumped the "experts" in their relevant fields. I don't have the patience (or stomach!) to do it myself, but am delighted that those that do have a way to feed their curiosity AND do good at the same time.

Amy Suiter Clarke's tale, about a woman whose true crime cold-case podcast leads her into a world of trouble, is a delightfully entertaining one full of the darkness of evil men and the unexpected light of those who spend their days (whether by vocation or avocation) trying to bring them to justice. The story plays out somewhat predictably for the genre, but the writing is easy to fall into and the characterizations were well-developed to support the windy-twisty plot that travels back and forth in time and case studies. The Big Reveal wasn't much of a revelation - I figured it out very early on, as I suspect most readers who have a tendency to pick up this type of book will - but that didn't detract from my enjoyment at watching it unfold.

This was a darkly enjoyable tale and one that I tore through quickly.

Like a train picking up speed from the get go, this one ploughs into your and pushes you through peg after page while your jaw drops and you gasp aloud. I loved the concept of this story, I love serial killer novels. This was full or horrifying moments, twists and turns and an amazing finale. The characters were well developed. I absolutely loved how the podcast broadcasts were written in. It felt so real and as an avid crime pod cast listen it gave great credence to the plot.
Edge of your seat start to finish.

If it isn't obvious from the book description, Girl, 11 is a must read for any murderino out there. It's about time that books start reflecting reality--and people have been obsessed with consuming podcasts for several years.

Girl, 11 is a former social worker who is now the host of a popular true crime podcast about unsolved cases. After a couple successful seasons, Elle embarks on a case that has particularly haunted her for two decades: the Countdown Killer, where each new victim discovered was one year younger than the previous. Except, something strange happened with Girl 11 and he stopped. Elle receives a new (and deadly!) clue while producing her podcast, which leads her to wonder if the Countdown Killer is back in the game again.

Girl 11 is a fast-paced read for people who love true crime, podcasts, stories about serial killers, and thrillers with female characters who like to solve mysteries (rather than stuff just sorta happening to them, ala "I married a bad man")

Cannot thank NetGalley enough for the opportunity to read this one in advance - the kind of 'up all night' page turner that I'm always snapping up as soon as I can get my hands on it. This one delves deeply into the world of true crime podcaster, Elle Castillo, and her lifelong obsession with bringing to justice to the still-at-large serial killer, "TCK' (the Countdown Killer;)
It isn't just Elle's relentless hunt that's detailed here. What impressed me the most was the fully realized world of homicide investigation from every possible perspective - the dogged, harried police detectives chasing down every lead, the podcaster digging and digging for cold case clues, the victims whose potentially full lives are cut short by cruel and tragic fate that put them in the path of a monster..... and the killer, whose own backstory, both sad and horrific is given a chance to unfold here.
Even more suspense and drama comes from Elle's own dark history (which I'll say no more about).....which only serves to rev up the anticipatory suspense in a book that already has you tearing through the pages at warp speed. And any reader hoping for a true, nail-biting, showstopper of a climactic ending......."Girl, II" delivers it to you without a doubt. Let's put it this way, if you reach the final chapters late at night, you can count on staying to the end of this story till the sun comes up..
I'm deliberately avoiding a description of plot details here, because a huge part of enjoying a great thriller like this comes from letting the author stun you with all the multiple twists and turns. I would, however, give fair warning though......the book involves grisly violence and torture of the killer's child victims., sequences that are not for the faint-hearted or anyone triggered by such events.
While it's still early in the year, I'd have to predict this'll go on the Top Ten thrillers of 2021. For one hell of a scary rollercoaster ride sitting in your own comfy chair, "Girl, 11" is just the ticket.

Wow, wow, wow! I think podcast books are becoming the new thriller topic, which is fine by me, even though I don’t listen, the books are always riveting and this one was no different! Absolutely unputdownable, phenomenally written, with fantastic character development, and while not an unique topic, definitely an unique story! Lots of great twists and turns, thrilling thrills, chilling chills, and gasp worthy shocks, in this fast paced rollercoaster of a read! Highly, highly, highly recommend, but must warn you to clear schedules, and do not start prior to bed time, as this riveting book will have you ignoring everything and staying up way past bedtime!

For someone who doesn't really listen to podcasts, I seem to be obsessed with novels that are about podcasters! I think this is the third book about a podcaster that I've read in the past year. In Girl, 11, we meet Elle Castillo. Elle used to be a social worker, but now she produces a true crime podcast. Her goal is to focus on victims, to speak for them. Her current podcast is about the victims of a serial killer known as the Countdown Killer. Twenty years ago in Minnesota, someone was kidnapping and killing girls. He was obsessed with numbers. Each girl he takes is one year younger than the one prior. He holds them captive for seven days and each is whipped twenty-one times. His last victim was eleven years old, but she escaped and the murders abruptly stopped. It's uncertain why he stopped, but most believe that he committed suicide by setting fire to the site of his last victim. Elle is less certain, and when another child is kidnapped in the same manner as the girls twenty years ago, she is convinced that he is back in action. Or is it a copycat.

I very much enjoyed this novel. It was well-written and moved along at a rapid pace. Elle is a sympathetic character even as she pisses off the police with her private investigation. This is a fun read for lovers of thrillers. Four bright stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing me an eARC of Girl, 11 in exchange for my honest review. Look for this one on April 20, 2021.

Good Saturday morning!

I just finished reading Girl, 11, by Amy Suiter Clarke, and it could not have been more up my alley!

Description:

Elle Castillo once trained as a social worker, supporting young victims of violent crime. Now she hosts a popular true crime podcast that focuses on cold cases of missing and abducted children.

After four seasons of successfully solving these cases in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Elle decides to tackle her white whale: The Countdown Killer. Twenty years ago, TCK was terrorizing the community, kidnapping and ritualistically murdering three girls over seven days, each a year younger than the last. Then, after he took his eleven-year-old victim, the pattern—and the murders—abruptly stopped. No one has ever known why.

When Elle follows up on a listener tip only to discover the man’s dead body, she feels at fault. Then, within days, a child is abducted—a young girl who seems to fit suspiciously into the TCK sequence halted decades before. While media and law enforcement long ago concluded that TCK had suicided, Elle has never believed TCK was dead. She had hoped her investigation would lay that suspicion to rest, but her podcast seems instead to be inciting new victims.

I flew through this one and would definitely recommend it!

As always, a big thanks to #netgalley for the advanced reading copy. ❤️

I loved this book! It’s been a long time since a thriller has left me guessing every twist but this one for sure did! This book was captivating but also completely terrifying! But so worth the read! Just maybe not at night when home alone!

I really liked the format of this book, in the form of a podcast looking into a series of kidnappings and murders of young females in Minnesota 20 years ago interspersed with present day occurrences in the life of Elle, the podcaster. Each victim was a year younger than the one before and the first victim was 20, except that the 11 year old escaped, hence the book title, plus there were specific numbers as to how long they were kept and when they were killed, the point of which was known only to the killer. The book was very well written and a smooth read. One of the best debut novels I've read. The tension really escalated during the last 25% or so of the book and I had to keep reading until I found out what happened. My only complaint would be the length of the chapters, or segments, since quite often I was ready to call it quits and I hate to stop when there isn't a chapter break. There seem to be a few books currently out there with a podcast format and I don't think I'd like a steady diet of them so I'm glad I got to read this one first. The cover is very striking also. I'd definitely recommend this book to a friend and look forward to reading future books written by this author.

This was my first read through NetGalley so many thanks to them and to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the publisher, for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication. As per their request, I'll post this review on Goodreads on publication day.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Everyone needs to pick this one up. I'm loving every word

Girl, 11 is a wonderful debut by Amy Suiter Clarke! I love how this book is part crime podcast/investigation/thriller and suspense. This was a great story that kept me wanting to read and even read faster at parts because I really wanted to know what happened next.

Elle Castillo hosts a true crime podcast which has already had 2 successful seasons solving missing children cold cases. With two successful seasons under her belt, she moves onto a case that has haunted her, as well as the twin cities, since the 90s; the TCK case. TCK, aka The Countdown Killer, was a horrible serial killer who murdered a series of young girls in a specific order. He would murder 3 girls within 7 days and each girl was a year younger than the last. Suddenly, after number 11, he abruptly stopped. Many people have theories as to why he stopped, but Elle is determined to solve this case once and for all.

She gets a tip from one of her listeners and she rushes to meet him. Upon entering his home, she finds him dead. Just a short time later a young girl is kidnapped; following the TCK MO. Most law enforcement and the media is insistent that TCK is dead and they believe he died by committing suicide. Elle knows that TCK is alive, and he's not going to stop his gruesome countdown. Frustration fuels Elle as time keeps ticking against her. She knows she has to act fast before another victim is claimed.

Girl,11 was an edge-of-your seat thriller. There were a couple different twists throughout the book. One of the twists I figured out early on, but didn't guess the other. I really liked how this story read almost like a true crime book. I felt like I was actually reading about someone that truly existed. Everything felt very well researched as well. I recommend giving this one a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this ARC.