White Out (Badlands Thriller, #1) just came out in August 2020 so it was exciting to hear that book #2 was coming out this summer!  In White Out we get to know new Detective Kylie Milliard and kidnap victim Lily Baker.  That book was such a page turner for me, and I couldn't wait to learn more about Lily's past in this book. 

The story starts with Hannah, who is high as a kite, being dropped off at a house to babysit.  Things escalate quickly when a masked man enters the home and shoots the parents, but leaves the baby unharmed.  Thankfully he didn't know Hannah was there because she was hiding, but she saw everything including the distinctive tattoo on the shooter's arm.  I thought for sure the man was going to find Hannah because he left, and then came back and I thought he was coming back for her.  Hannah is able to safely get the baby to the hospital where she hands her to a nurse in the parking lot. That nurse is Lily Baker, and she had helped deliver that baby.

Hannah anonymously called 911 before she left town to hide, and Detective Kylie Milliard is now on the case.  What the detective discovers at the crime scene will bring memories Lily thought were far too buried to be remembered back to the surface.  Slowly but surely Lily's memories of what happened to her shortly after she was taken are being pieced together.

While I liked Hannah's story, I loved reading more about Lily's memories coming back, but fair warning that the memories are of her being sexually assaulted.  The result of the assault will have your jaw dropping, and it will stay there when you realize how Hannah's case and Lily's abduction come full circle.  Wow!  I can honestly say that I didn't see it coming!  There were a lot of well maybe that did happen, and then I doubted my thoughts.  I went back and forth until the end when I finally got the answer I was looking for.

This book was amazing, and I can't wait to see what the author does next!

Book Rating: 5/5

Wine Pairing: Château de Santenay 2016 Les Puillets Premier Cru (Mercurey) Pinot Noir

Two heroines and a girl.
Fourteen-year-old Hannah is set to babysit when a man arrives and kills the parents. High and hiding in a closet, Hannah witnesses the murders and there's something familiar about the killer she can't quite place. After the killer leaves Hannah takes the child and runs. Knowing she should call the cops but afraid she'll be busted for her drug use, Hannah drops the child at the hospital and takes off.
Lily is a nurse at the hospital. Fourteen years ago she was held captive and the trauma caused her to have memory loss.
Kylie is the only detective in their small towns police department. When a drop of blood that doesn't belong to either victim is found, she can only hope it belongs to a witness. What she discovers from a DNA test adds a twist to the investigation she isn't prepared for. Could this case have some connection to the one fourteen years ago?
Told from these three POV's the author weaves an exciting tale of intrigued and suspense. Suspense that starts in the first chapter and only increases as the story continues. Hannah was right to run and the killer is soon on her tail.
While this book can be read as a stand alone, I think you'd benefit by starting with the first book, White Out, to get more of the characters back story. I love stories with strong female protagonists and this one definitely fits the bill and I can confidently recommend this one to any fan of the genre.

Far Gone
Danielle Girard
June 15, 2021

Girard’s setting for her latest in the Badlands Thriller series begins months after White Out ended. We find Detective Kylie Milliard working her shift with Hagen, North Dakota Police Dept. Being the only detective on board she has a busy workload. Margorie the dispatcher answers the 911 call. Hearing the hushed fear in the young caller's voice patches it through to Milliard. The alert is regarding a breakin-homicide in progress. Getting the address she returns the caller to dispatch and alerts backup while heading out the door. Hannah, the teen on the line, was reporting that 2 people have been shot and she needs help. Hiding in the closet she can see the baby in the bassinet via the crack in the door. Despite the loud, terrifying noise and shouts she stays quiet. Trying to remain hidden so the gunman won’t kill her as well, Hannah attempts to clear her head and make the best plan to escape with baby Tiffany.
From the start this is a heavy duty suspense novel that incorporates the traumas of some of the characters in the first book in the Badlands series. Lily seems to have settled into a pleasant life back at work in the ER as a nurse. There are parts of her life when she had been kidnapped at age 16 that still lay dormant in her brain. They seem to only appear in dreamland, but she’s been told that eventually it would all return.
Danielle Girard’s thrillers are always a journey that keeps the reader on edge. Just when one thinks the storyline is clear it takes a turn heading into a different direction. Far Gone will be published by Thomas & Mercer of Seattle on June 15, 2021. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Danielle Girard’s latest book. I have always savored her chilling tales. They are hard to put down and great reading. Enjoy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did not read the first of the series and it did not seem to matter all that much. I do believe it would have helped but they also give you enough of the backstory to proceed as a standalone.

You definitely have a lot of characters in this book but it is written in such a way that is not hard to keep track of each one. Hannah is a troubled teen who has witnessed the murder of a couple that she babysits for. Things kind of spiral out of control afterwards. She kind of goes on the run because she is unsure who she can trust. Once it is known that she is the only witness to this murder many people start searching for her. Even the people she doesn’t want looking for her.

This book has a whole Lotta family drama mixed in with some murder makes for a good combination in a book.

I have to say that Danielle Girard writes entertaining thrillers. While I had quite a few problems with the first in this series, White Out, I was still intrigued by the story. I definitely was not bored and I was intrigued enough to keep reading and I am glad I did because I think this one is an improvement on the first. This one continues with our characters from the first book and adds layers to their story. There are twists and turns throughout the story that kept me hooked.

I am not sure if there will be a third in the series or not, but I will definitely keep reading if there is. I am hoping for more of Kylie in future installments because she is the one character who I think has not been fully explained or developed and I want to learn more about her! If you remember Lily from the first book, I do think her story is given a lot of background in this second book. I enjoyed getting to know her character more.

I will say that I don't think this would work as a standalone. You have to read the first book in order to fully understand and appreciate this one. If you enjoyed the first, I do not think you will be disappointed by Far Gone. If you did not enjoy the first, I still think there is a possibility you might enjoy this one. It surprised me in a good way.

“For some folks, there’s no such thing as enough money.”
What do u think?
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#booktour
FAR GONE
by
Danielle Girard.
Girard’s books have won the Barry Award and the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, and two of her titles have been optioned for movies.
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FAR GONE is a  story of two heroines with shattered pasts and a town with blood on its hands.
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When a North Dakota couple is shot down in their home in cold blood, the sleepy town of Hagen wakes with a jolt. After all, it’s usually such a peaceful place. But Detective Kylie Milliard knows better.

Despite not handling a homicide investigation in years, Kylie is on the case. A drop of blood found at the scene at first blush promises to be her best evidence. But it ultimately only proves that someone else witnessed the murder—and the results are shocking: the DNA reveals a familial match to a crime involving local nurse Lily Baker from over a decade ago. This unveiling stirs new nightmares for Lily as she’s forced to reckon with the most traumatic time in her life.

Haunted by their pasts and hunting the killer, Kylie and Lily uncover hellish secrets and impossible truths, finding answers that put both their lives in jeopardy.
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Series: Badlands Thriller
Book 2- Far Gone
Releases: 15th Jhne 2021.
can be read as a standalone.
345 pgs, 60 chapters.
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The story is twisted, it entangles & comes out smooth & clean in the end.
There are emotions, which run high throughout the story.
Relationships..run haywire & become straight & sorted when we come near the end.
The end is calming, tbh.
There's greed, blood, drugs, emotional abuse & al.
Sure to keep u on the edge of ur seats!
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Dedicated to men & women who devote their lives to the pursuit of justice.

#noorthebookwormreviews
#fargone
#netgalley
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The questions and nightmares continue for Lily Baker and Kylie Milliard in book 2 of the Badlands series. It has been four years since the small town of Hagen witnessed a murder and Lily and Kylie had front row seats. But just when they think the past is behind them it rears its ugly head when a couple is murdered in their home, Leaving behind a baby, a teenage witness, and more secrets that will leave your head spinning.
Another great thriller from Girard!

Thank you for my copy in return for an honest review!

FAR GONE is the second installment in the Badlands series, and while this can be read as a standalone, be aware that a few events from book one, WHITE OUT, will be referenced.

14-year-old addict Hannah manages to hide in a coat closet while the Garzas, the couple she babysits for, are being executed. Even through her drug-induced haze, she recognizes but can't place the killer's voice.

A single drop of blood turns the case upside down for Detective Kylie Milliard and local nurse Lily Baker and forces the investigation into a single horrifying conclusion.

This was part thriller and part domestic suspense. I loved the alternating POVs, and the chapters with Hannah being on the run were both exciting and sobering...after all, she's just a child, addicted to pills, terrified, and alone. Lily's story is heartbreaking, but Detective Milliard makes the book with her tough, compassionate, and tenacious character.

Pre-order your copy of this thrill ride today!

Quick Synopsis: Fourteen year-old Hannah goes missing after witnessing the murder of the parents of the baby girl she is babysitting . DNA from the crime scene later reveals that the home invasion may be connected to a decade old crime that involves local nurse , Lily Baker. Both Lily and Hagen's Detective Kylie must unravel this mystery and bring the killer to justice.

My thoughts: Girard did it again! This second book of Badlands Thriller did not disappoint and I enjoyed it more than the first book! Intricate plot, great characters and a suspense-filled storytelling - what a thrilling read!

Once again, the police procedural part was so well-written and I savoured every moment of it!

This complex story is told from three POV - Hannah, Lily, Kylie. It is easy to follow with a pretty consistent pace although it did slow down in some parts. The characters definitely have more depth and I loved the dynamics between Kylie and Lily.

Can this be read as standalone? Yes and no. I personally would read the first book for the characters and their backstories and how they were connected. But then again, I also did not feel I missed out a lot if I were to read this as standalone.

Overall, Far Gone is a great police procedural and I highly recommend this series! I can't wait for the next book!


Pub. Date: June 15th, 2021

**Thank you Thomas & Mercer, author Danielle Girard and NetGalley for this gifted copy to read and review.***

Far Gone is the new book from Danielle Girard - Book 2 in the Badlands series.

"A couple is gunned down in their home. The babysitter, Hannah, is a witness and flees with the infant the killer left behind. Detective Kylie Milliard finds blood at the scene. DNA results determine it is a familial matches to Lily Baker. Now Lily must dredge up memories of the worst time of her life to help find a killer. And Kylie needs to find Hannah before the killer does."

Girard gives us another great story here. Each new reveal is a "Wait - what?!?" And it keeps happening. You will never figure out all of the twisty family relationships. And when Lily has to make a life-altering decision at the end, you ask yourself what you would do.

Kylie is a great character. Small town detective just trying to find a killer. And Lily is a character that had terrible things happen to her but seems willing to deal with it and move on.

This is the 2nd in a series but it can certainly be read as a standlaone. Another great, fast-paced story from Girard.

Synopsis:

When a North Dakota couple is shot down in their home in cold blood, the sleepy town of Hagen wakes with a jolt. After all, it's usually such a peaceful place. But Detective Kylie Milliard knows better.

Despite not handling a homicide investigation in years, Kylie is on the case. A drop of blood found at the scene at first blush promises to be her best evidence. But it ultimately only proves that someone else witnessed the murder--and the results are shocking: the DNA reveals a familial match to a crime involving local nurse Lily Baker from over a decade ago. This unveiling stirs new nightmares for Lily as she's forced to reckon with the most traumatic time in her life.

Haunted by their pasts and hunting the killer, Kylie and Lily uncover hellish secrets and impossible truths, finding answers that put both their lives in jeopardy.

This book was so much fun to read! Loved it and it was my first novel from this great writer!

Kylie Milliard is a detective in a small town in North Dakota who met in the first book White Out. I loved that we still get to see the characters in the first book come back in this one. Kylie gets a new case when a set of parents are murdered and their infant daughter goes missing. Lilly, who we met in the first series is still processing and healing after the events of her past, when a piece of evidence shows that Lilly might have a family member she never knew about things get very complicated for her. I love mysteries set in small towns because everyone knows things about the entire town so when secrets are revealed its always a fun reading experience. I do feel like this is a series that would benefit from being read in order because of things that happen to the main characters in book one are still being dealt with in book two. I highly recommend this series if you like thriller/mysteries set in small towns and follows multiple POV's. Thank you Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for my gifted copy for review! I can't wait to read more more in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Danielle Girard and Thomas & Mercer for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This is only my second novel by Girard, but I have been pleasantly surprised with how interesting I found both novels. I was concerned when I started this one that I knew exactly where it was going and nothing was going to surprise me. But I was so wrong, there are so many twists that I hadn't seen coming right up until the end. The twists at the very end were the most shocking and the ones I enjoyed the most. I really enjoyed the characters, even the despicable ones because they were so well thought out. The entire plot of this one was really thought out and i really enjoyed the different perspectives that you get the story from. Definitely one I would recommend if you enjoy multiple perspective thrillers!

This was such an exciting, heart-racing thriller! Far Gone is the second book in the series Badlands Thriller, but I think this can be read as a stand-alone.

14-year-old Hannah witnesses the murder of the couple she is babysitting for. Detective Kylie is assigned the case, and she finds a connection to an old case. We alternate between three storylines, Detective Kylie’s investigation, Hannah’s experiences, and the old case that the new one is connected to.

I thought this was a great story with characters that were easy to connect to, and a plot that was surprising and exciting! I was worried when we started jumping between the three storylines, but it is written in a way that makes it easy to understand and follow. The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat, and I think readers are going to love it!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

While not exactly page turning this is a good thriller. that flips chapters back-and-forth between the characters. Set in a small town, Haven, North Dakota. the story opens with 14 year old Hannah as she witnesses the killing of the parents of the baby girl she is babysitting. High on drugs Hannah is soon on the run from the killer.
The story then takes on three storylines with : the investigation of the murdered couple, by Detective Kylie Milliard, Hannah’s run and also, a drop of blood at the crime scene linking local nurse Lily, who has survived a traumatic history.
This is the second book in the Badlands Thriller but can be read as a stand alone. I did feel the book slowed in a few places but i was still keen to reach the conclusion.

Th so you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read Far Gone.

Hannah has just arrived for her babysitting job, when an intruder kills the parents she is babysitting for... Hannah , high on drugs, goes on the run, not knowing who ti trust - because she recognizes the voice of the intruder ...

The first chapter of this book was edge of your seat reading - and the rest was no different ! I stayed up late last night because I wanted to find out what was going to happen . This book is hard to put down !

Far Gone is the first book I read by Danielle Girard and iAlthough this is not the first book in the series I fully understood the story. The characters are believable and interesting, There were some unexpected twists that also helped kept me hooked all the way to the end. I’ve enjoyed this book and it made me want to read the first book in this serie.

My thanks go out to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 Stars

After a drop of blood found is found at a crime scene, Detective Kylie Milliard finds she doesn't have much else to go on in order to find the murderer. Ultimately, that bit of blood not only proves that someone witnessed the murder at the scene, but there is also an unexpected familial match to a crime involving local nurse Lily Baker from over a decade ago.

There were many storylines in Far Gone but the three main ones were: The solving of the murder of a couple whose baby has disappeared, the witness's escape and backstory, and that of a dedicated nurse who has a traumatic past resulting in memory loss. I really enjoyed the book until the end, where everything was wrapped up in a long and rather unbelievable scene. I found myself wishing for a little more realism and a little less telling. (I know! I'm the outlier on this one!!)

I struggled through this book. I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the correct mindset or if this book isn’t just my cup of tea. Nothing against it, it just wasn’t for me.

This was a good book, easy to read, relatable characters that i cared about. At times it seemed like too many details and dragged the story down. There were parts that were felt over the top, that it didn't have to get wrapped up in all the stories coming together to be effective. But it was a good quick escapist read