The Girl from Silent Lake is the first in a new series by Leslie Wolfe and the first book of hers I have read. While there is nothing in the book that is new to the crime novel genre, the author writes a thriller worth the read. Told in alternating views of the killer, victim and investigator, you get more angles of the events as they unfold.

Kay Sharp was an FBI profiler that quits her job to head back to her hometown when her brother is arrested for a barroom brawl. While getting acclimated at her old home, she offers some advice on a local murder and ends up helping in the investigation of a serial killer.

I like that her profiling skills offer insight into the actions and motives of the killer. This intrigued me and kept me interested. And the small details about the native tribes were interesting and new to me.

There is a huge trigger warning in this book. The victims are kidnapped with their children and there are descriptions where the victims were tortured that were a little hard for me.

I kept guessing who the killer was for the entire book. Fast paced. Great book for the crime lover who wants a little extra detail about the killer.

FBI profiler Kay Sharp gets a call from her brother about how he is in trouble and will be going to jail and she knows what that means. She is going to have to leave the FBI and go back home to a place she doesn't want to be as it holds to many bad memories.

While she is there she learns about a body found at Silent Lake and she gets involved in trying to solve the crime because she knows that it's the work of a serial killer. It took a little persuasion to get the locals on board with her theory especially since she is currently not with the FBI, but then they find more bodies.

Kay has a secret from when she was a child and while investigating these crimes it comes back to haunt her making her question how the killer knows.

I enjoy Kay as a character as she is pretty determined, strong and very good at her job, but I have never been a fan of law enforcement having a tainted past even if it is something that happened when she was child. It's a secret she has to keep that could affect her future and anyone around her if it got out. My favorite character would have to be Elliot the local detective, him and Kay made a good team.

It took some getting use to how the story was set up as it had chapters with the victims, the killer, Kay's memories and then Kay's POV in present time. I would say my largest complaint is knowing who the killer was so early on in the book. It wasn't meant to be a secret at least I don't think it was as it was to easy to figure out but it was like once I knew all I wanted was for Kay to figure it out because it was easy to do if should would have done some things sooner than later, when that happens I get a bit bored and in a hurry to get finished with the book and I don't like that feeling! 

It was still a really good detective novel and I will be on the lookout for the next one in the series.

Kay is back in a small town where she has to find a killer. Everything points out to a similar murder that happened years ago but the culprit is in prison for life and that definitely makes everyone wonder if there’s a copy cat and how fast they can impide the new murderer to take more lives.

Suspenseful, gripping, old secrets deep burred that eventually needs to see the light and a strong great heroine that is in the middle of everything.

It’s my first book by the author but it got me intrigued to read more stories by her and that’s what I’m planning to do in the near future.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy.

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour.

Kay Sharp is moving back home and has A LOT of ghosts in her home town. She left for university and never looked back. While her family understood now, she has to return home. There was a lot of mystery around why Kay had to return and what happened to her when she was younger. Leslie did an excellent job of hooking me into the story with this mystery.

I really liked Elliot, Kay's "partner". He’s funny, hardworking and an all-round good cop. He's a little self-deprecating. He does need to believe in himself a bit more. I think he has some good character development ahead of him.

The case was disturbing. The Unsub is very mentally disturbed and the way he can act so normal in public is terrifying. There were enough hints to guess who the killer was for me. While I do like to be surprised there is also some satisfaction in being right. There were some real complex elements for Kay and Elliot to uncover. There was a lot that just didn't make sense. I liked the flashbacks and the different POVs. It really helped to get an all-round insight into the characters.

The story was very fast-paced and never really let up. I sped through the story in less than 24 hours! Leslie had me hooked from the beginning and I needed to find those women and children just as much as Kay and the team.

I loved the chapter headings, little things like that are always a bit different which I like. I hope this continues for the rest of the series. I'm excited to read the next book which comes out in April!

The Girl from Silent Lake is the first book in a new series featuring Kay Sharp, a trained FBI Profiler. When Kay’s brother is jailed for 6 months, Kay leaves her lucrative job with the FBI and heads home to Mount Chester. While at home, she discovers that her small childhood town is being stalked by a serial killer who is targeting women. Kay offers to help the local detectives find the killer before he strikes again.

The story begins with Kay’s trip back home and this part had me scratching my head. I wondered why she needed to leave her job to basically go house sit although she also planned to visit her brother in jail. Why not hire someone to take care of the home? Well, this part of the mystery was solved with a jaw –dropping twist that I never could have guessed.

With multiple narrators including the Unsub, I was kept at the edge of my seat waiting for detectives to solve the mystery. The Unsub was cold, calculating, extremely smart and just as equally disturbed. At some point, I started thinking that the detectives will never catch the person. This killer knew all about concealing evidence and his MO was so complex that the detectives had more than one puzzle to solve.

There is a lot to love about this book. Unfortunately, I struggled a bit with some of the sections that I felt dragged on a little. I also feel like I am getting tired of the ‘lone female lead detective who rebels and solves the case on her own’ trope. I mean Kay is smart and I love that she was a profiler. However, she seemed to run the show almost single handedly with the other detectives looking a bit incompetent in the end.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the second book. Suspenseful, action-packed, unpredictable with a dark, twisted Unsub, fans of serial –killer cop procedurals will enjoy this one.

This is my first book from Leslie Wolfe and I am now an avid fan! I can say with 100% certainty that I will keep reading the Kay Sharp Series!

I loved everything about this book! I really fell in love with FBI Profiler Kay and the Mount Chester Detective and I really want to know where this story will go.

There’re two stories in one in this book, we have Kay Sharp’s story, and then we have the unsub’s story as well. We do get both POV’s in the novel and I really loved this since I could get a glimpse of the unsub’s childhood. It made me more invested in the development of the story!

The book contained everything that I personally love (murder, mystery, different POVs, possible romance) and this book left me at the edge of my seat the whole time!

As for the ending, all I have to say is that was a BOMB ending and I highly recommend his book!

ADDICTIVE police procedural crime thriller with great characterization, well written & an abundance of suspense throughout until the first-rate conclusion. First time reading this author but eagerly anticipating #2 in this series. Enjoyed totally & RECOMMEND fully. Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.

My first book from this author but it won't be my last.

This book is intense and thrilling and will keep you reading to the end.

I was on the edge of my seat during some scenes.

Loved it and can't wait for book 2.

A great plot with believable characters and gripping suspense that held my interest from beginning to end. I highly recommend this read to anyone who likes crime and police procedurals.

Wow what a page turning whodunnit! FBI profiler Kay goes back to her hometown to take care of her brother's place, their childhood home, when he goes to jail for a bar fight and also to find a way to get him freed. She offers her insight when a woman is found murdered in what appears to be a ritualistic manner. When another woman disappears, this time with a child, the hunt is on.

Although this is the tried and true formula of woman runs away from her hometown hiding an awful secret,  becomes law enforcement and has to return many years later, it was a great read.  It was well written, full of interesting characters and a really good story. I am definitely looking forward to more books in this series.

With an opening chapter that would chill any mother to the bone I knew I was in for an intense read. The descriptive writing made it feel like I was in the cabin with Alison and Hazel, watching on in horror at what was sure to come.

Then we are sat in the car with Special Agent Kay Sharp, an FBI profiler, as she returns to her hometown Mount Chester. With her brother in jail after a bar fight and what looks like a serial killer on the loose targeting women, she is brought in to assist local detective Elliot Young.

I always go in to a series knowing that the characters will grow with you as the series progresses, but Kay felt so fleshed out I liked her straight away and I loved the developing relationship between her and Elliot. Her past was an interesting sub plot and not only did it show why she became the woman she is, it also gave a welcome breather from the intensity of the main plot line.

This is dark and disturbing at times but shows a well researched insight in to profiling and catching serial killers. This serial killer in particular made me question the why more than I have previously, seeing how his mind works and his motivations. I can’t wait to read the next book and hope there are many more to come in the series.

After escaping an abusive father, Kay Sharp becomes an FBI profiler and then leaves that job to return to her hometown after her brother Jacob is arrested. She is not there to help his case, but just to look after his home while he’s in jail for six months. Once she arrives at Mount Chester, she is caught up in the ritualistic serial killings that are taking place. Her skill as a profiler and a forensic psychologist are desperately needed to try to find a young mother and her little daughter before another victim is buried for cadaver dogs to find. The plot was well-developed as were most of the characters. The points of view are from Kay, a younger Kay and the killer. This book depicted disturbing violence that was shocking and hard for me to read at times. The plot was complex but riveting. The killer was twisted and a worthy match against the knowledge of Kay and the local police department. This is a good start to a new series, but I honestly don’t know if I can take this level of violence again. I enjoy a good thriller, but parts of this book were really hard for me to stomach. I give it 3.5 stars and hope that Kay Sharp will continue in her quest for justice although I may not read the next one.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture 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.”

A young woman and her 8-year-old daughter are being held captive. They had driven to the Pacific coast for a vacation. The woman knows the evil man is going to kill them.

Dr. Kay Sharp is headed home to the Pacific cast from her job as a special agent for the FBI in San Francisco profiling violent crimes. She had not been home in many years but is planning to stay because her usually easy-going brother, Jacob, got into a bar brawl earning him a six month prison sentence. She will look after the family home where Jacob has been living. Their parents are both gone.

When Kay reads about a young woman found murdered, she is determined to find out more. Detective Elliott stops by and wants to learn more from her about her experience with serial killers. That’s when she offers to help the local police department for free.

As things escalate with more women disappearing, Kay and Elliot, using her vast experience begin to zero in on the killer.

We also learn about Kay’s past in the town and some secrets that she herself is keeping.

This is a truly gripping and compelling thriller that kept my interest all the way through the book. I think that mystery/thriller lovers will want to be sure and put this book on their lists. It’s not to be missed.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Detective Kay Sharp has returned to her hometown .. something she swore she'd never do. But a phone call from her younger brother sends the FBI Profiler back to a place that holds no good memories.

It's a small community and she's asked to help solve a crime. A dead woman has been found by Silent Lake under the dew-covered Fall leaves, her hair braided and her body wrapped in a blanket. Kay warns the local police that they have a serial killer in their midst.

And that's not the only body that will be found in the same exact condition. There's no seemingly connection between the women found .. and the one still missing. One was white, one was black, one was Asian. Some had children ... children that disappeared with their mothers .. one or two didn't.

So what's the connection? How is this killer finding his victims? Where is he keeping them ... temporarily?

Kay needs to move fast .... before a horrifying secret is discovered .... and before Kay becomes the next victim.

The intricate plot is full of twists and turns, swirling around credible characters. Page-turning action starts on page one and doesn't stop until the explosive conclusion.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this addictive new crime thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Gripping and absolutely thrilling. A pacy, fast paced addictive read from.an incredibly brilliant author. I was completely absorbed. Love this book and this author. Very highly recommended.

A great start to a new series.
Kay leaves her job as a FBI profiler to return to her home town, as her brother has been sent to prison. She is far from happy to return but feels she has no choice.
With both their parents dead, Jacob is all she has.
Kay is shocked at the state of the house but soon gets stuck into putting it right until she is approached by local Detective, Elliot.
He knows she’s a great profiler and asks for her help with a murder case. Kay jumps at the chance to help and soon gets stuck into it.
Throughout the book we have chapters from the killer and also flashbacks from Kay’s past, and we find out what made her leave home.
As they discover more bodies they realise they need to catch this killer quickly as he just won’t stop.
This is a gripping crime thriller that had me hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The Girl from Silent Lake is the first book in a new thriller/mystery series by Leslie Wolfe. Due out 19th Feb 2021, it's 373 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

The author is adept at her craft. The book is well written technically, all the parts work the way they're supposed to. The action and plotting are engaging, and the majority of the dialogue is smoothly written and not clunky. Nevertheless I had a hard time reading this book. I just don't enjoy reading "kidnapper serial killer" thrillers and that is what this one is, top to bottom.

The language and content are explicit and difficult to read in some places. I found it a gruelling and depressing read. For fans of the subgenre (serial killer kidnap mysteries with flawed protagonists with a hidden tragic past) this will be a four star read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Girl from Silent Lake is the first instalment in the Detective Kay Sharp series, set in her hometown of Mount Chester. Former FBI Agent Dr Sharp is no stranger to family trauma and this has had profound implications on her life going forward — she moved away from her childhood home to escape the haunting memories and the abuse that happened at the hands of her father. Having left the FBI, where she had been employed as a forensic psychologist involved in criminal profiling based out of San Francisco, when her younger brother, Jacob, is incarcerated for a term of 6 months on a trumped-up charge after a bar fight in which he punched someone but that resulted in no one getting hurt, Kay returns to the beautiful Northern California mountain terrain to houses it at his residence until he is released. While there she can't help but hear of the previously missing young woman who had just been found buried in the area but any guidance she's given police of late has fallen on deaf ears. It doesn't take long before she receives a visit from Detective Elliot Young from the Franklin County Police Department who requests her expertise in the most recent murder, presumably out of desperation. Reluctantly, she agrees and as she assesses the information she's been handed her formidable instincts tell her that the most recent killing is the work of a seasoned professional who has both murdered before and will do so again.

The series of murders and abductions of women have been on Kay’s mind recently and she believes they will not cease until the ruthless, evil serial murderer is caught and punished. It will take the whole of the local police’s resources and Kay’s continually updated analysis of the killer's traits to put a stop to the terror that has enveloped the rural town. Little does she know that in doing so she will reveal links to her past. This is a compulsive, compelling and unbelievably twisty as well as twisted storyline and moves at rapid-fire pace giving you barely a moment to catch your breath. It shifts between developments quickly keeping the action moving without ever a dull moment and you lose yourself in the pages as you're immersed in the fascinating main thread regarding the murders and abductions and the equally interesting minor threads exploring Kay’s personal life and family. Kay is a strong, fierce and independent protagonist just trying to make her way in life whilst also trying to look out for those she loves. It is told from the perspectives of present-day Kay and that of the past as well as including the killer’s thoughts and motives, and the way the timeline shifts is carried out seamlessly, addressing her awful and deeply-affecting childhood years and later it is also revealed that she has a secret which I presume will come into play in upcoming instalments. I loved that we get a full backstory of the killer including how he became who he is today which made for intriguing reading. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this new thriller. It's the first in what promises to be a great series. The characters are interesting and much deeper than they first appear. I really liked Kay. I'm on the fence a bit about Elliot. At times I really liked him and others I thought he was an idiot. I really look forward to seeing these two develop as the series progresses.
The mystery is dark and intense. The parts from the killers perspective made me alternately feel sick and sorry for him. I guessed quite early who it was. Not all the details or why, but the who. However, it doesn't take anything away from the story. I can't wait to see what comes next.

“Nothing but silence met her agony”.
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Can my past destroy my present?

“The Girl from Silent Lake” plays with this premise.

The book starts with a woman called Alison. A man has kidnapped her together with her little girl, Hazel.

The man looks clean, his clothes are expensive, his manners educated. Damn, he even looks handsome…However his behaviour is quite out of the ordinary. He is braiding her hair!

On the other hand, the police side, we meet Special Agent Kay Sharp who has quitted her FBI job as a very successful serial killer profiler to go back home in Mount Chester. The reason for such a big change in her life is because his little brother Jason is in prison for a street fight.

Jason has been given quite a long sentence, which Kay thinks is just too much. There is something fishy…Furthermore, she has to take care of her family house while he is in prison, and keep it away from loiterers, especially the garden…

However, she is not happy about the idea of returning home. Last time she was there was 10 years ago for her mother’s funeral. So she would have to deal with a lot of dark, sad memories she had better brushed under the carpet.

However, Kay wants to help the local police as bodies of women start to appear buried in quite exceptional circumstances around Silent Lake.

The bodies seem to follow some ritualistic method used for burials in various Native American tribes.


THE STORY

These are the two sides of the story. On one hand we have the point of view of the killer and the victims and on the other hand the point of view of law enforcement embodied in Detective Sharp and Detective Elliot Young from the Sheriff’s Office.

It is quite heart-wrenching to read about the feelings of the victims, what they think and feel during the time they are tortured by the killer. In my opinion this gives a lot of credibility to the story and makes you feel at least a small percentage of the fear and the anger they must have experienced during those awful moments.

Specially interesting is the fact that some of them have been kidnapped together with their sons and daughters. This gives a whole new dimension to the agony, because they don’t only feel for themselves but for their offspring.

KAY SHARP & SERIAL KILLERS

I think liking or not liking the main character is quite important when it comes to enjoy a book or not. For me, Detective Kay Sharp is a very attractive character. She is a very successful woman, very intelligent, and has a quite dark past.

However, she tries very hard to hide this awful past as it would interfere tremendously which what she actually does for a living. If the incident that happened when she was a teenager were to come to light, her world would crumble. For this reason, she tries to keep herself separated from everyone, even from people she likes, like Detective Elliot Young.

Furthermore, the author Leslie Wolfe gives us a lot of information about serial killers and how the profilers work to try to catch them.

As a fan of true crime TV shows, I find it fascinating how these people try to gather together all the info they have to try to capture the killer. In the book there is quite a lot of information about profiling serial killers and I have learnt a lot with it. So the writer has really done a superb documentation job.

FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT “THE GIRL FROM SILENT LAKE”

I can say I recommend this book very much. The story line is not so quick as in other thrillers but this helps the book in my opinion. It gives you time to think about what is happening, about all the facts, and reach your own conclusion.

The elements related to Native Americans are fascinating, as I don’t know much about them unfortunately. The fact that Kay has a very strong relation to a Native American family gives the story an added value.

All the police procedure explanation, the forensic information and the serial killer profiling serve beautifully to finish up the story.

Being able to learn about what motivates these people to do the things they do is something that has always interested me. Because of their brutality, I have always wondered what could have possibly gone wrong at one time in their life for them to commit those horrendous crimes.

The question I always make myself is the following: Is someone born a serial killer or are the circumstances around that person solely responsible? I have found no answer for that…

My only complain is the many detailed descriptions of the tortures applied to the victims. I found them sometimes hard to read and made me at times quite sick.

Furthermore, another small complain is perhaps the fact that the main story line of “a female detective haunted by her past tries to catch sadistic killer” is not a novelty. We have all read a similar story for sure…That is the reason for my four stars.

In addition, I want to mention the elegant style in which the book is written. Wolfe’s writing is very classy and although he is sometimes describing horrible things, the language he uses is very rich and tasteful.

So, all things said, I will happily read the next instalments in the Detective Kay Sharp series.
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Thanks to the publisher, Bookouture, the author Leslie Wolfe and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of “The Girl from Silent Lake” in exchange for an honest review.