Nadine Finch is back and this time, she is on the hunt for a twisted, serial killer who is hunting down the women around her. This case was complex and way, way darker than the first. The Unsub is sadistic and enjoyed torturing his victims. He was obsessed with Nadine due to her familial ties and this brought the danger closer home.

After getting used to Nadine and Demko as a couple, I have now grown fonder of the entire team. Nadine’s Assistant, Tina and the ME, Julliette all work together quite well and I enjoyed their friendship.

This is an enthralling, edge- of- your- seat, masterfully plotted procedural that had me glued to the pages until the end. It's full of twists and turns that upped the tension through each chapter. Nadine is a strong protagonist and I enjoyed watching her work with her team, form relationships, confront her dark family relations and hunt down one of the darkest Unsubs I have encountered in a police procedural. I can’t wait for book 3 already.

I loved this book!! New author to add on the TBR list for sure!! Dr. Nadine Finch is a superb character with wits, grit, and a female powerhouse in a subtle yet strong character role!!! I read towards the end the other few titles that are accessible and I can't wait to get them and I'm hoping will divulge more about Nadine. I love Demko and how he is strong yet so weak with love for Nadine and I love the whole team and how much they relate to each other with their backgrounds. This cat & mouse and having to go back where it all began vibe added to the amazing chilling plot twist and the huntsman was a great villain!! Thank you Netgalley for the awesome read!!!

This was the first book I have read form Jenna Kernan and it won't be the last! I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down, even when I thought I knew where the book was going.

Second in this series. A fast paced thriller with many twists and turns. Characters are good and well described.. A good read.

I stumbled upon this author through Netgalley and boy am I glad I did. Before reading this book, I read part one of the series A Killer’s Daughter and flew through it!!! I absolutely love this series. I love Nadine Finch so much as well as the other repeating character! This book is a nail-biting, fast paced thriller that will keep you on your toes. I can’t wait to see what the next book of the series will entail!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review

In the Ocala National Forest newlywed Nikki Darnell has been murdered. As an agent, Nadine Finch is asked to investigate the case. As dedicated as she is to her work, she gears to come back to the place that tore her life apart. However, when she takes a view on the murder, she knows she must put her traumatic past aside to find justice for Nikki. After viewing the wounds on the victim’s body, it is clear to her that the murderer is hunting his target as a wild animal.
She agrees to be an advisor in the case. When she arrives in Florida with her boyfriend, it turns out that Nikki Darnell isn’t the only victim of the hunter. Woman after woman is going missing. At first, no connection between the women can be found. However, each murder leads them to one person. Nadine Finch is the only connection between all the cases.

Book Review

Lately, I decided that I want to read more crime books and this was a great choice to start with. The book was filled with anticipation. Nadine Finch is a perfect example of a great main character in crime books. She had her backstory, life outside the workplace, and relationship that made the story even more interesting. As good as she was at her work, her life wasn’t as structured and organized. She was afraid of her past, and the influence of her family. She was scared to take a step in her relationship or just leave it behind. Besides all these struggles she was working hard to find the ‘hunter’. It wasn’t an easy task since there wasn’t any pattern connecting all the murders.

Since the murders were placed in her hometown, I had a feeling that they were all kind of connected to her and the crimes of her mother. I just wasn’t sure in what way. I won’t reveal if I was right or not because I want you to experience the story yourself. I was really interested in the psychology behind the murders, and I think this is a part I was partly missing in this book. However, it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the big reveal at the end of the book. It was quite epic. I'm not gonna lie. Especially the way Nadine handled the case.

I was pretty horrified with the scenes from the point of view of the victims or the hunter. The way he treated the women he was hunting was a true nightmare. On one hand, I was happy to see the action from the other point of view of the detective but it was also very hard to read. Well, I don’t think that thrillers/crime books are ever easy to read. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and I will consider reading the rest of the books in this series.

I would like to thank Jenna Kernan, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC copy of this amazing book! It was a great opportunity to finally read something different from fantasy and romance.

This was an engaging book with some seriously dark murders. So I really enjoyed it--that being said, it took me a while to really get into it. Maybe it's because it was the second book in a series and I hadn't read the first one, but it took me a while to care about the characters and even figure out who was whom. The murder hunt was interesting and I could have done without a lot of the ongoing pet drama (?) but overall, it was good. I'll probably go and read the first one but I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the series.

Nadine Finch is back on the case in an absorbing new thriller guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats: The Hunted Girls.

Ocala National Forest, Florida is a place Nadine had sworn never to set foot in ever again. Fear consumes her body just hearing the name of this horrific place that continues to haunt her nightmares. But when newlywed Nikki Darnell is found murdered there, Nadine knows that she has no other choice but to face her past and confront old demons that still persecute her. Determined to get to the bottom of this case and to find justice for Nikki and her husband, Nadine begins investigating, but is she ready for what she is about to discover?

As Nadine looks at the triangular cuts found on Nikki’s body, she is convinced that the victim was hunted down and drowned before being left for dead for the police to find. But what kind of monster would do such a heinous thing? And why? When another woman is found dead in similar circumstances, Nadine realizes that time is not on her side and she must act fast before someone else suffers a similar fate. With the victim being a local waitress, Nadine’s quest for justice takes her all the way to an outdoors store where she finds a chilling note that puts her directly in the line of fire.

The stakes have never been higher for Nadine and on the trail of a ruthless hunter who will stop at nothing to wreak their deadly revenge, can she stop the killer in time? Will she have to sacrifice herself in order for justice to be served? Or is Nadine already far too late?

To call Jenna Kernan’s The Hunted Girls a tense page-turner would be an understatement. A chilling and terrifying read that kept me gripped throughout, The Hunted Girls is a dark, gritty and disturbing thriller that does not miss a single beat. Jenna Kernan is a master at penning pacy, twisty and terrifying thrillers and The Hunted Girls is sure to have readers’ hearts jumping out of their skin as they find themselves consumed by this shocking and jaw-dropping chiller.

A thrilling rollercoaster ride, thriller fans will not want to miss Jenna Kernan’s The Hunted Girls.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I love a good thriller and this is a good one. I haven't read the first book in this series (something I will remedy when I get the time) but it didn't really matter as far as I could tell. Kept me guessing until the killer was revealed. Would recommend!!

EXCELLENT storyline about the search for a serial killer who hunts down his prey., killing them slowly & cruelly. Well written with very likable main characters & lots of suspense throughout. First time reading this author but will backtrack to read her first. Enjoyed totally & RECOMMEND fully. Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.

This is the authors second book in the series and I didn’t realize that until I was already reading it, but it’s safe to say you don’t have to read the first one to enjoy this one. The author does a great job in explaining the backgrounds of the characters.

The book reminded me of criminal minds episode, a show I used to watch all the time!

It is such a fast paced thriller, that keeps you on the edge always wondering who this killer is. There are two POVs, one being Nadine and the other being the serial killer.

The ending leaves you wanting to read her next book, so I’m looking forward to it!

First things first, this is the second book in a series. I didn't realize that going in, so I backed up and read the first before I tackled this one. That being said, this book would/does work as a standalone as most of the background information needed is provided in the first 1/3 of the book.

Nadine Finch is a new FBI Profiler, fresh from her training with the BU. Upon stepping off the plane from Quantico and reuniting with her boyfriend, she is called in to consult on a case. There is a serial killer preying on women in the hunting grounds of her mother, also a serial killer. The FBI and Nadine obviously assume that the case is personal, and she is pulled into the world of the Huntsman.

While I enjoyed this book, the twists and surprises didn't feel exactly like twists or surprises. A careful reader, and those who enjoy the thriller/mystery genre generally are careful readers, will pick up on things quickly and have the case puzzled out well before the characters. This was the case with this book. The hints weren't exactly subtle. The extent that Nadine gets pulled into the danger of the case was very similar to that of the first book (A Killer's Daughter) and it felt a little repetitive.

All in all, not my favorite, but a solid outing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in a series but I didn’t not read the first one and it works as a standalone. Though it has an intriguing plot line, I didn’t love this one, unfortunately. It centers on FBI profiler Nadine Finch, who is called in to consult when it appears that a serial killer is murdering women in her hometown. Nadine’s mother is a serial killer herself, and she believes the current situation is personal.

Though there was a lot happening, I didn’t feel that there were any surprises or twists in the story. Even when Nadine reveals something to the reader, it left me wondering if we were supposed to be surprised, as it all seemed pretty obvious to me. I also thought the book lacked character development with not only Nadine, but her entire team.

I did feel that the pace of the book picked up at the end and I liked the last third of the book more than the two thirds..

Overall, this is a story that I should’ve liked, as it has all the elements I usually look for, but it just didn’t do it for me. I’d give it 2.5 stars. I appear to be in the minority so hoping that others who like serial killer and police procedurals will enjoy it more. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks for the opportunity to review this book. An enjoyable read with well developed characters and a solid storyline. I enjoyed it and would recommend it!

Round up to 3.5 stars.
Unpopular opinion coming….I did not love this book. It did not knock my socks off or wow me like I expect a thriller/mystery to do. I felt like the plot was lacking and the love interest in this book did not share the kind of chemistry they should have. The concept of the book was intriguing though, and I did finish it because I did want to know what happened.
This is the second book in the Nadine Finch Series. Nadine Finch just finished training for the FBI in Quantico when she gets called on a case in her hometown of Ocala where her mother murdered 8 people. This serial killer is luring women so he can hunt them in the Florida Everglades, he considers himself to be the ultimate predator. Nadine and her team must work together to stop this killer before he continues his rampage, but what does he ultimately want? It is up to Nadine to find out.
Although this book wasn’t my favorite, I would recommend it if you love a good serial killer book.
Special thanks to Netgalley for providing me a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Spectacular book about the gene that may predispose children to violence as well as the serial killer. Being caught by the use of profiling. I always have heard about one being predisposed to a particular familial trait such as alcoholism or violence. This book explained very well how that could make a person feel about continuing the family tree. When Nadine finds out that she carries the gene, she is on the hunt for a serial killer that wants her. She discovers that the killer has decided she will bear his children so they can create an army of killers. She uses many resources to find the killer but not before more women die. There is so much action and emotion experienced that this book is hard to put down.

The Hunted Girls by Jenna Kernan is the second instalment in the FBI Agent and forensic psychologist Dr Nadine Finch series, set in Florida.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this crime thriller which was an extremely strong follow up to the series debut, A Killer's Daughter. Nadine Finch has completed five months of intensive training at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia to become a full-blown FBI profiler and is going to her current home in Sarasota, Florida. She is just landing when she receives a voicemail from FBI Special Agent Sean Torrin who informs her that she is needed on a double murder case in Ocala, a place she never wanted to return to. Two female bodies had been found in St Johns River in the Ocala National Forest and the police would like Nadine to report to Orlando PD. Nadine is very reluctant about the case for personal reasons.

The first victim is Nikki Darnell, the daughter of an affluent developer. She had been caged, tortured and then shot with an arrow from a crossbow, whilst walking her dog. The second victim, Rita Karnowski, who was reported missing by her boyfriend after going on a hike, was killed a few days later, murdered in a similar way.

This riveting and compulsive read certainly contained plenty of action and Nadine is a strong protagonist with her own issues to resolve. There were plenty of twists and oodles of tension, I flew through the pages in record time, and I was impressed and on edge all the way to the conclusion. I will definitely be continuing with this exciting, well-executed series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- A strong follow-up book!

I really enjoy this author's writing style. It is so easy to read. It was fast-paced. The plot was engaging and kept me guessing. I really enjoy this group of characters. They are all likable and have good chemistry. My only issue (again) was Nadine and her constant whinging about how she "might become a killer like her family" 🙄 It really gets to be too much. Especially regarding her relationship with Clint. However, there was light at the end of the tunnel by the finish of the book. So 🤞🏻 the author gives it a rest in the next book.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

This is Jenna Kerman’s second novel and I am already absolutely loving her books and her characters. I love any books that involve criminal profiling, but a profiler who is also the daughter of a serial killer is extra cool! I really can’t wait for the next book.

FBI agent and profiler Nadine Finch is called to assist with a potential serial killer. She has personal experience of murderers, being the daughter of a prolific killer. The bodies start to pile up and Nadine becomes uncomfortably aware that the victims have a connection to her...
The Hunted Girls is a gruesome and grisly serial killer thriller. It is the sequel to A Killer's Daughter and there are spoilers about outcomes from the last book so I would advise reading them in order.
Nadine Finch has compiled a close knit team around herself, all of whom have killers in the family. She has an edge as a profiler due to her insights and experience but the body count is high. There is a romantic element to the plot as her colleague Clint Demko is ready to take the next step.
The past has a huge impact on the current case and the mentality of both Nadine and the killer. She has put up emotional and mental barriers to try to keep others safe but I admit I did get a little weary of Nadine's frequent soul searching and rejections of children and a future with Demko. I was frustrated with how she was putting their happiness in jeopardy, always a good sign when you care about the characters!
There was plenty of action, drama and danger to keep the plot engaging and exciting. There are descriptions of the killer's attacks and the forensic details of the bodies which is a bit stomach churning: is it weird to find it fascinating?!
The Hunted Girls has a strong plot and likeable lead characters facing graphic and disturbing murders. The ending wraps up the case but leaves Nadine facing change...