Oh. My. Goodness. Joy Kluver has done it again.

What a delight it was to have DI Bernie Noel back in my life (and her excellent team).

Kluver is so adept at weaving multiple seemingly unrelated stories together in a teasingly slow reveal that really showcases the best of her characters. It's not just about the unfortunate crimes, you really get to know Anderson, Kerry, Bernie, Jane.. the whole team as people, not just through their tough jobs.
I warn you that it's borderline impossible not to get quite attached and invested in the social lives and general wellbeing of Bernie in particular but the whole team in general.

Without any spoilers... what an ending for Bernie!!! I am absolutely dying to read book 3 and learn what happens next.

This book had me gripped from the very first page to the last word.
DI Bernie Noel leads a brilliant team. Guiding them and utilising her tenacious personality, she professionally unfurls solves the crimes in front of her.
Loved it!

Absolutely thrilling and completely addictive. Packed with nerve wracking suspense. I couldn't put it down. Do read this one. Just brilliant.

I was so excited when I heard that there was a new Bernadette Noel book coming out, she is really one of my favourite detectives.

Yet again, the very talented Joy Kluver has produced a book that’s just an absolute belter of a read. This book really has it all, a lead character that you can’t help but love, a twisty and chilling plot, and the most fascinating and engaging police procedural element. I love the way it’s a thriller and police procedural, but it’s very character driven, and even in the midst of a gory and challenging murder investigation, we see the real side to the investigating team, their friendships, banter, relationships and personal problems. I was just totally consumed by this brilliant read.

On a personal level, Bernie has a lot of changes in the course of this book, and we are left with a little bit of a cliffhanger, which has me absolutely dying for the next book. I really hope that this is a series that will have many more to come.

A rollercoaster ride of emotions, clever plot twists and intrigue, this book is an absolute must-read, and will have you engrossed from start to finish. Gripping stuff

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the second book in the DI Noel series but could be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was very excited for the next story.

Bernie Noel is the sort of detective you want figuring out your case. She is smart, determined and very shrewd. She has an excellent team especially Matt and Kerry who worked with her in the previous book. I liked the newbies too and hope that some of them will be back.

I liked reading the story from Bernie’s POV. I always love a multiple POV story but this book works really well as a single POV. You only get the clue’s a Bernie does and it did make it much more of a mystery that way.

This case had many layers to it. The more I peeled back the more I was guessing and the more I had no clue Joy did an excellent job of keeping the suspense and mystery up, right until the very end. I was constantly guessing and was surprised every time. I was gripped from start to finish and I cannot wait for another instalment!

Bernie Noel is not very good when exposed to dead bodies & the one that starts this story is particularly nauseating, the victim having been dead a while. All the team have to work on is a red dress & a pair of expensive red shoes. Attempting to find out her identity is not going to be easy. The DCI Worth in charge of the case is not called 'Worthless' for nothing & is determined the case will be handled his way in spite of Bernie being familiar with the locality & people. When a young girl goes missing the stakes are higher & even though there are many things that seem to connect the two issues 'Worthless' refuses to believe it. Juggling an unsympathetic boss & personal relationship issues Bernie strives to make sure there isn't another body.

I enjoyed the first in the series but I thought this one was much better. Bernie has seemed to have grown into her character & comes across as a more likeable person. The story keeps the reader guessing right to the end. I loved it & can't wait until the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This is Joy Kluver's second novel to feature DI Bernadette (Bernie) Noel of the Wiltshire police force. Bernie came to Wiltshire from the Metropolitan Police to escape. Following her involvement in a high profile prosecution resulting in her receiving death threats, she hoped that her move to the West Country would put all that behind her and protect herself and her family.

In Broken Girls, Bernie is on the case when a young woman in a red dress is found by a farmer's son, strangled in a wood close to the railway. She still has her gold hoop earrings in her ears and her stilettoes are a few yards away. The woman has been dead for nearly a week, but why has she not been reported missing?

The story is told entirely from the perspective of Bernie so the reader makes their discoveries when Bernie does. The investigation is a complex one and Joy Kluver cleverly weaves everything together. The plotting is masterful; the subplots were well executed and the many twists were dotted throughout the whole novel rather than being rushed in at the end. I spent some time dwelling on the facts presented but still, the perpetrator's identity eluded me until the reveal.

Bernie's personal and professional lives are interesting. Joy Kluver has so far revealed enough about her to ensure she comes across as a switched-on, caring, believable woman while holding enough back to keep readers wanting to learn more. I also liked the friendships between Bernie and her team, though it's not all plain sailing. There are maelstroms in her private life but possibly a sense of hope about the future. Broken Girls is a fantastic continuation of a new series which I’m sure will see readers coming back for more.

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

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Broken Girls' by Joy Kluver.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Joy Kluver, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 27th July 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series but it can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Last Seen' which is the first book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series and which I would highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you like Angela Marsons, Val McDermid or Cara Hunter, you’ll love Joy Kluver'. I am a huge fan of Angela Marsons so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Joy Kluver and if this is half as good as 'Last Seen' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 68 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Wiltshire, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Detective Bernadette Noel. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.

'Broken Girls' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Joy discusses/includes sexual assault and child abuse.

Wow!! Just Wow!! What can I even say?!? Joy you have absolutely slam dunked it yet again!!! Only your second novel and it is absolutely heart racing!! What an absolutely EPIC debut novel. You are going far!!! Anyway... Will I get on with my review? Best had....

As you can tell from my opening statement this book is brilliant! More than brilliant, amazing!!! It had been fantastically written and the descriptions completely absorb the reader into the storyline.

The storyline is absolutely gripping, addictive and captivating. Filled with everything you are looking for in a book... Suspense, tension, mystery, red herrings, researched police procedural, you name it this book has it. I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last. I had a complete shock at the twists and finding out who was who and who did what. A HUGE congratulations there as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me these days but that was a whooper!! I loved that there were several storylines going on and yet everything came together perfectly, nothing worse than crucial parts being mentioned and then left and not mentioned again, this was all perfectly tyed up a the end. This is an absolutely fantastic start to what promises to be a heart racing and nail biting new series. What an absolutely cliff hanger this ended on!!! Joy you best be writing your next book as we speak as I cannot wait!!!

Love, love, loved all the characters!!! I loved meeting them again and still cannot wait to meet them yet again although I'm glad I won't be hearing from a certain worthless character. The fact that Bernice is such a strong, determined and captivating female lead is a huge bonus for all female readers. Woman power!! It wasn't just Bernie who was a super woman though as Kerry was also whoop butt and Alice is definitely starting to shine. The dynamic of the team was spot on and I really enjoyed reading all the different personalities and watching friendships bond. Matt and Anderson were also excellent members of the team and Anderson will definitely be an intriguing one to continue to read about. I also enjoyed meeting Paul and Anna Bentley who are becoming integrated as part of the team.

I really cannot compliment this book and successfull author more. I would love to see this made into a movie and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

Overall an addictive, gripping, heart racing, nail biting and page turning thriller that will keep you hooked.


Genres covered in this novel include Crime, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Thriller and Mystery amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans Melissa Leigh, Angela Marsons, C. L Taylor, Carol Wyer and anyone looking for a great new series.

350 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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This is the second book in this series and it had a great continuity. The mystery was on point as well as the author’s descriptions of everything. I can’t wait for the next one!

Broken Girls is the second instalment in the Detective Bernadette "Bernie" Noel series set in Wiltshire. With her usual superior, DCS Wilson, away on sick leave, Bernie is appointed as SIO by stand-in DCI Patrick Worth for a new case that comes in, much to her amazement. The bloated, decomposing body of a young woman has been discovered strangled in dense woodland close to a farm belonging to the Moffat family. It appears to have been there for nearly a week before it was discovered by 15-year-old Craig Moffat. Due to her advanced stages of deterioration, there is no chance of visually ascertaining her identity and the team are baffled as she doesn't fit the description of any missing person. They eventually, after a hard slog, using rings she was wearing with the etching "To H love R", are led to missing au pair Rosa Conti who was employed but recently fired by Rupert and Harriett Fox after she was found in a compromising position with a male companion on the job. But what happened between being dismissed and ending up in the woods? Then a pre-teen goes missing; it turns out to be Laura Moffat, the 12-year-old sister of Craig and a quick comb through her Instagram reveals conversations she had been having online with Luke Davidson, apparently aged 17.

He appears to have groomed her but a further look into his account finds he has disturbingly been doing the same with other minors and young women, including Laura’s best friend. Bernie’s colleagues don't believe the predatory behaviour and the murder are linked but she thinks otherwise and is one to trust her gut instincts regardless of her colleagues and their opinions. She is then swiftly removed from the murder investigation and placed on the case of the missing child which makes her question Worth’s motives and legitimises her belief that she was on the right track. Are both cases connected and if so how? Why would Worth take her off the case? Could he be dirty? This is a compulsive and absorbing sequel and a complex story with plenty of thrills and an intriguing mystery at its heart. The plot threads are woven together well and are clearly thought out, and I mean it when I say that the twists and turns catch you off guard and are impeccably executed from start to finish. Kluver masterfully lulls you into a false sense of security, and although you think you know what's happening you realise you had no idea when she pulls the rug out from under you. Told solely from Bernie’s perspective, this is impossible to put down with a smart and dedicated protagonist. Crime fiction at its finest.

I loved the first book in this series but I think book 2 is even better!
Detective Bernie Noel is called out when a woman’s body is found, showing signs of decomposition. It’s a hard sight to take in and Bernie is determined to find the killer.
With her boss breathing down her neck Bernie struggles to get things moving at first and when he takes her off the case to deal with a missing teenager, she’s furious.
Worth has no reason to criticise Berni but he certainly makes life difficult for her.
For those that have read the first book, you’ll know Berni ended things with Anderson after speaking to his ex wife. He got transferred but is back for this case and things start out a little awkwardly for them both.
This is a clever crime thriller and I never guessed the identity of the killer or the other aspects that all came together at the end.
And as for the final chapter….I’m speechless!
Another brilliant book from Joy Kluver.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

A great book full of twists to keep you guessing. The plot is very topical and quite dark at times.

Bernie is a great character and I loved her relationship with Kerry in this book.

Already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Broken Girls by Joy Kluver is the second book in the Detective Bernadette Noel series I loved the first book in this series called 'Last Seen' and this new book was a great read. I was hooked within the first few pages. I love a book that's full of twists and turns and this book had it all!

I highly recommend this Detective Bernadette Noel series Excellent set of book

Thanks to netgalley, Joy Kluver and the publishers Bookouture for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.

This is the second book in this series. I loved the first and this one was just as good. It had lots of unexpected twists and turns that kept me hooked from start to finish. Fantastic storyline with a great bunch of characters and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Broken Girls is the second book in the Detective Bernadette Noel series but can be read as a stand alone story. I have read the previous book, which I enjoyed, and this one is better. I was hooked on this one immediately and read it in a day. I am looking forward to more books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

This second installment in the DI Bernie Noel series is fantastic! It is a roller-coaster ride with ups, downs, and lots of twists and turns along the way. We also get a peek into Bernie's personal life which has a bombshell ending! Sitting on a tack waiting for #3!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookoutre for allowing me to read #BrokenGirls by#JoyKluver.
When the body of a young woman is found Detective Bernie Noel is one of the first on the scene at the gruesome discovery
With her face unrecognisable and no identification they will have to wait for forensics to point them in the right direction.
When some of the jewellery she is wearing turn out to be stolen, the team hope they have caught a break, but then another girl goes missing.
Fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my gosh.... I don't often read crime novels but I loved Broken Girls. I don't know why but I was drawn in from the start and was engrossed to the end. The subject of the novel is unpleasant but does highlight some crimes for which judges should be allowed to throw away the key!! Brilliant book.

4.5⭐

D.I. Bernie Noel is back with an utterly absorbing crime thriller involving a dead girl, mistaken identity and a missing twelve-year-old. Not to mention a private life that's about to get a little messy

And with brilliant pacing, wonderful characters, a lovely west country setting, and an investigation that was not only littered with red herrings, but kept me guessing until the very end. Broken Girls was a superb and enthralling follow up to Last Seen. And I'm certainly excited to read more from D.I. Noel and her team in the future.

Would happily recommend.

I loved the first book in this series Last Seen and this, the second, is a belter of a read too.
I read this in one day, in one sitting, and really enjoyed it. The main plot opens with the discovery of a female body in the woods and so begins a brilliant twisty turny tale
The subplot and characters continue to develop nicely and a brilliant ending that has so much to offer for book three