I received this arc through netgalley and i was so excited to catch up with Bernie Noel and her team.

Another trying case which includes murder and abduction which the team try to crack while Bernie is also trying to find the time to date returning officer Dougie Anderson after a revelation about her relationship with Alex.

A really enjoyable book. I can't wait to read the next installment to see what bernie does about her next dilemma!

I really enjoyed meeting Bernie and her new team in the Wiltshire Constabulary in Last Seen, so was curious to see what kind of case might be next on the list for them to get their teeth into. In this case it turns out to be murder, the death of a young woman who it is not going to be easy to identify. It should be a straightforward murder investigation, as much as these things ever are, but then life would be dull if everything was that plain sailing wouldn't it?

If felt like a slightly different Bernie Noel that we were faced with this time around. New to her role, in the previous book she had seemed quite flighty, quick to judgment and impetuous. She's definitely found her feet this time around, a solid flow to her investigation and a real sense of bonding with her team. There are a few notable exceptions and a few role reversals. People who were previously a point of conflict now seem to be a very useful ally, but then there are still one or two who are hell bent on making Bernie's life difficult, introducing a conflict from within that adds to the tension from the investigation. I certainly felt more settled with Bernie this time, her attitude a little less spiky, even though she is prone to the occasional show of temper. Probably a character trait I can identify with a little too easily ...

The investigation takes readers all over the place and whilst we have a large pool of potential suspects, each on in turn seems to have an unbreakable alibi. There is a mystery man, the one they believe to be the murderer, but the author keeps their identity well hidden, and also their motivation. This isn't as obvious a case as you might think in the beginning and there are a number of red herrings and dodgy goings on that serve to suitably muddy the waters.

it definitely feels like the characters are growing with each new book. Aside from Bernie, I'm really growing to like her partner in crime-solving, DS Kerry Allen, a woman who may be short of stature but definitely large in character. The rest of the team are starting to come into their own as well, and despite how things were left at the end of Last Seen, the return of a familiar face certainly spices up Bernie's personal life.

I had guessed a small element of the story early on - blame my suspicious mind - but this is a story with many threads and tugging on each one sees your absolute surety about whodunnit slowly unravel. Even then you think you know, think you have all the answers now, there are still surprises to come, Joy Kluver choosing to drip feed them throughout the book, right up to the very last page in fact.

If you like a solid police thriller with characters who are really starting to make their mark, and a story which will have you puzzled, frustrated and surprised in equal measure then this may be the book for you.

i am so enjoying this series very addictive . DI Bernie Noel has her life on track she has moved in to her dream cottage and has a boyfriend but a women s body is found on farmland and Dougal Anderson is back on the team and in her life again and the man in charge who she can not stand DCI Worth who lives in the past they find out that the dead women was a nanny and there was an illegal bike race that night she died ,as the case goes on Bernie thinks something is not right with her DCI and the one suspect MR Fox who was the nanny s employee the case takes a lot of twist and turns it is so good can not wait for book 3

I loved Last Seen book one! So when I seen Broken Girls I was excited as all get out!
This nail biting, page turning book was an absolute joy to read! I loved everything about but!
Joy sure knows how to turn it on. The suspense was tense and this is an absolute must read!
I was hooked from.the beginning and I knew the end was coming in tried to slow down my reading!

So thank you NetGalley and aka my favorite publisher Bookouture for this crazy ebook.copy!

Another brilliant read in this new series! A young woman's body is discovered in the woods and it's clear she has been there for several days. Because of the state she is in, identification from a photo will not be possible, so DI Bernie Noel and her team will have a tough investigation right from the start. They manage to trace her to a family whose au pair, Rosa, was recently let go. Now they just need to find out what happened to Rosa between leaving the family and being discovered in the woods.

But just when they feel they are making headway, another girl, only twelve, goes missing. There appears to be no connection between the two, but DI Noel is always one to listen to her gut. And she knows there's much more to these crimes than it seems. If only she could convince her boss, DCI Worth, or 'Worthless' as she calls him. But she will do whatever it takes to bring justice to the girls, permission be damned.

DI Noel also has to make a decision or where she stands with DS Anderson, whom she spurned after the end of the previous case. He's been brought in on these investigations so she has no choice but to work with him, which is awkward at the best of times! As if her professional life isn't stressful enough, her love life won't give her a break, either. And that ending! Talk about a twist you won't see coming!

I cannot wait for the next book - this is such an addictive series. DI Noel is a relatable character and you feel like you've known her and her team for ages. It feels like other series would take 4 or 5 books to get to where this one is at after just two. Life moves quickly and so do these stories - so refreshing! But quite unfair of the author to end the book this way, I don't know how I'm going to make it until the next one comes out!

Everything about this book is captivating. This novel is impossible to put down. I downloaded the arc this Monday morning, and by evening, I had finished. The rollercoaster was intense, the twists and turns unexpected, and the element of surprise insane. Thankful to both NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy of this gripping read.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this arc! I did go back and read the first book on this series prior to reading this and was glad I did. The backstory from book 1 was helpful to get to know Bernie and her team. Loved this story and can’t wait to read more in this series!