One Left Behind Carla Kovach
I have loved the previous books in this series, so was delighted when this book was released.
I love Gina's character, so its always great to delve back into her life.
I really enjoyed the storyline, and couldn't work out who the culprit was, even as the story unfolded, I wasn't sure if it was the truth. I really enjoyed how well each character was built, and how they all interacted as the story progressed.
This is a series, I will come back to time and time again.

Loved it!! This is one of my favorite series and I always look forward to reading about Detective Gina Harte. This was one of my favorites in the series. I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. The story was a great mystery/thriller. I never expected the ending!!! I suspected so many people and there were a lot of suspicious people to choose from. When the truth behind the person involved was finally revealed, I was shocked. I hope Hannah and Gina can finally have a good relationship. I have always hated the way she treated her mom. Maybe she will finally understand what her mom went through for all those years. Hopefully Hannah believes her about the abuse. Loved how Gina handled all those terrible text messages when she finally realized who was sending them.

Definitely recommend the book and the previous Gina Harte books. Loved the story, characters and writing style. I can't wait for the next one in the series. I hope Gina and Briggs continue with their relationship. I'm also wondering what Gina and Hannah's relationship will be like. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gina Harte Book 9. I wish I had read the previous books even though you can read this stand alone. I’d like to know the past that is referenced. I will go back and get them as I like Carla Kovach’s style of writing. The chapters flow and you want to keep reading. It’s told from the perspective of DI Gina Harte as she does her best, which is very good, to solve a murder. When the body count escalates she must double down trying to solve this before more die, all the while dealing with veiled threats to her personally. It is also told from the perspective of the wife of one of the suspects, Sandy is at the mercy of her husband as she is wheelchair bound totally dependent upon him. It she fears him as he does have a dark side and she wonders if he is capable of murder. I enjoyed this book. I really like strong female leads that have real ability to do their jobs. Thank you NetGalley and bookouture and Carla Kovach for allowing me to read and review this book. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre she does keep you guessing!

I’ve got a girl crush on Gina Harte! She’s tough with a heart of gold! I’ve read each one in this series and absolutely love the characters and stories. I’d never in a million years move to cleevesford though! More mysterious goings on there than midsomer!
Carla Kovach has a wonderful turn of phrase, her writing draws you in so easily. It’s easy to imagine scenes and people as the descriptions of settings and characters are presented so intricately.

I wish I had read her other books first before this one because I definitely missed out on some great books. After completing this I am definitely going to start the series from the first book. I enjoyed the characters and want them from the beginning.

One Left Behind by Carla Kovach is the ninth book in the Gina Harte series. I picked up this series with The Liar's House (book 4) and I also thoroughly enjoyed books five through to eight.

The author has written a really clever and fascinating story with a layered plot that drew me in right from the very first page. Feisty and down-to-earth, Gina Harte is a brilliant Detective Inspector. DS Jacob Driscoll makes a valuable contribution as does DCI Chris Briggs. The great pacing by Carla Kovach also had a hand in my huge enjoyment of the story. I suspected many of the characters though I failed to identify the actual perpetrator, remaining bamboozled to the end.

If you love a good detective series and psychological thriller with plenty of twists and a tangible claustrophobic feel, then One Left Behind is for you. Very highly recommended. 😊

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

WoW.............One Left Behind by Carla Kovach is the ninth book in the Detective Gina Harte Book and it was just Brilliant. This is one author I just have to turn my phone off, cancel everything for that day, so I can get comfy in my chair, then become engrossed in the book. Plus, I guarantee it will be a toasted sandwiches for my families tea that night........or a take away. I find once I start reading Carla's book It's hard to put down especially as it's a great pounding page turner. I just want to see what happens. This book did not disappoint it's full of twists and turns that will have you wanting more. The characters were just brilliant throughout.

On a perfect summer's evening in August, a group of teenagers camp out in the local woods for a night of fun, cider is flowing, music is playing loud, teenagers smoking weed everyone is happy and merry but, in the morning a young girls is found dead.
Detective Gina Harte and her team are called to the woods and they are not short of suspects - the shifty trucker, the diffident cafe owner, and the local perv were all nearby, Whilst investigating they become aware that the teenagers are hiding secrets from them and could one of them be a killer?

Someone is sending Gina threatening messages and its to reveal her own terrible secret - the only person who knew about this was someone that was very close to her........Who is it?

Who is the dead girl? She is not the person they all thought she was?

Will Detective Gina Harte and her team find the killer before they stick again?

WoW..............What a book. I highly recommend this series of books and especially to read these in order. However, it can be a stand alone book as well.

There 9 Books within this series by Carla Kovach and these in order are:

1. The Next Girl
2. Her Final Hour
3. Her Pretty Bones
4. The Liar’s House
5. Her Dark Heart
6. Her Last Mistake
7. Their Silent Graves
8. The Broken One
9. One left behind

Big Thank You to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Without giving away spoilers, let this be a cautionary tale of caretakers of teenagers. Oh my goodness! This story line in itself is enough to give you nightmares! Having read the previous books in the series, I was familiar with the main characters. One of the gripes I had with previous books, was an ongoing story arc that was about her family history and resulting relationships (you’ll be aware of what I mean if you’ve read the previous books in the series). Whilst it a powerful storyline in its own right, it was annoying me how Gina was handling this particular situation. Thankfully this was finally resolved in book 9, without it dragging any further into other books in the series. The murder itself and storyline that features in this book was interesting and page turning. I recommend this series if you enjoy a good female detective series.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a complimentary digital copy of the story and give my unbiased opinion.

Another gripping DI Gina Harte mystery - not one to be left behind!

I have always enjoyed Carla Kovach’s DI Harte series and consume them with relish upon every release. I genuinely believe that they continue to get better and better, which is hard to believe when each one is the very definition of a page turner! One Left Behind is a fantastic read, which blends both police procedural action with dark psychological thrills. However, as with the rest of this series, there is are so many more layers to this novel. There are themes of abusive relationships, coercion, peer pressure, mob mentality and “glass houses” throughout the narrative, making it a complex and thought-provoking story.

Kovach is an incredibly skilled writer and I love that each of her novels are like a 5000 piece jigsaw puzzle! Images begin to form as the narrative progresses, but whilst you can see hints at certain parts, the full picture is never revealed until the final few chapters. I really thought o knew which way this plot was going, but (as I should have known!) Kovach was using misdirection to its greatest effect and I was completely shocked by the final reveals! This is one of the reasons I return to this series with such relish.

I am also really invested in the returning characters in this series and was totally engaged in the subplot relating to Harte’s past in this instalment. Harte is a character with a devastating past, but she is like a phoenix who has risen from the ashes of her turmoil. The fact that the truth of her past appears to be bubbling up to the surface once again, added a whole additional layer of tension throughout the narrative. Again, Kovach has a lot of skill as a writer through her ability to make readers care passionately about her key characters. Whenever I read one of these books it’s like catching up with old friends and I already can’t wait for the next one!

It's summer time and a group of teenagers camp out in a clearing behind a truck stop. Five teens spend the night, only four are alive the next day. Did one of them kill their friend or was it someone else? DI Gina Harte and DS Jacob Driscoll are the prime investigators with DCI Chris Briggs in support. The rest of the team that have worked with Gina are also part of the investigation. There is also something else going on, with Gina receiving cryptic and threatening messages, which divide her thoughts, but she doesn't make mistakes. Will they find the killer before anyone else ends up dead?

There is a lot going on in this story that kept it moving quickly. I enjoyed learning a bit more about Gina's personal life and her past, as well as seeing her work with her team to find the culprit. This was a police procedural at its best. We see all aspects of this investigation and how all the clues play out. We see how bullying preys on the vulnerable and how that can cause a domino effect on others. We see how a mob mentality can get people to do things they wouldn't normally do and how it effects people. We see how twitter and other social media can hinder an investigation as well as cause even more problems. All this adds to the tension as the investigation ramps up and teenagers try to protect one another. With all this we also have the sensitive issues of abuse, dependence and control an integral part of the story. This was a tense, story that had me reading long into the night until I finally reached the well written conclusion. All plotlines were pulled together in a very satisfying way. I definitely recommend this well written, thrilling, police procedural, but make sure you set aside a good block of time, because once you start it, you won't want to stop. Another great addition to the Detective Gina Harte series.

DI Gina Harte has been called to a very difficult crime scene. Several teens snuck out to the woods. Five went out. Four came back. One was murdered. As Gina and her team begin the investigation they soon learn that kids camping in the woods is nothing new in the small town. In fact, Gina can imagine several suspects, and they include the other teens and a local shop owner.

Meanwhile, Gina is facing quite a dilemma. This involves the death of her husband years ago. Gina has been forced to hide certain facts about his death and someone is threatening to expose those secrets. She is in a relationship with DCI Chris Briggs and he knows of Gina's secrets and someone knows that as well.

However, Gina is forced to push that to the back of her mind and focus on the girl's death. As Gina begins her investigation, she discovers a previous party and that at least one other teen was not present at the most recent one. Someone is hiding something, and it might be more than the kids at the party.

As this is going on, at least a couple of the kids receive threatening messages. There is also a man who had a prior conviction and he also becomes a suspect. Due to what is going on, this sensitive story goes beyond the mystery and delves into abuse, dependence and control, all while Gina's situation is never far from her mind. One Left Behind is a thrilling addition to a series that I have been enjoying almost since the very beginning.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

When you’ve a guilty secret that threatens to blow your life, your career, and your relationship wide apart, you’re bound to be a bit sensitive to things and when you start to receive messages suggesting that’s it’s all about to be exposed, you’ll be stressed to the eyeballs, and that’s just the subplot!
Cracking good read in the Gina Harte series’s. When a teenager turns up dead after a party, the prime suspects mount up as do the bodies, not to mention the personal angst about those text messages Gina and her team are stretched to the limit
Just brilliant.

One Left Behind by Carla Kovach is the 9th in the Detective Gina Harte series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:  (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DI Gina Harte works homicides. Her team consists of: DS Jacob Driscoll, DC Harry O’Connor and DC Paula Wyre, with a lot of assistance from PC Smith and PC Kapoor. Gina is a stubborn lady, and a determined detective. She has had a rough life, which has led to an uneasy relationship with her daughter and grand-daughter.  It has also led to a lack of real friends, and an on-again/off-again relationship with her boss, DCI Chris Briggs. It is not common knowledge that her husband was abusive, and no one knows that she helped him fall to his death many years ago.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
A group of teenagers camp out in the woods, but one of them doesn't survive the party.

Leah's friends all tell the same story.  They all agree they were drinking, there was one joint passed around, and that was it. They roasted marshmallows.   Leah decided to go home alone, and the rest went to bed.  So how did she end up dead?   All her friends stories sound remarkably the same, and Gina is sure they are hiding something.  Then there were the two others that were invited to the party, but didn't attend.  Why not?  They seem to be hiding something too.

Meanwhile, both Gina and her boss/lover are receiving threatening texts.  Someone knows what Gina did to her dead husband, and plans to reveal it.


My Opinions:
The series is still going strong, but I am really sick of Gina' past continuing to raise it's ugly head. I think we are finally moving on!

This is the second book in a row where the cover didn't seem to have anything to do with the book.  Not sure who is picking the covers, but maybe they should read the book first.

I really like the characters in these books, and they work together really well.  I have not been a fan of Hannah's, but perhaps things will change now.

The plot was really good, if a little dark.  It dealt with teenagers, who, due to peer pressure, bullying, and just general hormonal changes, do some really stupid things.  It also dealt with a woman who was in an abusive relationship, made worse by the fact that she was handicapped, and who relied on her abuser for everything.  That was just sad.  As well, it showed that tossing the blame around can come back to haunt you!

Overall, the pace was really fast, and the writing good.  I was really stunned as to the identity of the killer, so that was great, and I can't wait for the next book!

This is the next installment of the Gina Harte series. Gina’s attention is split in this book between someone torturing her about her past and a teenage girl murdered while camping with her friends. While I haven’t read all the books in the series, there is no issue following the storyline of her past. The author does a good job of filling the reader in or reminding those that may not remember, of all the details from the past.

I was intrigued by the murder storyline. There is no shortage of suspects and as the facts file out, the case becomes more complicated.

If you haven’t read any of this series and love crime novels, I highly recommend digging in.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘One Left Behind’ by Carla Kovach in exchange for an honest review.

I am always excited for the arrival of a new D.I. Gina Harte novel. This is the ninth in Kovach’s series of police procedurals set in the fictional Midlands town of Cleevesford. While I have been following this series for some time, background is always provided for new readers.

In terms of the plot, just a few details in order to avoid spoilers. Five teenage school friends are camping out overnight in a patch of forest on the outskirts of town. They are toasting marshmallows, dancing, and drinking. The following morning only four are left alive.

Harte and her team investigate this death and come up against sullen teens, who clearly are withholding details, overprotective parents, plus vigilante protesters seeking a convenient target for their rage, and the inevitable slimy journalist. Then there is another death….

This was a solid police procedural that kept me guessing as to whodunnit. I zoomed through it in a couple of sittings. There were also important developments in a subplot linked to Gina’s past that has been running throughout the series.

I always am happy to recommend Kovach’s novels to lovers of crime fiction and look forward to future investigations with DI Hart and her team.

This was my first Detective Gina Harte book and I'm obsessed!

After a party in the woods, one teen is found dead and it seems like everyone in town has something to hide, even Detective Harte.

There is a lot happening in this book. There’s never a dull moment since every character is at best, a little shady. With everyone looking like a prime suspect, I didn’t see the ending coming at all-which I love when I’m reading a thriller or mystery.

Even though I clearly started the Harte series out of order, I will definitely be going back to add the remaining books to my TBR.

Thank you to bookouture for my copy of this book via netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. I am a huge Gina Harte fan so I was very excited to read another installment.

This one really took me by surprise.I thought I had it figured out but as usual Clara was very good at shocking me! It’s been a while since I was a teenager but I remember thinking that the smallest of things were life ending. Everything seemed so big then. I could really understand how these teenagers felt.

Along with the case Gina also has these threats to deal with. The stress of that long with the case almost puts her at breaking point.I just want them to give her a break. She has been through so much I just want her to be happy.

Gina Harte and her team were on top form as always. I love this team with Mrs O’s baked goods and young Kapoor with all her enthusiasm and strength. They are a team that always looks out for each other and work so well together.

This was a thrilling ride and I look forward to reading more of Clara’s work!

When five friends decide to camp out in the woods for a night of drinking and fun, they never imagined one would be dead in the morning. As Detective Gina Harte and her team investigate, the four teens are tight-lipped and provide no information. What are they hiding? Why are they not willing to help solve the murder of their friend? Is it because they have no clue what happened, or is it because they are protecting one of their own?

This is the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. I liked how the story flowed and it was easy to follow, especially with a lot of people involved and so many issues going on. Gina and her team were very thorough and worked well together. There were many POV's and I love seeing what was going on through other's minds. The ending was a big surprise for me as I did not suspect the identity of the killer at all. Overall a great read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first book by Carla Kovach and it’s a pretty good read. It’s about a group of teenagers who spend a night camping and one of them ends up dead. There were a few good red herrings on who the killer was. I was surprised when it was revealed since I never suspected that person. There’s also another plot to the book regarding the main detective DI Gina Harte, something she did in the past coming back to haunt her. Overall a brilliant book which I couldn’t put down.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Carla Kovach has another hit with her 9th installment of the DI Gina Harte series! This is so readable and interesting with many twists and turns and lots of suspects. Gina is also dealing with a very personal issue that has not remained hidden which adds to all the tension. Looking forward to #10!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!