Little Girl Taken is the third instalment in the Detective Madison Harper series set in the small town of Lost Creek in Colorado. Both Madison and her friend and sidekick, Nate, have returned to work after being released from prison and clearing their names. She is back in her detecting job is once again able to be the mother she once was to her 17-year-old son, Owen, and they now live together once again whereas Nate has returned to being a private investigator. They spent 6 and 17 years in the slammer, respectively for crimes they did not commit. One rainy day, Madison comes upon a crashed car down an embankment by the side of the road and when she stops to check it out she discovers a baby girl left all alone, crying and shivering intensely and there's neither hide nor hair of her mother in the vicinity. As if this wasn't worrying enough, she also finds a single trainer down a muddy path with its laces speckled with blood spatter. Soon the seemingly neglectful mother is determined to be Kacie Larson, a local waitress at Ruby’s Diner who didn't turn up for her recently scheduled shift. It doesn't add up that Kacie would just simply abandon her child when she had been saving all of her disposable income and tips from work to allow her to move away from the town and provide a better life for her baby.

The body of a young woman is then pulled from the local lake with everyone believing it likely to be the missing mother, but it isn't. Things then take a drastic turn for the worse when the baby is snatched in broad daylight on a street in town; now all of a sudden they're looking for both mother and child. The diner’s proprietor, Vince, becomes a person of interest due to his suspected involvement in the disappearance of his wife and grandson many years earlier and who were never seen again, a crime writer’s deceased body is located in dense woodland and a convicted child predator is on the prowl, but how do they fit within the puzzle and will Kacie and her baby ever be reunited? This is a compulsive and enthralling procedural with a multilayered plot with several subplots all woven together superbly. There is a plethora of absorbing twists and turns and never a dull moment as there is a development every few pages. There is lots of action, drama and secrets to spill and the tension just keeps on mounting as the race to reunite the pair and find out who separated them is on. But among the suspense, there is an emotional and tragic story both for the mother and baby and Nate and Madison themselves and the ending really blew my expectations out of the water as it was so unexpected. Highly recommended.

I requested a copy of this book
From Bookouture and NetGalley for me to take a look,
Having read the story and written my honest review
I have chosen to share it here with you.

Madison Harper has recently been cleared
And is out of prison where she’s spent years.
She’s returning to her job as a police detective again
When driving to do so through the driving rain
She finds a car, abandoned and crashed
With a baby on the back seat stashed.

As Madison starts to investigate
Everyone worries about the baby’s mothers fate.
What has happened, why did she leave her child?
Rumours and mystery, run wild.
But Madison’s colleagues aren’t listening to her,
How can she get them onside and to care?

With Nate and Brody back in town, too,
This story has more than one thread running through
It is a superb page turner, a riveting read
With history and mystery and clues them to lead.
Can they help prevent more victims from a killer
Discover for yourself by reading this 5* thriller!

Another brilliant book from Wendy Dranfield.
I love the main characters, Madison and Nate, and Brody of course.
I had to read the end of book 2 again as I’d forgotten how it ended and this really helped me get stuck in to book 3.
Madison gets her Detective badge back but some people are clearly holding her past against her still.
On her first day back she’s finds a baby left on the back seat of a crashed car, with no sign of the mother.
Nate receives some devastating news and is soon on the run again.
This is an action packed crime thriller that will definitely have you racing through the pages to find out what happens next.
I’d recommend reading both the books before this one to get a full understanding of the characters and their past.
This is a brilliant crime thriller and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow this series just keeps getting better and better!

This is the third book in the Detective Madison Harper series and it was fantastic. I'm loving the characters in the series, they are well written and developing nicely throughout the series. This installment had me hooked from the very beginning, is fast paced and had plenty of plot twists to keep me on my toes.
Wendy Dranfield is fast becoming one of my go to authors and I highly recommend this book and indeed this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Number 3 in the series and another great read with brilliant developments in the sub plots
While the main plot is very good, for me it’s the subplot and characters that make this series. The truly original back stories of the two main characters make for such interesting reading and their development and healing from their pasts continue in this instalment
Madison starts her first day back on the force and encounters a road accident on the way to work which sets off a chain of events that twist and turn beautifully.
I’m already looking forward to number 4

Oh Boy! Oh Boy!!! What did i just read???!!! OMG!

Little Girl Taken by Wendy Dranfield was the 'BEST BOOK' I have read this year! OMG this was just Brilliant. This is the third book in the Excellent Detective Madison Harper and her friend Nate Monroe series and just like the other two in this series I was hooked yet again. But, this book was "Dangerous!" that will have you gripped, it's not only full of great twists and turns throughout that will have you guessing right till the last few chapters and then Breathe! WoW I didn't see that coming. I'm not going to give anything away But I highly recommend this series of books!

Wendy You are a brilliant author that had me gripped, I ended up all night reading Little girl taken and shouting out aloud which woke my Husband up! lol............You have now become my favourite author and looking forward in Book four in the Detective Madison Harper and Nate Monroe series.

I highly recommend this new series and looking forward to read more books by Wendy x

Big thank you to Bookouture for an ARC copy of 'Little Girl Taken' through Netgalley.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Little Girl Taken' by Wendy Dranfield.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Wendy Dranfield, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 29th July 2021.

This is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'Detective Madison Harper' series but it can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Cry For Help' which is the second book in the 'Detective Madison Harper' 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 this book is 'Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Lisa Regan and Kendra Elliot, you’ll be sleeping with the lights on! .' I am a huge fan of Melinda, Lisa AND Kendra so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a fan of Wendy Dranfield and if this is half as good as 'Cry For Help' 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 a prologue and 76 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 Lost Creek, Colorado, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Detective Madison Harper and Nate Monroe. 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.

Wow!!!! Just flipping wow!!!! What an absolutely epic page turner!!! Well done Wendy you done it again!! Absolutely smashed it!!!!!!!

This books is very well written with vivid descriptions creating the perfect atmosphere for the storyline. The book cover and synopsis works perfectly with the book plot and I am most definitely looking forward to reading the next book, and the previous one in this series.

An addictive, nail biting, page turning, heart racing and compelling storyline which had many layers of mysteries and crimes for the reader to be kept guessing throughout. Filled with twists, turns, shocks, tragedy and red herrings throughout I had no idea who did what until the end. This is an achievement in itself as it is definitely getting harder to surprise me with the amount of crime novels I've read. The plot was unique and realistic. It started straight in the action and kept you going on a roller-coaster ride of suspension throughout. I was almost in tears when I read certain things, absolutely heartbreaking and certain people got what they deserved in my eyes. I am so glad that another certain character got their comeuppance too!!! It is so hard to say how glad I am and how gutted I was about certain events without giving anything away to future readers but I'm sure once people have read it they will know exactly what I mean. Well done Wendy you did absolutely amazing and everything was tied up perfectly. I believe you definitely did the right things with certain characters and I just could not put this book down.

Before you start this make sure you clear your schedule because once you pick it up you are not going to want to put it down!!!!

I absolutely loved meeting certain characters again which definitely included Madison, Nate and Brody along with discovering new ones!! I loved the fact that the main lead was such a strong female with alot of background and yet having gone through so much and still going through so much Madison still didn't back down!! I cannot wait to read what happens next with her. I also enjoyed Nates character but of course being an animal lover my favourite has to be Brody!!! The new characters that definitely stood out for me have got to be Vince and Mendes. I really liked Vince's character and his obsession with all things crime and I hope he gets the answers he is looking for. I am looking forward to seeing how Mendes and Madison's relationship develops in the next book and although I really didn't click with her at the start she definitely surprised me at the end. All the characters were strong and well defined. I was shocked by some of them and nicely surprised by others. I am looking forward to seeing if anything happens between Nate and Madison. I enjoyed that the author gave just the right amount of background information on the characters to let us know about them for it to be a standalone but not too much so if you've read the first book your not going over the same information too much.

Congratulations Wendy on yet another success and here's to the next explosive book in this absolutely epic series!!!

Overall a pulse racing, addictive page turning crime thriller thay will keep you on edge.


Genres covered in this novel include Crime, 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.

313 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited 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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4.5⭐

Detective Madison Harper, her son Owen PI friend Nate and his dog Brody are back in a gripping and suspenseful story. That's packed with twists and turns, shocking revelations, deaths I didn't expect, and a confrontation with a killer that's been a long time coming. And I was utterly hooked throughout and with new faces introduced and Detective Harper back able to solve cases for Lost Creek PD I'm really excited to see where this series goes next.

Would happily recommend.

Wendy Dranfield is quickly becoming a favorite author. I Love this series. Little Girl Taken is book 3.
Nate and Madison are back to solve yet another crime. Madison's first day back on the job is not what she had hoped. She's not even at work yet when she discovers a car off the road. There is a baby inside and blood in the driver seat but not adult passengers.
Brody is back doing his thing making this another great addition to the series.

Many thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the arc.
Thanks to Ms. Dranfield for a great read.

Book 3 in Detective Madison Harper series and I'm already looking forward to book 4!
Nate, Madison and Brody are becoming my favourite characters and I can't get enough of them.
After regaining her detcetive post and her son, Madison's first day back at the job doesn't look that colorful, a car accident, an abandoned baby and a missing young woman.
Nate is so close to be wrongfully accused once more after a devastating loss.
I wonder what the next book is holding for them, is it cracking Vince's cold case, locating Kristen or something brand new? Whatever those two _ along with Brody_ are up to i definitely want to read.
I absolutely loved it.

Wow. Just wow. I stayed up past my bedtime two nights in a row to finish this book. It is that good!
The prologue details the suicide of two 12 yo girls who suffered trauma, shame.
Madison is on her way for her first day of work - when she comes upon a car accident. Blood on the seats - but only a infant in the backseat.
Nate returns from two months relaxing at Rex's house. He receives a phone call from Rex's neighbor- the police are at the house, out comes a body bag. Nate becomes the lead suspect.
This action packed, gasp out loud story will have you staying up late and begging for more.

Wendy Dranfield has excelled herself with the third instalment in the Detective Madison Harper series. I lost count of the number of times I was on the edge of my seat with the multiple twists and turns. Each time I thought I had it worked out there was another revelation to turn my theory on its head.

I love the character of Madison and have enjoyed following the journey she’s been on through the series and how the relationship between her and Nate Monroe has developed.

This was a super fast-paced thriller filled with suspense and twists. Little Girl Taken could be read as a stand-alone as it does include background details, although I would highly recommend the others in the series.

Many thanks to Bookouture, Wendy Dranfield, and NetGalley for the review copy.

Another great twisty and suspenseful read. 
Madison still has a lot to prove after being wrongfully convicted of murder. On her  first day back at work she finds a car down an embankment with a baby inside on her drive in. What would compel a mother to abandon her child?  Meanwhile Nate is still searching for Father Connor, the man who framed him for murder. I enjoy the writing style and how Madison's and Nate's stories intertwine.
Fast paced and full of interesting characters,  this book will keep you turning pages and staying up way past bedtime.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

After spending seven years in jail, Madison Harper is finally getting her life back after falsely being accused of murder. Seven long years. She has gotten her detective’s job back in Lost Creek and is trying to rebuild her relationship with her 17 year old son.
On her first day back on the job she finds an abandoned car wrecked on the side of the road with a unrestrained one year old child in the back seat. Finding only a woman’s white tennis shoe with blood on it, she knows something dire has happened to the mother.
Madison’s former PI partner, Nate Monroe is fighting his own demons. He too was incarcerated for a murder he did not commit and he only wants to put the real killer behind bars. As Madison’s and Nate’s stories intertwine the mysteries deepen and death stalks them to a twisted conclusion with just enough hook for the author’s next book. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy. The comments and review are my honest opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Little Girl Taken, the third novel to feature Detective Madison Harper of the Lost Creek, Colorado PD.

On her way to starting her reinstated job as detective Madison finds an abandoned car with a baby in it and nearby a sneaker with blood on it. Lost Creek is a small town so it doesn’t take long to identify both as belonging to waitress Kacie Larson. Where’s Kacie and what happened?

I enjoyed Little Girl Taken, which is an engrossing read with some good twists and turns. I must admit that I never imagined from the blurb that it would end as it does, so kudos to the author for taking my assumptions and turning them on their heads.

The novel is told from the investigative point of view, both Madison and her close friend, Nate Monroe, who has his own story to tell. I like this because it gives the reader room to speculate and allows them to get invested in the narrative with no divided loyalties or distractions. The reader knows what they know, and in this particular case it takes them on a wild ride from theory to theory. I was desperate to know how it would be resolved. Very well is the answer, provided the reader is prepared to swallow a certain amount of disbelief at some of the twists. Personally I was engrossed from start to finish.

For readers who have followed the series they will know that Madison and Nate became friends after both being falsely incarcerated for different murders. Madison has been re-instated as detective and, while Nate has been exonerated and compensated, the real killer, Father Jack Connor, is still out there and bent on tormenting him. There is forward momentum in this subplot, but, after a suitably heinous start, it’s more of a whimper than the big bang I expected.

There is a sense of a brighter future after so much darkness in this novel and it’s making me look forward to the next one.

Little Girl Taken is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Little Girl Taken is the third installment of Detective Madison Harper series. This easily can be a stand alone book. However I am so disappointed I have not read the others before reading this one. This was a mesmerizing, page turning, thriller. This is so well written. It has several storylines going at the same time that are neatly tied up at the end. The characters are people that you like and care about.

The book begins with a narration of two 12 year old girls taking action they feel they have no other choice but to follow through. They pick up rocks put them in backpacks and their pockets. They climb onto the railing of a bridge. They reach out to one another, hold hands and slip off the edge of the bridge.

There are two main characters; Nate Monroe was on death row for 17 years for killing his girlfriend before he was fully absolve and released. Madison Harper a former police detective served 6 years for manslaughter after being set up from someone on the police force. Madison has returned to her job cleared of all convictions, has her son Owen back, has her name cleared and returns to her former job. On her first day back she discovers a car down an embankment and discovers a baby in the back seat crying, alone. Madison reports the situation and reinforcements arrive to assist.

The next day Vince owner of Ruby's Diner reports, Kacie Larson, an employee missing. Before too long, both the baby and shoe are connected to Kacie Larson. Madison will call on Nate to assist in helping her with the investigation as he is a private investigator now with Brody a cadaver dog in tow.

I had almost forgotten about the beginning until much later in the book when things are starting to fall into place. Little Girl Taken will have many twists and turns revealed and comes together in a spectacular conclusion. There are some topics, abuse, rape, and child neglect that are difficult to read. However, when the story is written as well as this one is, make it easier to read.

This is Book #3 in the Madison Harper series. Although it is helpful to have read the earlier stories in this series; you will not be in the dark as the past information is presented.
I read the first book in the series [book: Shadow Falls]. It was great and I gave it 5 Stars ~ I give very few perfect 5 star ratings!
In that story, Madison is a former police officer and private investigator. Nate Monroe is a PI. Both have something in common in that they both were framed for crimes they didn’t commit and sent to prison. After 17 years, Nate was found innocent as there was no proof that he killed his fiancée, Stacy ~ Father Jack Connor’s niece.
Author, Wendy Dranfield does a great job in giving us information that occurred in the other stories but doesn’t go into long details but enough that a first time reader isn’t lost!

This story starts when Detective Madison Harper is returning to working for the Lost Creek Police Dept. Her first day in seven years after serving six years in prison for killing her co-worker, a crime she didn’t commit. It was proven that she was innocent and was framed.
As she is drive to the Police Station she sees an abandoned car. She finds a baby girl wrapped in pink and a lot of blood. However, no one else; where is the mother and whose blood?
Nate and Brody are now a big part of Madison’s life and YES Nasty Father Jack Connor is back and truth is revealed!
Story kept me turning pages.
Another Wendy Dranfield WOW story!

I always enjoy reading the author’s notes and acknowledgements.
In the “A Letter from Wendy” she thanks us readers for spending some time with Madison, Nate, and Brody. Also hints that we might hear more from evil Father Connor and Vince Radar just may make an appearance in future stories. Awww anxious for the next thrilling ride!.
In her acknowledgements ,she thanks many including her husband who is not only a beta reader for her stories but also did some research. She then jokes if we find any errors ~ it is his fault!

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 29, 2021.

Would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

I finished mom .... your favourite author thar we found on netgalley and you went on amazon and bought the authors backlog of books ... i am so glad that before you died. You managed to get this one and read it

Another gripping book but this author

Maddison after being exonerated from her crimes is back and with her job as a police office, but there are still people in town who thinks she is guilty and she has her work cut out for her

On maddisons first day. She comes across an accident, a car has come off the road and as she investigates the scene she finds a baby in the backseat but no one else

And so begins the story that will make you loose hours and sleep as you won’t be able to put it down till you finish it

Well worth a read and take note of this author she’s going places

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book ahead of its release date! The book captured my attention from the beginning when Madison becomes embroiled in a missing persons case, that has far reaching ties to the past. It was an outstanding book with twists and turns that brought all the story lines to a climactic ending. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an excellent read.

First day back on the job for Detective Madison Harper and what a start it is! On her way in to work, pouring rain, car in ditch with a baby crying on the seat …. Where is the mother? Race is one to find the mom, but the further she digs the more confused she gets.
This is book 3 in the series, I have not read the previous 2 but it was not a problem, but I do have them on my TBR pile now.
I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.