With a gut-punching opening, The Hidden Girl gets you right into the action. Focusing on a chilling series of crimes, it’s a fast-paced and intriguing story with plenty of thrills.

The characters are brilliantly dynamic. A big fan of Roger Stelljes’ Tori Hunter series, I’ve grown to love these characters over the past year or so. I’ve always liked Tori and have looked forward to seeing her relationship develop with Braddock. And with The Hidden Girl taking a glance into the past, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see Tori’s father at work and get a better sense of her upbringing.

However, I do think that you need to be a fan of the series to really enjoy this book. While it does give a good summary of the previous two books, it does rely on the connections you have made to the characters.

While it’s a great instalment in a series that I get excited to keep up with, The Hidden Girl just isn’t as gripping as the first two books were so I would definitely recommend that you go back and read those first. Nevertheless, this is a brilliant detective series to get into, so they are well worth checking out.

This is third book in the Tori Hunter series. Each of the books can be read as a standalone, but understanding the progression of the ongoing relationships between characters is better if the series is begun at the beginning. This is an engrossing series. The crimes to be investigated are intriguing, even though reading about them can be difficult. The characters are interesting and also annoying at times. A reflection of relationships in real life. There is a steady increase in tension as the investigation progresses to its ultimate conclusion. The teaser at the end has me intrigued to see what’s next for these characters we’ve gotten to know.

I believe this is one of the best books in the series so far. Tori and Braddock get involved with a horrific crime putting together crimes of the past with the present ones and leading to discoveries that may taint the reputation of many people. The crimes keep on piling up one more horrific than the other and all with a big amount of personal hatred. Will Tori and Braddock discover the culprit? What is the price their relationship will pay? What are the secrets that need to be unraveled in order for the murders to be solved? This story has very sharp descriptions of torture and rape, therefore be warned. Although a somewhat difficult story to read, it has raised my interest and proved to be most entertaining!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Hidden Girl' by Roger Stelljes .

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Roger Stelljes, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 7th October 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is the third book in the 'Agent Tori Hunter' series but can be read as a standalone.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Kendra Elliot, Robert Dugoni and Lisa Jackson won’t be able to put this down' I am a fan of Kendra Elliot so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. 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 30 chapters. The chapters are medium 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 Minnesota, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Agent Tori Hunter. The benefits of third person perspective with 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 in anything.


'The Hidden Girl' 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 Roger discusses/includes rape, murder and mention of cancer.


Wow!! OMG!!! Roger where have you been all. My life??? What an absolutely riveting, non stop action packed crime thriller!!! I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last!!! This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions that absorbs the reader into the storyline. The cover, title and synopsis suit the plot perfectly.

Although this is the third book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader. This was an explosive introduction to the series for me and I cannot wait to get my hands on the previous books on the series as well as any new releases. It sucks the reader straight into the action. I also enjoyed the great chapter titles that are quotes from that chapter and give the reader an insight into what happens in it. The storyline is filled with suspense, crime, romance, murder, secrets, family and lies and filled with tension which left me on the edge of my seat biting my nails with my heart pounding throughout. It is very fast paced and absolutely action packedI absolutely loved the fact that we got to see what was going on through the peeps perspective which I found quite unique as although you may get one chapter from the perps POV not often you get to see what they are doing throughout the storyline. Also congratulations on an absolutely fantastic book and if this book is anything to go by then an absolutely fantastically explosive series!!!

It is set over/includes multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but strangely I find it important that I like the pathologist too. In this case the pathologist was Doctor Galen Renfrow and I am pleased to say that I really liked him and his personality. I am pleased to say that I really liked and became invested in Tori, Will, Steak and Eggs (absolutely loved that nickname!!) and the majority of the team. There was an excellent team dynamic and they all worked well together which is nice to see them each with their own unique and strong personalities. I liked Tori's kick butt attitude and that she doesn't take any crud. Tori went through a loss herself and yet didn't play the victim card and uses it to her advantage to connect with characters to help the case. I'm looking forward to getting to know her better from the previous books. Will seems to be a sweet guy and it will be interesting to see how his and Tori's relationship develops or if it will even survive with that ending.

Congratulations Roger on a fantastic read and welcome to my favourite crime author list!!! I am looking forward to reading your previous and future successes and here's to your next 🥂!!

Overall a page turning and addictive explosive crime thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat throughout!!


Genres covered in this book include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance Novel, Psychological Thriller, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Angela Marsons, CL Taylor, Carol Wyer, Kendra Elliott, Karin Slaughter, PJ Tracy and anyone looking for an explosive new series to sink their teeth into!!!

396 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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Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the 3rd book in the series but all three can be read as standalones
Tori Hunter has changed so much since the first book. Solving her sister’s disappearance and seeing a therapist has unlocked a lot of the tension she was holding, and she is a much more relaxed person these days. That doesn’t mean she isn’t still a damn good detective. Tori treats a case like a scab. She constantly keeps picking at it until she gets to the bone. She’s determined, strong and
This case was a very interesting one. The killers were cleverer than people would probably give them credit for. Roger does an excellent job of describing these rather gruesome murders. They are done in just enough detail to understand the horror that the characters are seeing without making you want to vomit.
The plot was very face paced and it was easy to keep reading and block out the rest of the world. I wanted to see justice for those poor people so I just had to keep reading.
Tori is an excellent lead character and I cannot wait to see what trouble she ends up in next time.

The Hidden Girl by Roger Stelljes is the third instalment in the former FBI Special Agent Tori Hunter series, set in Manchester Bay, Minnesota.

Tori returned to her hometown of Manchester Bay after resigning from her job working for the FBI. She is in a relationship with Shepherd County Chief of Detectives Will Braddock and has had therapy to help her work through some personal issues. When teenager Cara returns home after a night out she finds her father and stepmother murdered in their home. The perpetrators are still there so she flees into the woods to escape them. She can’t identify them and tells Tori that she can only see in her mind the flash of a man's face.

With its excellent plot and zippy pacing, I had difficulty putting this book down between chapters. The Hidden Girl was such a compelling read, and I relished every moment. Special Agent Tori Hunter is really well-drawn, super-confident, with a huge personality. This was a riveting, dark tale and Roger Stelljes certainly has an ability to pull the wool over the reader's eyes, cleverly concealing clues and facts until precisely the right moment. An absolutely cracking piece of crime fiction, chillingly and brilliantly delivered, it had enough intensity, action, twists and emotion to keep me reading late into the night. As the story barrelled towards the grand finale I didn't see what was around the corner. Highly recommended without any doubt.

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

This is the third book in this series and I loved it!

This is a slow burn thriller with suspense and tension throughout.

The twists and turns kept menturning the pages until the very end.

I love this series and hope to read more from him in the future.

Highly recommend.

This is the third instalment in the FBI Tori Hunter series, which is fast becoming one of my favourite new crime thriller reads.

With action right from the start, I couldn’t put this book down as wanted to see what happened next!

One of few books that actually terrified me and gave me nightmares. Beyond gruesome and filled with horror. This book had me speeding through because I had to know what happened. My heart was pounding through most of it. Some of it was so horrifying it was hard to read. A one of a kind no hold barred nightmare inducing wild ride. Great characters and an awesome story line. Absolutely amazing. This book pushes the boundaries of making your worst nightmare come alive.
Simply amazing

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley, too,
For my copy of this book, this is my honest review:

This story is a chilling crime thriller
Involving revenge, torture and a serial killer.
The first such crime was twenty-four years ago
And the perpetrator is now dying in jail, so
Who are the killers involved after all this time?
Can they be brought to justice and pay for their crime?

Agent Tori Hunter and Will Braddock lead the investigation
Whilst also exploring their close, very personal relation.
There are secrets and facts from the earlier crime
That will impinge on what has happened this time.
With team members Steak and Egg along, too,
Let's hope together they'll be a successful in all they do!

This is another brilliant, dramatic, action-packed plot
A totally engrossing, a page-turner, I enjoyed a lot.
The characters, relationships and plot is so great,
Making it so easy to them all to relate.
I have no hesitation at all to highly recommend to you
This book and series if you enjoy crime thrillers, too!

3.5 stars

The Hidden Girl by Roger Stelljes is the third in the FBI Agent Tori Hunter series, although how much work she does for the FBI is debatable.

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)
FBI Agent Tori Hunter finally solved the murder of her twin sister, and she has now returned to her home-town in northern Minnesota.  She is dating Chief Detective Will Braddock, who works for the Shepard County Sheriff's Department, and reports to Sheriff Cal Lund.  Cal is an old friend and mentor of Tori's from a time when her father was Sheriff.  She has recently left the FBI, is now teaching a criminology course at the local university, and assisting the police department when needed.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
When Tori and Will see the murder scene of a couple killed in their remote home, something seems familiar, and so it should.  24 years ago, her father and Cal investigated an almost identical crime scene, and the convicted killer is still in jail.  So why are there so many similarities?  A husband killed after watching his wife being raped.  Both scenes had the men tied to a column in their home, and then murdered.  Both women were raped, murdered,  and placed in the shower, with the water running to destroy evidence.

The only witness to the current murders is the couples 17 year old daughter, Cara.  When she arrived home unexpectedly, she saw two men, but she managed to hide.  Unfortunately, the men were wearing masks, so identification was going to be difficult.

When another couple is murdered, things are definitely looking like there is a connection to the case from 24 years ago.  That case is going to cause some major headaches for everyone concerned.


My Opinions:   
I definitely enjoyed this book better than the last one in the series.  I still think that the books are drawn out more than they should be.  There is too much "other" information being provided.  ie all the repeated back-ground information on Tori, on Will, on Tori's father.   I guess that means you don't really have to read the first two books in this series.   As well, the relationship between Tori and Will seems over-played.  Although I am getting used to romance angles in a mystery series, this one seems like a little much, so I find myself skimming over their interactions.  Just get on with solving the case!

However, as slow moving as this was, by about 50%, things picked up.  Although there are no surprises or twists, the plot was still good.  Eventually, there was a lot of action, but that was near the end.   Everything was laid out for the reader, so there was no guessing, and almost everything was tied up very well.

Overall, it was good....still not great, but improving!

I didn’t even make it through the first chapter before I said “Enough”. There was no way I would read and finish this book due to the horrific murder and rape scene in the very beginning. I have no idea how this book ended and don’t want to know. I have read and enjoyed other mysteries by this author, but will not be reading any further books in this series.

Another excellent read. I loved how this one went back and forth on the timeline. We see a bit more depth to Big Jim and Cal. The crimes being investigated are dark. With a plot weaved to keep you gripped and characters you are invested in, this latest book is a favorite. Although I have to admit there were times I wanted to reach in the pages and smack Tori and Will's heads together. Particularly Tori. The ending left me on the edge of my seat wondering what is going to happen next.

I always find the crimes in this series interesting, and not obvious. I like how you get the criminal perspective and the cop perspective. I also like how it is unravelled bit by bit. I have no issue with any of the characters, they get the job done. I do find the relationship between Will and Tori to be a bit annoying. He is too pushy for my liking. Overall a good crime read.

This book takes you by the eyeballs and sucks you in. Immediate action - there is no build; there is no pause.
Two men stun and tie-up Dan and Heidi, torture and kill. Dan's daughter, Cara, rushes home already past curfew. She finds her dead parents - and the killers. After hiding the woods for hours, Cara finally returns to her home and calls the police.
Tori and Braddock are called to the horrifying scene; Tori using her own victim experience to calm and sooth Cara, pulling vital details.
As they begin the investigation into the Newman's lives, this scene rings vaguely familiar. And then another gruesome death.
Buried secrets are brought to light - questioning the integrity of not only the now Sheriff Cal, but also Tori's father.
Great fast moving plot, some slow sections. Great characters, good twists and lots of oh moments.

OUTSTANDING!

This series is so dang good. Plot, characters that literally leap off the pages, great dialogue.

This book was another absolute edge of your seat ride. I can’t wait for more. Tori & Braddock are a dynamic duo.

3.5 stars
This is a great read but is a bit of a slow burner.
It starts off with a gruesome double murder and their daughter stumbles across the killers, but manages to escape.
The story then takes a slow turn as we learn about a case 24 years ago and it’s clear some secrets have been hidden over the years.
The ending does picks up the pace though with a nail biting final few chapters.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Oh I loved this book. Number 3 in the Tori Hunter series and it's the best one yet!

The plot is rather gruesome with plenty of fast paced action to keep the pages turning. I was totally hooked from beginning to end.

I love the characters in this series and their relationship with each other.

I cannot wait for the next one.

Highly recommended.

This was the third book with Agent Tori Hunter helping Will Braddock and the sheriffs department to solve cases.
Teenager Cara comes home unexpectedly to find men in her home and her parents slaughtered. Cara escapes but then another double homicide follows. How is this case linked to one from Tori’s fathers past.
The story kept me gripped and I liked the details of Tori’s family past.
I will look forward to book four.
. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this e-ARC!
This was the first book I’ve read in the Tori Hunter series and I’m addicted!! Usually I don’t gravitate toward agent/detective thriller series because I don’t prefer them, but this book just changed my mind.
Tori Hunter is a former FBI agent who is helping Chief Detective Will Braddock and the Sheriff’s department solve disturbing and gruesome murders in her hometown of Manchester Bay, Minnesota. This book goes back and forth from past to present, and we learn about a case that Tori’s after, Sheriff Jim Hunter worked on 24 years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! You don’t have to read the first two books in the series in order to read this one first. This book does offer bits and pieces of the first two books, which helps the reader learn about Tori Hunter as a whole. This book was unputdownable, increased my anxiety at times, and the ending left me hanging!! Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

I will post my review on @thrillersandcoffee