Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold is the fourth book in her Detective Amanda Steele series. Detective Amanda Steel and her partner Detective Trent Stenson's latest investigation leads to several viable suspects and maybe a lead from a cold case. I enjoyed following along with their thinking processes and investigative prowess. Amanda's personal troubles added to the tension of the story. Great conflict and resolution.

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Who would want to kill a young university student? Detective Amanda Steele & her partner Detective Trent Stenson have just been given a new case. A young woman has been found murdered in a national park but they can’t identify her as yet as she is nude and all her belongings are missing. Amanda knows that they need to move quickly to find out who she is and what is the meaning of the black orchid left on the body? Luckily they are able to find out who she is but who wanted Chloe dead? They have some suspects but they have no hard proof of who killed her? Will they be able to give Chloe’s family some answers or will the killer strike again?
Amanda has personal things going on as well as the little girl that she has been looking after someone has come forward to claim her. Amanda can’t lose Zoe they are a family now and she just has to hope that things work out. And all of suddenly she had started to see Trent in a different light. Can things get any harder for her right now? Can they stop the killer before anymore young woman are killed?
I did not see the killer coming. A great read. Love Amanda and her ability to juggle so many issues at once. And the feelings for Trent I hope that we get to explore that? I was lucky enough to receive a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Carolyn Arnold has done it again with Black Orchid Girls, the fourth novel in the Detective Amanda Steele books. How does a beautiful, well-loved girl turn up murdered with a black orchid placed on her body? The clues are few and far between. And then, another turns up. But, so does a cold case from many years past that seems to have enough similarities to these murders that it is worth investigating. Amanda will have her hands full trying to solve these murders, as well as trying to navigate the problems surrounding her young charge. Zoe’s own past is surfacing. It is a well-written, amazing crime thriller with so many twists and turns that I was only able to put it down once I finished it. The characters in this book are great especially if you’ve read them from the first book. They really do grow on you. Though the novels are stand alone, you get so much more if they are read I order. I highly recommend this book and this series.

A digital copy of this book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This number 4 in the Detective Amanda Steele series. I don't think that you would need to read the books in order, but it would help to if only to see how much Amanda has grown. Amanda Steele and her partner Trent Stenson are called to a National Pak to investigate the murder of a young woman. She was found stabbed, cleaned, naked and posed with a black orchid on her chest. I like the working relationship between Amanda and Trent. Amanda has accepted having a partner and they work well together. They can almost read each other thoughts at times. I think that Amanda and Trent might be developing feelings for each other, but neither of them has acknowledged or addressed it. At least Amanda hasn't really, to herself. Even though it appeared the detectives had suspects every time they turned around, I didn't figure it out. In fact, I had suspicions about two characters and the killer wasn't one of them. I would recommend if you enjoy detective series like I do. Thank you NetGalley, Carolyn Arnold and Bookouture.

The Black Orchid is the fourth book in the Det. Amanda Steele Series. This is my second book of the series. Each book can be a stand alone read, but I prefer to start at the beginning to get all the back story. I really like this series and am looking forward to the continuation.

Chloe Somner, a college student, was found stabbed seven times, naked with a black orchid resting on her chest. Detectives Amanda Steele and her partner Trent are called to the scene and and work the case to discover who had a motive to kill Chloe. While investigating a room mate of Chole's is found murdered just like Chloe.

I enjoyed learning more about how Zoe and Amanda's relationship had progressed from the previous book. Watching Amanda move on from the past adds to the depth of the character development as well as the other relationships in the book. This is a fast paced thriller filled with fabulous twists and turns since it is in a college setting there are many suspects. The reveal of the killer is a totally worth while ending.

So starting off the review a bit controversially for a crime thriller but reading a Carolyn Arnold book is like snuggling up under a nice warm duvet - you know what you are going to get and it is going to be good and you are going to be entranced. She will always delivers. This is no exception and just loved it yet again. The plot was tight, the characters well researched and I learnt a few things new.

I was given an advance copy by Bookoutre and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

Detective Amanda Steele is back with another crime!

Chloe Somner, a college student who is an environmentalist was found stabbed seven times, naked with a black orchid resting on her chest. Detectives Amanda Steele and her partner Trent were assigned to the case and finds many suspects who had a motive to kill Chloe--Josh, her ex-boyfriend, Ashton, who was bullied by Chloe and Josh back in high school, Luke and Stephanie, who thought Chloe was a competition. Luke had feelings towards Chloe who rejected him. Amanda also finds a similar case that happened almost twenty years ago to another college student who died in the similar fashion. Is there a serial killer on loose or does someone have a vendetta against Chloe Somner.

This is the fourth book of the Detective Steele case and so far, this book had been one of my favorite series! Too many viable suspects that you are clueless as to who would have a motive to kill Chloe, the drama, the romance...I felt like I was watching a movie, sitting at the edge of my seat, wondering what is going to happen next. The writing is spot on, the author does a good job of keeping the reader interested and immersed into the story. The forensics, the autopsies all looked like I was watching an episode of CSI or Law and Order and I couldn't actually wait to see who would be the killer. The killer turned out to be a complete surprise and unexpected that I did not expect that ending. This was a fast paced thriller filled with twists and turns that you didn't expect.

Overall, this is an unputdownable thriller that will keep you awake at all night! Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Fast pace from the start, will keep you guessing , and make you ask yourself questions like why the flowers,how do does the meaning of the black orchids play a part in the murders, and is it a serial killer and why these girls .

Detective Amanda Steel returns as a body of a environmental student is found dead in the National Park, naked with just a black orchid left behind. Amanda and Trent start investigating the housemates and fellow students, then discover another student died in a similar situation 20 years ago. Is there a serial killer or copycat? Amanda and Trent need to find the killer before they strike again. Meanwhile, Amanda is facing a huge personal situation.
Another great book, with well developed characters and a plausible plot. I really enjoyed this book, like all other Carolyn Arnold books. Can’t wait for the next instalment. 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an invite to read this ARC.

I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the start, the author went straight into the first murder and really grabbed my attention. I thought the story lost a little pace after the great opening though. It was written well, it had mostly likeable characters and a good plot which was very easy to follow. It just didn’t wow me, or have me desperate to know more or what would happen next. Whilst this is the 4th book in the series it’s the first one I’ve read featuring Detective Steele. There are references to previous investigations although I would say this could be read on it’s own. I think I would have liked this book a bit more if I’d read the previous books and was more familiar with the characters and their histories, so I’d recommend you read the series in order. I enjoyed the little glimpses into Detective Steele’s personal and home life that thought that was a good addition to the story. Once or twice I felt the writing was a bit overly descriptive which didn’t add anything extra in my opinion and I lost a bit of interest. I think readers who have followed this series right from the start would enjoy this latest book, and for those who like crime fiction and police procedurals I’d recommend this as a good read. I would like to read the next book and look at the previous books when I can.

Book 4 in the Detective Amanda Steele series, set in Prince William County, Virginia. Amanda and her partner Trent are called to investigate the murder of a young woman in a nearby forest who has been stabbed to death and left naked with the eponymous Black Orchid on her chest..
I enjoyed the backstory of Amanda and her foster daughter but would like to see development of some of the other characters including Trent, her Co workers and more on her family.
I didn’t find this book as exciting as the previous ones and had worked out who was involved in the murders fairly early on.
Still am looking forward to the next in the series.
3.5 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

Black Orchid Girls – Carolyn Arnold

It’s a beautiful Monday autumn morning in Prince William County, Maryland as Detectives Amanda Steele and Trent Stenson find themselves walking through the Leesburg State Park on their way to a murder scene. Two hikers out early had discovered the body of a young woman, nude and posed as if on display, with stab wounds to her torso and a black orchid laid across her chest. An interview with a park ranger leads to a tentative ID of the victim, Chloe Somner, as she was well known to some of the park staff for her fascination with the ‘mystery snails’, a large freshwater snail that had been sighted recently. The also learn that she attended a local science university.

Interviews with her parents and friends offer little clue as to who might have wanted Chloe dead. It appears that Chloe was well liked by her peers and instructors, carried high grades and was a popular personality on campus, with a passion for protecting the environment. A visit with her boyfriend Josh Ryder brings some unexpected news regarding their recent break up, yet Josh is stunned and tearful at the news of her death and has little information to add - and no idea as to who would have wanted to hurt Chloe. Searches of similar crimes in the area offer no results other than a similar death over 20 years ago, that appears to bear no similarities to the case.

Searches of Chloe’s social media yield some other avenues of investigation, including some messages that have Amanda & Trent taking a hard second look at Josh as their killer. But while he’s in police custody, there’s another death…this time it’s Chloe’s roommate. Now Chloe & Trent are seemingly back at square one…. Who really killed Chloe…and why??

If you’ve read my reviews with any regularity at all, you know by now that I love murder mysteries & police procedurals, and this is no exception. I read for guilty pleasure and not to criticize the authenticity of police procedure or proofread syntax – just pure enjoyment! So, I can’t say enough about this one either – I like Amanda’s character and am hoping to see her continue to evolve through successive novels, as her relationship with Zoe, and perhaps Trent grows! Another novel from Carolyn Arnold that’s well work the read!! Can’t wait for #5!

Another fun book in this series! This was missing the urgency in the case that makes police procedurals unputdownable. I don’t know what exactly it was missing, but it was missing that “spark” that makes the reader turn the pages frantically. I enjoyed the character development and found the case to be a good one. Just missing a little spark that the other books had. I’m excited to see where the characters go and look forward to the next book in the series!

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest review. The Amanda Steele books have quickly become one of my favourite series, I've been following it since the first book but I think that this could be read as a standalone although I think it would be more enjoyable having read the previous books for more of Amanda's back story.

The thing that I was most looking forward to about this book was seeing how things had worked out for Amanda and Zoe, that was such a highlight from the previous book. I think that's definitely what makes this series so strong, Amanda was in such a dark place in the first book and I've loved the character development over these books to get her to this point. I would keep reading just for that but I like that there's always a good mystery as well. This book kept me guessing right up to the very end and although I enjoyed that there was a running storyline woven through the previous books, it was also nice to read something a bit different this time. I hadn't realised that Brandon, one of the supporting characters has his own series before now so I'm looking forward to catching up on those while I wait for Amanda's next installment, hopefully it won't be too long!

Thanks to Carolyn and NetGalley for allowing me to read Black Orchid Girls before the publication date.

6 year old Zoe Parker’s parents were recently murdered. With no known relatives, Detective Amanda Steele is fostering Zoe and has applied to adopt her. Amanda is struggling to juggle the responsibilities of being a single parent to the traumatised girl whilst holding down her job.

The body of a young girl is found in a park. A black orchid has been placed on top of the body. Amanda and her partner, Trent Stenson are able to identify the girl as 19 year old student, Chloe Somner.
When Amanda and Trent go to notify Chloe’s parents, their reception is unexpected, particularly when Mitch Somner arrives with a lawyer.

A murder, with a similar M.O., had taken place 20 years earlier. Could there be a connection?

When Chloe’s roommate is also found murdered, the pressure is on to protect Chloe’s friends and find the killer.
Unusually, Sgt Malone does not seem to be supporting his team in this enquiry.
There might even be slight thawing in the working relationship between Amanda and Trent.

Another page-turner by Carolyn which describes Amanda’s personal conflict as she tries to balance the work, which has been her sole focus since her husband and daughter were killed, and reviving her role as a parent to Zoe.
An easy read with plenty of red herrings and a twist in the tale.

In this newest book, Arnold presents us with another great mystery for her police detective Amanda Steele. The body of a young woman is found in a nature preserve, where she would come to study a particular type of snail. This time, though, she is mysteriously murdered and left clean and naked at the edge of a waterway. With a range of possible suspects but no clear culprit, Amanda and her partner try to find clues and track down leads. When a second murder happens, while the chief suspects are in jail, the case takes a few urgency and require Amanda to think outside of the box. Will she and her partner find the murderer before another life is taken? Amidst the case, Amanda is faced with the possibility of losing Zoe, the young girl she has fostered since the murder of the girl's parents, and she is having strange feelings for her partner. I can't wait for what comes next!

Black Orchid Girls is book number four int the series. I try not to read a series book unless I read the previous ones. Carolyn Arnold is a new author for me and I love to read new authors. So I did and was happy to be approved for this one.
Chloe Somner is a college student who wanted to change the world. She was supposedly well liked by everyone, was a hard worker, devoted her time to various causes. So why would someone kill her and leave a black orchid on her body. Enter Detective Amanda Steele and her partner Detective Trent Stenson.. Amanda a seasoned police officer cannot understand why Chloe was stabbed so violently. It seems like the killer knew what they were doing. Many of Chloe's classmates were questioned. The boyfriend Jake who recently broke up with her, her two roommates who end up figuring into this mystery as the investigation intensives. Someone is hiding something which Amanda cannot figure out. Every time she gets closer to arresting the killer another body is found. Is this the work of a serial killer?
On top of Amanda's investigation into Chloe's death, she is in the mist of fostering Zoe, a child orphaned when both parents are murdered. This is where it get tricky for me. I did not know the back story of Amanda and Zoe. Little pieces of what happened to Amanda and her family comes into the picture, then the bits about Zoe. Without reading the three other books it was a little hard to understand. I love how Amanda tries to handle both her job and Zoe. The love between the two does shine as you read. Yet there is a dark cloud looming over Amanda when it comes to Zoe and she is not sure how she will handle it.
This book kept me glued to each and every page.It made me want to find out who the killer was. The author made me want to continue to read until the very end. Very suspenseful for me. Thank you NetGalley , the publisher and Carolyn Arnold for the ARC copy. I enjoyed it so much that I then ordered the other three books so when the next Amanda Steele book is out I will be all caught up. .

I enjoyed the book but it isn't one of my favorites. The author's voice doesn't resonate with me the way it could have
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

A good, thrilling detective book! Amanda and Trent pair up to solve the murders of two young women and find themselves being pulled in so many directions. This was a book that kept my attention AND kept me guessing!

Detective Amanda Steele and her partner are called to the scene of the murder of a young girl who was found naked and posed by the waters edge. While investigating another young girl is found murdered in the same way and this girl is a roommate to the first victim. Do they have a serial killer or are these killings personal? Can the kill or killers be found before they kill again....