Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance copy of #TheGirlsInTheFire by #Dea Poirier
The book is split into two parts so you get a chapter of now then go back in to the past when Harley was a teenager.
I only managed 4 chapters before I finally gave in and admitted I wasn’t enjoying the book and I don’t think it was going to get any better.
None of the characters were likeable.
I’m not going to say anymore as it would spoil the book for people who will enjoy it. It just wasn’t for me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I hadn’t realised immediately that this was book two in the Detective Harlow Durant series, but liked it so much that within a couple of chapters I had visited the Kindle store and bought book one too. Now this does function perfectly well as a standalone novel, but I felt I was missing something about her backstory and character development by not having read book one, Find Me In The Dark, first.

The plot was exciting and disturbing in equal measure, while locations, and people and events were so vividly described that I found myself visualising scenes as they played out. If you know me, you’ll know I love being able to do that!

Now, I really liked Harlow, even though her introduction hinted at some previous difficulties that affected her standing in the policing community. She was forthright and totally unafraid of bullies or anyone attempting to every their influence over her. A great strong female lead in a predominantly male orientated profession. If I get in trouble, she’ll be on my speed dial.

Overall, this was a very well thought out and executed crime thriller which I highly recommend to any reader, not just those who seem out this genre. I gave The Girls In The Fire, by Dea Poirier, five stars, and look forward to reading more of her books very soon.

Chaotic, harrowing and fast paced. This one had ample twists, turns and suspects. There were parallel story lines at play that added depth and context. The characters were amazingly well written. I enjoyed this read. It kept me glued until the last page. I look forward to the next instalment.

I read the first book in the series and bow I have read the second. Can't wait to read more.

This is a detective thriller series which is classed as a slowburn.

I love the easy the author keeps it full of tension and suspense in the right places.

Highly recommended

I read and enjoyed the first book in this series, but I did not care for this one. Instead of getting stronger from her ordeal in the first book, Detective Harlow Durant and her psychological issues took precedence over the investigation and story. The flashbacks to her past with her father seemed confusing and unnecessary. She and her partner are called to the scene of a woman’s body who had suffered major trauma and then was set on fire. When another body is found, killed in the same manner, will she find the killer before they strike again? I finished the book, but I don’t think I will be reading a third book in this series. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

The author pulled me straight into this riveting tale with the intriguing opening chapter and I could not get enough. In this dark police procedural with a strong backstory for the protagonist, on the edge of picturesque Saranac Lake in upstate New York, the charred remains of a woman's body have been found... Detective Harlow Durant is attending the scene along with her partner, Lucas. The bodies of hikers have also been discovered in the area recently, though they were stabbed. Then another dead body turns up at the Lake...but what are the connections?

This is a chilling and intense read and I was certainly keen to keep flipping the pages. Dea Poirier's Detective Durant is well crafted and definitely has a busy life and colourful past. There are chapters from Harley’s childhood and we find out about her relationship with her mum and her killer father. This reader will be very interested in where the author takes her in future instalments. Extremely highly recommended.

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

This is the second book in the Detective Harlow Durant and while it can be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading the first to get a better understanding for the characters.

The girls in the fire is a gripping and gritty novel that had me flying through those pages.

Not one but two killers are terrorising the small town on the edge of Saranac Lake. Harlow and Lucas are tasked with finding a particularly sadistic killer who is lighting women on fire.

The story is told mostly from Harlow's point of view, dealing with the case in the present, but there are also chapters woven throughout with her experiences living with her serial killer father and what really happened back then.

I enjoyed watching Harlow and Lucas's friendship grow. Harlow is still the same, run when things get tough person, but I can see the trust growing between the pair and their easy banter together made for some light moments during the story.

Like the first book in the series, there are still some questions that need answering leading nicely into the next book, which I can't wait to read!

The girls in the fire is an addictive read and is a must if you loved flawed detectives and puzzling mysteries.

As I started this book, I didn’t realize I had read book one. I will quite often pick up a book in the middle of the series and if I like it, go back and read the back list in the series. I think I may have liked this one more than the first.

I really like that instead of being all about the stand alone story, there is a bigger plot running in the background. And don’t worry if you haven’t read the first one, the author gives you enough to pick up on that story. But I do think you should read them both.

Harlow’s father was a serial killer and as a child, she knew and kept his secret to bring her family together. What a reason to go into law enforcement. And you can imagine not all of her coworkers appreciate her choices when they find out. I really like that Harlow and her partner Lucas are yin and yang and make a complete team. I also like the chapters from Harlow’s stalker which we don’t know if he is the killer or maybe has another agenda.

And in this book’s crime, there are two serial killers in a sleepy town where everyone knows everyone else. One killer is mutilating people, while another is burning young women. There is no shortage of suspects and I was most of the way through the book when I figured out a motive for the killer. And as the book ends, there is little doubt whether the series will continue as there is another new body. I can’t believe I need to wait for the next book.

I really enjoy this series and think all crime readers will appreciate it.

The Girls in the Fire is the second book in the Harlow Durant series. I read Find Me In The Dark a little while ago and was keen to revisit these characters. Harlow is a strong female lead which is something I particularly enjoy in this kind of book. (Any kind of book if I'm honest.) This might be the Harlow show, but it isn't just about her, her sidekick Lucas, who is an interesting character in his own right, is right alongside her helping her get to the bottom of things. I particularly enjoy the two of them together.
As with the first book, we see flashes of Harlow's past, alongside the current case that she's investigating. Whole chapters appear with events from twenty years previously. Not only is she a detective dealing with murderers, but her own father is a serial killer. Whether this gives her a unique insight into the criminal mind or doing what she does just helps her to deal with her past, without ever being able to come fully to terms with it. I'm not sure that she would know either.
The murderer this time specialises in young women who he brutally disfigures and then sets alight. While in some books it's obvious who is behind it all and why, before some kind of big reveal, that wasn't the case here. Instead, we follow alongside Harlow and Lucas as they uncover what is going on.
This was a gripping read and one I really enjoyed. I hope that we will be seeing more of this pair soon.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Dea Poirier's style of writing. When I read her first book, Find Me in the Dark, I was blown away. Detective Harlow Durant is very relatable and very likable. I thoroughly enjoyed Harlow narrating most of the book and talking about her past in various chapters. I also enjoyed how Dea Poirier had the killer narrate a few chapters. This book was just as addicting as the first book and a lot more secrets of Harlow's past involving her serial killer father were revealed that I really enjoyed! And the ending was mind-blowing! Now I'm going to have to impatiently wait for book 3!

Book 2 could be read as a standalone if you have not read the first in the series, Find Me in the Dark. I loved Find Me in the Dark, so I would highly recommend reading it first!

Highly recommend this series!

I have posted my review on instagram https://www.instagram.com/thrillersandcoffee

The Girls in the Fire is the second book to feature Detective Harlow Durant. I have not read the first, Find me in the Dark. I did not have trouble following the storyline, but I felt I missed out on some character development and will read the first.

Detective Durant and her partner, Lucas, are sent to upstate New York to investigate a body that was found burned in the woods. Coincidentally, a team is in the same location looking for a serial killer. Two killers operating in the same area?

Harlow has an interesting backstory, daughter of a serial killer who killed women. There is some timeline shifting as we go back twenty years to what happened to Harlow. There is alot of this in the book, and I found it to be too much and distracting from the murder mystery.

The ending was OK, I did not find it particularly satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC, the review is my own.

This is a great read.
Harley and Lucas are called when a body is found, badly beaten and severely burned.
They start the investigation and pretty quickly another body is found in the same condition.
Identification is made on the first victim and she’s a well liked young woman from the area, so why was she murdered?
Chad has his own case to work on but still finds time to taunt Harley.
There are chapters from Harley’s childhood and we learn a lot about her relationship with her mother and her serial killer father.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

When I read the first book in this series last year, I noted that the star of the show, the very flawed Detective Harlow Durant, was carrying way too much baggage for my liking - even though I very much enjoyed the book. Well, it's ditto for this one; I'm still not a big Harlow fan, but despite that it's another good story well worth reading. That's due in no small part to the fact that I love her partner Lucas, who pretty much has her number (and takes "supportive" to a whole 'nother level). Happily, they make quite a few joint appearances here.

The dynamic duo get sent to Saranac Lake in upstate New York (not far from their home base), where a woman's body has been found; it's so badly burned that it's impossible to tell whether the victim is male or female. Not far away in a wilderness area, efforts are under way to find a presumed serial killer of several people, with those efforts being led by a nemesis of Harlow. Of course, the two bump heads, but Harlow insists she has no interest in sticking her nose in his case (and means it, although she has no reservations about digging in her heels should the two cases be related in any way).

Finally, the crispy dead woman is identified, but a motive remains elusive. Not long thereafter, another body turns up with the same M.O. Could it be that a serial killer is on the loose here as well? Could all the murders be somehow connected, and is it possible they're looking for the same serial killer?

Amid all this, Harlow's past comes out of hiding; as the daughter of an imprisoned serial killer and a nasty woman who's a mother only because she gave birth, Harlow has been forced to pull up stakes when the media and local folks get wind of her background. Worse, if that's possible, she's been dogged by her estranged mother, who tends to find her at the worst possible moment.

As a result of the serial killer angle, Harlow's current case triggers all sorts of childhood nightmares, many of which are laid out in interspersed chapters that let readers know what's going on in her head. I know I should be more sympathetic, but honestly, I grew a bit weary of those background checks (i.e., you're a stellar detective, Harlow, so get on with your life already). In reality, though, that may prove difficult - Harlow herself, it appears, has become a target.

The rest you'll just have to read for yourself, and series fans should know there's a twist at the end that no doubt will carry over into the next book. I'll be waiting, but for now I'll thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

Detective Harlow Durant is back for another action packed suspense. Reeling from the events of her last case, and her childhood, Harlow is called to Saranac Lake to investigate a body found in a fire. One body turns into two, then three. Harlow officially has a serial killers to catch. At the same time there is another serial killer in Saranac Lake, and Harlow's coworkers are investigating. Are the two connected, and why are they appearing at the same time? As Harlow's past comes to play in the present, how long is it until the two have a head on collision?

Gripping, and captivating, this book had me yearning for each chapter. Some aspects of the police procedure seemed unrealistic, as did some events but they made for good drama.

I want to thank Netgalley, and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Excellent addition to the Harlow Durant series. This is shaping up to be a must read series. Fast paced. Entertaining. Grabs you from page one. Loved it!

Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for the eARC.

Serial killer
Suspense
Mystery
Add in so many twists and turns that you will be flying through the pages to get to the end.
This is what you will get reading The Girls in the Fire.
I have not read the first book in the series and feel like I should definitely read it. The author does do a good job of telling some of the back story to Harlow Durant. I had no issue reading this as a stand alone.
I very much look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

A solid sophomore effort. Will continue with the series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange got an honest review

Well-written, intriguing, yet disturbing. I like Harlow, her flawed background, and her strong spirit of never giving up. She's a restless soul, which works wonders when she is on a case, because she is willing to give her all. The plot itself divided me into two readers. I loved half of it, and then the other half felt like the mood changed. It was an ongoing battle for me, so it kept on changing back and forth between these two. I think the reason for this was that I did not like the characters the case was evolved around. I wondered at first why this was, but at the end of the book it became clear to me. These people simply were not likable to me at all. Luckily Harlow carries the book from the beginning to the end.

Harlow Durant is a brusque, don’t mess with me type of detective. She doesn’t stay too long in one place, moving throughout up state New York on cases as a homicide investigator. I love the locale and the subject matter.
She’s also the progeny of a serial killer father and a violent mother. To say she has a ton of baggage is putting it mildly. She is dogged and determined to figure out who is leaving dead bodies all over Saranc Lake, while incidentally, there’s another serial murder on the loose.
I loved her conflicts with Chad, what a jerk.
Harlow is a fire brand and married to her job.
I hope she doesn’t get burnt out on it.

This mystery kept me intrigued and wondering who the killer was. Having two serial killers operating in one area was unique and continually kept you wondering if they were connected in some way. There were a couple things that I felt lost about from the beginning, like the hatred towards Chad, but I just chalked that up to it being a second in the series and not having read the first. We do begin learning about Harlow's past in this book so I'm curious how much backstory the reader was given in the first book.

My struggle with the book was that I found Harlow very unlikable. I felt like she was always upset at someone for being judgmental (Ashley, Lucas, etc), while constantly being judgmental herself. She also seemed very clueless and unobservant for a detective. Like when she thinks she knows who the man kidnapping, torturer, and setting fire to women is, she lies to her partner and goes to visit the suspect at his house, at night, and goes to his backdoor to avoid the possibility of a Ring doorbell. Like what could possibly go wrong about confronting a suspected serial killer at night at his back door when no one knows where you are!? The other points would be spoilers but it would be like a detective picking up the murder weapon that's engraved "John Smith" and the detective going "uh, who could this possibly belong to?"

Overall the storyline was enjoyable and kept me guessing but my dislike of Harlow kept me from really connecting with the story as a whole. If you're into clueless detectives and unreliable narrators, or if you're just here for the mystery, then I would definitely recommend this.