BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Girls In The Fire' by Dea Poirier.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Dea Poirier, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 4th March 2022.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Detective Harlow Durant' series but can be read as a standalone.

I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning eye catching cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'An addictive serial killer thriller perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni.' I am a huge fan of Melinda Leigh and 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 46 chapters. The chapters are short to 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 New York, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Detective Harlow Durant and an unsub. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists 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. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.

'The Girls In The Fire' 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 Dea discusses/includes domestic abuse.

WOW!!! WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY GRIPPING PAGE TURNER WITH AN EXPLOSIVE ENDING!!

This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions that really set the scene and put you in the picture leaving you feel the heat of the fires on your skin. The cover and the title suit the book perfectly.

The storyline is realistic and I was completely invested throughout. I absolutely loved reading this book in the series and I'm looking forward to going back to read book one along with any future books in this fantastic series. It is filled with murder, secrets, lies, mystery, tension, suspense and red herrings galore, especially one in particular! I was completely hooked and could not put it down even at 3am!!! The atmosphere was perfect and I was kept on the edge of my seat. It took me ages to work out the killer which is an accomplishment as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me with the amount of crime books I've read so a huge well done to Dea. The storyline is also multi-layered with not only one but TWO serial Killers on the go which is unique for a crime book but also the investigation into Officer Greens death along with Harlow's family history. There is so much going on, not too much to confuse you but the perfect amount to keep the suspense going from page one until the end. The explosive ending is definitely the cherry on the top leaving it on one heck of a cliffhanger!!

I hope your busy writing the next book Dea as I, for one, cannot wait to find out what happens next!!

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.


Although this is the second 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.

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 along with other team members. In this case the pathologist was Doctor Pagan and I am pleased to say that I clicked with her immediately.

The characters are all strong, well developed and realistic. I really enjoyed getting to know the team in this book. I absolutely love Harlow who is a strong female lead. I always enjoy meeting strong women in books being female myself. I like the fact that she is full of sarcasm, kick butt but also shows a side that is vulnerable. Harlow has history that has affected her and it is nice to see someone who isn't constantly soldering on but is struggling with their past and getting through it. I enjoyed seeing her relationship with her partner Lucas grow and develop throughout the book. Lucas made me laugh on several occasions with his sarcasm but you can also see that he cares greatly for Harlow and worried about her. They both make a great team and I'm looking forward to meeting them again in the next book. Ashley Gordan and Harlow's parents are horrific and I'm not surprised how they treated her has affected her so much but it was interesting to see how her mother seems to realise how much damage she caused and was possibly trying to make up for it. However, I do believe that it was too little to late. I also really clicked with Dr Pagan and Racquel and am looking forward to meeting them again along with Sergeant Dirby. Although we didn't see much of Sergeant Dirby from how Harlow speaks of him he seems like a good boss so it will be interesting to see more of him. A fantastic set of characters who I am looking forward to getting to know more!

Clear your schedules before starting this book as it is a true page turner!!

Congratulations Dea on an absolutely fantastic page turning success and welcome to my favourite author club!! I cannot wait to read more of your previous and future books!!

Overall an absolutely action packed psychological thriller with an explosive ending that will keep you turning the pages until you've finished.


Some of my favourite quotes in this book include the following:

♥ "I hate the viewpoint that women are only valuable for what comes out of their body. If you don’t breed, your life is worthless. What a crock of shit." Love this as it's very true!!


Genres covered in this book include Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedural, Psychological Thriller, Suspense. and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, Robert Dugoni, PJ Tracy, Carol Wyer and anyone who loves a page turning psychological thriller.



313 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) 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 #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.