🔥Didn't light my fire🙄

This was a so-so read, not really bad but not good either. I did not read the first book in the series: had I read it, some of the inferences about events occurring before this investigation begins would have been clearer.

I had several issues with this story. First, too much of the story is about the detective lead rather than the case. This was a turnoff for me but, I will concede, other readers may like that aspect of the story.. Second, I did not think Harlow was a particularly good investigator. I like my women police officers smart and strong, emotionally and physically. Harlow Durant did not seem to meet these standards. She takes notes when she interviews yet she never refers to them, even when a witness says something and she can't remember when she's heard it mentioned before. She interviews people on the phone rather than in person, people who might be accessories to serious crime. That did not seem like good police work to me!

In addition, I found the investigation narrative flat despite the extreme violence of the murders and the ending was odd and unsatisfying. I don't see myself coming back to read any more of this series.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Not only did once again I find a new series to read but also a new to me author, and I have to say that I like the concept of this series, which is that the main character is the daughter to a serial killer and that she's a cop but not just any cop , the only female detective at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation . This story had me hooked from the start with how the killer used fire , and I would say that this story was right up my ally with how twisty and disturbing it is and was , so much so that I can't wait to read more of this series .

Fast paced, twisty and disturbing thriller.
While I found Harlow interesting, her coworker Chad is thoroughly unlikable. I hope we don't see much of him going forward. The chapters set in Harlow's past were surprising but provided some insight into her character.  I look forward reading the next installment.

This book is the second in a series by Drea Poitier. I really enjoyed this book read it in one day. There was enough twists to keep me guessing to the end. What can I say about that ending? Let’s just say I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Thanks Netgalley for my arc.

Excellent , well written story. From the very beginning to the end I enjoyed the unraveling mystery. The writing was deceptive and kept my attention. I felt like I was transported into the tiny town . The chart we development was done well. I look forward to reading another story with Lucas and Harrow.

This book was entertaining and it kept me coming back to find out more of the story. I liked the character of Harlow, and I found her past with her family an interesting addition. The book was mostly even-paced, getting faster and more exciting in the last chapters, but then the end just came up out of nowhere. Well, not really the end, it ended on a flashback and that threw the whole ending out of whack for me. Wait, what??
Also, the book ended with another murder after the killers were caught, but no info on that. Is that the lead-in to the next book in this series? If so, then I am ok with that, otherwise I'm a little confused why that was thrown in there.
And there was occasional talk about a murdered police officer back home, I really can't figure that one out... that story wasn't fleshed out, and there was no conclusion on it. Again, maybe it will be picked up in the next book, but it left me scratching my head.
I love a good mystery and murder mystery story, though this might be the first one I've read about a detective trying to catch a serial killer. A little more murder intense than my usual fare, but still good. I didn't love it, but I did like it and I would read another book by the author, especially another book about Detective Harlow Durant.

This is the second in the series and having enjoyed the first I was looking forward to reading this. It did not disappoint and I found it to be a thrilling read with some great characters

I am really getting invested in this series! Harlow is a complicated character. Her past is delved into more in this book. She and Lucas are investigating a dark case and it has several twists. While I guessed the killer in that case I was stunned by the other case conclusion. And that ending! Wow. I can't wait for the next book.

This is the second book in the series featuring Det. Harlow Durant.

After catching her first serial killer Harlow is back. This time she is chasing a killer with a unique and disturbing MO. The investigation is complicated by the media’s discovery of a secret that Harlow has spent her entire life running from. This series really picks up steam and I love the character development. The ending was shocking. Warning - the details of the wounds inflicted on the victims are quite gruesome. Look out for this one on March 4/22. Thanks to NetGalley and @Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced, disturbing, and head scratching fun! I enjoyed book 2 in this series and they development of the characters. I found this case to be perplexing and intricately pieced together. I was stumped and had fun following along with the detectives as they put the puzzle together. I can’t wait to continue on with this series and see where the author takes the characters! 3.5 stars. My thanks to the pub for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

"Serial killer thriller"? Yes please!

This is the second book in the Detective Harlow Durant series, I read it as a stand alone and had no problem following along. I am going to go back and read the first one though, because I am so interested in Harlow and hope to learn more of her backstory.

This was an easy to read, face paced thriller/detective series that switched back and forth between Harlow's present day investigation and her childhood (which is so wild). I loved the writing style and descriptions- I could picture the town perfectly and I enjoyed the dynamic between the detectives.
There was so much build up, but the story did seem to wrap up a little too quickly (although my guesses on how it would end were wrong so that's always nice to be surprised)...but the real shock came right at the end...the very last page gave me chills and I hope there is a third book so I can find out more about Harlow!

Another fantastic book in this series, once I started reading this I didn't want to stop. It has a great story line which had me guessing.

Det. Harlow Durant is the daughter of a serial killer and that looms large as she investigates a new villain wrecking havoc on y0ung women in a small upstate New York town. This moves back and forth in time from when Harlow was a girl and the present. THere's a lot of violence against women here - so much so that I found myself disengaging. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Wasn't for me but others might enjoy it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Girls in the Fire, the second novel to feature Detective Harlow Durant of the New York State Police.

Harlow and her partner Lucas are sent upstate to Sarlac Lake to investigate a mutilated body found burning in the woods. The rest of the team are already there, investigating a serial killer. As more bodies are found it becomes clear that there are two killers operating in the small town.

I enjoyed The Girls in the Fire when it was dealing with the murder investigation, but the novel is split almost evenly between that and the events of twenty years earlier when a thirteen year old Harlow, or Harley Jane as she was known then, discovers that her father is a serial killer. This does not interest me and I found it fairly tedious, following some of the tropes of the genre. This is obviously a thread in the series as this novel ends in a cliffhanger.

The investigation is fairly routine, try to identify suspects with little to go on, chase your tail for much of the novel and then a sudden breakthrough to wrap things up. There is nothing wrong with this as the author has a good way with the detail and it held my attention from start to finish.

The novel as a whole is all about Harlow. It is told from her first person perspective and is full of her jaundiced and hurt take on life in the present. The why of this is gradually unfolding in the parallel narrative of “my father, the serial killer”. She is not a particularly likeable individual and the stress of her mindset detracts from the story being told.

The Girls in the Fire has its moments, but it didn’t overly appeal to me.

Let me take you with me to another Detective Harlow Durant book! Only last year the first book of the Detective Durant series, Find Me in the Dark, was released and I had the privilege to read it before publication. Now it's time for the second book in author Dea Poirier's series: The Girls in the Fire.

When the remains of a young woman are discovered on the edge of picturesque Saranac Lake, Detective Harlow Durant races to the scene. The area is already under watch after hikers discovered several bodies, stabbed to death in the national park. But as Harlow stares at the charred remnants of an innocent young life, she knows that this is a different killer with a very twisted motive.
The victim is identified as twenty-six-year-old Ellie Gordon—a seemingly normal girl with no known enemies. But as Harlow begins to piece together the evidence, another body is discovered at the lake. The only connection, a man they used to date. But why would he want them dead?
With a small community reeling in shock, Harlow knows time is running out to piece together the only lead she has before another woman loses her life. But soon she is confronted by a woman who brings her face to face with the secret she has spent her life running from. And when her car is violently run off the road, Harlow has to question whether this case has become too personal.
Can Harlow confront her demons to save another innocent life from being lost? And just how much is she prepared to sacrifice?

With The Girls in the Fire author Dea Poirier has written another bloodcurdling thriller. It starts right where Find Me in the Dark had ended. Even though I read that book a couple of months ago, I didn't really need to jog my memory. The book was still firmly lodged in my brain and the little details that had escaped were provided in this second novel. I therefore think that if you haven't yet read Find Me in the Dark, it's not a big problem to start with The Girls in the Fire. Although, I would advise you to start at the beginning. Especially, when you're also interested in the personal life of the detective.

If you did read the first book and if you were hoping that all of your questions would now be answered... Be prepared to be longing for a third book after finishing! The Girls in the Fire left me with quite the cliff hanger and many questions, which I guess will only be answered with the release of book 3. So I will definitely be looking forward to that!

How to discuss a crime thriller without giving away to many details? The Girls in the Fire is a book you have to experience for yourself. Just like Find Me in the Dark, this thriller had me glancing over my shoulder from time to time. The novel is again told from Detective Durant's perspective and will have your heart racing together with hers. After reading the series' first book I noted a point of critique about the lack of emotional response of characters, who learn that their beloved daughter or friend had passed away. With this book, that lack of emotions has gone. So well done! However, a little strange was the fact that most characters spoke about their missing daughter or friend in the past tense. Who would do that when talking about a missing person? Or at least someone who has been missing only for a couple of days? I'd think you'd have a little hope they're still alive and would take about them in the present tense. So also The Girls in the Fire gets a small point of critique from me, concerning the dialogues between the detectives and the relatives.

All in all, I would say that The Girls in the Fire is a very good, maybe even better, follow-up thriller. I am definitely looking forward to reading the third book. And also dreading it. I can still feel my heart racing!

Detective Harlow Durand is the child of a serial killer. As an adult she is a deceive that hunts serial killers along with her partner Lucas. Harlow has spent most of her adult life trying to escape her past. This book flashes between the current timeline and the hunt for not 1 but 2 serial killers who are preying in a small town.
The murders pile up in a hurry in this one and Harlow is out to find the killer before another woman can be killed. Lots going on in this fast paced mystery that picks up where book 1 left off, and if the ending is any indication we will roll right in into book 3.
While you don’t need to read the first book in the series it is helpful as you are introduced to Harlows back story.
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this arc! Can’t wait for book 3.

Dea Poirier has created such a complex and flawed character in Harlow Durant... running from her past (well really, her parents of whom one is a serial killer), she serves as a homicide detective in New York. With her partner, Lucas, and really... Lucas is one of the best supporting characters in fiction., they are tasked with solving some pretty gruesome murders - conveniently located in the same area as their counterpart, Chad, is searching for another killer. Told in current time, and then with flashbacks to Harlow's childhood, this is a solid second book in the series... and considering where this book left off, I cannot wait to see what happens with Harlow next! Thank you to Bookouture for the advanced copy for my personal review.

Trouble always seems to find Detective Harlow Durant, and she is certain that it has to do with who her dad is. Always living under the cloud of her past, Harlow is an excellent detective with an excellent solve-rate. Unfortunately, she never stays anywhere long enough to build a life and find a home. In this book, Harlow and her partner are trying to solve the murders of young women whose burnt remains are found on a logging trail. There are few clues, and so Harlow must try to get inside the mind of the perpetrator. At the same time, she is struggling for respect by her male colleagues and trying not to rub their egos the wrong way. It's a wonderful mystery, and I can't wait for Harlow's next adventure.

Detective Harlow Durant is back with another criminal case!

When the remains of a woman's body was found near the lake, the local PD contacts Detective Harlow Durant to the scene. The woman's body is badly burned and charred and is barely recognizable. Detective Harlow Durant must solve the case before another victim will be snatched and dealing with her own past demons.

What made me get interested in this book is Harlow's background--a serial killer father and coming from a dysfunctional family. This time, the author has given us snippets of Harlow's relationship with her father who killed women almost twenty years ago and the timelines shift back and forth--to the present where Harlow is investigating the current case to the past that happened twenty years ago that changed her life forever. Nonethless, this book is fast paced thriller, with the twists and turns, the numerous suspects that leave you confused as to who would be the real killer. The ending was shocking and unpredictable and I was so immersed into the book that I stayed up all night reading this book! The very end is a cliff hanger, something that makes the reader like me to crave for the third book and wouldn't wait to see what is going to happen next!

If you are looking for some start of detective series, I recommend this series to you all. This is fast paced, page turned with twists and turns you wouldn't expect--worth five stars!

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

f you can’t tell by my feed lately, I’ve been in the mood for mysteries, and this one did not disappoint! 🔥 Mini review: Detective Harley Durant travels to Saranac Lake where a body has been severely disfigured and burned. Once another victim turns up, Harley and her partner, Lucas, begin investigating the connection between these two women. Meanwhile the readers get flashbacks of Harley witnessing her father commit murder and having to grapple with the decision to turn him in or stay silent. Now even though this is technically part of a series, I thought this would serve as a stand-alone. But once I finished, I am left with so many questions and immediately wanting the next book to come out!! 🔥