Member Reviews

Absolutely loved this installment of the Ellie Reeves books. On the day of Mia's Wedding Mia, her friend Tori, go missing. Ellie is concerned for her friend and panic strikes. When a dead body shows up in the river. Ellie fears for her friend and her daughter's life? The question is Mia's past caught up with her. If so, what is it and why would someone potentially want her dead?!
As with all Rita's books, this is no different in terms of the anticipation and build up throughout the story. Ellie's character is very reliable and down-to-earth, so this book really humanised her and her relationships with other people. about Facebook is you have no idea what it is that Maya might have actually done it in. The great thing is as a reader we get drip fed throughout the book and yet I had no idea who the killer is. Thus made it fun trying to beat the fictional detectives by piecing together the small findings. I just loved it!

I love the writing style of Rita Herron, it's simple descriptive moments to paint the scene, at point I could actually feel like I was there part of the story as Ellie dulves into the past we need to piece together where her friend Mia is and Pixie daughter.

Along side the investigation we get to be part of her love life Derrick or Cord? (I know who I want her with) both kind men who are in love with her, but she is taking her yome to make sure she makes the right decision.

I love majority of this installment and I'm obsessed with Rita Herron and the way she writes with Ellie Reeves being one if my favourite fictional detectives. This storyline was heartbreaking and amazing all at once and bad me nor putting my kindle down
Thanks to everyone involved for the reviews copy of The girl in the River a very easy 4+ stars.

Was this review helpful?

I need a resolution for Ellie and Cord. Is it going to happen? What happens to their current relationships? Ugh!
A quick and obsessive read. I love Ellie as a character - tough, stands her ground without apologizing for demanding the respect she deserves. It was great to see Derrick dealing with the sudden death of his long time friend, Rick, and his family.
Cord as always has my heart though - brooding large man. Bring it on!
Onto the next!

Was this review helpful?

This is a brilliant crime series and this is one of the best so far.
Ellie is at her friends wedding but when she doesn’t show up to say her vows, Ellie knows something is wrong.
She finds Mia’s daughter, Pixie, terrified in the bathroom but she didn’t see who took her Mum.
Ellie and Derrick begin the search for Mia and come across a nasty family who seem to be running a nearby town.
Ellie is determined to find out what’s happening in this town as all the locals seem terrified to speak to her.
With Mia missing and bodies being found, time is running out fast.
This is a brilliant crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
If you’ve not read this series then pick up book one now - you won’t be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

The seventh book in this series
Detective Ellie Reeves is on the case
Love this series if you want a new series you must read this one
Rita never disappoints
Thanks NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. It was really well written and it just had you trying to solve the mystery. I look forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

Was this review helpful?

I love how this book has short chapters. Loads of twists and turns. There is alot of characters in this book so you will be kept on your toes trying to solve this mystery.

Was this review helpful?

What starts as the perfect day, a wedding, things go awry fast when the bride disappears leaving a struggle. Girl in the River was riveting and fast paced. Ellie is a strong character and I love her in this series. Mia’s disappearance and all that’s discovered during the investigation makes you question if she’s a serial runaway bride. Enjoyed every minute. Herron is a master of suspense

Was this review helpful?

This is the seventh book in the series featuring Detective Ellie Reeves. I haven’t read all the books in the series but found it read well as a stand-alone. Ellie is attending the wedding of her friend Mia, but as the ceremony is due to begin she discovers that Mia has disappeared along with Tori, her bridesmaid. When Pixie, Mia’s four year old daughter is found distraught, locked in the bathroom, Ellie suspects foul play as there were signs of a struggle. As a search gets underway for Mia and Tori, a body is found in the river, it turns out to be Tori with Mia still missing. As Ellie and her team begin their investigations they realise that Mia has a secret past and had previously lived a very different life to what she has now. They also discover that the small town seems to be run by an influential family as all the locals are terrified to speak out. Can Mia be found alive? I found this a gripping book, full of action and twists and turns. A really enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Reading Between the Wines book review #29/115 for 2023:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Girl in the River
Author: Rita Herron
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: I really loved this one in the series. It felt like 2 stories in one. Detective Ellie Reeves as always goes so hard in the paint to solve the crimes. And when you add a victim that she knows she is relentless. The last paragraph in this book has be on the edge of my seat waiting on the next release which comes out in May 2023.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @TheGirlInTheRiver.

#TheGirlInTheRiver #RitaHerron #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Was this review helpful?

Edge of your seat, blow your pants off...........if you haven't started the Ellie Reeves series already, why not?

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book.

5/5

Was this review helpful?

I’ve read every book in this series and I had started to fall out of love with it, to the point where I wasn’t sure if I was going to read anymore. I did however prefer this book to the last one. The interesting case with the creepy small town is what saved it. Ellie’s personal life is still annoying because I am so over the love triangle. I’m hoping the ending means that we will get a definitive answer in the next book. The hunt for Mia was full of suspense with lots of lies to uncover which kept me reading.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

A wedding goes tragically wrong and ends with a missing bride and a body near the river. I was immediately intrigued and had questions about what happened to the bride. How can a seeming beautiful day with so many happy people end up with murder? Ellie was at the wedding and quickly began the search for answers.

I have grown to really like Detective Ellie. At first, her character absolutely annoyed me. I didn’t like her style of working or the choices that she made in her personal life. However, I am now a fan of both. I like how scrupulous she is in her investigations and how well she works with her team. Her personal life also has me captivated. This installment actually ends with a cliff hanger on her personal life and I can’t wait for the next book already.

This was a complex, multi-layered case that also found a way of tugging at my heartstrings. My heart broke for the husband left at the altar but more so for the little child whose mom was missing. On the other hand, the case takes us to another creepy, little town on the mountains. I mean, Ellie’s town is weird. Its small but crime-filled. Nonetheless, Red River Rock was weirder. A small town full of secrets that people were willing to die for? Colour me, hooked!

This was yet another great installment to the Detective Ellie Reeves series. Intense, fast-paced with twists at every corner. I was gripped to the last page.

Was this review helpful?

I love Rita Herron as an author and I have read most of her books!
Her lead character is usually really strong and determined, the setting of the scene is always beautifully done and the mystery story is gripping, full of action and keeps you engaged until the end.
This book 7 of the Detective Ellie Reeves series does not disappoints and ticks all my boxes as ever.
This time, Ellie's mystery story is set within a friend's wedding to which she is invited to along with her boyfriend Derrick, who is a federal agent..
This is a wonderful journey to get to the truth once again.... Can't wait for her next book!

Was this review helpful?

The Girl in the River is Book 7 in the Detective Ellie Reeves series by Rita Herron. I thought I had read several in the series, but it turns out that this was my first. Having said that, I had no trouble jumping in at book 7 as the characters are solving a new case. Detective Ellie Reeves is a strong lead character who doesn't give up or give in. The book starts out with Ellie getting ready for the wedding of a local friend, Mia. Ellie is attending the wedding with her boyfriend, Derrick, who is a federal agent.

When Ellie and Derrick arrive at the wedding they're struck by the beauty of the setting. It's close to the river and the weather is perfect for an outdoor wedding. Mia is in the bridal room finishing up with her maid of honor, Tori, and Mia's 4 year old daughter, Pixie. Pixie is beyond excited to walk down the aisle tossing rose petals as she goes. She can't wait for Mia to marry Mark. Mark is such a nice man and has told Mia and Pixie that he wants to adopt Pixie once they're married. The three of them can't wait to be a family!

Mia asks Pixie to use the bathroom before they head out for the ceremony as she doesn't want any interruptions. As Pixie is in the bathroom, Tori steps out to check on things. Mia looks out the window at the crowd gathered and she notices a man with his back to her. She becomes panicked and says to herself he's found me, how could he find me? As the groom and his best man, Liam, walk to their spots they're eager for the ceremony to start. Liam is Tori's husband and they're all good friends. The music is playing but no bride, bridesmaid, or flower girl appears. The pianist thinks they're just delayed so he starts the music over. Time continues to pass with no one appearing. Ellie tells Mark, the groom, that she'll go check on things.

When Ellie glances at Cord, a park rescuer, he knows that look and follows her towards the bridal room. When they open the door to the bridal room, chairs are knocked over, broken jewelry lies on the floor and looks as if it was yanked off someone's neck, and there's no one here. The door to the bathroom has a chair wedged under it and Ellie hears something. As she opens the bathroom door it's empty, but there's a definite noise. As Ellie goes the the shower, she opens the curtain to find Pixie curled into a ball and crying. Pixie is very upset and says that she heard a man's voice and yelling but couldn't get out of the bathroom to help. She wants her mommy, but Ellie has no idea where she or Tori is. Ellie calls for a forensics team and explains to the office what has happened. They leave the room to keep as much evidence undisturbed as possible.

Ellie goes back to tell Mark and the wedding guests what has happened. She asks Derrick to stay and wait for the forensics team while she and Cord head into the woods to search for Mia and Tori. There's a path that leads to the river, but Mia is terrified of the river and would never go towards it on her own. Mia's parents were killed when their boat exploded after pushing Mia and her sister Jo Jo overboard. They knew they were in trouble and were trying to save their daughters. Ever since then, Mia has hated the river. She even refused to have any wedding pictures taken by it. As Ellie catches up with Cord, he sees something in the water and decides to go in. He removes his shoes and jacket and makes his way towards the fallen log that has something caught on it. It looks like a wedding veil. He sees that it is a wedding veil and yells to Ellie that there's a body. He can't tell who it is because they're face down in the water. Ellie finds a canoe and paddles over to Cord. She asks him to turn the body over carefully. As he does they see that it's Tori, not Mia, and she's very much dead. She has a gash on the back of her head and a bullet hole in her back. There's no sign of Mia, but Ellie hears a motorboat in the distance. Could that boat have Mia on it? Why would someone kidnap Mia? She works at the garden center and helps people get their yards perfect.

Ellie finds a man's shirt button and Mia's engagement ring on the bank of the river. Once forensics has gone over things they find something really weird. Mia's DNA is coming back as a different person. Mia was actually Jesse Habersham, a woman who has been missing for 5 years! Jesse must have faked her death to get away from someone dangerous. Did that person finally find her? Ellie is very worried and knows her friend is in danger. She has to find her and quick! Who was Jesse and why did she want to disappear? Ellie has a tough case ahead of her and there will be many twists along the way. Will the man come back for Pixie? Is she in danger?

The Girl in the River sucks you in from the start and you'll be reading it well into the night. I loved this book and look forward to reading more books in the series. Rita Herron creates characters that you care about and you can't wait for more. The Ellie Reeves series will now be one that I have to read as soon as the next one is available! Whether you're a first time reader of the Ellie Reeves series like I am or a long time reader of the series, this book is good for both. Get this book and enjoy! I rate The Girl in the River 5 stars and look forward to book 8 in the series. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review. #TheGirlInTheRiver

Was this review helpful?

Rita Herron is an excellent storyteller and I love her books!

Ellie is enjoying being at the wedding of her friend Mia. Only, it turns out that Mia isn't actually Mia at all, she is someone else. And when she disappears, leaving her little girl behind, Ellie is on the case. Can she reunite Pixie with her mum? And figure out why Mia changed her identity?

A twisty, turny mystery, brilliantly told, as always.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Was this review helpful?

Wow, rollercoaster of a thriller. I was glued from the first page. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Was this review helpful?

As a fellow Bookouture author, I'm very familiar with Rita Herron's book and her latest The Girl in the River was another captivating read. I haven't been able to read the earlier books in the series yet, but enjoy that each book can be a stand-alone while also following Detective Reeves.

Was this review helpful?

Another great book in the Ellie Reeves series. The Girl in the River by Rita Herron is the seventh book in the brilliant Detective Ellie Reeves series. Its fast paced with twists and turns and everything you need in a crime thriller and a brilliant page turner. Great characters. Great series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Another solid addition to the Ellie Reeves series. I look forward to the next installment in this series.

Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for the eARC.

Was this review helpful?

This was another great addition to the Ellie Reeves series. I read a lot of mystery/thrillers, both standalones and series...es, and I love to see one like this, that's set in the South. As I live in an area that had a notorious businessman with the same last name as some of the characters in this book, it was also a bit unnerving for me personally. But that's what I like, disturbing the comfortable.

Was this review helpful?