Book 1 in the DS Kat Ballantyne series. A great start to the series! A great plot that had you guessing throughout, looking forward to the next one !

A very well written Police procedural with superb characterisation throughout especially our clever fearless intelligent heroine. A compelling serial killer mystery with plenty of surprises and twists along the way. Completely engaging and gripping from first to last page.
Totally recommended.

I LOVED this book. The right amount of twists and turns for a whodunnit. A great female lead who is, let’s be honest, a total badass. I would read 100 more Kat Ballyntine novels. Bring me more!

"The Seventh Girl" by Andy Maslen offers a gripping premise and a determined protagonist in DS Kat Ballantyne, but falls short in its execution. While the hunt for the serial killer is tense and suspenseful, the pacing feels uneven at times, with moments of excitement interspersed with slower, less engaging scenes. Additionally, some plot twists and character developments felt predictable, detracting from the overall impact of the story. Despite these drawbacks, fans of crime fiction may still find enjoyment in Kat's relentless pursuit of justice, but I personally found the novel to be lacking the depth and complexity I was hoping for.

Read this very quickly - entertaining and excellent pace. Detective Kat is a great character and I liked the family dynamic.

Great read, enjoyed it immensely, kept you guessing. Looking forward to the next one by Andy Maslen.

This was the first book I have read by Andy Maslen and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this one. I love a good crime thriller, and this one did not disappoint. I was hooked from beginning until the end. I loved the main character DS Kat Ballantyne she was well written. This book had some good twist that made this book so fun to read. I look forward to the next book in this series. I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK | Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I am eagerly awaiting the next book with Detective Kat. This book reminded me of Karin Slaughter but actually engaging and feasible. I loved the characters and was left at the edge of my seat to find out how she was connected to the murders and the murderer.

I liked this book…. Like the character of Kat and the case was interesting especially linking to her own past. The case came together quickly at the end and a teeny link to future stories was left.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. I really enjoyed this book and the realistic characters. The storyline was excellent and really kept me guessing. Great dialogue between the characters as well, that was very entertaining in and of itself.

This was intriguing! I don't read at on of thrillers, but this did a great job of keeping my attention! The story was interesting and easy to get into, but hard to put down. Kat did have some interesting tactics, especially for making herself out as a "good dectctive." But I enjoyed that there were strong, smart female characters. I do wish there hadn't been commentary about dieting or losing weight in the book, it was an unnecessary addition. The evidence was fun to follow, and I thought I had the killer figured out a couple times before we learned the true identity.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to thriller readers!!

DA Kat Ballyntyne has grafted all her career in order to be hard working life in order to catch her best friends murderer; the serial killer The Origami Killer.
15 years on he has killed again and she is determined to catch him, all whilst facing sexism, corruption and a blast from the past.

- I found this to be an intriguing crime thriller mystery. It’s quite hard to get right now with the genre being so popular but I liked the way that Kat and her colleagues were written and I did enjoy the way the plot was done. I found it frustrating that certain plot lines weren’t fully followed through on however with this being a series I accept this may happen in later books; which I am keen to read. A good effort with the potential to be a great series.

I have been on a police procedural kick on AcornTV lately, so when I started this one I was excited. Mystery/thriller books are always hard for me to review, because you have to review without giving anything away.

When I see serial Ki!!er in the blurb typically it's an automatic add. I will say Andy made me guess and then second guess who I thought was the bad guy. Which in a mystery/ thriller is always a plus, when you don't figure it out early.

Kat was a great FMC, as it shows the struggles of juggling police work, being a mom and a wife. She has a sense of humor which was nice to have a few chuckle moments.

There was one plot lineI liked, but I'm not sure it was tied up in a bow. Or squared away.

BUT all in all. This was a great read! I can't wait to continue and see the characters again in Book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and Andy Maslen for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book literally had me on the edge of my seat.
It's mind blowing and it made me curious every time I turn the page.
As a reader who is obsessed with true crime, this book literally surprised me.
I love it!
I can't wait for the second book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Addictive
A series of murders happened 15 years ago and then stopped but now it seems that the killer is back and it’s up to DS Kat Ballantyne and her team to solve the murder, but a secret from Kats past may have an impact on her ability to solve the murders
I totally loved this book, the story had a fast pace that drew me in and I think I connect with Kat so fast because she came across as real to the reader, she has a personal life as well as her work one and seeing her try to juggle the two made her feel so much more human, at times I could totally see and relate to the mum side of her
Whilst Kats obsession with the case is a big part of the story, at the same time it did start to feel like an issue during parts of the book and I did start to get frustrated with her at times but I think that’s just me
I got pulled into the story from the very first page and ended up totally hooked, managing to read it in two nights. Not only the police work and the twists and turns of the case but the other police team members, apart from Kat, also drew me in and the murders felt real. I also totally didn’t see the ending coming which I adored
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a crime story that will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very end

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy

Aa good read
The first book in a new series with Detective Kat Ballantyne
And a good book at that
Good storyline with great characters
Thanks NetGalley

The first book in a new police procedural series, The Seventh Girl (2024) by Andy Maslen features Detective Sergeant Kat Ballantyne of the Middlehampton police. Fifteen years earlier, Kat’s best friend was the victim of a serial killer known as the Origami Killer and she has been indelibly marked ever since. When she is called to a murder scene of a young woman, Kat believes the serial killer has reactivated, despite her boss’s strong outburst against the idea. As the investigation proceeds, there is a surprise shock for Kat which collides with her past and threatens her career. A truly engrossing police procedural, with its mix of a serial killer investigation and Kat’s past which makes for a four stars read rating. With thanks to Thomas & Mercer and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

I’ve fallen behind and was struggling to get into this. I don’t have time to start more series anyway so I’m going to move on but maybe I’ll revisit now that it’s out.

The plot kept me engaged, I wasn’t able to guess the ending. The big reveals seem to come abruptly but I still was able to enjoy the pacing.