I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of The Seventh Girl, the first novel to feature DS Kat Ballantyne, set in the fictional Hertfordshire town of Middlehampton.

Fifteen years ago DS Kat Ballantyne’s best friend, Liv, was the last victim of a serial killer nicknamed the Origami Killer. Now it seems he is back when a body is found with his trademarks, an origami heart hidden in the same place on her body and a strong smell of lavender, things that were never common knowledge. It’s personal to Kat and she’s going to do all she can to catch the killer.

I enjoyed The Seventh Girl, which has a fast moving plot, i.e. several bodies and suspects, and an interesting subplot on departmental politics. It is told entirely from Kat’s point of view, so the reader knows what she knows and gets a bird’s eye view on the big twist and its ramifications and her off piste activities.

I can’t say that I really took to Kat Ballantyne. Everybody has their own preferences in characters and I confess to liking characters with an even approach to their investigation. Kat is more emotional in her approach and by the end I found her slightly tedious. I understand her need to get a result - saving lives is important, but tainting the evidence with illegality and simply knowing that the suspect is a murderer won’t keep him behind bars. It is such a cliché to have an emotional woman as a protagonist and has a whiff of misogyny.

The plot is fast moving with several more murders and three persons of interest and a feud between Kat and her immediate boss, DI Stuart “Carve up” Carver. There is the odd moment of tension, but overall it is even paced with the content doing the talking.

The Seventh Girl is a solid read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it in less than 48 hours. We are introduced to DS Ballantyne who joined the police after her life was torn apart when her best friend was killed by the serial killer known as the Origami Killer, whose signature calling card was an origami heart left at the scene. But this was 15 years ago and when another girl is found murdered, Detective Kat Ballantyne knows that he is back.
The book had great pace, the lead character was very strong and I loved her I don't take any sh*t attitude. In fact. she wasn't the only female character in the book that I enjoyed. There are so many other characters in this book that will allow the author to delve into them in more depth in future books and I am eagerly waiting for that to happen. There were quite a few twists and I was left not knowing who the killer was until the end.
Thanks Net Galley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Seventh Girl
Series: Detective Kat Ballantyne Book #1
Author: Andy Maslen
Publisher: Amazon Publishing UK
Genre: Crime Thriller
Pub Date: December 1, 2023
Rating 4 Stars
Pages: 336

Fifteen years ago, ‘The Origami Killer” was on a murdering spree terrorizing and killing women in Middlehampton although this serial killer was never found the killings did stop.

Kat Ballantyne’s best friend was one of the victims. She became obsessed with finding the killer and become a detective to help solve this case as well as cases like this.
Now fifteen years later the body of another young woman is found with lavender scent and an origami heart.
Det. Kat Ballantyne knows the killer is back and is determined to find the killer before he kills anyone else.

This story kept me interested. Our gal gets the killer and there were twists and turns I didn’t expect.
This is the first in the series and was better than expected I definitely want to read the next one!!
I believe I have a new favorite author!

More about Andy Maslen ~
I found author Andy Maslen’s Bio interesting. He was born in Nottingham, yep the same home as the
legendary bowman Robin Hood. Like Robin Andy once won a medal for archery, but was never locked up
by the sheriff of Nottingham
Andy worked in a record shop, as a barman, as a door-to-door DIY products salesman and a cook in an
Italian restaurant.

He lives in Wiltshire with his wife, two sons and a whippet named Merlin. (I had to lookup whippet. It is a
dog breed that looks similar to a Greyhound.)

Want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this uncorrected eGalley.
Publishing date scheduled for December 1, 2023.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the copy of The Seventh Girl by Andy Maslen. I had no idea what to expect from this book but it was a pleasant surprise. I love serial killer books and this one was great! There was enough on Kat’s family life to make things feel personal but not so much that it took over the story. I really enjoyed how the procedural parts were woven in and were an integral part of the book but never got boring. There were lots of surprise reveals that kept the story feeling fresh. I look forward to the future books in this series!

Fantastic storytelling. This book will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it. Would recommend to teens and adults.

Wow! What an incredible storyline, totally engrossing, a serial killer who stopped killing 15 years ago, is back. Kat, who joined the police force because of the earlier killings, knows the killer is back, but can she convince her superiors that she is right?

Great read, sped through it.

My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Wow !!!!! Absolutely loved this story.
Lots of action and twists and turns. Well worth reading.
DS Kat Ballantyne has a history in this case and it may affect her judgement.
One minute you think you know the killer and next your mind is changed.

Looking forward to more from Andy Maslen
Many thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC and opportunity to enjoy this wonderful book

This is the first book in a new crime thriller series by Andy Maslen. I enjoy the DI Henry Ford series by this author so had no hesitation choosing to read the first book in the Kat Ballantyne series.

“Seventh Girl” by Andy Maslen is an excellent start to this series, an intense crime thriller that sets the scene for what is to come in future novels. Set in the town of Middlehampton, the story revolves around a serial killer who previously terrorised the community fifteen years ago and has now returned with a new murder. For DS Kat Ballantyne this case is personal her best friend was the killer’s last victim so she more than anyone is set on solving the case and bringing justice to her best friend.

Kat carries an heavy weight around her neck because of the personal connection and for her it is a case that needs to be resolved. All the emotional feelings add to the character of Kat making her relatable and sympathetic. This is going to be a very difficult case for Kat to deal with both emotionally and to solve. The plot is well paced and full of suspense as Kat tries to uncover the truth. Well crafted with twists along the way to keep you guessing and adding to the suspense.

“Seventh Girl” is an exciting read and a very promising start to this series as Kat Ballantyne searches for the truth, while trying to solve the case before further lives are lost.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read The Seventh Girl by Andy Maslen.

I love books with a twist and this one certainly has that. The main character is a strong female detective. I did get a little annoyed with her family for making her feel guilty for trying to catch a killer instead of watching a football game. I would have liked more interaction between the killer and the MC but overall this is a book I would recommend to my friends.

I really enjoyed this book, a good solid mystery thriller. I was hooked the whole way through: I liked Kat as the main character and her dedication to finding the origami killer. The author did a good job of keeping me on my toes, he threw a few twists in that I wasn’t expecting. I would definitely recommend to anyone that likes books of this genre. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. A great read, clever mystery and so many twists and surprises. Kat is a DS at the murder squad. Her whole life has been shaped by the tragic and traumatic evens of fifteen years ago. Now it is all happening again, but this time Kat is determined to stop the "cereal" killer.

'She's the best,' said Ringlets. 'Yeah, she really understands what makes people tick,' Ponytail added.
LOCATION 2345. NOTES....... My type of writing!

I wasn't too comfortable with Kat at the beginning, her whole life, person and being has been formed by one catastrophic event and it is the centre of her world, fifteen years on. But she tries to have a life, juggling a high pressure job with a family and her husband Van and young son are fully developed and individual characters. Her colleagues too are diverse and range from interesting and likable to positively loathsome and annoying. Tom, the new boy, fast tracked bag man detective is a great character and an asset to the team and the story, he has the best lines too. Her boss, misogynist bully Carver is easy to seethe at all the way through and the occasions where Kat gets the better of him are worth reading just for that. Dinosaurs still exist!

So this is DS Ballantyne's life as the serial killer from her past reappears fifteen years later and it is up to Kat to stop and end the killing. The question is, is this a copycat, who appears to have unreleased knowledge of the original crimes? Or is it the original Origami killer who has been absent for some reason for fifteen years.

The suspects, the twists kept me hooked and Kats own actions surprised me, I still wasn't totally comfortable with who she was, but I don't think she was either and at the conclusion, I think she came out a new and different person, this one I did like! Kat Ballantyne, like this story, is truly awesome!

The Seventh Girl by Andy Maslen

This was a great read! The plot was gripping and really keeps the reader guessing throughout. This book had a lot of twists and turns along the way that kept it from falling into the category of being your standard run-of-the-mill murder mystery novel. The author has clearly put a lot of research and effort into writing this, and it shows.

The characters were interesting and well written. Some crime novels tend to focus solely on the murderer or the victim and the detective/main character loses a sense of identity along the way. That is not the case with this one. The lead detective (Kat) is portrayed to be incredibly intelligent and, although she faces a lot of pushback from her superior officer, preserves in her pursuit of justice. The author goes into great detail about Kat's background and why she joined the police, which was not only crucial to the plot, but also allows the reader to connect with her character at a deeper level. The humour between Kat and the Bambi (Tom) was a nice addition as it allows the reader to have some lighthearted moments amongst all the terrible events depicted. The office drama between Kat and the superior officer also provided a nice additional storyline alongside the real plot.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book and found it to be a captivating read that kept me on the edge of my seat. I would reccomend this to anyone looking for a new, interesting murder mystery book to add to their collection.

I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Kat Ballantyne has a personal reason for working so hard to catch a serial killer- her best friend was the seventh victim. As the killer continues to go after young girl after young girl, Kat works hard to fight for the justice all of the victims' families deserve, as well as herself.

There were a lot of things I enjoyed about this book. First and foremost, I liked how the author explored the difficulties Kat faced in a career where there was definitely a "good old boys club" mentality. Despite being an excellent detective with an impressive career, she still was treated as less than due to her gender. Another thing I enjoyed was how Kat was able to have a career and a devoted husband and child at home. The author beautifully showed that Kat was able to be successful in her career because she felt supported and loved by her partner at home. Raising their teenage son isn't easy, but the partnership between Kat and her husband was strong. I also enjoyed the pacing of this book. I was eager to see if Kat could determine who the killer was despite all of the roadblocks she faced.

I wish there had been a bit more character development for Kat. I was very interested in her back story, and the intricacies of why she left her powerful family. I noticed it seems like this is going to be a series of books with her as the main character, so I look forward to reading future books to learn more about her backstory.

Overall, this was an exciting page turner with a likable heroine lead!

I love a good crime thriller, and this one did not disappoint. From start to finish, I was hooked. I loved Kat's passion for finding out who the Origami killer was, and what a name that was. The killer wasn't obvious and I like trying to figure out who it was. I love that this will be a series so the other characters can be flushed out more, Tom was very intriguing to me. I felt bad for Kat in thinking her best friend was a victim of the serial killer. I received this book from Netgalley as a Read Now, in exchange for an honest review. I'm already looking forward to the next in the series, and now want to read more of his other novels!

Welcome DS Kat Ballantyne to my top favourite DS's! the twists left and right left me open mouthed! I really really hope we will read more of her and Tom! Stu is absolute trash and he annoyed the hell out of me BUT I still hope he'll show up more.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy! I really really enjoyed it!

An excellent police procedural featuring a serial killer. Kat is an interesting, complex and well developed character. Enjoyed the dark humor of Ma-Linda and her supervisory style. Ava had a weird concept of friendship and it was good that Kat had Van to support her. The twists and turns kept coming and was guessing who done it till the end. Since this is the first in a series, will be looking forward to reading about more cases involving Kat and her team.
Thank you to the author, Andy Maslen, Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for opportunity to preview the book.

I really enjoyed this book. Kat Ballantyne is a wonderful main character. She is a wife and mom who struggles to balance work and home. The biggest case in her career falls in her lap but being late for her son's game is just as important. The book shows the struggle of so many women who try to do it all. However, this book is mostly a well written detective novel with enough breadcrumbs for a sequel. A serial killer is back after a fifteen-year absence. But is he back or is it just an obsession or a copycat? Kat Ballantyne is obsessed with the killer since he killed her best friend. Her survivor's guilt causes her to join the police force. There are a couple of chance happenings in the book that stretch the suspension of belief, but overall, it's good detective work that solves the case. I'm looking forward to what the sequel will bring. Thank you to Net Galley, Andy Maslen and Amazon Publishing for the ARC.

This was 4.5 stars
I think reviewing crime/thriller books are one of the most difficult tasks a reviewer faces because what should you write without giving up the twist or the ending?
But I’ll try my best
This is the first book in the Detective Kat Ballantyne series by Andy Maslen and I am hooked.

Kat lost her best friend, live, to a psychotic serial killer – The Origami Killer – 15 years ago. This affected her so much that she decided to join the forces and become a detective in order to solve the case. However, the killer has disappeared all these years, but suddenly he resumes his killing spree and Kat is on deadline to catch him/her before the body count increases.

Since this is a series, we are introduced to several characters whom I think will play major roles in the upcoming books hopefully.
Kat, with the help of her newly appointed partner Tom who has a past secret of his own, goes through the methodical and unmethodical process to find out the serial killer. During this, many twists and turns are revealed.

What I liked about the book is that, if you are an avid thriller/crime reader, it was not easy to guess who the killer was. You would guess one person only to be thrown off the line.

I also loved all the investigation procedures we pick up while reading. It was watching an episode of CSI. The author truly did his work on how an investigation and interrogation should occur.

But what I most enjoyed was how the book presented the detectives as humans who err. Usually, we perceive Law upholders as godly or people who would never make mistakes in work or in their personal lives. This was not the case here. Kat, though very good in her line and smart, is flawed. So are the other characters.

The book doesn’t have overly descriptive paragraphs or the long monologues we usually encounter in psychological thrillers. So it was easy to follow the storyline without feeling bored.

What I didn’t like was that one twist in particular didn’t feel relevant to the story whether it happened or not. Maybe it was intended for future books? We’ll have to wait and see.

Also, there was a piece of evidence that wasn’t explained which was very important and I think it was a plot hole in the book.

I enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely continue reading about Detective Kat

The first book I have read by Andy Maslen and I can’t wait to read more. There were no lulls or dead points throughout and the book kept you on your toes from start to finish. A couple crazy plot twists I couldn’t see coming! Will definitely recommend others to pick up!

After the murder of her best friend fifteen years ago, DS Kat Ballantyne is sure the same killer is back after the murder of several young women.
As she hunts down the killer who leaves his victims covered in the scent of lavender without many clues to go on she also has to deal with her personal issues as her boss gives her a hard time. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Andy Maslen. I loved Kat's character and her fellow teammates. A good gripping story, plenty of twists and turns with police procedurals. I look forward to Andy's next novel – The Unseen Sister.