Jennifer Chase's "The First Girl" takes readers on a heart-pounding adventure that starts with a barn door slam and never lets up! I mean, who knew barn doors could be so dramatic, right?

Our heroine, Detective Katie Scott, and her trusty sidekick Cisco (yes, her service dog is the real hero here) stumble upon a spine-chilling scene: seven shallow graves with young women in makeshift coffins. Talk about a garden of nightmares!

But wait, there's more! Katie identifies one victim who's been missing for fifteen years. The poor mom is in for one heck of a shock, and I can't say I envy Katie's job in that moment.

Oh, but it doesn't stop there. Our detective doesn't just solve mysteries; she attracts bullets too! A surprise ambush at the crime scene makes Katie think she's getting warm on the killer's trail. But this mysterious shooter is the Houdini of criminals, vanishing into thin air like it's a magic trick. Poof, gone!

As if that's not enough, another dark-haired, dark-eyed young woman vanishes, and Katie realizes time is running out. Can she stay alive long enough to catch this twisted killer before they strike again?

Jennifer Chase knows how to keep readers on the edge of their seats. You'll be flipping pages faster than you can say "whodunit." This book is so thrilling that you might just forget to sleep, eat, or even remember where you left your own service dog!

Detective Katie Scott and her partner, Sean McGaven have a 100% solve rate for cold cases that they reopen. This newest case has them stumped like never before. A young woman named Abigail disappeared many years ago. Her car was found, but there was no trace of her or her dog anywhere. Katie knows she has to do her job, but she is struggling daily because Chad is missing. Her future husband disappeared one night, and they have been unable to find any trace of him. She knows she has to put her personal feelings aside in order to solve this cold case. The story starts out with Katie preventing a potential suicide with a female that Gav knows from his past. There was something about this woman that was causing my spidey senses to tingle, but I could not figure it out.

When they discover seven shallow graves, they know they have found the body of Abigail. They quickly realize they have a cold and calculating killer whose savageness is on full display with the way the killer disposes of the bodies. The killer is highly intelligent and strategic in his plans, which means he is always more than one step ahead of them. Both Katie and Gav are in grave danger as someone is trying to kill them. This puts them on high alert as they realize they are dealing with someone who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. They are usually the hunters. Now they find themselves being the prey. This is going to get dicey.

This was a very comp[ex mystery with many moving parts. There are so many puzzle pieces, and they are seemingly unconnected. This killer has been very busy for the past decade and half, and has somehow stayed totally off anyone's radar. The atmosphere was chilling and the setting in several chapters was beyond creepy. As the book progressed the tension continued to amp up until I thought I was going to combust trying to puzzle everything out. These characters are hotshots in their field and are the best. Katie's service dog, Cisco, is still my favorite character. Cisco is a handy tool when chasing a perpetrator. Katie is a hero in the finest sense of the word as she has served her country and now she is serving her town.

In my opinion, there is still a little mystery left at the end. You will have to read it to see if you agree. Now I need a break while I watch some cartoons to get some of these scenes out of my head.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another good addition to this series.
A gripping main plot with lots of twists which dovetail nicely into the subplot from where we last left Katie with Chad still missing.
While it was great catching up with the characters I did find myself getting a bit confused as I’d forgotten the detail from book 10. That said I’ll be eagerly awaiting our next visit to Katie and Cisco’s world

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The First Girl’, book 11 in the Detective Katie Scott series written by Jennifer Chase, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detectives Katie Scott and Sean McGaven of the Cold Case Unit are looking into the disappearance of Abigail Andrews who’s been missing for the past fifteen years, and they come across the graves of other women all of similar age and appearance. While going through the case files, Katie and Gav are putting their lives in danger and although they think they know who the killer is they haven’t yet worked out a way to catch them.

‘The First Girl’ is another nail-biting thriller in the series that has a chilling plot involving the finding of bodies buried in oil drums and wooden boxes whilst encompassing the disappearance of Katie’s fiancé Chad who was taken from their cabin many months ago. I’ve been gripped by the action-packed storyline that has plenty of suspense, drama and twists and turns whilst thoroughly enjoying reading more of Katie, Gav, John and Denise again, not forgetting the brilliant K9 Cisco. This is another well-written thriller from the amazing Ms Chase who always manages to include just enough unpredictability into a novel to keep me entertained and reading well into the night. I’m looking forward to book 12.

Detective Katie Scott has had a bumpy ride in past novels by Jennifer Chase - and in The First Girl, Ms. Chase pushes her even further. Still reeling from the disappearance of her fiance, Chad, Katie stumbles upon seven graves of young women whilst investigating an abandoned farm. With her ever faithful service dog. Cisco, they work to uncover who these unfortunate women are and how they were murdered. It's super twisty - so you'll be staying up past your bedtime - reading how Katie navigates this case, along with the swirling disappearance of Chad. Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

This book kept me on my toes until the end. Katie Scott is an amazing character and I was pleased she got closure on her missing fiancé Chad. Recommend this series to any lover of this genre. #netgalley #thefirstgirl

Love the Katie Scott novels. Great writing and premise. Amazing characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing..Definitely looking forward to the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

The First Girl is book 11 in the Detective Katie Scott series by Jennifer Chase.
This book had a chilling storyline that had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down.
The book was enjoyable and had some interesting characters. I really loved being back with Det. Katie Scott on the chase with another compelling crime!
I found the story to be very entertaining and it held my attention. I read this book quickly as I was gripped by the suspense and the plot twists.
This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, serial killer, and great police work.
A fast paced read with lots of twists while Katie and team uncover the mystery of another cold case.
An absolutely addictive crime thriller that had me glued to my Kindle!

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A good read - I think readers would benefit from reading some of the previous books to get a feel for the character and tone. Interesting and kept me reading but not one I would hurry back to. A decent read

The First Girl (Detective Katie Scott Book 11) by Jennifer Chase A good addition to the Detective Kate Scott series. While the case was intriguing, the storyline was slower and less compelling than in the previous books. Did feel that there was something missing or undisclosed with Chad's rescue and his captivity. Katie, Gav, Ciscos, and the others' relationships are continuing to developing.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I really look forward too reading the detectove katie scott series i like katie mcgavern, cisco john and the others anf the relationship they have. the story was interesting however i fealt it was slow on places and wasnt as gripped as i have been in the other books.

A fantastic read, the best in this serie. A story line with many twists and a Wow ending. I look forward to reading more

Can Katie stay alive while trying to track down a devious and evil murderer? It seems like Katie and her partner, Gav, won’t have an easy time figuring out what is going.
I love how well Katie and Gav work together. I especially love Cisco, Katies K9 dog. All three of them make for a great team.
I do have to say, some of the situations Katie gets herself into give me a definite cringe factor!
I wish we had learned more about Chad’s story….it seems like it really hasn’t been resolved and just left up in the air. I’m hoping the next book will make things clearer about what is going with him. Because THERE is something going on.
All in all, the creep factor was high in this story!
Great series that I highly recommend. Please do start from the first book in the series. There is so much backstory to Katie that is important to know.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have to say I have had a very hard time getting into this new Detective Katie Scott book. I have read all the previous ones in the series and I find this eleventh adventure disappointing. It seems like the author wants to say a lot but the writing goes in all directions and as a reader I was lost many times asking myself where this was all going. I am also a bit disappointed that the burgeoning romance explored in the previous book gets cut short. Not the best in the series in my opinion.

The First Girl by Jennifer Chase hooked me from the beginning and kept me interested all the way to the end! When Detective Katie Scott discovers the bodies of seven young women things quickly heat up as she investigates one girl in particular who has been identified. There are plenty of twists and turns and lots of action that takes place in this story! As always, Jennifer gives us memorable characters with lots of depth. I loved getting to see a little more into McGavens’ past. Can’t wait to see what the dynamic duo gets up to next!

Before I start my review I would like to thank Netgally for this ARC
I don't typically read detective books but let me tell u this book had me pleasantly surprised it was really good it follow Katie Scot she's a bad ass detective. She has a dog named Cisco and her hot partner Gav. The story starts with Katie and her partner investigating a cold case about a girl names Abigail Andrew's who has been missing for 15 years. They go onto discover clues that lead them to a Serial killer that has been murdering young girls for years
Over all I really enjoyed this book and would totally recommend

I love coming back to see Katie and McGavin dive into another cold case! Katie is still distraught over the disappearance of her fiance, but she seems to be getting back into the rhythm of daily life, and this new case that she and McGavin are working on will keep them both on their toes.
The case is full of twists and turns and is tense and suspenseful as both Katie and her partner are put in danger multiple times while searching for clues. The kind where bullets are flying. This case will test both of them and take them deep into the search for a sadistic killer who may have Katie in his sights.
I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book, I was glued to the pages and didn't want to put it down until I got to the last page.

As always Cisco is a favorite and I love every time we get to see him, honestly, the only complaint I would have is that I always want more of him
I can't wait to see what kind of case Katie and McGavin are going to be working on next!

Detective Katie Scott and her partner have an impressive record closing cold cases. The case they are currently working may be connected to recent events. The tension and suspense in the book starts from the first and doesn’t let up. The killer always seems to be one step ahead of them. The ending had a twist I didn’t see coming. This book is part of a series but could easily be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I am a big fan of this series each book is different. Detective Katie Scott is still lost without Chad he has still not been found its just her and Cisco her dog. and then her and her partner Mcgaven start a cold case of a missing woman Abigail.and someone does not want them finding out what did happen. this one is cat and mouse and very creepy but as normal an addictive read can't wait for next instalment in series

Another great book in this series. Gripping and tense with little let up. I was sucked in and i flew through reading late into the night. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy. Five stars from me.