I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This was an intriguing mystery, starting with the mysterious deaths of teenaged girls. They die suddenly, and the autopsy brings up more questions than it answers. These girls have had too many medical procedures that appear professionally performed – but unnecessary. Then, another unrelated case, investigated by the same detectives is brought up. There are several people who appear in both investigations. There are personal things brought up about all of the detectives, especially the protagonist of the book. There are believable GLBT characters, who have jobs and outside interests. They are real people!

Nothing is as it first appears in this book. There are some twists and turns that become obvious later, or some of them are unresolved at the end. This book is second in a series, and I’m sure some of the unresolved issues will be explored in depth in a future book in the series. Although I have not read the first book in the series, I had no problem understanding what was happening.

Broken Girls is the second book in the DI Jack Kent series by Nicky Downes. This can be read as a standalone crime mystery or enjoyed as part of the series. I highly recommend reading this series!!!

I have to say, I definitely have a girl crush on Jack. What a powerhouse! I admire her strength and tenacity!

This book was a fast read and I read it over 2 days (but only because I had to go to bed for work, if not I would have read it in one sitting!). The story was intense and I could not get enough.

I loved that the author continued part of the storyline from the previous book and gave the readers resolution. It was interesting seeing the court case woven through the story with the active investigation.

I can’t wait for the next book! I need to know how things will work out for Jack and those around her!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Broken Girls by Nicky Downes is my first book by this author. It's also the second in the Jack Kent series. I was very impressed by both the plot and the writing style. A story with a difference in that it involves the medical abuse of young girls. Not your usual story matter.

Jack Kent is called to the scene of a sudden death of a fifteen-year-old girl in a shopping mall. Alerted by her pathologist friend Shauna that there's more to this case, Jack dives into the murky world of medical ethics. At the same time a member of her team is in court preparing a case involving a rape (the previous books plot?)

Jack Kent is an interesting character. Openly gay she's also something of a celebrity climber as well as a police officer. She's methodical, caring and runs a very close-knit team. There's lots of small plots in the story which I think we'll find more about in future books. The storyline is harrowing, the thoughts about what happened to Leia and the suffering she went through are the worst. Her mother Gail was so complicate in her suffering you wonder why it wasn't picked up sooner. The serial abuser, Doctor Sharma is true evil character.

A great addition to my author list, Nicky Downes is an author with a superior take on policing. I must find the first book to find out what I missed, but this book does stand on its own. I've given a few 5 tower awards out this year so far, but this is a worthy contender for the highest I can give. Read in two sessions, I can't praise it higher.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

Great Novel..... This is the first that I have read from this author and it did not disappoint!
I will now need to go back and read the first in this series.
Great Mystery Detective read. Plot twist and great character growth.

Did not disappoint

Whilst I agree with other reviewers who said it was easy to spot the villain from early on, this did not stop me desperately turning the pages to see what happened next. Very interesting storyline and I really like the main character. Enjoyed the climbing references as I like a little something extra in the lives of fictional detectives.

This is a great crime thriller.
Detective Jack Kent is called when a teenage girl dies while out shopping.
When the post mortem is carried out it’s clear she had been through many operations but they seem to have been unnecessary.
When Jack speaks to the girl’s Mum, she’s concerned that she had something to do with Leia being ill all the time.
When another teenager dies and it’s discovered she was treated at the same hospital Jack suspects there’s more to these deaths.
This is a great crime thriller that really enjoyed.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the 2nd book in the DI Jack Kent series and runs the team from the centre of Birmingham. As born and bred in the city, it was good to know about the places mentioned.

It was an interesting story about the death of a teenage girl, well written, fast paced with action, mystery and some romance

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm publishing

This book was all over the place. It tried really hard to lead the reader into one direction. And it was obvious. Jack, the main character, seemed more interested in her sex life than in her job a good part of the time. That and climbing. It is becoming a cliche to have the cop main character also be really good at some obscure thing. The ending was pretty easy to see coming. The topic is timely, all things considered. It wasn’t well executed.

Interesting story, well written and good visuals. I didn't care for the two storylines in the book, nor the climbing ambition of the main character. Some may find it interesting, but it is just not my thing. I knew from the start who the villain was. I would have liked to have known a little deeper what motivated them.

A fast paced crime read about the death of a teenage girl. Pretty straight forward and easy to keep up with.
This is the second book in the series but you won’t need to read the first to enjoy this one.
TW: child abuse via medically unnecessary interventions, rape, suicide.
Overall found this to be one of the better police procedural crime books I’ve read. The characters were interesting. Definitely will be interested in reading more of the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I read this fast paced British police procedural book in less than a day and thoroughly enjoyed it. I hadn’t realised that it was book 2 of what I am sure will be a much anticipated series, but not having read book 1 was no hindrance. This book centres on a potential case of child abuse by carers (the new way of saying Munchausen by proxy) but also has a separate ongoing story of a rape court case. Obviously these subjects could be triggering for some readers but I believe they were dealt with well in this book and formed an integral part of the story. I’m now going to read book 1 as I really engaged with the key characters in this book and am intrigued to find out more. Can’t wait for book 3 to be released

Read this not realising it was the second book in the series but it didn’t matter to much.
Twisty and Turny and a pretty decent read.
Thank you Net Galley, Storm Publishing & Nicky Downes for an advanced copy.

Found this book better than the first in the series! Loved the fast pace, really enjoyed the court drama and enjoyed seeing the character Jack develop. Really interesting to see how the climbing community is brought to life with the politics and dramas. The plot was an eye opener about abuse toward children and how the medical profession can be so busy to see triggers. Will be keen to read on in the series.

Broken Girls by Nicky Downes Second in the DI Jack Kent Series. Storyline with mysterious secrets and a dark and clever plot filled unexpected surprises. All the girls in the story are damaged by abusive situations, bias, or the opinions of others. Hard to read at times.

Thank you to the author, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

DI Jack Kent is brought into a case of a teenage girl who dies suddenly. The book has some good mystery, and some good twists. I did find some parts that just didn't quite add up for me. I die enjoy the book, and will probably continue the series as it comes out.

This is the 2nd in the series of detective Jack Kent books that I have read and really enjoyed it.
A young women dies unexpectantly and Jack investigates. There is a lot of emotional aspects to this book.
Jack also is dealing with a new love interest which is making her think of things in a different light.
She is still doing her climbing aswell so there are a lot of references to that aswell. Really enjoyed it thankyou for advanced copy.

Broken Girls,
Nicky Downes

About:
When teenager Leia Thompson drops dead in a shopping mall of apparent natural causes, Detective Jacqueline ‘Jack’ Kent is the only one convinced something isn’t right. Why was Leia at the mall alone? Why are there scars – old and new – all over her body?
Visiting Leia’s mother, Jack quickly realises that she controlled every aspect of her daughter’s short life, home-schooling her and moving town every few months. At their house, Jack finds a room crammed with records detailing the teenager’s complex medical history right from the moment of her birth. A sinister picture starts to emerge in Jack’s mind – of a mother capable of hurting her own child.
When another girl dies in similar circumstances, the only thing that seems to connect the victims is their youth and frail health – and Leia’s estranged father. He emerges as their prime suspect until the girls’ autopsy reports come back with sinister similarities, and Jack’s attention turns to the doctors who treated them.
Then somebody close to the case is found dead, and Jack starts to feel like she’s losing control. More will die if she doesn’t catch the person responsible soon. Can she work her way through this web of dark secrets and chilling motives before the killer strikes again?


My Review:
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It did take me a short while to get into initially, which I felt was due to the fact that this plot introduced quite a few characters, - especially in comparison to my previous read, which only centred around a few, - but once it drew me in; as the plot progressed, and I became more familiar with the characters, it was such a compelling read, I found it really hard to put down!
I liked how within this main crime thriller plot there was also some sub-character plot too, focusing mainly around the main character, Jack, her on-off relationships, her personal and professional relationships, and her passion for climbing. This combined really well as a whole, building Jack Kent’s character, and making her character come across as believable.
The pace was good throughout, and there were some twists along the way.
Note: This book does focus around some sensitive topics, such as references to child abuse, neglect, mental health, suicide, and a short scene of teenage self-harm, which may be triggering for some.
Based on a rating of 1-10, where 10 is the highest, I would give this book a rating of 8 out of 10. Another very worthy read, in my opinion!

This book is available to purchase & download from 6th Feb 2024!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an advance copy of Broken Girls, the second novel to feature DI Jack Kent of West Midlands Police.

When teenager Leia Thompson drops dead in the street her autopsy raises more questions than answers. She has so many operation scars but no sign of anything wrong, even the cause of death, a heart attack, is tentative. Only Jack thinks there is something wrong, a suspicion made stronger when she meets Leila’s controlling mother. Then another teenage girl dies in similar circumstances.

I enjoyed Broken Girls, which offers the reader a real mystery, twisting them one way and the other as Jack’s interpretation of the known facts changes. It offers a different take on the standard multiple murder police procedural and while I’m not so sure that the scenario is even possible it offers a scary take on the medical profession.

The novel starts with the death of Leia and the possibility of what old timers like me call Munchausen by proxy and is now apparently referred to as fabricated illness, but the second death seems to refute that and fresh lines of enquiry are called for. I was invested in this first scenario, scrutinising everything the mother said and did and was fascinated by the way officialdom seems to overlook these girls. The fresh lines of enquiry throw up even more mystery and questions, so that held my attention too. I was disappointed that the how it was done is not more fully explored, but that detail would have distracted from the impact of what was done.

There is a subplot of a rape trial which follows on from the previous novel, with Jack’s colleague, Nadia, point on it. This has nothing to do with the main plot and feels like filler.

It is mostly told from Jack’s point of view and that makes for an immersive read, but it also means that her personal life gets plenty of attention as well. She is a climber and is trying to organise a climb in the Himalayas while coping with a new relationship, an old flame and a poor relationship with her mother and sister. It’s all go.

Broken Girls is a good read that I can recommend.

All the True Crime buddies , y'all remember the Dee Dee Blanchard case? Exactly that one in which the the girl was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Just 2-3 chapters in the book and it hit me that this book had some parts which were based on a similar theme and truthfully it peaked my interest to see

DI Jack Kent is on the case of Leia's case from when Shauna is performing the postmortem and Jack is made aware of Leia's medical history and she feels that something doesn't fit! It sets off her investigation where the sensitive topics of parental abuse and mental illness which are handled with sensitivity. It also showcases the crimes and manipulation that take place through the abuse of trust in the medical field. The hunt for killer has a bit of serial killer touch and makes it interesting.
On the other hand , DS Nadia is handling a case of assault and rape which is a emotional turmoil for Nadia and it includes the courtroom drama.
Broken Girls literally denotes that every girl in this book is a shade of broken from past experiences, social barriers, emotions, abuse or someone's perceptions.

Despite of all of the above , I think the inclusion of two themes and stories, broke my connect with the ongoing story and thus it was 3.5/5 for me!
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the pre-approved copy!

The Broken Girls is the second book in Decretive Jaqueline “Jack” Kent series and is a thriller full of action with a dark atmosphere that makes it even better than the author’s first book in the series.

We immerse ourselves in the investigation of a young girl’s death that will lead us through a bizarre and dark path wondering if she died by the hands of her mother, of an ailment or simply accidently. The characters are very well written and the plot if full of turns and takes us so deeply that I couldn’t stop reading it.

I really enjoyed the pace of the book and I felt like the developed of Jack’s personal life helped to understand her motivations and her character. It was a good story with a darker side but easy to dive into and fully immerse in it until the very end. I highly recommend it to the dark thriller’s fans.

Thank you, Storm Publishing and NetGalley, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.