I’ve never been one for police procedurals, but I saw some people talking about what a good book this was and it piqued my interest so I decided to give it a go.

Freya returns home to Fawn Lake after leaving because her parents were serial killers and she arrested them. I hoped for more of the back story since throughout the book it repeatedly mentioned the pain in her hip from what took place five years earlier, but it was never really delved into.

Anyway, multiple girls are missing, some are found dead, and Freya and her team must find out what is going on. I had a hard time keeping all the names straight and couldn’t remember who was who. When the killer is finally revealed it makes the whole story that much more disturbing.

Overall I’m giving this book a three star rating, but don’t think that should deter anyone from giving it a chance. Like I said, police procedurals aren’t really my thing and I wanted to try something different. Other people may love it!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the first in a new series by a favorite, Emily Shiner, wonderfully narrated by Amelia Sciandra. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Detective Freya Sinclair is back in her hometown and not getting a warm welcome from its residents. Unbeknownst to Freya, her parents were serial killers and she initially accused the wrong person, so many won't forgive her. Minutes after returning to the police force, a young girl is pulled from the river. Before she can barely begin to investigate, another girl goes missing. Just what is going on in the town?

I really enjoyed this police procedural. Freya is a strong character, with a past that still haunts her, but Esther, who raised her is still a strong force in her life. We don't learn too many details about her past, and I'm assuming those will unfold in the next book. There were plenty of good characters - I liked both Candy and Brad, who work with Freya. While the subject matter of missing and murdered young girls is definitely dark, it was not overly graphic. Onto #2!

"Three Drowned Girls" is the start of a brand-new detective series for me! Freya returns to her hometown, after some time away, to join the police department. Upon arrival, she is quickly immersed in a mystery when a young girl shows up in the river. The action throughout this story kept steady as Freya worked to follow the clues and solve what was occurring. I couldn't put it down until I had answers! Freya is a strong character who does not allow herself to be held back. I enjoyed watching her character unfold on the pages. The supporting characters also added elements to the story and guiding Freya in the story. I look forward to reading more in this series! Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Three Drowned Girls by Emily Shiner. This book was enjoyable with several twists and turns. There were interesting characters and some back story was provided to get to know the main character. This is a dark crime thriller because it involves children being killed. It was not overly graphic. I have read several books by this author and she did not disappoint. I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series. I 4 star rating. Give it a try.

Shiner is a new author to me with a brand new crime fiction series starring Captain Freya Sinclair.
Sinclair hits the ground running after moving back to a town where she has a tainted past and residents have long memories. Shiner teases us with bits and pieces of Freya’s history but there is a lot more to explore.
Her team also have depth that need plumbed.
The mystery was heinous and sinister but involved different types of culprits which was refreshing.
Just avoid white garments and lakes!

First, I want to thank Emily Shiner, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

DANG!!! Emily Shiner’s latest psychological thriller Three Drowned Girls reads like an episode of Law and Order SVU!! That is a huge compliment as that is one of my favorite shows!! Three Drowned Girls was fast paced, insanely addicting, very detailed in descriptions, intense, and so very twisted! This book is book 1 in the Detective Freya Sinclair series and deserves way more than 5 stars! I can’t wait to see if the next book in the series is as good. Stay tuned for my review for that one.

WOW! Emily wasted no time and jumped into her intense, powerful and jaw dropping storyline. She totally blew me away with this book. I have been a fan of hers for a while now and can say with each book she comes out with gets better and better. This one has to be my favorite.

Not only did this book read like an episode of Law and Order but it could also be a storyline ripped from the headlines as well. This is one book that I would absolutely binge watch on Netflix if it ever made its way there.

All character names were totally unique as was this storyline. I did have to giggle at two musical artists' names thrown in as a character.

There were parts of this book that pulled on my heartstrings and were totally heartbreaking! Oh and many times I found myself yelling OMG at my Kindle. Oh there were dark twisted secrets and revelations I just can’t get out of my head.

Emily brought light to some very important topics within her storyline.

There was one aspect of the storyline in which I wish was elaborated upon. I didn’t feel like I got the answers as to why Freya moved away and her past. I am hoping in the next book we will get our answers.

Three Drowned Girls will be a book that every reader will be talking about! So what are you waiting for? Go out and get it and put it on the top of your TBR list! You will thank me later!

Three Drowned Girls starts with a really intense scene and it never loses its intensity. It's a crime thriller at its best. Really well written, clever plot, full of intrigue and constant tension, it never lets off.
The main character, detective Freya Sinclair, is such a great lead. She's somebody with traumatic, difficult past, trying to overcome people's prejudice and just get on with her job and create a stable, safe life for herself. She's strong yet vulnerable.
I really liked all the other characters too. Emily Shiner did a great job creating a cast of characters that complement the main lead really well whilst remaining fully pledged characters in their own right.
I really enjoyed the story. I loved the concept. I thought the story was executed really well. I couldn't put it down. The story is twisted and dark and complex yet very well-written and never confusing.
I loved it and can't wait to get my hands on second book featuring Freya Sinclair.

Yay I love nothing more than starting a good book only to realise it is going to be a series 😃 this has just made my day.

Freya Sinclair has just moved back to her home town of Fawn Lake to take up the roll of Captain in the police. However a dark secret hangs over Freya, when she was just a child, unbeknown to her, her parents were serial killers.

This is why Freya became a police officer to ensure people like her parents are brought to justice, to keep serial killers off the streets. Returning to her home town things aren’t quite as simple and easy as Freya would have liked, people remember her and her parents dark past and people don’t know whether they can trust her or not.

There are also doubts about Freya in her department, her team are 100% behind her however the chief has his concerns over whether Freya is really up to the job or whether the secrets from her past will cloud her judgement.

Hoping for an easy couple of days to settle into her new role Freya is shocked when the body of a child is pulled out of a near by river, no sooner than Freya leaves the crime scene another child around the same age is reported missing. Soon another girl is found drowned, followed by more missing girls and it is a race against time for Freya and her team to find these missing girls. Determined to prove herself Freya will stop at nothing to find out who is behind these abductions and who is drowning these poor innocent girls.

When Freya eventually uncovers the truth it is more shocking than she could have ever imagined. I certainly would never have guessed what was going on. This has to be one of the darkest and most twisted thrillers I have ever read although on that note I did completely love it, and I cannot wait to move onto the next book in this series.

If three drowned girls is anything to go by then we are in for a treat. I look forward to learning more about Freya and her team in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Excellent beginning for a new series! I read in one sitting, couldn't put it down. Freya is such an intriguing character. And I really enjoyed Esther. There is a lot of tension and suspense. I didn't see the reveal coming. I also enjoyed that the case was solved but there is still a mystery that looks like it will continue over more books.

I have been craving a "simple" type of thriller lately - one where it's just thrilling for entertainment value, with no ulterior motive or preaching (and honestly, no drugs). Emily Shiner answered my desires with The Drowned Girls, book one in the Detective Freya Sinclair series!

This story jumps right into the action with a disturbing prologue and doesn't let up for a minute! Detective Freya Sinclair is a strong female character, trying to overcome ghosts of her past as she relocates back to the town and police department she left a few years ago; her own secrets slowly unravel along side the mysterious drownings of the young girls, and it was addicting! I was hooked early on, and at 22% in, I simply had to know more about Freya's history, and I needed to know who was behind the killings!

Audiobook narrator Amelia Sciandra brought the book to life! The voice acting was superb, and each characters voice was very distinct! I found myself remembering which character was speaking more so on the voices used with narration than what my Kindle page told me!

I'll be starting One Liar Left, book two in the series, later this week, and I just can't wait to see what happens next in Fawn Lake!

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Instagram review post link: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6EUIMZroHK/
GoodReads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6433633459

Ahhhhmazing! Kept me hooked from the beginning. 5 star for sure. I read this in one sitting I couldn't put down!

Emily Shiner takes a break from her standalone thrillers with the first in this new dazzling cop procedural series, Detective Freya Sinclair #1—THREE DROWNED GIRLS.

The local town's little girls are missing in this small lake town in North Carolina. With a troubled detective, this haunting, deeply unsettling, atmospheric, shocking, and riveting crime thriller will keep you on the edge until the last page is turned.

Innocent little girls go MISSING.
Then DROWNED.
What SECRETS lie buried in the dark
rivers of Fawn Lake, North Carolina?

THREE DROWNED GIRLS is spine-chilling! Complex and multi-layered, with plenty of red herrings to keep you turning the pages. It's a haunting and beautifully written thriller chock-full of secrets and twisted evil. Surprising and unexpected, it is a dark, unsettling story of a sociopath and a damaged detective out to stop the murderer in a race against time. She must save the young girls from those who should be protecting them.

A big fan of the author —this is one heck of a spine-tingler steeped in the secrets of dark river waters and a mysterious forest. A harrowing venture into a cult-like community hidden among everyday suburban families.

A troubled Detective, Freya Sinclair (emotionally and physically damaged), with her demons, is determined to do the right thing, to make the world a better place, and feels guilt from the past after making a mistake arresting the wrong people for a heinous crime on the road to redemption. Now she has her chance.

The author skillfully hooks you from the Prologue with a drowning and never lets go. A young girl is wearing her best white dress and somehow in the water, and someone is pushing her down. She longs for her mother and someone to help her. She is not strong enough to get to the surface.

Detective Freya Sinclair is back in her hometown of Fawn Lake, North Carolina. She knew coming home was always going to be complicated. When Freya was young, she had no clue what her parents were hiding in their basement. They were evil. Due to her last name and the media, she has a bad name in town. She must prove herself.

She had run away from NC to Texas for five years and is now returning. Freya became a detective to bring serial killers like her parents to justice. However, some do not trust her since she is the daughter of two serial killers (she helped put away). In the process, she was shot in the hip and currently lives with the trauma and pain in her hip every day.

She returned for Esther, the kind-hearted woman who raised her when no one else was there for her. Esther owns the local Parker's bakery across the street from the police department, and she adores her.

Now, Freya is a Captain in charge of the detectives due to the department restructuring after she left town when she could not face the scrutiny every day. She must answer to her boss, Chief Callahan, and oversee and work with detective team members Candy and Brad (a rookie).

On her first day back, the call comes in about a body found in the river near the woods. A young girl around 5 to 6 years old. The caller was fishing with his young son and discovered the body. He had pulled her from the body to try and help her but was unable to save her. The body had been in the water for some time.

Was it MURDER? Or an accident? Why didn't anyone report her missing? Could it be a tourist visiting, or was it a local? The first place to check is the local elementary school.

Then there is vandalism at Esther's Bakery. Was someone trying to get to her through Esther? People had long memories, and it was crazy to think anyone had forgotten what her parents had done.

Deep into the investigation, another girl is reported missing. Her age is six, which is about the same age. Then they find another girl murdered? What is going on? Are the girl's cases connected? These beautiful, innocent little girls. Who would want to hurt them?

The only link is the girls were on the community soccer team, and not all attended public school. Some are homeschooled. There has to be something they are missing. Some of the mothers had taken their daughters out of school. Then the mothers go missing, and the daughters?

Could it be the coach of the soccer team? Why is someone murdering and taking little girls? Then, she discovers a connection between the principal and the janitor (pedophile), who is questionable, creepy, and has a hidden past with a creepy mother.

Two drowned girls. One daughter is still missing. Can Freya save the missing one before she becomes the third victim? What ties all these cases together? How many more little girls are out there dead they do not know about yet?

Sophia, Isa, and Liz
6-year-old innocent little girls.
A leader.
A river.
A forest.
A principal.
A janitor.
A soccer coach.
A predator.
Elementary School
Homeschooling
Mothers.
Daughters.

What is the connection between them?

There is a sociopath on the loose. A murderer. A serial killer. Then, we hear alternating chapters from a mysterious, evil, anonymous, spine-chilling voice. (trust me, it is not the kind of sociopath you can imagine).

Why hasn't someone come forth to claim the dead girls or report missing girls? Some must be homeschoolers since the public school has not reported any child missing or absent. A predator or something else? Trauma tourism? Or has the killer already set their sights on Freya next? Freya must put the pieces of the puzzle together by going undercover before the latest young girl winds up dead.

Do we truly know anyone? Often, the monsters are right in front of us, disguised as "normal" in suburban families.

A dark, fully immersive, addictive, twisty whodunit. With many red herrings, you will not see this clever plot twist coming. From manipulation, sinister acts, motherhood, daughters, and families—the author shines in this twisty crime thriller/cop procedural with tension, mystery, action, and suspense in a race against time.

THREE DROWNED GIRLS is psychologically rich, delving deep into the human psyche. A flawed, troubled detective faces her demons, and this emotionally charged story hurtles toward a shocking and unique reveal. Thought-provoking, the author cleverly parallels the emotional cases of girls not being kept safe and questioning why the parents aren't protecting them, much like Detective Freya's past.

This is a super kick-off series. I look forward to learning more about this mysterious detective and Esther. I also enjoyed the team and how they work together (well, some of them). This is for fans of Christina McDonald's (Det. Jess Lambert) and Robin Mahle's (Det. Rebecca Ellis) and lovers of cop procedural series and crime thrillers.

AUDIOBOOK: I enjoyed the e-book and the audiobook narrated by Amelia Sciandra for an engaging and intense performance.

INTERVIEW: Check out my #LitLiftMiniAuthorChat with Emily, THREE DROWNED GIRLS on pub day, April 22, 2024, and a BLOG Tour stop.

SERIES: You will want to continue this intriguing saga with #2 in the Detective Freya Sinclair series, One Liar Left: (April 22, 2024, pub date). Fingers crossed for a .5 sequel novella about Frey's childhood and past.

Thanks to Bookouture, Hachette UK, and NetGalley for an advanced reading and listening copy.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 22, 2024
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Detective Freya Sinclair has returned to her hometown of Fawn Lake after a five year absence and her return is not exactly welcomed with open arms.

Why?

Well for one her parents are serial killers and for another just after Freya arrives back in town the body of a young girl is pulled from the river.

But Freya is determined to prove herself and show this small town she puts killers behind bars, is nothing like her parents and has learnt from the mistakes of her last disasterous case.

And she's going to need all her detective skills and that of her new colleagues if she is to catch this killer. Especially when another girl is found dead and a third goes missing.

And with an interesting back story and secondary characters. Not to mention a small town full of secrets and plenty of twists and turns. This was an enjoyable read. That was only let down for me by the pacing, but I'd happily recommend it and One Liar Left to all.

Three Drowned Girls is a police murder mystery headed by main character Freya who is back on her hometown police department after a several year absence. She takes on a case of missing children and races to find the murderer.

Overall I found this story engaging and it was a quick read. It definitely stirred up some emotions in this mom when thinking of the horrible things that were happening to these small children. The author explained the occurrences in a respectful fashion, yet, with enough description to engage the feelings of fear and worry from a mother’s standpoint.

I enjoyed the main characters, as they were likeable. I am curious to know more background of Freya’s history but assume more will come out as the series progresses. I loved Esther and found myself liking when the story switched to her. I hope she continues to be a main character in the coming series as well.

I was a bit disappointed in that there really was no plot twist involved in the mystery. It was evident pretty early in the story what was likely occurring and it was just a matter of which mother was the culprit. The other moms were not developed enough to really care who it ended up being. I feel like it was pretty average in the world of mysteries, but I will likely read the next in the series to see where the author takes these characters in the future.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the Advanced Copy in exchange for my honest review.

THREE DROWNED GIRLS (Detective Freya Sinclair Book #1) by Emily Shiner is a captivating first book in a new crime thriller/police procedural series set in small-town North Carolina. What sets this dark serial killer series apart is that the female detective protagonist’s background is as shocking and twisted as the serial killers she chases.

After five years away, Freya Sinclair returns to her hometown of Fawn Lake, NC and returns to her place in the Fawn Lake PD as Captain of the Detectives. Not everyone is happy she is back.

On her first hour back on the job, a young girl is found floating in the local river. With the help of newly promoted Det. Candy Ellinger, they begin searching for her identity because no one has reported a missing child. Before they can make any headway, another girl is reported missing. When Freya discovers another young girl dead in the river, she knows she is in a desperate race to stop a serial killer, but the killer has set their sights on Freya as she gets ever closer.

I really enjoyed meeting this new set of characters. Freya is intelligent and determined to prove she can handle returning to her job. While the author gives some information on Freya’s past with the disclosure of her parents being serial killers, there is still much we don’t know, and I liked that because this first book is more of an introduction to the characters and how they are going to work together as a team and not an info dump. This is a darker crime thriller with the serial killing of very young girls, and discussions of serious topics, but I did not feel it was overly graphic. That said, while the overall crime plot is seriously twisted, and I think unique, I did not find it realistic which diminished my overall satisfaction. I am looking forward though to learning more about Freya and her team in future books in this new series.

I recommend this engaging first book in this new crime thriller series.

This is the first book I read of Author Emily Shiner, and I have to say I was not disappointed. I thought it was a well written story, although I did want to know more about Freya Sinclair's parents and why they did what they did.

It was a little predictable for me in regard to what it was, but I was not sure who the ringleader was. It was a great twist, in my opinion. This story left me wanting to know more. Might be that the author will go into depth about what happened to Freya's parents in book #2? I hope so!

Overall, I give it 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ due to it keeping me intrigued. I recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoture for granting me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Three Drowned Girls is book one in the Detective Freya Sinclair series by Emily Shiner.
I’m a big fan of this author and her writing. She always keeps me hooked and eager to flip the next page.
I’m thrilled for her new police procedural series and so far it did not disappoint.
It is a fantastic story, exhilarating plot with well developed characters.
I already can’t wait for the next one! This one pulls you in from the very beginning…
The mystery is full of action and twists.

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

Loved this fast paced mystery about a community whose young girls keep going missing. Freya is a police detective who is returning to her job after a five year hiatus. The hiatus involves her parents and some mistakes she made on the job that caused many of the towns residents to turn against her. On the first day back on the job a young girl is pulled from the lake, having drowned under mysterious circumstances. While trying to identify the young girl and figure out what happened, another young girl is reported missing. Freya must race against time to find the young girl and figure out what happened to the drowning victim before another young girl is harmed. I am so glad this is the first in a series about Detective Freya Sinclair, she is a fascinating character with quite a backstory. Highly recommend!

Oh no, this was not for me at all. I found it very repetitive with a sluggish pace. In addition, the main character's detective work seemed aimless, as if the stumbling blocks she encountered were not real obstacles, but merely points to drive forward the plot. I was also disappointed with the characterization, particularly that of the multiple child victims, none of whom felt like more than paper dolls.

Detective Freya Sinclair is on the case in this unsettling, twisted, and shocking mystery thriller. When the body of a young girl is pulled from the river, Freya is determined to get to the bottom of things. Three Drowned Girls had me doing my own detective work trying to figure out whodunit.

Freya has a dark history. Her parents are serial killers, and she has vowed to do her best to bring other criminals to justice. She knew returning to her hometown would be hard, but she never imagined what would be waiting for her when she did. Freya is determined, hardworking, tough, and unrelenting. I loved her relationship with Esther, the woman who took her during her teenage years. Enough is provided about Freya's serial killer parents to whet my appetite and pique my interest. I look forward to learning more about her past and her parents in future books.

This is an interesting and dark police procedural with a likeable character - Freya, Esther, Brad, and Candy. I enjoyed them and look forward to getting to know more about each of them in future books.

Although this book did not move as fast as I would have liked, I found it to be enjoyable, with a nice number of twists and turns. Reading about the murder of children is not easy but the author handled it with care, and nothing is told in detail or graphic.

I had both the book and audiobook versions of this book. I enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. I thought she did a great job bringing the characters to life.

Dark, twisted, captivating and well written.