An interesting premise. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing all through the book but the ending was just too unrealistic and unbelievable.. I will give her next one a chance and hope it is more realistic. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

4.5/5.0 ⭐️’s for The Girl Who Survived
Holy Mother of all Things Thriller! An emotional return to a childhood that was anything but good brings Leigh Brody right back to her tragedy. Filled with more twists, turns, murders and mayhem this thriller should have you on the edge of your seat, heart racing, and trying to figure out the who, what, where and when! I loved it!!!

The psychological thriller "The Girl who Survived" by Nichole Severn follows Agent Leigh Brody on her assigment as she is summoned back to her hometown, Lebanon in New Hampshire, to help with an ongoing investigation on a murder that is very similar to a murder that occured in the town twenty years ago - one that did cost Leigh her brothers life and got her father arrested as the murderer.

Convinced by her fathers innocence, Agend Brody never truly let go of the case and her neutrality towards the copycat murder is faltering by her emotional bagage. Her hometown welcomes her anything but friendly and she has many obstacles to go through on her journey to help her partner, Boucher, solve the case.

Throughout the story, more and more things get uncovered and the picture that exposes itself is something no one has truly expected.

I was HOOKED. I was literally hooked. The story is so well written and SO intriguing that I could not stop reading until I came to the end and boy oh boy. I am rarely wrong with my guesses whenever I read thriller but even I did not see this one coming. Just when I thought I solved the case, new things happened, new evidences got uncovered and my oh my. AND THE END. A real, pardon my french, mindf*ck. In all the good way.

The book is to be published on the 6th of May, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the of course Nicole Severn for the ARC of "The Girl Who Survived" in exchange for an honest review. I did absolutely love this book.

Twenty years ago, two young boys were found murdered in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Leigh Brody's father was convicted of the crimes, one of the victims her brother. But Leigh always believed in her father's innocence. Now, another body shows up in Lebanon, and it has a direct connection to Leigh. Now with the FBI, Leigh returns to her hometown to face the past.

Phew. Where to begin with this one? I was really looking forward to starting a new series featuring a kickass female FBI agent, and it sounded like an intriguing mystery/suspense. Seeing as this book came from an established author, I had high hopes. Sadly, I was disappointed.

First, Leigh is a horrible lead character. She seems to spend half the book bristling at the injustices she encounters because her father was convicted of murder and her hometown has seemingly turned against her because of it (which doesn't even make sense, considering she was still a child herself at the time and could not have been responsible for his actions; muss less, drive adults to irrational, even murderous decisions when she comes back into town). In all of this, Leigh just comes across as a martyr of her own making even before *that* reveal at the end. But beyond that, she is written as underqualified and unprofessional, and frankly, just plain unlikeable. But hey, at least she can still impale someone and shoot (underwater) after being nearly burned alive, beaten several times with a baseball bat, shot in the shoulder, and nearly drowned, right?

Second, I realize I am quickly tiring of the whole "traumatized law enforcement personnel returning to their small hometown to basically solve the case that traumatized them in the first place" . Now, before you say this is a "me problem", let me explain: the general setup still intrigues me if done right, but sadly, it is not more often than not. This book in particular does not seem to follow any procedural rules (or even common sense). No one would let anyone with Leigh's personal connection to the case unto the task force in the first place - any defense attorney straight out of law school would have a field day with it! And speaking of Leigh, why has someone who supposedly graduated top of her class from the police academy and then made it into the FBI never interrogated anyone before? Why would that someone - who has never interrogated anyone and who spent her time at the FBI analyzing data - then been given such a prominent role in this investigation, doing all the interrogations? Certainly the BAU has other (and frankly. more qualified) agents at their disposal? I have more examples, but in sum, none of the criminal proceedings and rules seemed properly researched.

Third, I was trudging through this hoping the end would make it worth it, but it actually made it worse because it was so far-fetched. For one, the suspect is not surprising in the least, but moreover, the motive behind the murders does not make the least bit of sense. Trying to write this without spoilers, but why punish innocent people for doing their job, especially when they're doing exactly what you want more than anything, namely bring a really bad person to justice? Why not just take it out on that bad person? None of the killer's motives added up! And finally, the last twist/reveal was absolutely ludicrous. Leigh's father went to prison over the murder of her brother and her mother committed suicide - and that was basically her fault! Leigh's distrust of local law enforcement may have stemmed from the way her brother's case was handled after the murders, but in the end, it felt like it was all Leigh's own doing, really. Considering how self-righteous she was throughout this entire story, I could not believe the insane (but not in a good way) reveal in her backstory.

Tl;dr: an incredibly frustrating story with very little mystery and an unlikeable protagonist. Sadly, I will not be returning to this series in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley! l’ve been really into police procedural books and this one was no exception. It has many twists and turns that I did not see coming.

Thank you to Nichole Severn, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Leigh Brody returns to her hometown after a body is found, marked with her name. 20 years ago, she found the murdered body of her twelve-year-old brother, Troy. Her father was arrested for the crime, but she never accepted that he did it. Her hunt for the real killer almost cost her everything…Now working for the FBI, Leigh is called back to New Hampshire when a series of copycat crimes are committed. Only the killer has left a very specific calling card, a plastic army figurine, the same as the one she found on Troy’s body, and carved into its base: Leigh’s name. This case is as personal as it gets, and this time, Leigh is determined to make the right person pay. But when another child goes missing, can she dig deep into her past to find the clue she missed years ago, and put a monster behind bars for good?

WHOA! This is a fast paced thriller that hooked me from chapter 1. Leigh was such a likeable character for me and you really get a sense of the struggles she's faced since her brother was killed and her Dad was arrested for his murder. This new case is so close to home and the similarities between this current murder and what happened to her brother are too close to simply be a coincidence. In fact, all the characters are well developed and have a place in the storyline, which all comes together at the shocking conclusion. I thought I knew how this was going to turn out and I did my best to solve the crime, but between the red herrings (which I love) and the twists and turns, I was delightfully wrong. I will definitely be reading book #2 of this series. This delicious dark and twisty book publishes on May 6, 2024 and should be on everyone's TBR!

A change from the author’s romance stories, this one is a heavy mystery lead by FBI agent Leigh Brody.
Twenty years ago her young brother Troy and another boy were murdered in the town of Lebanon, New Hampshire. Her father was convicted of the murders and sent to a life in prison.
When two new murders occur in the town, similar ones to the one 20 years ago, Leigh is sent to consult. Her return is not appreciated by the town, especially since she’s a Brody.
Are these murders a copycat, or is a serial killer on the run? Even more disturbing have they been committed by the same person that murdered the boys all those years ago?
This is a fast paced story filled with lots of twists and turns, and for this reader, some farfetched turn of events. Sadly, I never warmed up to the main character.
For me it was more of a 3.5 stars story. But I have a great deal of respect for this author and the effort to start a different type of series. Thus , I will give it 4 stars.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I volunteered to read and review an advanced readers copy through Net Galley of The Girl Who Survived . This is one of the best stories I've read . It's definitely a nail biter . There are twists and turns you never see coming . Special agent Leigh Brody never expected to return to Lebanon New Hampshire. The place where her family was devastated . Leigh was called there to consult on an investigation that brought back the darkest time in her life . When the investigation seems to be connected to the old case that sent her father to prison for two murders Leigh finds herself in danger and fighting for her life . This story is action packed and Suspenseful all out outstanding . I don't want to give too much away . This story will not disappoint . I highly recommend taking the time to read .

Leigh has been brought back to the last place she wants to be her hometown in Lebanon, but when a similar case to her brothers murder twenty years ago she's determined to solve this case. lots of twists and hanging on the edge suspense. By far this is my favorite book from Nichole. I'm patiently waiting for the next book.

"The Girl Who Survived" by Nichole Severn immediately captivated me. It had good pacing and the character development was well thought out and easy to follow. I loved the ending, wow! Highly recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advance copy.

I received a free advance digital copy of “ The Girl Who Survived” from Net Galley in return for an honest review.
The book begins with FBI investigator Leigh Brody returning to her home of Lebanon, N.H. in response to a request from state authorities who wanted her expertise in the investigation of two recent murders that matched two that occurred twenty years before. Leigh had devoted her life to finding evidence proving that her father was not guilty of kidnapping and mutilation murders of two children.Her career as a profiler/ digital investigator was prompted by her belief that, twenty years ago, the local police had failed to follow up all leads back then and framed her father.
Obviously, the locals, police and civilian, were not happy with her reopening past wounds. In their view, Leigh was a loose cannon,driven by her desire for revenge against an inept, if not crooked, police department. Most of the book is taken up with agent Brody’s simmering contempt of the local cops which often rises to the boiling point , resulting in the local ,Police denying access to records and facilities and assistance.
I thought that the book had promise of an intriguing journey of redemption against the odds , of re-opening past wounds and righting wrongs , but , in my opinion, the author let het story get bogged down in her heroine’s mental anguish and vitriolic verbal jousting with the police. This tended to make agent Brody look unprofessional , if not neurotic. She was a sympathetic character, damaged , determine to overcome illness, Brody’s character became so obsessed that it took away from the excitement , slowed the pacing of the novel , and detracted from the matter at hand Furthermore, the “twist ending “ was , in my opinion , was completely unbelievable, as was the pages long physical confrontation preceding the “ twist ending” which turned the petite computer computer- nerd agent into Jason Bourne. Just unbelievable.
“ The Girl Who Survived” - two stars, barely.

Brilliant book, well written with an excellent plot. So many guesses of who but the ending ! Well I didn’t see that coming. Highly recommend and best of it is that it seems to be book one of a new series so hope to catch up with Leigh and her career with the FBI and the BAU and Chandler Reed
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Storm publishing

The Girl Who Survived was a great book! I would highly recommend reading it, or adding it to your TBR list. The Girl Who Survived was about a girl who's brother was murdered. Her lives mission was to learn all she could about serial killers. First becoming a cop then a FBI agent. Will she find the answers before it's too late? This book held my attention, and kept me guessing what would happen next and who really was the killer.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book started off slow for me but the second half I thoroughly enjoyed.
I predicted part of the twist at the end, but the identity of said twist was unexpected and shook me to my core!
This won’t be my last book of this series, I’m looking forward to reading more about the adventures of Leigh!

This thriller was INSANE!! I enjoyed every second of it. There were no slow points and I became very attached to Leigh Brody. There are so many shocking twists and turns, there was no way I could have predicted that ending! This is definitely one of my favorite thrillers of 2024. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

FBI agent Leigh Brody returns to her hometown of Lebanon, New Hampshire, to investigate a murder. The town and the local police are extremely hostile to her, and there are many attempts on her life and on her childhood home. Leah’s younger brother and his best friend were found murdered twenty years ago. Her father was found guilty of the crime and her mother committed suicide soon afterwards. Leah is investigating a possible copycat as the homicides increase, her goal being to prove her father’s innocence. Be aware, the homicides are explicit and gory. This author skillfully weaves the past and present, as well as developing interesting and unique characters. The book grips you and doesn’t let go. There are red herrings and shocking twists at the end. I am looking forward to the next book in the series! With thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this engaging ARC. My opinions are my own.

FBI Profiler, Leigh Brody has returned to her hometown because a killer is copying the murder from twenty years ago of two boys. One of those boys was Troy, Leigh’s brother.
Leigh knew twenty years ago who killed her brother but nobody believed her and instead arrested her father for the killings.
This time is no different and even if she has to go it alone, Leigh is going to prove who the killer really is. Drama fills this book with different characters all having their own agenda against Leigh and she must constantly be on guard. A good psychological thriller with tense writing throughout the book and several twists at the end that really surprised me. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early copy. This review is my personal opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced reader copy!

Leigh Brody returns to her hometown to assist on a murder investigation that ties into one from her past. A mystery thriller filled with deception, twists, and a fight for survival and truth.
A huge twist I could not see coming! Loved Leigh Brodys character and can't wait to read more stories with her as the lead.
The beginning was a slow burn but once I got about halfway I finished the rest in one day. Couldn't put it down.
My biggest dislike with this one was a few of the twists/answers were just so far fetched. But still a 4 star book overall ✨️

I didn't enjoy this. I felt the main character was extremely unlikable, unprofessional, and just annoying. I don't have to like the central character to enjoy a book, but normally it helps. I just couldn't connect with the story, as it felt contrived and very unrealistic. The twists were, well, not surprising.

I can see where people would like this -- I just didn't and couldn't wait to finish it.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eARC! Leigh Brody is an FBI agent with the behavioral analyst unit. She comes from a tragic background where her brother and his best friend were killed and her father in jail for their murders. Leigh has been fighting to find out the truth all these years knowing her father would never be capable of doing the crime. Leigh is brought back to her hometown when murders start happening again that are mimicking those of brother two decades ago. If you like Criminal Minds or Law & Order this is the perfect book for you. I was obsessed with following this crime and the twists were INSANE! I can't wait to read more books involving Agent Brody! Highly recommend.