Two girls are found murdered in a haunted hotel room, their bodies staged the same as a murder from decades before that happened in the same room. This is the premise of The Girls on Floor 13, and its a good premise. I was all set to sink my teeth into this juicy mystery/cold case/ghost story. But all the juicy bits are right in the premise and the rest of the book falls flat.
A lot of what I didn't like about this book can be chalked up to the writing style. The conversations felt stilted and clunky, people kept throwing their heads back to laugh at weird places, and the pacing was slow. The two detectives run around interviewing a bunch of people but most of the questions are about the case from decades before, not the current one, or about the ghost Maria, one of the detectives, saw in the hotel when they visited the crime scene. While there is a ghost element to the crime, the ghost of the woman in blue didn't have anything to do with the murders so questions about her felt out of place.
I did have a few issues with the plot of the story as well. For one, Maria spent a lot of time worrying that she isn't good enough for her boyfriend because he's rich and generous and had to be told by two strangers that he likes her because she's a 'strong, independent, woman' a statement that felt contradictory when laid out next to her concerns that she's not good enough for him. Also, paranormal stuff starts happening to Maria pretty early in the story. The night after visiting the crime scene she has a dream about being stabbed by a shadow and wakes up with a stab wound. But she spends a good chunk of the book trying to convince herself that she was not stabbed by a shadow/ghost. Which I would understand, except that she's the detective that deals with the paranormal cases and has dealt with ghosts, demon, and time travel before.
Details really started to fall apart by the climax of the book. Characters that had no business being involved in the investigation kept showing up to confront the killer because they had a bad feeling. Two people were possessed by the same ghost at the same time, but didn't know they were both being possessed by the same ghost and had an argument about it. A POV character who'd been telling the reader for the whole book that an evil shadow spirit was telling him to do things turned out to be possessed by the ghost and had no memory of every doing the things he did.
And at the end they decided the ghost that was possessing people and the evil shadow spirit were two different entities both haunting the same hotel, but they only dealt with the ghost and did nothing about the evil spirit.

This is book 3 in the paranormal series featuring Detectives Miller and Conroy. It was a bit unbelievable for me as paranormal is not my type of genre. Detectives see ghosts and being hurt by them is just a step too far. Other readers may enjoy it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Helen Phifer's third installment in the Detective Maria Miller series, *The Girls on Floor 13*, delivers a riveting crime thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set against the backdrop of a hauntingly decrepit New York City hotel, this novel combines the intrigue of a classic whodunit with the spine-tingling elements of a supernatural mystery.

Phifer's mastery in crafting a gripping plot is evident as Detective Maria Miller is plunged into a baffling case involving the mysterious deaths of two teenage girls. The story's premise, centered on the eerie thirteenth floor of a rundown hotel with a dark past, provides a chilling and atmospheric setting that heightens the tension. Fans of crime thrillers will appreciate the novel's clever intertwining of contemporary investigation with historical intrigue, as Maria uncovers unsettling parallels to a decades-old double murder.

Character development in *The Girls on Floor 13* is robust and engaging. Detective Maria Miller is portrayed as a determined and intuitive investigator, driven by a strong moral compass and a deep sense of justice. Her character's depth is explored through her relentless pursuit of the truth, despite facing numerous dead ends and the psychological toll of the gruesome case. Maria’s interactions with her team and the hotel staff are realistic and add layers to her character, making her both relatable and compelling.

The novel’s supporting characters are equally well-drawn, contributing to the story’s complexity. Each hotel employee becomes a potential suspect, adding to the mystery and keeping readers guessing. The sinister undertones and secretive behaviors of these characters enhance the suspense, as Phifer skillfully keeps the true culprit obscured until the final, satisfying reveal.

Phifer's writing excels in maintaining a brisk and engaging pace. The plot is meticulously structured, with each chapter peeling back another layer of the mystery. The sinister messages on the victims' phones and the hotel's notorious reputation for hauntings add an extra dimension of dread, ensuring that readers remain invested in uncovering the truth alongside Maria.

What sets *The Girls on Floor 13* apart from other crime thrillers is its seamless blend of procedural detective work with supernatural elements. The eerie setting of the closed-off thirteenth floor and the chilling discovery of historical parallels create a palpable sense of fear that will appeal to fans of both crime fiction and ghost stories. Phifer’s ability to balance these elements without tipping into melodrama is commendable and keeps the narrative grounded and believable.

Overall , *The Girls on Floor 13* is a standout addition to the Detective Maria Miller series, showcasing Helen Phifer’s talent for creating suspenseful and atmospheric crime thrillers. With its well-crafted plot, dynamic characters, and haunting premise, this book is sure to captivate fans of the genre and leave them eagerly awaiting Maria Miller’s next case. Phifer has once again proven her ability to weave a tale that is as chilling as it is compelling, making this novel a must-read for enthusiasts of gripping detective stories.

Third in a series and I feel that I would have gained more from having read the earlier two but, having said that, it wasn't essential. Haunted hotel with a dark past, detectives working a murder case but also with supernatural aspects. Interesting, bizarre at times, certainly gory at times. I would have liked to know more about the woman in blue and her story - she felt side-lined to me. Detecting ok and the two detectives Maria and Frankie worked well as a team. Writing was atmospheric which worked well with the storyline. Worth reading although I wasn't sufficiently engaged to want to read the earlier books in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked from the start. I haven't read the previous 2 in the series, so it is definitely also a stand alone novel which can be read without prior knowledge.

It kept me gripped, it is written very well and flows. It is easy to keep up with the characters too which I found a bonus when there are a few in the story.

The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was the way the supernatural parts were portrayed. More details could have been explored and more history given. I don't want to put spoilers in, but if you read the book, you'll understand. Especially when Maria and Ricky are in the lift together towards the end.

It would be great to get one more book in the series showing what Frankie and Maria end up doing. It has also had me gripped so much and made me enjoy reading that I am going to read the first two in the series too.

If you like twisty mysteries with a bit of supernatural, this is definitely the book for you!

Haunted Hotels are my favorite paranormal hotspots. This one starts off a bit more gruesome than the last book, with two teenagers being found dead in a hotel, one that anyone who stays there could and will tell you how haunted it is.
Maria and her partner are working on the case, and Maria especially can feel that what happened didn't start with the girls. They take a deep dive into the hotel's past, and find plenty of horrendous things that happened. and one in particular seems awful familiar to what just happened.

The Girls on Floor 13 is suspenseful, and tense from the moment we find the bodies, and it grows throughout the book until we reach the final confrontation with the big bad. This is the kind of series where you are invested in all the characters not just Maria. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. I hope we get many more stories with Maria investigation some more haunted places!

I devoured this creepy paranormal crime thriller filled with spooks and intrigue. I enjoyed Detective Maria Miller's determination to keep going no matter what, and her partner Frankie complimented her well. I also loved the marriage of paranormal and human villains woven into an engaging plot that kept my interest throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing of the opportunity to read and review this book. This is the first paranormal thriller I’ve read and I can’t say that I loved it. That being said this was a book from a series and I haven’t read the ones prior to this. However, I found it easy to follow along without reading the first ones.

This book was outside my typical genres. It was a little too out there for me. I prefer books that are plausible. The book was well written and the characters were developed enough to get a sense of what was going on. The descriptions were vivid and painted the scene. If not for the paranormal aspect, this book would have been really good! The storyline was great until the paranormal activity. That’s where my interest was lost. The first 50% had me interested and then it lost me.

I would consider reading more from this author provided it’s not a paranormal thriller.
⭐️⭐️

Can Maria Miller find out what is going on in the New York City hotel? There are signs of ghosts and girls are ding. Can Maria uncover the secret of the room on the 13h floor before she becomes the next victim? This is Detective Maria Miller #3 of Helen Phifer's novels. It is a supernatural case of a hotel with a creepy paranormal feeling. I enjoyed Maria's boyfriend, Harrison, and the adventures they went through. This book was so engaging as Maria and Frankie investigate a woman in blue who haunts the hotel. I'm now looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like paranormal mysteries then you will love this book.

I didn't realize this was part of a series when requested but it read nicely on it's own. Detectives Maria and Frankie found themselves with another paranormal mystery and it about gave me nightmares. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was watching an episode of Supernatural. I adored Maria's neighbors and need to read the beginning of the series to get more of their relationship.
If you're looking for a thrilling mystery with a bit of paranormal activity, this is it. You'll also find great friendships and some sweet romance.

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

Ok, strap in sit down and keep your arms in the ride the entire time! I'm a paranormal fanatic. The author nails it in this book, very well written. I loved the characters! Maria is a harass , read this book!!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm publishing and Helen Phifer for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.

This book was out of my normal rhelm of reading interests. I’m not one for the supernatural but thought I would try something new.

The book was very well written if you like supernatural and even if you don’t there were a few twists that I felt were good.

The characters were well developed and the storyline was well done. I would have given 4/5 stars without the supernatural aspect and feel this book had so much more potential.

It is a fast paced read but feel that the supernatural part was too far fetched for me. It reminded me more of a YA book with a few thrill aspects mixed in for adults.

I would read other books by this author if they didn’t contain the supernatural themes.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn’t realise this book was the third in the series so I don’t feel like my review can be fair to the author or readers of this book. I will read the other books first and then come back and give a proper review once I’ve caught up.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to reading this ARC and I apologise that I cannot give a proper review at this time.

This is the first book I’ve read by Helen Phiffer and I was pleasantly surprised, this is a well crafted story mixing crime and the paranormal. This is though book three in the series and I did feel that I should probably have read the first two as there were several mentions of previous cases and felt I would have had a better understanding of the relationships with the main characters. That being said it made for a very entertaining read one that I would recommend reading.
Thank you #NetGalley and #Storm Publishing for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Detectives Maria and Frank are called out to a crime scene on at a hotel for two dead teen girls. There is a paranormal element in this book, as well as a bit thriller. This book will keep your fingers turning the pages. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book from NetGalley.

Enjoyed this. Admittedly I’ve jumped in on this last book but it’s made me want to read the rest, so that’s good!
Girls bodies are found in a room with a past.
The story gets ghostly & creepy, a couple of eeew moments (no complaints)
A fast read, to me it flowed nicely so I found it faster to read. Great way to indulge a story.

Special thank you to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me and ended up not finishing it. I don't think this is because the book wasn't written well at all. It is moreso the premise of the book didn't resonate with me. I am not really interested in stories that involve supernatural elements, though sometimes depending on the story, it can be okay.

When the main character started integrating injuries with the spirits, I became immediately disinterested. I think this book has potential for those who are fans of the supernatural world, but just not for me.

Maria and Frankie are back on the case when 2 girls are found dead in the infamous 'haunted' hotel, The Parker.

Multiple situations, shall we say, happen in this murder mystery that will test the duo personally and professionally.

My feelings are I didn't feel anything one way or another. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. That is slightly a problem. This comes from the fact that the book is struggling to be defined as a horror or a murder mystery. The real joy of horror books is when you aren't quite sure it's true. Is it a ghost or is there a more reasonable explanation?

I did not read the first two books in this series, so I'm unsure the quality level personally but other reviewers said the first two books were a lot better than this one. The author references the previous cases often, although I didn't feel I was missing out by reading the 3rd in the series as a stand alone.

Maria's thoughts might give you whiplash. I'm not going to go rereading, but I swear I thought Frankie was a mentor (I pictured my own 70 year old 'best friend' I have at work). When Maria mentions she has a crush on Frankie it felt really out of left field. It was odd. Especially the abrupt way the author introduced this conflict. This example of the abruptness happened one too many times while reading that it became a pattern. Combined with a bit of repetitive thoughts. There was a messiness that made this tory overall off-putting.

That being said, I didn't hate it. It was short enough, a quick read and had a good amount of creepiness where it got the job done. Great cover!

Did not realize this was the third in a series, I will read the first two then come back and write a new review.

Thanks to Storm and Netgalley for this arc.
This book gave me the chills!!👻👻
Detectives maria miller and frankie conway take on another case that ISNT THE NORM. A hotel has its secrets, 2 girls are found side by side on a bed in the parker hotel with their feet having been removed.. The hotel has long term residents, who see and hear things that are not of this world.
A woman in blue is said to be seen, but once you do someone is going to succumb to something evil
When maria stays with Harrison, she dreams, she is being chased by a big black shadow., she wakes abruptly with a hot searing pain I. Her shoulder, on looking it's a large wound and in following days it gets infected., and makes maria very unwell. Did she see the lady I. Blue? After receiving medical treatment frankie and maria decide they have to sort this threat once and for all..... After all it's not the first time they have come face to face with evil, but will it be their last??. Can they restore the parker hotel to a peaceful place? and help pass over the tortured soles?
I can't get enough of this series. Read with speed.. highly highly recommend......