would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

what a powerful start to the book and it carried on right throughout

when human remains are found in an alley amanda and trent are sent to investigate.... its not a sight they will ever forget but its repercussions for trent that will shock him to the core and may hinder the investigation

as identification is going to be hard they would normally wait for i.d from other sources but a wedding ring also hints to who it may be and trent isnt forthcoming with the news...

wow well it was great to catch up with amanda and trent and see where they are since the last book and this book had so much high adrenaline it keeps you reading right to the end....

looking forward to the next book in this series

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Wildfire Girl’, book 11 of the Detective Amanda Steele series written by Carolyn Arnold, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The body of a man has been found burnt in an alley behind Patriot Plaza and has been identified as Don Lambert, the husband of Detective Trent Stenson’s Aunt Gertrude, who admits that she was regularly beaten and abused by him. As Stenson and Detective Amanda Steele accumulate evidence, everything points to his aunt being involved but Stenson knows she’s innocent and aims to prove it.

‘The Wildfire Girl’ is another baffling thriller as Detectives Amanda Steele and Trent Stenson of the Prince William County Police Department’s Homicide Unit work long into the night to locate evidence and identify the person responsible for this horrific crime, just one of many as their investigation continues. I’ve been completely involved by the plot that’s not only exciting but has drama, suspense and intrigue as well as numerous twists and turns that eventually leads them to the truth. Despite Amanda living with Logan and her adopted daughter Zoe, and knowing that Trent is seeing someone, she can’t help having feelings for him which appear to be reciprocated, so I’m really looking forward to reading book 12 when hopefully Amanda and Trent will work out what they want from life and get together romantically.

The Wildfire Girl by Carolyn Arnold Police procedural fans are sure to enjoy the 11th book in this ongoing series featuring Detective Amanda Steele and her partner, Detective Trent Stenson The storyline is exciting, suspenseful, with an intriguing mystery. A definite page turner featuring several suspects, action scenes, and an unexpected twist.
Thank you to the Carolyn Arnold, Bookouture. and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

The Wildfire Girl by Carolyn Arnold is the 11th book in her wonderful Detective Amanda Steele series. I am a big fan of Arnold, having read most of her books, and I love this series, which continues with another great addition. Amanda Steele, our heroine, is a homicide detective in Dumfries, Virginia Police Department. Amanda and her partner, Trent are called to the scene of a violet murder, as a man was burned to his death. Upon arrival, Amanda is hit with a terrible stench of gasoline, with the knowledge that the victim was burned alive. Trent reveals to Amanda that he recognizes the victim’s wedding ring, which belongs to his Aunt Gertrudes abusive husband, Don.

Despite his believe that his aunt isn’t involved, more clues do point at the aunt being the possible perpetrator, especially with her not revealing a few lies, such as being in the vicinity at the time of her husband’s death. Amanda worries that Trent isn’t being objective. Another woman is found murdered, and Amanda and Trent learn that the woman who was stabbed is someone from the husband’s past, whom he brutally abused, causing severe burns on the woman’s face years ago. Was this woman out for revenge, and did Don kill her before he was killed?

Amanda and Trent are a great team, and I like them together. Amanda is a great detective, very strong, independent, and always able to solve any case. Amanda has an adoptive daughter, who she worries about a lot, because of her always busy on a case. She seems happy with Logan, who always watches over Zoe.

What follows is an exciting, suspenseful, intriguing, tense mystery, that kept me unable to put the book down, as this was a fantastic thriller. From the start, you become engrossed into the story, as Trent was determined to prove his aunt’s innocence, and Amanda doing her best to protect him from being too involved. The storyline was very interesting, especially the abuse by the victim against his wife, and former woman of the past. To say too much more would be spoilers.

The Wildfire Girl was another fantastic crime thriller, that was another gripping addition to the Detective Amanda Steele series. It was a compelling intricate suspenseful plot, excellent police procedural, great characters, edge of your seat thriller, with some surprises at the end. The Wildfire Girl was once again so very well written by Carolyn Arnold, which is the norm for this author; as I am loving this series. If you like mystery thrillers, police procedural, then you need to be reading this series.

After a body is found in an alley, Detective Amanda Steele and her partner, Trent, are called to the scene. Trent recognizes the wedding ring as the one his estranged Aunt Gertrude gave her second husband - he has a history of abuse and has isolated Gertrude from her family. Amanda dives in, but Trent is more hesitant. He wanted to protect his Aunt at all costs. And this isn't the only friction between the two - they have a deep love for each other, but not acted upon it... and I hope it gets resolved soon, because it takes away from incredible storytelling and the case. As the two dig deeper, they find Aunt Gertrude hasn't been totally honest with them, and that further causes riffs between the two. Excellently written by Carolyn Arnold - one of my favorite series! Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

Carolyn Arnold continues to bring suspense, solid police investigation, action, and intense moments in her latest book The Wildfire Girl. It’s the eleventh book in the police procedural and crime thriller featuring Detective Amanda Steele and her partner Detective Trent Stenson. The setting takes place in and around Woodbridge in Prince William County, Virginia.

Human remains have been discovered behind a dumpster in an alley. Amanda and Trent are called to the scene. Upon arrival, they smell gasoline and a burned victim. Trent recognizes the surviving gold wedding band. It belongs to his Aunt Gertrude’s husband, Don. While he’s convinced she isn’t involved, her troubled relationship with Don and her lies make Amanda question Gertrude’s innocence and Trent’s ability to stay impartial.

Amanda doesn’t get much down time and has zero hobbies. She hates being idle and feels guilt and regret while trying to balance her family and work lives. She’s resilient and has an internal compulsion to find answers and obtain closure for the victims’ loved ones. She is strong-willed, independent, and the drive for justice fuels her. Amanda’s flaws and struggles make her seem realistic. Trent is loyal, funny, and always has Amanda’s back. He’s also resilient and has a strong ethical code. However, in this case, he struggles between his commitment to the victim and his personal connection to a suspect.
Once again, a dark and chilling prologue that grabs readers’ attention is followed by the arrival of police at a seemingly unrelated crime scene. How does the prologue fit into the story? As the case progresses, the novel builds suspense that takes readers to an action-filled conclusion. At the same time, Amanda’s struggle to balance work and family is highlighted as well as Trent’s conflicted emotions regarding his aunt.

The descriptive narrative is written in a style that draws you in and rapidly keeps you turning the pages. With several suspects, a twist or two, some action scenes, and well-developed characters, readers of police procedurals and crime thrillers will likely embrace this series. My biggest quibble about this book is that the relationship triangle that has been evident for a long time is not yet fully resolved. I thought this book would provide the definitive answer. While the answers are closer, it’s not yet been fully resolved.

Overall, this novel is engaging, entertaining, and a solid police procedural. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Amanda and Trent. This series is best read in order to fully understand the backstories of the main characters.

Bookouture and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for June 20, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

This is a story that quickly becomes addictive (like from page one!) and is a crime thriller which will delight fans of police procedurals. The story is a standalone but part of a seriess if you are interested in the ongoing personal relationship between Amanda and Trent. This book however deals with some horrific behaviours and although grisly at times is never too overpowering. Trent struggles with investigating this death because of the links to his aunt. The investigation takes several turns as they delve deeper into the clues. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy and I voluntarily leave this review.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with Amanda and Trent being called early morning to a scene where a body has been discovered. The body is so badly damaged that an identification at the scene is not possible. Trent while examing the body sees a wedding band that he recognizes but doesn't tell Amanda. Later Trent explains that he recognized the ring and believed it belonged to Don, Trent's aunt's husband. As this is confirmed, the investigation starts and evidence is lacking, but Trent's aunt becomes a suspect.

As they start looking into Don's life trying to find out who may have wanted to kill him, they come upon a factor that may point to the killer, but they also find evidence that may point to the aunt. They key onto two individuals that Don was involved with. As a result, information pops up of events that happened earlier that did not relate to the murder of Don.

As they find out more, they are pointed to an earlier time when Don was with another woman and this led them to a new discovery.

To learn what new case was discovered with the interview of the two men, what evidence implicated Trent's aunt, who was responsible for Don's murder and how the discovery of another woman in Don's life played a role, then you need to read this book.

You can certainly say The Wildfire Girl has lots and lots and lots of twists and turns!
The mystery aspect was intriguing. Amanda and Trent would take one step forward in the investigation, to then go backwards a few steps. I was kept in suspense as to what the outcome was going to be.
I recommend starting the series from the first book. There is so much back story about the main characters that is important to know. This is a perfect series for fans of police procedurals.
With all that said…..can Amanda PLEASE decide what she wants to do in her love life????? The back and forth is getting a bit too much in my opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Carolyn and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Wildfire Girl before the publication date.
This is the 11th book in the Detective Amanda Steele series.

The atmosphere is edgy, tense and uncomfortable as Amanda struggles to manage her professional and personal life.
At home, her partner, Logan becomes increasingly annoyed with her dedication to her work.
Her professional life is no better as she and Trent tiptoe around each other.
This is aggravated by the fact that the murder which they are investigating involves Trent’s aunt.

I've only read a few in this series, so I don't think you need to have read them all in order to enjoy this one. It started with a murder gruesome enough to capture my attention early on, then the investigation kept me reading. I was in the dark over who I thought had committed it, with various suspects added. Without giving away spoilers, I must admit to looking at my cats differently!

Detective Amanda Steele returns with a very hot case to solve. Charred remains are discovered in an alley known for prostitution and drugs. Amanda's partner, Trent, recognizes a ring on the body as belonging to his Aunt's abusive husband. This presents an added layer to the investigation. Did his aunt finally kill her abuser, or was someone else involved in the murder? As the clues lead Amanda to discover that the victim was not only an abusive spouse but also a philanderer and in deep debt to the wrong person, Trent's aunt becomes a prime suspect. However, there are plenty of other possible murderers. In the meantime, Amanda is struggling with her feelings for Trent and her relationship with Logan. It's an exciting read with suspense all around. I can't wait to see what Amanda does next!

The prologue instantly hooked me! The story definitely kept me guessing throughout the whole book, and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery. I liked that this was a personal case for Trent, as it added a lot of extra tension and emotion to the story. This book was great as a stand-alone, as I felt I wasn’t missing anything to understand the story, but it also made me want to go back and read the previous books in the series!

While I enjoyed the story, some parts in the first half felt a bit slow. Also, I enjoyed some of the history between Trent and Amanda, but I didn’t enjoy the aspect of the two being in their own relationships while crushing so hard on each other.

The Wildfire Girl is another great book in the Amanda Steele series. I personally love reading detective investigation stories and Detective Amanda Steele shines in this captivating mystery, effortlessly weaving together clues until the unraveling. The plot is suspenseful from beginning to end as Steele and her partner Detective Trent Stenson navigate the intricate web, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Another very good read in the Amanda Steele series, always consistent and well written. The book has plenty of twists and it kept me guessing throughout, I just wish Amanda would come to a decision over her feelings for Trent though! It would read well as a stand alone, although I would recommend the whole series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Book 11 in the brilliant Detective Amanda Steele series.

It's been a long time since I read a full book in one day but I did exactly that with this book. I was hooked. It has so many twists and turns it should come with a whiplash warning!! Loved it.

The woman panics as the thick smoke starts to curl under the locked door. She can’t breathe and desperately tries to open the window, but it’s been sealed shut. Falling to the floor, she finally accepts there’s no way out of this room alive. And as her vision starts to fade, she prays she dies before the flames find her.

When human remains are discovered behind a dumpster in Woodbridge, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele rushes to the scene. Her heart drops when she arrives and is hit by the unmistakable stench of gasoline. Soon, her worst fear is confirmed: the victim was burned alive.

With only an engraved gold wedding band surviving the blaze, Amanda knows it could be days before they have a confirmed ID. But when her partner Detective Trent Stenson arrives, he pales at the sight of the ring, recognizing it as belonging to his Aunt Gertrude’s husband, Don.

Trent is convinced his aunt isn’t involved, but as more is unearthed about her troubled relationship with her husband, and she fails to provide an alibi, Amanda isn’t so sure. Desperate to prove his aunt’s innocence, Trent soon discovers someone from Don’s past is back in Woodbridge—someone who wants revenge. But Amanda and Trent are shaken to their core when that person is discovered brutally murdered.

Convinced the cases are linked, Amanda knows she has to find the cold-blooded killer before they strike again. And as Trent becomes even more emotionally entangled in the case, she’s terrified he could become the next victim…

WOW! Another great book in this series, that keeps getting better and better. Amanda and Trent are walking a fine line this time when Trent's uncle is found murdered, and things with his aunts alibi just don't add up. This case takes them in many different directions, with a list of suspects and motives growing daily. Things get interesting when they uncover an ex of Uncle Don. I am already looking forward to the next book. On a side note, I am rooting Amanda and Logan find their way.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of The Wildfire Girl by Carolyn Arnold
When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the scene of a murder she can smell the cause before she sees the body. A smell of gasoline is in the air and the charred remains tucked behind a dumpster.
To complicate things this is the second husband of Detective Trent Stenson’s aunt Gertrude.
Can he stay as Amanda’s partner on the case or is he too close to remain objective?
When clues point to his aunt can Trent stay composed or will his relationship derail the investigation.
This is the 11th book in the series and not my favourite. I’m not sure that Trent would have been allowed to stay on a case so close to home.

This book has a lot of twists and turns. Trent’s aunt is in the forefront of this one. There are a lot of lies being tossed around. Of this series this book is the graphic and grizzly. I was hooked from the first page. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I REALLY like this series. I think Amanda and Trent make great partners, only!
This opens with the discovery of a person who has been murdered, burned alive. Murder is bad, but this is a really bad way to go. When Trent sees the wedding ring found in the body, he has a pretty good idea who it is.
I liked that Trent never gave up on his aunt and trying to have a relationship with her.
This had a lot of twists and turns and I will admit I did not figure out the killer until the end.
I look forward to more books in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy