Book name: The Crying Girls (Madison Harper Book 8)
Author name: Wendy Dranfield
Pub date : October 07 /2024
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Thank you, @netgalley and Wendy Dranfield, for the ARC copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

My thoughts: Wow! The Crying Girls is a gripping, unputdownable page-turner that had my heart racing from start to finish! I’m so lucky to have come across this book because I love crime thrillers, especially detective stories, and this one hit every mark. It's packed full of twists and suspense that will leave your head spinning—just when you think you know what's going on, Wendy Dranfield pulls the rug out from under you.The storyline is intense and brilliantly executed. It's the perfect blend of gripping murders, heartbreaking kidnappings, and shocking twists, all told simultaneously with such finesse. Madison Harper is a fantastic lead character, strong and driven, and I especially loved Brody—he was my personal favorite. The backstories of Nate and Steve were gut-wrenching, adding a deep emotional layer to the high-stakes drama.

Wendy Dranfield's writing is fast-paced, thrilling, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is the kind of book where you hold your breath, eagerly waiting to see what happens next, and then—bam!—you’re hit with an emotional family drama that shifts the tone momentarily. While those shifts can be a bit jarring when you’re caught in a suspenseful moment, the overall pacing is still brilliant, and the ending is extremely satisfying.

I loved the twists and turns, the suspense, and how masterfully the author connected all the plotlines. Now that I’ve discovered this is part of a series, I’m excited to read more, but it works perfectly as a standalone as well.If you’re a fan of crime thrillers, mysteries, or detective novels with plenty of suspense and unforgettable characters, you have to read The Crying Girls. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat story. This book is an absolute 5-star read!

Bugger me!

Hooked from the opening scene to the very last page. The story perfectly intertwines the current cases with flashbacks being told from the victim and strong storylines for the main characters and developments in their lives.

A headless body, a rapist, an abduction, a missing child, fallout from the previous case of the Grave Mountain Killer, Nate missing, are just a few of the things that are on Detective Maddison Harpers plate in the latest release in this series.

The pace and richness of the stories running through the book had me anxious, curious, and trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together, and even brought me to tears.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! 5 Stars!

I love catching up with Madison, Nate, Brody, Bandit and Owen! Detective Madison Harper works for the Lost Creek Police Department in Colorado. with Chief Mendes as her boss and Sergeant Tanner as her partner. Madison is assigned a murder case, which becomes a whole more than one death with a missing baby and disappearing girls. How are they connected? Once again, Wendy has outdone herself with this book. I love how the characters interact and devolve over time. The plots are well thought out and I couldn't stop reading till I reached the dramatic ending!

Another great installment in the Madison Harper series! What starts as one murder turns into multiple cases that intertwine into a very suspenseful ending! This is such a captivating addition to this series! I read in one day!! Loved this book and this series!!

As with previous books, Ms. Dranfield keeps pushing Madison into a stronger, more empathetic detective. In The Crying Girls, Madison is juggling more than her cases - her personal life is also weighing heavily. She is called to a case where a body is found near a trailer park - the body has no head or hands... and the only witness is a young child. As she sorts through this, a woman comes into the police station asking for help finding her missing son. The woman wasn't the best mother, and was delayed in notifying the police about her missing son. Madison feels strong empathy for this woman and vows to locate her baby. In her personal life, Nate has take off and only left a mysterious note... and her partner's significant other is acting strangely. It's a lot for Madison - and then she gets a surprise - her sister Angie is out of jail. The Crying Girl is an excellent read - Madison Harper is one of the best lead detectives in fiction and I look so forward to each and every book! Thank you to Bookouture for and advanced reader of this book - the opinions expressed are my own.

Once again I have enjoyed reading Wendy Dranfields new book. I love this series and I was delighted to be given a chance to review this book. The Crying Girls, book 8, is a well written story of a difficult subject. It was full of twists and Nates story added to the tension. The ending floored me and I felt emotional reading it. I can’t recommend this series enough and number eight is probably my favourite.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance copy to read.

I have only just discovered the wonderful Madison Harper series by Wendy Dranfield and very quickly worked my way through all 8 in the series.

The entire series is a 5 star series. The Crying Girls is equally as brilliant as the previous books in the series.

Dranfield has created a wonderful small town with brilliant characters who the reader becomes invested in. The crimes and plots are well thought out and keep you guessing until the very end. I am yet to solve the mystery before it's revealed.

I also love the dynamics of Madison and Nate. Their opposing beliefs in cops creates an interesting background story.

Highly recommend to anyone that enjoys crime mystery books. The series is very reminiscent of Lisa Regan and Angela Marsons writing.

5 stars

thank you net galley for the arc copy. so i am a sucker for a good detective thriller. the ending was so sad,i miss nate but he had to do what he had to do.a very compelling read.

Just when I thought this series couldn't get any better along comes The Crying Girls. I was hooked from the very first page and couldn't move until I reached the shocking climax.. I thought the author dealt with the harrowing subject of child sexual abuse very sympathetically, without any gratuitous details. The identity of the abuser left me reeling and my heart was in my mouth throughout the final stand off. Definitely a book which is well deserving of 5 stars, can't wait for the next one.

This is another great book in the series! They can probably be read as standalone books as give a little background in each. In this one I had a few tears in my eyes at least once. I didn't guess the person responsible until the reveal and the ending I didn't see coming. The characters are likeable and have home lives, rather than focusing on just the investigation. I'm looking forward to the next book

Another gripping addition to an already fantastic series, you'll find yourself drawn into the dark underbelly of a small town, where the lines between good and evil are blurred, and the stakes are high, jam packed full of suspense, an edge of your seat, read in one sitting kinda book.

Another blindingly brilliant book from Wendy Dranfield; I absolutely adore this series, even though I only came in at book 6 and am yet to catch up on books 1-5. This is book 8 and you don’t need to have read the earlier books to enjoy this one.

The main characters of Madison and Nate are incredible well written; they are flawed, driven and completely genuine. Brody, the former K9 dog is always the star though and the poor boy has a tough time in this book when Nate takes off for a while.

The plot is excellent, with Madison investigating the discovery of a dismembered body and a missing baby and a second storyline narrated by a teenager who was abducted and is held as a pet.

I was gripped from the very start and the immersive writing and tense, fast-paced plot had me captivated all the way through.

As always, there is a perfect balance between the investigation and the character’s personal lives and I was pleased to see someone I already disliked show their true colours. I can’t wait for the next instalment!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Wendy Dranfield and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk for an advance copy prior to publication in return for an honest review.

Wendy Dranfield is the queen of modern psychological crime. I've loved her books since the first Madison Harper crime novel.
With a background as a Coroners assistant, she knows how procedures are carried out, which makes for an informative and mind-blowing script. The stories relating to gruesome murders are knowledgeable, and this is what sucks the reader in.
'The Crying Girls' is yet another exceptional book, with so much to ponder and the detail of each stage laid out in a wonderful hidden pattern.
Each chapter is short, and this makes the reader think they can read "just one more," but the story is so addictive that "one more" chapter is never enough!

The Crying Girls (Detective Madison Harper Book 8) by Wendy Dranfield is a fast-paced and thrilling book.

I love this series and these characters. Although this book had some really sad moments and some disturbing scenes, the author weaved a gripping and intense thriller.

The story starts with a headless body being found in a trailer park creek. And a distraught mother is searching for her missing baby boy. Madison’s sense of duty drives her on, poring over cold case files and interviewing inhabitants of the trailer park near where the headless body was found. Madison is hunting for a missing child, a murderer, and a missing girl.

In addition to Madison pushing herself to the limits, Nate leaves as he is at a breaking point. I was a bit miffed with Nate leaving and also leaving Brody behind, but the more I read, the more it made sense for him to find some space and determine his next steps in healing. But poor Brody didn't understand why his owner was gone.

This story had some really good red herrings, twists and turns, and some shocking moments. The writing is solid, and the storyline is intense.

I'm looking forward to what's next for Madison and Nate and learning about Owen and his decision to leave college.

I would highly recommend starting this series from book 1. I would also recommend this author. A great series, The Crying Girls is an excellent addition to the Detective Madison Harper series.

#TheCryingGirls #NetGalley @bookouture

Another brilliant story in the Detective Madison Harper series.
Even though I'm getting better at catching clues to figure some things out before they're revealed, there are still twists that really surprise me, and following Madison's investigations is always enthralling.
As usual, I was also happy to catch up with what's going on in her personal life (and Nate's, although he was back to having really dark thoughts after the events of the previous book) and to see all the familiar characters (including the pets) again.
The parts written in the point of view of an abducted girl were really good too - full of horrible things (thankfully more alluded to than described directly), of course, but very well done.
Warning for people who haven't read the whole series yet: some references to past events inevitably spoil parts of previous books (not entire plots, though, and I think you'd still enjoy reading the other books later if you decide to read this one first).

Thank you to NetGalley and Wendy Dranfield for offering this ARC in exchange my review.

I’ve always been a sucker for a gripping psychological thriller, so when I stumbled upon “The Crying Girls” by Wendy Dranfield, I just knew it was going to be a good read. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! The pacing of the story is spot-on. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Dranfield tossed in a curveball that left me reeling. Each chapter unveiled new clues and twists that kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly flipping pages late into the night. It’s not just about the suspense or the mystery; there are moments that tug at your heartstrings and make you reflect on life, loss, and the importance of confronting our truths.
Overall, “The Crying Girls” is a compelling read that skillfully blends intrigue and emotion. If you're looking for a page-turner that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, I highly recommend diving into this one.

So excited to get an ARC of The Crying Girls! The best one yet!! Solid 5 star series, can't wait until 9!
The twists and turns were perfect.

Detective Madison Harper is investigating a gruesome crime – a victim found in the creek missing its head and hands. Clearly, the killer is hoping to keep the victim’s identity a secret, but Madison and the team are hoping that DNA will lead to a name. At the same time, Madison is looking into a cold case of a baby boy who went missing…18 months ago. However is it a cold case if the police were never contacted at the time? Madison struggles to understand how the boy’s mother is only now reaching out for assistance in locating the child. And with the boy’s mother having no friends, family, or even acquaintances to speak of, it’s going to be tough to find any kind of lead to go on. But Madison has never been one to back down from a challenge.

As if this isn’t enough to deal with, Nate has gone AWOL. He left Madison a note that he needed space and time alone, but what scares her is that he also left his phone and his beloved dog, Brody. And that is one dog that doesn’t appreciate his owner going rogue. She could really use Nate’s assistance with these investigations, and she’s torn between worry and anger when reflecting on his absence.

The reader sees from both points of view and it’s hard knowing that Madison has no idea what he’s up to. It seemed a bit of a stretch that he would just up and leave like that because of what happened in the previous case. Sure, it would affect him, but to that extent? That he would just up and leave without even talking to Madison about it? Especially when his actions were to protect her against someone truly evil. I mean, what if she was in danger now (she kind of always is!) and he was nowhere to be found – he would never be able to live with himself.

I know they’re just characters, but I’m so invested in Madison and Nate and I want them to work so bad! No more drama with these two! And Brody deserves to have them both by his side, no flaking out. Does it work out for the three of them? You’ll have to read the story to find out..

This is an action packed and intense story. It it well written and grabs your attention from the very beginning. That being sad, this is not for everyone due to the subject matter. I found myself cringing at times, yet unable to stop reading as I just had to know how it all turned out. I read this in all one sitting as I couldn't wait to see how Madison managed it all. There are several story threads going on in the beginning that eventually all come together. Nate is struggling with his mental health, there is a corpse washed up on a riverbank, and there is a missing child. It doesn't seem like it should go together and there are a few red herrings thrown in to distract you, but keep reading. There are a lot of twists and turns and I did not see the ending coming. Well done.

What a brilliant book in this series as usual, so much going on with plenty of mystery. All the characters were interesting with their own stories to tell.

I really missed Nate in this book but could see why he had to do what he did.

The ending was sad but everything was explained and brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

I look forward to number 9 in this series, well done Wendy on such a brilliant series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this great ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.