Girl Without a Trace

Tara Strong #3

by Rylie Dark

When a B&B owner in a small mountain town is found dead, suspects abound, and it falls to Deputy Sheriff Tara Strong to crack the case. But when another victim shows up, Tara soon realizes this case is far more complex—and shocking—than it seems, and time is running short before this killer strikes again.
GIRL WITHOUT A TRACE is book #3 in a new series by #1 bestselling and critically acclaimed mystery and suspense author Rylie Dark, whose books have received over 2,000 five-star reviews and ratings.

Tara Strong has risen to become her county’s Deputy Sheriff through her bravery and her brilliant capacity to enter a killer’s minds. Small-town life in the mountains, centered around their picturesque lake, should be idyllic. But Tara has already seen enough to know that there is a dark side to everything, that small towns hide secrets, that everyone has something in their past—and that a killer may just be lurking right next door.

Tara remains haunted by her own past, by her missing sister, by her guilt over the unsolved case. She must battle the demons of her own past, while trying to get ahead in a male-dominated police force.

Can Tara keep it together long enough to catch a killer?

A cat-and-mouse thriller with harrowing twists and turns and filled with heart-pounding suspense, the TARA STRONG mystery series offers a fresh twist on the genre as it introduces two brilliant protagonists who will make you fall in love and keep you turning pages late into the night.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2023

About the author

Rylie Dark is author of the SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); of the HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting),of the TARA STRONG MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting).

Rylie loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.ryliedark.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY RYLIE DARK

ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER

FIRST, MURDER (Book #1)

SECOND, DEATH (Book #2)

THIRD, ENVY (Book #3)

FOURTH, LUST (Book #4)

FIFTH, WRATH (Book #5)

HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

BEHIND YOU (Book #1)

BESIDE YOU (Book #2)

AFTER YOU (Book #3)

WATCHING YOU (Book #4)

JUDGING YOU (Book #5)

TARA STRONG MYSTERY

GIRL WITHOUT A CHANCE (Book #1)

GIRL WITHOUT A HOME (Book #2)

GIRL WITHOUT A TRACE (Book #3)

GIRL WITHOUT A NAME (Book #4)

GIRL WITHOUT A PRAYER (Book #5)

SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

ONLY MURDER (Book #1)

ONLY RAGE (Book #2)

ONLY HIS (Book #3)

ONLY ONCE (Book #4)

ONLY SPITE (Book #5)

ONLY MADNESS (Book #6)

MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SEE HER RUN (Book #1)

SEE HER HIDE (Book #2)

SEE HER SCREAM (Book #3)

SEE HER VANISH (Book #4)

SEE HER GONE (Book #5)

SEE HER DEAD (Book #6)

CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NO WAY OUT (Book #1)

NO WAY BACK (Book #2)

NO WAY HOME (Book #3)

NO WAY LEFT (Book #4)

NO WAY UP (Book #5)

NO WAY TO DIE (Book #6)

MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

TOO LATE (Book #1)

TOO CLOSE (Book #2)

TOO FAR GONE (Book #3)

TOO LOST (Book #4)

TOO BROKEN (Book #5)

Reviews

[Gypsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea.

[Rebecca Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced mystery with a strong but vulnerable lead, Girl Without a Trace by Rylie Dark might hit the spot. It’s the third book in the Tara Strong FBI Suspense Thriller series, but you can read it on its own without feeling lost. The setup’s classic small-town crime- a B&B owner gets murdered, then someone else turns up dead, and boom — Tara Strong, our tough but haunted deputy sheriff, is neck-deep in secrets, lies, and danger. There’s something comforting about the formula, but the twists still managed to surprise me. Tara’s got grit, but she’s also dealing with some real emotional weight, which makes her feel more human than most thriller heroines. She’s not some perfect, gun-toting superwoman — she’s stubborn, brave, and a little broken, which I respect. It’s got that popcorn thriller energy — short chapters, high stakes, and just enough character work to keep you invested. And? I didn’t see the ending coming. That’s rare for me. One reviewer said they couldn’t guess the killer, and I’ve gotta agree with them. It’s a fun read, nothing groundbreaking, but it does what it promises — and sometimes that’s what I want. I’d say give it a shot if you like female-led crime stories with just enough heart to balance out the bodies.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tara is not at ease as her relationship with Glenn has turned out after she said she was not interested in him - which is not true. Now they are facing a serial killer targeting B&B owners and the bodies are piling up. The story is fast-paced, keeping the reader guessing the killer's motives and also how Tara will deal with the discoveries she has made about her sister's abduction. Entertaining!
I thank the author and her publisher for this ARC.

[Laura Poppenwimer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good light reading, the plot not too complex but entertaining and easily read in one sitting. The writing flows so you just fly through the story. The conflict between the sisters again plays a large part in the path of the plot, both not dealing with the loss of their younger sister a decade ago. So far each of the books interesting enough to continue reading on in the series.

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I have really enjoyed the Tara Strong mysteries. So well written and suspenseful. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

[Shianne DeFord · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting better and better with every book..

[Stephanie Coniff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enjoying this series at this, Book 3. There are 2 left and I am definitely planning to see them through! I have to find out what happened to Det. Tara Strong's sister!

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Third book in this series. They all read the same. The same plots, the same character dynamics. I have started the forth hoping it will get better.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

[Janet Ambrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

A great page turner, I absolutely love reading these books in a series, ready for the next book. A great author who will go far.

[Chase Leavell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole love fiasco is annoying me. Tara didn't even reject Glenn, they were working and he had the audacity to go on rebound. I want to push him in a river.

[Sandy T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced entertaining police procedure thriller. The narrator does a very good job in reading the story in the Audible version. Story is original. Tara, the deputy sheriff and main character, is good at her job although she doesn't always make smart decisions.