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Leigh Brody FBI Mystery #1
The Girl Who Survived
Leigh Brody returns to her hometown after a body is found, marked with her name. Will it give her the chance to solve a mystery that has shadowed her life for years?
It’s been twenty years since Leigh 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?
An addictive, edge-of-your seat crime thriller, with a twist you will not see coming. An unputdownable read for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and A.J. Rivers.
It’s been twenty years since Leigh 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?
An addictive, edge-of-your seat crime thriller, with a twist you will not see coming. An unputdownable read for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and A.J. Rivers.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2024
484 people are currently reading
607 people want to read
About the author
Nichole Severn
207 books448 followers"First class romantic suspense!"
- Cynthia Eden, NYT Bestselling Author
Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author Nichole Severn writes mind-twisting suspense and bullet-proof romance with strong heroines, heroes who dare challenge them, and cases you won’t be able to forget.
She graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in Psychology and is working for her masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, a founding member of the Addicted to Danger Facebook group, and volunteers for a number of non-profits focused on supporting mothers.
She resides with her very supportive and patient husband, as well as her two demon spawn, in Utah. When she’s not writing, she’s constantly injuring herself training for marathons, accidentally stabbing herself with screwdrivers during her many DIY projects, or playing violin. That’s right. She stabbed herself with a screwdriver.
- Cynthia Eden, NYT Bestselling Author
Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author Nichole Severn writes mind-twisting suspense and bullet-proof romance with strong heroines, heroes who dare challenge them, and cases you won’t be able to forget.
She graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in Psychology and is working for her masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, a founding member of the Addicted to Danger Facebook group, and volunteers for a number of non-profits focused on supporting mothers.
She resides with her very supportive and patient husband, as well as her two demon spawn, in Utah. When she’s not writing, she’s constantly injuring herself training for marathons, accidentally stabbing herself with screwdrivers during her many DIY projects, or playing violin. That’s right. She stabbed herself with a screwdriver.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
May 3, 2024
Leigh Brody, now part of the FBI, was called to her home town of Lebanon in New Hampshire. It had been twenty years since she'd left and she knew it wouldn't be a pleasant experience, being back. The hatred the town felt for her family was well known, but she was determined to do her job, find a killer and leave. But would it be that easy?
Leigh's brother had been murdered when he was twelve and Leigh was seventeen. Their father had been arrested for the killing of both his son and another boy, and was in jail. But Leigh had spent the past twenty years trying to prove her dad's innocence. Now, it seemed the town had a copycat killer, but those murdered were adults against the past's children. With not many people on her side, Leigh continued to fight for the facts, for evidence and to find a killer before it happened again. And when Leigh herself was targeted with threats if she didn't leave town, it just made her more determined...
The Girl Who Survived is the 1st in the Leigh Brody FBI Mystery series by Nichole Severn and it was gruesome, gritty, intense and fast paced. I had to suspend my disbelief a few times, but other than that, it was an enjoyable read. My first read by this author, and I'll check out her previous. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Leigh's brother had been murdered when he was twelve and Leigh was seventeen. Their father had been arrested for the killing of both his son and another boy, and was in jail. But Leigh had spent the past twenty years trying to prove her dad's innocence. Now, it seemed the town had a copycat killer, but those murdered were adults against the past's children. With not many people on her side, Leigh continued to fight for the facts, for evidence and to find a killer before it happened again. And when Leigh herself was targeted with threats if she didn't leave town, it just made her more determined...
The Girl Who Survived is the 1st in the Leigh Brody FBI Mystery series by Nichole Severn and it was gruesome, gritty, intense and fast paced. I had to suspend my disbelief a few times, but other than that, it was an enjoyable read. My first read by this author, and I'll check out her previous. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2024
From the gripping prologue to the jaw-dropping conclusion, Severn had me hooked on every word. The premise alone, with Leigh's haunting past and the eerie copycat crimes, had me flipping pages faster than I could keep up. It's been twenty years since Leigh's world shattered, and the raw intensity of her quest for justice had my heart pounding.
Leigh's life gets flipped upside down when she stumbles upon her brother's murdered body. But here's the kicker—she's convinced her dad didn't do it, even though everyone else in their small town thinks he's guilty. Fast forward twenty years, and Leigh's now working for the FBI, but she's still haunted by her brother's death. Then copycat crimes start happening, and they're all linked to Leigh's past. She's thrown back into the case that shattered her world all those years ago. But this time, she's determined to uncover the truth and put the real killer behind bars.
Leigh is not your typical FBI agent. Sure, she's tough as nails, but she's also dealing with some serious baggage. I'm talking major demons from her past that she's still trying to shake off. Plus, the whole town blames her for what they think her dad did, so you can imagine the pressure she's under.
And let me tell you, the twists and turns in this book? Insane! Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Severn throws you for a loop. I'm talking plot twists that'll make your head spin and keep you guessing until the very end. I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say, it's a jaw-dropper. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and when I finally got to the last page, I was shook.
So, if you're into thrillers that'll keep you guessing, with a badass heroine, "The Girl Who Survived" needs to be at the top of your TBR list, like, yesterday. Can't wait for next books in this series!
Leigh's life gets flipped upside down when she stumbles upon her brother's murdered body. But here's the kicker—she's convinced her dad didn't do it, even though everyone else in their small town thinks he's guilty. Fast forward twenty years, and Leigh's now working for the FBI, but she's still haunted by her brother's death. Then copycat crimes start happening, and they're all linked to Leigh's past. She's thrown back into the case that shattered her world all those years ago. But this time, she's determined to uncover the truth and put the real killer behind bars.
Leigh is not your typical FBI agent. Sure, she's tough as nails, but she's also dealing with some serious baggage. I'm talking major demons from her past that she's still trying to shake off. Plus, the whole town blames her for what they think her dad did, so you can imagine the pressure she's under.
And let me tell you, the twists and turns in this book? Insane! Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Severn throws you for a loop. I'm talking plot twists that'll make your head spin and keep you guessing until the very end. I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say, it's a jaw-dropper. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and when I finally got to the last page, I was shook.
So, if you're into thrillers that'll keep you guessing, with a badass heroine, "The Girl Who Survived" needs to be at the top of your TBR list, like, yesterday. Can't wait for next books in this series!
May 6, 2024
The Girl Who Survived is the first book in the Leigh Brody FBI Mystery series. It's an absolute corker of a book to start a new series with.
Great writing, fast paced, intense, gripping, very clever plot, I really really enjoyed it. The story is quite gruesome in places but it just grabbed my attention and I wasn't able to put it down. It's so so good.
I thought the main character, Leigh, is a great lead. She's somebody who suffered a great loss, had to overcome so much and is still faced with people's harsh judgement despite doing her best to put the past behind her. I liked her a lot and can't wait to see how she develops in future books.
Twisty and twisted, The Girl Who Survived, is a fantastic start to a new series and an absolute must read for fans of crime thrillers. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
I want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy of the book.
Great writing, fast paced, intense, gripping, very clever plot, I really really enjoyed it. The story is quite gruesome in places but it just grabbed my attention and I wasn't able to put it down. It's so so good.
I thought the main character, Leigh, is a great lead. She's somebody who suffered a great loss, had to overcome so much and is still faced with people's harsh judgement despite doing her best to put the past behind her. I liked her a lot and can't wait to see how she develops in future books.
Twisty and twisted, The Girl Who Survived, is a fantastic start to a new series and an absolute must read for fans of crime thrillers. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
I want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy of the book.
April 16, 2024
This book grabs your attention from the start.
There’s definitely some slower parts that made it harder for me to get through but the twist at the end made me so happy that I kept with the book.
Leigh Brody returns home when there are copycat murders happening that are way too similar to how her brother and his friend were killed. She’s attacked in her home twice and in the street once. She even sees the attacker at a police crime scene and no one puts it together. That part was so unrealistic to me. Also, that she’d still be working the case after the two attacks.
The ending is so good. I’m happy I kept reading the book.
There’s definitely some slower parts that made it harder for me to get through but the twist at the end made me so happy that I kept with the book.
Leigh Brody returns home when there are copycat murders happening that are way too similar to how her brother and his friend were killed. She’s attacked in her home twice and in the street once. She even sees the attacker at a police crime scene and no one puts it together. That part was so unrealistic to me. Also, that she’d still be working the case after the two attacks.
The ending is so good. I’m happy I kept reading the book.
September 1, 2025
First of all, thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Leigh Brody is summoned back home due to her unique skills as an FBI agent. But, why did she leave in the first place? As you learn about the badass FBI agent Brody through the book, you will uncover her family's dark past, whether or not her father killed her brother, and why Leigh felt she could not live in Lebanon, New Hampshire. If her father did not kill her brother then who is the copycat serial killer leaving green solider signatures on his slain victims? Is it the person Leigh has always suspected as the town creep? Whoever the killer is, he is out to shock the small town of Lebanon. Leigh’s need for the truth drives this story forward keeping all readers engaged and ready for the second installment of the Legih Brody series.
While I did not like this story, I did like the pacing and writing style of the author, but I will not be continuing this series. Why? Because the twist at the end is ridiculous and ruins the story. If you do not want to waste your time with the story then read why it failed below...
Summary: Leigh Brody is summoned back home due to her unique skills as an FBI agent. But, why did she leave in the first place? As you learn about the badass FBI agent Brody through the book, you will uncover her family's dark past, whether or not her father killed her brother, and why Leigh felt she could not live in Lebanon, New Hampshire. If her father did not kill her brother then who is the copycat serial killer leaving green solider signatures on his slain victims? Is it the person Leigh has always suspected as the town creep? Whoever the killer is, he is out to shock the small town of Lebanon. Leigh’s need for the truth drives this story forward keeping all readers engaged and ready for the second installment of the Legih Brody series.
While I did not like this story, I did like the pacing and writing style of the author, but I will not be continuing this series. Why? Because the twist at the end is ridiculous and ruins the story. If you do not want to waste your time with the story then read why it failed below...
October 7, 2025
There was so much that goes on in this book and it's hard to explain in detail without giving away too much. That being said, I'd highly recommend readers to go into the book without reading too much into the synopsis.
We follow FBI Agent Leigh Brody who is sent back to her hometown in New Hampshire to consult in a murder investigation and possible serial killer. Her past is explained and in great amount of detail. It's the very reason she became an FBI agent. She's very intelligent, fierce, and has a very strong will to survive, even with all of the challenges that come her way. With more bodies showing up, she wonders if it's connected to the murders that happened twenty years prior, one of the victims being her younger brother.
This book took me for a ride. It kept me guessing, which is something I enjoy in mystery/thrillers. I wasn't left with a ton of questions to explain things that happened throughout the book; the author did a good job at mentioning details to tie everything together. Nichole Severn's writing was beautiful. I was captivated from start to finish and read it easily in almost two days. This was such a fun read and kept me on my toes. To say I'm excited for the future books in this series would be an understatement.
** Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review, I'm very grateful! **
We follow FBI Agent Leigh Brody who is sent back to her hometown in New Hampshire to consult in a murder investigation and possible serial killer. Her past is explained and in great amount of detail. It's the very reason she became an FBI agent. She's very intelligent, fierce, and has a very strong will to survive, even with all of the challenges that come her way. With more bodies showing up, she wonders if it's connected to the murders that happened twenty years prior, one of the victims being her younger brother.
This book took me for a ride. It kept me guessing, which is something I enjoy in mystery/thrillers. I wasn't left with a ton of questions to explain things that happened throughout the book; the author did a good job at mentioning details to tie everything together. Nichole Severn's writing was beautiful. I was captivated from start to finish and read it easily in almost two days. This was such a fun read and kept me on my toes. To say I'm excited for the future books in this series would be an understatement.
** Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review, I'm very grateful! **
May 13, 2024
The Girl Who Survived
Nichole Severn
This was a fantastic read to hunt down a truly meticulous serial killer, and with a killer back story to boot.
“We’ve all lost someone, Agen’ Brody. That doesn’t make us special. It’s how we respond to that loss that defines us.”
I love a serial killer storyline especially when they are escalating rapidly! The stakes are high! And I loved that twisty conclusion!!! Masterful!
“But if there’s one thing I’ve learned since Derek died, it’s that sooner or later, we have to take charge of our own happiness. We have to write our own narrative. Otherwise, we’ll always be stuck, and isn’t that just a waste?”
Leigh Brody returns to her hometown after a body is found, marked with her name. It’s been twenty years since Leigh found the murdered body of her twelve year old brother Troy. Troy and his best friend were murdered and it was Leigh’s father arrested for the crimes, something Leigh never accepted and profusely proclaimed his innocence.
Now Leigh works for the FBI and a copy cat of these horrific crimes that took her brother are being committed. The killer has left a very specific calling card.
This case is personal.
And Leigh is determined to make the right person pay.
This is book one and I will absolutely be following along for the next instalment, Leigh Brody FBI Mystery #1. If you enjoy your crime and police procedural books, this is for you.
March 25, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Girl Who Survived by Nichole Severn for an honest review due to be published May 6, 2024.
FBI Agent Leigh Brody returns to her hometown in New Hampshire to help with an investigation of a very specific crime – a murder eerily like that of her brother twenty years ago. Her father was arrested for her brother’s murder, but Leigh knew he was innocent. This time it’s personal. Can Leigh not only find this killer but clear her father’s name?
I loved this book – my first from Nichole Severn – she has lots of books out there – another new author! This one kept me interested from the first page. I couldn’t wait to see if Leigh solved the new murders and who was the villain. The ending had several shocks – never saw them coming.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series!
#NetGalley #NicholeSevern #StormPublishing #TheGirlWhoSurvived
FBI Agent Leigh Brody returns to her hometown in New Hampshire to help with an investigation of a very specific crime – a murder eerily like that of her brother twenty years ago. Her father was arrested for her brother’s murder, but Leigh knew he was innocent. This time it’s personal. Can Leigh not only find this killer but clear her father’s name?
I loved this book – my first from Nichole Severn – she has lots of books out there – another new author! This one kept me interested from the first page. I couldn’t wait to see if Leigh solved the new murders and who was the villain. The ending had several shocks – never saw them coming.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series!
#NetGalley #NicholeSevern #StormPublishing #TheGirlWhoSurvived
March 29, 2024
The Girl Who Survived by Nichole Severn is a psychological thriller that follows FBI agent Leigh Brody as she is called to investigate copycat murders in her hometown of Lebanon, New Hampshire. The original murders occurred 20 years earlier and took the lives of her younger brother and his best friend. Falsly accused of the murders, Leigh's father is still in prison. For two decades, Leigh has sought the real killer, honing her detective skills through police and the FBI.
Leigh does not receive a warm welcome from the people of Lebanon who see her as the child of murderer rather than the sister of a victim. Leigh's life is threatened repeatedly she gets closer and closer to finding the murderer. Will she bring her brother some justice and find the killer... or will he find her first?
The twist at the end is a little on the farfetched side, but if you don't mind , it's an interesting story
Thank you #NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author Nicole Severn for an advanced readers copy of The Girl That Survived in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed it!
Leigh does not receive a warm welcome from the people of Lebanon who see her as the child of murderer rather than the sister of a victim. Leigh's life is threatened repeatedly she gets closer and closer to finding the murderer. Will she bring her brother some justice and find the killer... or will he find her first?
The twist at the end is a little on the farfetched side, but if you don't mind , it's an interesting story
Thank you #NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author Nicole Severn for an advanced readers copy of The Girl That Survived in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed it!
June 8, 2024
I’d give it 3.5 stars
April 1, 2024
I received a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Short summary - Leigh found the murdered body of her brother 20 years ago. Since she has become an FBI agent. She is called back to her hometown to investigate a series of murders via a copycat. All of the victims have a toy soldier on them that has her name carved into them - the same kind Troy got.
This won’t be the last book that I read by Nichole Severn, I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. I was confused at some parts of this book due to the amount of people but it got better overtime.
I didn’t see the twist coming at all and then I thoroughly enjoyed our little twist that we got at the end! Overall this was an enjoyable book, and I’m looking forward to reading about Leigh chasing down all the children victims.
Short summary - Leigh found the murdered body of her brother 20 years ago. Since she has become an FBI agent. She is called back to her hometown to investigate a series of murders via a copycat. All of the victims have a toy soldier on them that has her name carved into them - the same kind Troy got.
This won’t be the last book that I read by Nichole Severn, I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. I was confused at some parts of this book due to the amount of people but it got better overtime.
I didn’t see the twist coming at all and then I thoroughly enjoyed our little twist that we got at the end! Overall this was an enjoyable book, and I’m looking forward to reading about Leigh chasing down all the children victims.
April 14, 2024
I definitely feel I may be the outlier in my rating of this book because… I was not impressed.. at all.
Here we go .. Leigh Brody who is now working for the FBI is called to help on murders that happen in her hometown. She is chosen because they seem to be linked, copycat or related to murders that happened there over 20 years ago in which her brother Troy and other boys were murdered and the person arrested and serving a life sentence for those murders… her Father, Joel. Leigh has always been convinced of her Father’s innocence however this is not an opinion shared by others in her old hometown. When she returns she is met with harassment, hatred, and all around dislike. She wants to solve these murders because could it finally clear her families name???
Ok where do I begin with my issues with this one .
1. Get ready to let go of all reality because the police and law procedures are so unrealistic it’s eye rolling . In no way would they have Leigh come help with this case with her connections and beliefs.
2. I could not connect with Leigh at all … frankly her character was allll over the place. There were so many times I just wanted to scream at her to spit it all out because she kept insinuating she knew what happened in the past and on the other hand she played completely clueless. This book was just went on and on for way too long.
NOW my biggest issue is the ending and big reveal. I was mind blown but not in a good way. In a way that I was I wanted to reach through the book and shake characters for their idiotic unbelievable actions. I was furious with many aspects related to this that I can’t say because of spoilers. But the ending was so far fetched I felt as is I left the book I had been reading and jumped to a completely different book . The beginning and how it ended did not connect well for me in anyway..
Thank you to the Author, Netgalley, and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
Here we go .. Leigh Brody who is now working for the FBI is called to help on murders that happen in her hometown. She is chosen because they seem to be linked, copycat or related to murders that happened there over 20 years ago in which her brother Troy and other boys were murdered and the person arrested and serving a life sentence for those murders… her Father, Joel. Leigh has always been convinced of her Father’s innocence however this is not an opinion shared by others in her old hometown. When she returns she is met with harassment, hatred, and all around dislike. She wants to solve these murders because could it finally clear her families name???
Ok where do I begin with my issues with this one .
1. Get ready to let go of all reality because the police and law procedures are so unrealistic it’s eye rolling . In no way would they have Leigh come help with this case with her connections and beliefs.
2. I could not connect with Leigh at all … frankly her character was allll over the place. There were so many times I just wanted to scream at her to spit it all out because she kept insinuating she knew what happened in the past and on the other hand she played completely clueless. This book was just went on and on for way too long.
NOW my biggest issue is the ending and big reveal. I was mind blown but not in a good way. In a way that I was I wanted to reach through the book and shake characters for their idiotic unbelievable actions. I was furious with many aspects related to this that I can’t say because of spoilers. But the ending was so far fetched I felt as is I left the book I had been reading and jumped to a completely different book . The beginning and how it ended did not connect well for me in anyway..
Thank you to the Author, Netgalley, and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
December 9, 2025
WTF did I just read?!?!
Beware….. SPOILERS….
A few things that stood out to me.
The entire town hated Leigh because her father was arrested for 2 murders many years ago. She was a child.. Why on earth would people hate her??
No one cared what happened to Leigh. She got attacked and got a concussion because of it. She had to go to work the next day and no one cared...
She almost got murdered when someone set her house on fire with her in it. The attacker came into her bedroom, doused everything with gasoline and then tried to attack her with a hammer. She was at work the next day and yet again, no one cared….
We are supposed to believe her brother isn’t dead? This whole book is about Leigh dealing with her brother’s murder, but look, he isn’t even dead! And we’re supposed to believe that a 17 year old girl and a 12 year old boy didn’t decide to go to their parents when he escaped a serial killer, but they decided she should run away and hide him, forever? Like, not tell their parents and such??
Also the murdered body they said was her brother’s was some other boy. That had to be the biggest plot hole ever. Everyone believed it was her brother? Why wasn’t the body identified as not being her brother? People have eyes right? And the medical examiner would have figured it out surely??
And the copycat killer’s motives were ridiculous. He was a victim of the original killer and he simply escaped and didn’t tell the police. Neither did his mother?
Both Leigh’s brother and the copycat killer wanted the original killer arrested. But no one turned him over to the police when they were kidnapped and tortured. They just went home/went on the run and decided to tell no one??
This book was too ridiculous to like.
Beware….. SPOILERS….
A few things that stood out to me.
The entire town hated Leigh because her father was arrested for 2 murders many years ago. She was a child.. Why on earth would people hate her??
No one cared what happened to Leigh. She got attacked and got a concussion because of it. She had to go to work the next day and no one cared...
She almost got murdered when someone set her house on fire with her in it. The attacker came into her bedroom, doused everything with gasoline and then tried to attack her with a hammer. She was at work the next day and yet again, no one cared….
We are supposed to believe her brother isn’t dead? This whole book is about Leigh dealing with her brother’s murder, but look, he isn’t even dead! And we’re supposed to believe that a 17 year old girl and a 12 year old boy didn’t decide to go to their parents when he escaped a serial killer, but they decided she should run away and hide him, forever? Like, not tell their parents and such??
Also the murdered body they said was her brother’s was some other boy. That had to be the biggest plot hole ever. Everyone believed it was her brother? Why wasn’t the body identified as not being her brother? People have eyes right? And the medical examiner would have figured it out surely??
And the copycat killer’s motives were ridiculous. He was a victim of the original killer and he simply escaped and didn’t tell the police. Neither did his mother?
Both Leigh’s brother and the copycat killer wanted the original killer arrested. But no one turned him over to the police when they were kidnapped and tortured. They just went home/went on the run and decided to tell no one??
This book was too ridiculous to like.
May 5, 2024
This was an intense and fast-paced crime thriller. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Nichole threw another twist at me! I loved how this book kept me guessing till the end.
Overall, it was a good book with several twists and turns. This was my first read by this author and I will check out her previous books too. Also, this is the first book of the Leigh Brody FBI Mystery series and I’m so excited for the next book.
I would recommend this book if you love whodunit police procedural crime thrillers.
Thank you so much Storm Publishing, Netgalley and Nichole Severn for this ARC copy!
Overall, it was a good book with several twists and turns. This was my first read by this author and I will check out her previous books too. Also, this is the first book of the Leigh Brody FBI Mystery series and I’m so excited for the next book.
I would recommend this book if you love whodunit police procedural crime thrillers.
Thank you so much Storm Publishing, Netgalley and Nichole Severn for this ARC copy!
April 12, 2024
Very basic and frustrating with horribly researched procedures...
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. Working as an FBI agent, Leigh returns to her small 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.
"The Girl Who Survived" is slated to be published on May 6, 2024.
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. Working as an FBI agent, Leigh returns to her small 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.
"The Girl Who Survived" is slated to be published on May 6, 2024.
June 13, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an early digital ARC copy of The Girl Who Survived by Nichole Severn. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I will definitely be checking out more. I cannot wait until the second book comes out in this series. The girl who survived is the first book in the FBI mystery series featuring Leigh Brody, a FBI behavioral analyst . She is forced to return to her hometown because of a copycat murder that is linked to her past in which her dad was accused of murdering, her brother and another boy, now the killings have begun again with eerie similarities. I found this book to be fast paced and intense and I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to readers. The end of the book definitely had some twist I did not see coming.
April 29, 2024
Wow! This is a super-twisted police procedural with interesting plotting and lots of red herrings and surprises along the way. I had one twist figured out but the rest were a great surprise. Told from the perspective of FBI Criminologist Leigh Brody, this story pulls you in fast. Leigh is returning to the hometown she fled after her father was convicted of murder, and a dead body is found with similarities to the murders her father was convicted of. The residents mostly resent her presence after her years of trying to prove her father's innocence stained the town's image. Combine that hate with another internal conflict within the detective's personal life, and the suspense is ratcheted off the charts. I highly recommend this one for fans of crime and psychological thrillers.
January 4, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC due to be published May 6, 2024.
I loved this book, I did not want to put it down!! There were so many twists and turns throughout, when I thought I knew what was going to happen something completely different happened. My mind was blown with the huge bomb dropped at the end of the book, it makes me so excited for the next book to come out!
I 100% recommend this book to those who love a fast paced murder mystery where you are questioning everything until the very end.
I loved this book, I did not want to put it down!! There were so many twists and turns throughout, when I thought I knew what was going to happen something completely different happened. My mind was blown with the huge bomb dropped at the end of the book, it makes me so excited for the next book to come out!
I 100% recommend this book to those who love a fast paced murder mystery where you are questioning everything until the very end.
May 6, 2024
I loved this mystery/thriller! I liked that there weren’t too many characters to remember and that the author dove right into the crime. Very easily the reader can get a sense of the main character’s emotional state and mindset, which helped you relate to how tied to the case she was. A true, well-though out murder mystery!
September 26, 2024
I had the opportunity to read this book which I received from Storm Publishing via Netgalley. As it is the first in a series I always hope for a great one so I have more books to look forward to. Luckily for me, that wasthe case with this one! And, I already received book 2 as well (which I'm currently reading 😎).
FBI agent Leigh Brody returns to her hometown after a body is marked with her name. Returning to her hometown brings back some bad memories. It’s been twenty years since Leigh 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. Can she focus on this case, which rapidly turns into a horror show, while fighting the demons from her past?
It was a great start to a series - an interesting background of the main protagonist with a great current case to work on. The struggle of the past is described well and makes it all the more captivating. All in all, a more than decent start to, hopefully, a long and interesting series.
4/5 ⭐️
FBI agent Leigh Brody returns to her hometown after a body is marked with her name. Returning to her hometown brings back some bad memories. It’s been twenty years since Leigh 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. Can she focus on this case, which rapidly turns into a horror show, while fighting the demons from her past?
It was a great start to a series - an interesting background of the main protagonist with a great current case to work on. The struggle of the past is described well and makes it all the more captivating. All in all, a more than decent start to, hopefully, a long and interesting series.
4/5 ⭐️
March 26, 2024
Twenty years ago, two young boys were found murdered. A suspect was freed, another, Joel Brody, father of one of the victims, was incarcerated. The detective and mayor fast tracked the investigation to send an innocent man to prison. The case nearly destroyed the town and devastated the Brody family. Now, FBI Agent Leigh Brody is called back to her hometown. The killer has struck again, but noting the tiny variations, Leigh believes a copycat is recreating the original crimes. This is her chance to put the real killer behind bars and free her father. Unfortunately for Leigh, not everyone is happy to see her back stirring things up. This book is tense throughout. A few red herrings, loads of twists and turns, a detailed plot, great characters make this a very good read. I was gripped throughout this page turner. And the ending……well, I really did not see that coming. I am looking forward to the next novel in this series.
June 11, 2024
This book is gripping thrilling. It's got it all.
From that first page, it's a thriller. That holds your attention like wow.
There are so many twists so many turns at one point I thought I knew who the killer was but I wasn't correct. This author kept me guessing to the end. Wow.
Wow such a good book.
So well written, that you will not want to put it down.
I read this book and three sittings.
310 pages. What a fabulous book.
Leigh,
Is returning to her hometown more murders.
Much like the ones That happened in her town when she grew up at seventeen.
Murders, a serial killer. It's on the loose once again.
But you'll never guess who the killer is.
What a fantastic read.
These are my favorite kind of books they're intense. They keep you on the edge of your seat and they have that wow. Factor.
This book was so very very good.
From that first page, it's a thriller. That holds your attention like wow.
There are so many twists so many turns at one point I thought I knew who the killer was but I wasn't correct. This author kept me guessing to the end. Wow.
Wow such a good book.
So well written, that you will not want to put it down.
I read this book and three sittings.
310 pages. What a fabulous book.
Leigh,
Is returning to her hometown more murders.
Much like the ones That happened in her town when she grew up at seventeen.
Murders, a serial killer. It's on the loose once again.
But you'll never guess who the killer is.
What a fantastic read.
These are my favorite kind of books they're intense. They keep you on the edge of your seat and they have that wow. Factor.
This book was so very very good.
March 29, 2024
This is my first book by Nichole Severn and it certainly won't be my last.
Agent Leigh Brody is back in her hometown to aid in a series of murders that are eerily similar to the murder of her brother decades earlier. Brody's father was arrested and convicted however, she never faltered in her belief that he was innocent. Now, she has a chance to solve these murders and confirm her fathers innocence.
Severn did a fantastic job hooking me from the first page and kept me invested in the book until the very last page. The multiple plot twists near the end of the book had me on the edge of my seat.
100% recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC copy of this book.
Agent Leigh Brody is back in her hometown to aid in a series of murders that are eerily similar to the murder of her brother decades earlier. Brody's father was arrested and convicted however, she never faltered in her belief that he was innocent. Now, she has a chance to solve these murders and confirm her fathers innocence.
Severn did a fantastic job hooking me from the first page and kept me invested in the book until the very last page. The multiple plot twists near the end of the book had me on the edge of my seat.
100% recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC copy of this book.
June 28, 2024
✨My Thoughts✨
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and what a fresh and original voice in this genre, this story is perfection.
Imagine going back to your hometown after they abandoned you when your little brother got murdered and your father got sent to prison for life for committing the most heinous of crimes against his own son.
Leigh knows her father is innocent though and this might just be the time that she proves it once and for all.
This was a story that was just shock after shock, I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it all.
Leigh is one hell of a woman, even when you learn what she went through as a teenager you’ll be in awe of her strength.
I wasn’t prepared for the ultimate shock and twist that the ending of this story gave me, it completely bamboozled me and left my jaw literally on the floor.
Hopefully I won’t have to wait long for book 2 because this author and series is incredible.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and what a fresh and original voice in this genre, this story is perfection.
Imagine going back to your hometown after they abandoned you when your little brother got murdered and your father got sent to prison for life for committing the most heinous of crimes against his own son.
Leigh knows her father is innocent though and this might just be the time that she proves it once and for all.
This was a story that was just shock after shock, I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it all.
Leigh is one hell of a woman, even when you learn what she went through as a teenager you’ll be in awe of her strength.
I wasn’t prepared for the ultimate shock and twist that the ending of this story gave me, it completely bamboozled me and left my jaw literally on the floor.
Hopefully I won’t have to wait long for book 2 because this author and series is incredible.
June 16, 2024
Nichole Severn
The Girl Who Survived
Leigh Brody - FBI Agent
Agent Brody was sent back to her home town Lebanon, New Hampshire to help out on a case. But things kept happening to the town. Leigh was determined to find who killed her brother and his friend. The more she went after another one got killed. She kept hunting and following the clues the better chance to find the killer. Even if it meant her getting hurt but she did t give up.
Nichole was a fabulous writer. She had a fantastic story line. She kept me on the edge of my seat. Characters where a perfect match.
I recommend this book.
The Girl Who Survived
Leigh Brody - FBI Agent
Agent Brody was sent back to her home town Lebanon, New Hampshire to help out on a case. But things kept happening to the town. Leigh was determined to find who killed her brother and his friend. The more she went after another one got killed. She kept hunting and following the clues the better chance to find the killer. Even if it meant her getting hurt but she did t give up.
Nichole was a fabulous writer. She had a fantastic story line. She kept me on the edge of my seat. Characters where a perfect match.
I recommend this book.
July 5, 2024
This was… insane? Quite gruesome at times, and I don’t know if it’s because I listened the audiobook versus having it in front of my eyeballs, but it I genuinely could not have come close to predicting that twist. Very good. My jaw literally dropped.
April 2, 2025
This was an intriguing read and kept the pace going as Leigh, an FBI investigator, is called to a crime scene in her hometown which she hasn’t been back to in years. Why? Because her father was arrested and thrown in jail for being a serial killer who was accused of killing two young boys, including his own son, her brother.
The action was good, although it dragged a little bit when the author got into Leigh’s head for several pages at a time, but this book failed for me about halfway through.
Leigh, At one point, is nearly burned to death in her old home. Everything is destroyed, and while fire and police and other law-enforcement personnel are on the scene you are told that she is wearing only a tank top and some shorts. The next morning, however, she wakes up in a hotel room and with no explanation has clothes and there is never any mention of how she got them. And, oh yes, the arsonist- attacker she fought isn’t mentioned immediately. The fact that the attack even happened seems to get brushed under the rug until a chapter or two later. Why? Because,even though she’s an FBI agent, no one believes there was an assailant? Except later in the book states there was a blood trail found behind her house leading into the woods. And then, the assailant who will remain nameless here but is a character in the book, suddenly appears and she makes no effort whatsoever to have him arrested even though she clocked him at least twice with a hammer? Really? Especially given his injuries could easily be identified and support her claim.
And then later in the story someone comes after her with a baseball bat and slugs her full force at least three times, and yet she gets up and walks away and doesn’t charge the person? Seriously?Apparently our heroine is wonder woman in disguise. Because for a person who has spent her career behind a desk as an analyst, she keeps getting slugged and keeps getting up. Even Indiana Jones at least limps a little bit.
So, for me, the unbelievability factor in this book ruined it for me, especially with the first twist in the ending involving the killer. His reasoning made no sense to me as to why he chose this road of murder, and the second twist didn’t sit well either. Not to mention that her father who has been sitting in jail for decades, once the real killer is revealed- What happened to him? Did he get released from jail? You’ll never find out at the end of this book.
Way too many leftover questions for this to be a real hit for me. All that said, it was a book that kept me reading even if in the end I was disappointed. If you’re gonna give it a go, just remember you’re reading fiction because that is a big word in this book!
The action was good, although it dragged a little bit when the author got into Leigh’s head for several pages at a time, but this book failed for me about halfway through.
Leigh, At one point, is nearly burned to death in her old home. Everything is destroyed, and while fire and police and other law-enforcement personnel are on the scene you are told that she is wearing only a tank top and some shorts. The next morning, however, she wakes up in a hotel room and with no explanation has clothes and there is never any mention of how she got them. And, oh yes, the arsonist- attacker she fought isn’t mentioned immediately. The fact that the attack even happened seems to get brushed under the rug until a chapter or two later. Why? Because,even though she’s an FBI agent, no one believes there was an assailant? Except later in the book states there was a blood trail found behind her house leading into the woods. And then, the assailant who will remain nameless here but is a character in the book, suddenly appears and she makes no effort whatsoever to have him arrested even though she clocked him at least twice with a hammer? Really? Especially given his injuries could easily be identified and support her claim.
And then later in the story someone comes after her with a baseball bat and slugs her full force at least three times, and yet she gets up and walks away and doesn’t charge the person? Seriously?Apparently our heroine is wonder woman in disguise. Because for a person who has spent her career behind a desk as an analyst, she keeps getting slugged and keeps getting up. Even Indiana Jones at least limps a little bit.
So, for me, the unbelievability factor in this book ruined it for me, especially with the first twist in the ending involving the killer. His reasoning made no sense to me as to why he chose this road of murder, and the second twist didn’t sit well either. Not to mention that her father who has been sitting in jail for decades, once the real killer is revealed- What happened to him? Did he get released from jail? You’ll never find out at the end of this book.
Way too many leftover questions for this to be a real hit for me. All that said, it was a book that kept me reading even if in the end I was disappointed. If you’re gonna give it a go, just remember you’re reading fiction because that is a big word in this book!
May 6, 2024
Returning to her hometown to help right a terrible wrong from the past and help solve a string of new murder Leigh Brody comes up against hatred and prejudice from law enforcement and townspeople. So much going on in this suspenseful mystery. The connections to the past are overwhelming. The ending was a total shocker. I didn’t see that coming at all. This is a great start to what looks to be an amazing series.
May 2, 2024
Thanks to #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for the book #TheGirlWhoSurvived by #NicholeSevern. Leigh has come home to help solve a twenty year old case where two boys had been murdered. It just so happens her brother was one of them and her father was accused. The town seems to be against her and somebody is out to get her. Who is behind all this and is it the same person that murdered those boys? I could not stop reading this book and was so shocked with the big twist ending.
January 20, 2025
What a complete pack of poorly written nonsense. The repetition was tedious, I lost count of how many times the traumatic death of her brother was mentioned. I will not be reading any more of this series.
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