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Emma Griffin FBI Mysteries #29

The Girl in the Dark

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The life of a teenage girl is a roller coaster of emotions.
Did Luisa Sinclair really run away from home?

With a troubled home life, many in town speculated that Luisa Sinclair ran away.
It’s been years since her sudden disappearance and all hopes of finding her are gone.
Until a fisherman pulled up an ominous drum barrel.
It contained human remains and the DNA comes up as a match for Luisa.

While FBI agent Emma Griffin attempts to track down the culprit responsible,
she stumbles upon a trail of missing young girls in that area.
Cases that may be linked to Luisa’s disappearance and murder.
There’s a cunning and wicked predator on the loose.
It's only a matter of time before the killer takes another life.

Trust the wrong person and it might cost you your life…

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2024

579 people are currently reading
397 people want to read

About the author

A.J. Rivers

154 books1,565 followers

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5 stars
1,511 (66%)
4 stars
587 (25%)
3 stars
140 (6%)
2 stars
23 (1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
Profile Image for Katie.
146 reviews2 followers
March 13, 2025
wow

Book 29 couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to know what happen to the people that disappeared like who did it and all that then Emma gets a call saying there was a letter that came in just what
Profile Image for Kristin Lindsey.
22 reviews
June 12, 2024
ENOUGH WITH THE CINNAMON ROLLS


Again, another book that feels rushed. I love that she puts out books so quickly but the flip side is her quality is going down.
Profile Image for Kaytey.
178 reviews
September 11, 2024
Read 2024 - I give this a 3.5/5 stars. I definitely did not predict the perpetrator correctly and the way that Emma explains how she got there was interesting but for me, the book wasn't super interesting until it got to the place where Emma was starting to piece everything together.

This starts with the murder of Terrence Brooks, which Emma is assigned to and starts to investigate, but then Eric assigns her to another murder, of Oscar Vega. So she has to put Terrence Brooks on the back burner and it's not talked about again until the end of the book. It seems that his murder will be brought back up in the next book.

As Emma is investigating Oscar Vega's murder, it is discovered that there is fresh DNA of a girl who disappeared 13 years prior, Luisa Sinclair. Because of that, Emma knows that Luisa is either still alive or at least was when Vega was killed so Emma starts to look into the disappearance of Luisa. She digs into the initially investigation and also finds that another girl, Melanie Glover, disappeared 5 years prior to Luisa. Emma works to find the link. Through a lot of questioning and investigating, Emma finds out like Fred Hall, the custodian from the high school Luisa attended was the culprit.

Fred met Melanie first at the nursing home where his parents and her grandparents were at. They grew a bond and one day, he kidnapped her thinking they would be in this loving relationship. When Melanie didn't comply, Fred murdered her and put her body in the corner of a sealed off room in the basement. Then Fred met Luisa at the high school and they grew a very close bond because Luisa had a terrible home life and she wanted the attention from a man which Fred gave to her. Even though Luisa went with Fred willingly one day, after some time, she wanted to leave and that's when things turned with Fred and he got angry with her/ kept her captive. He started locking Luisa in the sealed off room where she found Melanie's decomposing body. She knew what Fred was capable of so she behaved and gained his trust over the years.

After a while, he trusted her enough to walk to the local convenience store where she met Oscar Vega and they fell in love. She told Vega the truth about her situation and they planned a way for her to escape and go to police but Fred caught them and he killed Vega where Luisa acted quick enough to leave his DNA on him which eventually led to Emma finding her.

Once I found out how everything was connected, that's when it got good for me but it was slightly uninteresting for me up until then.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
423 reviews4 followers
June 20, 2024
The Girl In the Dark(Emma Griffin FBI Mystery Book 29)

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! This book was so amazing. There was so much going on, Emma doesn't have just one case, she has two. She just starts working on the first case when Eric calls her and sends her somewhere else. Two totally different cases, one starts out looking like a suicide, but the police that are investigating it, thinks it's so strange, they immediately call in the FBI. The second is totally a murder, but also a strange one, it involves a body in a barrel that was found in Canadian waters, the barrel traces back to an American company, so that also brings in the FBI. So needlessly to say very complicated cases. She solves one and brings home two girls that have been missing for more then a decade, but still has a lot of work to do on the second case, or is it the first case, you'll have to read it to find out.
8 reviews
January 1, 2025
I love AJ Rivers and have read most of her books. This one starts with one mystery and then starts a second investigation. But the first investigation gets put on the back burner while solving the second one. Then on the last page, the first investigation comes up again. I really don't like that. I prefer she sticks to one investigation per book. If she's going to have a second investigation, then she needs to keep up the investigation at the same time-not forget about it and then bring it back.
Profile Image for Karen Wright.
606 reviews4 followers
June 4, 2024
Wow! This has to be my favorite book of the series to date. It's exciting and fast paced as Emma starts out with a new investigation that quickly turns into a different one. This seems complicated and inexplicably combined. A murder turns into a disappearance which then turns into two disappearances. Then suddenly the original murder is thrown back in after the murder and disappearances are solved. It's a wild ride and I cannot wait for more!
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,640 reviews9 followers
June 12, 2024
familiar tropes done very well

Pulled off a new case for a peculiar body-in-a-barrel homicide, where DNA under the John Doe’s fingernails returns a stunning finding, Emma uncovers lies, injustice, rumor and innuendo, as well as disparate clues which finally build to the startling conclusion.

Although another reviewer was bored out of her mind (she’s probably much smarter than me), I found this installment spellbinding and above-average.
42 reviews2 followers
June 19, 2024
I've read every book in this series and all the Dean books also and have enjoyed all of them so far. I have to admit though that I really couldn't get into this one as much and could hardly get thru the first half; it just seemed very haphazard to me. Wasn't much of a thriller at all BUT have to admit the very last page made me happy I read this and am looking forward to the next Emma book. Please make it more exciting than this one!
8 reviews
June 11, 2024
Not the best read

Way too predictable and Emma just goes on and on with her thoughts that becomes very boring. Not enough action. Also why start it with one scenario then switch to a completely different story? By time I got to the end of the book and it was referenced again I barely remembered who they were talking about
120 reviews
June 13, 2024
Gripping

This book is so good, I read it in 1 day - couldn't put it down. It
is so well written with lots of twists and turns that go in many different directions. The ending was a surprise and really took me by surprise. I don't know how this author comes up with these stories but I'm really glad she does. Can't wait for book 30.
Profile Image for Kelly Smelcer.
408 reviews
June 23, 2024
Excellent!

AJ Rivers has been a favorite author of mine for a while now. You can't go wrong with any of her books!

Thirteen years ago, a student named Luisa went missing from school with no trace. Now, a former teacher is found in a barrel, and Luisa's DNA is on him, indicating she's still alive. The chase is on to find her and her abductor before anything else happens.
Profile Image for Beth Stromberg.
455 reviews12 followers
July 17, 2024
Dissatisfied

For the first time, one of Rivers's books disappointed me. I followed along with the investigation. It was holding my interest. Then, bam, out of nowhere Emma has an epiphany and k owe all the answers?? I had no idea what she was doing. A!so, none of the regulars got more than a mention.
Still, I'm a fan. Can't all be winners.
Profile Image for Lisa Moody.
71 reviews
January 10, 2025
ANOTHER BULLSEYE!

Well, you did it again and I can't thank you enough. This story only took me two sittings to finish, and what a finish it was!!
You keep getting better and better: I am VERY impressed! One thing: you still need to get better proof readers! This story had a bunch of errors. Doesn't matter, though-I still have the next one qued!!👍
1,507 reviews7 followers
June 10, 2024
The Girl in the Dark

OMG. This is another great thriller. This series never let's me down. I could not put this book down. Can't wait for the next one. Between Emma and Dean mysteries series these are the best mystery. I highly recommend this series.
23 reviews
June 10, 2024
Emma Griffin does it again!!

I have been following Emma Griffin since the first book. These books grab my attention right from the beginning to the last page. I can't wait for the next one to come out. Thank You A J Rivers for another wonderful story.
1,409 reviews4 followers
June 13, 2024
Emma is on the job!

What a twist! Emma has her work cut out for her on this case. Seems like she always gets the tough ones, but she’s always up to the challenge. Love how she picks everything apart and gets the picture she needs to solve the case.
400 reviews4 followers
Read
June 16, 2024
Excellent Reading

Emma is one of my favorite heroines! I have thoroughly enjoyed all 29 books and anxiously await the next one. All the characters are part of my family now. This is a very good book and I recommend it to everyone. Enjoy.
276 reviews
July 2, 2024
good book!

Emma starts out investigating a maybe murder then gets sent on a different case of a man found in a barrel. He has blood DNA from a girl that has been missing for several years.
22 reviews
August 27, 2024
Emma rocks!

I loved this book! Agent Emma Griffin is such a great character. The way she works through a case is eye opening to the FBI works. If you haven't read any of Emma's stories, you are missing out. Start at the beginning and binge the series!😊
87 reviews
September 11, 2024
Another Murder-Mystery Solved

Only Agent Emma Griffin would be able to work multiple murders from different locations by herself that were mostly. OLD Cases….Can she find out what happened to the women,?…Why was the PE teacher sacrificed…. Find out if Emma can do it all…
99 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2024
Emma to the rescue

Another great read by A.J. Rivers. I stumbled onto these books and have loved reading about Emma Griffin and her gang. This story was sad and parts taken from the news. Really enjoyed. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
3 reviews
November 1, 2024
love this series

Emma was my first series that made me really enjoy AJ Rivers! love how the stories go along and how engaging they are! Love, the strong women, characters and the important relationship. she builds along the way.
239 reviews
November 13, 2024
Great reading

Enjoy reading this series of Emma Griffin, and will continue on with the series until I finish all of them. So addictive. I make sure I have an hour or two every evening just to do some R and R with Emma.
207 reviews2 followers
January 25, 2025
Always gets her man

Emma always gets her man. Unfortunately it was the murder of an innocent man that led her to solve a cold case successfully. I just wish Oscar had been saved. As a former teacher I felt the pain of his false accusations deeply.
237 reviews3 followers
February 15, 2025
A very disturbing story about 2 kidnapped girls.

One girl gone without a trace for eighteen years, another gone for thirteen years. A dead body of a man is found in a barrel with fresh DNA from the girl missing for thirteen years. A disturbingly insane story.
Profile Image for Patricia A. Biba.
399 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2025
Bullied and Mistreated i

This story shows how difficult things can be when an individual is bullied and treated terrible by family. I think anyone who may know someone in that situation would discover what they could do to help.
Profile Image for Jeannette.
327 reviews
June 3, 2024
I loved it. This is another AJ Rivers book that grabs your attention and takes you on a rollercoaster ride as you follow Emma Griffin on her investigation.
747 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2024
This was a awesome story about Emma going all out to find out what is happening to a young girl and others. This story had lots of suspense and action. Thank you for this excellent story.
130 reviews
June 13, 2024
I think Emma is starting to slip.

The book was good, I read it in one day but it wasn’t my favorite. It may be time for Emma to retire.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews

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