Het meisje in het water (Josie Quinn Book 9)

Detective Josie Quinn #9

by Lisa Regan, TextCase

Er was maar één speler geweest die het embleem met de vlammende honkbal had gekregen. Hij was vijf jaar geleden in Josies armen gestorven, tijdens de zaak van de vermiste meisjes.



Tijdens een reddingsoperatie temidden van hevige regenbuien komt het in een zeil gewikkelde lichaam van een jonge vrouw boven water drijven. Gelukkig is het lichaam van het slachtoffer perfect bewaard gebleven. Rechercheur Josie Quinn herkent het jack waarin het slachtoffer gehuld is direct aan het honkbalembleem; dit is dezelfde als haar overleden ex-man, Ray, had.

Ze volgt het spoor terug naar haar middelbare school en identificeert het slachtoffer als studente Beverly Urban, een volgens Josie onaardig meisje, wie vroeger rond-bazuinde dat ze een relatie had met Ray. De autopsie onthult een kogel in haar hoofd, en daarmee ook het hartverscheurende geheim dat Beverly bewaarde. Josie gaat op onderzoek uit, maar als er nog iemand wordt vermoord, is het duidelijk dat iemand niet wil dat de waarheid aan het licht komt. Hoe diep moet Josie in haar verleden met Ray graven om de dader op te sporen?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Audiobook

425 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2020

About the author

Lisa Regan is the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series as well as several other crime fiction titles. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers’ Association, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Quinn is back fighting crime in a drenched Denton, as the waters rise and the flooding continues, a body is discovered floating by a rescue boat when a house gives way. Naturally, Josie jumps into action and begins the investigation. The body has ties to Josie's past and the story is told through the current day investigation and through flashbacks to Josie's past.

All the supporting characters play their part and there continues to be character development and action. What I wanted more of were Josie and Noah. I enjoy their relationship and want to see more of them and less of Josie reminiscing about her past love in the next book. How long does Noah have to live in Ray's shadow?

As usual, Regan does a good job setting the scene and building tension. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Regan had a few cards up her sleeve and played them nicely. I found this to be a solid installment in the series.

As with all of Regan's books, I loved the pacing, setting, and tension in this book. I found this book to be well written and captivating.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: As she put Gretchen's phone into her pocket, she heard a siren in the distance. Her heart leapt at the thought that backup was so close, but then she realized it was just the fire company's emergency siren. The river was about to ravage the city again, and Josie and Gretchen were in it's maw, being shot at while trying to keep a wounded woman alive.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Heavy rain pours on the small town of Denton causing the riverbanks to break and the body of a young girl to float quietly to the surface. With no crime scene to examine, the odds are against Detective Josie Quinn and her team. Mercifully, the victim’s body is perfectly preserved, right down to the baseball patch on the jacket she was wearing. Josie can’t hide her devastation—her dead ex-husband, Ray, owned one just like it.

Following the trail back to her high school, Josie identifies the girl as Beverly Urban, a troubled student rumored to have been dating Ray before she left town for good. It looks like a tragic accident until the autopsy reveals a bullet in her head and the heart-breaking secret she was keeping.

Josie visits the salon where Beverly’s mother used to work, believing she was at the heart of a terrible scandal around the time her daughter’s life was taken. With the Denton wives remaining tight-lipped, Josie’s only hope is a secret meet-up with a terrified woman willing to talk. But she is murdered moments before giving Josie crucial information. It’s clear that someone is prepared to keep on killing to stop the truth from getting out.

Digging deep into memories of her own past with Ray is the only advantage Josie has on this twisted killer… but at what cost?

MY THOUGHTS: I have really loved this series, but there are a lot of things I dislike about this particular book.
1. There is zero character development of the main characters.
2. There is zero relationship development between the characters - any of them.
3. There are too many threads to this story, all of them pretty superficial - less is more, and give what is there more depth.
4. There is no way that this could be read as a stand-alone. If I hadn't read the previous books in the series I would have been totally lost.
5. There was absolutely no benefit to the plot in using flashbacks. It was 'filler'.
6. There is a lot of shooting. A lot of fighting. Very little subtlety.
7. I felt like Lisa Regan had taken the song 'Shame and Scandal' by Madness, and turned it into a book.
7. Another case of really stretching the credibility factor. In the real world eight stitches in Josie's leg would have seen her off work, or at least confined to desk duties.

It really pains me to say this, but right now, having just closed the cover on Save Her Soul, I don't know if I will continue with this series. It had all the ingredients for a great read, but missed my mark by miles.

**.7

#SaveHerSoul #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Lisa Regan is the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series as well as several other crime fiction titles. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers’ Association, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Save Her Soul by Lisa Regan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinion.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my profile page on Goodreads.com or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CFjP_YWgz...
and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Kat (Books are Comfort Food) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Josie Quinn is back in action when the entire town of Dentin is flooding. In true Josie fashion, she sees a plastic tarp floating neat the rescue point, convinced it’s a body in a bag, she rescues it and the mystery begins. Overall this is a quick read, well written and used good old police investigation in connecting the dots. I enjoy this series and the stories are good. While it’s not a favorite series for me, it’s reliable and enjoyable.

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

WooHoo, another fantastic addition to one of my favourite series and characters. I love Josie even more after each book and there are nine now. They just keep getting better and better!

Lisa Regan blows me away with each book with how Josie develops with each one. I love all the characters, and with each book, we see Josie grow and her relationships with the characters. I love all the characters and look forward to seeing them in each book.

The story starts off exciting and tense here as Josie is caught up in a flood and finds a body flooding. She soon discovers the body is connected to her past and what she finds rattles her soul and she left questioning everything she believes what makes her, her. I love it when we see more into Josie's past and see a raw, vulnerable side to her and here in this one, we are taken back to Josie's high school years with Ray. I love the connection between Josie and Ray and loved seeing more into their past. I was glued to the pages, my heart breaking for Josie and rooting that she doesn't lose herself.

The case is exciting with plenty of action, suspense and tension with some great twist and turn that had me tapping my kindle as fast as I could. As always Lisa Regan kept me guessing right up to the end and I loved everything about this story! I just can't get enough of Josie and the dynamics between her and the other characters. I highly recommend this series!

If you haven't read this series I highly recommend it. If you would like to find out more about the series Lisa Regan joined us for a spoiler-free Q & A in The Behind the Pages group. You can find the group here

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! And so sad in places -I had to have a box of tissues handy! Maybe it is time Josie succumbed to attending a psychologist. How many more times can she crash and burn and then pull herself together again? She is so lucky to have Noah and Gretchen there to help save her.

This story was full of police type action plus the excitement of the massive floods all around. All of the characters played big parts - Gretchen, Misty, Noah and even the Chief. What a great series this is . I can't wait to get into the next one.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa Regan is the queen of crime thrillers! Josie Quinn is back in the ninth installment of this stellar series. Each book in the series is bursting with tension, atmosphere, brilliant storytelling, fascinating characters, twists, turns, and thrills. This book kicks off with Josie and Gretchen involved in a water rescue. Denton is in the midst of epic rain storms and the city is rapidly flooding. This really offered the perfect ominous atmospheric setting for this mystery. While in the middle of the water rescue Josie discovers a dead body. The body had been buried for over 16 years and the flooding has brought it to the surface. Turns out the dead woman is someone Josie went to high school with and the kicker she’s wearing Josie’s dead husband ray’s baseball jacket. This mystery drags up many pieces of Josie’s past. A dead body, a hairdresser, a drug dealer, A mysterious caller, floodwaters, gunshots, protests, DNA, and an orange cat.
Once again I was 100% invested in figuring out the mystery in the story. Love Josie and all the other characters in these books. Josie has had so much growth throughout the series. I hated to see her drug back into the past dealing with not only The ghost of Ray, but also her terrible supposed mother. My only complaint with the story is that once again poor Noah had to play second string to Ray. I mean I really like them together and I think Noah is really good for Josie, but man I almost want him to call her out sometimes. Another spectacular installment in this series with an ending that took me by surprise.
This book in emojis 💦 🐱 ☔️ 💊 🔎 🧬 ⚾️
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
The town of Denton is pummeled by torrential rains, causing the riverbanks to overflow, flooding a lot of the town. Detectives Josie Quinn and Gretchen Miller are assisting with water rescues when they see what looks like a body wrapped in a tarp float to the surface after a house is swept away from its foundation. Back at the morgue, Josie is stunned when she sees the perfectly preserved dead girl wearing a familiar jacket…one formerly owned by her deceased ex-husband Ray. She’s identified as Beverly Urban who supposedly left town sixteen years ago and was rumored to be secretly dating Ray.

the heart of the story…
Josie is once again thrown back into her past as she knew Beverly, a troublemaker who had quite a few run ins with her over Ray. The investigation leads them to the salon where Beverly’s mother Vera used to work and to a group of affluent women, including the mayor, who were more than just her clients. All this in the midst of the town being overrun by the river’s waters, a contentious mayoral campaign and a missing Vera who hasn’t been seen since her daughter disappeared.

the narration…
Kate Handford is now firmly affixed in my mind as the voice of the series and I’m loving everything about her performances.

the bottom line…
Finding Ray’s beloved baseball jacket on Beverly’s body raised old insecurities for Josie. It was a tough case that forced her to revisit old relationships and butt heads with the mayor again. She also experienced a stunning discovery that leaves her (and me!) reeling. The hits just keep on coming and I wonder how much more Josie can bear. The investigation was fascinating and I did guess the twist prior to the reveal. No matter as I highly enjoyed the resolution and the story.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The small town of Denton had been inundated by heavy rain; days it had been raining and riverbanks had broken while areas were being evacuated. The rescue teams were spread thin, so Detective Josie Quinn and her partner, Detective Gretchen Palmer were currently on a rescue boat on the way to flooded houses. Mrs Bassett’s home was engulfed and with sheer grit and determination, Josie rescued her as she was swept away. But it was what Josie and Gretchen saw as Mrs Bassett’s house began to float that set the scene for the next week or so – Denton police department suddenly had a sixteen year old murder on their hands.

This case drew heavily on Josie’s past – the victim was a girl from the school Josie and her then boyfriend Ray had attended. Beverly Urban was a bully with few friends, but Josie was determined to find them. Answers from so long ago were evasive but Josie and Gretchen continued to dig deeply. Frustration and sleep deprivation hounded the team, and the more they dug, the deeper the secrets were buried. Would Josie solve the long ago murder? Or was there someone out there who would kill again to stop those secrets being revealed?

Save Her Soul is the 9th in the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan and once again I loved it. A fast paced, intense and chilling series, I can’t wait for the next. Josie and Gretchen work well together and Noah, another detective on the team, and Josie’s significant other, is another great, down to earth character. This is a series that needs to be read in order because of the growth of the characters; it would be a shame to miss what have been notable events in the characters’ pasts. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Erth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie Quinn is back! Again, she's literally caught in a flood and rescuing a body that 's been dislodged from a home in the river. From that point on, she finds herself immersed in a cold case that has her stumped as far as who did what! Also, it's a great idea to begin with Book 1 in order to meet Josie Quinn and see why she's arrived at this point. Many of her demons are still in her, but now they are starting to resurface. It's a fast paced thriller, full of action and many characters.

Lisa Regan's character, Josie Quinn, is her best character and storyline. I haven't been disappointed and I look forward to a continuation of this series.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Josie Quinn is back (well actually, I guess she never left), and she's in fighting form. This time, besides her usual murder-solving prowess, she and her police colleagues are dealing with the weather: heavy rains have flooded much of small-town Denton, Pennsylvania, rendering some spots virtually inaccessible and putting investigations on a slippery slope.

After Josie and her partner Gretchen Palmer save an elderly woman whose home - and her - are about to be swept away by the raging current, a long-dead, tarp-wrapped body is unearthed, apparently from underneath the rental home's concrete basement. Turns out it's Beverly Urban, one of Josie's high-school classmates - a bully who had a rough life but took it out on everybody else except a couple of close friends. Just another cold case, or so it seems, until Josie discovers that the teenager was wearing a baseball awards jacket that's way too similar to the one that belonged to Josie's late husband, Ray.

Back then, Ray claimed he lost it; but Josie all too well recalls rumors that Ray and Beverly had a "thing" behind Josie's back. Josie didn't believe it then and doesn't want to believe it now, but on the other hand, evidence doesn't lie. Beverly and her mother, Vera, had serious issues which, apparently, led to the two of them making a sudden getaway from Denton, never to be heard from again.

Since Ray's death, Josie is in a happy relationship with coworker Noah, who's almost too good to be true. She's not pining an old love, but neither does she want to learn that her high-school sweetheart and former husband isn't the person she thought he was. As the investigation progresses, Josie gets a call from an unidentified woman who says she's willing to spill the beans. Maybe yes, maybe no; but it doesn't really matter when the woman is murdered right before Josie and Gretchen's eyes.

But when the going gets tough, the tough get going; and nothing describes Josie Quinn more than the word tough. The trail leads to some of Denton's most wealthy and influential residents, several of whom have been keeping dark secrets for many years. In between the action are flashback chapters outlining Josie's memories from high school - and while it's done well, I really hope this is the last I'll see of this over-used technique in future books. And while I'm on the subject of please don'ts, if I read the phrase "his/her smile didn't reach his/her eyes" one more time, I'm gonna barf (it's appeared at least once in at least four out of the last five books I've read; enough, already).

None of that, though, has dampened my enthusiasm for this series - and I'll be eager to read the next one (I've read and enjoyed four others). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this one.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavy rains have brought massive flooding to Denton, PA. Even members of the police department are joining the Emergency Services Department on the rescue boats. In one boat Josie and her partner, Detective Gretchen Palmer, are heading to a house where an elderly woman is trapped and in danger of being swept away by the flood waters. They save Mrs Bassett moments before the house is swept off it's foundation by the raging flood waters. Then Josie sees a bundle wrapped in blue tarp. She knows that what she is seeing is a body. She dives into the water to pull the bundle into the rescue boat much to the anger of the others with Emergency Services. They are there to save lives. Not recover bodies. Josie doesn't care. This wasn't a flood victim. People don't wrap bodies in a tarp and bury them in basements.

Back at the morgue Josie watches as they prepare to do the autopsy. First they carefully unwrap the tarp. When the body is revealed it is wearing a baseball jacket. Not just any jacket. It is the jacket for the local high school the year they won the state championship. On this jacket is a patch which makes it unique. Josie is shocked to the core. She recognizes the jacket. It belonged to her husband, Ray. But how is it possible. He died in her arms five years ago.

The body is identified as Beverly Urban, a troubled student who disappeared after Josie's junior year in high school. Her mother disappeared at the same time. They were having financial problems and at the time everyone assumed they moved without announcing it. But the autopsy reveals that Beverly had been murdered. Shot in the back of the head. She was also pregnant. Ray and Josie had been close since they were children. They had plans. But there were also rumors that Ray had been seeing Beverly. Could he be the father? But Josie knows that no matter what happened to Ray at the end there is no way he would murder anyone.

Josie and her team begin their investigation. They visit the salon where Beverly's mother used to work. Interviewing friends and co-workers. Beverly's mother has never been seen since she disappeared. Could she have learned that Beverly was pregnant, killed her, and then fled? The public knows that Josie recovered a body from the flood waters but no other details. Josie starts receiving phone calls from a terrified woman who knows these details. She wants to meet Josie alone. When they finally set up a meet the woman is murdered in front of Josie's eyes. Someone out there is willing to go to extreme lengths to prevent the truth from being revealed.

The story has several flashbacks to Josie's junior year in high school when she and Ray were dating. Young and in love. The reader gets to see the Ray that Josie fell in love with. And Beverly is there. She has her eyes on Ray. She and Josie have many encounters. Often Josie's grandmother and Beverly's mother have to come to the high school to meet with the principle.

Another side story deals with a group of residents in one of Denton's wealthy communities. Wealthy people who have "appropriated" community resources meant for emergency services. Resources appropriated to save their own homes. Two of those residents are the current mayor and her opponent in the upcoming mayoral race.

Josie has many issues going on in her life at the time. Issues that are impacting her decision making and her work. There are issues going back to her childhood, Ray, and in this story a new relationship with her grandmother is revealed. Having read this story I was left wondering whether Josie will be starting therapy. Reluctantly. Maybe in a later book? I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Breathe Your Last

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 flooding stars

This is #9 in the installment of the Josie Quinn series and somehow author Lisa Regan finds new and interesting storylines. This time there are floodwaters threatening Denton and this makes a great backdrop for several crime scenes. There are a few dramatic water rescues and the flooding also unearths a long-buried body. Josie’s murder investigation hits close to home.

This book features quite a few flashback scenes to Josie’s high school days and her romance with then-boyfriend Ray. There’s a modern-day mystery swirling around Ray and we finally get enough clues to piece it together. I was hoping for more romance with Noah, but hopefully that comes in a future book. Josie’s grandma makes an appearance as well in this book, she’s one of my favorite characters!

There’s also a subplot concerning the expensive homes in one part of town and the residents possibly stealing town resources to protect their property. The two plots come together in a way I was not predicting! This one had some good twists and I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series.

Thank you to Lisa Regan, NetGalley, and Bookoutre for the complimentary copy of this one to read. Josie fans, this one is out 8.12.2020.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Lisa Regan has outdone herself this time! I am a massive fan of this authors books, especially the Josie Quinn series. Hard to believe that we are up to book 9 already - and I have to say that I think that this one of the best of the whole series. It opens with chapters worthy of an action film and I was holding my breath as it all unfolded. I feel this is a series best read in order, Josie and the characters have quite a complex past to understand. She is a character that I will never hesitate to read about and I hope that there is plenty more to come.

The small town of Denton is flooding and the local police have been called in to help with the rescue missions. When a house floats away and uncovers a body wrapped in a tarp Josie must go back to her high school days to uncover the truth. The body of a young woman, wearing a baseball jacket that Josie knows well, it was owned by her ex-husband and high school sweetheart Ray. But why is Beverly Urban, another girl from her high school days wearing it when she was murdered? And who wanted her dead and why? It opens up a can of worms and Josie starts to doubt everything she thought she knew about Ray.

This is a fantastic crime story, full of action and twists. Josie is woman who never gives up, no matter what she might learn. High recommend this series.

Thanks to Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavy rain has caused massive flooding in the small town of Denton, Pennsylvania. Detective Josie Quinn is helping with the rescue when a house gives way to the flood and the body of a young woman surfaces beside her boat. The body is well preserved, including the jacket that she is wearing...a jacket that once belonged to Josie's ex-husband, Ray. The body is identified as Beverly Urban, a girl who went to school with Josie and Ray through eleventh grade; but disappeared before her senior year. Josie and Detective Gretchen Palmer investigate, finding that Beverly's mother, Vera Urban, also disappeared at the same time. While attempting to follow Vera's trail, Josie gets a call from a mysterious woman saying she has information about Beverly's murder. The woman doesn't trust the police and is afraid to come forward with her information.

This was a solid entry in the Josie Quinn series. I like how the author uses Josie's memories to bring the past to life. This story had many suspects to wade through. I really didn't have a theory about what happened and had trouble narrowing down my list of suspects. The killer's identity was a surprise to me. My rating: 5 Stars.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another excellent instalment in Lisa Regan’s Detective Josie Quinn series. As the book opens, Denton is being inundated by a flood of biblical proportions. Police and SAR officers are rescuing people from flooded homes. Josie and Detective Gretchen Palmer just manage to get an old woman aboard their boat before the house collapses when a body shaped package wrapped in a blue tarp seems to pop out from under where the basement was.

The body is soon identified as Beverley Urban who was in Josie’s year at high school. Everyone thought that she and her mother had just up and left at the end of the school year. Clearly that wasn’t the case. But why is Beverley wearing Ray Quinn’s precious letter jacket (Ray is Josie’s former husband who died five years ago. But Beverley has been dead for 16 years, and where is Vera Urban, Beverley’s mother? The Denton detectives follow a twisty and tortuous trail to get closer to the truth but no one could have foreseen what actually happened. Some big scalps are on the line.

I don’t think Lisa Regan has written a single bad book. This series is reliably good, this particular book was maybe not quite as dramatic as the previous one but still gets a well deserved 4 stars.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Save Her Soul is the ninth instalment in the Detective Josie Quinn series, set in Denton, Pennsylvania. Historic flooding in Detective Quinn's hometown exposes a decades-old murder and a killer who will do anything to keep such deadly secrets buried. Denton is in a state of emergency due to some of the worst flooding ever experienced in the area and the stormy weather is causing chaos for residents. Josie and Detective Gretchen Palmer are attempting a daring rescue mission after Mrs Evelyn Bassett becomes trapped in her home due to the high floodwater and the local authorities have been called in to help. When a well-preserved corpse wrapped in a blue tarpaulin floats to the surface, seemingly from under the house that has just descended downstream, Josie fails to recognise the victim, a young woman who turns out to be Beverly Urban former school bully and all-round troublemaker, but she instantly recognises the jacket Beverly is wearing. It's part of the Denton East High School uniform and she realises this particular letterman baseball jacket belonged to her late ex-husband Ray Quinn. The case is about to become a little too personal.

This is a captivating, well-plotted and twisty police procedural with more than enough action taking place to keep your interest from waning. Josie must gather all the strength she can muster in order to try and treat the victim like any other and remain dedicated to solving the slaying despite the victim having possibly had an affair with her former husband and her bullying behaviour towards Josie in their schooldays. I was glued to the pages once it hooked me in after the first chapter or so and from then on it was a rollercoaster ride of emotion and surprises. It's gripping with an intense and fascinating plot and the fact it is told solely from Josie’s perspective makes this easy to follow and the story flows effortlessly from page to page. There's never a dull moment and it barely gives you a chance to breathe as the plot races onwards towards the twisty conclusion. Josie is a tough, determined and admirable protagonist and I enjoy learning more about her with each new book. An excellent addition to the series that features drama, suspense and tension aplenty. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

[Mick Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re in Denton, Central Pennsylvania. When severe rainfall causes the whole town and surrounding county to be flooded, the police have to help with evacuating those people left behind because they couldn’t self-evacuate. At the same time, there’s political unrest because the mayor and her opponent divert crucial emergency flood material to their own neighbourhood. The mayor hires a press liaison officer to deal with journalists but the other police officers consider her to be a spy for the mayor.
Detectives Josie Quinn and Gretchen Palmer have only just rescued an elderly lady when her whole house washes away. Josie spots a body wrapped in tarpaulin floating out of the basement. As it’s not the way that normal people bury their loved ones, she’s certain they’ve discovered an old homicide. The body turns out to be a young woman who’s wearing a baseball jacket Josie knows all too well. Several details confirm that it is the very jacket that belonged to her then-boyfriend (later on her husband) Ray. Who is she? Who buried her in the basement and why? Why is she wearing Ray’s precious jacket? Who killed her? Josie has to revisit her school days to solve this mystery.

Of course, I knew about Lisa Regan but I don’t think that I ever read something by her. When I spotted this title on Netgalley, I jumped at the opportunity and I was not mistaken. This is police procedural at its best. Even though it is the 9th book in this series, I could understand everything that went on. There’s a lot of personal history mixed in with the investigation but where necessary, the events from previous books are repeated. Judging from those backstories, I’m under the impression that that personal involvement in the cases is a trademark of this series. I guess that this is exactly why the series has such an appeal to readers but it also looks that Josie has had an excessive amount of trauma in her life.
Early on in the book, I had an idea about who the culprit was. I thought it rather obvious who the killer was when Alice was so frightened to meet. This time I was dead certain and my theory kept up until the end of the book, where it deflated.
I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the free ARC they provided me with; this is my honest and unbiased review of it.

[Linda Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Josie Quinn and her team are called to investigate when a woman's body is seen floating in the flood waters of their small town. Seems she was buried under one of the houses and when the house broke apart, her body floated to the surface.

Fortunately the woman's body is perfectly preserved.... she's even wearing a special leather jacket ... one that belonged to her ex-husband. But he's been dead 5 years so how did this woman wind up with it?

Josie identifies the girl as Beverly Urban, both were in high school at the same time. It looks like a tragic accident until they find the bullet in her brain ... and the secret she was keeping.

As all this author's books, SAVE HER SOUL is well written with mystery and suspense starting on the very first page. The book takes place partly in Josie's memory of her high school years as she was in love with her future husband to be ... and the victim, who also had thing for the young man. There was a lot of angst between Josie and Beverly.

The mystery deepens as Beverly's mother, who has been missing 16 years, appears and wants to talk to Josie. But the mother is murdered before that happens.

The character are skillfully drawn and being a small town, there are lots of lies and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Although 9th in the series, it is easily read. I highly recommend reading all in this series ....

Many thanks to the author / Bookouure / Netgalley for the digital copy of this continuing crime fiction/ thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another gripping mystery and a new chapter in the Josie saga. Once again, Josie is deeply entwined in the case, one that reopens old wounds and pushes her emotional limits. While she has plenty of love and support from those around her, it's clear she could use some professional help too.

It's always fascinating to see Josie, Noah, Gretchen, and Met collaborate and brainstorm to crack the case. Josie's life becomes even more complicated when Misty and little Harris move in due to the devastating floods in Denton, PA. While on swift water rescue duty, Josie discovers a body in the floodwaters, leading to the investigation of a 16-year-old murder. The case dredges up painful memories, starting with her past relationship with her high school sweetheart and ex-husband, Ray. To top it off, Lisette, Josie's grandmother, shares a revelation that shakes Josie to her core, adding even more turmoil to her world.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my!! What a book. Author Lisa Regan put me and the main character, Josie Quinn, through a wringer of a story. Not only did murders pepper the book, there was torrential rain and floods along with memories of the past that Josie had to battle through. And boy, was she a survivor. So damn proud of this girl.

In the flooded river, on a rescue, Josie found a house giving way and something floating. A dead body wrapped in tarp and wearing her dead ex-husband’s jacket.

A shock reverberated through her as memories raced in her mind. With the only witness dying in her arms, all she was left with was a scrutiny into her past life.

I started this series late, but no matter. Lisa’s writing was so friendly and comfortable that I could settle right in. This book too could be read as a standalone except for a couple of lines.

The story tore at Josie’s insides, and I was right beside her. I literally just finished the book as I savored every word written by the author. Fast paced, the pages turned quickly; the twists kept me going right until the last page of the book.

Like all police procedural, this too had painstaking work done by the cops. This book had Jose’s friendship with colleague Gretchen highlighted. I loved how the two supported each other. And the number of times they jumped into the water left me wondering if there was any part of the river water they had not swallowed.

This book gave me an insight on the teen Josie in high school and showed me what a tough gal she was. Forged in fire, brave yet oh so vulnerable. A solid police procedural that I had loads of fun reading.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Motivated by Murder*

This instalment sees detectives Josie Quinn and Gretchen Palmer helping a rescue team trying to assist people displaced due to the heavy rain and flooding that is threatening to destroy their small town of Denton.

As it’s starting to get too dangerous in the water, Josie spots a body floating along the river and Josie against everyone’s wishes jumps in to recover the body.

The body has preserved well and to Josie’s surprise not only does she know the victim but the faded sports jacket could belong to her ex husband. The victim’s mother has not been on the scene for years, why?

The autopsy also uncovers a tragic secret the victim was carrying, sadly it was the motivation for her untimely death.

As the victim’s death is made public, a group of individuals are silently wishing the body was never seen again. One person in particular will stop at nothing to keep their secret hidden.

They have not bargained on Josie and her team, when they investigate, they especially Josie will leave no stone unturned to get to the truth….

This case shows how people with power, money and influence deal with secrets

Just when Josie is starting to get a handle of her past, which she is not dealing with another curve ball is dropped….

[Vanessa Menezes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I haven't read the other books in this series, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be going back to read all the previous books!

When heavy rain pours on the small town of Denton causing the riverbanks to break , a suspicious-looking blue tarp floats quietly to the surface. Detective Josie knows there has to be a body wrapped inside the tarp from the size and shape.

Despite all warnings she dives back into the water and secures the body, only to be shocked. She flinches as she takes in the faded blue sports jacket wrapped around the body she just pulled from the water. Josie knew someone who’d once owned that jacket. He had died in her arms five years ago.

The plot was interesting and moves at a good pace. I was hooked right till the last page thanks to the suspense and twists throughout the story.

Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Save Her Soul by Lisa Regan is the ninth in the Detective Josie Quinn series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Once Acting Chief of Police, Josie Quinn is now doing what she is best suited for. She’s back to being a detective and happy. Her team consists of Detective Noah Fraley (who she is dating), Detective Gretchen Palmer, and Detective Finn Mettner. Their boss is Chief Bob Chitwood. She is learning to love her new-found family (including news reporter Trinity Payne), but it is keeping her busy.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Josie's emotions have been running rampant since the kidnapping of her sister. Although Trinity was not harmed, Josie is in turmoil. The whole thing brought back memories of her childhood, the lies, and the years spent not realizing her real family even existed. She is alternately crying and snapping at people.

When a flood takes over the town, Josie puts her life and those around her in jeopardy while she insists on grabbing a tarp that is floating by. She knows there is a body inside that tarp, and she is right, but what is really concerning is that the body is wearing her ex-husband's high school letter jacket. There is also the fact that the girl had been murdered, and was pregnant at the time of her death. This case is going to stir up more memories.

My Opinions:
This book is really about family and friendships. It is also about secrets and deceit

The author continues to add new characters to the cast, so I expect we will see more of Sawyer Hayes. With each book, the author adds more depth to each member. I really like how close Gretchen and Josie have become.

As always, there was a lot of action, and the pace was fast. There were a number of surprises.

Although I sometimes think that these books can be read as stand-alone since the author usually repeats relevant background, I still recommend they be read in order of publication.

For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flooding is rampant in Josie Quinn's town. She spies a tarp and is sure there is a body underneath it. Risking life and limb, she struggles to grab it despite the sudden danger facing her. It is a body and Josie is utterly shocked when a jacket wrapped around the body of a girl is a jacket she knows quite well - it is the jacket of her dead ex-husband Ray. Either that or it is way too similar.

While rain and flooding show no signs of letting up, Jodie digs into the apparent murder. Josie is forced to look at her past - some good times, and some very bad times. As I have read all the previous books in this series, I have gotten to know Josie quite well. However, there are aspects of her life that come to light in this story. Josie must work backwards - all the way back to high school to track the jacket in order to try and find out who killed the girl.

While Josie contemplates her past, readers are reminded of her tragic history, the effects of her difficult marriage to Ray, and how her family is a strong part of her life. now. Meanwhile, Josie's relationship with Noah Fraley, a fellow officer, is going strong.

Josie often hits a brick wall in this case. There is a trio of women who have secrets and it is these very secrets that might hold the key for Josie solving this heinous crime. However, this presents danger to Josie, which is something that she is far too familiar with.This is a thrilling book for a wonderful series. I am hoping we have much more of Josie going forward.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Ixxati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie has a complicated past. I loved the connection between Ray and Josie. But I feel bad for Noah because it was like he live in Ray's shadow. Ohhh I forgot to mention that Ray is dead and now Josie date her co-worker Noah who were too good to be true lol

Btw I loved Gretchen, Josie partner. They works well together. I loved them both when they are in action and the way they supported each other.

I keep guessing who the killer was but dang there are a lot of twists and I keep changing my theory lol

This is the ninth book in this series but I don't feel left out. I understand almost everything because of the flashbacks. Reading this book make me wanted to read all Lisa Regan's book!!



Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for Save Her Soul ARC!

[Aleasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 9 in the Detective Quinn series and it's still not getting stale! Lisa hits it out of the park every time and this one in the series kept me hooked! I didn't expect the ending which is always great.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Maranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the ninth novel in the Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan. Josie has had a sorted past and is surrounded by a multitude of friends. This being said please be smart and read this series from the beginning as I do not feel these are stand alone stories. Save her Soul is still dealing with Josie's past and her current life as a police detective. A flood has overtaken the community and a body floats into Josie's reach during a rescue of an elderly town folk. Many events fill the pages that will give the reader an enjoyment from start to finish. "A copy of this book was provided by Bookouture via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

[Silvie Klokgieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie krimpt ineen als ze het vaalblauwe colbert ziet dat om het meisje is gewikkeld dat zojuist uit het water gehaald is. Ze weet van wie dat jasje was, en dat diegene vijf jaar geleden in haar armen is gestorven.

Omdat er geen plaats delict is om te onderzoeken, is de kans om de dader te vinden klein voor rechercheur Josie Quinn en haar team. Gelukkig is het lichaam van het slachtoffer perfect bewaard gebleven, tot aan de honkbalpatch op het jasje dat ze droeg. 

Ze volgt het spoor terug naar haar middelbare school en identificeert het meisje als Beverly Urban, een onrustige studente over wie werd gefluisterd dat ze een relatie had met Ray voordat ze de stad voorgoed verliet. Het lijkt op een tragisch ongeluk, totdat de autopsie een kogel in haar hoofd onthult, en daarmee ook het hartverscheurende geheim dat ze bewaarde aan het licht brengt.

Josie gaat op onderzoek uit, maar als er nog iemand vermoord wordt, is duidelijk dat iemand niet wil dat de waarheid boven water komt.

'Het meisje in het water' is inmiddels al het negende deel van de serie met Josie Quinn in de hoofdrol en deze keer begint het met een overstroming. Josie probeert met haar team te redden wat er te redden valt, maar dan opeens ziet ze iets waar haar aandacht naartoe getrokken wordt...

Het blijkt uiteindelijk om het lichaam van een jong meisje te gaan, die nu door de overstroming letterlijk boven water is komen drijven. Het meisje heeft iets opmerkelijks, want Josie herkent de jas en die is van iemand die inmiddels al vijf jaar niet meer leeft.

Dit riep bij mij meteen vragen op. Was degene van de jas dan de dader? Of spelen er andere, vreemde zaken?

Josie gaat helemaal terug naar haar verleden en je leest over de tijd die zij doorbracht op de middelbare school. Je leest over verschillende studenten en tegelijkertijd kom je dus ook meer over de jeugd van Josie te weten, erg interessant.

Het blijkt dat er vroeger een heleboel dingen hebben afgespeeld en je twijfelt steeds over hoe het nu werkelijk zit. Uiteindelijk komt dan de ontknoping en alle geheimen komen aan het licht.

Ook dit negende deel was weer boeiend om te lezen en het volgende deel ligt al klaar!

Beoordeling: 4,0 ⭐️

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Save Her Soul is the ninth instalment of the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan.

There are floodwaters threatening Denton, Central Pennsylvania and this makes a great backdrop for several crime scenes within the story. As Denton police department help the city's other emergency services with the evacuation, detectives Josie Quinn and Gretchen Palmer rescue an elderly woman, during which Josie spies a body floating out of the basement of her wrecked house. The body is a young woman who’s wearing a baseball jacket that Josie recognises. It is the exact jacket that belonged to her then-boyfriend (later, her husband) Ray. So, who is the woman, and why was she buried in the basement wearing Ray’s precious jacket? Josie must dig deep into memories of her own past with Ray and revisit her school days to solve this mystery.

Although I dived into this series here at book nine, there was enough backstory to really enjoy this novel. It was a captivating, well-plotted and twisty police procedural with more than enough action taking place to retain my interest. Once hooked, I was glued to the pages and it was a rollercoaster ride of emotion and surprises. With its stylish and tense plot, the story is told from Josie’s perspective alone, making it an easy reader. The story effortlessly flowed and there was never a dull moment as the plot beelined for the twisty finale. Josie makes a tough, determined and admirable protagonist and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her as I followed her progress and cheered her on. Save Her Soul contains drama, suspense and tension by the bucketload and I highly recommend this worthy novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.5/5*

This is the ninth book in this series but I suspect it would still be a brilliant read for anyone who enjoys murder mysteries with a police officer as the leading character, even if you haven't read the other eight books. The police officer is Detective Josie Quinn and she's not someone to be constrained by expectations or rules. When Denton, the town where she lives and works, is flooded, Josie is out there on the rescue boats. However, she never expected to have to swim in the fast flowing waters to retrieve what she suspects is a tarpaulin wrapped body..... or for that body to be clothed in the jacket of Ray, her teen sweetheart and dead ex-husband . . . .

The victim's body is that of Beverly Urban, someone Josie regularly clashed with when they went to High school. This is a story of uncovering the past, not only of Beverly but also of some prominent, contemporary, influential residents. As Josie starts to discover more about Beverly there is a mysterious woman contacting her wanting to reveal what happened but someone else is determined to stop the revelations at any cost. Can Josie and her team survive long enough to bring the murderer to justice?

The story is full of surprises, an enthralling read with so many twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end. It reveals much about Josie's personal history as she has to remember people and events from her years at High School. It is a gripping read and a brilliant addition to the series with some extra revelations that impinge on her personal relationships, too!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it and thoroughly enjoying doing so, though I hope the next book will have more about Josie's current romance with Noah, rather than more about Ray!