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Nikki Hunt #1
The Girls in the Snow
Madison walked through the fallen snow, looking left and right. It had been Kaylee’s idea to use the trail through the forest; she said no one would follow them. But Madison lost sight of Kaylee for a moment and when she found her again she wasn’t alone....
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two 15-year-old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is Someone knew where to hide the girls and thought they would never be found.
Though Nikki hasn’t been home in 20 years, she knows she must take over the case. The Sheriff’s department in Stillwater has already made a mistake by connecting the girls’ murders to those of a famous serial killer, refusing to consider the idea that the killer could be someone from town.
Then another girl’s body is found, a red silk ribbon tied in her hair, and Nikki realizes that the killer has a connection to her own dark past, and the reason she left Stillwater.
Nikki is not the only person in town who wants those secrets to stay hidden. Will she be able to face her demons before another child is taken?
Gripping and spine-chilling, The Girls in the Snow will make you gasp until the final heart-pounding twist. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, and Robert Dugoni.
What listeners are saying about The Girls in the Snow:
“This is the thriller that I didn’t know I was waiting for and needed in my life until I picked it up. So good. I’m still reeling and trying to catch my breath from this highly suspenseful and emotionally charged story.... I need more ASAP.” (Reading in Autumn, 5 stars)
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two 15-year-old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is Someone knew where to hide the girls and thought they would never be found.
Though Nikki hasn’t been home in 20 years, she knows she must take over the case. The Sheriff’s department in Stillwater has already made a mistake by connecting the girls’ murders to those of a famous serial killer, refusing to consider the idea that the killer could be someone from town.
Then another girl’s body is found, a red silk ribbon tied in her hair, and Nikki realizes that the killer has a connection to her own dark past, and the reason she left Stillwater.
Nikki is not the only person in town who wants those secrets to stay hidden. Will she be able to face her demons before another child is taken?
Gripping and spine-chilling, The Girls in the Snow will make you gasp until the final heart-pounding twist. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, and Robert Dugoni.
What listeners are saying about The Girls in the Snow:
“This is the thriller that I didn’t know I was waiting for and needed in my life until I picked it up. So good. I’m still reeling and trying to catch my breath from this highly suspenseful and emotionally charged story.... I need more ASAP.” (Reading in Autumn, 5 stars)
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 14, 2020
10344 people are currently reading
12012 people want to read
About the author
Stacy Green
45 books1,225 followersStacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards.
Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.
She is currently working on a new crime fiction series and is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo, Helin and Fountain Literary Management for literary and dramatic rights.
Website: stacygreenauthor.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor
Twitter: @StacyGreen26
Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.
She is currently working on a new crime fiction series and is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo, Helin and Fountain Literary Management for literary and dramatic rights.
Website: stacygreenauthor.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor
Twitter: @StacyGreen26
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,242 reviews
October 13, 2020
I have a new series to sink my eyes (teeth) into! If you love a good mystery, an intriguing plot and strong female protagonist, this book (series) may be for you as well!
Nikki Hunt has come home to Stillwater, Minnesota after twenty years. She left after her parents were murdered and has returned to investigate a case where two fifteen-year-old girls were discovered frozen in the snow. Now a Special Agent/FBI profiler, she throws herself into solving their case while being me with protestors who believe that the man who was sent to prison for murdering her family, was wrong convicted.
Past and present will collide in this book. While attempting to track down a killer, Nikki cannot help but wonder if the wrong man is behind bars in her parents’ case. Plus, could the crime from her past be connected to the present crime? Will Nikki catch a killer? Will the truth ever be known? Will justice prevail?
I knew I was going to enjoy this book after reading the first pages. My super sleuth hat was on and I was on the case with Nikki trying to figure out whodunit. The Girls in the Snow is a riveting, beautifully written page turner which had me guessing. There are a few twists and turns and Green proved to have a trick or two up her sleeve and pulled the wool over my eyes.
This was a fantastic start to a new series, and I will be highly anticipating reading the next book! The plot sucked me in, and Green has created both likeable and unlikeable characters which made things interesting and keep the story moving at a very nice pace. I loved that nothing felt drawn out or rushed in this book. Nikki is a great female protagonist, and I was rooting for her the entire book. I look forward to learning more about her in future books.
Thank you to Stacy Green, 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.
Nikki Hunt has come home to Stillwater, Minnesota after twenty years. She left after her parents were murdered and has returned to investigate a case where two fifteen-year-old girls were discovered frozen in the snow. Now a Special Agent/FBI profiler, she throws herself into solving their case while being me with protestors who believe that the man who was sent to prison for murdering her family, was wrong convicted.
Past and present will collide in this book. While attempting to track down a killer, Nikki cannot help but wonder if the wrong man is behind bars in her parents’ case. Plus, could the crime from her past be connected to the present crime? Will Nikki catch a killer? Will the truth ever be known? Will justice prevail?
I knew I was going to enjoy this book after reading the first pages. My super sleuth hat was on and I was on the case with Nikki trying to figure out whodunit. The Girls in the Snow is a riveting, beautifully written page turner which had me guessing. There are a few twists and turns and Green proved to have a trick or two up her sleeve and pulled the wool over my eyes.
This was a fantastic start to a new series, and I will be highly anticipating reading the next book! The plot sucked me in, and Green has created both likeable and unlikeable characters which made things interesting and keep the story moving at a very nice pace. I loved that nothing felt drawn out or rushed in this book. Nikki is a great female protagonist, and I was rooting for her the entire book. I look forward to learning more about her in future books.
Thank you to Stacy Green, 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.
December 30, 2020
Nikki Hunt was a traumatized 16 year old whose testimony convicted a young man named Mark Todd, for the murder of both of her parents in the family’s home.
She hasn’t been back to Stillwater, Minnesota since.
But, now she leads an FBI task force tracking a serial killer dubbed, “The Frost Killer” by the press.
Two murdered girls found in the snow in her hometown, could be his latest Victims, and Nikki will need to return to rule him out.
But when she arrives, she discovers that The Innocence Project is trying to free Mark Todd. Will her trained eye be able to see to that mistakes were made by the local Sheriff?
Will her past distract her from solving the case of the two teenagers? Or could there be a link between what happened then, and what is happening now?
This is a two book series, but NOT one that I will continue.
My issues with the book:
The author failed to convince me that Nikki is qualified to run her own task force.
Her success has been marginal and her choices, ESPECIALLY the one she made towards the end of the book-when her main suspect was on the run-questionable...AT BEST.
The poorly developed “supporting cast” including the members of her own task force, the reporter, and the Local Sheriff and his Sargent-Miller-who was playing a prominent role, until he all but disappeared by the end.
Lots of loose ends not tied up, one of which is probably to create a book 2, but most will likely NOT be revisited, unless we are told and not shown, what has transpired.
The “guilty party”? Implausible!
The possible “love interest “ for book 2 -another sub plot in this story which I also don’t find believable and cannot buy into!
It’s too bad-the writing WAS engaging and held my interest until it ALL fell apart for me in the end.
This was a fun buddy read with DeAnn, who enjoyed it a little bit more than I did!
Check out her review for an a second opinion!
A disappointing 2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
She hasn’t been back to Stillwater, Minnesota since.
But, now she leads an FBI task force tracking a serial killer dubbed, “The Frost Killer” by the press.
Two murdered girls found in the snow in her hometown, could be his latest Victims, and Nikki will need to return to rule him out.
But when she arrives, she discovers that The Innocence Project is trying to free Mark Todd. Will her trained eye be able to see to that mistakes were made by the local Sheriff?
Will her past distract her from solving the case of the two teenagers? Or could there be a link between what happened then, and what is happening now?
This is a two book series, but NOT one that I will continue.
My issues with the book:
The author failed to convince me that Nikki is qualified to run her own task force.
Her success has been marginal and her choices, ESPECIALLY the one she made towards the end of the book-when her main suspect was on the run-questionable...AT BEST.
The poorly developed “supporting cast” including the members of her own task force, the reporter, and the Local Sheriff and his Sargent-Miller-who was playing a prominent role, until he all but disappeared by the end.
Lots of loose ends not tied up, one of which is probably to create a book 2, but most will likely NOT be revisited, unless we are told and not shown, what has transpired.
The “guilty party”? Implausible!
The possible “love interest “ for book 2 -another sub plot in this story which I also don’t find believable and cannot buy into!
It’s too bad-the writing WAS engaging and held my interest until it ALL fell apart for me in the end.
This was a fun buddy read with DeAnn, who enjoyed it a little bit more than I did!
Check out her review for an a second opinion!
A disappointing 2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
June 22, 2022
I have found a gem of a series I can sink my teeth into The Girls In The Snow by Stacy Green made a impact straight away Nikki Hunt is a tough no nonsense profiler with the FBI she is one bad ass who takes no prisoners.
Nikki Hint returns to Stillwater Minnesota 20 years after her parents were tragically murdered , now she is investigating the murders of w/o girls whose bodies have been frozen in the snow no ribbons like the other five women previously killed.
Nikki also returns to find out who killed her parents going by the findings the murders are quite similar, could it be the same person or is it a copycat?
This series is one I want to look into more Nikki is a very well written character she has a young daughter Lacey to take care of as well as well as doing her job description as a police profiler she has flaws like we all do but is tough & gritty as they come. 5 ⭐️
Nikki Hint returns to Stillwater Minnesota 20 years after her parents were tragically murdered , now she is investigating the murders of w/o girls whose bodies have been frozen in the snow no ribbons like the other five women previously killed.
Nikki also returns to find out who killed her parents going by the findings the murders are quite similar, could it be the same person or is it a copycat?
This series is one I want to look into more Nikki is a very well written character she has a young daughter Lacey to take care of as well as well as doing her job description as a police profiler she has flaws like we all do but is tough & gritty as they come. 5 ⭐️
September 30, 2020
Nikki Hunt (née Walsh) is an FBI profiler heading up a new Behavioural Analysis Unit that covers Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. She returns to her hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota, after nearly 20 years to investigate the deaths of two teenage girls found frozen in the snow. While, at first glance, the scene bears some similarities to a series of deaths she has been investigating attributed to the killer dubbed Mr Frost, Nikki knows immediately a different killer is at work here. Nevertheless she undertakes to stay around with her team and look into these deaths.
But things get complicated when, meanwhile, there is support in the town for an appeal by the man who was convicted of killing her parents nearly 20 years ago. She had returned from a party one night to find her parents shot dead and a killer lurking in her house. Nikki is adamant that Mark Todd is guilty. After all, her was in her house and had her mother’s blood on him, his fingerprints on the gun. And he had tried to attack her earlier at the party. But as she investigates the current murders, she uncovers uncomfortable truths about people she used to trust. Soon there is no choice but to question everything she believed about the past as the two cases become inextricably linked.
This story got going quite quickly and soon became very compelling and engaging. The characters were very well portrayed. Nikki herself was well done - resolute yet empathetic. Her supporting team - Liam Wilson (sidekick) and Courtney Hart (forensics wizard) are likeable, professional and solid characters. This book should appeal to all mystery/thriller fans and I’m keen to read the next one in this exciting new series. My thanks go to Netgalley, Bookouture and Stacy Green for providing a review copy. my opinions are my own.
But things get complicated when, meanwhile, there is support in the town for an appeal by the man who was convicted of killing her parents nearly 20 years ago. She had returned from a party one night to find her parents shot dead and a killer lurking in her house. Nikki is adamant that Mark Todd is guilty. After all, her was in her house and had her mother’s blood on him, his fingerprints on the gun. And he had tried to attack her earlier at the party. But as she investigates the current murders, she uncovers uncomfortable truths about people she used to trust. Soon there is no choice but to question everything she believed about the past as the two cases become inextricably linked.
This story got going quite quickly and soon became very compelling and engaging. The characters were very well portrayed. Nikki herself was well done - resolute yet empathetic. Her supporting team - Liam Wilson (sidekick) and Courtney Hart (forensics wizard) are likeable, professional and solid characters. This book should appeal to all mystery/thriller fans and I’m keen to read the next one in this exciting new series. My thanks go to Netgalley, Bookouture and Stacy Green for providing a review copy. my opinions are my own.
September 20, 2025
At last I found time to begin this very popular series featuring FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt.
On the trail of a significant serial killer, Nikki is sent to her old home town to check out the double murder of two young girls. She quickly decides this case is not related but stays to help the local police find this killer. There is an intriguing parallel story line too about her parents murder twenty years ago and the possibility that the person jailed was actually innocent.
The book is fast paced and action packed and Nikki herself is a very strong character. I am looking forward to reading more about her.
On the trail of a significant serial killer, Nikki is sent to her old home town to check out the double murder of two young girls. She quickly decides this case is not related but stays to help the local police find this killer. There is an intriguing parallel story line too about her parents murder twenty years ago and the possibility that the person jailed was actually innocent.
The book is fast paced and action packed and Nikki herself is a very strong character. I am looking forward to reading more about her.
September 26, 2020
Since reading and greatly disliking two very popular books with “Girl” in the title, I’ve mostly made it a point to avoid any books including that word in the inscription. However, Stacy Green is the author of The Girls in the Snow, so I decided to make an exception. That proved to be a wise choice. As a fan of Ms. Green’s earlier series, I looked forward to the premier of the Nikki Hunt series, which promised to be “unputdownable.” Is it? Oh, yes!
The book is set on the scenic St. Croix River city of Stillwater, Minnesota, a town not far east of the Twin Cities. It is considered to be the “birthplace of Minnesota” and is a destination stop for visitors looking for historic shops, B&Bs, eateries, wineries, river adventures, and festivals in every season. Nicole “Nikki” Hunt is not there for the view, however. She is an FBI profiler on the hunt for a serial killer. When the frozen bodies of two local teenagers are found in her hometown, Nikki is called upon to investigate. Although she quickly determines that this case is different, she stays on the case.
Things get complicated because when Nikki was a teenager, she arrived home from a party to find her parents murdered. She became the key witness in a trial that sent a young man to prison. Now she is confronted by protesters insisting that he is innocent and demanding that he be freed. Even the man’s brother wants to meet with her, but rather than berating her, Rory is kind and understanding, sending Nikki's brain into a whirlwind of confusion. Could she have been mistaken? Did the police screw up? Should she trust Rory? She needs to focus on finding the killer of the two girls!
The writing is straightforward. There is very little fluff in the narration. We do have access to Nikki’s thoughts and her history, which is horrifying. We don’t get a lot of atmosphere, other than some descriptions of an out-of-the-way restaurant, icy roads, and things of that sort. This is a police procedural, a whodunit. The Girls in the Snow also serves as a way to highlight violence in our society, the trauma felt by survivors of violent crime, and also The Innocence Project.
I liked Nikki. She is a complex character. I liked the way the author introduces her background by returning her to her hometown to solve a crime. It forces her to deal with her past in ways that she otherwise never would. We get a look at her daughter, and we see glimpses of her FBI team. There is an ex-husband and a potential love interest. I see a good future for this series.
My thanks to NetGalley, to Stacy Green, and to Bookouture for this ARC digital copy. My opinions are my own.
4 stars.
The book is set on the scenic St. Croix River city of Stillwater, Minnesota, a town not far east of the Twin Cities. It is considered to be the “birthplace of Minnesota” and is a destination stop for visitors looking for historic shops, B&Bs, eateries, wineries, river adventures, and festivals in every season. Nicole “Nikki” Hunt is not there for the view, however. She is an FBI profiler on the hunt for a serial killer. When the frozen bodies of two local teenagers are found in her hometown, Nikki is called upon to investigate. Although she quickly determines that this case is different, she stays on the case.
Things get complicated because when Nikki was a teenager, she arrived home from a party to find her parents murdered. She became the key witness in a trial that sent a young man to prison. Now she is confronted by protesters insisting that he is innocent and demanding that he be freed. Even the man’s brother wants to meet with her, but rather than berating her, Rory is kind and understanding, sending Nikki's brain into a whirlwind of confusion. Could she have been mistaken? Did the police screw up? Should she trust Rory? She needs to focus on finding the killer of the two girls!
The writing is straightforward. There is very little fluff in the narration. We do have access to Nikki’s thoughts and her history, which is horrifying. We don’t get a lot of atmosphere, other than some descriptions of an out-of-the-way restaurant, icy roads, and things of that sort. This is a police procedural, a whodunit. The Girls in the Snow also serves as a way to highlight violence in our society, the trauma felt by survivors of violent crime, and also The Innocence Project.
I liked Nikki. She is a complex character. I liked the way the author introduces her background by returning her to her hometown to solve a crime. It forces her to deal with her past in ways that she otherwise never would. We get a look at her daughter, and we see glimpses of her FBI team. There is an ex-husband and a potential love interest. I see a good future for this series.
My thanks to NetGalley, to Stacy Green, and to Bookouture for this ARC digital copy. My opinions are my own.
4 stars.
October 17, 2020
Twenty years after her parents were murdered, with her sixteen-year-old self finding their bodies, Nikki Hunt was a Special Agent for the FBI. She had never returned to Stillwater, Minnesota, the hometown she’d left as soon as she was able. Now, with two teenagers’ bodies having been found frozen in the snow, Nikki had been called on to help find the killer. The eeriness of her return wasn’t lost on her, and when she found the media bringing back her parent’s murders, Nikki was frustrated, determined to stay on track with the current murders.
When another young woman’s body was found, Nikki knew they were running out of time. But things were escalating, and the danger was multiplying. Would Nikki and her team find the killer? And was there any connection to her long ago past?
The Girls in the Snow is the first in the Nikki Hunt series by Stacy Green and it’s gritty, filled with tension, and riveting! Just like all I’ve read before by this author! And although it’s been awhile since I’ve read any of her work, I’ll definitely be continuing with this series. Nikki is a great character and her daughter, five-year-old Lacey, is adorable. A thoroughly enjoyable crime thriller which I highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
When another young woman’s body was found, Nikki knew they were running out of time. But things were escalating, and the danger was multiplying. Would Nikki and her team find the killer? And was there any connection to her long ago past?
The Girls in the Snow is the first in the Nikki Hunt series by Stacy Green and it’s gritty, filled with tension, and riveting! Just like all I’ve read before by this author! And although it’s been awhile since I’ve read any of her work, I’ll definitely be continuing with this series. Nikki is a great character and her daughter, five-year-old Lacey, is adorable. A thoroughly enjoyable crime thriller which I highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2020
The Girls in the Snow is a well-written, well-researched police procedural featuring a strong female protagonist, profiler Nikki Hunt, who is on the trail of a serial killer. After new bodies are found, Nikki believes someone else may be behind the killings. Could the murderer be tied to a tragic event in Nikki’s own past?
Though this book was well-written and well-executed, it’s a premise I’ve read so many times already: damaged female profiler still trying to solve a terrible trauma in her childhood as she pursues a serial killer. I didn’t feel this book covered any new ground here, and most of the plot was somewhat predictable to me. Nonetheless, Nikki is a strong and interesting character and the law enforcement procedural elements are very well done. Fans of strong female FBI and law enforcement characters in other series like Andrew Mayne’s will also love Nikki Hunt. 3.5 stars.
Thanks to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the ARC!
Though this book was well-written and well-executed, it’s a premise I’ve read so many times already: damaged female profiler still trying to solve a terrible trauma in her childhood as she pursues a serial killer. I didn’t feel this book covered any new ground here, and most of the plot was somewhat predictable to me. Nonetheless, Nikki is a strong and interesting character and the law enforcement procedural elements are very well done. Fans of strong female FBI and law enforcement characters in other series like Andrew Mayne’s will also love Nikki Hunt. 3.5 stars.
Thanks to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the ARC!
February 16, 2021
THE GIRLS IN THE SNOW is the first book in the Nikki Hunt series, a gripping crime thriller set in Stillwater, Minnesota by best-selling author Stacy Green.
The books in the Nikki Hunt Series include:
The Girls In The Snow (Book 1)
One Perfect Grave (Book 2)
FBI Special Agent and criminal profiler Nikki Hunt has been chosen to head up a new Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU) that deals with crimes in the jurisdictions of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Agent Nikki Hunt arrives at a crime scene, in the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, greeted by Sergeant Kent Miller with the sheriff’s office, the bodies of two fifteen-year-old missing girls, Madison and Kaylee, that disappeared two months ago, found dead in the frozen snow. It was thought to be the work of the “Frost Killer”, a serial killer that took a woman every year, then froze her body. A red ribbon tied the victim’s hair back, and all victims wiped clean with bleach. This would be the first time the Frost Killer left two victims.
Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local: someone knew where to hide them and thought they'd never be found.
This is the first time Nicole Walsh has come home in twenty years to Stillwater, Minnesota, since she found her parents were murdered in their house. Sixteen-year-old Nicole had been out drinking heavily the night her parents were killed, and returned to find, someone in her house. With her boyfriend, John Banks by her side, she identified the killer as Mark Todd. Mark is now serving a life prison sentence and Nicole moved to the University of Minnesota to attempt to live a normal life.
Nikki Hunt /Nicole Walsh is divorced and shares custody of their six- year-old daughter, Lacey with her ex- Tyler. They have a good relationship.
Nikki soon finds out that Madison’s step-father is, John Banks, her ex-boyfriend that was with her when she was just sixteen and her parents were murdered. Who supported her when she identified their killer, Mark Todd.
But when Nikki arrives at the Sheriff’s office, she’s confronted by protesters eager to see Mark freed. With new evidence that could clear his name, Mark has appealed his conviction and his brother Rory begs Nikki to take a look at what they’ve found.
Nikki knows she must focus on the killer at large, but Rory makes her wonder if she put her trust in the right people all those years ago. Are Madison and Kaylee’s deaths connected to her parents’ murders?
This is a promising series that will appeal to a wide audience.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley, for my digital copy.
The books in the Nikki Hunt Series include:
The Girls In The Snow (Book 1)
One Perfect Grave (Book 2)
FBI Special Agent and criminal profiler Nikki Hunt has been chosen to head up a new Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU) that deals with crimes in the jurisdictions of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Agent Nikki Hunt arrives at a crime scene, in the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, greeted by Sergeant Kent Miller with the sheriff’s office, the bodies of two fifteen-year-old missing girls, Madison and Kaylee, that disappeared two months ago, found dead in the frozen snow. It was thought to be the work of the “Frost Killer”, a serial killer that took a woman every year, then froze her body. A red ribbon tied the victim’s hair back, and all victims wiped clean with bleach. This would be the first time the Frost Killer left two victims.
Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local: someone knew where to hide them and thought they'd never be found.
This is the first time Nicole Walsh has come home in twenty years to Stillwater, Minnesota, since she found her parents were murdered in their house. Sixteen-year-old Nicole had been out drinking heavily the night her parents were killed, and returned to find, someone in her house. With her boyfriend, John Banks by her side, she identified the killer as Mark Todd. Mark is now serving a life prison sentence and Nicole moved to the University of Minnesota to attempt to live a normal life.
Nikki Hunt /Nicole Walsh is divorced and shares custody of their six- year-old daughter, Lacey with her ex- Tyler. They have a good relationship.
Nikki soon finds out that Madison’s step-father is, John Banks, her ex-boyfriend that was with her when she was just sixteen and her parents were murdered. Who supported her when she identified their killer, Mark Todd.
But when Nikki arrives at the Sheriff’s office, she’s confronted by protesters eager to see Mark freed. With new evidence that could clear his name, Mark has appealed his conviction and his brother Rory begs Nikki to take a look at what they’ve found.
Nikki knows she must focus on the killer at large, but Rory makes her wonder if she put her trust in the right people all those years ago. Are Madison and Kaylee’s deaths connected to her parents’ murders?
This is a promising series that will appeal to a wide audience.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley, for my digital copy.
July 21, 2025
the setup…
Two fifteen-year old girls in Stillwater, Minnesota have been missing for days. Best friends Madison Malone and Kaylee Thomas vanished one evening on their way to visit a friend. When their frozen bodies are found in a cornfield, FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called in from St.Paul as they might be the victims of the serial killer she’s hunting. It’s the first time she’s returned to her hometown in the twenty years since her parents were murdered. Nikki doesn’t believe the girls were victims of the serial killer but she still wants to investigate the case, even though it’s bringing personal trauma. Mark Troy, the man convicted of killing her parents, is having his case taken up by the Innocence Project and there’s a lot of support for him. And, Madison’s stepfather was her boyfriend, the man who stood by her after her parents died.
the heart of the story…
There’s a lot going on in this story and it also carries the weight of the start of a new series. We learn much about Nikki Hunt and her childhood background but there’s still more I want to know. She balanced her personal issues pretty well, all things considered, but the players kept converging. To make matters worse, Nikki suffered harassment from Mark’s growing supporters, including his brother Rory who has a softer touch.
the narration…
I’m already a fan of Kate Handford and love that her tone is different for this series. Her storytelling skills are just excellent.
the bottom…
Juggling two exceptionally intriguing cases wasn’t hard for me to do and I liked how Nikki revealed the past slowly throughout. I was on the right track for both of them though I didn’t get everything right and the reveal was stunning. It was a heavy duty challenge to tackle so much in a first-in-the-series story but Green managed it well and that’s why she’s one of my favorites. There are still some dangling issues to explore and I’m already hooked!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Two fifteen-year old girls in Stillwater, Minnesota have been missing for days. Best friends Madison Malone and Kaylee Thomas vanished one evening on their way to visit a friend. When their frozen bodies are found in a cornfield, FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called in from St.Paul as they might be the victims of the serial killer she’s hunting. It’s the first time she’s returned to her hometown in the twenty years since her parents were murdered. Nikki doesn’t believe the girls were victims of the serial killer but she still wants to investigate the case, even though it’s bringing personal trauma. Mark Troy, the man convicted of killing her parents, is having his case taken up by the Innocence Project and there’s a lot of support for him. And, Madison’s stepfather was her boyfriend, the man who stood by her after her parents died.
the heart of the story…
There’s a lot going on in this story and it also carries the weight of the start of a new series. We learn much about Nikki Hunt and her childhood background but there’s still more I want to know. She balanced her personal issues pretty well, all things considered, but the players kept converging. To make matters worse, Nikki suffered harassment from Mark’s growing supporters, including his brother Rory who has a softer touch.
the narration…
I’m already a fan of Kate Handford and love that her tone is different for this series. Her storytelling skills are just excellent.
the bottom…
Juggling two exceptionally intriguing cases wasn’t hard for me to do and I liked how Nikki revealed the past slowly throughout. I was on the right track for both of them though I didn’t get everything right and the reveal was stunning. It was a heavy duty challenge to tackle so much in a first-in-the-series story but Green managed it well and that’s why she’s one of my favorites. There are still some dangling issues to explore and I’m already hooked!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
March 18, 2021
Two decades ago in Stillwater, Minnesota, sixteen year old Nikki Hunt (nee Walsh), snuck back into her house after a late night of partying, to find her parents brutally murdered.
Traumatized and vowing to never return, Nikki Hunt, now a FBI profiler, is sent back to Stillwater to help solve a double murder of two teenage girls found frozen in the snow.
Wondering if this is the work of a serial killer that she has been tracking or a copycat, Nikki hopes to solve the murders quickly and leave Stillwater as soon as possible.
Unfortunately for Nikki, past and present collide and suddenly there are doubts about the guilt of her parents killer. Nikki seems to battle a killer on the loose as well as her memories of a horrific night twenty years ago. The questions from the past night open the door to solving this present day crime.
The Girls in the Snow is the first in the Nikki Hunt series by Stacy Green. It was fast-paced, riveting, tense and a gritty mystery. Nikki is a tough as nails yet vulnerable protagonist. The Girls in the Snow is the first and hopefully not last engaging crime thriller. Looking forward to the next Nikki Hunt thriller.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #TheGirlsintheSnow
November 19, 2022
This was the first book I had read by this author, and it won't be the last. I had heard and read so many good opinions from people I trusted, about this book, so when one of my good friends said "read it...you'll love it"... I did...and he was 100% right. I absolutely devoured it in a day and a half. The storyline is absolutely mesmerizing. The author so cleverly kept the reader guessing until very near the end. It was only in the last two chapters that I began to see where the story was headed. Nikki Hunt is a great main protagonist. Her team are likeable and capable, interesting investigators in this taut and gripping story. The people, the locations, and the benefits of offender profiling carry this story and I was actually sorry to have finished it. This one will diffidently go on my reread list and I will absolutely be looking for the second book in this series.
October 19, 2020
The Girls in the Snow is the first instalment in the Nikki Hunt series, set in Stillwater, Minnesota. FBI Special Agent and criminal profiler Nikki Hunt has been chosen to head up a new Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU) that deals with crimes in the jurisdictions of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Nikki is returning to her hometown of Stillwater, after nearly 20 years, to investigate the murders of two teenage girls, 15-years-olds Madison and Kaylee, discovered frozen solid in a snow-blanketed field. After weighing up the deaths she initially believes the perpetrator to be Mr Frost, a serial killer she has been chasing for years but soon comes to the realisation that the slayings were the handiwork of a different individual. The reason Nikki has tried to stay well away from the town is because of the memories it evokes. Almost two decades have passed since both her mother and father were murdered seemingly by Mark Todd who was convicted of the brutal crime. But now the townsfolk are calling for a judicial review due to new facts coming to light, but surely he must be guilty when he was found in her parents bedroom covered in blood with his fingerprints on the gun, right?
This is a riveting, twisty and difficult to put down read which not only has a central plot but also has an interesting backstory concerning Nikki and her tumultuous past, which happens to be just as fascinating as the search for Mr Frost. It's well written, with twists and turns aplenty and plenty of investigative action to sink your teeth into. Because it's told exclusively from Nikki's perspective it helped me to become fully immersed in the story and is apt given she knows most of the locals personally having grown up there. It's fast-paced and held my attention from the very first page with its compelling and utterly absorbing story, and despite how intense and drama-filled it is, it remains easy to follow and understand and there is never a dull moment. Nikki is a great protagonist who is resourceful, intelligent and rarely gives up on her quest for justice and her team, Agent Liam Wilson and Forensic Analyst Courtney Hart, work well together and have a positive dynamic. It all builds as the book progresses towards a resolution and the suspense and edge of your seat tension culminate in an unpredictable and shocking conclusion. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
This is a riveting, twisty and difficult to put down read which not only has a central plot but also has an interesting backstory concerning Nikki and her tumultuous past, which happens to be just as fascinating as the search for Mr Frost. It's well written, with twists and turns aplenty and plenty of investigative action to sink your teeth into. Because it's told exclusively from Nikki's perspective it helped me to become fully immersed in the story and is apt given she knows most of the locals personally having grown up there. It's fast-paced and held my attention from the very first page with its compelling and utterly absorbing story, and despite how intense and drama-filled it is, it remains easy to follow and understand and there is never a dull moment. Nikki is a great protagonist who is resourceful, intelligent and rarely gives up on her quest for justice and her team, Agent Liam Wilson and Forensic Analyst Courtney Hart, work well together and have a positive dynamic. It all builds as the book progresses towards a resolution and the suspense and edge of your seat tension culminate in an unpredictable and shocking conclusion. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
October 18, 2020
Nikki Hunt #1
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen year old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local. The whole town had been looking for the missing best friends, Madison and Kaylee. When Nikki finds out who Madison's stepfather is, she wants to lead the case. She had once trusted John and he had stood by her when her parents were murdered when she was just sixteen.
This is the first time Nikki has been back home in twenty years. The story is more complex than we first believe it to be. With two plotlines playing out together, you are in for an action packed read. Nikki Hunt is an FBI Profiler who's leasing a team that's been dispatched to thank #NetGalley,#Bookouture and the author #StacyGreen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
Nikki Hunt #1
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen year old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local. The whole town had been looking for the missing best friends Madison and Kaylee. When Nikki finds out who Madison's stepfather is, she wants to lead the case. She had once trusted John and he had stood by her when her parents were murdered when she was po sixteen.
5his is the first time Nikki has been back home in twenty years. The story is more complex than we first believe it to be. With two plotlines playing out together. you are in for an action packed read. Nikki Hunt is an FBI Profiler who's leading a team that's dispatched to her hometown. This is a well written, page turning book that I didn't want to put down. The characters are well rounded. I waa pwwp,essing all the way through. A great start to a new series.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #StacyGreen for my ARC in exchange for an ho.nest review.
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen year old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local. The whole town had been looking for the missing best friends, Madison and Kaylee. When Nikki finds out who Madison's stepfather is, she wants to lead the case. She had once trusted John and he had stood by her when her parents were murdered when she was just sixteen.
This is the first time Nikki has been back home in twenty years. The story is more complex than we first believe it to be. With two plotlines playing out together, you are in for an action packed read. Nikki Hunt is an FBI Profiler who's leasing a team that's been dispatched to thank #NetGalley,#Bookouture and the author #StacyGreen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
Nikki Hunt #1
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen year old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local. The whole town had been looking for the missing best friends Madison and Kaylee. When Nikki finds out who Madison's stepfather is, she wants to lead the case. She had once trusted John and he had stood by her when her parents were murdered when she was po sixteen.
5his is the first time Nikki has been back home in twenty years. The story is more complex than we first believe it to be. With two plotlines playing out together. you are in for an action packed read. Nikki Hunt is an FBI Profiler who's leading a team that's dispatched to her hometown. This is a well written, page turning book that I didn't want to put down. The characters are well rounded. I waa pwwp,essing all the way through. A great start to a new series.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #StacyGreen for my ARC in exchange for an ho.nest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2020
I see all these glowing reviews and I'm so jealous. I was not a fan of this one. I felt like the answer and the bad guy was literally beat over our heads. I didn't feel any mystery other than sorting it all out. I felt the conversations were choppy and the interviews felt full of Nikki's own emotions and opinions rather than letting someone else talk through an interview. I wish I'd loved this more but it was just, meh.
January 8, 2023
There’s a lot to unpack in this book! I really enjoyed the main character, Nikki Hunt, and understand she’ll be featured in upcoming novels. A really good crime novel for those you enjoy this genre!!
December 30, 2020
3.25 cold stars
This one had a very promising start and I do like the main character, FBI agent Nikki Hunt. She’s become a top agent because she is good at reading people and compartmentalizing, and, oh yeah, finding serial killers. Her choice in careers likely has a lot to do with her childhood trauma of discovering her parents shortly after they were murdered in her home.
Nikki is hot on the trail of the Frost Killer when she is called back to her hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota to investigate a possible murder. There are some similarities with the Frost Killer’s work, but soon Nikki is drawn into helping the local police figure out who killed two high school girls. She hasn’t been back for almost 20 years and it doesn’t take long for her to become a lightning rod for the protestors who are trying to get her parent’s murderer released.
There are a lot of characters in this one and the two cases seem to be colliding. I did find myself turning the pages to get to the ending, but I had to give some deductions for an unnecessary love story and an implausible ending.
This was a fun buddy read with Jayme. I think I liked it a bit more than she did but check out her review and see what you think! I will likely read #2 to see if I like it more.
This one had a very promising start and I do like the main character, FBI agent Nikki Hunt. She’s become a top agent because she is good at reading people and compartmentalizing, and, oh yeah, finding serial killers. Her choice in careers likely has a lot to do with her childhood trauma of discovering her parents shortly after they were murdered in her home.
Nikki is hot on the trail of the Frost Killer when she is called back to her hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota to investigate a possible murder. There are some similarities with the Frost Killer’s work, but soon Nikki is drawn into helping the local police figure out who killed two high school girls. She hasn’t been back for almost 20 years and it doesn’t take long for her to become a lightning rod for the protestors who are trying to get her parent’s murderer released.
There are a lot of characters in this one and the two cases seem to be colliding. I did find myself turning the pages to get to the ending, but I had to give some deductions for an unnecessary love story and an implausible ending.
This was a fun buddy read with Jayme. I think I liked it a bit more than she did but check out her review and see what you think! I will likely read #2 to see if I like it more.
January 2, 2026
⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️
An unputdownable read, despite the predictable plot. When you grow up watching all the classic police procedural shows, crime thriller plots become a bit of a been there, done that. But instead of finding it boring, I liked the easy but engaging story, almost comforting in its simplicity.
The protagonist, badass FBI agent Nikki Hunt, definitely helped my overall enjoyment. She was real, she was strong, she was flawed.
Even the typical curveball ending and the unsurprising sprinkle of romance didn’t ruin the mood, an entertaining read through and through.
Pretty standard for its genre, but something about it hooked me. I’ve already ordered book two.
Her parents’ lives had been brutally cut short and Nikki’s only solace had been knowing their killer was in prison. But what if she’d been wrong this whole time?
An unputdownable read, despite the predictable plot. When you grow up watching all the classic police procedural shows, crime thriller plots become a bit of a been there, done that. But instead of finding it boring, I liked the easy but engaging story, almost comforting in its simplicity.
The protagonist, badass FBI agent Nikki Hunt, definitely helped my overall enjoyment. She was real, she was strong, she was flawed.
Even the typical curveball ending and the unsurprising sprinkle of romance didn’t ruin the mood, an entertaining read through and through.
Pretty standard for its genre, but something about it hooked me. I’ve already ordered book two.
November 19, 2020
A well-written and well-developed first installment introducing a new series from a new-to-me author, Stacy Green. Nikki Hunt is a strong and intelligent female protagonist who is a FBI profiler (Behavioral Analysis) as the heroine. In a suspense-driven plot where past and present collide, it is told from Nikki Hunt's point of view as she returns after twenty years to Stillwater, Minnesota where the frozen bodies of two young girls have been found in the snow.
An entertaining secondary cast that includes Nikki's team, a six-year old child, an ex-husband, along with a full house of troublemakers and old friends. Nikki's personal connection to the town and the crime adds to the mystery. There's a hint of an unexpected romance in coming books.
A fantastic puzzler with an intriguing storyline, along with a serial killer dubbed Mr. Frost who the FBI has been hunting for far too long. You'll find surprises, twists and turns await with each turn of the page and the chills to go with them.
Any reader who enjoys thrillers is sure to find this one appealing, and I highly recommend. I look forward to the next installments in this new series.
An entertaining secondary cast that includes Nikki's team, a six-year old child, an ex-husband, along with a full house of troublemakers and old friends. Nikki's personal connection to the town and the crime adds to the mystery. There's a hint of an unexpected romance in coming books.
A fantastic puzzler with an intriguing storyline, along with a serial killer dubbed Mr. Frost who the FBI has been hunting for far too long. You'll find surprises, twists and turns await with each turn of the page and the chills to go with them.
Any reader who enjoys thrillers is sure to find this one appealing, and I highly recommend. I look forward to the next installments in this new series.
May 1, 2023
“…my mentor told me that profiling wasn’t about the bad guy, but the victim. Profile the victim, because understanding the victim means understanding the person who hurt them.”
FBI agent Nikki Hunt returns to her hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota, brought in by local law enforcement on finding the frozen bodies of two teenage girls, hastily buried in the snow. Superficially there are elements of the serial killer known as “Frost”, but also differences. The deaths bring her back into the fold as her one-time boyfriend is the step-father of one of the victims, and awakens nightmares of her returning home from a party aged 16, to find her parents murdered. The culprit was jailed on circumstantial evidence, and now new DNA material is set to exonerate him.
A few years back I read and enjoyed “Killing Jane” by the same author and, though billed as an ‘unputdownable crime thriller’, sadly this one did not do much for me. Though spared the first person narrative, there is so much baggage and back story that the crime she is called in to solve is almost drowned out, and half way I nearly gave it away. The first in a new series, I understand the need to profile the main character, but as Nikki herself says:
“That’s one of the reasons we work cases in teams. Personal agendas cause mistakes.”
Not given up on the character, but not in any rush to read on.
FBI agent Nikki Hunt returns to her hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota, brought in by local law enforcement on finding the frozen bodies of two teenage girls, hastily buried in the snow. Superficially there are elements of the serial killer known as “Frost”, but also differences. The deaths bring her back into the fold as her one-time boyfriend is the step-father of one of the victims, and awakens nightmares of her returning home from a party aged 16, to find her parents murdered. The culprit was jailed on circumstantial evidence, and now new DNA material is set to exonerate him.
A few years back I read and enjoyed “Killing Jane” by the same author and, though billed as an ‘unputdownable crime thriller’, sadly this one did not do much for me. Though spared the first person narrative, there is so much baggage and back story that the crime she is called in to solve is almost drowned out, and half way I nearly gave it away. The first in a new series, I understand the need to profile the main character, but as Nikki herself says:
“That’s one of the reasons we work cases in teams. Personal agendas cause mistakes.”
Not given up on the character, but not in any rush to read on.
September 10, 2020
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, the bodies of two fifteen-year-old girls, Madison and Kaylee, are discovered frozen in the snow.
Special Agent Nikki Hunt is invited back to her hometown to investigate and she is sure the killer is local: someone knew where to hide them and thought they'd never be found.
Home for the first time in twenty years, she also is faced with the demons of her disturbed past. She was just sixteen when her parents were murdered. She identified and helped convict their killer, Mark Todd.
But with new evidence that could clear Mark’s name for the murder of her parents. Nikki is in a dilemma. Are Madison and Kaylee’s deaths connected to her parents’ murders? And can she face up to her past before another life is taken?
I was attracted to this book because of it’s cover and once I read the premise, I just couldn’t wait to get started.
This book is written so well and it full of suspense and twists. Both the plot lines in the book go at such an amazing fast pace that you just don’t want to put the book down until you know how the end plays out.
Being the first book in a new series, it is a great start. The main character Nikki Hunt along with her team is also pretty good. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Overall, an amazing book it keeps you hooked on right till the end!
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
Special Agent Nikki Hunt is invited back to her hometown to investigate and she is sure the killer is local: someone knew where to hide them and thought they'd never be found.
Home for the first time in twenty years, she also is faced with the demons of her disturbed past. She was just sixteen when her parents were murdered. She identified and helped convict their killer, Mark Todd.
But with new evidence that could clear Mark’s name for the murder of her parents. Nikki is in a dilemma. Are Madison and Kaylee’s deaths connected to her parents’ murders? And can she face up to her past before another life is taken?
I was attracted to this book because of it’s cover and once I read the premise, I just couldn’t wait to get started.
This book is written so well and it full of suspense and twists. Both the plot lines in the book go at such an amazing fast pace that you just don’t want to put the book down until you know how the end plays out.
Being the first book in a new series, it is a great start. The main character Nikki Hunt along with her team is also pretty good. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Overall, an amazing book it keeps you hooked on right till the end!
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
July 25, 2025
Nikki Hunt left her hometown after the murders of her mother and father. Now twenty years later, she is back as an FBI Special Agent to investigate the double murder of two teenage girls. Madison Malone and Kaylee Thomas were walking to a friend's house one afternoon; but never arrived. Months have gone by before their frozen bodies were found in the snow. Nikki knows this isn't the work of the serial killer she has been tracking, but there are similarities. Is there a copycat? Nikki and her team work with the local police to find a killer.
This is the first book in the Nikki Hunt series. There were two storylines in this book. We had the murder of the two girls which Nikki was investigating. There was also the story about The Innocence Project taking over the case of Mark Todd, the man who was convicted of killer Nikki's parents. There is a chance his conviction could be overturned.
I was pulled into this story from the beginning, trying to sift through the clues to figure out who killed Madison and Kaylee...and who killed Nikki's parents. I actually got part of it right. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This is the first book in the Nikki Hunt series. There were two storylines in this book. We had the murder of the two girls which Nikki was investigating. There was also the story about The Innocence Project taking over the case of Mark Todd, the man who was convicted of killer Nikki's parents. There is a chance his conviction could be overturned.
I was pulled into this story from the beginning, trying to sift through the clues to figure out who killed Madison and Kaylee...and who killed Nikki's parents. I actually got part of it right. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
February 21, 2021
Special Agent Nikki Hunt is home for the first time in over two decades. She happens upon a desperate search for two fifteen-year-old girls who were then found frozen in the snow. Nikki is the best woman for the job, even with her traumatic past. She excels in her role in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), and is called into handle difficult cases. When she travels to these jobs, she leaves her young daughter in the care of her ex-husband.
As Nikki works with local police, she begins interviewing quite a few people, including one of the girls’ stepfather. His name is John, someone Nikki once knew and trusted. Nikki and John had a strong connection, especially when he was there for her when her parents were brutally murdered when she was sixteen years old.
Not only is the town anxious to discover the girls' killer, they are also working hard to free the man accused and imprisoned for her parents' murder, Mark Todd. He has always claimed innocence and new evidence just might prove that he is. Mark's brother Rory pleads with Nikki to look into certain facts that just might prove his brother's innocence.
Shockingly, Nikki begins to see a thread of connection between the murder of her parents and the current murder of the two girls. If these cases are indeed connected, then could Mark Todd be wrongly imprisoned? Has someone else gone free for twenty years? If so, are more lives at stake?
The Girls in the Snow is a great start to an already riveting series. I love Nikki's character, especially as the backstory of what happened to her parents comes into play over and over again, yet she never lost her edge. I was completely pulled into this story and actually went right on to read the next book in the series, One Perfect Grave.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
As Nikki works with local police, she begins interviewing quite a few people, including one of the girls’ stepfather. His name is John, someone Nikki once knew and trusted. Nikki and John had a strong connection, especially when he was there for her when her parents were brutally murdered when she was sixteen years old.
Not only is the town anxious to discover the girls' killer, they are also working hard to free the man accused and imprisoned for her parents' murder, Mark Todd. He has always claimed innocence and new evidence just might prove that he is. Mark's brother Rory pleads with Nikki to look into certain facts that just might prove his brother's innocence.
Shockingly, Nikki begins to see a thread of connection between the murder of her parents and the current murder of the two girls. If these cases are indeed connected, then could Mark Todd be wrongly imprisoned? Has someone else gone free for twenty years? If so, are more lives at stake?
The Girls in the Snow is a great start to an already riveting series. I love Nikki's character, especially as the backstory of what happened to her parents comes into play over and over again, yet she never lost her edge. I was completely pulled into this story and actually went right on to read the next book in the series, One Perfect Grave.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
September 27, 2020
☆☆ | Disappointing. Dull. Dragged along.
I was SO looking forward to this thriller. The cover and synopsis had me hooked, and the first few chapters seemed promising. Although, I quickly realized that this book was NOT going to cut it for me.
This book is marketed as an on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of thriller that will keep you up at night, and that will scare you. I was (rightfully) going into this book expecting to be thrilled. Instead, I was forced to follow along to a stubborn main character who continuously fat shamed others around her, and who spent WAY too much of her story dropping the “badass girl, take no shit from no one” persona to fawn over a man.
Yes, the fatphobia was pretty bad. But good GOD, the romance was dreadful. Total insta-love, and might I just add that the man our main character is so enamored with is like, the bare minimum of a guy? She’s constantly talking about how NICE and SWEET he is for doing like, basic things. Not to mention the first thing she notices about him besides his WICKED HOT FACE is, wait for it, that he smells like clean laundry.
Nikki, babe. Is the bar REALLY that low?
Read the rest of my review on my blog: https://lethethereader.wordpress.com/...
I was SO looking forward to this thriller. The cover and synopsis had me hooked, and the first few chapters seemed promising. Although, I quickly realized that this book was NOT going to cut it for me.
This book is marketed as an on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of thriller that will keep you up at night, and that will scare you. I was (rightfully) going into this book expecting to be thrilled. Instead, I was forced to follow along to a stubborn main character who continuously fat shamed others around her, and who spent WAY too much of her story dropping the “badass girl, take no shit from no one” persona to fawn over a man.
Yes, the fatphobia was pretty bad. But good GOD, the romance was dreadful. Total insta-love, and might I just add that the man our main character is so enamored with is like, the bare minimum of a guy? She’s constantly talking about how NICE and SWEET he is for doing like, basic things. Not to mention the first thing she notices about him besides his WICKED HOT FACE is, wait for it, that he smells like clean laundry.
Nikki, babe. Is the bar REALLY that low?
Read the rest of my review on my blog: https://lethethereader.wordpress.com/...
September 15, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Girls in the Snow, the first novel to feature FBI profiler Nikki Hunt.
Nikki is invited to Stillwater, Minnesota to investigate a case that the local police department thinks might be linked to a serial killer she is hunting. Two teenagers have been found frozen in a field but one look and Nikki knows it is not the work of her killer. Nevertheless she decides to stay on Stillwater, the place where her parents were murdered, and solve the case.
I enjoyed The Girls in the Snow which is a dual stranded tale that held my attention throughout. It is told entirely from Nikki’s point of view which is appropriate as both plot lines revolve around her because, as a former resident, she knows many of the people involved in the investigation and also because her parents’ killer is seeking a judicial review of his conviction due to new facts coming to light. These facts have her questioning what she thought she knew. I actually found this second strand the more compelling read, involving as it does much doubt and self examination. This is not normally my bag but in this case I loved what unfolded.
The novel has an easy, readable style and an absorbing plot which builds gradually to a solution that explains everything (not always a foregone conclusion). The two plot lines keep the novel and Nikki busy so there is rarely a dull moment and there is a myriad of relationships and motivations to sort through. It is not, however, difficult to follow or understand. It is a good start to the series and I will be interested to read more.
The Girls in the Snow is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Nikki is invited to Stillwater, Minnesota to investigate a case that the local police department thinks might be linked to a serial killer she is hunting. Two teenagers have been found frozen in a field but one look and Nikki knows it is not the work of her killer. Nevertheless she decides to stay on Stillwater, the place where her parents were murdered, and solve the case.
I enjoyed The Girls in the Snow which is a dual stranded tale that held my attention throughout. It is told entirely from Nikki’s point of view which is appropriate as both plot lines revolve around her because, as a former resident, she knows many of the people involved in the investigation and also because her parents’ killer is seeking a judicial review of his conviction due to new facts coming to light. These facts have her questioning what she thought she knew. I actually found this second strand the more compelling read, involving as it does much doubt and self examination. This is not normally my bag but in this case I loved what unfolded.
The novel has an easy, readable style and an absorbing plot which builds gradually to a solution that explains everything (not always a foregone conclusion). The two plot lines keep the novel and Nikki busy so there is rarely a dull moment and there is a myriad of relationships and motivations to sort through. It is not, however, difficult to follow or understand. It is a good start to the series and I will be interested to read more.
The Girls in the Snow is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
October 15, 2020
The Girls in the Snow by Stacy Green is the first in the FBI Agent Nikki Hunt 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 Information:
Nikki Hunt discovered the bodies of her parents when she was a teenager. Her ability to block out the memories of her parents murders has made her a good FBI Agent. She remains remote and focused on her cases. She heads the BAU unit based out of St. Paul Minnesota. Her team consists of Crime Scene Analyst Courtney Hart and Agent Liam Wilson.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The bodies of two missing girls brings Nikki back to Stillwater Minnesota, the town she grew up in, where she went to school, where she lost her parents.
While the girls are found frozen in the snow, people believe it is the work of Frost, a serial killer that Nikki has been hunting. She knows they are not, but decides to stick around and find their killer, especially when she finds that the father of one of the girls was John Banks, who she had dated and trusted all those years ago.
Meanwhile, the man who has spent the last 20 years in jail for killing Nikki's parents, is having his case reviewed by the Innocence Project. New evidence suggests that the police may have rail-roaded him, and Nikki was lied to by the detective who is now Sheriff. She will have to look at the evidence herself before she is convinced of Mark Todd's innocence.
My Opinions:
This was a really great start to a new series. I really like Nikki, as well as her team members. They seem to mesh nicely. I was a little disappointed that it was another book about woman with a past that comes back to haunt her, but that was pretty much resolved in this book, so I am looking forward to reading more.
The plot was good, as were the characters and the writing. It was a compelling read, and the suspense kept you interested and turning those pages! The twists had me re-thinking the identity of the perpetrator a number of times.
Definitely looking forward to reading more!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
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 Information:
Nikki Hunt discovered the bodies of her parents when she was a teenager. Her ability to block out the memories of her parents murders has made her a good FBI Agent. She remains remote and focused on her cases. She heads the BAU unit based out of St. Paul Minnesota. Her team consists of Crime Scene Analyst Courtney Hart and Agent Liam Wilson.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The bodies of two missing girls brings Nikki back to Stillwater Minnesota, the town she grew up in, where she went to school, where she lost her parents.
While the girls are found frozen in the snow, people believe it is the work of Frost, a serial killer that Nikki has been hunting. She knows they are not, but decides to stick around and find their killer, especially when she finds that the father of one of the girls was John Banks, who she had dated and trusted all those years ago.
Meanwhile, the man who has spent the last 20 years in jail for killing Nikki's parents, is having his case reviewed by the Innocence Project. New evidence suggests that the police may have rail-roaded him, and Nikki was lied to by the detective who is now Sheriff. She will have to look at the evidence herself before she is convinced of Mark Todd's innocence.
My Opinions:
This was a really great start to a new series. I really like Nikki, as well as her team members. They seem to mesh nicely. I was a little disappointed that it was another book about woman with a past that comes back to haunt her, but that was pretty much resolved in this book, so I am looking forward to reading more.
The plot was good, as were the characters and the writing. It was a compelling read, and the suspense kept you interested and turning those pages! The twists had me re-thinking the identity of the perpetrator a number of times.
Definitely looking forward to reading more!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 3, 2020
After finding her parents murdered in their beds as a teen, Nikki Hunt goes on to forge a career in the FBI, leaving sleepy Stillwater Minnesota behind her. While on the hunt for the serial killer dubbed Mr. Frost, Nikki is called home after 20 years when 2 teenage girls turn up dead, frozen in the snow just like Mr. Frosts other victims.
Nikki quickly figures out that this is not the work of Mr. Frost but decides to stay on the case, even though the man who killed Nikki’s parents has his case up for review, which means news coverage and protestors and the things that brings the nightmares of her past into her present.
But solving the murders of these teens puts her face to face with the people most effected by her past, including the brother of her parent’s murderer, who asks her to take another look at really happened 20 years ago.
This looks to be a good start to a new crime series. The team is built along the lines of the Kay Scarpetta and her crew, perfectly imperfect humans that seem to come together seamlessly.
This novel is well written and keeps the reader engaged in the characters, the team synergy, and in the investigation. Nikki has a traumatic past but she isn’t portrayed as hollow or needy. She manages to fight the war on two fronts in this novel, investigating the current murders and unraveling her past without it seeming like just another rehash of the female investigator tropes.
Overall a good start and a series that I look forward to reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Nikki quickly figures out that this is not the work of Mr. Frost but decides to stay on the case, even though the man who killed Nikki’s parents has his case up for review, which means news coverage and protestors and the things that brings the nightmares of her past into her present.
But solving the murders of these teens puts her face to face with the people most effected by her past, including the brother of her parent’s murderer, who asks her to take another look at really happened 20 years ago.
This looks to be a good start to a new crime series. The team is built along the lines of the Kay Scarpetta and her crew, perfectly imperfect humans that seem to come together seamlessly.
This novel is well written and keeps the reader engaged in the characters, the team synergy, and in the investigation. Nikki has a traumatic past but she isn’t portrayed as hollow or needy. She manages to fight the war on two fronts in this novel, investigating the current murders and unraveling her past without it seeming like just another rehash of the female investigator tropes.
Overall a good start and a series that I look forward to reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 8, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book of this series and can't wait to read the next book!
October 22, 2020
The Girls in the Snow is book one in Stacy Green’s Nikki Hunt series.
After twenty years, FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt has returned to the hometown she left after a traumatic crime. She has returned to investigate the murder of two young girls found in the snow in a remote area. Her past takes center place in her return and threatens to interfere in the investigation. Agent Hunt has to put the past and new complications out of her mind before they destroy her ability to be objective and find the killer still on the loose.
The Girls in the Snow is a successful series debut for Stacy Green. The novel is well-written and features well-rounded characters. FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt is a interesting new protagonist who will surely have a great career chronicled by Ms. Green in future installments. The winter scenery is seamlessly incorporated into the story. The engrossing plot kept me guessing until the highly climatic end. I rate this novel 5 out of 5 enthusiastic stars and recommend it to all readers who enjoy an excellent mystery.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
After twenty years, FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt has returned to the hometown she left after a traumatic crime. She has returned to investigate the murder of two young girls found in the snow in a remote area. Her past takes center place in her return and threatens to interfere in the investigation. Agent Hunt has to put the past and new complications out of her mind before they destroy her ability to be objective and find the killer still on the loose.
The Girls in the Snow is a successful series debut for Stacy Green. The novel is well-written and features well-rounded characters. FBI Special Agent Nikki Hunt is a interesting new protagonist who will surely have a great career chronicled by Ms. Green in future installments. The winter scenery is seamlessly incorporated into the story. The engrossing plot kept me guessing until the highly climatic end. I rate this novel 5 out of 5 enthusiastic stars and recommend it to all readers who enjoy an excellent mystery.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
May 2, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this entire, fast-paced whodunit. Author Stacy Green kept the suspense high, the outcome in question right through to the end and even threw a touch of romance in to the mix. I can't cite one example of an element in the story I did not like.
Female lead FBI profiler Nikki Hunt, in a great twist and complication to the plot, is both a victim through the brutal slaughter of her parents twenty years past and the hero who leads a team of her FBI colleagues and local police to right old wrongs and solve the newly-discovered gruesome murder of two young teenagers from her small hometown. This is a heroine I want to see more of.
Female lead FBI profiler Nikki Hunt, in a great twist and complication to the plot, is both a victim through the brutal slaughter of her parents twenty years past and the hero who leads a team of her FBI colleagues and local police to right old wrongs and solve the newly-discovered gruesome murder of two young teenagers from her small hometown. This is a heroine I want to see more of.
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