The Girls In The Woods

Annie Graham #5

by Helen Phifer

‘Thriller lovers will be riveted by this novel. Beautifully written, good character description and that twist at the end… you’re gonna love it!’ – SerialReader on Goodreads

Don’t go into the woods. Because you’re in for a big surprise…

In an old album there is a beautiful Victorian photo that captures three young sisters, staring silently at one another. Only the trained eye can see the truth hiding in plain view. One of the sisters is already dead.

Annie Ashworth is currently off duty. With her baby bump growing fast, she is under strict instructions to stay away from police work and look after herself, especially as she has a history of leading danger right to her door. So when her police officer husband, Will, is called to the discovery of a skeleton buried out in the local woods, Annie tries to keep out of the investigation. But as another body is discovered and her own niece suddenly goes missing, staying away just isn’t an option.

As Annie is soon to discover, a picture really does tell a thousand stories. But which one leads to a killer?

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2016

Reviews

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annie Ashworth is on leave from the police force due to being pregnant. Annie's husband has also been recovering from being brutally attacked in the previous book. But it's time for him to return to work as a police and the first case back is that of a body discovered in the woods. Could this be the body of a young girl that went missing years ago?

The Girls in the Woods is the 5th book in The Annie Graham Series. I haven't read the previous four books, but there were no problems for me getting into the story, despite mentions of previous events that had happened in the previous books.

I was instantly intrigued by the book's blurb and that gorgeous cover. I was also pleased when I realized that it was a paranormal crime novel and just not a crime novel which I had expected it to be. I do love reading crime (or any other kind of genres) with a bit of paranormal mix into it. Annie in this series can see ghost and that has helped her in the past because apparently, she is danger magnet. She is also expecting her first child with her new husband and her life is quite good since she was married before to an abusive man. But, this case will open up old wounds and also bring danger to Annie and someone close to her.

There are some things with the book that didn't work for me. For instance, I'm not overly fond of crime novels when the identity of the killer is revealed in the beginning. I prefer living in uncertainty and having to figure it out along the way. Also, the book started with a flashback to the end of 1900-century and a man taking a picture of three sisters whereof one of them is dead, and I thought that was a great beginning and I thought that it would have something to do with the story. But, it didn't instead we have a man discovering a Memento Mori book at his grandfather's place when he was a child and he got obsessed with taking dead people's photographs. That story just didn't impress me that much.

I was not completely pleased with the end, it felt so absurd when I read it, but now after some contemplation can I see how it in a way fitted with the story. But, when I read it was I very skeptical of it. On the plus side, the twist was truly unexpected, but I'm annoyed that the revelation made the fate of one of the main character in this book unexplained. I wanted to know how that turn of the event would affect that person, but the book just ended without any explanation.

All and all, not so good that I thought it would be when I started the book, but still enjoyable and I wouldn't mind reading the rest of the books. And lucky me, I have book four and I'm looking forward to reading it.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review!

Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't realised when I started to read this that it is the 5th book in a series but, to be fair, it certainly didn't make it any more difficult to understand and could be read as a standalone if you wanted. Saying that, there are obviously quite a few things that have happened in previous books that are mentioned here so you may want to leave this one till you have read the others if you want to get 100% from The Girls in the Woods.

The book is set in and around the lake district and opens in Victorian times when two young girls are forced to have a family photograph with their dead sister. These photos are found at a later date by a young boy who eventually also likes to photograph dead girls. Back in the present day we meet Annie, who is a police officer, and is currently off work due to her pregnancy. She is married to fellow police officer Will, who is called out to investigate when the skeleton of a young girl is found in the woods near where they live.

When we meet Annie it is at that point that I realised there was a supernatural element to this series, something that wasn't mentioned in the synopsis but that I would have realised if following this series from the start. Annie can see ghosts and they talk to her. As I hadn't been expecting this, it kind of threw me a bit! My fault for not doing more research before I downloaded it really but the serial killer plot drew me in and I was able to read it in a day. The rest of the story was good with a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I think the plot worked well (and would have done even without the supernatural element) but I have to say that while I did enjoy this, it wasn't really what I was expecting and I probably wouldn't read any more of this series.

I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize when I offered to read and review this from Net Galley through Carina UK that this was the 5th book in the series.

I felt like I missed some things because of it. Not because of the story itself but it was obvious I missed certain things that I needed to know.

Set in Victorian times two young girls are forced heavily to be photographed with their dead sister.
Imagine that! Of course there was some resistance but its not like today, they had to stay there with no voice to offer to refuse.

Later on moving forward in time, there is a boy that finds these photographs. He has a yearning to also take photo's of dead girls.

Here lies a story.

Annie is a Police Officer but shes off on Maternity leave, her husband Will is also a police officer.
But Annie has these special abilities and that is when the supernatural paranormal came into play.

I stayed with it as much as I could but I don't like things like that, it give me goosebumps and I feel quite allergic to the supernatural elements of anything like this so I am afraid to say...

i didn't finish it.


I gave it a 4 star because I could tell that its worthy of it, its just me, I can't read things like this.

[Karen Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this via NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review

This is the 5th book in the Annie Graham series, but my first and I will definitely be picking up the others in the series after this fast paced thriller had me gripped from start to finish!

The book starts in the summer of 1895 with the rather creepy opening about the Victorian fascination with 'death photos' and this really sets the tone for the rest of the story when it begins in the present day. It also flashes back to 1995 at times to feature 2 girls who go missing, and the jumps between timelines are seamless and really work well.

Annie and her husband Will are both detectives and are recovering on holiday after a traumatic recent incident. Annie is also 6 months pregnant and being at home away from work is slowly driving her to distraction so she's always looking to help Will with the latest goings on! Annie has the ability to talk too and see ghosts so when this activity starts to pick up again she's quite disturbed with the images she keeps seeing.

The book also features Joanne Tyson who is married to the photographer Heath and they live in a remote cottage on the edge of the woods. They lead very quiet lives, under Heaths control, but their quiet life is disturbed when a body is found in the woods and that brings unwelcome police attention to Heaths doorstep. You can't help but feel enormous sympathy with Joanne and the life she has to lead to keep Heath happy and the rapidity of how he can flick between nice and nasty is a very scary aspect of the story. The local Doctor, who used to date Joanne, notices the changes in her and the bruising, as does Annie who starts to keep a closer eye on her and tries to get her to confide in her. And then when Annie's niece goes missing it all brings the mystery and drama a little bit too close to home

This was a really exciting and tense supernatural, thriller with so many twists and turns that left me shocked that I couldn't put it down once I'd started reading!

[Artemiz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again, it's a first book of this series for me, so no idea about anything that has happened before or who is who. But not a problem, readers are helped along pretty nicely and pretty quickly.

So if I did get it right, Annie is a police inspector, with whom all kind of bad stuff just happens. She must have a Gold card in hospital. Anyway, she was married to a violent guy once and then a guy, who was living close to his brother was a serial killer who set his sight to Annie and even after they got him and put him away, he escaped and came straight for Annie again. And then she moved into a house with a ghosts and one of them was trying to kill her, and then there was another creature who also tried to kill her and then there was another accident where she and her new husband Will were badly injured .. and tis book starts how they have a vacation after the last ride to hospital and Annie is pregnant and has to stay away from work.

Well for me it all reminds a lot of British TV series Midsomer Murders and also Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, be cause it all happens in small British village and Annie can also communicate with ghosts and other paranormal things.

Annie and Will are surrounded by friends who are also mostly work in local police office so what can possibly go wrong, when Annie is home growing her Baby pump and Will is out in a woods investigating a skeleton that was found there.

Well with Annie everything can always go wrong. While she was spending her time in town she met a woman named Jo, who seemed to have also violent husband, but as usual is trying to hide it and convince everyone that her shiner is her own clumsy walking into a door. But Jo's husband is violent and has been past twenty years. When they find some skeletons in a woods, behind their house, she starts to fear her husband even more, specially when she suddenly starts to see strange ghostly things around her house. Her moments with Annie is like vacation for her.

Besides those skeletons in woods, Annie has another reason to not be relaxed at home - her niece is missing and somehow the ghost see sees makes her think, that those two things must be connected. But she can not understand the message the ghost gives her - 'he's at it again', 'in the edge of the woods'.

When Jo once again goes to visit Jo, when she is not home, she goes around to Jo's husband's photo studio and she sees there something that might cost her her life.

In this story nothing is as it seems and nothing ever is as easy as it seems. But unfortunately this story sported lots of contradictions and "surprise" moments that actually ruined the story instead of making it more interesting. At the beginning I was really thinking I want to read the previous books, since it was so interesting, but at the end I'm not so sure about it.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review soon!

[Bruce Gargoyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.

Ten Second Synopsis:
When a skeleton turns up in the woods in Annie's town, she tries to stay out of things and concentrate on having a happy pregnancy. As more bodies turn up and Annie's niece goes missing, it looks like Annie will have no choice but to go in on the frontline of investigation.

This is a murder mystery with a whole lot going on. There's a paranormal element in that Annie can see dead people - indeed they seem to seek her out - there is a heavy dose of domestic violence and more than a passing nod to the Memento Mori photographers of Victorian times. I didn't find it was a big problem not having read the earlier books in this series. The plot was easy enough to follow, but there were some references to Annie's prior adventures that were quite intriguing and so in that regard it would probably be worth starting at the beginning with this series. It is made obvious from the beginning and throughout who the perpetrator of the killings is in this novel, but there were a couple of cheeky twists right toward the end that should prove satisfactory to those looking for a more complicated read. I really liked the premise of this particular murder mystery despite the fact that some aspects of it beggared belief - surely someone would comment on the whacking great mortuary fridges tucked away in the killer's garage?! - but there were a number of sections that concentrated on developing character relationships that I probably would have appreciated more had I read the earlier books. As it was I just wanted Annie to get on and solve it!

[Claire Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published by: Carina UK (12th January 2016)



ISBN: 978-1474047432



Source: NetGalley



Rating: 4*



Synopsis:

Annie Ashworth is currently off duty. With her baby bump growing fast, she is under strict instructions to stay away from police work and look after herself, especially as she has a history of leading danger right to her door. So when her police officer husband, Will, is called to the discovery of a skeleton buried out in the local woods, Annie tries to keep out of the investigation. But as another body is discovered and her own niece suddenly goes missing, staying away just isn’t an option.



As Annie is soon to discover, a picture really does tell a thousand stories. But which one leads to a killer?



Review:

Although I've not read the previous four Annie Graham books, I didn't find I was struggling to get to know the characters as this rad well as a stand alone novel.



Annie is a nice character who reminds me of someone, but I can't think who. I think it's a female cop from a tv programme or possibly another book. She has that slight vulnerability and sheer stubbornness, and doesn't let her pregnancy get in the way of trying to crack a case she shouldn't even be involved in.



I like the plot, but found some of it a bit predictable. Having said that, there are some twists in The Girls in the Woods that make it quite exciting, including one I really didn't forsee.



Thanks to Carina and NetGalley for providing a copy in return for an honest review.

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read written by Helen Phifer, so I didn’t realise until I was part way through the book that this was part 5 in a series. However, this book mainly works as a standalone, though there is information about title character Officer Annie Graham that came as a bit of a shock that I would of known had I read the earlier books in the series.

The book opens in Victorian England 1895 with two young girls being forced to stand next to their dead sister for one last family photograph. It then jumps to 1995, where one young man has become obsessed with the picture so much that he decided to photograph dead people himself, though they might not already of been dead when he met them!!

Moving on to present day, Annie Graham is 6 months pregnant and supposed to be on maternity leave, but when her officer husband is tasked with finding the murderer of a young girl whose skeleton has been found in the woods, Annie can’t help getting involved.

Annie Graham is a tough character, who is also exceptionally likeable, the perfect protagonist. Helen’s writing is touching and spooky at times. I love the supernatural side to the story which worked really well with the case, and the fingernail biting that you do as you wait to see if Annie can solve the murders.

A brilliant plot brought together with a superb cast of characters. I just need to go back and read the other Annie Graham books now.

Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever treated yourself to an ice cream cone, only to drop it accidentally few seconds later? This is how I feel reading this book. The plot is good, a crime thriller with some supernatural touches. But it drowns in a muddy mess of poorly executed prose. The writing is tedious, rambling, inelegant. Suspension scenes that should be succinct, sharp, electrifying are dragged out in endless paragraphs. The dialogues sound false, and what worse, it's hard to keep track who is saying what, the voices are all the same. There are annoying discrepancies, for example one of the main characters, pregnant police woman who is staying home on doctor's orders is constantly drinking coffee, even that one of her problems is high blood pressure. Silly, I know, but I tend to notice stuff like that. I am still in the process of reading, mostly skipping endless dialogues and descriptions, and I'll probably finish it, this is why I am giving it two stars and not one. But I will stay away from her other books, at least until she finds herself a proper editor. As I said, the story is good, but it reads like the first draft.

[Tracy Shephard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say I just read 30% of this book and couldn't finish it.

What started out as an interesting read slowly descended into something repetitive and in my opinion a bit silly. Heath is a intriguing character, although a wife beating bully I was eager to see how his fascination with photographing corpses developed. As a child his grandfather died in dubious circumstances and while helping his own father clear out the house he finds a photo album from the 1800's. This album had photos of the dead people that were commissioned by families in order to preserve their memory. This would have made a terrific tale, but the author has written a story in which almost everyone has a psychic ability and is able to see dead people. Now I love a paranormal thrill, Caroline Mitchell is the best at this kind of genre, but I got bored quite quickly with the style of writing and the whole story lost my interest. This would have been better without the spooky nonsense and had it been more of a psychological thriller I feel it would have made a spectacular tale.

Sorry.

[Jessica Redland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and loved all of the Annie Graham series to date and this was another triumph. Now heavily pregnant, Annie is taking a much needed break from policing in the hope of a restful and relaxing pregnancy. But this is Annie and there's no such thing as relaxing and restful when it comes to her life! A skeleton has just been discovered in the woods at the other side of the village and an apparition in her home tells her that he's at it again. But who is he?

The same cast of Annie's colleagues are back and, this time, one of them has a few issues which cause unexpected problems for Annie, on top of the challenges of a potential new serial killer on the loose.

The beginning was, as always, completely gripping. The book then progressed at an exciting "I don't want to put this down" pace before a climax that included a twist that I completely didn't expect and certainly didn't see coming.

Excited to see what happens to poor Annie next!

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for the copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Received this through Netgalley, didn't realise at the time that it was part 5 of a series. The book started well, but felt that my interest started to go about a quarter into the book. I have to admit I did give up with it at half way. I'm not usually one for giving up with books, but felt that I just couldn't get into it. I have read that it didn't bother some readers that it was 5th in the series and they hadn't read the others. I'm afraid I'm a bit funny and like to read the other books in a series first, particularly when I come in at number 5! I didn't really get some of the dynamics and relationships in the book because of this.

As it started well, I may go back to it at some time in the future and give it another go, but not before checking out some of the previous books first!

Sorry - two stars!

[Lisa Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series SO MUCH - Annie is a brilliant character, one that I warmed to straight away in book one and I love that we get to keep coming back to her over and over again. Things are, as always, fast paced for Annie and Will, and despite the fact that Annie is pregnant she can't help but get drawn in to the goings-on that Will is working on, even more so when her psychic ability comes into play and she is visited by the ghost of a dead girl.

This is a brilliant read, with a properly sinister killer - one who could be your next door neighbour but hides a gruesome secret. I really enjoyed the read and was quite prepared for the ending when Helen threw out a MASSIVE twist - one that I never would have seen coming in a million years - a twist that really elevates the story to whole other level. Brilliant. I can't wait for the next one.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad When It Was Over

Some writers have a way of capturing your attention and holding you captive as the story unfolds. Sadly this is not the case here. There are far too many references to past books in the series. And for all the heroine’s purported ability to communicate with the dead, that ability did not help her much in this story. I found myself glad to arrive at the end.

[SerialReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thriller lovers will be riveted by this novel.
Beautifully written, good character description and that twist at the end.. you’re gonna love it!


*This book was kindly sent to me via NetGalley by Carina UK*

[Gill Chivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this more than the last one. Stronger storyline and a good few twists! Still really enjoying this season and I hope there are many more to come!

[susan wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

[Grace Lombardi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m always down for a cozy mystery, so this delivered the setting and ambience for a good fall read. The storyline was interesting enough but I thought the writing (or editing?) was sloppy with inconsistencies in details and side stories never really developed. E.g. The whole paranormal element never really seemed to pan out. I could swear a character’s phone was smashed into bits but then they were using the same phone shortly after. A baby was born at seven months and was discharged with the mother within two days. Maybe that’s possible but I’d have appreciated a nod to the fact that this was an early delivery and that some neo-natal care was being provided. Additionally, I found the dialogue and character descriptions to be eye-rollingly lazy, silly or juvenile. There are too many instances to mention but beware of all the eye winking.

I was reading some other reviews where readers hadn’t realized this book was part of a series. I didn’t either but I didn’t find it to be a barrier.

[Kerry Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome read!

Annie Graham is a legend!! I love this series, the characters have grown so much... and now there is a new addition to the fold. A great mix of the supernatural, great detective work, mayhem and humour. I am looking forward, to reading the next instalment.
Read and enjoy... you won't regret it, I promise. TTFN 😊.

[Kiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The twist at the end is priceless. I do however feel like I am missing what happened with Stu. And Annie’s birth was a bit unrealistic, as well as her being so active two days later. But the book was a great read, and kept me entertained from start to finish.

[Geraint griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Once again absolutely brilliant read couldn't put it down.Another clever plot with a real twist at the end that I never seen coming .Have not been disappointed with any of the books I have read so far written by this author .

[Katrina Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Helen Phifer's Annie Graham series and book five did not disappoint. Another book I could not put down as it was such an addictive page turner and again I read it through the night.

Only one more in the series which I will start reading tonight.

[Wen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another page turner! Good one Helen Phifer. How you think of these things boggle my mind. I have read all five and now crave #6...I hope you write one

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't realize this was book 5 of a series. It could be read as a standalone but now since I am hooked on this series I am starting on Book one (The Ghost House) to read. Love the characters and love the mystery, thriller & paranormal of the series. Book 5 had twist at the end which I never saw coming. Highly recommend if you like this this type of novel.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh love all the Annie Graham series, and they just seem to get better. Didn't think one place could any one place could have so many seriel killers.

[Mark Hurford]

Very Good with a twist at the end

[tracey walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant ☺️

[Emiliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Препоръчвам поредицата.

[chrissie keirle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Easy to read with a good twist at the end. Cant wait to read the next one.