What do you think?
Rate this book
Detective Rachel Prince #3
Perfect Girls
Phoebe. Tiffany. Melissa. They all made one little mistake...
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
A gripping page-turner that will have you completely hooked until the utterly jaw-dropping twist. Fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Karin Slaughter will love this crime series, featuring unforgettable Detective Rachel Prince.
Why readers are gripped by the Detective Rachel Prince
‘I was hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down until I’d reached the end. The twists and turns just keep coming… will have you gasping in surprise.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘One of those books you just can’t put down… stayed up until 2 am… a whirlwind of action which keeps you glued to the book.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘One of the BEST police procedural thrillers that I have read lately. From the start to the finish, it gripped and held me tight... I can't wait to see more of Rachel Prince.’ The Book Nurse, 5 stars
‘Had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Jam packed with twists and turns… If you love crime and are as addicted to police procedurals as I am you will love this book!!!’Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Absolutely fantastic… had me hooked from page one and I tore through it as fast as I could… LOTS of red herrings and cliff-hangers. Just when I thought I’d worked it out, it turned and I had to start all over again. Rachel is a great female lead… such a fantastic book I would have no hesitation in recommending it.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘My new favourite detective DI Rachel Prince… fast paced and the storyline had me hooked from the first page… I heartily recommend this book.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Fabulous, intriguing and thrilling! I couldn’t wait to find out the conclusion of this story! The plot kept me twisting and turning trying to figure out the real culprit! I enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to reading more about Detective Prince.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘Wow!... I loved it… Rachel is gritty and determined… gripping… Couldn't put it down and really look forward to further books in this series.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
A gripping page-turner that will have you completely hooked until the utterly jaw-dropping twist. Fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Karin Slaughter will love this crime series, featuring unforgettable Detective Rachel Prince.
Why readers are gripped by the Detective Rachel Prince
‘I was hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down until I’d reached the end. The twists and turns just keep coming… will have you gasping in surprise.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘One of those books you just can’t put down… stayed up until 2 am… a whirlwind of action which keeps you glued to the book.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘One of the BEST police procedural thrillers that I have read lately. From the start to the finish, it gripped and held me tight... I can't wait to see more of Rachel Prince.’ The Book Nurse, 5 stars
‘Had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Jam packed with twists and turns… If you love crime and are as addicted to police procedurals as I am you will love this book!!!’Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Absolutely fantastic… had me hooked from page one and I tore through it as fast as I could… LOTS of red herrings and cliff-hangers. Just when I thought I’d worked it out, it turned and I had to start all over again. Rachel is a great female lead… such a fantastic book I would have no hesitation in recommending it.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘My new favourite detective DI Rachel Prince… fast paced and the storyline had me hooked from the first page… I heartily recommend this book.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Fabulous, intriguing and thrilling! I couldn’t wait to find out the conclusion of this story! The plot kept me twisting and turning trying to figure out the real culprit! I enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to reading more about Detective Prince.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘Wow!... I loved it… Rachel is gritty and determined… gripping… Couldn't put it down and really look forward to further books in this series.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2018
1149 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
About the author
Alison James
10 books350 followersI was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
September 25, 2018
Somebody is killing off all the “perfect“ blondes!!!
This is the third book in the DI Rachel Prince series... Rachel is an international liaison officer, this time the job takes her to Los Angeles.... ironically part of my love for the series is that it is set in the UK, but this time I found Rachel on my doorstep! Not that I did not thoroughly enjoy this book, it was quite fun watching Rachel outsmart the entire LAPD....
When the body of phoebe, a British citizen, is discovered Rachel is called to action... while Rachel is in LA another body is discovered, another “perfect“ blonde... even though the LAPD has made an arrest in Phoebe’s case Rachel is convinced they are wrong, and there is a serial killer on the loose.... obsessed with the case eventually Rachel take some time out to investigate on her own time and dime...
This is a fast paced, action packed, addictive read! Rachel is a very relatable and likable female protagonist, a little less prickly than a lot of other female detectives.... although admittedly I was hoping there’d be a little more about her relationship with Mark, maybe in the next book? Also the believability that Rachel single-handedly out detected all law-enforcement of the United States while entertaining, was unlikely, I hope!
Another fabulous installment in this detective series that is fast becoming one of my favorites! Absolutely recommend if you are a fan of the police procedural with a strong smart female protagonist...
*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
This is the third book in the DI Rachel Prince series... Rachel is an international liaison officer, this time the job takes her to Los Angeles.... ironically part of my love for the series is that it is set in the UK, but this time I found Rachel on my doorstep! Not that I did not thoroughly enjoy this book, it was quite fun watching Rachel outsmart the entire LAPD....
When the body of phoebe, a British citizen, is discovered Rachel is called to action... while Rachel is in LA another body is discovered, another “perfect“ blonde... even though the LAPD has made an arrest in Phoebe’s case Rachel is convinced they are wrong, and there is a serial killer on the loose.... obsessed with the case eventually Rachel take some time out to investigate on her own time and dime...
This is a fast paced, action packed, addictive read! Rachel is a very relatable and likable female protagonist, a little less prickly than a lot of other female detectives.... although admittedly I was hoping there’d be a little more about her relationship with Mark, maybe in the next book? Also the believability that Rachel single-handedly out detected all law-enforcement of the United States while entertaining, was unlikely, I hope!
Another fabulous installment in this detective series that is fast becoming one of my favorites! Absolutely recommend if you are a fan of the police procedural with a strong smart female protagonist...
*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
September 6, 2018
3.5 stars
Rachel Prince isn’t your normal detective. She’s affiliated with the National Crime Agency, international Liaisons. She gets a call and next thing, she’s flying to L.A. to help with a dead girl from London found in a dumpster.
I’ve enjoyed the prior two books and this one kept up the momentum. The book moves quickly as Rachel finds links the LA police have missed. We also hear from the killer, who finds the victims through a home renting app called Casa Mia. While Rachel is still in the US, another victim is discovered. Rachel becomes obsessed with this case even though it’s totally out of her jurisdiction. Before we know it, she’s taken leave from her job and is flying all around the US. Unfortunately, it was just way too unbelievable. So, I can’t quite rate this as highly as the prior two books. But I still really like Rachel and will definitely be reading book four.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
Rachel Prince isn’t your normal detective. She’s affiliated with the National Crime Agency, international Liaisons. She gets a call and next thing, she’s flying to L.A. to help with a dead girl from London found in a dumpster.
I’ve enjoyed the prior two books and this one kept up the momentum. The book moves quickly as Rachel finds links the LA police have missed. We also hear from the killer, who finds the victims through a home renting app called Casa Mia. While Rachel is still in the US, another victim is discovered. Rachel becomes obsessed with this case even though it’s totally out of her jurisdiction. Before we know it, she’s taken leave from her job and is flying all around the US. Unfortunately, it was just way too unbelievable. So, I can’t quite rate this as highly as the prior two books. But I still really like Rachel and will definitely be reading book four.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
September 16, 2018
4.5
Pretty. Spoilt. Popular. Self-absorbed. Entitled.
These are the characteristics that define the victims in this suspenseful and gripping crime/thriller.
This time Rachel Prince travels to Los Angeles to help the LAPD investigate the murder of a British citizen. Every evidence points to the victim’s boyfriend being the culprit, but Rachel’s instincts say otherwise. After some diggings and questionings, she finds another victim killed in the same way as the first one.
Determined to find the killer and stop the murders and despite obstacles, she goes against all odds and decides to solve the case all by herself.
This was another fast-paced and intriguing read from Alison James. Although I would have liked to see more of Mark Brickall.
Thanks to Alison James, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
Pretty. Spoilt. Popular. Self-absorbed. Entitled.
These are the characteristics that define the victims in this suspenseful and gripping crime/thriller.
This time Rachel Prince travels to Los Angeles to help the LAPD investigate the murder of a British citizen. Every evidence points to the victim’s boyfriend being the culprit, but Rachel’s instincts say otherwise. After some diggings and questionings, she finds another victim killed in the same way as the first one.
Determined to find the killer and stop the murders and despite obstacles, she goes against all odds and decides to solve the case all by herself.
This was another fast-paced and intriguing read from Alison James. Although I would have liked to see more of Mark Brickall.
Thanks to Alison James, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
October 24, 2018
EXCERPT: It's all so easy. The website had promised 'a super-slick check-in process', and it is.
A message with the address and directions arrives twenty-four hours in advance, and another suggests an arrival time, stressing that this is negotiable. On the day, there's a quick hello, a mention of a couple of important things to remember, handover of a printed list of instructions and a set of keys, rounded off with wishes for a pleasant stay and the promise of help being at the end of the phone.
It really is that simple.
The next part is just as simple too. The blow from behind is quick and clean; its deadly trajectory neither seen nor heard. A reverberating aftershock follows, the temporal lag of realisation that this has actually just happened. That this is all it takes; the work of less than three seconds. Grab. Swing. Strike.
Dead.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Phoebe. Tiffany. Melissa. They all made one little mistake...
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
MY THOUGHTS: I was hooked by the end of chapter one. And the tension really never let up. I had read the first book in the series, Lola Is Missing, but somehow managed to miss the second. Silly of me for not paying attention! But it hasn't impacted at all on my enjoyment of Perfect Girls. And enjoy this I did.
Perfect Girls is a fast-paced read with plenty of action, although there are a few occasions when the reader is required to suspend belief, hence the four stars rather than five.
I like that Rachel is a well rounded character, with faults, but without the major hang-ups that so many leading female protagonists seem to be saddled with. She is stubborn, but has a sense of humor, and of the ridiculous, which I enjoy. I also enjoy the friendship between Rachel and Mark, but really don't want to see this develop into a romance. So far it hasn’t, and fingers crossed it never will.
This series is definitely worth reading, and I look forward to the next in the series. I am going to find a copy of Now She’s Gone, the second book in the series, because I really don't want to miss out on anything.
Although this is a series, each book that I have read can easily be read as a stand-alone.
😍😍😍😍
THE AUTHOR: I was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Perfect Girls by Alison James for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
A message with the address and directions arrives twenty-four hours in advance, and another suggests an arrival time, stressing that this is negotiable. On the day, there's a quick hello, a mention of a couple of important things to remember, handover of a printed list of instructions and a set of keys, rounded off with wishes for a pleasant stay and the promise of help being at the end of the phone.
It really is that simple.
The next part is just as simple too. The blow from behind is quick and clean; its deadly trajectory neither seen nor heard. A reverberating aftershock follows, the temporal lag of realisation that this has actually just happened. That this is all it takes; the work of less than three seconds. Grab. Swing. Strike.
Dead.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Phoebe. Tiffany. Melissa. They all made one little mistake...
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
MY THOUGHTS: I was hooked by the end of chapter one. And the tension really never let up. I had read the first book in the series, Lola Is Missing, but somehow managed to miss the second. Silly of me for not paying attention! But it hasn't impacted at all on my enjoyment of Perfect Girls. And enjoy this I did.
Perfect Girls is a fast-paced read with plenty of action, although there are a few occasions when the reader is required to suspend belief, hence the four stars rather than five.
I like that Rachel is a well rounded character, with faults, but without the major hang-ups that so many leading female protagonists seem to be saddled with. She is stubborn, but has a sense of humor, and of the ridiculous, which I enjoy. I also enjoy the friendship between Rachel and Mark, but really don't want to see this develop into a romance. So far it hasn’t, and fingers crossed it never will.
This series is definitely worth reading, and I look forward to the next in the series. I am going to find a copy of Now She’s Gone, the second book in the series, because I really don't want to miss out on anything.
Although this is a series, each book that I have read can easily be read as a stand-alone.
😍😍😍😍
THE AUTHOR: I was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Perfect Girls by Alison James for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 14, 2018
When Detective Rachel Prince received the call in her home town of London, she was quite excited to be heading to the US to help with the apprehension of the killer of Phoebe Stiles, a young English girl who had ventured to Hollywood to make her name in the acting world. Phoebe had been dead for some weeks, it had been ascertained – but then another young woman’s body was found. Rachel was positive there was a serial killer; her gut instincts were rarely wrong. But when the LAPD arrested a person, and declared the case closed, Rachel knew they were wrong – proving it was another thing.
Back and forth between London and the US until she finally took leave to work the case on her own time – Rachel was determined to catch the killer as the death count was rising. With a little assistance in the US, Rachel knew she was close. But would she get close enough? Or would she get TOO close?
Perfect Girls is the 3rd in the Detective Rachel Prince series by Alison James, and another fast-paced and gritty thriller which meant the pages pretty much turned themselves. There were times when I wanted to shake Rachel; then there were my gasps of horror at her lack of good judgement – I wasn’t sure how she’d end up! An excellent thriller, Perfect Girls is highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.
Back and forth between London and the US until she finally took leave to work the case on her own time – Rachel was determined to catch the killer as the death count was rising. With a little assistance in the US, Rachel knew she was close. But would she get close enough? Or would she get TOO close?
Perfect Girls is the 3rd in the Detective Rachel Prince series by Alison James, and another fast-paced and gritty thriller which meant the pages pretty much turned themselves. There were times when I wanted to shake Rachel; then there were my gasps of horror at her lack of good judgement – I wasn’t sure how she’d end up! An excellent thriller, Perfect Girls is highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.
September 3, 2019
After reading the other two books in the series I had promised to get to this one. Never did, but now that life has calmed down I’m able to read some past books on my TBR list. This is one of them.
Thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and 2. This one was also enjoyable and fast off the mark, kept a steady pace throughout.
Loved the use of Ann App in this that involved the plot being quite interesting and up to date.
Blondes going missing.
I’ll not say much about the plot or story in fear of spoilers so I’ll just say, it was fab to meet up with Rachel again and renew each other’s company, I feel I know her quite well now.
She’s off Los Angeles in this book to investigate a British citizens death. It looks like the boyfriend did it. But did he? Was it too obvious?
Great series.
Thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and 2. This one was also enjoyable and fast off the mark, kept a steady pace throughout.
Loved the use of Ann App in this that involved the plot being quite interesting and up to date.
Blondes going missing.
I’ll not say much about the plot or story in fear of spoilers so I’ll just say, it was fab to meet up with Rachel again and renew each other’s company, I feel I know her quite well now.
She’s off Los Angeles in this book to investigate a British citizens death. It looks like the boyfriend did it. But did he? Was it too obvious?
Great series.
September 1, 2018
Book 3 in the Detective Rachel Prince series and it just keep getting better. Rachel is stronger, more stubborn and determined to solve the case. Rachel is one of my favourite characters going around at the moment and it was such a joy to read this book. She is well respected, smart and loyal - what's not to like!
There is a change of scene for this book with Rachel travelling to Hollywood to investigate the murder of an English girl, Phoebe Stiles. She is found dead, her body dumped. Whilst the case is being looked into another body is found - another blonde also dumped. The link seems to be the use of a home sharing app that both the girls have used. Although a suspect is arrested Rachel can't let the case go, even when returning to the UK. She knows that there is more to it and just has to learn the truth, at any cost.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
There is a change of scene for this book with Rachel travelling to Hollywood to investigate the murder of an English girl, Phoebe Stiles. She is found dead, her body dumped. Whilst the case is being looked into another body is found - another blonde also dumped. The link seems to be the use of a home sharing app that both the girls have used. Although a suspect is arrested Rachel can't let the case go, even when returning to the UK. She knows that there is more to it and just has to learn the truth, at any cost.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
October 10, 2018
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book! I haven't read the first two books in the series but I never felt lost. I will definitely be checking those books out though. I liked Rachel Prince, she seemed "normal". She didn't have any baggage (at least, as far as I know), she wasn't a bitch, she was smart, and stayed out of trouble. She is sent to California because one of the victims is British. However, the L.A. police wrap up the investigation quickly because they aren't too bothered by other facts. Rachel senses that there is more to it though. This sends her on a quest by herself to find out why these "perfect girls" are getting murdered. To say she is tenacious is an understatement. I liked how the story flowed and really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book. This kept me turning the pages quickly! I can't wait to see what else Rachel Prince has coming for her in the coming books.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2018
Perfect Girls is another brilliant instalment in the Detective Rachel Series. I have now read all three and they seem to get better and better.
Detective Rachel works at the National Crime Agency with a great team of police, military and Civilian personnel, including her partner DS Mark Brickall. This time, a case has come in from L.A. involving a British Women Phoebe Stiles. Her body was found dumped in the back of a department store. So Rachel agrees to goes to L.A. to find out who killed her. But at first, there was nothing she could with the case out there. So she returned to the UK. But things don’t feel right and she ends up taking leave and returning to L.A. at her own expense, to hunt down the killer.
She arrived in the USA to be met by a Rob from Interpol and there is instant attraction. But, Rachel keeps it all business-like. He tells what happened and while they are gathering more intelligence about the murder, another call comes in that another body is found. They realise they have a serial killer on their hands and they all seem to be linked by a flat sharing app call CasaMia. Rachel is determined to find out who the killer is so, much that she got obsessed by the case that she flies to different cities to meet some surly characters to find who the killer is before anyone else gets hurt.
Wow what another brilliant instalment in this gripping series. I love the guts and the determination of the character of Rachel Prince. She doesn’t stop until she gets the killer. I missed the interaction of Brickhall in parts of the book. But, the great twist at the end made up for it.
Thank you Bookoutre and NetGalley for a copy of this book
Detective Rachel works at the National Crime Agency with a great team of police, military and Civilian personnel, including her partner DS Mark Brickall. This time, a case has come in from L.A. involving a British Women Phoebe Stiles. Her body was found dumped in the back of a department store. So Rachel agrees to goes to L.A. to find out who killed her. But at first, there was nothing she could with the case out there. So she returned to the UK. But things don’t feel right and she ends up taking leave and returning to L.A. at her own expense, to hunt down the killer.
She arrived in the USA to be met by a Rob from Interpol and there is instant attraction. But, Rachel keeps it all business-like. He tells what happened and while they are gathering more intelligence about the murder, another call comes in that another body is found. They realise they have a serial killer on their hands and they all seem to be linked by a flat sharing app call CasaMia. Rachel is determined to find out who the killer is so, much that she got obsessed by the case that she flies to different cities to meet some surly characters to find who the killer is before anyone else gets hurt.
Wow what another brilliant instalment in this gripping series. I love the guts and the determination of the character of Rachel Prince. She doesn’t stop until she gets the killer. I missed the interaction of Brickhall in parts of the book. But, the great twist at the end made up for it.
Thank you Bookoutre and NetGalley for a copy of this book
September 17, 2018
'Perfect Girls' is the third book to feature DI Rachel Prince from the National Crime Agency. With the author being a paralegal there is a feeling of authenticity to her novels, and James's ability to weave a complex, gripping and tension-filled story is evident here. As with all series, I feel it's of great benefit to have read the preceding books beforehand, if only to see the development of the investigators. Nevertheless, it works perfectly as a standalone, too.
One of my favourite aspects of this series is the sparseness of the writing - it works very well. There are so many writers today who overwrite novels to their detriment, but, here, the author stays well away from this cardinal sin. Action-packed, with many a good twist incorporated into the tale, however, I enjoyed this one less than the previous books and felt it was not as good quality. That said, it is still an engaging read. It is told in a straightforward, sequential manner, mainly in third person from Rachel's perspective. There are also some chapters where the killer gets his time to shine and where he describes his methodology - this reminded me very much of the wonderful 'The Fourth Monkey' by J. D. Barker, although no one could pull this off as well as he did. There are a few instances where I felt that the story leapt into far-fetched territory, so it does require the reader to overlook those instances in order to enjoy the whole tale.
One of the minor issues I had with this novel was that it revolved very much around Rachel Prince and her behaviour. In the previous books she came across as tenacious, strong and professional, but she seems to have had a personality transplant since we last encountered her. However, I thoroughly appreciated the relationship between Rachel and DS Mark Brickall. Their dynamic is wonderful - they're very good at what they do but have a humourous dialogue which I loved.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
One of my favourite aspects of this series is the sparseness of the writing - it works very well. There are so many writers today who overwrite novels to their detriment, but, here, the author stays well away from this cardinal sin. Action-packed, with many a good twist incorporated into the tale, however, I enjoyed this one less than the previous books and felt it was not as good quality. That said, it is still an engaging read. It is told in a straightforward, sequential manner, mainly in third person from Rachel's perspective. There are also some chapters where the killer gets his time to shine and where he describes his methodology - this reminded me very much of the wonderful 'The Fourth Monkey' by J. D. Barker, although no one could pull this off as well as he did. There are a few instances where I felt that the story leapt into far-fetched territory, so it does require the reader to overlook those instances in order to enjoy the whole tale.
One of the minor issues I had with this novel was that it revolved very much around Rachel Prince and her behaviour. In the previous books she came across as tenacious, strong and professional, but she seems to have had a personality transplant since we last encountered her. However, I thoroughly appreciated the relationship between Rachel and DS Mark Brickall. Their dynamic is wonderful - they're very good at what they do but have a humourous dialogue which I loved.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
September 2, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Perfect Girls, the third novel to feature DI Rachel Prince of the National Crime Agency.
When the body of soap actress Phoebe Stiles is found rotting in a dumpster Rachel is asked to fly to Los Angeles to assist with family liaison. Her limited role doesn't stop her doing some investigation of her own and what she discovers runs far deeper than anyone imagined because Phoebe is not the only victim.
I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Girls which is an absorbing read with plenty going on and some unexpected turns. It does, however, require a certain suspension of disbelief as Rachel goes off piste in hard to believe circumstances. The novel has a linear timeline and is mostly told, in the third person, from Rachel's point of view with some short chapters where the killer describes the method and practicalities of killing. For once I loved these interjections which are smart, emotionless and strangely appealing and I came to look forward to what would be revealed next. I'm not quite sure what to make of the plot which is driven by Rachel's behaviour and much of that seems out of keeping with the logical, professional detective she was in the previous novels. Nevertheless it is an absorbing read with few dull moments, albeit the weakest novel in the series so far.
I really like the relationship Rachel has with her deputy DS Mark Brickall. They get the job done but they have a jokey, cheeky interplay which seems entirely natural and makes me smile. As I've said Rachel seems off balance in this novel. She is obsessed with finding Phoebe's killer even if it is beyond her remit and on a different continent. She makes amazing progress at some personal cost but flashing her NCA identity card and getting answers when she's well outside her jurisdiction seems simplistic.
Perfect Girls is a good read which I can recommend.
When the body of soap actress Phoebe Stiles is found rotting in a dumpster Rachel is asked to fly to Los Angeles to assist with family liaison. Her limited role doesn't stop her doing some investigation of her own and what she discovers runs far deeper than anyone imagined because Phoebe is not the only victim.
I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Girls which is an absorbing read with plenty going on and some unexpected turns. It does, however, require a certain suspension of disbelief as Rachel goes off piste in hard to believe circumstances. The novel has a linear timeline and is mostly told, in the third person, from Rachel's point of view with some short chapters where the killer describes the method and practicalities of killing. For once I loved these interjections which are smart, emotionless and strangely appealing and I came to look forward to what would be revealed next. I'm not quite sure what to make of the plot which is driven by Rachel's behaviour and much of that seems out of keeping with the logical, professional detective she was in the previous novels. Nevertheless it is an absorbing read with few dull moments, albeit the weakest novel in the series so far.
I really like the relationship Rachel has with her deputy DS Mark Brickall. They get the job done but they have a jokey, cheeky interplay which seems entirely natural and makes me smile. As I've said Rachel seems off balance in this novel. She is obsessed with finding Phoebe's killer even if it is beyond her remit and on a different continent. She makes amazing progress at some personal cost but flashing her NCA identity card and getting answers when she's well outside her jurisdiction seems simplistic.
Perfect Girls is a good read which I can recommend.
Read
September 4, 2018"Pretty. Spoilt. Popular. Self-absorbed. Entitled." DEAD
DI Rachel Prince, an international liaison investigator for the UK National Crime Agency, is off to the USA in what will prove to be one of the most challenging cases of her career. Alone and without support from her partner, DS Mark Brickall, she is sent to find details about a murdered UK woman whose body was found rotting in a dumpster at the back of a Macy's store in LA. Phoebe Stiles, 25-years-old, had been dead for quite some time -- all the while, however, she had appeared to still be in contact with her parents via phone and had also filmed a commercial even though forensics found that Phoebe was already dead then. If that's true -- who went to the filming in her stead? Rachel Prince will crisscross the United States while doggedly pursuing the killer. This particular sociopath is quite busy as other bodies begin to appear. What emerges is a very chilling and complicated story of deceit and revenge. NO SPOILERS.
I really enjoyed this third in the series featuring Rachel Prince. She's fairly stereotypical as a character in this genre as she's a bit aloof and easily obsessed by her cases. She has difficulty in personal relationships but her determination to close her cases forces her to try to play nice with others. The series is very well-written and demonstrates great attention to detail as the complex case keeps the reader entertained. Equal parts police procedural, crime drama, and suspense thriller, PERFECT GIRLS kept me glued to the pages and I would have finished it in one sitting had it not been a holiday weekend! I can't wait for #4 and highly recommend the series to any fans of this genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
DI Rachel Prince, an international liaison investigator for the UK National Crime Agency, is off to the USA in what will prove to be one of the most challenging cases of her career. Alone and without support from her partner, DS Mark Brickall, she is sent to find details about a murdered UK woman whose body was found rotting in a dumpster at the back of a Macy's store in LA. Phoebe Stiles, 25-years-old, had been dead for quite some time -- all the while, however, she had appeared to still be in contact with her parents via phone and had also filmed a commercial even though forensics found that Phoebe was already dead then. If that's true -- who went to the filming in her stead? Rachel Prince will crisscross the United States while doggedly pursuing the killer. This particular sociopath is quite busy as other bodies begin to appear. What emerges is a very chilling and complicated story of deceit and revenge. NO SPOILERS.
I really enjoyed this third in the series featuring Rachel Prince. She's fairly stereotypical as a character in this genre as she's a bit aloof and easily obsessed by her cases. She has difficulty in personal relationships but her determination to close her cases forces her to try to play nice with others. The series is very well-written and demonstrates great attention to detail as the complex case keeps the reader entertained. Equal parts police procedural, crime drama, and suspense thriller, PERFECT GIRLS kept me glued to the pages and I would have finished it in one sitting had it not been a holiday weekend! I can't wait for #4 and highly recommend the series to any fans of this genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
September 9, 2018
Be careful who you let into your home ...
I have read the previous book as well and this one was as gripping and entertaining.
With some books you need some time to get dragged into the story, others pull you in from the very beginning. This story definitely deserves a place in the latter group.
It's fluently written and fast paced. The short chapters make you keep on reading one more, and one more, and ... even though you really should have stopped to do other (read boring) things like sleeping or eating. The author has you in her grip and won't let you go before everything is revealed.
I also liked the structure of the book. The author gives us the opportunity to peek inside the culprit's head and if you want to know what is going on in there, you won't hear it from me. You will have to find out yourself.
Thank you, Alison James, Bookouture and Netgalley
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
I have read the previous book as well and this one was as gripping and entertaining.
With some books you need some time to get dragged into the story, others pull you in from the very beginning. This story definitely deserves a place in the latter group.
It's fluently written and fast paced. The short chapters make you keep on reading one more, and one more, and ... even though you really should have stopped to do other (read boring) things like sleeping or eating. The author has you in her grip and won't let you go before everything is revealed.
I also liked the structure of the book. The author gives us the opportunity to peek inside the culprit's head and if you want to know what is going on in there, you won't hear it from me. You will have to find out yourself.
Thank you, Alison James, Bookouture and Netgalley
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
September 11, 2018
Perfect Girls by Alison James is the 3rd in the Detective Rachel Prince Series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books):
DI Rachel Prince is a Detective with the NCA (National Crime Agency), which includes Interpol, so she is often sent to other countries to investigate or liaise with their police forces. She has recently been divorced (although they had been separated for 17 years), and she has also recently met her son Joe, who she gave up for adoption as a newborn. Her romantic relationships with men are ridiculous. She works with DS Mark Brickall, who seems to be rather flippant about his job, but I think he would easily risk his life for her.
My Synopsis:
Rachel has her DCI promotion assessment coming up, but when the opportunity to go to California to liaise with the local police on a case arises, she jumps at the chance. Apparently a young woman from the UK was found dead under suspicious circumstances.
She meets with the Washington, DC Interpol agent to go over the case, and then it’s off to Los Angeles, where the family of UK born Phoebe Stiles has landed, and they want some answers. When Rachel finds another similar case in San Diego, she starts looking for things to link the two victims. Although the L.A. police quickly arrest Phoebe’s boyfriend, Rachel doesn’t think he committed the crime. Eventually she is called back to England, but she can’t get the case out of her mind. When her boss refuses to let her go back to the States, she takes time off work and goes on her own. Criss-crossing the country, Rachel is finding more clues, and keeps getting closer to the perpetrator…until she gets too close.
My Opinions:
Each book in this series gets better. Although I’m not impressed with Rachel’s choice in men, she is starting to grow on me. She’s a little headstrong, and refuses to back down, even when ordered. I am also starting to like Mark Brickall, as I see, in this book in particular, that his heart is in the right place. The author is developing her characters quite well.
This was a really fast paced book, and a quick read. The plot was good, and everything held together well.
I am definitely looking forward to the next in the series!
For a more complete review of this book and others, 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 Background (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books):
DI Rachel Prince is a Detective with the NCA (National Crime Agency), which includes Interpol, so she is often sent to other countries to investigate or liaise with their police forces. She has recently been divorced (although they had been separated for 17 years), and she has also recently met her son Joe, who she gave up for adoption as a newborn. Her romantic relationships with men are ridiculous. She works with DS Mark Brickall, who seems to be rather flippant about his job, but I think he would easily risk his life for her.
My Synopsis:
Rachel has her DCI promotion assessment coming up, but when the opportunity to go to California to liaise with the local police on a case arises, she jumps at the chance. Apparently a young woman from the UK was found dead under suspicious circumstances.
She meets with the Washington, DC Interpol agent to go over the case, and then it’s off to Los Angeles, where the family of UK born Phoebe Stiles has landed, and they want some answers. When Rachel finds another similar case in San Diego, she starts looking for things to link the two victims. Although the L.A. police quickly arrest Phoebe’s boyfriend, Rachel doesn’t think he committed the crime. Eventually she is called back to England, but she can’t get the case out of her mind. When her boss refuses to let her go back to the States, she takes time off work and goes on her own. Criss-crossing the country, Rachel is finding more clues, and keeps getting closer to the perpetrator…until she gets too close.
My Opinions:
Each book in this series gets better. Although I’m not impressed with Rachel’s choice in men, she is starting to grow on me. She’s a little headstrong, and refuses to back down, even when ordered. I am also starting to like Mark Brickall, as I see, in this book in particular, that his heart is in the right place. The author is developing her characters quite well.
This was a really fast paced book, and a quick read. The plot was good, and everything held together well.
I am definitely looking forward to the next in the series!
For a more complete review of this book and others, please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
August 19, 2018
4 stars
DI Rachel Prince works at the National Crime Agency> The NCA is peopled by a cutting edge team of police, military and civilian personnel. Her partner is DS Mark Brickall. Rachel’s team is also a part of Interpol and they get sent all over the world to investigate crime.
She receives the message that there was a murder of a British national in California and they request her assistance. She leaves Mark behind, much to his chagrin. When she gets there, the pathologist says that the girls had been dead for several weeks. People claim to have seen her more recently and she was in a commercial just three weeks earlier. How can this be? Rachel digs into the case and discovers discrepancies.
When she is ordered back home, she reluctantly must go. She asks a couple of colleagues to keep looking into the case in spite of the fact that the police have arrested and charged someone.
While back in England, Rachel and Mark solve the case of human trafficking involving young Nigerian teenagers.
Rachel can’t let go of the San Diego homicide and she and Mark decide to investigate further. They go to Phoebe Stiles’ hometown to look into her background. They first go to visit Lauren, a former classmate of Phoebe’s, then a former teacher of Phoebe’s.
Still unable to let the case go, Rachel heads back to San Diego to investigate the case further. She gets in serious trouble.
The killer is identified and Rachel is now free of danger.
This is a pretty good book. I didn’t care for it as much as the previous one though. I like DI Prince, although she is headstrong and has a tendency to do what she wants in spite of her boss’ wishes. I also like DS Mark Brickall. I wonder if Rachel knows he is more than half in love with her. The book is well written and the plotting is straightforward. The story reads in a straight line. One event follows another. I enjoyed reading it and will await the next Alison James novel.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read, enjoy and review.
DI Rachel Prince works at the National Crime Agency> The NCA is peopled by a cutting edge team of police, military and civilian personnel. Her partner is DS Mark Brickall. Rachel’s team is also a part of Interpol and they get sent all over the world to investigate crime.
She receives the message that there was a murder of a British national in California and they request her assistance. She leaves Mark behind, much to his chagrin. When she gets there, the pathologist says that the girls had been dead for several weeks. People claim to have seen her more recently and she was in a commercial just three weeks earlier. How can this be? Rachel digs into the case and discovers discrepancies.
When she is ordered back home, she reluctantly must go. She asks a couple of colleagues to keep looking into the case in spite of the fact that the police have arrested and charged someone.
While back in England, Rachel and Mark solve the case of human trafficking involving young Nigerian teenagers.
Rachel can’t let go of the San Diego homicide and she and Mark decide to investigate further. They go to Phoebe Stiles’ hometown to look into her background. They first go to visit Lauren, a former classmate of Phoebe’s, then a former teacher of Phoebe’s.
Still unable to let the case go, Rachel heads back to San Diego to investigate the case further. She gets in serious trouble.
The killer is identified and Rachel is now free of danger.
This is a pretty good book. I didn’t care for it as much as the previous one though. I like DI Prince, although she is headstrong and has a tendency to do what she wants in spite of her boss’ wishes. I also like DS Mark Brickall. I wonder if Rachel knows he is more than half in love with her. The book is well written and the plotting is straightforward. The story reads in a straight line. One event follows another. I enjoyed reading it and will await the next Alison James novel.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read, enjoy and review.
September 19, 2018
This was a cracking good crime thriller! The third in the Detective Rachel Prince series, it’s the first one I’ve read, and I will definitely be going back to read the first two. Det. Prince is a flawed heroine; she apparently has a tendency to think romantically about people she works with (according to references to previous events), tends to be obsessive, and seems off-balance in some of her familial relationships. All of this makes her more human, and not the usual “superhero cop” who solves a case easily. The story unfolds in “real time,” with the actions of Rachel and co-workers interspersed with brief perspectives from the perpetrator of the crimes. This lends authenticity to the story, and the glimpses of the criminal mind slowly draw the reader deeper into the investigation. The author has researched well; the description of travel and locations are accurate and vivid. The time constraint that Rachel is working under compels the reader to keep up with Rachel’s sense of urgency. The crimes at the heart of the story are timely, especially in the age of social media saturation. Not really a spoiler, but you probably won’t look at a certain growing trend in travel the same way ever again. A great read, and I look forward to adding this series to my “follow” lists. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2018
Rachel’s back!!!!
Prob my fav Detective in a series, I love her attitude and the way she tackles cases ‘head on’ and never lets anything stop her until the case is solved, shes quirky, determined and not always a follower of rules...
Nothings changed in this book, thankfully, as she works between London and various American states as someone is taking out short sub lets on homes ( think Air BNB ) BUT the original owner is ‘disposed of’.....one of these owners is a UK citizen trying to make it in L.A. ....enter Rachel to investigate.....
Then follows an exciting tense story as Rachel tries, fails, tries again and keeps trying to solve the case.....she is still running for pleasure ( way too much!!! ) and still has men she cant decide to entertain or fight off and once again solves the case in her very individual style
Yep I like her, a lot 😃😃
The author again writes a fast and easy flowing book that was a pkeasure to read and enjoy
Roll on Book 4 😃
( even though its Book 3 can be easily read as a stand alone )
10/10 5 stars
September 16, 2018
This is a gripping crime thriller and I really enjoyed it.
Rachel is asked to go out to America as a British girl has been murdered out there.
She starts helping with the investigation but soon it gets under her skin and she doesn’t want to leave. The detective in charge makes an arrest so she’s told to return home, but she knows he’s not got the real killer.
Rachel keeps in touch with the investigation and soon takes holiday so she can go back out there and continue her investigation.
Time is ticking by and Rachel is frustrated that she seems to be the only one trying to find the real killer.
Brickall is on hand via Skype but she soon ends up in trouble and no-one is there to help her.
I did wonder how this book would end and it was a real edge of your seat situation!
This is a great series and I can’t wait for the next one.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Rachel is asked to go out to America as a British girl has been murdered out there.
She starts helping with the investigation but soon it gets under her skin and she doesn’t want to leave. The detective in charge makes an arrest so she’s told to return home, but she knows he’s not got the real killer.
Rachel keeps in touch with the investigation and soon takes holiday so she can go back out there and continue her investigation.
Time is ticking by and Rachel is frustrated that she seems to be the only one trying to find the real killer.
Brickall is on hand via Skype but she soon ends up in trouble and no-one is there to help her.
I did wonder how this book would end and it was a real edge of your seat situation!
This is a great series and I can’t wait for the next one.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
September 22, 2018
I’ve said it before but just to reiterate, you know when it’s a Bookouture book you are going to be in for a treat whatever genre you pick. Well I like my books quite dark and gritty with a certain edge to them which means your fingers will only be capable of turning the pages, nothing else exists until you get to the end.
Perfect Girls is one of those books! Oh boy, this author slings the rope, pulls it tight and reels you in, this is a fast paced story. Detective Rachel Prince is called Stateside to investigate the murder of a pretty English girl. While she wants to get involved LAPD want the case wrapped up pronto. Unsettled by being sent home Rachel decides she is going back during her annual leave to see if she can fathom out a reason, not sure that would be tolerated but hey ho, the story continues and another body is found in similar circumstances so that makes her more determined to tackle the case!
Is there an obvious motive, is somebody watching her …… there are plenty of loose ends, padded out with twists and turns. While it made an intriguing novel I couldn’t quite believe LAPD would allow such interference. But put that irk to one side and I enjoyed the journey this book tool me on.
It is part three of a series and I think reading them in order would be advisable to gain the flow of the characters and enable you to figure out relationships. But if you simply want a great crime/police procedural this will fit the bill nicely.
Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my copy. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Perfect Girls is one of those books! Oh boy, this author slings the rope, pulls it tight and reels you in, this is a fast paced story. Detective Rachel Prince is called Stateside to investigate the murder of a pretty English girl. While she wants to get involved LAPD want the case wrapped up pronto. Unsettled by being sent home Rachel decides she is going back during her annual leave to see if she can fathom out a reason, not sure that would be tolerated but hey ho, the story continues and another body is found in similar circumstances so that makes her more determined to tackle the case!
Is there an obvious motive, is somebody watching her …… there are plenty of loose ends, padded out with twists and turns. While it made an intriguing novel I couldn’t quite believe LAPD would allow such interference. But put that irk to one side and I enjoyed the journey this book tool me on.
It is part three of a series and I think reading them in order would be advisable to gain the flow of the characters and enable you to figure out relationships. But if you simply want a great crime/police procedural this will fit the bill nicely.
Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my copy. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
September 20, 2018
I could NOT put this book down for a single second without thinking about the mystery and what would happen next. I am so hooked on the detective Rachel Prince in this novel, I quickly went to buy the first two ebooks to read about more of her case work. The storyline, mystery and characters in this story just captivated me completely from beginning to end.
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
Rachel is a head strong detective that doesn't like hearing no. She is tough and independent and is depicted as being able to handle herself. At the same time we see her vulnerability a few times which made me love her ever more.
I am completely hooked on this story and can't wait to read more from this author. A+ , five stars etc.
Merged review:
I could NOT put this book down for a single second without thinking about the mystery and what would happen next. I am so hooked on the detective Rachel Prince in this novel, I quickly went to buy the first two ebooks to read about more of her case work. The storyline, mystery and characters in this story just captivated me completely from beginning to end.
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
Rachel is a head strong detective that doesn't like hearing no. She is tough and independent and is depicted as being able to handle herself. At the same time we see her vulnerability a few times which made me love her ever more.
I am completely hooked on this story and can't wait to read more from this author. A+ , five stars etc.
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
Rachel is a head strong detective that doesn't like hearing no. She is tough and independent and is depicted as being able to handle herself. At the same time we see her vulnerability a few times which made me love her ever more.
I am completely hooked on this story and can't wait to read more from this author. A+ , five stars etc.
Merged review:
I could NOT put this book down for a single second without thinking about the mystery and what would happen next. I am so hooked on the detective Rachel Prince in this novel, I quickly went to buy the first two ebooks to read about more of her case work. The storyline, mystery and characters in this story just captivated me completely from beginning to end.
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.
In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?
Rachel is a head strong detective that doesn't like hearing no. She is tough and independent and is depicted as being able to handle herself. At the same time we see her vulnerability a few times which made me love her ever more.
I am completely hooked on this story and can't wait to read more from this author. A+ , five stars etc.
September 19, 2018
Please see my other reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.blogspot.com.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Why are young, beautiful women dying? What do they all have in common? It starts with twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles. Little did she know that simply opening her apartment door would result in the end of her life. Phoebe is an English woman living in LA and Detective Rachel Prince of London has gone overseas to work the crime. This case proves to be extremely dangerous to Rachel for many reasons. While Rachel is striving to get to the bottom of things, another woman is found brutally murdered. Can Rachel stop the killer?
In this fast-moving story by Allison James, Rachel will not leave a single stone unturned - even after returning to London to work on other cases. She has a friend of her from Interpol following her leads, but she finds that she just cannot stay away. When Rachel gets a little too close to answers, her very life is in jeopardy, and this is not said lightly.
Perfect Girls is the third book in the Rachel Prince series. While this story serves quite well as a standalone novel, I am quite pleased that I had the opportunity to read and review the first two books. I feel that I got to know Rachel as an individual and as a detective. It was easy to see her compulsive nature when it came to solving these murders. At first Rachel was sent back home to her job as there may not have been an apparent connection to the murders. Rachel strongly believed otherwise. She is treading on very treacherous grounds, however, as the police are certain they have already found the killer.
What a fast-paced and thrilling read! Rachel is on the go, whether in London or in the US, determined to find the true killer. She does so almost at the cost of her own life, thus I was kept on the edge of my seat while reading this book! Maybe she wasn't the wisest of detectives at time with the risks that she took, but still this story held a lot of merit and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it. This is an excellent series. Allison James is a stunning writer and I definitely look forward to reading book four. It will be quite interesting to see where Rachel's partnership with Mark Brickall goes.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for an honest opinion.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Why are young, beautiful women dying? What do they all have in common? It starts with twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles. Little did she know that simply opening her apartment door would result in the end of her life. Phoebe is an English woman living in LA and Detective Rachel Prince of London has gone overseas to work the crime. This case proves to be extremely dangerous to Rachel for many reasons. While Rachel is striving to get to the bottom of things, another woman is found brutally murdered. Can Rachel stop the killer?
In this fast-moving story by Allison James, Rachel will not leave a single stone unturned - even after returning to London to work on other cases. She has a friend of her from Interpol following her leads, but she finds that she just cannot stay away. When Rachel gets a little too close to answers, her very life is in jeopardy, and this is not said lightly.
Perfect Girls is the third book in the Rachel Prince series. While this story serves quite well as a standalone novel, I am quite pleased that I had the opportunity to read and review the first two books. I feel that I got to know Rachel as an individual and as a detective. It was easy to see her compulsive nature when it came to solving these murders. At first Rachel was sent back home to her job as there may not have been an apparent connection to the murders. Rachel strongly believed otherwise. She is treading on very treacherous grounds, however, as the police are certain they have already found the killer.
What a fast-paced and thrilling read! Rachel is on the go, whether in London or in the US, determined to find the true killer. She does so almost at the cost of her own life, thus I was kept on the edge of my seat while reading this book! Maybe she wasn't the wisest of detectives at time with the risks that she took, but still this story held a lot of merit and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it. This is an excellent series. Allison James is a stunning writer and I definitely look forward to reading book four. It will be quite interesting to see where Rachel's partnership with Mark Brickall goes.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 22, 2025
I am really sad that I don’t think there will be anymore books in this series 🥺🥺🥺
February 14, 2022
I almost felt sorry for the serial killer when the motivation was explained. Extremely clever mode of operation. Probably not a great literary master piece but a fast paced book which given a very slow day at work I was able to finish rapidly. Easy to pick up/put down and whilst the UK/USA scenario and rapid collaboration seems incredibly unlikely it was good to think police teams can work together.
September 26, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.
Rachel is back and is sent to the US to investigate the death of a beautiful British wannabe actress. Whilst there she soon realizes there is another very similar crime. However the local police arrest the boyfriend convinced they have their killer.
Rachel returns home but is obsessed with the case and takes some personal leave and at her own expense flies back out to work on the case. This is where I had a problem with the unrealistic aspect of her doing this. She is off duty and has no jurisdiction but this doesn't seem to stop her or rail-road her efforts into tracking down a killer.
Having said that I do like a ballsy feisty female detective and she is all that. Rachel soon is hot on the trail and this culminates in a violent and emotional finale.
Rachel and Brickall's relationship continues to grow in this book and I love the friendly banter between them. Another solid outing by Alison James.
Rachel is back and is sent to the US to investigate the death of a beautiful British wannabe actress. Whilst there she soon realizes there is another very similar crime. However the local police arrest the boyfriend convinced they have their killer.
Rachel returns home but is obsessed with the case and takes some personal leave and at her own expense flies back out to work on the case. This is where I had a problem with the unrealistic aspect of her doing this. She is off duty and has no jurisdiction but this doesn't seem to stop her or rail-road her efforts into tracking down a killer.
Having said that I do like a ballsy feisty female detective and she is all that. Rachel soon is hot on the trail and this culminates in a violent and emotional finale.
Rachel and Brickall's relationship continues to grow in this book and I love the friendly banter between them. Another solid outing by Alison James.
September 27, 2018
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series!
October 13, 2018
4.5/5 stars! I am SO enjoying this series with DI Rachel Prince and Brickall!!! I love the banter between them!
Young, pretty women are being murdered and DI Rachel Prince is obsessed in trying to find the connection and stop this killer before another young girl is killed!
Perfect Girls is the third book in the series and I admit I skipped book 2 because it looked so good and I just couldn't wait. I am making sure to go back and read number 2 now. The story probably could pass as a standalone, however, I would suggest reading at least the first book to get to know the characters and their backgrounds. The only reason I am giving it 4.5 instead of 5 full stars is because Rachel was a bit obsessed and flying all over the country was a bit farfetched for me when it wasn't even her case. AND I wish she would have given a certain someone a little more of a "bollocking" at the end. Having said that, this was such an enjoyable fast paced! I love Brickall and am so curious to see where their relationship may go after this one! I will eagerly be waiting for book number 4!
A huge thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!
Merged review:
4.5/5 stars! I am SO enjoying this series with DI Rachel Prince and Brickall!!! I love the banter between them!
Young, pretty women are being murdered and DI Rachel Prince is obsessed in trying to find the connection and stop this killer before another young girl is killed!
Perfect Girls is the third book in the series and I admit I skipped book 2 because it looked so good and I just couldn't wait. I am making sure to go back and read number 2 now. The story probably could pass as a standalone, however, I would suggest reading at least the first book to get to know the characters and their backgrounds. The only reason I am giving it 4.5 instead of 5 full stars is because Rachel was a bit obsessed and flying all over the country was a bit farfetched for me when it wasn't even her case. AND I wish she would have given a certain someone a little more of a "bollocking" at the end. Having said that, this was such an enjoyable fast paced read! I love Brickall and am so curious to see where their relationship may go after this one! I will eagerly be waiting for book number 4!
A huge thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!
Young, pretty women are being murdered and DI Rachel Prince is obsessed in trying to find the connection and stop this killer before another young girl is killed!
Perfect Girls is the third book in the series and I admit I skipped book 2 because it looked so good and I just couldn't wait. I am making sure to go back and read number 2 now. The story probably could pass as a standalone, however, I would suggest reading at least the first book to get to know the characters and their backgrounds. The only reason I am giving it 4.5 instead of 5 full stars is because Rachel was a bit obsessed and flying all over the country was a bit farfetched for me when it wasn't even her case. AND I wish she would have given a certain someone a little more of a "bollocking" at the end. Having said that, this was such an enjoyable fast paced! I love Brickall and am so curious to see where their relationship may go after this one! I will eagerly be waiting for book number 4!
A huge thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!
Merged review:
4.5/5 stars! I am SO enjoying this series with DI Rachel Prince and Brickall!!! I love the banter between them!
Young, pretty women are being murdered and DI Rachel Prince is obsessed in trying to find the connection and stop this killer before another young girl is killed!
Perfect Girls is the third book in the series and I admit I skipped book 2 because it looked so good and I just couldn't wait. I am making sure to go back and read number 2 now. The story probably could pass as a standalone, however, I would suggest reading at least the first book to get to know the characters and their backgrounds. The only reason I am giving it 4.5 instead of 5 full stars is because Rachel was a bit obsessed and flying all over the country was a bit farfetched for me when it wasn't even her case. AND I wish she would have given a certain someone a little more of a "bollocking" at the end. Having said that, this was such an enjoyable fast paced read! I love Brickall and am so curious to see where their relationship may go after this one! I will eagerly be waiting for book number 4!
A huge thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!
October 3, 2018
I was delighted to receive the third book in the DI Rachel Prince series given I have read the other two books in the series. Rachel is in the NCA (the serious organised crime unit) and when a British National Phoebe Stiles, an aspiring actress is found in a dumpster in the USA Rachel has to liaise with Interpol and heads out to LA. Rachel is unconvinced that the man they have arrested is the perpetrator. It sits badly with her. Is it a random killing or the work of an opportunist? Although Rachel returns to the UK she wrestles with the American killings and like a Jack Russell continues to dig further in her own time. Her "brush" with Rob from Interpol is intriguing, but she's had her fingers burnt before with Giles Denton when she mixed business with pleasure. Will she let Rob into her life? I like the way there's a good mix of police work with her home-life and social life. It makes her more "real" and human. I am a fan of the characters in this series. That makes this series for me as well as the hilarious rapport that has developed over eight years between Rachel and Brickhall. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.
October 27, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Alison James for an ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
Perfect Girls is a perfectly addictive novel. A psychological thriller that uses all of the modern day technology and social media advances to truly scare you. The author didn’t resort of cliches to make the book work. Definitely a unique and chilling novel. Perfect for a creepy Halloween read!
The detective from England ends up going to Hollywood to investigate the death of a young woman, who previously lived in her country. The local police wrap up the case quickly, but _________ has some lingering doubts. Following her hunches, she crosses the country to investigate until she can figure out the truth.
The book pulled me right in and captivated me throughout the whole read. I thought the premise and little details made for a unique, complex and intriguing story. The author was great at making me feel as if I was right there, especially with her descriptions of scent. Such little details, but they make the book that much better.
The mystery was great. However the romance, which didn’t play much of a role, was kind of annoying. I could have done without it completely. Since it wasn’t featured much, it didn’t really bother me though.
Overall, a phenomenal mystery that uses technology and social media to keep you guessing until the very end.
Perfect Girls is a perfectly addictive novel. A psychological thriller that uses all of the modern day technology and social media advances to truly scare you. The author didn’t resort of cliches to make the book work. Definitely a unique and chilling novel. Perfect for a creepy Halloween read!
The detective from England ends up going to Hollywood to investigate the death of a young woman, who previously lived in her country. The local police wrap up the case quickly, but _________ has some lingering doubts. Following her hunches, she crosses the country to investigate until she can figure out the truth.
The book pulled me right in and captivated me throughout the whole read. I thought the premise and little details made for a unique, complex and intriguing story. The author was great at making me feel as if I was right there, especially with her descriptions of scent. Such little details, but they make the book that much better.
The mystery was great. However the romance, which didn’t play much of a role, was kind of annoying. I could have done without it completely. Since it wasn’t featured much, it didn’t really bother me though.
Overall, a phenomenal mystery that uses technology and social media to keep you guessing until the very end.
September 10, 2018
Review to follow on blog tour
April 25, 2019
This series continues to get better with each book. Enjoy reading the Rachel Prince series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews