Lights, Camera, Gone

Detective Erin Bond #1

by Bella Forrest

Superstar Isabel Morales has never been one to shy away from controversy, and after a particularly daring full-nude shoot in the middle of Wall Street, it's not only the media that has spiralled into a frenzy - fans, and heck, the entire world seem to be up in arms.

But this is just business as usual for the star. Rants, insults, death threats - Isabel and her manager have experienced it all in their time.

At least, that's what they think...

When Isabel suddenly vanishes from a building in broad daylight, Private Investigator Erin Bond receives a desperate call from Isabel's manager requesting her to join forces with the police in solving the mystery.

With such a high profile case on her hands, Erin naturally assumes that she's in for the ride of her career, but given Erin's own celebrity status as an abducted child, she never thought it could become the ride of her life...

What happened to Isabel Morales?

Nothing is quite as it seems.

Buckle up, buy now, and begin the ride.

(Note: This book was previously titled Bare Girl)

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

286 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2016

About the author

UPDATE MARCH 11, 2024:

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*** New, updated online store at https://BellaForrest.com

*** New books coming soon

*** Possible Film/TV series coming soon

*** Stay up to date by joining our e-mail list at https://BellaForrest.com/join

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Bella Forrest is a lover of fantasy, romance, action, and mystery infused stories with twists you don’t see coming. She has sold over fifteen million books since her first novel was published in 2012.

Check out her website for a full list of her books: https://BellaForrest.com

Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BellaForrest...

Here's a list of some of Bella's books:

DARKLIGHT

Darklight (Book 1)
Darkthirst (Book 2)
Darkworld (Book 3)
Darkblood (Book 4)
Darktide (Book 5)
Darkbirth (Book 6)
Darkfall (Book 7)
Darkwilds (Book 8)
Darkhunt (Book 9)

A LOVE THAT ENDURES (Trilogy)
A Love that Endures 1
A Love that Endures 2
A Love that Endures 3

HARLEY MERLIN AND THE SECRET COVEN

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)
Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)
Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)
Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)
Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)
Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)
Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)
Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)
Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)
Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)
Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11)
Finch Merlin and the Djinn's Curse (Book 12)
Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13)
Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14)
Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15)
Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16)
Finch Merlin and the Legend of the Luminary
Persie Merlin and Leviathan's Gift (Book 18)
Persie Merlin and the Door to Nowhere (Book 19)
Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters (Book 20)
Persie Merlin and the Dying Song (Book 21)

THE CHILD THIEF

The Child Thief (Book 1)
Deep Shadows (Book 2)
Thin Lines (Book 3)
Little Lies (Book 4)
Ghost Towns (Book 5)
Zero Hour (Book 6)

HOTBLOODS

Hotbloods (Book 1)
Hotbloods (Book 2): Coldbloods
Hotbloods (Book 3): Renegades
Hotbloods (Book 4): Venturers
Hotbloods (Book 5): Traitors
Hotbloods (Book 6): Allies
Hotbloods (Book 7): Invaders
Hotbloods (Book 8): Stargazers

THE GENDER GAME

The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
The Gender End (Book 7)

THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK

The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)
The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)
The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)
The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)
The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)
The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6
The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE

Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story

Books 1 to 7

Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story

Books 8 to 16

Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero...

Books 17 to 24

Season 4: A Clan of Novaks

Books 25 to 32

Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians

Books 33 to 41

Season 6: A Gift of Three

Books 42 to 50

Season 7: A Call of Vampires

Books 51 to 59

Season 8: A Voyage of Founders

Books 60 to 68

Season 9: A Birth of Fire

Books 69 to 77

Season 10: An Origin of Vampires
An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)
A Game of Death (Book 79)
A Veil of Dark (Book 80)
A Bringer of Night (Book 81)
A Circle of Nine (Book 82)
A Bender of Spirit (Book 83)
A Memory of Time (Book 84)
A Shard of Soul (Book 85)
A Break of Seals (Book 86)

Season 11: A Shade of Mystery
A Shade of Mystery (Book 87)
An Isle of Mirrors (Book 88)
A Sanctuary of Foes (Book 89)
A Ruler of Clones (Book 90)
A Gate of Light (Book 91)
A Dawn of Worlds (Book 92) ➜ Coming soon!

Reviews

[Alura Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting psycological aspects, i did guess the kidnapper pretty soon but definitely gripping and opens up for more questions :)

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

DARK, DELICIOUS AND SUSPENSEFUL!!!
Title: Bare Girl(Now Titled Lights, Camera, GONE)
Series: Erin Bond Mysteries
Designation: Book One of Series, Full-Length Standalone Gripping Serial Killer Thriller, NO Cliffhanger
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: #mystery #suspense #psychologicalthriller #crimefictiondrama #serialkiller
#femaleprivateinvestigator
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Riveting Stars*****
Move over Lizbeth Salander, V.I. Warshawski, and Kinsey Millhone, there's a new player in town, and her name is Bond...Erin Bond! lol... I couldn't resist inserting a little humor. All jokes aside, Erin Bond may not be a super spy like James Bond, but she is a super sleuth...a modern day female gumshoe, and in her case, she doesn't need the brawn because she has the brain. If you're unfamiliar with the name references in my opening comment, all three are women portraying strong-willed, tough-as-nails private investigators in either a movie, television or book series. Lizbeth Salander is the fictional character created by Swedish author Stieg Larsson in Larsson's award-winning Millennium Series and most memorably featured as the brilliant, enigmatic hacker/investigator who wobbled precariously between psychopath and savior in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Kinsey Millhone is the fictional character created by Sue Grafton and featured as the eccentric female private investigator featured in Grafton's Alphabet Mysteries. And I'm sure everyone is familiar with V.I. Warshawski, the fictional fiercely independent female flatfoot created by Sara Paretsky in the V I Warshawski Series which was later made into a film starring Kathleen Turner. Now imagine the most notable qualities of all three and you have Forrest's Erin Bond character who proves to be the perfect combination of intelligence, self-reliance, selflessness, bravery, grit, resilience, and determination.

For anyone who has followed my reviews in the past, it's no secret that I'm a diehard Bella Forrest fan and have been for several years. I've followed Forrest's international bestselling young adult paranormal/fantasy romance series, A Shade of Vampire, since it was first introduced almost four years ago, and became completely smitten with her newest action/adventure young adult romance series, The Gender Game, when it was released only two weeks ago. Never one to rest on her laurels or past success, Forrest has surprised me yet again with a suspenseful new novel in another new series, but in a completely different genre. Bare Girl is the riveting first offering in The Erin Bond Mystery Series, and she totally blew me away....AGAIN! As the title of the series indicates, this is a mystery but it's also so much more. Forrest has never been a writer to limit her work strictly to one genre or classification, and that aspect of her writing has never been more apparent than with her latest release, Bare Girl which appears to be a part mystery, part psychological thriller, and part crime fiction drama. Unlike the two aforementioned series, this book is a full-length standalone novel and does NOT end in a cliffhanger. I would also like to emphasize, it does NOT contain any romance. From what I can determine, each subsequent release will deal primarily with a 'new' case, but it does appear there will be an interconnected underlying plot thread running throughout the series which actually may relate back to Bond's own childhood abduction case. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but we won't have to wait long since Write, Edit, Kill, the second book of the series, is due to be released December 1, 2016.

As usual, I digress, so let's talk specifics about this story. Bare Girl is a riveting, fast-paced, imaginative, exceptionally well-crafted and edited dark psychological thriller filled to the brim with mystery, suspense, danger, drama and murder. It gives us a chilling look into the mind of a psychotic serial killer along with an insightful glimpse into the events that led to the creation of such a monster. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with primarily two perspectives, one from the victim, beautiful megastar Isabel Morales, and the second from the heroine, pragmatic private investigator Erin Bond. There is also a third person point of view from the antagonist where we're introduced to 'The Sculptor' but it appears only in the prologue. The dialogue is smart, tight, easy to follow, well executed and flows effortlessly. Yes, the plot is contemporary, edgy, dark and fascinating but it's the characters who capture your imagination as well as your heart. I was immediately drawn into this story by Erin Bond, the protagonist, and Isabel Morales, the victim. These women are vastly different yet in some ways the same, both highly driven, determined to succeed and each in their early thirties. Their paths would probably never have crossed had it not been for this case, but both would soon discover they had much more in common than either could ever imagine. Forrest once again demonstrates her talent as a gifted storyteller along with her skill as a master wordsmith in this superbly written suspenseful whodunit. Did I like this story? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet and I am but only for adults. There is no profanity nor sex in this novel, but there is implied violence and dark psychotic themes so I would rate it seventeen and over. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book. Was I entertained? Completely! I loved it! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

The premise:
Thirty-one-year-old Brit-born Erin Bond has spent the major portion of her life living in the United States after choosing to leave Britain with her father as a child when he accepted a teaching position in the English department at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. She was all too eager to leave her home and past in England behind. Here in the United States, she was just Erin Bond, non-citizen permanent resident and private investigator, but in England she was still the woman who had been left unattended by a drunken mother in a supermarket and kidnapped as a five-year-old child, then suddenly reappeared eleven months later wearing the very same too small clothes she'd worn on the day she disappeared with only vague fleeting memories as to who had abducted her and no clues save one...the number thirty-one written with a black marker on her left hand. When found, she was completely incoherent but blood tests revealed she had been given sleeping pills over a long period of time which had erased most of her short and mid-term memory. Apparently, she'd slept through most of her abduction. The only conclusive finding was that she was still a virgin. The press had gone into a nonstop feeding frenzy causing worse problems between her parents. Their marriage had been unable to withstand the media storm and they soon divorced. Her father, Professor Alan Bond, left England soon thereafter with his daughter to begin a new life in America. As a result of years of therapy after her ordeal, she became interested in psychology, so she chose a double major in college, psychology and criminal justice. Since she was not a naturalized citizen, her career choices in law enforcement were somewhat limited and decided to become a private detective. After a few years working for an agency in New York, she opened her own firm and had become a successful and highly sought-after investigator. She now devoted her life to helping law enforcement, solving cases and finding missing or kidnapped victims. She may never be able to solve the mystery of her own abduction but she could help others resolve theirs.

In Bare Girl, our story begins with the disappearance of thirty-four-year-old supermodel and pop star Isabel Morales. The beautiful megastar had been kidnapped in broad daylight during a press conference at Trump Towers after a stunt on Wall Street sent the media around the globe into a tailspin. Using the ruse of a staged fashion shoot for Glitz Magazine, Isabel had stripped naked and bared all with the cameras rolling right in the middle of Wall Street in an effort to reclaim her body from the greedy male-dominated world of capitalism that saw her only as a product to be used for their financial gain. Morales had been trying to empower women around the globe and bring awareness to their rights. Unfortunately, it backfired and she'd failed. Celebrity kidnappings were extremely rare because they usually had bodyguards and heavy security surrounding them everywhere they went. Occasionally, people became celebrities as a result of being kidnapped...like Erin. Morales had received rants, insults, death threats and hate mail since the beginning of her career but after this incident, it had become even worse. The police had almost no clues and the kidnapper had not released a statement or ransom demand which was somewhat strange...unless he intended to use the dead body of Isabel Morales as his statement. But what was even more strange as well as surprising, she had just been contacted directly by Morales' manager and personal assistant, Sergio Cruz. He said she'd been highly recommended and wanted to hire her to aid the police in finding his celebrity employer. Who in the world could have recommended her to someone like Cruz? Certainly not the police! She had managed to alienate almost every police official on the East Coast and none worse than the police commissioner of New York City. In her experience, the higher profile the case, the more she angered the local officials along with anyone else who stood in the way of her solving the case. She did love her job! Yes, Sergio Cruz had been correct. She was the best in the business...and this was just the kind of case in which she specialized. With suspects coming out of the woodwork and motives surfacing at every turn, would Erin be able to solve the case and find Isabel Morales before it was too late? But more importantly, could she navigate the danger without sacrificing her own life in the process? We'll see!

[Austi Looney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three little letters..... WOW!!!!

I received this book as an advanced copy for me to review and OH boy will I review!

Lets start with the beginning. Picture this....you're standing in a heavily wooded area. The type of wooded area that makes you feel like you are seeing things. Then a slight gust of wind sweeps by and the leaves hanging on trees don't quite look right. They cascade down instead of hanging from a branch. It hits you.....they are made to look like hair.

After the epilogue you meet Isabel Morales. She is the model of perfection. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect teeth. She is a singer, an actress and owns her own companies. Isabel is what every little girl wants to grow up to be. However the older she gets, the more she tries to empower women and show women that we are great, we can do great things, you only need to nudge to do it. Shortly after a stunt pulled on Wall Street, she is pulled into a press conference, and once that's over all Isabel wants is a quiet place to smoke a cigarette and chill out. When she sees who she believes is just another fan, she tries to blow them off, but the next thing she sees is a flash of clothing and a sweet smelling rag over her face. Isabel Morales has disappeared in broad daylight.

Enter Erin Bond, who has her own version of celebrity status, gets a frantic message from Isabel's manager wanting to hire her immediately. After her own kidnapping as a child, Erin grew to be a private investigator and was asked to work hand in hand with the police to find Isabel as soon as possible. Erin never thought that this kidnapping would give her the ride of her life!

This book will be a book I read over and over. Not only does it have 1 amazing and strong character, it has 2. And zero love story. No boring love triangles, no confusing love mess. Just the 2 strong women. One trying to outwit the kidnapper, and one trying to outwit the kidnapper in a different way and find Isabel before something horrid happens.

Its truly fantastic! Give this book a go, you wont be disappointed!

****I wanted to add in that this book is NOT a YA book like most of Bella's books are.****

[Baylee McCluskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I found out Bella was doing a criminal book I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It is such a change of pace for her and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't know what to expect but with any book she writes, it turned out to be a page turner that I couldn't put down.
Bare Girl is full of suspense, with twists and turns that I DID NOT see coming. I don't want to give too much away in my review but I will say that if you are wanting something more mature that has tension and on your seat moments this book is for you. Bella does not disappoint in this new genre she is embarking on. It is only a matter of time before she takes it by storm like she does with everything else.
Bravo Bella! You continously blow me away with your talent. I'm anxious to see how this story unfolds in the books to come

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a great premise - a serial killer is on the loose (although no one actually seems to know that) and a mega-celebrity is kidnapped. Underlying the entire story is this weird childhood kidnapping that ends up involving all of the main characters. That was interesting and gave the book a bit of a much needed twist. It dealt with early childhood programming and memory tampering by the kidnapper who wanted to influence the lives of the child he kidnapped in order to give himself a sense of immortality, which was certainly original.

So, why 3-stars? I knew who the killer was around half way through, which meant I was then just reading to have that confirmed. The identity of the killer should have been a shocking surprise. It wasn't, which made the book fairly predictable. It also belabored the point of beautiful celebrities not understanding the plight of the average person. Again, no surprise there. Ultimately, the book suffered from having a unique idea dealt with in an entirely too mundane manner.

[Dot · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you go down in the woods today…… you will get more than a surprise!

Creepy from the start. The plot twists and turns, as the story unfolds and does not disappoint at all. I can recommend it whole heartedly. I particularly like that it is a stand alone that could also be part of something bigger. There are a few, ‘I wasn’t expecting that’, moments and I dare you not to have the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention, or the shivers run down your spine! Just listen to the leaves. Enjoy.

[Emma Gosling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big time celebrity Isabel is kidnapped after a publicity stunt to empower women.

Private investigator Erin is called upon the case and she must divulge into her past to find Isabel.

For me, the book was so predictable. I ended up just skimming the last half.

Bella is most known for her shade series, which I personally love, but if you read this book expecting it to be like shade of vampire, you will be disappointed.

[sailesh kolanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a page turner. By including a nice backstory of Detective Erin, the author could effectively establish a dramatic narrative and suspense around the story. I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly and have already started reading the second book in the Erin Bond series.

[Valerie Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read but very predictable and slow paced and not much of a climax at the end. All in all I am bit disappointed because it has such good ratings.

[Nadhiah Aida · Rating 4 out of 5]

The man that kidnapped Erin Bond and the others children are totally crazy.
Was surprised for the person that kidnapped Isabel .. wasn't expected till the end .. and the coincidence ..

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

DARK, DELICIOUS AND SUSPENSEFUL!!!
Title: Bare Girl
Series: Erin Bond Mysteries
Designation: Book One of Series, Full-Length Standalone, NO Cliffhanger
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: #mystery #suspense #psychologicalthriller #crimefictiondrama #serialkiller
#femaleprivateinvestigator
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Riveting Stars*****
Move over Lizbeth Salander, V.I. Warshawski, and Kinsey Millhone, there's a new player in town, and her name is Bond...Erin Bond! lol... I couldn't resist inserting a little humor. All jokes aside, Erin Bond may not be a super spy like James Bond, but she is a super sleuth...a modern day female gumshoe, and in her case, she doesn't need the brawn because she has the brain. If you're unfamiliar with the name references in my opening comment, all three are women portraying strong-willed, tough-as-nails private investigators in either a movie, television or book series. Lizbeth Salander is the fictional character created by Swedish author Stieg Larsson in Larsson's award-winning Millennium Series and most memorably featured as the brilliant, enigmatic hacker/investigator who wobbled precariously between psychopath and savior in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Kinsey Millhone is the fictional character created by Sue Grafton and featured as the eccentric female private investigator featured in Grafton's Alphabet Mysteries. And I'm sure everyone is familiar with V.I. Warshawski, the fictional fiercely independent female flatfoot created by Sara Paretsky in the V I Warshawski Series which was later made into a film starring Kathleen Turner. Now imagine the most notable qualities of all three and you have Forrest's Erin Bond character who proves to be the perfect combination of intelligence, self-reliance, selflessness, bravery, grit, resilience, and determination.

For anyone who has followed my reviews in the past, it's no secret that I'm a diehard Bella Forrest fan and have been for several years. I've followed Forrest's international bestselling young adult paranormal/fantasy romance series, A Shade of Vampire, since it was first introduced almost four years ago, and became completely smitten with her newest action/adventure young adult romance series, The Gender Game, when it was released only two weeks ago. Never one to rest on her laurels or past success, Forrest has surprised me yet again with a suspenseful new novel in another new series, but in a completely different genre. Bare Girl is the riveting first offering in The Erin Bond Mystery Series, and she totally blew me away....AGAIN! As the title of the series indicates, this is a mystery but it's also so much more. Forrest has never been a writer to limit her work strictly to one genre or classification, and that aspect of her writing has never been more apparent than with her latest release, Bare Girl which appears to be a part mystery, part psychological thriller, and part crime fiction drama. Unlike the two aforementioned series, this book is a full-length standalone novel and does NOT end in a cliffhanger. I would also like to emphasize, it does NOT contain any romance. From what I can determine, each subsequent release will deal primarily with a 'new' case, but it does appear there will be an interconnected underlying plot thread running throughout the series which actually may relate back to Bond's own childhood abduction case. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but we won't have to wait long since Write, Edit, Kill, the second book of the series, is due to be released December 1, 2016.

As usual, I digress, so let's talk specifics about this story. Bare Girl is a riveting, fast-paced, imaginative, exceptionally well-crafted and edited dark psychological thriller filled to the brim with mystery, suspense, danger, drama and murder. It gives us a chilling look into the mind of a psychotic serial killer along with an insightful glimpse into the events that led to the creation of such a monster. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with primarily two perspectives, one from the victim, beautiful megastar Isabel Morales, and the second from the heroine, pragmatic private investigator Erin Bond. There is also a third person point of view from the antagonist where we're introduced to 'The Sculptor' but it appears only in the prologue. The dialogue is smart, tight, easy to follow, well executed and flows effortlessly. Yes, the plot is contemporary, edgy, dark and fascinating but it's the characters who capture your imagination as well as your heart. I was immediately drawn into this story by Erin Bond, the protagonist, and Isabel Morales, the victim. These women are vastly different yet in some ways the same, both highly driven, determined to succeed and each in their early thirties. Their paths would probably never have crossed had it not been for this case, but both would soon discover they had much more in common than either could ever imagine. Forrest once again demonstrates her talent as a gifted storyteller along with her skill as a master wordsmith in this superbly written suspenseful whodunit. Did I like this story? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet and I am but only for adults. There is no profanity nor sex in this novel, but there is implied violence and dark psychotic themes so I would rate it seventeen and over. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book. Was I entertained? Completely! I loved it! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

The premise:
Thirty-one-year-old Brit-born Erin Bond has spent the major portion of her life living in the United States after choosing to leave Britain with her father as a child when he accepted a teaching position in the English department at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. She was all too eager to leave her home and past in England behind. Here in the United States, she was just Erin Bond, non-citizen permanent resident and private investigator, but in England she was still the woman who had been left unattended by a drunken mother in a supermarket and kidnapped as a five-year-old child, then suddenly reappeared eleven months later wearing the very same too small clothes she'd worn on the day she disappeared with only vague fleeting memories as to who had abducted her and no clues save one...the number thirty-one written with a black marker on her left hand. When found, she was completely incoherent but blood tests revealed she had been given sleeping pills over a long period of time which had erased most of her short and mid-term memory. Apparently, she'd slept through most of her abduction. The only conclusive finding was that she was still a virgin. The press had gone into a nonstop feeding frenzy causing worse problems between her parents. Their marriage had been unable to withstand the media storm and they soon divorced. Her father, Professor Alan Bond, left England soon thereafter with his daughter to begin a new life in America. As a result of years of therapy after her ordeal, she became interested in psychology, so she chose a double major in college, psychology and criminal justice. Since she was not a naturalized citizen, her career choices in law enforcement were somewhat limited and decided to become a private detective. After a few years working for an agency in New York, she opened her own firm and had become a successful and highly sought-after investigator. She now devoted her life to helping law enforcement, solving cases and finding missing or kidnapped victims. She may never be able to solve the mystery of her own abduction but she could help others resolve theirs.

In Bare Girl, our story begins with the disappearance of thirty-four-year-old supermodel and pop star Isabel Morales. The beautiful megastar had been kidnapped in broad daylight during a press conference at Trump Towers after a stunt on Wall Street sent the media around the globe into a tailspin. Using the ruse of a staged fashion shoot for Glitz Magazine, Isabel had stripped naked and bared all with the cameras rolling right in the middle of Wall Street in an effort to reclaim her body from the greedy male-dominated world of capitalism that saw her only as a product to be used for their financial gain. Morales had been trying to empower women around the globe and bring awareness to their rights. Unfortunately, it backfired and she'd failed. Celebrity kidnappings were extremely rare because they usually had bodyguards and heavy security surrounding them everywhere they went. Occasionally, people became celebrities as a result of being kidnapped...like Erin. Morales had received rants, insults, death threats and hate mail since the beginning of her career but after this incident, it had become even worse. The police had almost no clues and the kidnapper had not released a statement or ransom demand which was somewhat strange...unless he intended to use the dead body of Isabel Morales as his statement. But what was even more strange as well as surprising, she had just been contacted directly by Morales' manager and personal assistant, Sergio Cruz. He said she'd been highly recommended and wanted to hire her to aid the police in finding his celebrity employer. Who in the world could have recommended her to someone like Cruz? Certainly not the police! She had managed to alienate almost every police official on the East Coast and none worse than the police commissioner of New York City. In her experience, the higher profile the case, the more she angered the local officials along with anyone else who stood in the way of her solving the case. She did love her job! Yes, Sergio Cruz had been correct. She was the best in the business...and this was just the kind of case in which she specialized. With suspects coming out of the woodwork and motives surfacing at every turn, would Erin be able to solve the case and find Isabel Morales before it was too late? But more importantly, could she navigate the danger without sacrificing her own life in the process? We'll see!

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore the A Shade of Vampire series by Bella Forrest and when I saw, while browsing her collection on Kindle Unlimited that she has a two book thriller series I was very intrigued. Her books usually are supernatural based so it was a little weird at first reading a story by her that was set in the real world but was very refreshing. She’s done a brilliant job writing her first adult thriller and the main character Erin is very well written but it was weird not reading that she’s in love with a vampire ( 70+ books in her main vampire series will do that for you).

All in all this was a very through out book and written book, with a brilliant main character with a tragic back story but I can’t wait to see what Bella has in store for her in the next book. Definitely a well deserved 5 stars from me ☺️

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bare Girl is the most amazing, hypnotic thriller killer book I have ever read!!! It starts out with singer, Isabel Morales, who pulls an outrageous publicity stunt that the world doesn't understand. She then gets kidnapped and in comes, Erin Bond, private detective to find her. Erin was hired by Isabel's publicist, and was a childhood kidnap victim herself. It soon becomes apparent that the two women's lives have been weaved together in intricate ways you could never have imagined. Bare Girl pulls you in in a way that can't be properly described!!! I savored every single page!!! I bought a copy on my Kindle and in paperback to put on my shelf! I even plan on buying some for Christmas presents!!! Bella Forrest truly can write in any genre!!! I have followed her faithfully with The Shade of Vampire series and The Gender Games and she never disappoints!!! I can't stop making exclamation points, it's just that good!!! You won't be disappointed, I guarantee it!!!

[Erika Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Bella is my favorite author, so I may be a little biased, but I think this book was so wonderful in every aspect! It's something so different than what she has done in the past but this book was just as amazing as all her others. This is a book that involves two strong female characters, which is something I personally think is wonderful in itself, not many books or even authors can successfully have two lead female characters and not have them be swooning over some guy. I was hooked from the very first page, I found myself lost in the book and completely lost track of time reading this! If you like a book that reels you in and keeps you wanting more at every page, this is the book for you! Hoping for many more Erin Bond books!

[Donna Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first time I have ever read a thriller book without any romance involved, so this is new to me, but I have to say that I loved the book and I am so looking forward to the next one.
Erin Bond was kidnapped when she was a little girl, and was released 11 months later unharmed. She didn't remember much about that time except the number 31 that was wrote on her hand the day she was released. They never caught the kidnapper.
She grew up to be a private investigator and specialized on kidnapping. Little did she know that she was programmed to do this when she was kidnapped. A major star was kidnapped and she was assigned to the case to try and find her. She did not know that all of this was something that was set up all those years ago.
When someone from her past recommends her she did not know who he was and when she started to investigate him she found out he was a part of her past that she didn't want to be reminded of. When the man that hired her found out that the man that recommends her was a fraud he fired her but she was too invested to just go away.
She teams up with the guy from her past and they start to put clues together and found out where Isabel (the superstar) could be. She tries to get ahold of the police but they really didn't want to believe her and when she told them she was going to break into the house of the person they suspected to be holding Isabel they got in contact with the police she was working with. They somewhat believed her and sent help.
By the time the police got there everything had already happened. (I don't want to give anything away.) They found things that were very disturbing and found the location of a big time serial killer.
Erin decided after the case was closed to go on a research vacation to follow up on what Eddie (the guy from her past) had said to her. She knew there might be more people like her out there and she wanted to try and help them.
This book also gives Isabel her point of view as well. She thought she was doing what was right for all women but listening to her kidnapper she realized that she was not doing all women good at all.
This was a good book considering I usually only read romance, even if that novel has killing and kidnapping it is not the same when romance is not involved but it was still a good read.

[Abbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bare Girl, now named Lights, Camera, Gone, was a thrilling mystery.

I first discovered Bella Forrest and The Gender Game series which I instantly fell in love with. I was ecstatic to find yet another series to sink my teeth into and I was not disappointed.

We're lead into the book with a very grim scene which was very shocking to start with however it was so beautifully written that it was almost hypnotic. Bella is sure to create a sense of mystery very early on in the book to capture the reader's attention and her writing reflected this superbly.

Erin Bond is the main character for this series and she an interesting one indeed. Her characteristics fall well within the genre as her own personal history is full of mystery. I can clearly see that her backstory will continue throughout the series and this is likely to be what will keep me reading.

The supporting characters were strong and well constructed. I loved the superstar, Isabel. Her strong stance on feminism was admirable and I enjoyed the part that feminism played in this story. I do not entirely agree with how Isabel expressed her views and opinions however it made for enjoyable reading.

I am also pleased to read about more diversity. It's interesting that we are programmed to think a specific way when a character is described to us. Even though Isabel is described as Mexican with dark hair, I still kept imagining a blonde, white female and I had to focus on conditioning the images in my head.

I think the book focused on a lot of modern issues in a subtle way behind the main storyline. I was thrilled throughout this entire book and I am very excited to get started on the next one.

[Brittany Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of all of Bella's books I was interested in reading something completely out of her element as a mystery and with nothing supernatural. The opening scene caught me completely off guard and I didn't expect such a dark and twisted plot with human skins wrapped around trees by a complete psychopath who believes it is art. I feel like I didn't connect with Erin that well and I'm not sure why. Her complete aversion to men (and women) and anything beyond a platonic relationship was understandable with her background and mysterious kidnapping as a child. I wonder if in future books she will progress and develop a relationship knowing now that no molestation happened or will she remain a loner. I liked the superstar Isabel more than I liked Erin. She had a fight in her that I respected. The biggest disappointment I had was that I predicted instantly, from the second the character was introduced, that this was "who done it". For Erin supposedly being such a great private investigator who focuses on the details I was surprised she wasn't more suspicious of this character. The fact that I knew all along who was responsible is the reason I am rating this book at 4 stars. There was defiantly some twists I did not expect and it was suspenceful at the end. However, when reading a mystery I just perfer to be hit completely off guard with the revelation and left saying whattttt! I am interested in seeing where the story goes in future books and what character development we will see in Erin.

[Lisa McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dare I say... "Bella has done it again!"

Being one of my favorite authors because of the incredible imagery she includes in ALL of her books, this book does not disappoint! If you are a fan of Bella Forrest, this is not like her other books. I would call it a crime/mystery and I loved it!

Isabel is a sexy model, singer, actress who goes over the top with stunts to garner attention. For Isabel, she wants to empower young women so they can be anything they want. While she has many adoring fans, the opposite is quite true as well. Hateful messages, articles and tweets are a daily part of her life. After a particularly revealing press conference, she suddenly goes missing in broad daylight.

Enter Erin Bond, a "famous" Private Investigator who was kidnapped as a child. She was asked to help find Isabel. While investigating the disappearance, Erin stumbles onto more secrets of her past- a past that intertwines with Isabel's captor. Can Erin save Isabel in time? You have to read to find out!

Being a primary teacher, I always tell my students to "make a movie" in their head when I read them chapter books. Bella's writing creates an amazing "movie" in my mind with her word choice and naturally flowing storyline. The end of the book makes you believe there will be more stories about Erin in the future... Fingers crossed because I would LOVE to see how Bella entwines future characters! If this is the only novel, it could be a standalone as well.

[Jade Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting out, I didn't like Isabel too much. She came off as some what arrogant, fake and stuck up, however after finding out the reasons she done what she done the like meter went up a little. It wasn't until Bella dug deeper into her background with her Abuelo that I began to understand her her a bit more.

Yes, typical I know, but Erin, I liked since the start. Strong and not wanting sympathy from what she was put through. Even though the what if's and terror still stalk her, she took that experience and she grew with it. She made her self better! To me, this are the things hero's are made of.

Some may think the story starts off slow, some spots in the book are missing that special 'grab you and keep you' and some parts might make some a tad upset, so keep in mind this is fiction. I can see where the writer is trying to go with the story. It took me up to around page 100 to 120 to really get into the book. When Erin met Eddie and her memory started coming back a bit here and there it started to get interesting!

The mystery behind Erin's past and Isabel's abductor really give the book a great twist. By around page 150 I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen. I had become hooked!!!

[Tasha Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bella Forrest has done it again! She is writing out of her normal genre, but I was still not disappointed. This was the first time I have ever read a crime/ mystery novel so I have nothing to compare it to, but what I honestly thought of the book. If you love Criminal minds or law and order, but in book form then I recommend this book. Bella has opened my eyes to a new genre I need to read and discover. I was always one for the supernatural, but I truly did enjoy this book. Bella amazes me with her writing abilities! I honestly believe she can write anything, and it turn out awesome. It was very suspenseful, and it literally had you on the edge of your seat! There were so many twists and turns that it's hard to predict what will happen. Once again you will fall in love with the characters. I mean come on! This is a BELLA FORREST novel! That is all that needs to be said about it. That is reason enough to even want to pick it up. She is a great author, and I am convinced I will never be disappointed with her writing skills. Seriously, give this book a try. I guarantee you won't be let down!

[Baneet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Book of the series Detective Erin Bond by Bella Forrest. This is the type of the book that will make u say, WoW! I am totally in love with this book and it seems like this series is gonna be my favourite. I think I am going to read this book few times more.
I like the two main characters on this book, Isabel Morales and Erin Bond. Both are strong, independent women and have history of struggle throughout their life. Both are celebrities by different reasons. Isabel Morales in a Singer, Actress and model, a megastar. Erin Bond is a private investigator who became celebrity because of her kidnapping when she was a child.
After the disappearance of Isabel, Erin was hired to find her by Isabel's manager. As Erin tried to solve this case, she started finding things from her past kidnapping. But is Isabel’s kidnapping linked with her past? If it is then how far does this link go?
I highly recommend this book to everyone who love reading mysteries, crime and fiction. Well, I recommend this book to everyone who likes good stories. I assure you that like me, you too are going to love this book. I can’t wait to read next book of this series.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really believable thriller. I felt it created no suspense whatsoever and fell flat. Would seriously consider reading this series further. the kidnapper/ so-called serial killer should have been revealed in the first police background check if they had done it properly, which they wd have since this is such a high profile case. None of this made any sense and the detective Erin Bond didn't seem to be all that brilliant. Not at all impressed. And the editing mistakes like where one character calls the person Isabel instead of Erin n cartoons of chinese takeaway... Disappointed


Merged review:

Not really believable thriller. I felt it created no suspense whatsoever and fell flat. Would seriously consider reading this series further. the kidnapper/ so-called serial killer should have been revealed in the first police background check if they had done it properly, which they wd have since this is such a high profile case. None of this made any sense and the detective Erin Bond didn't seem to be all that brilliant. Not at all impressed. And the editing mistakes like where one character calls the person Isabel instead of Erin n cartoons of chinese takeaway... Disappointed

[Suey Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a rule of thumb I don't read thrillers. The reason for this being they either lose me half way through and my mind drifts from the story or I end up paranoid and looking over my shoulder at every dark turn for a few days after. However as Bella has never EVER failed to fully entertain me, I could not miss out on checking out her new book simply because of my "fraidy-cat' ways.

This story line was so so sooo genius! I mean one would never guess the twists that occur through out. There’s a Psycho killer on the loose and time is of the essence! There are masterminded creepy scenes that make me want to stay away from forests/woodland for a very, very long time.

The reader is left wondering if Erin has any control over her own destiny. The thought that one's destiny can be played with by another human is scary enough without throwing in all the creepy scenes. The story line is absolutely thrilling and addictive. I hope there will be more to come! Perfect for a spooky October read may I add.

Welcome to the darker yet still remarkable and genius side of Bella Forrest!

[Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of Bella Forrest I was hesitant on reading something different than her paranormal writings. Well, she has outdone herself once again. I have to say that I have never read a murder/thriller type book but Bella really has me hooked on Bare Girl. Once I started to read it I was hooked from the beginning. You really can't put this book down because you have to know what happens next.
It's about a Super Star named Isabel and she's always pushing the envelope with her stardom. She has an appearance on Wall Street and she goes nude in front of everyone and people freak out and when she thinks she should get a positive reaction from her act but instead she gets a negative reaction from the crowd and media.
Shortly after her stunt that backfires on her she disappears and no one seems to know what happen to her. that's when Erin a private investigator gets involved to find her. Can she do it? Will she be found? Just when you think you've solved the mystery the story takes twists and turns and you will be shocked at the end.

[Mrs Cathy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was told Bella was doing a action/mystery./ crime thriller book I couldn't wait to try it crime n murder mysteries were my first loves eons before the paranormal romance dystopia n D/s style romance I enjoy now. A new style of tale a new genre for Bella I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wasn't sure what to expect after living her The Shade series and enjoying her first foray into Dystopia (Gender Game-waiting for book two) but as with all books written by Bella, I couldn't put down it was addictive from the get go!
The book is chock full of suspense, twists and turns that you will not see coming. If you are looking for something more mature that has tension and heart in mouth parts this book is for you. Bella does it again taking on another genre and nailing it! she is an unstoppable force writing about strong unstoppable forces whichever genre she tackles..cant wait to read the next book she puts out whichever series it is in I just love the enthralling way she weaves a mystery wether its in this "real" world, the world of The Shade or a Dystopian land!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The introduction begins with a very creepy scene. That appears very dark and twisted. The story starts with a provocative young lady Isabel Morales, who appears to flaunt her sexuality. She believes she is empowering women by having control over her own body. This creates a fan base and a hate base.
When Isabel vanishes after a risky stunt, private investigator Erin Bond is hired to find her. Erin has secrets of her own. Being a victim of abduction herself she doesn't realize how close to home this case really is. I can't wait for the next book to see just how all this ties into the big picture. This story is filed with mystery and horror.
I never expected this kind of story to come from Bella Forrest. It amazes me how some authors can write in multiple generas. I read this book in 3 days! I could not put it down. I would compare this book to a good Stephen King novel. It was that good ☆☆☆☆☆!

[Courtney Winkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING new book from Bella Forrest!! I wasn't completely sure what to expect with another branch-out from her typical paranormal romance. (Gender Game just released and is a Dystopian-themed novel- loved it too!). After reading Bare Girl, this is what I've been missing in my life! :) Bare Girl is a complete page-turner, I could not stop reading! It is a serial-killer, good 'ol "who done it" mystery. I immediately connected with Erin's character and was intrigued by her tenacity to pursue a career in solving crimes after experiencing such trauma. Without giving away too much of the plot, I am completely fascinated by this new fast-paced, heart-stopping thriller and cannot wait to see where the greater story arc leads! Well done Bella! As a reader, I am enjoying watching Bella explore other genres and develop as an author. Each new novel seems to supersede its predecessor and Bella has this reviewer waiting with baited breath for the next novel!!!

[Shirley Doescher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Bella doesn't disappoint the reader. She has brilliantly come up with a completely different story line and had made it absolutely awesome. This is not a supernatural book like we are used to reading from Bella. She has changed her way of writing here by doing a book that involves a serial killer and a young lady who needs to basically relive what happened to her when she was young so she can find out more about her life today and what she is meant to do with it. I will not give the book away, but I will say that I will be anxiously awaiting Book 2. One thing about Bella Forrest is she definitely has a way of making here readers want more, no matter what genre she writes in. I love everything I have read so far that she has written and will continue to see her as my favorite writer!!! Kudos to you once again Bella!!

[Deb Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a creepy interesting read from the start,I'm not normally into crime/thriller stories but as it was a Bella Forrest book I had to give it a go...And it didn't disappoint!!!My phone was about to die on me and so I read the last part sat on the floor with it plugged into the wall as I couldn't put it down!!I needed to find out how it ended,Although it concluded this story there are things left wide open for others,which I will definately be reading,it will be interesting to see where it goes,theres lots of potential for some new and interesting characters.Bare girl had me guessing and reguessing all the way through.I did however guess the killer,but it didn't end the way I thought it would which is good,I thought it had a Silence of the Lambs vibe,which I enjoyed,I can't wait for the Book 2....I hope there's a book 2 Bella??

[Erika Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Bella is my favorite author, so I may be a little biased, but I think this book was so wonderful in every aspect! It's something so different than what she has done in the past but this book was just as amazing as all her others. This is a book that involves two strong female characters, which is something I personally think is wonderful in itself, not many books or even authors can successfully have two lead female characters and not have them be swooning over some guy. I was hooked from the very first page, I found myself lost in the book and completely lost track of time reading this! If you like a book that reels you in and keeps you wanting more at every page, this is the book for you! Hoping for many more Erin Bond books!