Stil maar

Detective Gina Harte #1

by Carla Kovach, Barbara Lampe (Translator)

Deborah Jenkins trekt haar jas aan en stapt de stromende regen in, op weg naar huis. Ze zal er nooit aankomen. In plaats daarvan wordt ze gedrogeerd en een busje in getrokken. Ze wordt wakker in een ijskoude, aardedonkere kamer, met een ketting om haar enkel die is vastgezet in de muur. Hier zal ze de komende vier jaar blijven.

Detective Gina Harte kent de zaak van Deborah Jenkins van buiten. De jonge moeder verdween spoorloos en maanden van intensief politieonderzoek leidden tot niets. Deborah wordt al jaren dood gewaand. Dan wordt op de drempel van de bibliotheek een baby gevonden, in lompen gehuld en te vondeling gelegd. Een anonieme beller tipt de politie om -vooral een dna-test te doen. Gina Harte is al snel ter plaatse, maar is niet voorbereid op de uitslag: de pasgeboren baby is het kind van Deborah. Ze leeft nog. Maar waar?

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

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2018

About the author

Carla Kovach was born in Birmingham, UK and now resides in Redditch, Worcestershire. Author of supernatural drama 'Flame,' psychological thriller 'To Let,' crime thriller 'Whispers Beneath the Pines, and romantic comedy 'Meet Me at Marmaris Castle.' Carla also writes stage and screen plays, some of which have been produced in the Worcestershire area.

Her new novel 'The Next Girl,' is available for preorder now. (Published by Bookouture).

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Bold Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Well, this was absolutely a wonderful start to this new series.... I might need to rethink my entire I don’t necessarily always like police procedurals thing... because the last few I have really enjoyed.... maybe I like them better when they take place in the UK? so I should modify it to I don’t always necessarily enjoy police procedurals unless they take place in the UK....

This series focuses on Gina Hart a detective somewhere in the UK.... i’m sure the exact setting of this book was mentioned, however it is not coming to mind and it doesn’t even matter because the plot and the characters were so fabulous.... I usually focus a lot on the characters and I did like Gina and I’m really looking forward to see her character grow throughout the series... however I have to give it to this amazing plot it kept me enthralled....

What would you do if your wife the mother of your children went missing without a trace? What if it was your daughter who went missing? How would you handle the day today, how would you move on? And what would you do when a baby who was abandoned at the library turned out to be a DNA match to your missing wife/Daughter? Debra has been missing for over four years and now little baby Isabel has turned up... her mother is Debra, but where is Debra? Not only did we get the point of view of Gina, but we also got the point of view of Luke Debra‘s husband and Deborah herself..... oh and I mustn’t forget the point of view of Debra‘s kidnapper and he was as creepy and delusional as you would expect....

Really enjoyed how the story unraveled.... you know the kidnapper was somebody who had some connection to Debra’s life, but who was it? Love all the different points of views... couldn’t even imagine how Luke would deal with the situation especially because he had just begun dating somebody else.... and I have to admit I always enjoy being in the mind of the antagonist... Love the thought process of the crazy person especially how they justify their actions.....

Strongly recommend to fans of crime fiction, police procedurals, and a book with a very strong plotline.....

*** thank you so much too Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'When you smile, you make me the happiest man alive. Make me happy and I make you happy. Do you trust me?' She nodded.
'Good. Breakfast will be served in a minute.' He pulled the door closed as he continued to whistle. She listened as he took the plates from the cupboard and slammed them onto the countertop. He then turned the portable television on and she heard the sound of a morning news show. As he turned up the volume, the cries she'd suppressed burst out. Sobbing, she clenched the blanket and silently screamed into it. As she drew her legs towards her chest, her body leaked more liquid. She lifted one leg off the other and yelped as pain seared through her body. The ankle chain cluttered as she moved her other leg.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: She thought he’d come to save her. She was wrong.

Deborah Jenkins pulls her coat around her as she sets out on her short walk home in the pouring rain. But she never makes it home that night. And she is never seen again …

Four years later, an abandoned baby girl is found wrapped in dirty rags on a doorstep. An anonymous phone call urges the police to run a DNA test on the baby. But nobody is prepared for the results.

The newborn belongs to Deborah. She’s still alive.

MY THOUGHTS: The Next Girl is an encouraging start to a new series featuring DI Gina Harte. I wouldn't go quite so far as to classify it as a police procedural, I thought that some of the investigative techniques left something to be desired, but it does develop into a good crime thriller.

Even after learning Gina's background, I didn't at first like her. She seemed to be a caricature of most major female detectives currently being written - heavy drinking, hard-nosed, has been in an abusive relationship, estranged from family. However as the book progressed her character seemed to soften and mature and my feelings towards her mellowed accordingly.

There are a few interesting personalities amongst the cast of supporting characters and I look forward to seeing how they develop and grow.

This is a good solid 3.5 star read and I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Next Girl 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/...

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Next Girl by Carla Kovach is the first book in the new Detective Gina Harte police procedural thriller series. The book starts like many others with a prologue in which a man picks up a prostitute and things escalate to the man murdering the woman.

As the story begins though time has jumped four years to when a baby is found abandoned obviously having just been born. The police get a call shortly after the infant was found begging them to do a DNA test on the baby and with no other leads the test is performed linking the baby to a missing woman.

Four years before Deborah Jenkins had been walking home late one night when she vanished without a trace leaving behind a distraught husband and her two small children. This news that the abandoned baby hits the family hard but gives them the first sign of hope in years that Deborah must still be alive.

The book takes turns then following Detective Gina Harte and her colleagues as the begin looking into the case and searching for clues again that might lead them to Deborah. There are also chapters from Deborah’s point of view letting readers know slowly just what has been happening to her for the last four years.

What I absolutely loved the most about this opener for the series was just how thought provoking the case turned out to be. It’s very hard to imagine how the family left behind feels when someone goes missing and I’m sure as time goes on they would begin to lose hope but to have a baby found that proves that loved one is alive?? Oh my. My mind began to race on what reactions I thought the family could/would have and I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what the author did with this story.

As much as this first case intrigued me and I began to like this new detective I was following I did however have a few little details here and there stand out to me keeping me from a perfect rating. Things like the detectives having to beg permission to run a simple DNA test seemed to be a bit constraining and I’d hope unrealistic to real police work. But as I said these were small nit-picky little things and overall I really enjoyed this first book of the series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[nadine sedat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely horrible! !!!!! Beyond disappointed.

If I could give 0 stars, I would. I read all the other 5* reviews and I was do excited about this book and it was literally one of the most boring books I have ever read. The story itself is great but so poorly written, I've fallen asleep so many times and had to force myself to finish it , it's not even funny ! I'm beyond disappointed. I have no idea how ANYONE could be raving about this book, when it just kept dragging on and on about Luke kept sobbing and sobbing and he broke down in tears again and again. Geeez, give me a break!!!... honestly, I wish someone else would've written this book. The story itself could've been amazing, but this was as if someone wrote a school project of what happened to Debbie and just explained in DETAIL what happened. No WOW effect, no page turner, no "gripping thriller". BORING to a fault ! I'm sorry.

[Sarah Joint · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying start to a promising new series! This book focuses on a lot of different people. Not only the detectives working a missing person case, but the missing woman and the family that's been left without her for the past four years. There's lots of names to remember, especially the detectives... but our main focus is Detective Inspector Gina Harte, who is a very well-developed character and incredibly easy to root for. Recent books have no shortage of flawed female detectives, but enough is different here to make it feel fresh.

Deborah Jenkins has been missing for over four years, leaving behind a husband and two young children. Though it's been so long without any news, they still have a hard time accepting that she may be gone forever. Just when it looks like husband Luke is nearly ready to move on with a new woman, they receive startling news. A DNA test on an abandoned baby has revealed that she belongs to Deborah... she is not only still alive, she gave birth recently. Deborah was always devoted to her children, and abandoning her third is nothing she would have done. It only makes sense that she's being held somewhere against her will... suffering things no one wants to even imagine.

DI Gina Harte has always been bothered by her failure to find Deborah. When it becomes clear that she's likely been held somewhere against her will for years, it renews her determination to solve the case and bring her home not only to her husband and two children, but the new baby she gave birth to. Though it was a long time ago, Gina experienced violence of her own at the hands of a man who claimed to love her. She keeps this a secret from everyone, including her grown up daughter. It keeps her at a distance from people she cares for, and makes this case affect her more than it would the average detective. With no new clues but the encouragement that Deborah is still alive somewhere, can she find her before it's too late?

This is an emotional and engaging book that actually had tears in my eyes at a couple of points. It really invites you inside of the heads of the characters, which can be chilling or heartbreaking. One of my only niggles is that occasionally the dialogue seemed a bit unnatural and stilted, which distracted me a couple of times. That might just be me. It wasn't enough to curtail my enjoyment of the story much. The next book should be out in August of this year (just in time for my birthday!) and I'm already looking forward to it. What will be next for Gina Harte?

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My opinion is honest and unbiased.

[Krystin | TheF*ckingTwist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Blog | Bookstagram

This was fine. It's just a bit vague and flat. It's missing some spice.

The story boils down to an abandoned baby, a woman who’s been missing for four years (who is the mother of that baby (not a spoiler)) and one seasoned - but borderline PTSD - detective on the case.

The plot was pretty straightforward. It’s just A to Z, linear. They catch the guy and wrap it all up in a nice bow. The tension is missing. There are no obstacles or surprises.

Where this book really excels is the main character of Gina Harte. The author did an excellent job in crafting DI Harte as a full person. Her past, her relationship with her daughter, and her dedication to the job - I felt like I really understood where this character was coming from, even if I didn’t get a physical picture of her.

I loved the juxtaposition that was created between Gina’s past and present. Her marriage to her former abusive asshole husband ended when he died after a fall down the stairs. Did she push him? Did she push him just a little, to be sure he was really falling? Did she just not attempt to save him? Is there a difference?

She’s a cop who has dedicated her life to solving homicides and she’s not even sure if she committed one herself...



But truthfully, without DI Harte being as strong as she was, this book would be a dud. The crime was too linear and didn't give the reader anything to be invested in.


⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars


book source: Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

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

Another great female detective series! This is book one of what I hope will be a long series of books featuring Detective Gina Harte and her team.

4 years ago Deborah Jenkins disappeared on her way home from work never to be seen again. When a baby is found abandoned in the doorway of a library and a DNA test confirms that Deborah is the mother the investigation into her disappearance is re opened.

I really enjoyed this book. Gina Harte is a great character, not without her flaws and demons. Her relationship with her daughter is complicated. She has the respect of her team and she cares about what she is doing and nothing will get in her way. I look forward book 2 later this year.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions

[Eline Van Der Meulen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Stil maar heeft me tot de laatste pagina in de ban gehouden en stoppen met lezen was absoluut niet simpel. Stil maar is zeker een aanrader om te gaan lezen. Van mij krijgt dit debuutboek een dikke 5 sterren!"
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...

[Carol Jean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my God. Plot holes you could break an ankle in, a dreadfully clumsy writing style that at one point actually makes a man the mother of an abandoned baby, and an unhealthy focus on mucus. I swear the book would be half its length if we didn't have to observe in detail the coughing and nose-blowing of one of the detectives.

I give it one skull and crossbones. And I'm thinking of starting a therapy group for writers obsessed with the kidnap and imprisonment of women.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Gina Harte - Book 1.

Deborah Jenkins sets off for her short walk home, but she does not make it home that night. She is never seen again.

Four years later, a baby girl is found abandoned on a doorstep. An anonymous phone call urges the police to ren a DNA test on the baby. The baby belongs to Deborah! She's still alive! Detective Gina Harte and her colleagues begin to investigate where could be and what happened to her. This is a roller coaster ride with plenty of twists and turns. I have two criticism of this story:- 1) There is far too much sobbing throughout this story, some needed, a lot not. 2) Two Detectives have a cold. We all know how a cold effects you. We don't need graphic detail of nose blowing snot and throat mucus. It was quite off putting. I would have given this book five stars if it was not for this.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Carla Kovach for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[ReaderMomCarissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really Boring Read

This book was not suspenseful or gripping in the least! It’s one thing if an author focuses on details to build great characters or to develop the plot, but it’s a completely different thing when an author throws in everything and the kitchen sink just to try to bulk up a book to try to give it more pages and distract a reader. This book dragged on for no reason what so ever. There were so many unnecessary aspects and pieces that should have been edited out of this book, it was ridiculous! With about 20% left to the book, there was a bit of some build up—FINALLY! I thought this book would never end and when it finally did end, it was disappointing! Save your time and your money and read a different book! I highly recommend White Lies by Lucy Dawson for a GREAT TWISTED THRILLER and The Last Girl by Nick Twist.

[Angela Marsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have just finished this book and absolutely loved it. I am a sucker for a strong, kick ass female main character and Gina Harte does not disappoint. I was drawn into this story from the beginning when a baby is abandoned and is found to have the DNA of a woman missing for 4 years. I enjoyed following all the different viewpoints in the story which kept it fresh, interesting and moving forward. I particularly felt for the husband of the missing woman and his struggle to come to terms with developments as the story unfurled. The ending was action-packed, tense and incredibly satisfying and I look forward to reading more in this series.

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Next Girl is the first in the Detective Gina Harte series and she is a character I can’t wait to read about again. I liked everything about her, including her relationship (of sorts) with her superior. She is a slightly damaged character, and I warmed to her very quickly. I felt sorry for her in how she was treated by her daughter, who I felt needed a good slap more than once in this story for the way she spoke to her mother. She’s a competent detective who is written in a believable way, and I loved how she worked with her team. There was a real sense of camaraderie there and the procedural element was nicely done.

In terms of the storyline it certainly kept me gripped throughout. A baby is found by an elderly gentleman on his way home from the pub. DNA tests on the baby show that its mother is a woman named Deborah who went missing, presumed dead, four years ago. Clearly she is alive, but where has she been for the past four years? And what does this mean for husband Luke who was just starting to move on with his life without his beloved Debbie? Carla Kovach is a great writer and what really stood out in this book was characterisation. Starting with Gina herself as a very strong character we then get Luke and his mother-in-law Cathy. I really liked Luke’s character and thought that Carla did a great job of portraying him as grieving for Debbie but at the same time trying to move on with his life as a single father. We also have chapters featuring the captured Debbie and her captor and Carla fills these scenes with real terror and that means that Debbie’s feelings and fears are palpable as we read about her being imprisoned by this sick individual. Gina has her work cut out for her trying to find Debbie and the person responsible for her kidnap over the past four years.

The plot moves along at a quick pace and I had this book read in just a few sittings. Gina’s personal life plays a huge role in the story and I really enjoyed reading about her. She felt like a refreshing character as opposed to another cliched rehash and the case here has some connotations with her own life. There’s plenty of thrilling moments in the story as we race towards a dramatic, tense and exciting finale. Unfortunately I did work out who was ultimately responsible using my usual trick of simply choosing a random character when we first meet them. It’s worked in the past and it’s worked here. There was never any real explanation given as to why this person did what they did, other than it obviously being some kind of warped obsession. But I wanted more explanation and exploration of this character. Also there was a lack of closure to the storyline that left me feeling disappointed because I wanted to read more about how these characters ended up. The ending and epilogue felt quite rushed and a couple more chapters could have given the resolution that I think a few more readers will be left wanting.

With this being a Bookouture book we do have the obligatory tag line on the front cover about how it contains a heart-stopping twist. Well, it doesn’t really and I wish these tag lines would stop being used. What we have here is an exploration into how far people will go to satisfy their jealousies and to get what (or who) they want, no matter who they hurt. It was a fantastic crime thriller and as the first in a series has left me eager to read more from Carla Kovach. Whilst I felt there were a few missed opportunities and despite my disappointment at the lack of closure at the end of the story, I still have no hesitation in recommending this book and cannot wait to read about Gina Harte and her brilliant team again.

[Lizzie Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The positives up front - this book was super readable, and in fact I did finish this book super quickly. However, I was really disappointed. This is not a book for anyone expecting there to be a clever twist in the story... it just wasn't there. This is a fairly pedestrian thriller, which focused almost entirely on police procedure to the detriment of there being any real suspense or surprises in the story. The final few chapters where the kidnapper is "unmasked" really felt completely unrealistic and not very clever. The author may have well just written "And then Gina just suddenly realised it was this random character, based on nothing other than needing to end this book". I was also really disappointed with the Epilogue which gave no follow up on the victim or what happened to the baby. I stayed with this book right to the end hoping for the twist in the story but this just never happened. All and all this book left me feeling "meh". Do not recommend to anyone who is a thriller fan, but if you like police procedure this may be for you.

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

The Next Girl by Carla Kovach is the 1st in the Gina Harte series. This one had me from the get-go.

My Synopsis:
DI Gina Harte and her team, consisting of DS Jacob Driscoll, DC Harry O’Connor and DC Paula Wyre, are called when a newborn baby is found on the doorstep of the library. The baby is barely alive, but now safe. The rush is now on to find the mother.

Four years ago, Deborah Jenkins went missing. Her husband Luke, with the help of her mother, has been raising their two young children, but he has still not moved on. He’s trying though.

When a DNA test on the baby confirms that the mother is none other than Deborah Jenkins, Gina Harte is excited at having a second chance to find her. They failed her last time, but Harte is determined that this time Deborah will be brought home alive.

There are now so many questions. Where has Deborah been for four years? Did she abandon her child? Has she been held captive and been abused all these years? Luke has those questions plus a few more personal ones. Yes, this is his beloved’s baby, but it’s not really Luke’s. How is he supposed to look after some monsters child? How is he supposed to explain this child to his children?

Meanwhile, Gina is having some personal problems. Although enjoyable, she’s not sure that this fling she is having with her boss is such a good idea. As well, she is having serious problems with her daughter, who wants Gina to attend, and pay for, a memorial she is throwing for her deceased father. Gina has never told anyone of the abuse she suffered at that man’s hands.


My Opinions:
I have found a new author to follow! In one way I hate getting to the party late, but then again, I don’t have to wait for more books, cause they are out there waiting for me :)

I loved the characters, and hope we find out more about them as the books continue. The reader really got a good feel for them, and they were all relatable…well, not the bad guy. Gina Harte is a caring individual, and you see that her team respects her. I really liked the relationships and dialogs that Kovach developed. It was also nice to see the family’s point of view, and not just that of the victim and the police. I thought that was handled well. The writing and plot were really good. It’ a fast read, cause you really don’t want to put it down. Overall, a success!

Definitely recommend this book!

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

Oh my! What a ride this book was! I expected a routine police procedural but I got so much more in this book. It was everything the blurb said and more!

A newborn was left on the doorstep of the library on a cold, rainy December night and DNA testing showed the child to be Debbie’s daughter. Debbie who was presumed missing since the past 4 years. This lit a fire in DI Gina and her gang, and then it was a race against time to find and save Debbie.

An exciting fast-paced thriller by Carla Kovach, the story though routine, the writing escalates it to a higher level. I couldn’t put down this book. I had to read it a one go. Everytime I tried to stop reading, the book called to me and forced me to keep reading. Such was the magic of author Carla Kovach’s writing!

Carla has written this book in third person in 3 POV. DI Gina and her investigation, Debbie along with her kidnapper, and Luke and his mother-in-law Cathy. This investigative story also shows the humane side of life, where a cop has a shaky relationship with her daughter due to her reluctance to reveal secrets of the past. A husband/father trying to bring up his kids with his MIL without knowing if his wife has left voluntarily or against her wishes. A woman kidnapped and chained for 4 years, forced to undergo torture, abuse, and rape, gives birth to premie daughter and left with a torn, bleeding body.

In narrating the story, Carla has weaved the personal life and trauma of these characters, making it alive and real, without slowing down the pace. The emotions evoked caused an inner quickening of my breath, to know how this story ended. This is the mark of a good thriller.

A fabulous way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

P.S I just wish the publishers stop with the same tag lines. In fact, don’t give the title a tag line. We will give it to you in our reviews
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion

[Alex ♈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging written detective story.
Old school storyline development, not overloaded with OTT techno tools and not packed with never ending action, but methodically solved suspense.

The author made the victim/the abducted woman to one of her main characters - it gave the suspense more depth. Her story was heart-breaking.

The book wasn't heavy on sex, but emotional relationship.
There were 2 romantic connections: the victim and her husband; and the main heroine, detective Gina and her superior, Briggs.

Gina - extremely well-written and complex character. Not a badass per se, but smart and strong in her job. She has many layers, and some from her past are dark and sad. I didn't like her daughter and I think Gina should have told her daughter the truth about her dad years ago... This family connection and how she let her daughter talk to her weakens her character, IMO.

A 46 yo old, who has a daughter and a grand-daughter, but still has sex-life - hell to the yeah!!! This is soooo amazing!!! I love it! Finally a mature and older woman with a sex-drive!

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ceecee · Rating 1 out of 5]

The one star rating says it all. I thought it was dreadful - so boring. It was repetitive and the dialogue was truly woeful. I skim read it. Definitely won’t read more by this author.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She’d thought he’d come to save her. She was wrong.”

Loved this book — a NEW female detective series! 😍
I was biting my nails as the story unraveled.. a longtime missing mother, an abandoned baby girl.. OK WOW.. what a fresh take on police procedural novels! A great story, recommending 4.5 ☆

I had to sneak in this for #4in48readathon 🤚🏻

[Mark Porton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really couldn't put this one down and am finding the same with the next in the series. Very fluent writing and the story has a great mix of crime and the personal lives of the characters - without overdoing the latter. Loved it!

[Stacey Camp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carla Kovach's The Next Girl is a nail-biting thriller that is the first in Kovach's new female-led detective series.

Deborah Jenkins works late nights at the local pub to make ends meet for her children and husband. Not a fan of driving, Deborah takes the local bus home every evening after her night shift ends.

Someone is taking note of her behavior, observing her every move.

One particularly miserable, blustery night, a man approaches her and offers her a ride home. Though her feet are numb from standing in rain-soaked shoes, she leans into his car window and declines the offer. The man grabs her, knocks her unconsciousness, and takes her back to his family homestead where she is imprisoned.

Detective Gina Harte is on the case, but it goes cold.

Four years after Deborah's disappearance, a baby appears abandoned on the doorstep of a library. DNA testing links the baby to Deborah. Deborah's cold case is reopened by Detective Harte, who relates to the abuse Deborah may be experiencing. Her dark past compels her to throw herself into the case, sometimes at the expense of her family.

I like the pacing of this book and how it tacked back and forth between Gina, Deborah, and Deborah's family's perspectives. Sometimes multiple points of views are hard to follow, but this was certainly not the case for this book. I especially liked the character of Gina, who struggles to manage her many obligations at work and to her sometimes estranged daughter and granddaughter.

Thank you to the author, Carla Kovach, the publisher, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of The Next Girl.

For more of my book reviews visit me here:
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[Aimee Dars · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four years ago, Deborah Jenkins disappeared after a night working late. The case remained unsolved, and it was unclear what had happened to Debbie. Her husband, Luke, regardless of the reason, believed she was never coming back, and though he still loved her thought it was time to move on. When an abandoned baby is found on the steps of a public library and a frantic call begs police to test the baby's DNA, the police learn that Debbie is its mother. With proof she was alive, the police, led by DI Gina Harte, begin a search for Debbie, believing her to have been held captive since her disappearance. They are racing against time. Not only do they fear that Debbie herself is in danger, the kidnapper has targeted her husband and children. Harte struggles to push the investigation forward even as memories of past domestic abuse arise and she struggles with relationships, both with her daughter, who chafes against the demands of Harte's job, and her superior officer, who represents a dangerous romantic temptation.

The Next Girl falls into my category of "airplane books"--books that are mindless entertainment but compelling enough to hold my attention when traveling. When most fictional detectives are renegades who flout authority and the chain of command, for the most part, Harte adheres to procedure. While this may sound boring, it's so uncommon in mysteries, I found it rather refreshing! The novel also highlighted the effects of budget cuts on public services, probably more realistic than novels where detectives are backed up with forensic wizardry.

This is the first book in a series, and Gina Harte has the potential to become an interesting protagonist. The other characters in the book were fairly one-dimensional. Luke demonstrated grief, Brooke, a potential love interest, and Cathy, his mother-in-law, embodied understanding. Harte's daughter, Hannah, was completely unsympathetic to me as written; she was shrill, demanding, and had little empathy for her mother. Inexplicably, Gina had a cold in the course of the novel which other characters caught, and there was too much detail about Kleenex, mucus, and sneezing for my taste without having some sort of point to it.

It seems like all psychological thrillers and mysteries these days hinge on a surprising twist, and The Next Girl promises a "heart-stopping" one. It's even on the cover! I did not think there was a "heart-stopping twist" or even a twist at all. With only ten or so pages left to go, I wondered when the surprising element would arise. Perhaps the lack of twist was the twist!

Readers looking for an "airplane book" might be interested in The Next Girl, but regretfully, I can't recommend it otherwise.

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

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I’ve been taking a bit of a break from “police procedures “ in books as they were getting a bit blurred around the edges. I needed a clean my palette.

Anyway, this might change with this book I’ve just caught up with on my backlist!
This was so good.

Obviously this was out in 2018 so I’m guessing without looking yet, that there is at least a book 2?

A girl vanishes. Never found, then years later a baby is found and DNA proves that the baby belongs to the missing girl many years later.

That’s all I needed to read before jumping into this.

The actual police procedures were there of course but the story overwhelmed me so much I sort of ignored the fact and saw it as a vital I put to the story.

Edge of your seat
Gasping moments of OMG’S in several places.

Have you read this?
What do you think?

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh... I have so many issues with this book.
Number one, I felt like there was far to much admin. Once a witness/suspect/family member had been interviewed there was always a paragraph and a half about the notes the police team had to write up. Ever time Gina went home we were bless with the unnecessary knowledge that she was reading the notes that had been written up... we get it she is obsessed by the case. Secondly, I think the supporting characters got far more air time than the actually protagonists. I had paragraphs about Jacobs cold but absolutely zero information about our villains past. Which leads me on to my biggest grip with the whole thing, I still have no idea why he did it!!! I don’t know about other thriller lovers but the motive behind a crime however dark or twisted is one of the best bits of the book. ‘The next girl’ does not satisfy in this area at all. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind people doing it because they are mad but I want to know more. I want to know there history and what makes them tick, what triggered this series of mental behaviour. Sadly I know more about Jeff’s mums asparagus farm than I do about him and that is a let down.

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up years ago but only now I've found the time to finally read it. I was not disappointed; there are some very good things to be found in this story.
First of all, the plot is good and the characters come to life while the story progresses. I really began to like Gina Harte; the author did a nice job in introducing the reader to her character, her job and her colleagues.
There is a lot of suspense and some really bad persons in the story, but there is also a lot of love and understanding.
I think this won't be the last book in this series that I will enjoy.

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome read! I finished this toward evening and I’m so wound up I can’t sleep. The Next Girl is book #1 of The DI Gina Harte series and my first Carla Kovach read. The story takes place in Worcestershire England. Deborah Jenkins, a married mother of two, went missing four years ago with only one of her shoes left on the street. Her husband is struggling to survive without her and thinks he should just move on with his life. But one night an abandoned baby is found and a mysterious call comes into the police department saying to check the baby’s DNA. The test is done and the baby belongs to Deborah, the missing woman. So the case is picking back up with DI Gina Harte being in charge of the investigation.

Gina is a 46 year old bad-ass who is DI experienced in child protection and domestic violence. The author did a good job developing this character. I won’t go into the details of her backstory but WOW does she have a past. The author reveals just bits and pieces of her life at a time…making for an interesting read. Gina is pretty tough but she has some baggage that causes her some problems still. One thing that irritated me about Gina is her not telling her grown daughter about her past. It seemed that decision caused many problems with their relationship. I also felt empathy for Gina. During the investigation of Deborah’s disappearance memories of the hell she herself went through came rushing back.

Another well-developed character is Luke, the missing woman’s husband. MAN…the emotions this guy goes through are almost overwhelming. To think your wife is probably dead and feel the guilt of possibly moving on with your life. As soon as he decides that he might do just that…BOOM! A baby is found and things get real crazy.

The antagonist is a really sick freak. I spent the entire book thinking of ways to bring about his slow painful death. If anyone deserves it this one does! I thought the pacing of book was perfect. The dialogue between the characters was realistic. The story brought about many emotions from me…sadness, anger, elation, frustration. Carla Kovach is just flat-out a great storyteller. Up and down, twisting and turning and slowly building up to an edge-of-your-seat conclusion. Lots of excitement…totally loved the ending!

I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next installment of the series coming out in August 2018. Definitely a 5 out of 5 stars for me. Thank you Carla Kovach, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The world wasn't a good place. It wasn't all roses, cake, parties and nice things. It was a dark place, a place that she'd yet to fathom."

DI Gina Harte is looking for a missing woman, Deborah Jenkins, who vanished on the way home from work 4 years ago. Deborah's husband, Luke, and their two children were moving on with the help of Deborah's mother, Cathy, until an abandoned baby shows up -- and is purported to be the daughter of Deborah. She's still alive! The squad goes all out to look over past witness statements, interview those who knew Deborah, and to try -- again -- to find out who has her or where she might be.

This was a fast-paced police procedural with a likeable new protagonist in Gina Harte. She is beset with the past demons of her own life while trying to find Deborah. Fellow team members are also interesting and the reader can see that there is a lot of room for character development in this series. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badly written and focused on an extraordinarily bland main character. This story also starts by introducing about 10 characters to you which is overwhelming for a book where you're trying to keep track of everyone.

[Bianca Coppens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geweldig debuut.

[Jazz Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love the Gina Harte collection already, granted I've only read this first one and the last one in the series but I'm hooked!!!

In the next girl deceive Gina Harte finds herself back on her first case she worked. Debbie went missing on her way home from work four years prior, she was eventually presumed dead. So when a new born baby is discovered outside the local library, the police are appealing for it's mothers when they recieve a call to check the babies DNA and she is matched with Debbie, Gina is aware she was wrong Debbie has been alive for four years and likely held captive, she will not give up until she finds her.

What a great introduction to DI Gina Harte. She might be a detective but she has a lot of personal issues. We get to learn about her past with her abusive husband and the current case appears to trigger her. We learn the truth about how it ended. We also get to learn about her difficult relationship with her daughter. Her daughter think she works to hard, but she sees the importance of her job.

The way the book is written is done so well. We follow the case as it progresses as well as Debbie as she's in captivity. I like that we go from third to first person throughout the book. It is well written. Espically with Debbie and the practical issues she is having post birth, particularly because it was a difficult birth. If blood and gyno makes you uncomfortable then skip this book.

We also have the side story of Gina and DCI Chris Briggs. They have developed a sexual relationship it will be interesting to see how this relationship progresses.

The writing is done so well. It manages to keep you engaged. I found myself wondering throughout who the kidnapper was! I honestly had no idea until it was revealed. This is what I love about the way Carla Kovach writes she, it's not obvious. Other crime books you read and know so soon who it is! Plus the description is fantastic and I felt like I could see the room Debbie was in and the scenes that Gina describes with her ex husband. I have such a vivid imagination that I found this to really help me further enjoy the story.

Would I recommend this book? Hell yeah! I am so hooked with this series and now officially have all 8 books and I will make my way through them this week I don't want to stop reading! I'm absolutely obsessed with Carla Kovach such a talented crime writer! Easy 5 stars