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Detective Bernadette Noel #2
Broken Girls
Brambles catch her dress, scratch her legs. She has no option but to go barefoot if she’s going to outrun her hunter. They’d been laughing a few minutes before, but things can change in the blink of an eye. Then he’s on her, and the world goes dark.
The woman is young, judging by the short red dress, and dark-haired. Any other signs of her identity have been erased during her long wait to be found, but it’s clear she has been strangled: this was a vicious and personal murder.
D.I. Bernadette Noel knows that every second counts if they are to catch this killer, but they have no leads – until the discovery that the dead woman’s rings match a stolen property report, and the rings’ owner mentions a missing Italian au pair.
Then a shocking discovery about their victim – and the news that another girl, also young and dark-haired, has been abducted – changes everything the team thought they knew about the case.
Piecing together witness statements, Bernie notices key similarities between the description of the person last seen with their murder victim, and someone the missing girl was messaging online. She is convinced they’re looking at the same perpetrator – and if that’s the case, Bernie’s job is no longer just to catch a killer: it’s to save a life.
With few options left, and time running out, she makes a desperate plan. She’ll risk everything on one shot to force their suspect’s hand and push him into making a mistake. But traps need bait – and if her plan fails, a third girl could die…
A gripping crime thriller with a nail-biting climax. If you like Angela Marsons, Susie Steiner or D.S. Butler, you’ll love Joy Kluver.
The woman is young, judging by the short red dress, and dark-haired. Any other signs of her identity have been erased during her long wait to be found, but it’s clear she has been strangled: this was a vicious and personal murder.
D.I. Bernadette Noel knows that every second counts if they are to catch this killer, but they have no leads – until the discovery that the dead woman’s rings match a stolen property report, and the rings’ owner mentions a missing Italian au pair.
Then a shocking discovery about their victim – and the news that another girl, also young and dark-haired, has been abducted – changes everything the team thought they knew about the case.
Piecing together witness statements, Bernie notices key similarities between the description of the person last seen with their murder victim, and someone the missing girl was messaging online. She is convinced they’re looking at the same perpetrator – and if that’s the case, Bernie’s job is no longer just to catch a killer: it’s to save a life.
With few options left, and time running out, she makes a desperate plan. She’ll risk everything on one shot to force their suspect’s hand and push him into making a mistake. But traps need bait – and if her plan fails, a third girl could die…
A gripping crime thriller with a nail-biting climax. If you like Angela Marsons, Susie Steiner or D.S. Butler, you’ll love Joy Kluver.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2021
173 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Joy Kluver
5 books40 followersJoy Kluver has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. More recently she’s been escaping the madness of motherhood by turning her hand to crime novels. A book blogger, she’s also part of the First Monday Crime team and if you’ve been to any of their events it’s likely you’ve eaten one of her cookies. She also organises author talks for her local library. Joy lives in SW London with her husband and three children. She has written three DI Bernadette ‘Bernie’ Noel books – 'Last Seen', 'Broken Girls' and 'Left For Dead', and the series has been shortlisted for Best New Kid on the Block (best new series) in the Dead Good Reader Awards 2022.
Joy is represented by Anne Williams at the Kate Horden Literary Agency.
Joy is represented by Anne Williams at the Kate Horden Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 26, 2021
Broken Girls is the second instalment in the Detective Bernadette "Bernie" Noel series set in Wiltshire. With her usual superior, DCS Wilson, away on sick leave, Bernie is appointed as SIO by stand-in DCI Patrick Worth for a new case that comes in, much to her amazement. The bloated, decomposing body of a young woman has been discovered strangled in dense woodland close to a farm belonging to the Moffat family. It appears to have been there for nearly a week before it was discovered by 15-year-old Craig Moffat. Due to her advanced stages of deterioration, there is no chance of visually ascertaining her identity and the team are baffled as she doesn't fit the description of any missing person. They eventually, after a hard slog, using rings she was wearing with the etching "To H love R", are led to missing au pair Rosa Conti who was employed but recently fired by Rupert and Harriett Fox after she was found in a compromising position with a male companion on the job. But what happened between being dismissed and ending up in the woods? Then a pre-teen goes missing; it turns out to be Laura Moffat, the 12-year-old sister of Craig and a quick comb through her Instagram reveals conversations she had been having online with Luke Davidson, apparently aged 17.
He appears to have groomed her but a further look into his account finds he has disturbingly been doing the same with other minors and young women, including Laura’s best friend. Bernie’s colleagues don't believe the predatory behaviour and the murder are linked but she thinks otherwise and is one to trust her gut instincts regardless of her colleagues and their opinions. She is then swiftly removed from the murder investigation and placed on the case of the missing child which makes her question Worth’s motives and legitimises her belief that she was on the right track. Are both cases connected and if so how? Why would Worth take her off the case? Could he be dirty? This is a compulsive and absorbing sequel and a complex story with plenty of thrills and an intriguing mystery at its heart. The plot threads are woven together well and are clearly thought out, and I mean it when I say that the twists and turns catch you off guard and are impeccably executed from start to finish. Kluver masterfully lulls you into a false sense of security, and although you think you know what's happening you realise you had no idea when she pulls the rug out from under you. Told solely from Bernie’s perspective, this is impossible to put down with a smart and dedicated protagonist. Crime fiction at its finest. Highly recommended.
He appears to have groomed her but a further look into his account finds he has disturbingly been doing the same with other minors and young women, including Laura’s best friend. Bernie’s colleagues don't believe the predatory behaviour and the murder are linked but she thinks otherwise and is one to trust her gut instincts regardless of her colleagues and their opinions. She is then swiftly removed from the murder investigation and placed on the case of the missing child which makes her question Worth’s motives and legitimises her belief that she was on the right track. Are both cases connected and if so how? Why would Worth take her off the case? Could he be dirty? This is a compulsive and absorbing sequel and a complex story with plenty of thrills and an intriguing mystery at its heart. The plot threads are woven together well and are clearly thought out, and I mean it when I say that the twists and turns catch you off guard and are impeccably executed from start to finish. Kluver masterfully lulls you into a false sense of security, and although you think you know what's happening you realise you had no idea when she pulls the rug out from under you. Told solely from Bernie’s perspective, this is impossible to put down with a smart and dedicated protagonist. Crime fiction at its finest. Highly recommended.
July 2, 2021
Book publication date 27th July 2021
Book 2 in the DS Bernie Noel series.
Bernie is called out to a crime scene that leaves her sick go her stomach, this isn't the first dead body she's scene but it's the worse. Whilst investigating this murder she finds herself called out to a missing child case. Her DCI is convinced there is no link between the two cases and yet Bernie is convinced there is a link and that there's a lot to the story that the entire team is missing.
I must first say what a step up from book 1. As the ground work has been laid for Bernie her past the village etc that isn't needed as much in this book. Yet I could of jumped into this book without feeling I was missing any huge back stories. Plus something about Bernie she's a little bit stronger this time around which made me like her more as our leading lady. Although ofcourse there's the obligatory love interest storyline, I didn't hate it.
The cases are intense this time around. I found myself questioning so much of what things meant and looking for clues that mid way through I had suspected everyone we met. I was trying really hard to work out what linked the cases.
This book has the shock factor with how brutal and uncomfortable it is especially with the missing child. Just when you're ready to pack up and close the case your left with a gift that keeps on giving. I enjoyed it.
The writing is done really well told in first person by Bernie. I love that we get to view her team through her eyes one of which will make you laugh if you're anything like me. The writing is serious, gruesome, thoughtful and yet still able to portray light humour its just done so well.
All in all I totally recommend and I'm super excited for installment number 3 especially with the epilogue which wasn't surprising but comical almost. If you read a lot of crime thrillers you might like myself be able to put everything together but I promise that won't make it any less fun to reading it play out. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thanks to netgalley, Joy Kluver and the publishers for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.
Book 2 in the DS Bernie Noel series.
Bernie is called out to a crime scene that leaves her sick go her stomach, this isn't the first dead body she's scene but it's the worse. Whilst investigating this murder she finds herself called out to a missing child case. Her DCI is convinced there is no link between the two cases and yet Bernie is convinced there is a link and that there's a lot to the story that the entire team is missing.
I must first say what a step up from book 1. As the ground work has been laid for Bernie her past the village etc that isn't needed as much in this book. Yet I could of jumped into this book without feeling I was missing any huge back stories. Plus something about Bernie she's a little bit stronger this time around which made me like her more as our leading lady. Although ofcourse there's the obligatory love interest storyline, I didn't hate it.
The cases are intense this time around. I found myself questioning so much of what things meant and looking for clues that mid way through I had suspected everyone we met. I was trying really hard to work out what linked the cases.
This book has the shock factor with how brutal and uncomfortable it is especially with the missing child. Just when you're ready to pack up and close the case your left with a gift that keeps on giving. I enjoyed it.
The writing is done really well told in first person by Bernie. I love that we get to view her team through her eyes one of which will make you laugh if you're anything like me. The writing is serious, gruesome, thoughtful and yet still able to portray light humour its just done so well.
All in all I totally recommend and I'm super excited for installment number 3 especially with the epilogue which wasn't surprising but comical almost. If you read a lot of crime thrillers you might like myself be able to put everything together but I promise that won't make it any less fun to reading it play out. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thanks to netgalley, Joy Kluver and the publishers for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.
July 19, 2021
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Joy Kluver's next exciting crime thriller BROKEN GIRLS.
I thoroughly enjoyed Joy's debut thriller "Last Seen" where readers were introduced to DI Bernadette Noel who had transferred from The Met to Wiltshire, not so much under a cloud as trying to escape what she left behind there. And while there was a hint of what she was running from in the first book there isn't a mention of it here. In the last book we met Bernie's long lost father who had been following her and she thought she was under threat and in the months since then they have forged a relationship together, though he features very little in this installment.
Readers are thrown right into the deep end as the story opens directly onto Bernie and her team having been called to the scene of a horrific murder in which the victim's bloated body has been discovered in the woods, having been left undetected for almost a week. Bernie cannot contain her retching as the smell of the decomposed remains permeates through her senses and as soon as she leaves the cordon, she evacuates whatever breakfast she'd managed that morning.
Whilst normally DCS Wilson has overseered her investigations, he is currently on sick leave and she is left having to work under DCI Patrick Worth, or Worthless as he is more commonly known. So when the booming voice of her superior arrives on scene, she has to talk him through the evidence thus far whilst revisiting the remains. Thankfully, she keeps her stomach this time. Worth, on the other hand, finds it difficult not to retch.
Due to the nature in which she was found, it is proving almost impossible to identify her. She cannot be visually identified, nor can her fingerprints do so, which leaves DNA and dental records. Unfortunately, for that to happen, the team need an idea of who their victim may be to compare them against. All they have to go on is the short red dress she is dressed in the exorbitant 10cm stilettos, also red, she'd been wearing. And the rings found her on her fingers engraved "To H love R". Bernie delegates her team to searching for the dress and the shoes online until a match is found.
The search leads them to a missing au pair for Rupert and Harriet Fox. Their au pair Rosa Conti had been discovered entertaining a male friend in her bedroom one evening and she was dismissed immediately, but apparently, not before she took Harriet's wedding rings with her. Whatever happened to her after that, the Foxes do not know...or they're not saying. But Bernie is suspicious. The couple appear to be hiding something, though what she doesn't know. She is equally suspicious of her bumbling superior, DCI Worth, who insisted on accompanying her to interview the Foxes. Why was he so interested when he would normally remain in the station, delegating and overseeing tasks?
Then a girl goes missing. Laura Moffat, the 12 year old sister of Craig Moffat who had discovered the body has disappeared and a search of her instagram account reveals her intimate conversations with a Luke Davidson, who claims to be 17 years old, though the team are immediately suspicious. His side of the conversation involve clear grooming tactics, lulling the unsuspecting girl into false sense of security and convincing her to send topless photos of herself. Hacking into his account, they discover that Laura isn't the online girl he has been grooming. He had been in conversations with Chloe Hampton, Laura's best friend, as well as young woman called Maria G.
But how does all this connect to the murder of Rosa Conti? Worth doesn't think it does and promptly removes Bernie from the murder investigation so she can concentrate on that of the missing girl. But Bernie thinks Worth has an ulterior motive from keeping her away from the murder investigation. The question is...why?
On top of all this, Worth has drafted in DS Dougie Anderson once again, much to Bernie's dismay. She had a near miss where Anderson was concerned when his ex-wife called from Edinburgh to warn her and any female colleagues about her "manipulative and controlling" ex-husband. Since then, Bernie had given him a wide berth. But now they were forced to work together once again.
As the investigation progresses, several possibilities come to light but the cases appear to be far more complex than they had first anticipated. And then when it becomes clear that the two cases are linked, Bernie takes her suspicions higher as she fights to protect both herself and her team.
The mysteries of the murdered girl and Laura's disappearance are woven together brilliantly in this incredibly twisty case in which Bernie and her team find themselves. The investigation is so complex I didn't even have a clue as to who was responsible...until right before the reveals. BROKEN GIRLS is inextricably woven in a tapestry of blackmail, rape, abuse and murder that will give you chills. I even love the addition of the ghost story which added an atmospheric creepiness.
I'm not a fan of superiors who lord it over their officers and continually pull rank on them, as is the case with DCI Worth(less). I prefer a team that are all on the same page and work well together instead of the constant angst that runs throughout. However, Worth's attitude was paramount to the story so I will excuse it this time, but on the whole...not a fan and prefer not to have to endure it.
Like her debut, BROKEN GIRLS is not predictable and leads the reader on a merry chase alongside Bernie in search of answers. But unlike "Last Seen" , this book is told wholly in Bernie's third person narrative. Her previous book had little snippets in-between from the villain whereas this one does not. I have to say that that disappointed me a little as I do prefer thrillers to include various perspectives, particularly one from the as yet unidentified villain which adds to the edge-of-your-seat thrills.
I did enjoy BROKEN GIRLS but I would have liked to seen the villain narrative added to taunt us. And less angst amongst the team.
I did, however, like the little cliffhanger tidbit readers were left with (and one I had guessed a little earlier). I wonder where that will take us in the next installment in this exciting series.
Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, Helen Phifer and Carla Kovach.
I would like to thank #JoyKluver, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #BrokenGirls in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I thoroughly enjoyed Joy's debut thriller "Last Seen" where readers were introduced to DI Bernadette Noel who had transferred from The Met to Wiltshire, not so much under a cloud as trying to escape what she left behind there. And while there was a hint of what she was running from in the first book there isn't a mention of it here. In the last book we met Bernie's long lost father who had been following her and she thought she was under threat and in the months since then they have forged a relationship together, though he features very little in this installment.
Readers are thrown right into the deep end as the story opens directly onto Bernie and her team having been called to the scene of a horrific murder in which the victim's bloated body has been discovered in the woods, having been left undetected for almost a week. Bernie cannot contain her retching as the smell of the decomposed remains permeates through her senses and as soon as she leaves the cordon, she evacuates whatever breakfast she'd managed that morning.
Whilst normally DCS Wilson has overseered her investigations, he is currently on sick leave and she is left having to work under DCI Patrick Worth, or Worthless as he is more commonly known. So when the booming voice of her superior arrives on scene, she has to talk him through the evidence thus far whilst revisiting the remains. Thankfully, she keeps her stomach this time. Worth, on the other hand, finds it difficult not to retch.
Due to the nature in which she was found, it is proving almost impossible to identify her. She cannot be visually identified, nor can her fingerprints do so, which leaves DNA and dental records. Unfortunately, for that to happen, the team need an idea of who their victim may be to compare them against. All they have to go on is the short red dress she is dressed in the exorbitant 10cm stilettos, also red, she'd been wearing. And the rings found her on her fingers engraved "To H love R". Bernie delegates her team to searching for the dress and the shoes online until a match is found.
The search leads them to a missing au pair for Rupert and Harriet Fox. Their au pair Rosa Conti had been discovered entertaining a male friend in her bedroom one evening and she was dismissed immediately, but apparently, not before she took Harriet's wedding rings with her. Whatever happened to her after that, the Foxes do not know...or they're not saying. But Bernie is suspicious. The couple appear to be hiding something, though what she doesn't know. She is equally suspicious of her bumbling superior, DCI Worth, who insisted on accompanying her to interview the Foxes. Why was he so interested when he would normally remain in the station, delegating and overseeing tasks?
Then a girl goes missing. Laura Moffat, the 12 year old sister of Craig Moffat who had discovered the body has disappeared and a search of her instagram account reveals her intimate conversations with a Luke Davidson, who claims to be 17 years old, though the team are immediately suspicious. His side of the conversation involve clear grooming tactics, lulling the unsuspecting girl into false sense of security and convincing her to send topless photos of herself. Hacking into his account, they discover that Laura isn't the online girl he has been grooming. He had been in conversations with Chloe Hampton, Laura's best friend, as well as young woman called Maria G.
But how does all this connect to the murder of Rosa Conti? Worth doesn't think it does and promptly removes Bernie from the murder investigation so she can concentrate on that of the missing girl. But Bernie thinks Worth has an ulterior motive from keeping her away from the murder investigation. The question is...why?
On top of all this, Worth has drafted in DS Dougie Anderson once again, much to Bernie's dismay. She had a near miss where Anderson was concerned when his ex-wife called from Edinburgh to warn her and any female colleagues about her "manipulative and controlling" ex-husband. Since then, Bernie had given him a wide berth. But now they were forced to work together once again.
As the investigation progresses, several possibilities come to light but the cases appear to be far more complex than they had first anticipated. And then when it becomes clear that the two cases are linked, Bernie takes her suspicions higher as she fights to protect both herself and her team.
The mysteries of the murdered girl and Laura's disappearance are woven together brilliantly in this incredibly twisty case in which Bernie and her team find themselves. The investigation is so complex I didn't even have a clue as to who was responsible...until right before the reveals. BROKEN GIRLS is inextricably woven in a tapestry of blackmail, rape, abuse and murder that will give you chills. I even love the addition of the ghost story which added an atmospheric creepiness.
I'm not a fan of superiors who lord it over their officers and continually pull rank on them, as is the case with DCI Worth(less). I prefer a team that are all on the same page and work well together instead of the constant angst that runs throughout. However, Worth's attitude was paramount to the story so I will excuse it this time, but on the whole...not a fan and prefer not to have to endure it.
Like her debut, BROKEN GIRLS is not predictable and leads the reader on a merry chase alongside Bernie in search of answers. But unlike "Last Seen" , this book is told wholly in Bernie's third person narrative. Her previous book had little snippets in-between from the villain whereas this one does not. I have to say that that disappointed me a little as I do prefer thrillers to include various perspectives, particularly one from the as yet unidentified villain which adds to the edge-of-your-seat thrills.
I did enjoy BROKEN GIRLS but I would have liked to seen the villain narrative added to taunt us. And less angst amongst the team.
I did, however, like the little cliffhanger tidbit readers were left with (and one I had guessed a little earlier). I wonder where that will take us in the next installment in this exciting series.
Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, Helen Phifer and Carla Kovach.
I would like to thank #JoyKluver, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #BrokenGirls in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
July 3, 2021
First off like always I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Bookoutre , the author Joy Kluver , and to NetGalley for the invite to join this blog tour as well as letting me read and review it.As well as introducing me to a new to me author as well a new to me series, in fact I had no idea that I had book 1 as well to read until I went to my goodreads and saw that I had it mark to read, and after reading this one I can't wait to go back and read that one as well. And yes I know that I will be reading them out of order but I have no problem doing it since a lot of times I tend to do just that. Because even though I'll reading them out of order I had now trouble following the story or even understand who the characters was.As for the story its self it was intense from the very start and didn't let up , not one, and when I thought I had something figured out it was like the characters where saying not even close better luck next time. As for the the pacing of the story it was just right , it kept you setting on the edge of your set, and it help bring the story setting a live as well as the characters themselves, I do have to say that this author has a way of written that makes you want to set down and just read which is what I did with most of the book in one setting.
July 5, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Broken Girls, the second novel to feature DI Bernie Noel of the Wiltshire police.
When the decomposing body of a young woman is found Bernie and the team are stumped as she doesn’t match the description of any missing person and she has no identification, but then some rings she is wearing offer a slim hint to her identity. Just as they’re progressing the enquiry 12 year old Laura, who lives in the vicinity of the murder site, goes missing. Bernie thinks the cases may be linked but DCI Worth isn’t so sure.
I thoroughly enjoyed Broken Girls, which is a compulsive read full of really unexpected twists and turns. I was really impressed by the author’s ability to lull her readers into believing one thing before totally upending it with a clever twist. With these twists thrown in at strategic moments, rather than saved for the end, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. The novel, however, is not just about the twists as it has a well thought out and executed plot which covers several different mini plot lines in an eventually encompassing whole. Masterful is the word I would use.
The novel is told entirely from Bernie’s point of view so what she knows the reader knows. This is my favourite approach as there is no distraction from different voices or timelines and it is therefore easy to identify with Bernie and her travails. It also allows the reader to speculate on the known facts and produce a solution. Well, good luck with that because I only got one thing right out of several puzzles. Bernie herself is a great protagonist, smart, caring and empathetic with an unambiguous sense of right and wrong. There is tumult in her private life and a sense of optimism about the future, maybe, in this novel but change is definitely coming.
Broken Girls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
When the decomposing body of a young woman is found Bernie and the team are stumped as she doesn’t match the description of any missing person and she has no identification, but then some rings she is wearing offer a slim hint to her identity. Just as they’re progressing the enquiry 12 year old Laura, who lives in the vicinity of the murder site, goes missing. Bernie thinks the cases may be linked but DCI Worth isn’t so sure.
I thoroughly enjoyed Broken Girls, which is a compulsive read full of really unexpected twists and turns. I was really impressed by the author’s ability to lull her readers into believing one thing before totally upending it with a clever twist. With these twists thrown in at strategic moments, rather than saved for the end, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. The novel, however, is not just about the twists as it has a well thought out and executed plot which covers several different mini plot lines in an eventually encompassing whole. Masterful is the word I would use.
The novel is told entirely from Bernie’s point of view so what she knows the reader knows. This is my favourite approach as there is no distraction from different voices or timelines and it is therefore easy to identify with Bernie and her travails. It also allows the reader to speculate on the known facts and produce a solution. Well, good luck with that because I only got one thing right out of several puzzles. Bernie herself is a great protagonist, smart, caring and empathetic with an unambiguous sense of right and wrong. There is tumult in her private life and a sense of optimism about the future, maybe, in this novel but change is definitely coming.
Broken Girls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
June 10, 2021
A new detective series to sink my teeth into. I haven’t read the first book, but I didn’t feel lost starting with the second book. I really liked Bernie. She was a good detective to follow. When a young woman is found murdered, Bernie races against time and conflict with the boss, to find the killer. When another young girl is abducted, Bernie is left with more questions than answers. The mystery was great, I liked the twist at the end. I will definitely go back and read the first book and I will continue to read about Bernie. Like I said, I really liked her and can’t wait to see what awaits her.
June 12, 2021
I loved Joy Kluver’s debut novel, Last Seen when I read it earlier in the year, but I think Broken Girls, the second book in the series, is even better. This is a solid police procedural, and I read it in a few greedy gulps, desperate to know what was going on and who the killer was. It gets a very easy five stars from me.
Detective Bernadette Noel is back, and this time she is investigating a horrific murder. A young woman’s body has been found, but it is impossible to identify her. Bernie and her team have very few things to go on, and as the investigation progresses, they come up with a possible identity. But this case is far more complex than they first thought.
Joy Kluver has brilliantly weaved together a very twisty case for Bernie to get to grips with. You can see how desperate she is to get to the bottom of what has happened and to make sure that this young woman gets justice. She is very moved by what has happened to the young woman and she is absolutely determined to get to the bottom of it. Although I think it always helps to read earlier books in a series, it’s possible to read this book as a standalone. I think Bernie is definitely growing as a character. She is very likeable, and I was rooting for her to get to the bottom of things.
The case is very complex, and I had no idea who the culprit was and what had happened to the young woman who was found. I thought that Joy Kluver built on the setting really well, and I loved the detail she put into her book. She brings it to life really well, and I loved the extra detail that was added, particularly the ghost story, which gave me goosebumps as I was reading it.
Broken Girls is an excellent addition to this series, and I’m really looking forward to the third book. Joy Kluver is fast becoming a favourite new author of mine. If you haven’t yet started this series, then you really need to. Top stuff!
Detective Bernadette Noel is back, and this time she is investigating a horrific murder. A young woman’s body has been found, but it is impossible to identify her. Bernie and her team have very few things to go on, and as the investigation progresses, they come up with a possible identity. But this case is far more complex than they first thought.
Joy Kluver has brilliantly weaved together a very twisty case for Bernie to get to grips with. You can see how desperate she is to get to the bottom of what has happened and to make sure that this young woman gets justice. She is very moved by what has happened to the young woman and she is absolutely determined to get to the bottom of it. Although I think it always helps to read earlier books in a series, it’s possible to read this book as a standalone. I think Bernie is definitely growing as a character. She is very likeable, and I was rooting for her to get to the bottom of things.
The case is very complex, and I had no idea who the culprit was and what had happened to the young woman who was found. I thought that Joy Kluver built on the setting really well, and I loved the detail she put into her book. She brings it to life really well, and I loved the extra detail that was added, particularly the ghost story, which gave me goosebumps as I was reading it.
Broken Girls is an excellent addition to this series, and I’m really looking forward to the third book. Joy Kluver is fast becoming a favourite new author of mine. If you haven’t yet started this series, then you really need to. Top stuff!
July 28, 2021
This is Joy Kluver's second novel to feature DI Bernadette (Bernie) Noel of the Wiltshire police force. Bernie came to Wiltshire from the Metropolitan Police to escape. Following her involvement in a high profile prosecution resulting in her receiving death threats, she hoped that her move to the West Country would put all that behind her and protect herself and her family.
In Broken Girls, Bernie is on the case when a young woman in a red dress is found by a farmer's son, strangled in a wood close to the railway. She still has her gold hoop earrings in her ears and her stilettoes are a few yards away. The woman has been dead for nearly a week, but why has she not been reported missing?
The story is told entirely from the perspective of Bernie so the reader makes their discoveries when Bernie does. The investigation is a complex one and Joy Kluver cleverly weaves everything together. The plotting is masterful; the subplots were well executed and the many twists were dotted throughout the whole novel rather than being rushed in at the end. I spent some time dwelling on the facts presented but still, the perpetrator's identity eluded me until the reveal.
Bernie's personal and professional lives are interesting. Joy Kluver has so far revealed enough about her to ensure she comes across as a switched-on, caring, believable woman while holding enough back to keep readers wanting to learn more. I also liked the friendships between Bernie and her team, though it's not all plain sailing. There are maelstroms in her private life but possibly a sense of hope about the future. Broken Girls is a fantastic continuation of a new series which I’m sure will see readers coming back for more.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
In Broken Girls, Bernie is on the case when a young woman in a red dress is found by a farmer's son, strangled in a wood close to the railway. She still has her gold hoop earrings in her ears and her stilettoes are a few yards away. The woman has been dead for nearly a week, but why has she not been reported missing?
The story is told entirely from the perspective of Bernie so the reader makes their discoveries when Bernie does. The investigation is a complex one and Joy Kluver cleverly weaves everything together. The plotting is masterful; the subplots were well executed and the many twists were dotted throughout the whole novel rather than being rushed in at the end. I spent some time dwelling on the facts presented but still, the perpetrator's identity eluded me until the reveal.
Bernie's personal and professional lives are interesting. Joy Kluver has so far revealed enough about her to ensure she comes across as a switched-on, caring, believable woman while holding enough back to keep readers wanting to learn more. I also liked the friendships between Bernie and her team, though it's not all plain sailing. There are maelstroms in her private life but possibly a sense of hope about the future. Broken Girls is a fantastic continuation of a new series which I’m sure will see readers coming back for more.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
August 13, 2021
Just think of all the superlatives to describe a brilliant thriller,
Put them all together, mix them up into a really tasty chiller
And you’ve probably got the recipe to help describe this read
One of the most enthralling, gripping crime thrillers, indeed.
DI Bernadette Noel is better known as Bernie and has a great team
When they investigate a body found, is everything as it seems?
With her boss, whose nickname is Worthless, holding on tight the the reins
Just what is his motive, what’s he out to lose or gain?
When another girl goes missing, then get ready for many twists so
It keeps you guessing from the start wondering where it’ll go!
This book kept my up late, I didn’t want to stop reading
Until I’d discover the who, why and when to which it was leading.
I can’t recommend it highly enough and hope you’ll enjoy it too
I’d give it more than five stars if I could in this my honest review!
I have to say thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of this book
One at which I suggest again you grab a copy and go take a look!
Put them all together, mix them up into a really tasty chiller
And you’ve probably got the recipe to help describe this read
One of the most enthralling, gripping crime thrillers, indeed.
DI Bernadette Noel is better known as Bernie and has a great team
When they investigate a body found, is everything as it seems?
With her boss, whose nickname is Worthless, holding on tight the the reins
Just what is his motive, what’s he out to lose or gain?
When another girl goes missing, then get ready for many twists so
It keeps you guessing from the start wondering where it’ll go!
This book kept my up late, I didn’t want to stop reading
Until I’d discover the who, why and when to which it was leading.
I can’t recommend it highly enough and hope you’ll enjoy it too
I’d give it more than five stars if I could in this my honest review!
I have to say thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of this book
One at which I suggest again you grab a copy and go take a look!
July 16, 2021
This is another great detective series I've been following. Broken Girls is the second in Joy Kluver's Bernadette Noel series. I love seeing Bernie's hard work on the case and how well she works with her team, whenever their interim leader doesn't interfere. I love that this is a detailed police procedural that gives you an insider's view into both a missing person's and a murder investigation. It kept my interest throughout the book, and I was completely surprised by the solution when all was resolved.
On the personal side of this story, I loved the direction Bernie's life seemed to be heading, but something that occurs at the end has me worried. I can't wait for the next book to find out, though, so I hope Book 3 comes out soon. I would recommend this book to those who enjoyed the first in this series or to fans of D.S. Butler or Lissa Marie Redmond.
I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Bookouture. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
On the personal side of this story, I loved the direction Bernie's life seemed to be heading, but something that occurs at the end has me worried. I can't wait for the next book to find out, though, so I hope Book 3 comes out soon. I would recommend this book to those who enjoyed the first in this series or to fans of D.S. Butler or Lissa Marie Redmond.
I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Bookouture. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
June 22, 2021
A young woman is found murdered, but it is hard to identify her. Another young girl goes missing. Bernie knows she has to act quickly to get to the bottom of this. She is however not prepared for what is coming. This is another good book in the series, and as twisty as ever. Bernie is a great character, and it is good to see some action in her private life as well.
I enjoy it very much when I think something might be a bit predictable, but it turns out I was wrong. That takes a skilled author to mess with my head like that! I am really growing to like Bernie, and I'm sure she'll keep on growing as the main character. It was also interesting getting to know some of the other characters a bit better. Great police procedural series that I can recommend to everyone enjoying detective stories.
I enjoy it very much when I think something might be a bit predictable, but it turns out I was wrong. That takes a skilled author to mess with my head like that! I am really growing to like Bernie, and I'm sure she'll keep on growing as the main character. It was also interesting getting to know some of the other characters a bit better. Great police procedural series that I can recommend to everyone enjoying detective stories.
October 1, 2024
3.5 stars. Interesting but not edge of your seat interesting.
July 28, 2021
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Broken Girls' by Joy Kluver.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Joy Kluver, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 27th July 2021.
This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series but it can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Last Seen' which is the first book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series and which I would highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you like Angela Marsons, Val McDermid or Cara Hunter, you’ll love Joy Kluver'. I am a huge fan of Angela Marsons so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Joy Kluver and if this is half as good as 'Last Seen' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 68 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Wiltshire, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Detective Bernadette Noel. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.
'Broken Girls' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Joy discusses/includes sexual assault and child abuse.
Wow!! Just Wow!! What can I even say?!? Joy you have absolutely slam dunked it yet again!!! Only your second novel and it is absolutely heart racing!! What an absolutely EPIC debut novel. You are going far!!! Anyway... Will I get on with my review? Best had....
As you can tell from my opening statement this book is brilliant! More than brilliant, amazing!!! It had been fantastically written and the descriptions completely absorb the reader into the storyline.
The storyline is absolutely gripping, addictive and captivating. Filled with everything you are looking for in a book... Suspense, tension, mystery, red herrings, researched police procedural, you name it this book has it. I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last. I had a complete shock at the twists and finding out who was who and who did what. A HUGE congratulations there as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me these days but that was a whooper!! I loved that there were several storylines going on and yet everything came together perfectly, nothing worse than crucial parts being mentioned and then left and not mentioned again, this was all perfectly tyed up a the end. This is an absolutely fantastic start to what promises to be a heart racing and nail biting new series. What an absolutely cliff hanger this ended on!!! Joy you best be writing your next book as we speak as I cannot wait!!!
Love, love, loved all the characters!!! I loved meeting them again and still cannot wait to meet them yet again although I'm glad I won't be hearing from a certain worthless character. The fact that Bernice is such a strong, determined and captivating female lead is a huge bonus for all female readers. Woman power!! It wasn't just Bernie who was a super woman though as Kerry was also whoop butt and Alice is definitely starting to shine. The dynamic of the team was spot on and I really enjoyed reading all the different personalities and watching friendships bond. Matt and Anderson were also excellent members of the team and Anderson will definitely be an intriguing one to continue to read about. I also enjoyed meeting Paul and Anna Bentley who are becoming integrated as part of the team.
I really cannot compliment this book and successfull author more. I would love to see this made into a movie and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
Overall an addictive, gripping, heart racing, nail biting and page turning thriller that will keep you hooked.
Genres covered in this novel include Crime, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Thriller and Mystery amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans Melissa Leigh, Angela Marsons, C. L Taylor, Carol Wyer and anyone looking for a great new series.
350 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#BrokenGirls #Bookouture #JoyKluver #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@JoyKluver @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Review for 'Broken Girls' by Joy Kluver.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Joy Kluver, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 27th July 2021.
This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series but it can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Last Seen' which is the first book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series and which I would highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you like Angela Marsons, Val McDermid or Cara Hunter, you’ll love Joy Kluver'. I am a huge fan of Angela Marsons so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Joy Kluver and if this is half as good as 'Last Seen' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 68 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Wiltshire, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Detective Bernadette Noel. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.
'Broken Girls' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Joy discusses/includes sexual assault and child abuse.
Wow!! Just Wow!! What can I even say?!? Joy you have absolutely slam dunked it yet again!!! Only your second novel and it is absolutely heart racing!! What an absolutely EPIC debut novel. You are going far!!! Anyway... Will I get on with my review? Best had....
As you can tell from my opening statement this book is brilliant! More than brilliant, amazing!!! It had been fantastically written and the descriptions completely absorb the reader into the storyline.
The storyline is absolutely gripping, addictive and captivating. Filled with everything you are looking for in a book... Suspense, tension, mystery, red herrings, researched police procedural, you name it this book has it. I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last. I had a complete shock at the twists and finding out who was who and who did what. A HUGE congratulations there as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me these days but that was a whooper!! I loved that there were several storylines going on and yet everything came together perfectly, nothing worse than crucial parts being mentioned and then left and not mentioned again, this was all perfectly tyed up a the end. This is an absolutely fantastic start to what promises to be a heart racing and nail biting new series. What an absolutely cliff hanger this ended on!!! Joy you best be writing your next book as we speak as I cannot wait!!!
Love, love, loved all the characters!!! I loved meeting them again and still cannot wait to meet them yet again although I'm glad I won't be hearing from a certain worthless character. The fact that Bernice is such a strong, determined and captivating female lead is a huge bonus for all female readers. Woman power!! It wasn't just Bernie who was a super woman though as Kerry was also whoop butt and Alice is definitely starting to shine. The dynamic of the team was spot on and I really enjoyed reading all the different personalities and watching friendships bond. Matt and Anderson were also excellent members of the team and Anderson will definitely be an intriguing one to continue to read about. I also enjoyed meeting Paul and Anna Bentley who are becoming integrated as part of the team.
I really cannot compliment this book and successfull author more. I would love to see this made into a movie and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
Overall an addictive, gripping, heart racing, nail biting and page turning thriller that will keep you hooked.
Genres covered in this novel include Crime, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Thriller and Mystery amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans Melissa Leigh, Angela Marsons, C. L Taylor, Carol Wyer and anyone looking for a great new series.
350 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#BrokenGirls #Bookouture #JoyKluver #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@JoyKluver @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
July 30, 2021
This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the second book in the DI Noel series but could be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was very excited for the next story.
Bernie Noel is the sort of detective you want figuring out your case. She is smart, determined and very shrewd. She has an excellent team especially Matt and Kerry who worked with her in the previous book. I liked the newbies too and hope that some of them will be back.
I liked reading the story from Bernie’s POV. I always love a multiple POV story but this book works really well as a single POV. You only get the clue’s a Bernie does and it did make it much more of a mystery that way.
This case had many layers to it. The more I peeled back the more I was guessing and the more I had no clue Joy did an excellent job of keeping the suspense and mystery up, right until the very end. I was constantly guessing and was surprised every time. I was gripped from start to finish and I cannot wait for another instalment!
Bernie Noel is the sort of detective you want figuring out your case. She is smart, determined and very shrewd. She has an excellent team especially Matt and Kerry who worked with her in the previous book. I liked the newbies too and hope that some of them will be back.
I liked reading the story from Bernie’s POV. I always love a multiple POV story but this book works really well as a single POV. You only get the clue’s a Bernie does and it did make it much more of a mystery that way.
This case had many layers to it. The more I peeled back the more I was guessing and the more I had no clue Joy did an excellent job of keeping the suspense and mystery up, right until the very end. I was constantly guessing and was surprised every time. I was gripped from start to finish and I cannot wait for another instalment!
July 19, 2021
I had to finish this book - short, kept my attention and loved the characters.
Police are called to the woods when a decomposing body is found by a local teenager. Due to the state of decomp, no one could be expected to perform facial identification.
Bernie is forced to work with DCI Worth, as her DCI is still recovering. Known around the station as Worthless, Bernie can't help but feel Worth is purposefully dragging their investigation.
Together with her team, Anderson returns to their unit. Bernie failed to show for their lunch date. And now they're working together.
The case becomes quite the mystery - a nanny who was fired for having sex in her room; a biker who offers her as the prize - yet all are clueless about the biker's identity. A man posing as a 17 yo to obtain explicit pictures of 12 yo girls.
Great plot - I definitely became invested and did not guess the killer.
Loved the characters - looking forward to the next release.
Police are called to the woods when a decomposing body is found by a local teenager. Due to the state of decomp, no one could be expected to perform facial identification.
Bernie is forced to work with DCI Worth, as her DCI is still recovering. Known around the station as Worthless, Bernie can't help but feel Worth is purposefully dragging their investigation.
Together with her team, Anderson returns to their unit. Bernie failed to show for their lunch date. And now they're working together.
The case becomes quite the mystery - a nanny who was fired for having sex in her room; a biker who offers her as the prize - yet all are clueless about the biker's identity. A man posing as a 17 yo to obtain explicit pictures of 12 yo girls.
Great plot - I definitely became invested and did not guess the killer.
Loved the characters - looking forward to the next release.
March 11, 2023
Absorbing and addictive crime thriller! This is the 2nd installment in the Detective Bernie Noel series and it is smartly written and tightly plotted. Bernie races against time to solve two heinous crimes against children that appear to be connected; a vicious murder but also a child has gone missing and is depending on Bernie to save her life. Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Available now
August 4, 2021
Absolutely thrilling and completely addictive. Packed with nerve wracking suspense. I couldn't put it down. Do read this one. Just brilliant.
May 22, 2025
My shippers heart was satisfied. And the twist was incredible!
June 26, 2021
Having loved her previous book i couldn't wait to read Broken Girls and i was not disappointed as it hooks you from start to finish.A woman's body is found in woods and D I Bernadette Noel arrives at the scene,Bernie knows they need work fast only time of death will be hard as the body has lain in the woods a while.When Bernie learns that Worth is to be lead on the case she knows it is going to be unbearable even worse as Dougie Anderson is also coming back.I have to say this book is full of twists and turns but you are hooked and need more.The story is excellent and the characters fit so well keeping you on the edge BRILLIANT 5*
September 11, 2021
I added this book to my eReader to help pass the time while I recovered from surgery. I very much enjoy police procedural novels set in the UK, so I was willing to give it a go. This was a pretty easy read but didn't really line up with the synopsis. Some of the dialogue between the investigative team was pretty weak and seemed to be at odds with what I knew about each of the characters but again, it was an easy read, something to pass the time. It did the trick.
December 13, 2025
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
Broken Girls packs a mighty punch. A young woman’s body is found deep in the Wiltshire woods. She’s been there a number of days, so confirming her identity won’t be easy. DI Bernie Noel is first at the scene. So she’s surprised when her boss, DCI Patrick Worth (or Worthless to many of his colleagues), turns up and takes charge, putting DI Noel firmly into the Deputy role. The investigation into the young woman’s death falters immediately. The community is tight-lipped. There’s conflict in the team between Noel and Worth. They’re getting nowhere fast in discovering the victim’s identity and who brutally killed her, leaving her to rot. Then a local twelve-year-old girl goes missing. She lives on the edge of the woods where the first victim was found. Could the two cases be connected…?
If you’re looking for a police procedural to really get your teeth into, then oh boy, you’ve found it! What a brilliantly written, intricate and well-plotted novel Broken Girls is. The first thing I should say is that you can read this book as a standalone. It will work perfectly well, particularly as this is only the second book of the series. However, by starting with Last Seen, you get to see the characters from day one. See the relationships and the characters grow, understand what they’ve been through together in the past and really get a feel for the team. And that growth I mentioned mere seconds ago is very much present in this follow-up. DI Noel is a great lead protagonist, supported by a well-written team of supporting characters. Noel, despite her slightly weak stomach, which seems quite a flaw in someone who has to look at dead bodies all the time, is a determined, driven detective. You feel in safe hands. Bernadette Noel is going to do absolutely everything she can for the victims of the crimes she investigates. I found myself admiring her. Particularly when she is battling with DCI Worth(less), trying to get him to understand modern policing. I did secretly enjoy the conflict between the two characters though (#TeamBernie all the way!). The team from the first book returns, along with DS Dougie Anderson. There was a bit of a spark between Bernie and Dougie in the first book that grows even ‘sparkier’ in this latest instalment. I’m not one for any kind of romance/relationship in my crime novels, but this kind of worked!
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Broken Girls is an emotional, intense and thoroughly engaging police procedural from a talented writer. I’m excited to still have two more books in this series to read. With well-written characters, both lead and supporting, with a pacey storyline that keeps the reader fully in the story from beginning to end, and with the wilds of Wiltshire coming to life on the page, I enjoyed every moment of this book. Gripping, intricate and tense. The team come up against brick walls, dead ends and red herrings. But then there’s light, only for that small glimmer to be snuffed out again. Will this be the case the team fail to solve? All in all, Broken Girls is a compelling piece of crime fiction that delivers on multiple counts. Tense throughout, unpredictable and ultimately surprising. A real treat for the reader. Recommended.
Broken Girls packs a mighty punch. A young woman’s body is found deep in the Wiltshire woods. She’s been there a number of days, so confirming her identity won’t be easy. DI Bernie Noel is first at the scene. So she’s surprised when her boss, DCI Patrick Worth (or Worthless to many of his colleagues), turns up and takes charge, putting DI Noel firmly into the Deputy role. The investigation into the young woman’s death falters immediately. The community is tight-lipped. There’s conflict in the team between Noel and Worth. They’re getting nowhere fast in discovering the victim’s identity and who brutally killed her, leaving her to rot. Then a local twelve-year-old girl goes missing. She lives on the edge of the woods where the first victim was found. Could the two cases be connected…?
If you’re looking for a police procedural to really get your teeth into, then oh boy, you’ve found it! What a brilliantly written, intricate and well-plotted novel Broken Girls is. The first thing I should say is that you can read this book as a standalone. It will work perfectly well, particularly as this is only the second book of the series. However, by starting with Last Seen, you get to see the characters from day one. See the relationships and the characters grow, understand what they’ve been through together in the past and really get a feel for the team. And that growth I mentioned mere seconds ago is very much present in this follow-up. DI Noel is a great lead protagonist, supported by a well-written team of supporting characters. Noel, despite her slightly weak stomach, which seems quite a flaw in someone who has to look at dead bodies all the time, is a determined, driven detective. You feel in safe hands. Bernadette Noel is going to do absolutely everything she can for the victims of the crimes she investigates. I found myself admiring her. Particularly when she is battling with DCI Worth(less), trying to get him to understand modern policing. I did secretly enjoy the conflict between the two characters though (#TeamBernie all the way!). The team from the first book returns, along with DS Dougie Anderson. There was a bit of a spark between Bernie and Dougie in the first book that grows even ‘sparkier’ in this latest instalment. I’m not one for any kind of romance/relationship in my crime novels, but this kind of worked!
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Broken Girls is an emotional, intense and thoroughly engaging police procedural from a talented writer. I’m excited to still have two more books in this series to read. With well-written characters, both lead and supporting, with a pacey storyline that keeps the reader fully in the story from beginning to end, and with the wilds of Wiltshire coming to life on the page, I enjoyed every moment of this book. Gripping, intricate and tense. The team come up against brick walls, dead ends and red herrings. But then there’s light, only for that small glimmer to be snuffed out again. Will this be the case the team fail to solve? All in all, Broken Girls is a compelling piece of crime fiction that delivers on multiple counts. Tense throughout, unpredictable and ultimately surprising. A real treat for the reader. Recommended.
July 6, 2021
This book, the second in a proposed series, is a police procedural set in Wiltshire and centring on Detective Inspector Bernie (short for Bernadette) Noell. Some aspects refer to events in the first book but don’t really interfere with the action described here. Her normal superior officer is away and has been temporarily replaced by DCI Worth (should be Worthless in her opinion) who has, surprisingly, made her SIO on a new case. A young woman has been found dead, strangled, in woodland near the Moffat family’s farm. The discovery was made by Craig Moffat, aged fifteen. The woman is dressed in a cheap Primark frock and expensive designer shoes, but has no ID. Bernie questions Craig’s parents and his sister, Laura, aged twelve, who don’t know who she was or why she was left there.
Bernie and her team discover that Ryan Willis, aged nineteen, the youngest son of the family who own the farm on the other side of the wood, organises semi-illegal motorbike races on a track which runs along its border. A dark visored biker had turned up and challenged the regular guys to a race, the prize for the winner being a liaison with his companion. a dark visored, girl – the dead girl? This leads Bernie towards Mr and Mrs Fox, whose au pair is missing; at which point Worth suddenly decides to take on the SIO position himself. Bernie suspects that there is some connection between Worth and Rupert Fox – but what?
And then Laura goes missing, and it becomes clear that she has been groomed online by a paedophile. Bernie takes the lead on this case, but distrusts coincidence and continues to keep a close eye on the murder investigation.
Police procedurals, by definition, follow the steps of the investigating officers, but they don’t have to be too reiterative, too wedded to the linearity of time or the minutia. Here the story is too pedestrian. It is also rather predictable and some of the conversations are clumsy and don’t have an authentic ring. Overall, if you like the comfort of this type of story, it’s a good example.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
Bernie and her team discover that Ryan Willis, aged nineteen, the youngest son of the family who own the farm on the other side of the wood, organises semi-illegal motorbike races on a track which runs along its border. A dark visored biker had turned up and challenged the regular guys to a race, the prize for the winner being a liaison with his companion. a dark visored, girl – the dead girl? This leads Bernie towards Mr and Mrs Fox, whose au pair is missing; at which point Worth suddenly decides to take on the SIO position himself. Bernie suspects that there is some connection between Worth and Rupert Fox – but what?
And then Laura goes missing, and it becomes clear that she has been groomed online by a paedophile. Bernie takes the lead on this case, but distrusts coincidence and continues to keep a close eye on the murder investigation.
Police procedurals, by definition, follow the steps of the investigating officers, but they don’t have to be too reiterative, too wedded to the linearity of time or the minutia. Here the story is too pedestrian. It is also rather predictable and some of the conversations are clumsy and don’t have an authentic ring. Overall, if you like the comfort of this type of story, it’s a good example.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
October 22, 2021
I read the first book in this series a while ago, so when I saw the second book I was definitely interested. You could read this as a stand-alone, but you would miss some of the backstories between a couple of the characters. The character development is something that does continue across both books.
Bernie Noel is more than frustrated when she discovers that her boss, takes the lead on the case when a body is discovered in local woods. Worthy, or Worthless as he is named behind his back seems to want to take charge but doesn't seem to have much oomph when another girl goes missing. Bernie knows her team, she knows their strengths and she also knows who to call for additional advice for this macabre case.
I do like Bernie, she is a worker, she really doesn't stop thinking about the case, trying to piece clues and snippets together. She tries to join the dots as information is gathered. But, she is also being hampered, this adds to the frustration. She is a copper who knows the area, has a rapport with the residents and knows how to talk to them, unlike some!
This is a brutal case as regards the condition of the body, a young woman whose body has been abandoned and left for several days out in the open... I don't think I need to elaborate on what Bernie found! But, the author does go into a good amount of detail, it is enough to convince this reader that what the Detectives see was not pleasant at all.
The author does have a very good way with the pacing of this story, at times when the case looks like it may stall she finds a twist to add, another clue or piece of information. This may sound convenient, but it doesn't come across like that in the story.
AS I said this book does continue on from the previous, and I like that we get to see more of certain characters, perceptions and opinions are challenged and more things are discovered. It's a great way of building a bond between reader and character.
This is a gritty police procedural, a fabulously addictive crime thriller and one that I read over the course of late afternoon and evening. A one-sitting read because I could not put this one down. I would definitely recommend it.
Bernie Noel is more than frustrated when she discovers that her boss, takes the lead on the case when a body is discovered in local woods. Worthy, or Worthless as he is named behind his back seems to want to take charge but doesn't seem to have much oomph when another girl goes missing. Bernie knows her team, she knows their strengths and she also knows who to call for additional advice for this macabre case.
I do like Bernie, she is a worker, she really doesn't stop thinking about the case, trying to piece clues and snippets together. She tries to join the dots as information is gathered. But, she is also being hampered, this adds to the frustration. She is a copper who knows the area, has a rapport with the residents and knows how to talk to them, unlike some!
This is a brutal case as regards the condition of the body, a young woman whose body has been abandoned and left for several days out in the open... I don't think I need to elaborate on what Bernie found! But, the author does go into a good amount of detail, it is enough to convince this reader that what the Detectives see was not pleasant at all.
The author does have a very good way with the pacing of this story, at times when the case looks like it may stall she finds a twist to add, another clue or piece of information. This may sound convenient, but it doesn't come across like that in the story.
AS I said this book does continue on from the previous, and I like that we get to see more of certain characters, perceptions and opinions are challenged and more things are discovered. It's a great way of building a bond between reader and character.
This is a gritty police procedural, a fabulously addictive crime thriller and one that I read over the course of late afternoon and evening. A one-sitting read because I could not put this one down. I would definitely recommend it.
August 10, 2021
This is the second book in the detective Bernadette Noel books and I must say the second is a good as the first. Bernie was back with a bang, a lot more confident and a lot more head strong. When the body of a young woman is found is found in the woods the race is in to find out who committed the crime. One of the first problems they have is identifying the body it’s clearly been there for a long time and has started to decompose.
With next to nothing to go on Bernie and her team race against the clock to identify the dead woman and also to find her killer however thing take a dramatic twist when another girl Laura is abducted, Bernie is convinced the 2 cases are connected but with a boss who is trying to divert the investigation and who determined to not let her succeed Bernie has one hell of job on her hands.
I love the detective Bernadette Noel series and I think Bernies character is brilliant I always find I am behind Bernie and her team and I always want them to succeed. This book has so many exciting twists and turns and just when I think I know what direction things are going on my theory is thrown off course by another turn of events. This book could easily be read as a stand alone thriller however to get the most out of it reading the first book would defiantly be an advantage.
I can’t wait for the next book of the series to come out to see what Bernadette and her team have been up to. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all the way!
With next to nothing to go on Bernie and her team race against the clock to identify the dead woman and also to find her killer however thing take a dramatic twist when another girl Laura is abducted, Bernie is convinced the 2 cases are connected but with a boss who is trying to divert the investigation and who determined to not let her succeed Bernie has one hell of job on her hands.
I love the detective Bernadette Noel series and I think Bernies character is brilliant I always find I am behind Bernie and her team and I always want them to succeed. This book has so many exciting twists and turns and just when I think I know what direction things are going on my theory is thrown off course by another turn of events. This book could easily be read as a stand alone thriller however to get the most out of it reading the first book would defiantly be an advantage.
I can’t wait for the next book of the series to come out to see what Bernadette and her team have been up to. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all the way!
August 15, 2021
The author’s first book, Last Seen, left me with great expectations for book 2, and boy did she exceed them. I read this in two sessions, not wanting to put it down. Doesn’t happen often!
Broken Girls is one of those police procedurals in which you get a in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the investigation team, and Bernie Noel’s team is one you can have absolute faith that they’ll solve the crime in spite of all the obstacles thrown at them. They have tenacity as well as personality.
Broken Girls begins with the gruesome finding of a young woman’s body, her face unidentifiable and extracting DNA impossible. Even when they finally get a whiff of her identify, things go all kinds of crazy leaving them virtually back at square one. But Bernie is nothing if not determined; she will get justice for the victim. Once again she is aided again by her fabulous team, including the very welcome return of DS Doug Anderson and they turn over ever stone despite the intrusion of her boss DCI Worth, aptly nicknamed Worthless – a selfish, petty man who feigns interest if only to protect himself and his forthcoming retirement.
Out of work, Bernie’s private life has its ups and downs and the atmosphere between her and Doug Anderson brings its own extra zing to their working relationship. The book’s ending – once the case is closed – is sure to stir things up deliciously for book 3.
Joy Kluver is an author I’ll be following from now on, and if you enjoy excellent crime dramas, then be sure to get this series.
Broken Girls is one of those police procedurals in which you get a in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the investigation team, and Bernie Noel’s team is one you can have absolute faith that they’ll solve the crime in spite of all the obstacles thrown at them. They have tenacity as well as personality.
Broken Girls begins with the gruesome finding of a young woman’s body, her face unidentifiable and extracting DNA impossible. Even when they finally get a whiff of her identify, things go all kinds of crazy leaving them virtually back at square one. But Bernie is nothing if not determined; she will get justice for the victim. Once again she is aided again by her fabulous team, including the very welcome return of DS Doug Anderson and they turn over ever stone despite the intrusion of her boss DCI Worth, aptly nicknamed Worthless – a selfish, petty man who feigns interest if only to protect himself and his forthcoming retirement.
Out of work, Bernie’s private life has its ups and downs and the atmosphere between her and Doug Anderson brings its own extra zing to their working relationship. The book’s ending – once the case is closed – is sure to stir things up deliciously for book 3.
Joy Kluver is an author I’ll be following from now on, and if you enjoy excellent crime dramas, then be sure to get this series.
October 31, 2021
5 Stars
It was so lovely to be reading about DI Bernie Noel again, I completely love her character and having loved Last Seen I was delighted to pick up Broken Girls.
There is so much packed into this story and it holds a pace and momentum throughout this is highly engaging.
I love the conflict with the higher ranks and can't imagine how awkward that must be to work around - hats off to Bernie, I think I would struggle to combat 'Worthless' every day.
I was interested to see DS Anderson back in the mix, and followed that thread with interest. No spoilers from me...
The main thrust of the story was a murdered girl and a missing girl - plus a world of internet safety, bike races and lovely little spooky story to boot!
I enjoyed how the team solved the various elements, and Joy Kluver writes it so well that it was almost like sitting on Bernie's shoulder and experiencing everything with her.
There are several threads which all pull together to create a well considered and cleverly plotted thriller that certainly held my interest until the end.
Great series so far and I am looking forward to the next one.
It was so lovely to be reading about DI Bernie Noel again, I completely love her character and having loved Last Seen I was delighted to pick up Broken Girls.
There is so much packed into this story and it holds a pace and momentum throughout this is highly engaging.
I love the conflict with the higher ranks and can't imagine how awkward that must be to work around - hats off to Bernie, I think I would struggle to combat 'Worthless' every day.
I was interested to see DS Anderson back in the mix, and followed that thread with interest. No spoilers from me...
The main thrust of the story was a murdered girl and a missing girl - plus a world of internet safety, bike races and lovely little spooky story to boot!
I enjoyed how the team solved the various elements, and Joy Kluver writes it so well that it was almost like sitting on Bernie's shoulder and experiencing everything with her.
There are several threads which all pull together to create a well considered and cleverly plotted thriller that certainly held my interest until the end.
Great series so far and I am looking forward to the next one.
July 26, 2021
I loved the first book in this series but I think book 2 is even better!
Detective Bernie Noel is called out when a woman’s body is found, showing signs of decomposition. It’s a hard sight to take in and Bernie is determined to find the killer.
With her boss breathing down her neck Bernie struggles to get things moving at first and when he takes her off the case to deal with a missing teenager, she’s furious.
Worth has no reason to criticise Berni but he certainly makes life difficult for her.
For those that have read the first book, you’ll know Berni ended things with Anderson after speaking to his ex wife. He got transferred but is back for this case and things start out a little awkwardly for them both.
This is a clever crime thriller and I never guessed the identity of the killer or the other aspects that all came together at the end.
And as for the final chapter….I’m speechless!
Another brilliant book from Joy Kluver.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Detective Bernie Noel is called out when a woman’s body is found, showing signs of decomposition. It’s a hard sight to take in and Bernie is determined to find the killer.
With her boss breathing down her neck Bernie struggles to get things moving at first and when he takes her off the case to deal with a missing teenager, she’s furious.
Worth has no reason to criticise Berni but he certainly makes life difficult for her.
For those that have read the first book, you’ll know Berni ended things with Anderson after speaking to his ex wife. He got transferred but is back for this case and things start out a little awkwardly for them both.
This is a clever crime thriller and I never guessed the identity of the killer or the other aspects that all came together at the end.
And as for the final chapter….I’m speechless!
Another brilliant book from Joy Kluver.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
July 28, 2021
I admire police officers. I think you really have to be very strong mentally in order to deal with all the crime scenes they have to visit. When they receive a call, they never really know what they will find, but they know it will not be a walk in the park.
DI Noel has to solve a murder case, but at the same time a girl has gone missing. Are they looking for a killer and an abductor? Are the cases connected? These are a few questions she and her team have to find answers to with almost no clues at all. Will they work it all out in time and save the girl?
In the first book it felt a bit like she still had to find her place, but in this second book, she certainly knows how to manage her team. In my opinion she has grown a lot and I like her even more now.
Once again I realise people are often not who they say they are. They can be very loveable in public, but it’s devastating to see how they can change once they are behind closed doors.
This is a very gripping story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 5 stars
Thank you, Joy Kluver and Bookouture
DI Noel has to solve a murder case, but at the same time a girl has gone missing. Are they looking for a killer and an abductor? Are the cases connected? These are a few questions she and her team have to find answers to with almost no clues at all. Will they work it all out in time and save the girl?
In the first book it felt a bit like she still had to find her place, but in this second book, she certainly knows how to manage her team. In my opinion she has grown a lot and I like her even more now.
Once again I realise people are often not who they say they are. They can be very loveable in public, but it’s devastating to see how they can change once they are behind closed doors.
This is a very gripping story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 5 stars
Thank you, Joy Kluver and Bookouture
July 29, 2021
Bernie Noel is not very good when exposed to dead bodies & the one that starts this story is particularly nauseating, the victim having been dead a while. All the team have to work on is a red dress & a pair of expensive red shoes. Attempting to find out her identity is not going to be easy. The DCI Worth in charge of the case is not called 'Worthless' for nothing & is determined the case will be handled his way in spite of Bernie being familiar with the locality & people. When a young girl goes missing the stakes are higher & even though there are many things that seem to connect the two issues 'Worthless' refuses to believe it. Juggling an unsympathetic boss & personal relationship issues Bernie strives to make sure there isn't another body.
I enjoyed the first in the series but I thought this one was much better. Bernie has seemed to have grown into her character & comes across as a more likeable person. The story keeps the reader guessing right to the end. I loved it & can't wait until the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
I enjoyed the first in the series but I thought this one was much better. Bernie has seemed to have grown into her character & comes across as a more likeable person. The story keeps the reader guessing right to the end. I loved it & can't wait until the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
June 13, 2021
This is the 2nd book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone story. That said, the first one in the series was really good too, so it’s worth reading especially to be introduced to the characters in this series. This is a good paced story, where there is a solid storyline to keep you interested and the back story has progressed well in this story. In fact, without giving away spoilers, I wouldn’t be surprised if you decide to have a very honest conversation with the children and teens in your life after reading this book about dangers highlighted.
This is a really good story with unexpected twists and can’t wait to read the next in the book.
Thank you to the Author, Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read, review and give my unbiased opinion of a complimentary digital ARC.
This is a really good story with unexpected twists and can’t wait to read the next in the book.
Thank you to the Author, Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read, review and give my unbiased opinion of a complimentary digital ARC.
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