The Girl in the Ground

Nikki Hunt #4

by Stacy Green

She was beautiful: shiny blond hair, crystal blue eyes and the widest smile Nikki had ever seen. She thought back to what she had seen in the ground, the dirt that caked the white bones. All that remained of her now was the silver locket that was still around her neck…

When construction workers unearth a girl’s skeleton in Stillwater, Minnesota, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called to the scene by her boyfriend Rory. Nikki knows instantly that the girl was murdered, but she is shocked when Rory immediately recognizes her. The victim was his childhood sweetheart, Becky, and he was the last person to see her before she went missing twenty-four years ago.

With the love of her life now a potential suspect, Nikki is forced to take a step back from the case. But then her colleague Liam finds lies in Rory’s statement – it appears that Becky may have been carrying Rory’s child when she was killed. Despite this, Nikki still thinks he could be innocent, and knows she must find the real killer herself if Rory stands any chance of walking free.

When Nikki finds a potential link to two pregnant girls who were found murdered years before it’s clear that this is the most twisted killer that she has ever faced. And then another girl goes missing from Stillwater. Can Nikki unearth the truth and protect the man she loves? And will she find the missing girl in time to save her life?

A dark and twisty crime thriller that will make you hold your breath as you race towards the end. The Girl in the Ground is an unputdownable new mystery for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Willow Rose.

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

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2021

About the author

Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards.

Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.

She is currently working on a new crime fiction series and is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo, Helin and Fountain Literary Management for literary and dramatic rights.

Website: stacygreenauthor.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor
Twitter: @StacyGreen26

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

She was beautiful once.

Now all that remains are her bones and a silver locket around her neck....

This book begins with Nikki returning to work after the murder of her ex-husband and what a day back! Workers have unearthed a girl’s skeleton on the site of her boyfriend, Rory's construction site. He calls her in, and it is obvious that the girl was murdered but what is even more alarming is that Rory recognizes the trunk she was buried it. It turns out the body is that of his high school girlfriend, Becky. Plus - you guessed it - the locket around her neck was a gift from him. Nikki is forced to take a step back when Rory is named a suspect.

Nikki's new assignment is to locate a missing pregnant woman and that search leads her to more discoveries, secrets, deception, and danger. As the investigation delves deeper, there is a mounting sense of dread, tension, and apprehension.

This is book four in the series, and I have enjoyed every one of them. It's not too late to dig into the series with the first book The Girls in the Snow. True, this book would work nicely as a stand-alone, do yourself a favor and begin at the beginning. You will not be disappointed.

Stacy Green grabbed my attention with the first book in the series and I have been a BIG fan ever since. Nikki Hunt is such an interesting and likeable character. She is tough and vulnerable at the same time. She has suffered many losses in her life but keeps moving forward. Not only is she likeable but the regular characters are likeable as well. Although there was one that I wanted to talk some sense into.

As the investigations delves closer into both the dead body found at the construction site and the missing pregnant woman, the tension mounts and Nikki and her team get closer and closer to danger. This book became a gripping page turner for me. Fans of Green and the Nikki Hunt series will not be disappointed.

This book was a gripping, tense page turner!


Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: She was beautiful: shiny blond hair, crystal blue eyes and the widest smile Nikki had ever seen. She thought back to what she had seen in the ground, the dirt that caked the white bones. All that remained of her now was the silver locket that was still around her neck…

ABOUT 'THE GIRL IN THE GROUND': When construction workers unearth a girl’s skeleton in Stillwater, Minnesota, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called to the scene by her boyfriend Rory. Nikki knows instantly that the girl was murdered, but she is shocked when Rory immediately recognizes her. The victim was his childhood sweetheart, Becky, and he was the last person to see her before she went missing twenty-four years ago.

With the love of her life now a potential suspect, Nikki is forced to take a step back from the case. But then her colleague Liam finds lies in Rory’s statement – it appears that Becky may have been carrying Rory’s child when she was killed. Despite this, Nikki still thinks he could be innocent, and knows she must find the real killer herself if Rory stands any chance of walking free.

When Nikki finds a potential link to two pregnant girls who were found murdered years before it’s clear that this is the most twisted killer that she has ever faced. And then another girl goes missing from Stillwater. Can Nikki unearth the truth and protect the man she loves? And will she find the missing girl in time to save her life?

MY THOUGHTS: Another one-sitting page turner that kept me up and reading through the night . . .

The name Nikki Hunt is enough to start me hyperventilating. How much can one woman take? How much drama? How much death? How much danger to her loved ones? And so much for easing back into the job - not a chance Nikki. It's straight in at the deep end.

There are three separate investigations that Nikki becomes involved in on her first day back at work, a day where she is meant to ease gently back into the work flow and take care of the paperwork that has accumulated in her absence.

#1. A surrogate mother close to giving birth has gone missing.

#2. An agent from Nikki's past wants her input into a trafficking case.

#3. The body of a woman and foetus is unearthed at a construction site.

And all before breakfast . . .

The Girl in the Ground is an intense read that progresses at breakneck speed, not allowing Nikki any time for sleep and the reader scarcely the time to breathe.

A relationship from Nikki's past puts in an appearance, her current partner becomes a prime suspect in a murder investigation, and loyalties are tested as the cases seem to become entwined.

My one criticism of this book is the amount of dialogue; the endless talking. But that is just a personal preference as I prefer more descriptive reads.

Any fan of action thrillers will love this series and, despite my dislike of dialogue driven reads, I will certainly be lining up for the next in the series.

Just a reminder that this is a series and, although this could be read as a stand-alone, I would recommend that you begin with the first book, The Girls in the Snow, in order to get all the background and development of the characters.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#TheGirlintheGround #Bookouture #NetGalley

I: @authorstacygreen @bookouture

T: @stacygreen26 @Bookouture

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #FBI #murdermystery #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Girl in the Ground by Stacy Green for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special Agent Nikki Hunt was due to return to work the next day after time off following horrific incidents in her recent past, when she was called by her boyfriend Rory, to his work site in Stillwater, Minnesota. He’d injured himself and was at the hospital, but his foreman had called when their excavations had turned up bones. Rory wanted Nikki on the scene. But what followed when the skeletal remains were completely unearthed, was a dreadful shock. Rory recognized the necklace – it belonged to his old high school girlfriend, and he’d given it to her – she’d been missing for twenty four years.

When Nikki’s boss called her to an upmarket home where the owners had reported a pregnant woman missing, the race to find her was on. She was only ten days from delivering the baby, and her safety, and that of her baby, was paramount. Gradually links to other skeletal remains as well as the current find, plus the missing woman came to light. But could Nikki find the missing woman before it was too late? Could she prove Rory’s innocence, as he was the last person to see Becky alive? What would be the outcome in this dark and twisty tale?

The Girl in the Ground is the 4th in the Nikki Hunt series by Stacy Green and I loved it. Fast paced, gritty and intense, Nikki is a well-grounded and resilient character, and her small daughter Lacey is a delight. In her first days back at work, she certainly had it thrust at her! I’ve always enjoyed Ms Green’s work, and this series is up there with the best. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[STEPH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Special Agent Nikki Hunt is a very likable character. I fell in love with her in the first few pages of the book. Being able to put up with the main character is a very vital thing for me when it comes to reading a series. Hunt was able to stir my interest so I’m in for the ride.

I love the way her character was written. She was very genuine, compassionate and imperfect. She held her ground and she knew what she was doing.

I think that the story went really well. The mysteries were solved and all my questions were answered. I gotta remind myself to read the first book in the series. I’ll gladly dive down the rabbit hole.

Thanks again to Netgalley and Bookoture for the ARC. ⭐️

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
It’s been a few months since FBI Agent Nikki Hunt almost lost her life capturing the Frost killer and suffered other tragic losses in the process. She’s returning to work when she’s called to a scene by boyfriend Rory Todd after he and his construction crew discovered a body during an excavation. The body was in a trunk buried deep in the ground and Rory later tells her he believes it’s his high school ex-girlfriend Becky Anderson who went missing in 1997. Nikki knows she’ll need to take a backseat to the investigation as Rory will be a person of interest. Could he be involved?

the heart of the story…
It’s not normally Nikki’s nature to step aside as she’s proven in the past but after the recent disasters, she showed remarkable restraint while trying to be supportive to Rory. It’s a tough case, especially as he’s being secretive and uncooperative. Nikki is also trying to heal emotionally, along with daughter Lacey who has bonded with Rory and his family. The case gets complicated when it’s discovered that Becky was pregnant, the baby might have been Rory’s and is linked to two other teenaged girls found murdered.

the narration…
Kate Handford is solidly the voice of this series and I’m always going to listen to the books. Her storytelling skills are outstanding.

the bottom line…
What started out to be a fairly straightforward case turns into something gnarly and complex, muddied by the links to an uncooperative Rory Todd and another missing person case. Nikki is tested both personally and professionally but maintains her balance. It’s another story I found hard to put down.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another suspenseful entry in the excellent Nikki Hunt series. Work is halted at her boyfriend’s construction site when a body is found during the excavations. FBI Special Agent Nikki arrives at the scene although Sheriff Miller will head the case. When the body is uncovered Nikki is shocked to learn that her boyfriend, Rory, recognises the victim - it’s his high school sweetheart, Becky Anderson!

Naturally Rory will need to be questioned but it doesn’t help that he doesn’t tell the police everything. Rory is distrustful of police since his brother Mark was falsely convicted of murder. When Becky turns out to have been pregnant Rory is under an even greater cloud of suspicion but Nikki can’t get involved in this one. She has another case. Agent Justin Nash, whom Nikki knows from her academy days asks for her help in profiling a man he suspects of trafficking young girls but they tell him he’s being questioned about tax fraud. The man blames his wife, says it’s all her and he is divorcing her but when they talk to the wife she says it all his fault. Something fishy is going on!

But it gets a lot more fishy yet. Now Nash wants help with finding another girl, Joyce Ross, who is acting as a surrogate to a wealthy couple and she is three weeks away from giving birth. The couple are worried about both their baby and Joyce whom they have grown very fond of.

This was a fast paced plot with many moving parts that somehow all joined up in a very dramatic conclusion - quite an exciting story. It was intricately plotted and, although busy, I managed to keep track of it all. My only negative, and this really unfair because it’s my fault not the author’s is that I am growing weary of stories about abused women and children, trafficked women and children, women being hunted etc. I have really enjoyed the series so far and would love it if the next book had a different focus. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stacy Green’s Nikki Hunt series keeps moving right along with book number four titled, The Girl in the Ground . Nikki is just returning to work after a leave-of-absence following her ex-husband/fellow FBI agent’s death during her last case. She is not only feeling responsible for his death, but now she is worried about leaving her young daughter Lacey, as her job as a profiler requires her to work long, unpredictable hours. Fortunately, Lacey has hit it off with the Todds, her boyfriend Rory’s parents, who are equally enamored with the girl. On the eve of her return to work, Rory’s crew turns up bones on their construction site, leaving the job in limbo and producing some high anxiety for Rory. He recognizes certain items found with the remains, and when it turns out she was pregnant – well, you can imagine where things progress from there. Fortunately, Sheriff Miller is in charge, not the guy who handled his brother’s case years earlier. Note: it is helpful to know Rory and Nikki’s background story.

Nikki’s first day back starts out with a bang. Not only does she encounter an agent from her agency training days who is still thinks too highly of himself, but then the two of them wind up working a case together. Things get mighty complex when Justin Nash’s informant, a young surrogate for a well-heeled couple, goes missing. This event unleashes a massive search for the woman and the baby, since the woman was due to give birth at any time.

When two more bodies of pregnant girls turn up in a different location, Nikki suspects they may be related, but the sheriff continues to press Rory for information, which does not sit well with him. He begins avoiding Nikki’s calls, stating that he does not want to create a conflict of interest. Trouble in paradise? Nikki is so caught up in her own case that she can barely worry about Rory’s situation. She does manage to check in with Lacey but calls to Rory go to voice mail. Hmmmm…. What’s up with Rory?

This book is as intense as any of the three previous ones. Besides the personal drama between Nikki and Rory and also between Justin and “Nicole,” as he calls her, trying to seem professional, there is also tension between Nikki and her partner Liam, who is also working with Sheriff Miller to provide FBI expertise with that investigation – and because Nikki needs to keep her distance because of Rory’s potential involvement. There is also quite a bit of strain at the home of the expectant couple; the expectant mom was staying with them, and they are quite concerned about her safety as well as that of their child.

As more information becomes known, one major issue comes to the forefront: sex trafficking. Stacy Green has done a good job with a difficult, complex subject and has compressed from a wide, expansive, overwhelming problem to a localized, personal situation that readers can wrap their minds around.

Ms. Green also portrays the relationships between the characters in a very real way without sugar-coating anything. Loving relationships can be challenging. We see that in The Girl in the Ground . I look forward to reading more of Nikki Hunt’s adventures.

I wish to thank NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for providing this ARC edition in return for my unbiased review.

4 stars

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A body has been found at a construction site. Special Agent Nikki Hunt has been called out to the site by her boyfriend Rory. The body was stuffed into a trunk and buried. Nikki is shocked when Rory recognizes the necklace on the body as belonging to his high school girlfriend Becky Anderson. Since Rory was one of the last people to see Becky before she disappeared, he is a person of interest which means Nikki must recuse herself from the case.

Nikki starts working a new case. A local family has called the Bureau Chief to say that their surrogate is missing. Joyce Ross is nearly nine months pregnant and has disappeared. As Nikki and her team delve into Joyce's past, they find that none of her records go back more than two years. Did she fake her identity? Is she part of the witness protection program?

This is another solid mystery in the Nikki Hunt series. Nikki has a lot on her plate in this book. Her young daughter is still mourning the death of her father. Rory is caught lying to the police during questioning and is now avoiding Nikki. And the search for Joyce leads the FBI to two more bodies. My rating: 4.5 Stars.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GIRL IN THE GROUND is the fourth book in the Nikki Hunt series, a gripping crime thriller set in Stillwater, Minnesota by best-selling author Stacy Green. This is my review of The Girl In The Ground.

The books in the Nikki Hunt Series include:
The Girls in The Snow (Book 1)
One Perfect Grave (Book 2)
Lost Angels (Book 3)
The Girl In The Ground (Book 4)

While this book can be read as a standalone, as the author does a great job in supplying background information, I would recommend you read the series in order to get a better appreciation of the growth of the characters. It is such a great series, so sit back and enjoy!

FBI Special Agent and criminal profiler Nikki Hunt heads up the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) that deals with crimes in the jurisdictions of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Three months ago, a serial killer had killed Nikki’s ex-husband and kidnapped her five- year- old daughter, Lacey. Nikki nearly died saving Lacey’s life. With her boyfriend Rory at her side, Nikki had taken a leave of absence from the FBI to heal with Lacey, but tomorrow she had to go back to work. Lacey will be staying with Rory’s parents while Rory and Nikki work. Nikki’s parents had been murdered and Rory’s older brother, Mark had spent twenty years wrongly imprisoned for their murder.

Nikki receives a call from her boyfriend, Tory, who owns a successful construction company, that construction workers had discovered bones, human remains on his site and asked her to go and check it out, a cold case now. The bones had been discovered under a slab of concrete in a trunk.

Nikki knows instantly that the girl was murdered, but she is shocked when Rory immediately recognizes her. The victim was his childhood sweetheart, Becky, and he was the last person to see her before she went missing twenty-four years ago.

With the love of her life now a potential suspect, Nikki is forced to take a step back from the case. But then her colleague Liam finds lies in Rory’s statement – it appears that Becky may have been carrying Rory’s child when she was killed. Despite this, Nikki still thinks he could be innocent, and knows she must find the real killer herself if Rory stands any chance of walking free.

But then Nikki finds a possible link to two pregnant girls who were found murdered years, and then another girl goes missing from Stillwater. Nikki must uncover the truth to protect Rory and find the missing girl in time to save her life.

The Girl in the Ground is a fast-paced crime thriller with a strong protagonist and engaging characters. Lots of twists and turns with a shocking conclusion. Great series that will appeal to a wide audience. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Net Galley for my digital copy.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special Agent Nikki Hunt just might have a conflict of interest with her latest case. When the body of a girl is found at a construction site owned by her boyfriend Rory, Nikki soon learns that Rory makes the perfect suspect. These weren't just any bones. In fact, the victim was a childhood sweetheart of Rory's. Is it a coincidence that the bones were found at the site he owned, or is there something deeper? Perhaps he knew about the bones and had hoped they never would be unearthed. Perhaps he was responsible for those bones being there. That is exactly what the police think and they ride Rory hard looking for answers.

Forced to remain uninvolved in the case due to her relationship with Rory, Nikki looks for any other ways possible to find answers. Is Rory capable of murder or could this just be an awful coincidence? One of the officers investigating the case is Nikki's partner Liam, and he quickly finds reason to doubt Rory's innocence.

There are some sensitive details involving the body that was found. Meanwhile, Nikki has another case, a case she is forced to work on at a feverish pace. A pregnant woman has gone missing and it is known that she has complications with her pregnancy and needs medical attention. Can Nikki concentrate enough to find the missing woman, all while keeping an ear on the case that Rory is unfortunately involved in?

Strange circumstances soon prove that the cases just might be related. Nikki is an exceptional agent and has no choice but to focus on the case at hand, and letting others work on the case that Rory is involved with. There is no doubt concern whether or not their relationship will suffer due to what is happening.

What a thrilling book in a fabulous series by Stacy Green. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all of the previous books in this series and even went on to read book #5, The Trapped Ones. With excellent drama, an intriguing mystery and engaging writing, The Girl in the Ground was impossible to put down.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy the YouTube video review as well - https://youtu.be/r-LwfqRtkno

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

After three months away from the job, FBI agent Nikki Hunt is back in the office, and expected to gradually ease her way back into full duty. That plan takes a detour when she's tapped to lead the investigation into a heavily pregnant, due any day now surrogate for a rich couple.

Her boyfriend Rory is also having issues after finding skeletal remains on a job site. After they find a locket with the body (as well as fetal remains), Rory becomes suspect number one after it's clear he knows who the young woman is: a girl he date briefly and then broke up with at graduation. But is the child his? Did he kill her? He doesn't do himself any favors by being antagonistic to the police.

The FBI and local police continue their search for the mussing surrogate, but there are few clues and fewer leads. Eventually, they make a plea to the public for any information.

I read the first book in this series, but now the two between that one and this. At some point, Nikki's ex-husband was murdered. After another agent comes to town, claiming to be working on a tax fraud case and Nikki learns that the missing surrogate is also that agent's confidential informant, Nikki starts going through her ex's papers, looking for clues as to why he was investigating the owner of a limo service - who has conveniently flown to NY and disappeared.

Nikki gets the scoop on the missing surrogate, who once was held by a sex trafficker for a period of time before she escaped. Is he back now, and reclaiming her?

Nikki and company find more skeletal remains, and more fetal remains with them, and eventually determine how the girls were likely chosen, and based on descriptions given by the missing surrogate, zero in on the likely suspects.

The story is good, and there aren't any dragging parts, even when the characters are moving between locations. My only dislike is Rory - I get it, his brother was wrongfully accused and imprisoned for something he didn't do, but Rory should have just lawyered up at the first second the police started sniffing around, so as to relieve some of hi anxiety about being questioned over and over. For their par, the police should have understood why he didn't want to constantly hear their questions, fearing they would railroad him as they did his brother.

The mystery tied together nicely, and there were some pretty gruesome deaths in this one, so if you don't have a strong stomach, you might want to skip this one, or at least skim or skip the fire scene.

Overall: a solid four out of five stars.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the reading copy.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, we got 3 cases in this book. The first case revolves around Nikki's boyfriend, Rory. Bones are found at his construction site, and he identifies the body as his ex-girlfriend Becky. Naturally he becomes a suspect, and things only get more complicated due to Rory's behavior and attitude. Nikki is not allowed to investigate this crime and in the meantime gets assigned a missing person case. The missing woman is pregnant and it is discovered that Becky was also pregnant. Aaand, and some more bone remains of pregnant women are found at an old abandoned house. So,3 cases all seem to be connected.
So far the best book in this series. Nikki had it rough, not being able to investigate one crime and help Rory, knowing he is not guilty but unable to prove it to everyone else. Also, this book is darker in tone due to the nature of the crimes and human trafficking involved. I think a read this in a day,if not less,couldn't put it down. The pacing was fast and just made flip those pages to find out how it all connects.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent addition to the series!

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl in the Ground by Stacy Green is the fourth in the FBI Agent Nikki Hunt series....and worth the read!

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
Series Background:   (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Nikki Hunt is an FBI Agent whose parents were murdered when she was young.  She helped put away Mark Todd for their murder, but 20 years later, discovered he was innocent, and fought for his release.  She is now dating Rory, Mark's younger brother.  Family dynamics are awkward.  She has a young daughter (Lacey), and her ex-husband (Tyler) was recently murdered.  Nikki heads the BAU unit based out of St. Paul Minnesota.  Her team consists of Crime Scene Analyst Courtney Hart and Agent Liam Wilson. Her boss is Victor Hernandez.


Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Nikki is seeing a therapist, trying to rid herself of the guilt she feels for her ex-husband being killed.  Fortunately, her 5-year old daughter Lacey is recovering from her kidnapping with the help of her boyfriend Rory's parents.  They have really stepped up, and although they still blame Nikki for the 20 year incarceration of their son Mark, they are also thankful to her for proving his innocence.

Rory has just been awarded a contract for a big construction project, but as they were digging, they found a skeleton of a woman in a leather chest.  She had a silver locket around her neck, and she was pregnant.

Much to Nikki's dismay, Rory is sure that the remains are that of his high school girl-friend, Becky.  She went missing 24 years ago, and it looks like Rory was the last to see her alive.  Rory's fear of being railroaded by the police is understood, since his brother spent 20 years in jail due to a bad cop, but his attitude isn't helping his case.  Nikki will have to stay away from the case.

Meanwhile,  an old FBI acquaintance asks for Nikki's help with a human trafficking ring involving young pregnant women.  But Nikki is not a real fan of Justin Nash, and her instincts may prove correct.

Then a young pregnant woman goes missing, and Nikki has her hands full trying to find the surrogate mother before she is hurt.  The "parents" of the soon-to-be baby boy are frantic with worry.

But everyone seems to be keeping secrets.


My Opinions:   
These books keep getting better.  My only complaint would be that there always seems to be a problem around Nikki and her extended family.  Hopefully that is over.

Nikki is a wonderful, caring, and very bright character.  She is determined and resourceful, and makes a wonderful lead character.  I wasn't a fan of Rory in this book, as his attitude was very childish, and his grief after 24 years for his missing teenaged girlfriend seemed a little over the top.  I did, however, earn some respect for his parents. Even Lacey's character is good (although I'm not usually a fan of children in mystery books).  As always, Liam, Courtney and their boss were equally inspiring.

The plot was really fast-paced, and with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.  There was really quite a lot going on, but it all concluded nicely.

Overall, a good, fast, and easy read, and I'll definitely watch for the next in the series.


For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Jazz Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 in the Nikki Hunt series. I've you've not read books 1 to 3 do so before reading this review or book.
New release

Nikki gets a call from her boyfriend Rory bones have been discovered his latest construction site. Nikki is only just returning after the death of her ex husband but understands the importance of this building site for Rory and rushes to the scene. To everyone’s surprise the remains belong to Rory’s high school sweetheart who has been missing for over 10 years. Rory is the prime suspect and isn't making himself look innocent as he tangles himself in a web of lies.

I absolutely love this series and I have always been a massive fan of the way these books are written. This was one of these plots where I honestly had no idea who the killer was or the motive behind the murders. By the time I had worked out the motive, I still didn’t really know who the killer was. I enjoyed the fact that Rory is the prime suspect regarding his ex girlfriends disappearsnce and i couldn’t for the life of me work out why Rory was so obviously lying. It would seem neither did Nikki. I liked as well how Stacey Green managers to have two parallel investigations running at the same time and the reader will only get bits and pieces from the second investigation.

The main investigation for Nikki is regarding a missing surrogate. A young woman who is 9 months pregnant disappears, the biological parents of the baby fear something is wrong and don’t believe she would run off with the baby. As they are friends with the chief Nikki is called in as a favour, but she’s convinced there’s more to the story and she doesn’t know why but she’s convinced it’s linked to the bones in the construction site.
I will say the biological parents are some of the funniest characters I’ve read in a while complete deadpan funny not intentional (think I have a warped sense of humour ).

I also enjoyed how the book included a new face this time with a FBI agent who believes he knows the connection between the motive and murder. I thought as I was reading about him that maybe I should have known more about him previously but the more I read the more his character came into play and it was quite funny reading how he really rubbed Nikki up the wrong way throughout the entire book. Again a bit like Rory he has ulterior motives and is clearly lying about something the question is what is he lying about and why?

It was really interesting reading this book in the aftermath of Nikki’s husband’s death. Not only is Nikki dealing with the loss so is her daughter, I believe Stacey Green does a great job at depicting grief. Plus I really like the fact that Roy’s parents are more actively involved in helping her daughter as they previously hated Nikki. The blossoming relationship between rory’s mum and Nikki is new as they always had an awkward and often stanf offish relationship. When they are slowing starting to see they were all victims of the corrupt sheriff at the time. With Rory’s youth back to haunt him and he starts to go down a dangerous path. Both his mother and Nikki fear he will do something he can’t return from.

All in all I really enjoyed this latest instalment in the Nikki Hunt series and I’m looking forward to book #5. To start I did find everything got a bit complicated and I found myself struggling to keep up with what was going on at points but once everything was smoothed out in the second half of the investigation I found myself more engaged and excited to find out who our mystery killer/ killers could be. I also wish we were able to hear a little bit more from Rory in this book as he plays such a pinnacle role in the story but I understand the authors choice not to let that take the focal point away from Nikki. I rate this book 4 stars it’s enjoyable it flows nicely from the previous book and it is interesting case. If you enjoy books by Lisa Regan, DK Hood, B.R Sprangler etc you will enjoy this series

Thank you to netgalley, Stacey Green and bookouture for the digital advance copy of the go underground in exchange for my fair and honest opinions. This review can be found in part on my blog @jazzreadsreviewsrepeats (instagram)

[ROBIN RUIZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

To begin with I love this series !!! Nikki has it all going on she has a daughter, a boyfriend , she’s a kick ass FBI agent, but she is not without her own heartbreak and trauma, but her and her team are who I would want in my corner any day!
As soon as I see a book in this series, I devour it immediately!

This series not only introduced me to Nikki and crew but to this
author as well and I have been a huge fan since book 1 ! A must read book and series !!

[Vaikhari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if it is the end of this series, but all I know is I don't want it to end so soon. Nikki and her entire team are very well written characters i'm not ready to say goodbye 😭

[Literary Lioness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicole “Nikki” Hunt returns to her job as an FBI agent after her three-month sabbatical following her ex-husband’s murder and daughter’s abduction. When human remains are found on her boyfriend’s construction site, followed by the disappearance of a pregnant female, Nikki becomes entwined within a web of evidence. Can she unravel the network of clues and solve the case, or will the case unravel her?

Take a look behind the scenes of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Stacy Green’s The Girl in the Ground. An elaborate story that gives her readers a glimpse into the intricacies of how seemingly unrelated events, can ultimately be linked. Mix that in with the internal struggles of the main character, and an interesting plot takes form.

Yet, unfortunately, this book was a lot of talk and a little action. The majority revolved around strategy and conversations discussing the next move. Granted, this may be how FBI agents actually complete their jobs, but it did not catch this reader’s attention. Add the confusion associated with constant name variances (use of last name, first name, and nicknames) plus the influx of profanity and a rating of 3 out of 5 stars is awarded.

Given this book is about an FBI detective and her vicious crime cases, some actions may be triggering. Please read with caution if any of the following may cause you distress: serial killers, kidnapping, murder, wrongful imprisonment, divorce, drugs, alcohol, sexual harassment, sex trafficking, foster system, missing persons, cheating, bullying, gestational diabetes, witness protection, abduction, molestation, abandonment, Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, physical and mental abuse, PTSD, pedophiles, suicide, and rape.

A continuation of the Nikki Hunt Series, The Girl in the Ground can be added to your collection when it releases on December 1, 2021.

Thank you to #TheGirlInTheGround, #NikkiHuntSeries, #StacyGreen, #Bookouture, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy and give my honest review.

Original Post found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/...

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl in the Ground is a thrilling new Nikki Hunt book. The book starts with a construction crew digging up old bones and boy don't I looooove cold cases. The literal next chapter tunes in with information that the identity of bone girl is kinda known because of the location. There are many more coincidences that pour in just after that. A tad too much for my liking. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book for the police procedural it is but the element of realism goes away once those strong. coincidences keep popping up one after the other. I loved seeing Nikki course her way through uncharted territory after ger ex-husband's murder and the guilt that came with it. But I did not like Rory a lot in this book. He changes from the calm competent grown-up person the is to a petulant teenager type behavior and that was unbecoming. While the bones of the book was really good I thought my favorite characters could have acted a bit better. I loved Nikki better when she relied a bit more on her team showcasing teamwork makes the dream work. With this book you can see she trusts them, maybe with all her heart but isn't quite there yet!

Thank you NetGalley Bookouture and Stacy Green for this arc!

[Robert Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called to her boyfriend’s construction site when he unearths a chest containing the decomposed body of a woman. As the investigation continues, it turns out that Rory, Nikki’s boyfriend, has a connection to the victim and becomes a person of interest in the investigation. Given that Rory’s brother Mark was once wrongfully imprisoned, Rory doesn’t trust law enforcement and he starts to become more and more withdrawn. With Nikki forced to step back from the investigation, and Rory becoming less and less cooperative with the authorities as time goes on, Nikki has to wonder whether her boyfriend is capable of something she had never imagined. As time goes on, links from the dead woman to another of Nikki’s cases emerge and suddenly, Nikki has to face the fact that Rory could be at the centre of something much more sinister than she had imagined.

“The Girl in the Ground” by Stacy Green is the 4th book in the Nikki Hunt series of novels, and I can definitely tell that I was coming into a series cold and I would have done better to read the earlier books in the series before jumping in here. I definitely don’t think it is an easy ride to read this book first because there is a lot of build-up and many existing character relationships that pull into this installment with very little introduction. I felt very much the outsider in a lot of these cases, not always knowing how characters fitted in or not knowing what major events the characters were recovering from, which seemed to be part of previous novels.

That all being said, I tried to read this book without worrying about the previous relationships and the prior plot points, and just enjoy this one for what it was. Unfortunately, I struggled to do even that. For one, the main plot of the book seemed to be divided into three disparate parts: the first was the case of the body found on the construction site, which took over the beginning of the book. The second part of the book introduced a kidnapping case that completely relegated the first case to the sidelines and was written with absolutely no links to the initial case apart from the fact that the same agents seemed to be involved in both of them. Finally, in the third part of the book, all the totally different plot points seemed to be rammed together to try and draw a holistic conclusion. I felt that the book ended up being a bit forced and I felt that there wasn’t enough effort put into linking the story together. Some people may feel that the conclusion is clever, but I just felt that this was a story of two halves that were then clumsily smashed together when it became clear that the book was reaching its word count goal.

I also felt that the characters weren’t believable in their reactions and behaviour throughout the book. Characters such as Justin Nash baffled me in that his reactions to situations seemed to range from competent FBI agent to hormonal 13-year-old boy at the drop of a hat. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the way that characters just bounced backwards and forwards, which made it very difficult to relate to the characters on a human level. I started to get frustrated and irritable more than drawn into the story, and this coloured my experience of the book as a whole. The most frustrating part of this all is that these characters are forensic profilers and are meant to be experts in psychology, but somehow they don’t spot the glaringly bizarre issues with their coworkers and just work with them as if this is normal behaviour.

That being said, the book had an interesting premise, and the back story of Nikki Hunt as an FBI profiler was definitely one that I was drawn to. I have read books about profilers by other authors and loved them, so I was excited to see another more psychologically-driven investigation, rather than a forensic step-by-step CSI-type story. On this side of things, the book delivered, even with the faults mentioned above: the plot was driven by interviews and discussions with characters, and piecing together behavioural clues rather than always relying on forensic evidence. Of course, there is a fair amount of that, too, but I found that the angle of “The Girl in the Ground” was more character-centred, which was a welcome change from the standard police procedural novel that it could have been.

Overall, this book didn’t impress me, and I don’t know that I would try another of Stacy Green’s books, just based on the fact that I felt that there was more that took me out of the story than drew me in. Perhaps future books will be better, but I will wait until I get a recommendation to try the next one, rather than seek it out myself.

Thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for a review.

[Hope Lachapelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki is starting back at work months after her loss. She’s pulled into a case with an old colleague along with a dead body found on Rory’s worksite. She’s into the thick of things right away. This page turning, twisty thriller kept me guessing throughout. I’m hooked on this series!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

[Catherine Craig (Angelic Light) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book, featuring detective Nikki Hunt and her quest to clear her boyfriend Rory's name, after he gets accused of killing his ex girlfriend Becky, whose bones were found on the construction site he was working on. Nikki is not allowed to work on the case, but instead she has another assignment, however it ends up that this leads to her finding out more details relating to Becky's case.

I found this book to be full of suspense and tension, and it was really thrilling and addictive. I really enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Linda Leone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 in the Nikki Hunt series. I have read the previous 3 and loved them all.
Nikki is back on the job after taking some time off from a personal tragedy that happened in book 3.
A body is found at a construction site. And it just happens to be her boyfriend Rory's ex girlfriend from high school.
.With all that Nikki is dealing with personally, this case will be a tough one.
I love seeing how the characters are evolving with each installment of the series.
I can't wait for the next one.

Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the advance copy.

[Beth Lechman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a body is found buried in a new housing development that Rory FBI Agent Nikki Hunt's boyfriend's construction business is building Nikki is called to the scene. Rory wants the killer found but he is worried about the delay the investigation will cause. They ae already behind and he is worried he could lose the contract. When a piece of jewelry is found and Rory thinks it belongs to an ex girlfriend he becomes a suspect. It will take everything Nikki has to find the killer and keep Rory out of jail.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This series is amazing and this book is incredibly suspenseful and very addictive. A word of warning- don't start reading thus unless you have time to spare to finish it at a stretch. Believe me you won't be able to put it down. Loved loved loved.

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Girl In The Ground' by Stacy Green.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Stacy Green, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 1st December 2021.

This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the fourth book in the 'Nikki Hunt' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'The Girls In The Snow' which is the first book in the 'Nikki Hunt' series and 'Lost Angels' which is the third book in the series and which I 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 'The Girl in the Ground is an unputdownable new mystery for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Willow Rose. ' I am a huge fan of Lisa Gardner so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Stacy Green and if this is half as good as 'The Girls In The Snow' and 'Lost Angels' 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 a prologue, 27 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium 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 set in Minnesota, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in first person perspective with the main protagonist is Special Agent Nikki Hunt. 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 in anything.

Wow!!! Yet another absolutely unputdownable addictive book in this gripping series!!! Very well written with fantastic descriptions this book had the perfect settings and a great storyline! The cover and blog suited the book perfectly.

The storyline started straight into the action and sucked me straight in where it kept me until the last page. Filled with murder, lies, suspense, action and many a red herring I didn't have a clue who did what which is a huge bonus when it comes to crime novels for me. There's nothing worse than working it all out and your not even half way through the book. This book is absolutely addictive and I read it in one sitting. It kept me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails with my heart absolutely pounding throughout especially at the end! I really am looking forward to the next episode in what is definitely A gripping, all consuming addictive series.

Although this is the fourth book in the series there would be absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.


I absolutely loved meeting Nikki, Liam, Rory and Courtney again. I love the fact that the females are such strong women who are not to be messed with and Ive become completely invested in each of them including the sweet Lacey. Although Nikki went through hell as a teenager and continued to do so in each book, especially the previous book to this (Lost Angels, book three in this fantastic series) she was definitely not being dragged down. She has a massive personality and her team worked well together, each having their own individuality which is always great to see. All the characters were believable and worked really well with the story. The team dynamics are perfect and they all work well together, they can laugh together and bring each other comfort and it's lovely to see a team of friends work together in a book. I am looking forward to meeting them all again in the next novel.

This is exactly why you are on my favourite author list Stacy and I would love to see made into a movie!!!

A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS ON YET ANOTHER FANTASTIC SUCCESS STACY AND HERE'S TO MANY MORE 🍻🥂 !!!!

Overall an absolute kick ass start to what promises to be a nail biting, action packed fantastic series!!


Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Romance Novel, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Karin Slaughter, M. J. Arlidge, P. J. Tracy and anyone after an action packed crime book.


266 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

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[Lucie Aran · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Pohřbená minulost ***
Hodnocení: 3,5/5 ✩
Tento díl mě bohužel neoslovil tolik jako předchozí části série. Začátek, ve kterém se paralelně rozehrává několik samostatných zločinů, mi připadal poněkud zdlouhavý a chvíli trvalo, než si příběh našel správné tempo. Naopak závěr byl podle mého názoru až příliš uspěchaný – jako by autor najednou spěchal všechno uzavřít.

Co se týče postav, obzvlášť Rory mě tentokrát překvapil – a bohužel ne v pozitivním smyslu. Jeho frustraci a nedůvěru k autoritám samozřejmě chápu, zvlášť po tom, čím si prošel. Přesto mi v této knize připadal nezvykle podrážděný a místy až nepříjemný. Postrádala jsem jeho dřívější klid, vyrovnanost a rozvahu, které byly pro mě jednou z jeho nejsympatičtějších vlastností. Doufám, že to byla jen dočasná fáze vývoje postavy a že se v dalších dílech opět vrátí k sobě.

I přesto jde stále o solidní čtení a myslím, že tento díl spíše výrazněji připravuje půdu pro budoucí vývoj série. Jsem zvědavá, kam se příběh posune dál – a především, zda se v budoucnu znovu setkáme s Frostem. Věřím, že ano.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth Nikki Hunt, FBI Special Agent, book
And to get into it only just a moment took.
Her construction worker partner, Rory, is shocked to discover
The skeletal remains of a soon to be mother.
When that turns out to be his childhood sweetheart
Into the investigation Nikki can take no part.

However, when an agent she knew many years ago
Requests her help, she'll have a go.
He's looking into trafficking of young girls
And soon links start to unfurl
When a surrogate Mum goes missing, too,
You hope she'll be able to come to the rescue!

With her lover a suspect can Nikki show
He isn't the killer and the true one know?
What an enthralling read this proved to be
I hope you'll try it to see if you agree!
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Stacy Green for taking me out of my comfort zone and reminding me that people we and the people we love have flaws, that life flows curve balls and we can still love and live. I want Nikki Hunt at my back. I want to meet Rory and his family. There would tid-bits dropped about Rorys past. The horrible truth of sex trafficking of minors was addressed, albeit in a more genteel way. PTSD for Nikki and her daughter and just a heart wrenching book that had me crossing fingers and toes as well as bowing down to the strength in Nikki's love and belief in Rory. I am constantly searching for the the next Nikki Hunt, watching her grow, seeing her flaws and in awe of her capacity to give in service and to her family and friends. Thank you Stacy Green, thank you Bookouture, thank you NetGalley, for the arc.