Girl Five: Bound

Maya Gray #5

by Molly Black

In GIRL FIVE: BOUND, a serial killer takes one thing from each of his victims. Why? What do they have in common?

And whom will he strike next?

Genres: Audiobook, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Crime

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2022

About the author

Bestselling author Molly Black is author of the MAYA GRAY FBI suspense thriller series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the RYLIE WOLF FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books; of the TAYLOR SAGE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eight books; of the KATIE WINTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the RUBY HUNTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the CAITLIN DARE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Molly loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.mollyblackauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY MOLLY BLACK

GRACE FORD FBI THRILLER

NEARLY MINE (Book #1)

NEARLY SAFE (Book #2)

NEARLY FREE (Book #3)

NEARLY GONE (Book #4)

NEARLY HIS (Book #5)

CAITLIN DARE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

COME GET ME (Book #1)

COME FIND ME (Book #2)

COME TAKE ME (Book #3)

COME CATCH ME (Book #4)

COME SAVE ME (Book #5)

RUBY HUNTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

IF I RUN (Book #1)

IF I TELL (Book #2)

IF I LIVE (Book #3)

IF I FORGET (Book #4)

IF I RETURN (Book #5)

MAYA GRAY MYSTERY SERIES

GIRL ONE: MURDER (Book #1)

GIRL TWO: TAKEN (Book #2)

GIRL THREE: TRAPPED (Book #3)

GIRL FOUR: LURED (Book #4)

GIRL FIVE: BOUND (Book #5)

GIRL SIX: FORSAKEN (Book #6)

GIRL SEVEN: CRAVED (Book #7)

GIRL EIGHT: HUNTED (Book #8)

GIRL NINE: GONE (Book #9)

RYLIE WOLF FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

FOUND YOU (Book #1)

CAUGHT YOU (Book #2)

SEE YOU (Book #3)

WANT YOU (Book #4)

TAKE YOU (Book #5)

DARE YOU (Book #6)

TAYLOR SAGE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

DON’T LOOK (Book #1)

DON’T BREATHE (Book #2)

DON’T RUN (Book #3)

DON’T FLINCH (Book #4)

DON’T REMEMBER (Book #5)

DON’T TELL (Book #6)

DON’T HIDE (Book #7)

DON’T BLINK (Book #8)

KATIE WINTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SAVE ME (Book #1)

REACH ME (Book #2)

HIDE ME (Book #3)

BELIEVE ME (Book #4)

HELP ME (Book #5)

FORGET ME (Book #6)

HOLD ME (Book #7)

PROTECT ME (Book #8)

REMEMBER ME (Book #9)

CATCH ME (Book #10)

WATCH ME (Book #11)

Reviews

[Carolina Rojas · Rating 4 out of 5]

On to girl six

[Beth Brackett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok but author keeps raising the price

These books are interesting. And fairly well written. I'm rather disappointed that the price keeps going up on each book. I know the author deserves pay for her stories but when you have a 12 book series, it's not fair to the reader to take advantage of their interest in a story. I definitely won't buy it start any of her other series. There are plenty of wonderful writers that have more writing ability that don't do this.
This book was good but same old style of spending lots of time stressing the time issue, the attraction between the main characters, getting the wrong suspect first, & of course an impossible fighting scene to try to liven up the book. I'm getting bored with the writing.

[Vivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Girl Five: Taken by Molly Black is another breezy, bite-sized thriller in the Maya Gray series — and while it still doesn’t aim for emotional depth or complexity, it delivers exactly what it promises: fast pacing, quick reveals, and an easy serotonin boost.

This installment takes us to a remote coastal town in the off-season, full of foggy cliffs, boarded-up shops, and an eerie, off-kilter mood. It’s a stronger setting than previous books, with a bit more atmosphere and tension, which helps elevate the otherwise familiar structure.

The book is just 186 pages, and you feel it — in a good way. The pacing is lightning-fast, the mystery gets going immediately, and you’re never far from the next twist or reveal. It’s hard to put down once you start, not because it’s groundbreaking, but because it’s so quick and so easy to consume. These books are a little addicting for that reason alone: they give you that “just one more chapter” feeling, and before you know it, you’ve finished and had your dose of low-stakes tension and instant gratification.

That said, it’s still not a standout thriller. The characters remain thinly sketched, the resolution wraps up too neatly (again), and the formula is definitely showing. The Moonlight Killer arc continues to build in the background and keeps just enough tension alive to carry into the next book. But even with that thread, it’s hard to shake the sense that these books are ultimately quite forgettable. A day or two after reading, most of the details have already faded.

Girl Five: Taken isn’t deep or emotionally rich, but it’s fun, fast, and gives you exactly what you expect — no more, no less.

Quick thrills, fast reveals, and a hit of serotonin — slightly addictive in the moment, but unlikely to stick with you for long.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya receives a new postcard with a new case and only two days to discover the real culprit. She is definitely running against the clock to save a woman's life - which can be her sister's. She has to deal with the local Philadelphia PD and ends up solving a few robbery cases while pursuing dead-end leads. Deciding on one last lead, she finally arrests the serial killer and solves the case as per the Moonlight Killer's request. Will he release another captive? What is going to be his new demand?
A good and entertaining story which positively adds to the series. I received a free copy of this book and this is my unbiased opinion.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the idea of this series and was hoping the story would progress and get more interesting, book by book. However, instead, it's getting stale, repetitive, and ridiculous. Miraculous Maya, a 1 woman FBI department, is out solving cold cases that no one else has been able to solve. She's doing it all under immense pressure and without any help from her cohorts in the FBI because those idiots just hold her back. The only person she relies on for help is a Cleveland detective, Marco, introduced in the first book. I'm not sure what help he's supposed to be though, as all he seems to do is be Maya's personal cheer leader and ego booster, or be her overprotective nanny. In this book, it's just too much and his dialog is cringe worthy "You did it Maya! Only you could do it!". Barf.

The simple cold cases in the first few books, which were far more interesting, have turned to serial killers and active sprees that Maya must stop all to spare another serial killers ego and save the women. Luckily she can catch these guys in a matter of a day or two. The writing is the same. You can dismiss entire characters and leads just based off of where they're at in the book. There's always the same number of suspects, always leading to one that seems like they're the killer, BUT... dun dun dun... the twist! They're not. Introduce last second random character, who must always be brought down in a physical fight, right at the deadline. Ho-hum.

High hopes for a series that I could get into, but alas I really should know better than to invest too much faith into these ghost writer detective thriller books. They truly all use the exact same formula.

[Toni Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girl Five: Bound by Molly Black is another gripping installment in the Maya Grey series. In this one, Maya faces a chilling new case involving a serial killer who takes one item from each of his victims. The mystery of why he does this and how the pieces connect kept me intrigued throughout.
I enjoyed the premise—it felt original and eerie, and Molly Black does a good job of creating tension around who the next target might be. Maya is a strong, determined lead as always, and I like following her character as she tries to unravel each disturbing case.
That being said, the pacing felt uneven at times. Some parts really hooked me, but others dragged a bit and took me out of the flow. The audiobook narration was decent, but I think it could have used a little more variation in tone to heighten the suspense.
Overall, Girl Five: Bound was a solid listen with an interesting premise and a few good twists. It wasn’t my favorite of the series so far, but I’m still invested enough to continue with Maya Grey’s journey and see where the next book takes her.

[Charity Beacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this series on a whim, and so glad I did. The Girl murders have been very fast paced and I can't seem to put them down. The books end, but you are left with questions that continue right onto the next book. Maya is quite the character. Former Army, now FBI, she is running cold cases. We learn in the first book that her sister was kidnapped a few months ago, and the trail has gone cold. She receives a postcard in the mail, a kidnapper has claimed he has 13 girls, and her sister is one of them. He gives Maya a cold case and a time limit to solve the case. If she wins, a girl gets released. If she can't solve one in time, a girl gets killed.
These books are done in a way that I have not seen before, and I am enjoying Maya Gray's writing style. I am looking forward to finishing the rest of the series.

[Darby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The books in this series are good. They are quick reads and kept me engaged throughout. They aren’t really stand alone books. It is going to be a 12 books series. A serial killer has kidnapped 12 women he called his bunnies. He has entrapped FBI agent Maya Gray to help solve cold cases or older cases being attributed to the wrong person often sending the wrong person to jail. Each time she is able to solve the mystery of who the actual killer was in these cases - the killer/kidnapper releases a “bunny” and when she doesn’t solve it then a “bunny” is killed.

Good plot in each book. I like getting to know the main characters better through each book on the series.

[Maegan Cutrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series started out really interesting as an idea. Solve a case, and a hostage goes free. I was happy to see the series was quite a few books, thinking I was going to have good reading for a while. They aren't bad necessarily, just kinda boring. Every book is essentially the same book, over and over. Maya gets a case, Marco lusts after her to 'help her', she solves the case with mere moments to spare, blah blah, blah. Decent enough if you have nothing else to read, just not enough to make me buy them.

[SchatzyT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how "Bound" describes this book. Because the description of the books seem the same, if you lost track this one is about the people being murdered with a specific kind of jewelry. The plots are getting a bit repetitive in this series, as are the characters. But it's a basically clean book (hardly any swearing & no sex stuff) and ok to listen to if you can't find anything else at the moment.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maya Gray an FBI agent in the Cold Cases unit, continues to solve cases set forth by the serial killer who is holding her sister and several other hostages. As the deadlines continue to shrink, Maya finds herself growing more and more despondent as she battles not only the work but the internal politics of the FBI.

[Leslie Bolte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot/story. Writing isn’t exceptional. A series that should of been a book. The books are very repetitious. Also, the main character, Maya, is portrayed as the very best detective around. I guess that’s why she doesn’t have to be a team-player or follow any rules/procedures. I found it a bit annoying.

[Samantha Buckle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook
This is probably the most complex case with the shortest deadline, making for a great story, with Marco being more involved in each case... this is only going to get better!!
The reader of the book is starting to grow on me. (mainly because there is nothing I can do about it.)
Would ALWAYS recommend.

[Lara Aelric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoying the mysteries, but I'm having such a hard time wrapping my head around why Maya keeps allowing so many conversations to happen over the phone when she's so confident that the kidnapper is always listening in.

This one was a fun one! It's been really interesting to see how Maya grows/evolves throughout the series, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.

[Tifanee Oliver-Crosmas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have in tested myself on this series and I am patient waiting for it to get so damn good I'm on the edge of my seat..
Every book is a different case that sh3 has to solve she won't put herself in a position to have Marco
Like girl kiss the damn man atleast one because if we get to it and it's like kissing your brother I'm going to be pissed

[Carrie Esler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.35
Fast entertaining reads = similar formula as before, but maybe slightly less unique of a story given the jewelry connection. Seems like she stumbled on this a bit more than the others.
She's maybe just a bit too lucky for my taste in this book.
I've got #6 in my queue, so I'll aim for 1 more to see if the series is worth continuing.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So captivating!

I just love how this series follows Maya and Marco on their journey to catch the Moonlight killer. I can't seem to put the books down long enough to get anything done!

[Coco · Rating 3 out of 5]

These audiobooks are interesting if you just want something to listen to while you complete a task. Although I haven’t finished it yet (honestly don’t think I ever will) but they follow pretty much the same pattern.

[Gale Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maya gets busy once again to satisfy the moonlight killer so he does not hurt his “ bunnies” which includes her sister. Her boss is putting pressure on her because she is giving into this serial killer demands.

[Christy Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Least favorite of the series so far, i will continue with the series but this one pissed me off, she solved the case but he didn’t release a bunny he had one that killed herself and that’s the one they got. Very lame.

[Amber McManus · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are getting repetitive. BUT the ending of this one gives me hope the next one might be different but looking at the reviews of the next one, seems it’s still more of the same stuff. Probably won’t go on to read any more of this series sadly.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story was good and held my interest. Good characters and twists. The only thing that I did not like is the ending. It left you hanging until the next book comes out. Which by the way will not be until September

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. I listen to it on audio book and the author is great at keeping you engaged and wanting more with the story. I will say the story is a slow burn romance, mostly detective but honestly I love it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this storyline pretty boring but I enjoyed continuing with the backstory of the main characters.

[Kathy Esdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Wonderful series and the cliff hanger is superb. Molly Black has captured my attention on to Girl 6! I feel like I’m on a mission and must complete it quickly!

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is getting stale,i feel like i am reading
the same book,just changing the names

[Catherine Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am already on the 5th book of the series and I am still so fascinated and captivated by this wonderful series. Molly Black is definitely an exceptional writer!

[LoveBooksAndCats · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's getting so repetitive! I am getting annoyed. Hopefully the next book will be good.

[Joan Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe a bit of a spoiler? She keeps catching other folks while looking for her target - a bit of a stretch, but I love the series.

[Amanda Ciero · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️