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Don’t stop looking…

When her sister’s friend is found dead, Detective Kaitlyn Carr knows that time is running out. Her sister has been missing for weeks and everyone is starting to believe that she’s gone for good. But Kaitlyn refuses to give up.

While the FBI and the Sheriff’s investigators collect evidence and run tests, Kaitlyn stays busy with another case back in Los Angeles: the disappearance of a missing couple who were trying to sell their half a million dollar boat.

Their grown sons insist that their parents would have never left without an explanation, but it’s up to Kaitlyn to uncover the truth.

Is the missing couple keeping secrets of their own or is their life actually in danger?

Who killed her sister’s friend and will finding her killer lead to answers about Violet’s disappearance?

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2021

1912 people are currently reading
1064 people want to read

About the author

Kate Gable

38 books427 followers
Kate Gable loves a good mystery that is full of suspense. She grew up devouring psychological thrillers and crime novels as well as movies, tv shows and true crime.

Her favorite stories are the ones that are centered on families with lots of secrets and lies as well as many twists and turns. Her novels have elements of psychological suspense, thriller, mystery and romance.

Kate Gable lives in Southern California with her husband, son, a dog and a cat. She has spent more than twenty years in this area and finds inspiration from its cities, canyons, deserts, and small mountain towns.

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5 stars
1,983 (44%)
4 stars
1,483 (33%)
3 stars
725 (16%)
2 stars
177 (3%)
1 star
58 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
Profile Image for Sandy S.
8,240 reviews207 followers
September 21, 2021
3.5 stars—GIRL TAKEN is the fourth instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult DETECTIVE KAITLYN CARR murder, mystery, suspense series focusing on LAPD Detective Kaitlyn Carr. GIRL TAKEN should be not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of GIRL FOUND.


SOME BACKGROUND: Kaitlyn Carr’s thirteen year old sister has been missing for several months, last seen when she was dropped off at home by the mother of a friend. From there, Kaitlyn’s sister’s whereabouts are unknown. Big Bear Lake is out of Kaitlyn’s jurisdiction but when a second thirteen year old girl goes missing, the FBI is called in to investigate bringing Kaitlyn’s current friends with benefits, FBI agent Luke Galvinson, back into her life.

Told from dual first person perspective (Kaitlyn) and Violet (memories from the past) following several paths GIRL TAKEN focuses on LAPD Detective Kaitlyn Carr as she is tasked with investigating the whereabouts of a missing couple last seen showing their yacht to a young married and pregnant couple. Ruth and Deacon Islington are about to be first time grandparents and are hoping to settle in the LA area in the hopes of spending time with their soon to be granddaughter but when their son reports the couple missing, Kaitlyn Carr begins an investigation that is about to reveal the possibility that the Islington’s are never going to be found.

The ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Kaitlyn’s thirteen year old sister Violet, takes a darker turn when one of Violet’s friends, also missing, turns up dead under questionable circumstances. With most of the leads at a dead end, Kaitlyn knows that finding her sister alive may never happen.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn’s personal life takes a turn towards permanence as she and FBI Agent Luke Galvinson proclaim their love, and Luke makes plans for a potential change in his future.

GIRL TAKEN is an intriguing but all too familiar story ripped from the headlines about a 2004 case focusing on the murder of Newport Beach, California couple Tom and Jackie Hawks. Kate Noble has taken some liberty with the actual events but the majority of the story line runs almost parallel to the real-life killers and victims -the fraudulent notary, the couple living with the wife’s well-to do mother, to the Hollywood connections of the accused killer, and the victim’s previous work as a body builder, their recent trips to Mexico, the upcoming birth of their first grandchild and their desire to sell their 52 foot yacht. Truth may be stranger than fiction but in this case, fiction becomes reality when it’s based on actual events.
Profile Image for Ricki.
1,378 reviews14 followers
October 3, 2021
Not much substance to this. Kaitlyn does a lot of thinking and reminiscing in this book which makes one wonder how she avoids car accidents as her mind is not on driving. There is of course a case to solve which gets little mention -maybe 30% of the book while the rest is dedicated to her thoughts of her and her sisters childhood. The search for the missing sister is just too long and could probably have been solved by book three
Profile Image for Judy Churchill.
2,567 reviews31 followers
September 21, 2021
The suspense is killing me. Will Violet be found? Now I have to wait till December for the finale. Good reading.
Profile Image for Candi.
186 reviews
November 20, 2022
Overall 4 star rating? Goodreads, are we reading the same book?!
Profile Image for Karin.
2,178 reviews
September 24, 2021
Detective Kaitlyn Carr is up in arms more so then ever in this one, time is running out on her sister, more people keep disappearing and found not breathing and Kaitlyn knows times ticking and she’s about to lose it all
Profile Image for Kathryn Andrews.
79 reviews6 followers
March 11, 2022
I am absolutely loving this series but this book was poorly edited and felt more like a filler than anything else. The main character’s name was spelled differently throughout the book and other words were misspelled which was really annoying and distracting to me. There was excessive and unnecessary commentary from the previous books, as if they could potentially be read as stand alones (they can’t). My biggest (and really only) complaint about this series is about how much Kaitlyn talks about food/body/exercise, etc. She’s constantly talking about how she needs to stop eating so much junk food, how she should run and do more crunches, how she could stand to lose a few pounds, how she’s gained weight from her constant snacking. It’s annoying and so unnecessary. But overall I love this series and can’t wait to read the last book!!
4 reviews
January 9, 2024
The writer started this series quite well. The 3rd and 4th books have just been filler. Too much repeated. I feel she probably could have ended the series with two or three books. Certainly not five. I'm only reading five to see if they find Violet.
Profile Image for Allie Marmion.
16 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2024
I don’t k ow why I’m still reading this series. Only the first one was decent. The writing is declining as the series goes on. It’s like someone forgot to put IG through proofreading. But one angle of the story drags on and I’m too nosey to give up.
3,706 reviews40 followers
September 18, 2021
This is book four in A Detective Kaitlyn Carr Mystery Series and omg it is a must read. Kaitlyn's sister Violet is still missing and Kaitlyn is worried that it will become a cold case but she can't let that happen and she will continue to find her sister Violet and never give up trying the solve the mystery of her disappearance and why. A couple has gone missing and there son is really worried as it is not like them or something that they would do so now Kaitlyn will do what she does best and dig deeper to see what has happened to them. Violet's friend who went missing about the same time as her has been found dead but the evidence is non existent as to what happened to her so more investigations are needed to find out who murdered her and why. Omg I am absolutely addicted to this series and each book just gets better and better and i can't wait to read the final book in this amazing series. Kate Gable is an amazing author and writer and she certainly knows how to keep her reader's attention and on the edge of their seat and I definitely recommend you read this book and series and you will definitely not be disappointed.

I Voluntarily Reviewed an Arc Copy of this Amazing Book.
Profile Image for Jillian MacKay.
29 reviews
January 24, 2022
I’m very invested in Violet’s story at this point, and there are some interesting developments that come up in this book on her case.

My reason for the low rating is the side detective stories that Kaitlyn is working on. If you are an avid true crime consumer, these stories are nearly verbatim real cases that have happened. The one in this book very closely resembles the case of Jackie and Thomas Hawks.

Because I knew this case I found the story to be very boring and I wanted to skip it entirely because I knew who did it. Before the character who committed the crime were even introduced, I knew.

This was the case in the last novel of this, where the detective case was almost exactly the case of Sam Herr and Julie Kibuishi, but I didn’t mind as much in the last novel only because there was more focus on Violet’s case so it really was a side story. In Girl Found however, it took almost 200 pages for interesting developments and real exploration of Violet’s case.

One really nice thing about this case though was later on they tell portions of the story from Violet’s point of view.
Profile Image for Jerry B.
1,489 reviews150 followers
July 7, 2022
To be direct, having not previously read this author or her police detective Kaitlyn Carr series, of which “Girl Taken” is the fourth of just five novels planned, mostly about the protagonist’s missing sibling Violet, we spent most of the time uninformed. The sister matter is apparently an ongoing theme that sustains just a bit of forward progress herein, but when we don’t know the back story, or get a resolution, to some extent the whole novel seemed like wasted ink. There is a contemporaneous plot about a couple with a very expensive yacht to sell going missing, but apparently this is so identical to a true California crime, that many readers knew the outcome before reading a single word.

The first person flashback chapters by Violet herself were also disruptive since we didn’t know anything about her. Carr's burgeoning relationship with Luke was also mostly tiresome and clumsy. We suspect this series is only worthwhile when read book one to book five start to finish, and even then may indeed leave many a reader fairly nonchalant. This episode is therefore probably not a good standalone reading.
Profile Image for Dora Harvey.
1,120 reviews9 followers
May 3, 2023
GIRL TAKEN is the fourth book of Detective Kaitlyn Carr Mystery Thriller. This story is gripping and compelling! Kate Gable delivered an amazing suspenseful thriller! This page-turner is fast moving with lots of twists and turns that had me captivated from the first page and no amount of guessing could have prepared me for what went down. As Detective Kaitlyn Carr continues to work on the disappearance cases, including her sister Violet, a stunning revelation happens. What happens when your missing sister’s best friend is found dead? When you think you have it all figured out, then BAM, another curveball is thrown at you! This was a great story filled with secrets and lies, betrayal, family and friendship, and obsession and murder—it builds up to a heart pounding pace that continues to increase. Will Detective Carr be able to figure everything out in time? Kate Gable creates a world, plot, and characters that linger long after the last sentence of the last page. I recommend you get this book!
Profile Image for Karen Wood.
747 reviews3 followers
September 19, 2021
This is book 4 in the Kaitlyn Carr Mystery Series, and the suspense is hitched up a notch.

Violet is still missing but her friend Natalie's body has been found, she had not been sexually abused an was wearing expensive clothes, no one is any closer to knowing the truth or if the disappearances are connected in any way. She is worried that the case will go cold.

Meanwhile, a couple have gone missing after selling their boat and their son is worried as its out of character for them to do this, so Kaitlyn has to interview everyone concerned in the case. She has no clue where they are or what has happened to them till she gets the warrant to search the boat, then time is running out to catch the culprits, she has been lied to by lots of witnesses so needs to get the truth.

Once again a brilliant book that has you on the edge of your seat, wanting more, not putting it down it is such a compelling read, I cant wait for the final book in this series.
Profile Image for Carla.
803 reviews2 followers
January 20, 2022
Although there is a prequel novella titled Girl Hidden in this Kaitlyn Carr “Girl” series it is not mandatory to read it before tackling the rest of the series. With the other five books in the series it is necessary (or at least much more enjoyable and less confusing) to read them in order as the five novels have a key single story line that runs through all five books as well as one other story line that is featured (and concludes) in each of the novels. These five books are really one large (over 1300 pages) novel divided into five separate volumes sold individually. That said the “Girl” series with Girl Missing, Girl Lost, Girl Found, Girl Taken and Girl Forgotten have an interesting, realistic female protagonist and page turning plots. There is some extraneous content in the novels that could have been removed in editing to make the novels into even tighter page turners.
Profile Image for Meghan.
3,372 reviews7 followers
December 27, 2021
Flew through the story

I am loving this series and how each book works to solve her sisters disappearance while also solving a crime in her actual jurisdiction. Through in the glimpses of romance, department drama, family tensions and the overall secrets…I am hooked.

Luke has a more prominent role and Thomas is trying to get Kaitlyns attention for something. Violet had a voice in this book through the lens of the past. The small town stereotypes and characters are out in full force and it is quite entertaining. The idea of family secrets takes a bigger role with Violet and Kaitlyn on their own questioning their dads death. I can’t wait for the next book to see if they answer dads death, find Violet and if Kaitlyn commits fully to Luke/solves Thomas issue!
1,146 reviews7 followers
May 19, 2022
Ripped from the Headlines

Detective Kaitlyn's search for her missing sister is interrupted by a directive to investigate a missing persons case.A retired couple goes missing after trying to sell their yacht. In the mean time the sister's best friend is found dead.

This is one of those ripped from the headline stories without any effort to change it up. The narration alternates between Kaitlynn and the sister. The transitions are jarring and drain the momentum from all the story lines.Commitment phobe Kaitlynn's relationship with a hunky FBI agent heats up. But her past with the abusive boyfriend gets boring as does her friend's wedding plans. Best if you've read the first in the series.
259 reviews4 followers
June 20, 2022
This series is so good!!

The cases in each book drew me in and once I started reading book one in the series, I couldn't stop myself from reading. I started reading Girl Taken at 10:00 pm and finished the book at 1:00am Monday morning. This is a series you won't be able to put it down. The book is descriptive but not in a way that extremely graphic. I really enjoyed that each book always ties book one into the next book but each book has a new case that is the main focus of the books after book one.. The plot wasn't hard to follow, in my opinion it's a quick read; you will be able to stop reading and come back to it and not have to re-read a few pages to refresh your memory.
230 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2023
First should have read the reviews that this was not a stand-alone book in a series. I felt so much was missing, obviously because I had not read previous books in this series. The main character, Kaitlyn, a police officer, came across as a flawed character with lots of baggage. Felt the main part of the story, this disappearance of two retirees who were selling the boat they had lived on so they could be closer to their sons and enjoy the impending birth of their first grandchild was rather a given of what happened to them. The obvious conclusion was totally expected and came to conclusion much the same way. I prefer books with a little more a twist and combined that with feeling like I might have like this better if I'd read previous books I could only give it a three.
3,400 reviews19 followers
September 22, 2021
Girl Taken continues the story of Detective Kaitlyn Carr as she continues her search for the abductor of her sister Violet. The best friend of Violet is found murdered. Kaitlyn is assigned to a new case involving an elderly couple who are missing while attempting to sell their yacht for over a half a million dollars. The couple planned to settle in the area to enjoy their soon to be born grandchild. The relationship between Luke and Kaitlyn is becoming closer. This book is an intriguing mystery thriller with great characters. The next book in the series is Girl Forgotten.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
8 reviews
December 14, 2023
The whole series, up to this point, is just a mess. Words are spelled incorrectly, spelling of names is different depending on the book you're reading. I just started a book further into the series, after reading the others, and her dad jumps from being a drug dealer con to a detective? WHAT?! I understand characters and information needs to advance in a series but this is just ridiculous. Anyone with half an understanding about how law enforcement works should avoid it. It will give you a headache. It will take up so much brain power and space it will start to feel like a full time job. Definitely not on the same level as AJ Rivers or similar. You've been warned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Maria Vargas.
633 reviews55 followers
June 29, 2025
The sister is still missing, and the series has lost its point already. This is just a hot mess following Detective Kaitlyn Carr doing a horrible job but also trying to have some sort of connection to everything happening so she can keep some sort of control or the feeling of being needed.

One of the most annoying this so far is that there's no consistency with the spelling of names. The timeliness keeps being sloppy and every new case Kaitlyn gets to work in LA gets lame. She does the bare minimum of detective to work but somehow is able to be in the middle of the shit show when we get to know who actually the killer was.

Don't even think about trying the audiobook, it's the worst narrator ever. Total waste of money.
1,117 reviews5 followers
August 8, 2025
‘Girl Taken’ was deceptive. The title makes one think the focus of the narrative would be on just that, a girl who was taken. Yet, it focused mainly on a detective’s investigation into a missing couple and their 52-foot boat and apartment that were abandoned. From time to time, the reader was given glimpses of the detective’s sister, who had been missing previously, in the form of flashbacks. I kept reading to see what happened to the sister. However, that ended on a cliffhanger. Nonetheless, the missing couple’s case was solved in a neatly tied-up package, which was obvious early on in the storyline. Overall, I was disappointed with the sister’s case.
Profile Image for Diane.
949 reviews16 followers
September 24, 2021
This is book four in the series. Kaitlyn is still trying to find her sister Violet in between working cases back in LA. In this book she’s looking for a missing couple who were selling their boat and just disappeared. While dealing with this case Natalie who also went missing around the same time as Violet is found dead. Kaitlyn is busy going backwards and forward between Big Bear and LA trying to solve both cases. There are lots of twists and turns in the book but no answers about Violet yet. Will we find out what happened to Violet in book five.
421 reviews3 followers
June 17, 2022
When Kate's sisters friend is found dead the case is no longer cold. So Luke FBI agent and Kate's boyfriend goes back to Big Bear to try to pick up the trail of the killer and kidnapper. Or at least get some new evidence. Meanwhile Kate is working a missing persons case of a married couple. Just when Kate's case comes to a close an the guilty are captured or dead her sisters case goes cold again. This is another great story in the series and I can't wait to read the last book to find out what exactly happened to Kate's sister.
Profile Image for Lacie.
30 reviews
March 27, 2023
Edit once finished with series: DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. HORRIBLE ENDING FOR FINDING VIOLET. The fact that these books went to print is crazy to me. I trucked through all 5 to find out what happened to violet. The author couldn’t even get the killer right. On one page she said it’s someone’s dad, the next page it is the person and not their dad. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE. A waste of time a money.

Same old same old with this one. An autobiography of Kaitlyn with a side of mystery. Still lots of indiscrepancies.
Profile Image for Sammye.
4,376 reviews29 followers
September 21, 2021
Book #4 in the Kaitlyn Carr series is an entertaining page turner. In the case she’s now working on, an elderly couple has gone missing and their sons think it’s murder. At the same time, her sister is still missing, her missing friend is found dead, and she’s juggling work and a relationship. There’s plenty of action and drama. This series is very good. *this honest review is based on a complimentary copy from the author*
Profile Image for Jeanie Tran.
13 reviews9 followers
September 21, 2021
I love the series, but in this book it just seems a lot of repetitive stuff and the case about her sister disappearance has gone nowhere. I like that there’s two chapters from Violet’s POV before she disappeared and I hope that the last book there will be more answers than questions. Overall I think this book was alright, it was just a lot a filler. The case she was working on in LA could have sum everything up in 3 chapters basically…..
2,891 reviews4 followers
September 22, 2021

Kate has found out that her sisters friend has been found dead. Now others are thinking are thinking that she’s dead to but Kate thinks she’s alive. But other agencies are doing the work so that so she’s doing a case in LA on a missing older couple that involves their boat. She’s trying to find them but their sons think they are dead. What will she find? I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Profile Image for Wilf Magee.
34 reviews
September 29, 2021
Whil looking for her sister a detective becomes involved in much more.

A real page turner. A Detective Kaitlyn Carr while searching for her young sister becomes involved in this mystery. She feels guilt at not finding her and thus is forced to hunt for her. What she uncovers is horrid. She must find her and what she finds is unspeakable. Her sister was only 12 and the secrets abound until the mystery is solved.
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