Girl Three: Trapped

Maya Gray #3

by Molly Black, Talon David (Reading)

In GIRL THREE: TRAPPED (book #3), case three has just landed, and the clock is ticking. The suspect, a copycat of the Moonlight Killer, seems to be using sophisticated audio equipment to stay one step ahead of his victims—and Maya herself could be next.

Maya, knowing the killer has her sister, has no choice but to accept the case. More determined than ever, she revisits the prison where the last convict hung himself in hopes of uncovering a new lead. But with the murderer able to track her every movement, Maya realizes that she’s the least safe of all.

And in the midst of it all, a bunny escapes.

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

6 pages, Audible Audio

First published December 13, 2021

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

[Ashley Marden · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars on this one. Had me sucked in wanting to know more. Definitely didn’t see the ending coming.

[Vivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/4 (3.25/5)

Girl Three: Trapped by Molly Black is a solid, fast-paced thriller that does exactly what you'd expect — and not much more. It's a book that grabs your attention quickly, keeps the action moving, and delivers on suspense and mystery. If you're looking for something engaging, easy to read, and full of momentum, this fits the bill perfectly.

The plot kicks off quickly and maintains a steady, high-energy pace throughout. The stakes are clear, the danger feels real, and there's enough intrigue to keep you turning the pages. Molly Black knows how to craft tension and drive a story forward — and for that alone, this is an enjoyable read.

That said, it never really rises above being just fine. It’s a perfectly decent thriller, but there’s nothing here that surprised me. No real twists or turns that felt fresh or unexpected. The beats of the story feel familiar — almost too familiar — and while the execution is competent, it lacks the originality or emotional impact to make it stand out.

The characters serve the plot well enough, but they don’t leave a lasting impression. And the ending, much like the rest of the book, lands with more of a shrug than a bang. It felt rushed and unsatisfying, like it was wrapping things up because it had to, not because it had something compelling to say.

To sum it up: Girl Three: Trapped is a decent thriller that delivers a good time while you're reading but fades quickly afterward. It’s entertaining, quick, and certainly not a bad book — but it doesn’t have that extra spark that would elevate it to a 4- or 5-star read.

Enjoyable, yes. Memorable? Not really.

[Tabitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ I liked this one slightly better than the second book. However, Maya gets on my nerves so bad. She is so irresponsible and reckless. I understand that she is worried something will happen to her sister if she doesn't solve the cases, but it just feels very unrealistic that an FBI agent would constantly put themselves in dangerous situations without backup. I am still enjoying that we get POVs from both Maya and the kidnapper. Getting the story from his perspective keeps the story interesting and flowing. The ending has me very interested in reading the next book. I want to know what Megan's message for Maya is. The plot of the girl escaping was absolutely terrifying; although, it seems that it was planned by the kidnapper the entire time. For him to be so thorough with everything, it doesn't make sense that he would just drop something important and not even realize it. I do love that we are slowly getting more clues as to who the killer is. I am beginning to think it is someone who knows Maya due to the fact that he is solely focused on her. I am enjoying this series and will be continuing.

[Chelsea Hazendonk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing new to the other books in the series, but probably my favourite one so far.

[Vickie Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

[Heather Axtell Slone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really loving this series. I love how it's a women FBI agent. I hate that she is trying to find her sister but I really like how she does her job.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's something very strange in this series, the heroine keeps getting younger as time passes.
In the first book FBI Agent Maya Grey was 39, she was 35 in the second, and now, in "Girl Three: Trapped" "... people looked at her and they saw nothing but a good looking thirty-year-old."
The way it is going she'll be pulling a Nancy Drew within a few more episodes.
The gist of the series is that a killer is holding women hostage and unless Maya solves a crime within a certain period of time one of them will be killed. If she succeeds one will be released.
It's complicated by the fact that May's sister is one of the kidnapped women.
And this time, as Maya investigates, the killer steps outside the rules of their game and murders one of the hostages. While the book describes the killing a the result of a failed escape it seems obvious that it was engineered by the killer with the sole reason of killing her.
Electronic surveillance is an important part of the story so far, but it seems to be solely used by the wrong-uns. Even though Maya is aware of it there is never any attempt to counter it, just a single deliberate use of misinformation. I'd expect better of the FBI.
"Girl Three: Trapped" is a solid procedural but the series is increasingly formulaic.
3 Stars.

[Jo Mcculley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler--Some dialogue is over used. I am enjoying the story.

[Lara Aelric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this has been my favorite book in the series yet. I liked the premise and the twists and turns all felt logical rather than out of nowhere. Maya was on her own for this one and she showed just how resourceful she can be.

There was one discrepancy that jarred me near the end, but that's turning out to be standard procedure for this series.

Maya spent the whole book trying to keep Harris and the FBI away from her theory that the kidnapper and the Moonlight Killer are the same person, just for Harris to say to her "I assume it was the Moonlight Killer you were insulting and not me" when calling her back about the voicemail she left him. (For the record, I loved that she did that. It was a really moment of personality.) To me it felt like the only reason he'd say 'Moonlight Killer' and not 'kidnapper' was if he now also assumed they were the same person, but if that is the case, there was almost zero reaction or fallout for something that Maya has been obsessing over all book.

I had a realization while wrapping up the audiobook of this one. Aside from some of the things that have felt like mistakes, I think a lot of my nitpicking stems from the fact that the author's style of writing spells everything out for us. We're privy to every thought the POV characters have, their motives and internal processes are laid out for us in their entirety to be sure we know exactly why they're doing what they're doing. And there's nothing wrong with that style of writing; it just means that I have to get used to the fact that no, we're not going to skip ahead and let the reader assume anything. But because of that, when things suddenly DO expect me to assume that things have happened, I'm thrown for a loop that with another style of writing I'd be totally fine with. (Example: I'm thinking back to book 2 where the freed bunny died off screen, and everyone was talking about her death as if it was fact when it was news to me. With a style of writing that let me fill in the blanks, I could have assumed that she'd succumbed to her injuries after the last time we saw her. But since this style lays everything out in its entirety, I was left startled by the fact that she was now dead when in the chapter before it she was alive.)

[Toni Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

​Molly Black’s GIRL THREE: TRAPPED is a gripping and intense listen that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning. The book plunges you right back into the action as we follow the relentless Maya, who is now facing her most personal and dangerous case yet. The stakes are incredibly high, as the new killer—a terrifying copycat of the Moonlight Killer—is targeting Maya's sister. This adds a powerful layer of emotional urgency and propels the narrative forward with breakneck speed.
​The killer's use of sophisticated audio equipment to track and toy with his victims is a fresh and chilling twist. It creates a palpable sense of paranoia and dread, and the fact that Maya herself is being hunted adds to the claustrophobic tension. The audiobook format really shines here, as the sound design enhances the feeling that danger is lurking around every corner.
​My only minor critique is that some elements feel slightly underdeveloped. For example, the escaped bunny plotline, while adding a quirky touch, felt a bit random and didn't seem to connect with the main plot in a meaningful way. However, this is a very small point in an otherwise fantastic thriller.
​Overall, GIRL THREE: TRAPPED is a compelling listen that masterfully builds suspense and delivers a satisfyingly tense experience. The plot is cleverly constructed, the pacing is excellent, and Maya remains a compelling and resilient protagonist. It's a must-listen for fans of psychological thrillers.

[Jennifer Sturm · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this a zero star I would have. It's the same book over and over again. The ending is the same. Everything is the same except different killers. I love the concept and I was very excited for this series. IT just so disappointing. I could recite the ending in every book. I didn't start picking up on it until book 3-4. By book 5 I was getting annoyed but I told myself it would change. It didn't! By book 8 I was ready to stop listening to them but I figured I made it this far, I can finish it off. Well, new book.... and it's just the same. Maya off doing her own thing and getting in trouble, Check! Maya fight with sister and Marco, check! Maya getting assigned the case, check! Big screw up in the case, has the wrong guy, Check! Killer not mentioned until the last few chapters, Check! Maya also dying by garrote, Check. Maya thinks of sister and Marco while dying, Check. Marco shows up to save Maya, Check. Marco gets hurt, Check. Marco almost dies, Check. Maya saves Marco, Check. Every Book! It's like the author just went in and deleted the killer and replaced with new killer and sent it to publishing. This is just my opinion but I'd say don't waste your time.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya continues to be taunted by the Moonlight Killer as he has her sister captive and demands that she finds the killer of another woman in three days' time. She is running against the clock having as the only difference the interest and help provided by the police force in the city where the murder occurred. She then finds another woman killed in a similar fashion in a nearby city. Will she be able to find the culprit within the established time? Whom will the Moonlight Killer choose to kill if she does not meet his demands? An interesting and entertaining mystery that keeps you motivated till the end.
As a member of the author's ARC team, I downloaded a free copy of this book through BookFunnel and this is my unbiased opinion.

[Destiny Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girl Three: Trapped was definitely a step up from the second book and got me right back into the series. The mystery had me guessing, and I loved how the tension kept building chapter after chapter. The main character continues to grow on me—she’s strong but still human, and I like how she’s starting to show more layers.

Some parts felt a little predictable, but overall the pacing was solid and the storyline was more engaging this time around. I flew through it in just a couple of sittings. Molly Black did a great job balancing action with character development in this one, and it left me excited to see where the series goes next.

Definitely a strong addition to the series—worth the read if you're already invested.

[Melissa Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book—it grabbed my attention and kept me interested from start to finish. The ending, especially the message from Maya’s sister, left me feeling a mix of emotions and made a good close to the story- even if it was a cliffhanger.

What I did struggle with, though, was Maya herself. For an FBI agent and ex-military officer, a lot of her choices felt pretty irresponsible- as stated in my previous review. I get that her actions come from wanting to protect the “bunnies,” especially her sister, but at times it just felt unrealistic.

That aside, it was still a solid read. The suspense kept me hooked, and I’m definitely looking forward to finding out who the Midnight Killer is and what happens with Maya’s sister in the next few books to read.

[Rustic_reads_ (Donna) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Girl Three: Trapped Maya is confronted with her third case  - a copycat of the “Moonlight Killer” who uses advanced equipment to stay one step ahead of his victims and the FBI chasing him. With her missing sister among the girls kidnapped Maya tries to dig out a lead before time runs out.

The serial kidnapper game structure is a clever hook that gives the series continuity and an overarching threat.

If you enjoy a fast‑paced thriller and don’t mind a series you have to invest in, it is a solid read. However if you haven’t read the earlier books you might miss context or character build‑up in the plot threads.

It does lack an element of realism at times but overall it delivers tension, twists and a protagonist worth rooting for.

[Beth Brackett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Getting sloppy

So they have the second girl safe but at no point do they interview her???! Plus the author is relying too much on trying to liven up the story with some sort of action scene that goes wrong but agent grey manages to handle. Also finding the wrong suspect first in every story is already getting to be a tired gimmick for the author. I still like the premise of the series & reading along to try to got out who is the killer. I even like that the killer has a code of ethics. But might not finish the series if the author continues being boring.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya goes after another required cold case assigned by her sister’s kidnapper. This time the victim was connected to hearing restoration specialists and their nurses. Maya questioned a number of hearing impaired men and the final takedown interrupted a strangler who had to wear special headphones to hear. The Moonlight killer is close and snatches the killer Maya captured right out of police custody. Yet another bunny suffers and Maya gets a message from her sister. Another poor bunny is in terror and pays the price for her disobedience.

[Cynthia A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya against the clock

Maya is given another crime to solve concerning the killer because he did not commit this murder. Someone else was using his name to get away with murder. This time Maya only has three days to solve this murder before two women are killed if she doesn’t.
Lots of suspense as usual and Maya is getting frazzled. Will she save the women? Looking forward to the next book.

[Samantha Buckle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook
Ditto on everything about book two!
The ending of the book in two rings even more true than the last in the start of this book.
Every detail is important to the plot, shows how smart and determined Maya Gray is.
The escaped bunny - utterly terrifying - Talon David is TALENTED!
Would recommend.

[Meghan Pier · Rating 4 out of 5]

We definitely are starting to get more clues about who the killer is, and I am trying to put different things in the back of my mind so I don’t forget.
The whole crazy lone wolf thing is getting old and why are all these people running from the FBI? especially the ones that don’t turn out to be the killer? Seems a little bit far fetched..
But I’m interested in the storyline so on to book 4!

[Carrie Esler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3
Similar formula to others in the series, but my least favorite as the MC continues to do things her own way and hide things from her boss and then gets mad when she ignores her lifeline/ not quite partner until it’s convenient for her
I’ll try the next one as I’m curious about the other ‘bunnies’ and her sister, but if it meanders further, I may need a break or will skip ahead a few

[Maegan Cutrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maya Gray is on the hunt again, solving cold cases in order to save the lives of abducted women, as well as her very own sister. But this time while Maya is furiously rushing to close a cold case and save other lives as well, one of the 'bunnies' escapes! Will Maya finally be able to rescue her sister or will time run out, for Megan and the others...

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killer has her sister, a case she can not refused
A copycat who knows her every move
She is a target, without a way to stop him
A chilling plot, that once again catches you
Well written, and enjoy the series
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my
honest opinion

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to demote it to two stars. A high two, to be sure, but still two. Maya is still stupid, and not a team player. I know I've been spoilt by criminal minds, but I can't in good conscience believe what Maya is doing.

[Maxine Santilli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maya triumphs at the nick of time

These books are easy reading but a bit far fetched. A single F.B.I. Agent finding killers. The killer, kidnapper holding all the cards and going across country to track her every move, all the while holding women captive.

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

So far this has been my favorite I liked how there was the copy cat killers point of view...and her point of view on solving the case. I do almost wish it was just one big book & I am also doing it on audible which can take the excitement out of the book sometimes

[Harry · Rating 3 out of 5]

personally the immediate character change for the main character seems about too fast for my liking but that just comes with preference. I can't rate it as highly as the first 2 books. however, the story remains to be very well written with great mystery.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this series the best writing ever? No, but is it really enjoyable to listen to? Definitely.
These books arent top grade police work and the timeline moves alittle fast for me but for a 200pg book its a good story and entertaining

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read…

Molly has done it again !! A spellbinding story, threads carrying through each book.
If you enjoy thrillers then this set of books is for you .
Order it now, it is un-put-a-down-able…..

[Joy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once more FBI Agent Gray sets off to solve murders in the pursuit of finding her sister.