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Detective Kat Ballantyne #1
The Seventh Girl
She thought he was gone. She was wrong.
Fifteen years ago a serial killer was on a rampage murdering young women in Middlehampton. Then the killings stopped, and the murderer evaded the police.
So when the body of another young woman is found bearing the twisted killer’s unique hallmark—the overpowering stench of lavender and an origami heart—DS Kat Ballantyne knows this can only mean one thing: the killer is back.
For Kat, whose best friend was the killer’s last victim all those years ago, this is deeply personal. She’ll stop at nothing to prevent more women dying and bring her friend’s murderer to justice. But the scent has gone cold once before. Kat will need all the help she can get in her investigation as she hunts down leads and encounters dead ends and horrifying twists.
With time running out, can she finally crack the case and put a stop to the killings—or will she be the next victim?
Fifteen years ago a serial killer was on a rampage murdering young women in Middlehampton. Then the killings stopped, and the murderer evaded the police.
So when the body of another young woman is found bearing the twisted killer’s unique hallmark—the overpowering stench of lavender and an origami heart—DS Kat Ballantyne knows this can only mean one thing: the killer is back.
For Kat, whose best friend was the killer’s last victim all those years ago, this is deeply personal. She’ll stop at nothing to prevent more women dying and bring her friend’s murderer to justice. But the scent has gone cold once before. Kat will need all the help she can get in her investigation as she hunts down leads and encounters dead ends and horrifying twists.
With time running out, can she finally crack the case and put a stop to the killings—or will she be the next victim?
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2023
5287 people are currently reading
13928 people want to read
About the author
Andy Maslen
72 books514 followersMILLION COPY BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR KINDLE STORYTELLER AWARD
Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time.
Readers praise Andy's novels for their relatable characters, realistic dialogue, sense of place and kinetic action sequences, and for his meticulous research into police procedure around the world.
He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Kat Ballantyne, Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories.
Andy was born in Nottingham, England. After leaving university with a degree in psychology, he worked in business for thirty years as a copywriter. In his spare time, he plays the guitar. He lives in Wiltshire.
Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time.
Readers praise Andy's novels for their relatable characters, realistic dialogue, sense of place and kinetic action sequences, and for his meticulous research into police procedure around the world.
He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Kat Ballantyne, Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories.
Andy was born in Nottingham, England. After leaving university with a degree in psychology, he worked in business for thirty years as a copywriter. In his spare time, he plays the guitar. He lives in Wiltshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 656 reviews
June 5, 2024
Well well well DS Kat Ballantyne……….. I did enjoy this book a lot and I have pre-ordered the next two in the series.
I felt for a first book in what is clearly going to be at least a 3 book series there should be more character development than there was, it was more of a sprinkling than anything, but I’m aware this could be a plot to get you to buy into book 2! The storyline was gripping, I wanted to know how it ended and I’m looking forward to potentially having another long-standing series to look forward to new releases for each year!
I would recommend and I look forward to seeing how DS Ballantyne develops in future books!
I felt for a first book in what is clearly going to be at least a 3 book series there should be more character development than there was, it was more of a sprinkling than anything, but I’m aware this could be a plot to get you to buy into book 2! The storyline was gripping, I wanted to know how it ended and I’m looking forward to potentially having another long-standing series to look forward to new releases for each year!
I would recommend and I look forward to seeing how DS Ballantyne develops in future books!
June 25, 2023
This was 4.5 stars
I think reviewing crime/thriller books are one of the most difficult tasks a reviewer faces because what should you write without giving up the twist or the ending?
But I’ll try my best
This is the first book in the Detective Kat Ballantyne series by Andy Maslen and I am hooked.
Kat lost her best friend, live, to a psychotic serial killer – The Origami Killer – 15 years ago. This affected her so much that she decided to join the forces and become a detective in order to solve the case. However, the killer has disappeared all these years, but suddenly he resumes his killing spree and Kat is on deadline to catch him/her before the body count increases.
Since this is a series, we are introduced to several characters whom I think will play major roles in the upcoming books hopefully.
Kat, with the help of her newly appointed partner Tom who has a past secret of his own, goes through the methodical and unmethodical process to find out the serial killer. During this, many twists and turns are revealed.
What I liked about the book is that, if you are an avid thriller/crime reader, it was not easy to guess who the killer was. You would guess one person only to be thrown off the line.
I also loved all the investigation procedures we pick up while reading. It was watching an episode of CSI. The author truly did his work on how an investigation and interrogation should occur.
But what I most enjoyed was how the book presented the detectives as humans who err. Usually, we perceive Law upholders as godly or people who would never make mistakes in work or in their personal lives. This was not the case here. Kat, though very good in her line and smart, is flawed. So are the other characters.
The book doesn’t have overly descriptive paragraphs or the long monologues we usually encounter in psychological thrillers. So it was easy to follow the storyline without feeling bored.
What I didn’t like was that one twist in particular didn’t feel relevant to the story whether it happened or not. Maybe it was intended for future books? We’ll have to wait and see.
Also, there was a piece of evidence that wasn’t explained which was very important and I think it was a plot hole in the book.
I enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely continue reading about Detective Kat
“Thank you NetGalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own”
I think reviewing crime/thriller books are one of the most difficult tasks a reviewer faces because what should you write without giving up the twist or the ending?
But I’ll try my best
This is the first book in the Detective Kat Ballantyne series by Andy Maslen and I am hooked.
Kat lost her best friend, live, to a psychotic serial killer – The Origami Killer – 15 years ago. This affected her so much that she decided to join the forces and become a detective in order to solve the case. However, the killer has disappeared all these years, but suddenly he resumes his killing spree and Kat is on deadline to catch him/her before the body count increases.
Since this is a series, we are introduced to several characters whom I think will play major roles in the upcoming books hopefully.
Kat, with the help of her newly appointed partner Tom who has a past secret of his own, goes through the methodical and unmethodical process to find out the serial killer. During this, many twists and turns are revealed.
What I liked about the book is that, if you are an avid thriller/crime reader, it was not easy to guess who the killer was. You would guess one person only to be thrown off the line.
I also loved all the investigation procedures we pick up while reading. It was watching an episode of CSI. The author truly did his work on how an investigation and interrogation should occur.
But what I most enjoyed was how the book presented the detectives as humans who err. Usually, we perceive Law upholders as godly or people who would never make mistakes in work or in their personal lives. This was not the case here. Kat, though very good in her line and smart, is flawed. So are the other characters.
The book doesn’t have overly descriptive paragraphs or the long monologues we usually encounter in psychological thrillers. So it was easy to follow the storyline without feeling bored.
What I didn’t like was that one twist in particular didn’t feel relevant to the story whether it happened or not. Maybe it was intended for future books? We’ll have to wait and see.
Also, there was a piece of evidence that wasn’t explained which was very important and I think it was a plot hole in the book.
I enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely continue reading about Detective Kat
“Thank you NetGalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own”
December 11, 2023
I thought this novel was okay, but I didn't like Kat very much. She wasn't the best detective and made questionable decisions. She even obtained evidence illegally. Also, I'm sick of the female cop having a male boss who doesn't like her and constantly badgers her and generally makes her life harder. It's a bit tiring. The storyline was interesting enough, but the pacing was slow, and I found myself bored. Kat didn't even figure out the killer by doing great detective work. She only realized who it was by accident. This wasn't a bad novel, but it wasn't for me, and I don't think I'll continue on with the series.
November 14, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
Overall I found this serial killer who dunnit crime book to be ok. The things I enjoy is the serial killer coming back after along hiatus. I also thought it was interesting how Kat was connected to the serial killer and how it molded her life moving forward.
What didn't work for my was the pacing. For me it just was really slow and it I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I don't think I'll be continuing with this series.
If you enjoy crime books and the slower pace isn't a problem. I think there is an audience that will really enjoy this book. It has a lot of positives even if this wasn't for me.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
Overall I found this serial killer who dunnit crime book to be ok. The things I enjoy is the serial killer coming back after along hiatus. I also thought it was interesting how Kat was connected to the serial killer and how it molded her life moving forward.
What didn't work for my was the pacing. For me it just was really slow and it I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I don't think I'll be continuing with this series.
If you enjoy crime books and the slower pace isn't a problem. I think there is an audience that will really enjoy this book. It has a lot of positives even if this wasn't for me.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
February 10, 2024
Overall
Do Not Read.
This is the worst Amazon First Reads book I have ever read.
Andy Maslen spends too much time pandering and not enough time developing an actually plot that makes sense. There is no story here. Nothing happens in this case until the very end when Detective Kat Ballantyne stumbles across the killer though sheer luck.
Review
Do Not Read.
This is the worst Amazon First Reads book I have ever read.
Andy Maslen spends too much time pandering and not enough time developing an actually plot that makes sense. There is no story here. Nothing happens in this case until the very end when Detective Kat Ballantyne stumbles across the killer though sheer luck.
Review
December 15, 2023
Overall the story was ok.
The whole thing with the childhood best friend was far-fetched, awkward and unnecessary.
I didn’t like Kat: she broke rules, cut corners, impeded the investigation and acted impulsively. She had obvious extreme conflict and animosity with her family and also her boss, but none of it was explained.
As seems to be all the rage these days, all the males were just awful: sexist and corrupt (except her husband) and only Kat and her female supervisor were capable of doing their jobs. And of course any successful wealthy character was slimy and vile. Oh, and conservatives are bad.
Couple potshots at the police, of course, and as an officer of the law, Kat’s only real concern with prostitution is that the ‘sec workers’ be safe, because all they’re really trying to do is make a little money? Ughhh.
This is the first in a series and it’s clear that the author was laying the groundwork for future installments, but I just don’t care enough to follow along.
The whole thing with the childhood best friend was far-fetched, awkward and unnecessary.
I didn’t like Kat: she broke rules, cut corners, impeded the investigation and acted impulsively. She had obvious extreme conflict and animosity with her family and also her boss, but none of it was explained.
As seems to be all the rage these days, all the males were just awful: sexist and corrupt (except her husband) and only Kat and her female supervisor were capable of doing their jobs. And of course any successful wealthy character was slimy and vile. Oh, and conservatives are bad.
Couple potshots at the police, of course, and as an officer of the law, Kat’s only real concern with prostitution is that the ‘sec workers’ be safe, because all they’re really trying to do is make a little money? Ughhh.
This is the first in a series and it’s clear that the author was laying the groundwork for future installments, but I just don’t care enough to follow along.
June 26, 2023
I love a good crime thriller, and this one did not disappoint. From start to finish, I was hooked. I loved Kat's passion for finding out who the Origami killer was, and what a name that was. The killer wasn't obvious and I like trying to figure out who it was. I love that this will be a series so the other characters can be flushed out more, Tom was very intriguing to me. I felt bad for Kat in thinking her best friend was a victim of the serial killer. I received this book from Netgalley as a Read Now, in exchange for an honest review. I'm already looking forward to the next in the series, and now want to read more of his other novels!
May 7, 2024
One of the most poorly written police procedurals I’ve ever read, featuring a ridiculously histrionic and unprofessional protagonist in a “mystery” that could’ve been better plotted by AI. The whole point of a procedural is to let clues lead you to the criminal—not to have the detective come up with a hunch 2/3 of the way through the book, since you’re trying to fulfill a word count and it’s just about time to start wrapping things up! Finished it only to satisfy the Kindle achievement of “completing the first book within a customer favorite series.” Will never pick up the second.
July 23, 2024
4 Lavender stars!!
When the body of a young woman is found Detective Kat Ballantyne is taken back 15 years to when her best friend was murdered, this body had all the same signatures of the serial killer dubbed 'The Origami killer'. That was so long ago though, could it be possibly be the same killer?
It was starting to get a bit slow and I was losing interest but then there was a major twist........
I really enjoyed this book, the mystery and the characters were great!
When the body of a young woman is found Detective Kat Ballantyne is taken back 15 years to when her best friend was murdered, this body had all the same signatures of the serial killer dubbed 'The Origami killer'. That was so long ago though, could it be possibly be the same killer?
It was starting to get a bit slow and I was losing interest but then there was a major twist........
I really enjoyed this book, the mystery and the characters were great!
June 1, 2025
This was a pretty good mystery-thriller. The MC, Kat Ballantyne, is an excellent detective. She was desperate to solve a serial killer case despite so many people telling her to let it go since it had been so many years ago. The killings start up again, though, and Kat is right on it. I enjoyed her determination and dedication. I look forward to continuing in this series to see what she does next!
January 5, 2024
Weak and boring
I struggled to get through this book and only finished because I couldn't understand the reviews and thought I must be missing something, surely it improves by the end. Sadly, I was wrong.
My first inkling that this book wasn't up to scratch was in chapter 4, where Kat's rumoured shrine to the Origami Killer was mentioned... just two chapters before the author stated that only Kat and her husband knew of her private murder board, so how could there be a rumour?
From there, it just got worse. Every mentor or partner Kat has ever had, and every 'good' cop mentioned in the story, was female, except the newbie carrying her bag. This is highly unlikely in a male dominated profession. Every bad cop was male, except Kat herself, who has highly questionable and illegal investigative and procedural practices. She's also always 'right' and only needs outside options to confirm what she already knows. She places no value in any other profession because she's already figured out all the answers without the need for a complete examination of the evidence.
There were so many random skips to the next day that time felt disjointed and also lots of side plots that had no relevance to the story and felt like filler.
Overall, I found the writing lazy and stereotypical. The dialogue didn't flow naturally, and the author kept trying to use slang and jargon that came across as inauthentic. I really wish I'd gone with my gut and stopped at chapter 4.
I struggled to get through this book and only finished because I couldn't understand the reviews and thought I must be missing something, surely it improves by the end. Sadly, I was wrong.
My first inkling that this book wasn't up to scratch was in chapter 4, where Kat's rumoured shrine to the Origami Killer was mentioned... just two chapters before the author stated that only Kat and her husband knew of her private murder board, so how could there be a rumour?
From there, it just got worse. Every mentor or partner Kat has ever had, and every 'good' cop mentioned in the story, was female, except the newbie carrying her bag. This is highly unlikely in a male dominated profession. Every bad cop was male, except Kat herself, who has highly questionable and illegal investigative and procedural practices. She's also always 'right' and only needs outside options to confirm what she already knows. She places no value in any other profession because she's already figured out all the answers without the need for a complete examination of the evidence.
There were so many random skips to the next day that time felt disjointed and also lots of side plots that had no relevance to the story and felt like filler.
Overall, I found the writing lazy and stereotypical. The dialogue didn't flow naturally, and the author kept trying to use slang and jargon that came across as inauthentic. I really wish I'd gone with my gut and stopped at chapter 4.
February 1, 2024
My Kindle First choice of the month of November.....it would be a 5* read but I read the author was a copywriter in a prior career so ought to have spotted the odd error that I noticed.....and I've never been in the business proper !! My main gripe was where he persistently left question marks off the end of sentences where they were warranted......irritated me so much and there were a lot....I gave up highlighting them in the end !!
The story was a great opener to a new series and one I will stick with. He writes dead likeable characters, especially our leading lady Kat. She comes across really well indeed. I greatly enjoyed her sense of humour, too. (As an aside, it's a pity we don't sometimes have photos of characters as the dishy new pathologist sounded right up my street, even down to the wee Freud quote he texted) !!
I was with Ivan regarding his thoughts on Kat's pal Liv......I'll say no more as fellow readers will reach their own conclusions. Tom's past is something I am fascinated by as well, and I'm curious enough to definitely read the next in the series.
Things I spotted were his writing about 'gosh-gollying' when the expression is usually said the other way around. I didn't know what a bagman or woman was so googled that. I owe the author an apology as I was sure he'd spelt Spider wrong. I always thought Alfa Romeo spelt it as Spyder !! He did do the capitalising of the word black, however, which always gets my back up. I'm aware it's the latest little PC foible but see it as needless and just irritating. At one point Linda refers to the original six murders when there were seven, which someone ought to have picked up on.
He misses the apostrophe from Ladies' more than once......now, examples of those omitted question marks...."How about you, Tom" or "Then why aren't you eating" or "Can I see, please"....you get the idea. This sentence lost a word, "Why do say that ?"
I howled with laughter at Kat's take on murder suspects sitting slumped with their legs wide apart, however !!
All in all, a terrific story with a couple of proper shocks in it but just let down a bit by the nitpicky mistakes I happened upon.
The story was a great opener to a new series and one I will stick with. He writes dead likeable characters, especially our leading lady Kat. She comes across really well indeed. I greatly enjoyed her sense of humour, too. (As an aside, it's a pity we don't sometimes have photos of characters as the dishy new pathologist sounded right up my street, even down to the wee Freud quote he texted) !!
I was with Ivan regarding his thoughts on Kat's pal Liv......I'll say no more as fellow readers will reach their own conclusions. Tom's past is something I am fascinated by as well, and I'm curious enough to definitely read the next in the series.
Things I spotted were his writing about 'gosh-gollying' when the expression is usually said the other way around. I didn't know what a bagman or woman was so googled that. I owe the author an apology as I was sure he'd spelt Spider wrong. I always thought Alfa Romeo spelt it as Spyder !! He did do the capitalising of the word black, however, which always gets my back up. I'm aware it's the latest little PC foible but see it as needless and just irritating. At one point Linda refers to the original six murders when there were seven, which someone ought to have picked up on.
He misses the apostrophe from Ladies' more than once......now, examples of those omitted question marks...."How about you, Tom" or "Then why aren't you eating" or "Can I see, please"....you get the idea. This sentence lost a word, "Why do say that ?"
I howled with laughter at Kat's take on murder suspects sitting slumped with their legs wide apart, however !!
All in all, a terrific story with a couple of proper shocks in it but just let down a bit by the nitpicky mistakes I happened upon.
November 10, 2023
Oh wow this was heck of a brilliant read and one that kept me gripped throughout.
This is a new author for me so am thrilled to see that this is just book one of a new series and I can’t wait for the next book. I loved the main character DS Kat Ballantyne she was wonderfully written with plenty of flaws to her character but a genuinely excellent police officer. There are plenty of other great characters and it feels like there will be a lot more to come from them in any future books. I love it when I read a book that I just can’t fault and this was one of them the writing , the plot line, the dialogue all were so very real and were well crafted.
So a fabulous read one that is not to be missed if you love a great police procedural with a cat of super characters. Massive thanks to Andy Maslen for a superb read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing Uk and Thomas and Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a new author for me so am thrilled to see that this is just book one of a new series and I can’t wait for the next book. I loved the main character DS Kat Ballantyne she was wonderfully written with plenty of flaws to her character but a genuinely excellent police officer. There are plenty of other great characters and it feels like there will be a lot more to come from them in any future books. I love it when I read a book that I just can’t fault and this was one of them the writing , the plot line, the dialogue all were so very real and were well crafted.
So a fabulous read one that is not to be missed if you love a great police procedural with a cat of super characters. Massive thanks to Andy Maslen for a superb read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing Uk and Thomas and Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 11, 2024
Ok so are we just forgetting about the bff who is actually alive because she faked her death for LITERALLY NO REASON
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2024
4.0 stars. Amazon First Reads choice by an new author for me. Interesting start to a new series. Brit Detective Kat Ballantyne has a serial killer to find who has resurfaced from the past. This is personal for Kat, as her best friend, Liv, was murdered by this killer years ago. The pacing is slow at times but not unusual in the first book of a new series where the author is establishing relationships and setting the stage. Her boss is a jerk, and has ties to her estranged father, which I'm guessing, we'll find out more about later. There was a big surprise revealed about mid way, but even though its explained I never felt comfortable with it and neither does Kat. Wondering if this is something else to be more developed later in other books. Kat's solving this case isn't step by step perfect, she goes off in several different directions with a handful of suspects before ultimately solving the case.
Overall the story was interesting and leaves me curious about what happens next with Kat.
Overall the story was interesting and leaves me curious about what happens next with Kat.
February 24, 2024
Read this book only if you are a devotee of the following tropes:
*The main character, a detective, takes unethical and illegal steps to solve the case because she Takes It Personally.
*She Takes It Personally because her high school best friend was murdered by probably the same suspect that she is looking for now.
*She has an entire room in her house (shared with husband and son) devoted to her Secret Years-Long Investigation into her friend's death.
*The dead best friend turns out to have....Faked Her Death. (Her body was never found; a photo sent to the police showed her being dead.) She shows up out of nowhere to tell the detective, disappears immediately after, and it takes pages and pages and days and days for the detective to even THINK about investigating the friend's story.
*A serial killer has an Elaborate Murder Procedure that traces back to his Mommy Issues.
*The detective's boss turns out to be a Dirty Cop. But that's never followed up on.
A couple other annoyances: The non-dead best friend tells TIP detective that "this girl I knew back then told me X", X being the exact info she needed in order to fake her death. We, the readers, have recently been told this this friendship was the Very Best Friendship Ever Had By Anyone, so wouldn't the detective have known "this girl"? Wouldn't you have thought she would ask that question, or at least get a name? You would have, but she didn't.
Also, the story uses bite mark evidence to help solve the crime. Bite mark evidence is junk science, unreliable, and rarely accepted in court any more. Yet here is is in all its non-glory, including a plastic impression of the suspect's teeth, obtained from his dentist. Obviously, the cops consulted by the author while writing this book were Bad At Their Jobs.
*The main character, a detective, takes unethical and illegal steps to solve the case because she Takes It Personally.
*She Takes It Personally because her high school best friend was murdered by probably the same suspect that she is looking for now.
*She has an entire room in her house (shared with husband and son) devoted to her Secret Years-Long Investigation into her friend's death.
*The dead best friend turns out to have....Faked Her Death. (Her body was never found; a photo sent to the police showed her being dead.) She shows up out of nowhere to tell the detective, disappears immediately after, and it takes pages and pages and days and days for the detective to even THINK about investigating the friend's story.
*A serial killer has an Elaborate Murder Procedure that traces back to his Mommy Issues.
*The detective's boss turns out to be a Dirty Cop. But that's never followed up on.
A couple other annoyances: The non-dead best friend tells TIP detective that "this girl I knew back then told me X", X being the exact info she needed in order to fake her death. We, the readers, have recently been told this this friendship was the Very Best Friendship Ever Had By Anyone, so wouldn't the detective have known "this girl"? Wouldn't you have thought she would ask that question, or at least get a name? You would have, but she didn't.
Also, the story uses bite mark evidence to help solve the crime. Bite mark evidence is junk science, unreliable, and rarely accepted in court any more. Yet here is is in all its non-glory, including a plastic impression of the suspect's teeth, obtained from his dentist. Obviously, the cops consulted by the author while writing this book were Bad At Their Jobs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2024
Detective Kat's friend was murdered fifteen years ago by a serial killer, prompting Kat to always keep an eye out on the case. When a body turns up with the same markings - an origami heart and the smell of lavender - Kat takes it upon herself to make sure the baddie gets behind bars once and for all.
This book was great! Sure, it was far fetched in some scenarios however I still found it entertaining. The Seventh Girl is the first book in a series of new crime thrillers that follows Detective Kat Ballantyne. Considering how much I enjoyed this book, I am already hanging out for book two!
This book is available on Kindle Unlimited.
This book was great! Sure, it was far fetched in some scenarios however I still found it entertaining. The Seventh Girl is the first book in a series of new crime thrillers that follows Detective Kat Ballantyne. Considering how much I enjoyed this book, I am already hanging out for book two!
This book is available on Kindle Unlimited.
June 19, 2024
A gripping read that even made me laugh out loud, in places. There’s a lot of very realistic language used which is relatable.
The narration of this story was great too.
It’s refreshing to have a lead character who isn’t a cliche: having an affair/marital problems/struggling with being a female in the police force.
Nice touch with the what3words, too 😉
Some authors who write many books, tend to have poorly written stories with wonky, rushed endings; not so with Andy Maslen, his books are well researched and he writes really well from the perspective of the opposite sex which can’t be easy to do. Onto the next in the series now, thanks to Kindle Unlimited.
The narration of this story was great too.
It’s refreshing to have a lead character who isn’t a cliche: having an affair/marital problems/struggling with being a female in the police force.
Nice touch with the what3words, too 😉
Some authors who write many books, tend to have poorly written stories with wonky, rushed endings; not so with Andy Maslen, his books are well researched and he writes really well from the perspective of the opposite sex which can’t be easy to do. Onto the next in the series now, thanks to Kindle Unlimited.
August 16, 2024
It’s fine. Rated up from 2.5 ⭐️
Con:
The pacing, Liv is absolutely a usless character (literally there to distract you from the slow pace and/or lack of story progression) and the random family drama that was so out of place.
Pro:
I finished it and the ending was entertaining enough.
I don’t see myself reading the rest of the series.
Con:
The pacing, Liv is absolutely a usless character (literally there to distract you from the slow pace and/or lack of story progression) and the random family drama that was so out of place.
Pro:
I finished it and the ending was entertaining enough.
I don’t see myself reading the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2024
Book 1 in the DS Kat Ballantyne series. A great start to the series! A great plot that had you guessing throughout, looking forward to the next one !
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon publishing for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon publishing for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 4, 2024
I will definitely read the next book in this series.
January 23, 2025
Really enjoyed this. Liked Kat as a main, female character and thought the storyline was good and flowed well. I enjoy books with lots of police procedures in them. Definitely want to read the rest of the books in this series.
December 21, 2023
Very good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2025
Random free download book from prime actually turned out to be very enjoyable !! Didn’t find myself guessing the plot with all the twists, basic enough criminal minds vibe in the end but a good story all the same
December 4, 2023
Rating: 2.8/5
I have to confess that I can be prone to having misgivings about reading police procedurals - particularly ones that revolve around yet another serial killer. There are so many run of the mill examples out there that are melodramatic in the extreme, hackneyed, stereotypical, and invariably feature a two-dimensional maverick lead detective with an all too predictable character flaw. "The Seventh Girl" left me with mixed feelings. There are certain aspects that are impressive, while there were other elements that caused me to roll my eyes in frustration and disappointment.
This is the first in a new series of books featuring DS Kat Ballantyne. If possible, I prefer to be able to be in at the start of a planned series, as I almost always feel that you are somehow missing out if you try to join the party at a later stage. However, one of the downsides of a series opener is that the author is having to cover a lot of the groundwork and introduce an awful lot of new characters. That is certainly the case here and at times it did feel like there was a degree of overkill with a host of protagonists, each with their own character traits and foibles needing to be assimilated and filed away for future reference.
However, it should be said that the characterisation is generally handled pretty well and author, Andy Maslen, clearly excels at creating natural dialogue and social interaction, which ensures that there is a natural flow to proceedings rather than the wooden stiltedness that can arise in some books. Against that positive point, there were also occasions when it felt a touch overdone and verged on becoming needless filler.
The serial killer mystery itself is quite engrossing, although a couple of developments that ultimately lead to the solving of the case are disappointingly convenient. There is also a part of the storyline that is reminiscent of Bobby Ewing stepping out of the shower in "Dallas" (you will know the section I am referring to when you get there). I am still uncertain as to why the author felt the need to incorporate this particular twist into the plot as it didn't strike me as adding great value - though perhaps he has plans to develop this thread as the series progresses.
On the whole, I would say that I enjoyed enjoyed the experience of reading "The Seventh Girl". In spite of the slightly irritating shortcomings, the strength of the overall impact of the characterisation and well-portrayed interaction between the protagonists ensured that the overall impression was a favourable one.
I have to confess that I can be prone to having misgivings about reading police procedurals - particularly ones that revolve around yet another serial killer. There are so many run of the mill examples out there that are melodramatic in the extreme, hackneyed, stereotypical, and invariably feature a two-dimensional maverick lead detective with an all too predictable character flaw. "The Seventh Girl" left me with mixed feelings. There are certain aspects that are impressive, while there were other elements that caused me to roll my eyes in frustration and disappointment.
This is the first in a new series of books featuring DS Kat Ballantyne. If possible, I prefer to be able to be in at the start of a planned series, as I almost always feel that you are somehow missing out if you try to join the party at a later stage. However, one of the downsides of a series opener is that the author is having to cover a lot of the groundwork and introduce an awful lot of new characters. That is certainly the case here and at times it did feel like there was a degree of overkill with a host of protagonists, each with their own character traits and foibles needing to be assimilated and filed away for future reference.
However, it should be said that the characterisation is generally handled pretty well and author, Andy Maslen, clearly excels at creating natural dialogue and social interaction, which ensures that there is a natural flow to proceedings rather than the wooden stiltedness that can arise in some books. Against that positive point, there were also occasions when it felt a touch overdone and verged on becoming needless filler.
The serial killer mystery itself is quite engrossing, although a couple of developments that ultimately lead to the solving of the case are disappointingly convenient. There is also a part of the storyline that is reminiscent of Bobby Ewing stepping out of the shower in "Dallas" (you will know the section I am referring to when you get there). I am still uncertain as to why the author felt the need to incorporate this particular twist into the plot as it didn't strike me as adding great value - though perhaps he has plans to develop this thread as the series progresses.
On the whole, I would say that I enjoyed enjoyed the experience of reading "The Seventh Girl". In spite of the slightly irritating shortcomings, the strength of the overall impact of the characterisation and well-portrayed interaction between the protagonists ensured that the overall impression was a favourable one.
January 31, 2024
This book was terrible. But I already added a book to my DNF and I didn’t want to add another one.
To start I guess I don’t like first person. I found it quite annoying.
On page 50 I was immediately not interested in reading because the way they described people was by their race which was just unnecessary. It would have made sense if we were talking about the victim but saying the 2 detective got along even though one was white and one was black. I was not a fan of that.
Then there was the twist of Liv coming back, which made me more interested in reading it. But then crickets. She knew the killers secret and that was never brought up why she knew it.
Then making the killer some rando ? Boring. I thought it was going to be the new detective or something. And then her family drama was so irrelevant.
I skimmed through quite literally the last 5 chapters because it was just word fillers and unnecessary to say the least.
Would not recommend.
To start I guess I don’t like first person. I found it quite annoying.
On page 50 I was immediately not interested in reading because the way they described people was by their race which was just unnecessary. It would have made sense if we were talking about the victim but saying the 2 detective got along even though one was white and one was black. I was not a fan of that.
Then there was the twist of Liv coming back, which made me more interested in reading it. But then crickets. She knew the killers secret and that was never brought up why she knew it.
Then making the killer some rando ? Boring. I thought it was going to be the new detective or something. And then her family drama was so irrelevant.
I skimmed through quite literally the last 5 chapters because it was just word fillers and unnecessary to say the least.
Would not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
A bit slow to start and the ending kind of happened at a break neck speed which I usually don’t mind but for this story felt a little out of left field.
My main issue with the book was the overall character development of Kat. She didn’t feel fully fleshed out to me and left a ton of room to be desired. A good quick read but I may not continue the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!
My main issue with the book was the overall character development of Kat. She didn’t feel fully fleshed out to me and left a ton of room to be desired. A good quick read but I may not continue the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!
August 31, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
The plot of the book sounded so intriguing and I thought the book would be so much better. Honestly, the book wasn’t my cup of tea, it was in 3rd person pov but I look past the pov because of how good the book sounded. I wish there was more to it and more to the person who was the origami killer from a psychological standpoint point it makes sense why he was killing and who he targeted but I wish it was someone that blew my mind like someone being close to Kat. It wasn’t a terrible read but I just wish there was more to it all and less slow parts that didn’t make sense. 🤷🏻♀️
Thoughts throughout the book:
9%-
‘But it could be a copycat, couldn’t it?’
‘No, it couldn’t. And you know why?’
‘It was before my time. You know that.’
‘They never released the details of the lavender scent. They just talked about the chopped-off hair and the origami heart, which was weird enough to keep the media happy.’
22%- He’d changed his MO. Not by a lot. But he’d made two significant alterations.
32%- damn, prob a slap in the face for her
Where was this coming from? He’d been delighted when she’d got her promotion. Even after she’d explained the likely impact on their lives, he’d been gung-ho for what he’d called ‘your brilliant career’.
35%-
‘You have the original killer, and somewhere along the line he either picks up an admirer—’
‘Or starts grooming a successor.’
‘Not so much a successor, not exactly. More like someone he can use when he’s not physically up to it anymore.’
Tf am I reading ??
It was me muvver wot made me do it. She useter ’it me wiv one a them lavender wheat pillers.’
36%- wtf just fucking happened 🤯🫨
She left the coffee shop and waited for a gap in the traffic before crossing to meet her dead best friend.
37%- I thought those details weren’t in the paper
‘So you decided to fake your own death and disappear?’
‘It was perfect! Don’t you see? I staged the photo and wrote the letters to the newspaper and the police.’
Kat frowned. ‘But how did you know the details?’
‘It was in the papers, wasn’t it?’
38%- UUUUHHHHHH ?????
Smiling, Kat breathed in her friend’s smell from the blonde hair that framed her face. And caught the faint smell of lavender. She recoiled. ‘What is that?’ ‘What?’
‘That perfume you’re wearing?’
Liv smiled, although she looked nervous, too.
‘It’s probably incense. I burn it in my room at the farm. I’m really into lavender at the moment,’ she said. ‘Did you know it has amazing healing properties?’
57%- okaaaaay theories
1. The killer may be a woman and not a man like they think
2. It could be liv as the origami killer now but i highly doubt she did that when she was younger so maybe she took over for the lady oldfield because she was into lavender and all the other plant stuff
3. I don’t think it is Man old field (idk his first name rn drawing a blank) but I do feel like he knows something what are the odds that 2 of the girls that lived in the Shirley house we killed
4. Oop now it could be his daughter Leanne ??? She makes the origami
60%- mmmmmm 🤔
‘Well,’ he said slowly, ‘that would have been, I suppose, about January 2008. January or February. That’s when the media started calling him the Origami Killer.’
Karl had said seven girls were murdered back in ’08, whereas the actual total was one less. No way would the real killer take credit for a murder that never happened.
73%-
Stefan/Steven. A boy ashamed of his mother’s occupation, who could easily have tweaked his given name.
Wait . . . How old had he been in 2006? Eighteen. Had his first victim been his own mother?
77%- ooop has to be the snack dude
99%- indeed it was the snack dude but I’m not impressed
The plot of the book sounded so intriguing and I thought the book would be so much better. Honestly, the book wasn’t my cup of tea, it was in 3rd person pov but I look past the pov because of how good the book sounded. I wish there was more to it and more to the person who was the origami killer from a psychological standpoint point it makes sense why he was killing and who he targeted but I wish it was someone that blew my mind like someone being close to Kat. It wasn’t a terrible read but I just wish there was more to it all and less slow parts that didn’t make sense. 🤷🏻♀️
Thoughts throughout the book:
9%-
‘But it could be a copycat, couldn’t it?’
‘No, it couldn’t. And you know why?’
‘It was before my time. You know that.’
‘They never released the details of the lavender scent. They just talked about the chopped-off hair and the origami heart, which was weird enough to keep the media happy.’
22%- He’d changed his MO. Not by a lot. But he’d made two significant alterations.
32%- damn, prob a slap in the face for her
Where was this coming from? He’d been delighted when she’d got her promotion. Even after she’d explained the likely impact on their lives, he’d been gung-ho for what he’d called ‘your brilliant career’.
35%-
‘You have the original killer, and somewhere along the line he either picks up an admirer—’
‘Or starts grooming a successor.’
‘Not so much a successor, not exactly. More like someone he can use when he’s not physically up to it anymore.’
Tf am I reading ??
It was me muvver wot made me do it. She useter ’it me wiv one a them lavender wheat pillers.’
36%- wtf just fucking happened 🤯🫨
She left the coffee shop and waited for a gap in the traffic before crossing to meet her dead best friend.
37%- I thought those details weren’t in the paper
‘So you decided to fake your own death and disappear?’
‘It was perfect! Don’t you see? I staged the photo and wrote the letters to the newspaper and the police.’
Kat frowned. ‘But how did you know the details?’
‘It was in the papers, wasn’t it?’
38%- UUUUHHHHHH ?????
Smiling, Kat breathed in her friend’s smell from the blonde hair that framed her face. And caught the faint smell of lavender. She recoiled. ‘What is that?’ ‘What?’
‘That perfume you’re wearing?’
Liv smiled, although she looked nervous, too.
‘It’s probably incense. I burn it in my room at the farm. I’m really into lavender at the moment,’ she said. ‘Did you know it has amazing healing properties?’
57%- okaaaaay theories
1. The killer may be a woman and not a man like they think
2. It could be liv as the origami killer now but i highly doubt she did that when she was younger so maybe she took over for the lady oldfield because she was into lavender and all the other plant stuff
3. I don’t think it is Man old field (idk his first name rn drawing a blank) but I do feel like he knows something what are the odds that 2 of the girls that lived in the Shirley house we killed
4. Oop now it could be his daughter Leanne ??? She makes the origami
60%- mmmmmm 🤔
‘Well,’ he said slowly, ‘that would have been, I suppose, about January 2008. January or February. That’s when the media started calling him the Origami Killer.’
Karl had said seven girls were murdered back in ’08, whereas the actual total was one less. No way would the real killer take credit for a murder that never happened.
73%-
Stefan/Steven. A boy ashamed of his mother’s occupation, who could easily have tweaked his given name.
Wait . . . How old had he been in 2006? Eighteen. Had his first victim been his own mother?
77%- ooop has to be the snack dude
99%- indeed it was the snack dude but I’m not impressed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2024
Who Knew What and When?
Review of the Thomas & Mercer Kindle eBook via Amazon Prime First Reads (December 1, 2023) in advance of the official release in paperback/ebook/audiobook formats (December 1, 2024).
Kat Ballantyne became a detective because her best friend from her teenage years became a victim to the so-called "Origami Killer" who leaves a trademark origami paper-fold at each crime site. After a supposed 7 victims the killer went into hiatus. Now after 15 years, they are back and Ballantyne is now in a position to do something about it. Her superiors doubt her obsession though and think she is wasting time and resources pursuing it.
There are twists to come throughout this novel and one of them relates to the number of early victims involved. As seen in the above quotes, the author (and then the copyeditor and proofreader) was also careless about that. Still, that confusion is eventually explained. Otherwise there were a lot of cliches and stereotypes in this. The dogged detective who is recklessly breaking rules along the way, the unsupportive male boss, the messy family with a "shady" parent, the serial killer who just can't resist leaving clues & collects "trophies" which will help convict them in the end, etc.
On the Berengaria Ease of Solving Scale® this was about a 5 out of 10, as the culprit became obvious after certain evidence (illegally obtained of course) came to light.
Overall I still thought that The Seventh Girl was reasonably well done, even if it was in the tired and overdone serial killer genre. The 2nd Kat Ballantyne book The Unseen Sister is expected to be published May 16, 2024.
Trivia and Links
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
Review of the Thomas & Mercer Kindle eBook via Amazon Prime First Reads (December 1, 2023) in advance of the official release in paperback/ebook/audiobook formats (December 1, 2024).
‘I know that. And between us? I agree with you. He knows the area. He wants to be close to home for afterwards,’ Linda said. ‘He’s old enough to have done the original six and young enough to still be doing the physical side of it.’
Kat nodded her thanks. ‘We have nine victims in total. Seven from before, who I’m calling “the originals”, and two current, who I’m calling “the new girls”. I want to know how their lives intersected.
Kat Ballantyne became a detective because her best friend from her teenage years became a victim to the so-called "Origami Killer" who leaves a trademark origami paper-fold at each crime site. After a supposed 7 victims the killer went into hiatus. Now after 15 years, they are back and Ballantyne is now in a position to do something about it. Her superiors doubt her obsession though and think she is wasting time and resources pursuing it.
There are twists to come throughout this novel and one of them relates to the number of early victims involved. As seen in the above quotes, the author (and then the copyeditor and proofreader) was also careless about that. Still, that confusion is eventually explained. Otherwise there were a lot of cliches and stereotypes in this. The dogged detective who is recklessly breaking rules along the way, the unsupportive male boss, the messy family with a "shady" parent, the serial killer who just can't resist leaving clues & collects "trophies" which will help convict them in the end, etc.
On the Berengaria Ease of Solving Scale® this was about a 5 out of 10, as the culprit became obvious after certain evidence (illegally obtained of course) came to light.
Overall I still thought that The Seventh Girl was reasonably well done, even if it was in the tired and overdone serial killer genre. The 2nd Kat Ballantyne book The Unseen Sister is expected to be published May 16, 2024.
Trivia and Links
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
December 6, 2023
Fifteen years ago, Middlehampton was terrorized when a serial killer dubbed the Origami Killer murdered several young women, their mouths filled with lavender-scented wheat grains and each with a pink origami heart in her left bra cup. Although the killer was never found, the murders stopped abruptly. DS Kat Ballantyne has a personal connection to these cold cases: her best friend was the seventh girl. Now all these years later, when the body of a young women is found in a park bearing all the hallmarks of the earlier victims, Kat knows immediately that the Origami Killer has returned, and she’s determined to hunt him down.
Wow! If you love serial killer thrillers as much as I do, you will not want to miss this one! Twisty, unpredictable, and intricately plotted; when I say I couldn’t put this one down, I mean it! I was reading it while waiting in the pick-up line at school and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it! The serial killer’s M.O. is original and the suspects are plentiful and plausible enough to keep you guessing the whole time. And if you’re skeptical about male authors writing realistic and appealing female characters, let me introduce you to Andy Maslen! I loved DS Kat Ballantyne – she’s fierce and tenacious, but also emotionally vulnerable, as well as slightly morally grey. Best of all, this is the first book in a new series, I already can’t wait to get to know Kat better in future installments!
Fans of Isabella Maldonado or Tami Hoag (one of my all-time favorite serial killer/police procedural authors) will definitely enjoy The Seventh Girl! Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an advance copy of this book.
Wow! If you love serial killer thrillers as much as I do, you will not want to miss this one! Twisty, unpredictable, and intricately plotted; when I say I couldn’t put this one down, I mean it! I was reading it while waiting in the pick-up line at school and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it! The serial killer’s M.O. is original and the suspects are plentiful and plausible enough to keep you guessing the whole time. And if you’re skeptical about male authors writing realistic and appealing female characters, let me introduce you to Andy Maslen! I loved DS Kat Ballantyne – she’s fierce and tenacious, but also emotionally vulnerable, as well as slightly morally grey. Best of all, this is the first book in a new series, I already can’t wait to get to know Kat better in future installments!
Fans of Isabella Maldonado or Tami Hoag (one of my all-time favorite serial killer/police procedural authors) will definitely enjoy The Seventh Girl! Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an advance copy of this book.
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