When I finished this book I needed a pint of Moose Tracks, a double shot of vodka, and a three-mile run—quite possibly all at once. The Next Girl is an intense ride.
It’s rare to close a book and feel such a mix of emotions and conflicting reactions, and yet every reaction here led me to give it five stars.
Detective Gina Harte leads the investigation after an abandoned baby is found in plain sight. DNA links the infant to a woman who has been missing for four years. The remainder of the novel unravels that mystery while introducing memorable twists and richly drawn characters. Given this book’s #1 status, I’m hopeful the author will continue Gina’s story in a follow-up or a series.
Several elements earned this book five stars. I stayed awake until 2 a.m. because I couldn’t find a good stopping point—that late-to-work walk of shame is a small price to pay for a book that keeps you turning pages. I also appreciated the emotional depth of the character development. Luke’s struggle with guilt as he considers moving on after four years without answers is heartbreaking. I wanted to take his partner out for a supportive girls’ night and a good cry when she realized her choices were being made for her. Reading Debbie’s mother’s thoughts made me want to call my own mother—or hop in the car and drive three hours just to hug her.
The depictions of Debbie’s four-year ordeal are vivid and sometimes difficult to read, but they serve the story. There’s a careful balance here between presenting harrowing events to create an accurate portrait and including details merely for shock value—and the book stays on the right side of that line.
Those qualities are what elevate a novel. On top of that, we get an in-depth look at Gina Harte’s life and motivations. She clearly has more to reveal, and I’m eager to see where the author takes her next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. All opinions are my own.