Review of The Seventh Girl
This police procedural features Kat Ballantyne, veteran Detective Sergeant in Middlehampton, England. In The Seventh Girl, Kat is chasing a serial killer who she believes is responsible for killing her best friend 15 years ago. She is partnered with newby university-schooled Tom Gray for this case. That the evidence in this case points to the same killer is obvious to Kat. Others, such as her pain-in-the-butt boss Carver don’t agree.
The case is personal to Kat which affects her relationships at work and at home. At home there is her husband and teen son who present as a pretty typical family. Proud of what Kat does, but at the same time, resentful of the time it takes her away from them.
The case is full of twists, more deaths, and an ever-increasing urgency to solve. All the while Tom and Kat become a team swapping notes on practical experience and school knowledge. When someone from Kat’s past appears, the case becomes even more complicated.
I enjoyed the puzzle presented by this story. Solving the case alongside Kat was fascinating. I appreciated her family’s perspective on Kat’s life. There is also a possible crooked cop in the department which was hinted at but never fully developed. I would look for that story to show up in a future installment. I wanted more details to be resolved, but I’m not sure this is that kind of book since it is the first book in a new series and the author needs to leave some seeds for future installments.
The Seventh Girl was one of Amazon’s early access editors’ picks for December. As Prime member, I got a free copy. My review is my honest opinion.
****************************
About The Seventh Girl by Andy Maslen
Fifteen years ago, a serial killer was on a rampage murdering young women in Middlehampton. Then, suddenly, the killings stopped, and the murderer was never found…
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?
****************************
Add The Seventh Girl to your Goodread’s shelf:
****************************
Purchase The Seventh Girl: