It’s my pleasure to welcome you all to my stop on the blog blitz for The Next Girl by Carla Kovach. My thanks to Noelle at Bookouture for the opportunity!
Author : Carla Kovach
Title : The Next Girl
Series : Detective Gina Harte #1
Pages : 312
Publisher : Bookouture
Publication date : April 2, 2018
Deborah Jenkins pulls her coat around her as she sets out on her short walk home in the pouring rain. But she never makes it home that night. And she is never seen again …
Four years later, an abandoned baby girl is found wrapped in dirty rags on a doorstep. An anonymous phone call urges the police to run a DNA test on the baby. But nobody is prepared for the results.
The newborn belongs to Deborah. She’s still alive.
A newborn baby is found abandoned on the steps of the local library. An anonymous tip leads investigators to run a DNA test on the baby but the results are shocking. The baby’s mother is Deborah Jenkins, who disappeared on her way home from work four years ago. She’s still alive but where is she? Is she in danger? And who made that anonymous phone call? Time is running out!
The Next Girl is the first instalment in a new series featuring Detective Gina Harte. Gina’s had a troublesome but intriguing past and I do so hope that background story will be explored further. Gina has picked herself up, changed her life and is now trying to find a balance between a demanding job and spending enough time with her daughter and granddaughter. But the relationship between Gina and her daughter isn’t an easy one.
This well-paced thriller held my attention from start to finish. Not only do we follow Gina and her team as they investigate Deborah’s disappearance and try to find out where she is. But we also get the point of view from Deborah’s husband Luke. Four years after his wife’s disappearance, he’s met someone he feels a connection to and is raising his children with the help from his mother-in-law. Just when he thinks he can finally take that step into moving on, he gets the news that his wife may still be alive after all this time and that she’s given birth. It’s quite easy to imagine the emotional turmoil that affects him.
I admit I had a few issues with Deborah’s kidnapper. Other than the fact he’s obviously crazy (duh), I couldn’t quite figure out the motivations behind his actions. On top of that, I didn’t feel like he came across as the brightest crayon in the box and I couldn’t help but wonder how he managed to get away with things for as long as he did. I didn’t have a clue as to his identity though so I was left guessing until the reveal, which is always a bonus.
All in all, I really enjoyed this one. Gina is a shining new star in the detective genre and I loved the interactions between her and the rest of the team. As the first book in a new series, this suspenseful read sets the tone for things to come and I look forward to getting to know Gina a lot better in future.
The Next Girl is available for purchase!
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Goodreads
Carla Kovach was born in Birmingham, UK and now resides in Redditch, Worcestershire. Author of supernatural drama ‘Flame,’ psychological thriller ‘To Let,’ crime thriller ‘Whispers Beneath the Pines,’ and holiday comedy, ‘Meet Me at Marmaris Castle.’
Carla also writes stage and screenplays, some of which have been produced in the Worcestershire area. Her feature film ‘Penny for the Guy’ is being made and is set for release in 2019.
Her latest book, The Next Girl, has been published by Bookouture. It is the first in the DI Gina Harte crime series.
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Novel Deelights 
This is my next read. I can’t wait to get to it especially after reading your review. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed it despite the issues with the MC. Fab review!
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Yike! that sounds like a rather scary one! Great review!
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