ABOUT THE BOOK:
From the New York Times bestselling author Erica Spindler comes The Other Girl, a chilling new thriller about a ritualistic murder of a college professor that sends a small town cop back into the trauma she thought she’d put behind her.
A horrific crime. One witness—a fifteen year old girl from the wrong side of the tracks, one known for lying and her own brushes with the law.
Is it any surprise no one believed her?
Officer Miranda Rader of the Harmony, Louisiana PD is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis—but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from the town of Jasper, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community.
When Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the brutality of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. The night she’d buried, along with her past and the girl she’d been back then. Until now that grave had stayed sealed…except for those times, in the deepest part of the night, when the nightmares came: of a crime no one believed happened and the screams of the girl they believed didn’t exist.
Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop. Not just any cop—the one who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common—except Miranda.
MY REVIEW:
The Other Girl by Erica SpindlerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Other Girl by Erica Spindler is a 2017 St. Martin’s Press publication.
Quick and uncomplicated novel of suspense-
When a popular college professor, who also happens to be the son of a prominent citizen, is found brutally murdered, small town cop Miranda, (Randi), Rader’s hard- earned road to success takes an abrupt turn.
For starters, the case brings back disturbing memories of a harrowing night, years ago, when Randi was abducted, but made a narrow escape. As she and her partner, Jake, begin investigating the murder, they uncover some unsettling information about the victim. But the powers that be aren’t interested in hearing it. As a matter of fact, it looks as if someone is trying to set Randi up- framing her for the murder…. But why?
Back in the 90s, I read my share of books by Erica Spindler. Unfortunately, I lost track of her for a time. But, over the past couple of years I have added a few of her newer books to my reading list. Unfortunately, they always slipped down the list before I had a chance to reacquaint myself with her books.
However, over the Christmas holidays, I decided to take a break from ARCs and chip away at my ridiculous TBR pile. This book has been sitting on my Kindle for close to two years, so I plucked it from the middle of the heap with eager anticipation. It was just the right book, at the right time for me, as it turned out.
The plot isn’t all that deep, and is quite transparent, to boot. But the atmosphere is creepy, and the twists are effective, despite my having guessed whodunit, and why, well in advance.
In some ways the style of this book is a bit nostalgic to me. The format is very similar to all those romantic suspense novels I gobbled up back in the day. The romance is not the prominent thread in the book, but it is a part of the story, so I think it counts as romantic suspense, although I'm sure it was marketed as a psychological thriller.
Despite some imperfections, I enjoyed this book and fervently wish romantic suspense would return to this format again someday. It used to be one of my favorite genres, and I really do miss it!!
GRAB A COPY HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Other-Girl-Novel-Erica-Spindler-ebook/dp/B01MRBH6A5/
https://www.amazon.com/The-Other-Girl-A-Novel/dp/B072HTT3Z8/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-other-girl-erica-spindler/1124362518
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A New York Times and International bestselling author, Erica Spindler's skill for crafting engrossing plots and compelling characters has earned both critical praise and legions of fans. Her stories have been lauded as “thrill-packed page turners, white- knuckle rides and edge-of-your-seat whodunits.”
Erica loves meeting and interacting with her fans, both in person and online. She has a wicked sense of humor, an optimistic spirit and loves coffee, chocolate and red wine, not necessarily in that order.
In 2002 her novel Bone Cold won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, she received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels Forbidden Fruit and Dead Run and was a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999 Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel Shocking Pink a Listen Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998.
Erica lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.
