The Girls on Chalk Hill is the first book in the Detective Lexi Bennett series. It’s also my first time reading the author’s work. Intrigued by the blurb, I quickly signed up for a review copy. Suspense and a well-executed mystery await readers of police procedurals.
The story focuses on Detective Inspector Lexie Bennett and her quest to stop a deranged killer. After her time working with the FBI, Lexie returns home to take up the post as head of Canterbury’s Major Investigation Team. Imagine taking an early morning run and stumbling on the bodies of two teenaged girls with their throats cut. That's Lexie's experience on the morning of her first day working with the task force. Further investigation revealed they were two sisters of a set of triplets and the third sister was missing.
This revelation stirred up painful memories for Lexie as she, too, was one part of a set of triplets. Seventeen years ago, she and her sisters were abducted, but only two survived the ordeal. That experience, along with not knowing what happened to her other sister, haunted her, and she blocked everything from that painful time. Now with her past crashing into her present she has no choice but to relive that terrible night if she hopes to find Paige, the missing sister, before it’s too late....and get justice not only for her sister, Rose but also for the girls found on Chalk Hill.
I thought this was a great start to the series. From the first page, I was completely hooked. Now this investigation would take everything out of Lexie because of her personal connection to the case. So much so she made a few unwise decisions. Her determination combined with her desire for the truth made an excellent detective. However, there were moments when her actions rubbed me the wrong way.Many suspects came on the team’s radar, which made their job a challenge, especially giving the limited time frame they were working with. I loved the villain’s POV. With his POV, readers are aware of his motives and know his moves. Knowledge of his identity, however, remained a mystery to almost the end of the story. This is one of those mysteries where readers and the detective discover the truth at the same time. It would seem he was always one step ahead. He was definitely playing a game of cat and mouse with the police.The tension intensified with each page turn. It kept me on edge as I wondered and hope Lexie will Paige before it’s too late. This addictive and captivating story will have readers turning the pages to learn what happens.Overall, The Girls on Chalk Hill delivered an interesting story which fans of police procedurals will want to add to their reading list.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading