‘I loved this book… taken…
When the body of teenager, Chantal Price, is found hidden inside a grave, crushed under the weight of a coffin in a small-town cemetery in The Lake District, an urgent call is made to Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams. In hiding since an attempt on her own life, all Beth’s instincts tell her that it’s a trap, that she should run for safety. But one look at the beautiful girl’s broken body confirms she’s the only one with the expertise to crack this disturbing case.
As threatening gifts start arriving at her home, Beth is faced with the reality that Chantal’s killer knows about her past and wants her attention. She has no choice but to throw herself into her work, trawling through the evidence until she finds tiny traces of material beneath the victim’s fingernails that set the team on the right path. But this critical lead comes at a dangerous price, exposing Beth’s whereabouts and dragging her back into the line of fire once again.
With Beth’s own life on the line, the investigation is already cracking under the pressure. But this time Beth won’t run – she owes it to Chantal.
Then another local girl goes missing…
An absolutely gripping new crime thriller that will grab fans of Patricia Gibney, LJ Ross and Angela Marsons from the very first page and leave them gasping for breath by the last.
Readers adore The Girl in the Grave!
‘Outstanding… Well plotted, gripping in the true sense of the word and a real thriller. This story grabbed me from page one and held me all the way through. One of my favourite summer reads to date!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘It was nail biting… I was completely blindsided when the truth was finally revealed… I loved the speed with which I turned the pages… I want book 2 as soon as possible.’ Book Reviews by Shalini, 5 stars
‘A humdinger of a Crime Thriller that grabs you and draws you in from the brilliantly written and powerful opening scene to the nail-biting, butt-clenching finale… Fabulous first in the series, tightly plotted, gritty narrative and very believable, engaging characters… I look forward to more in the series – loved it and would certainly recommend.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘Oh wow! This is such a gripping read, I was hooked from the first page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Fabulous start to a new series… the pace just doesn’t let… the wonderful Helen Phifer has a knack of drawing you in to a story with characters… for the life of me I couldn’t work out who the perpetrator was!!… this is definitely going to be a winner!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘A one in a million… it’s written well and feels truly original… it’s like nothing I’ve read before. So excited for the next one!’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘An intriguing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Lots of twists that will keep you guessing… will keep you turning the pages!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn’t put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 starsmore
Great suspense novel. I hope more will be out soon.
This book kept me interested from beginning to end.
Good read
I read this on my Kindle in a very short time and I don’t read very fast. It was entertaining and I didn’t suspect who the killer was until the very end. I was very surprised!!
I never guessed who the killer was…..great mystery and story.
Beth Adams is a Forensic Pathologist called out when the body of a teenage girl is found hidden inside someone else’s grave.
Traumatized by an attempt on her life several years ago, she has been in hiding in fear behind secure gates and a panic room. Beth decides its time to take back her life, but as she exposes where she is, she’s dragged back into her attacker’s line of fire once more.
Only Detective Josh Walker knows what this case is causing her. Walker is having his own problems while the case is going nowhere.
And then another girl disappears ….
This is a well-written police procedure featuring Dr. Beth Adams in the first of what I’m hoping for is a long series. The story premise is finely crafted with enough twists and turns to keep the reader taking a gander at what’s going to happen next. The characters are credible and memorable. The ending is unpredictable and explosive.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
An amazing first book in a new series. I love how well the introduction of the characters is and how Beth is a normal woman with anxieties and not some superhero. I hope her friendship with ? is becoming something more over time because she deserves some good in her life after everything she had to endure. There is a lot of mystery and guessing to the story, a lot of possible murder candidates. Loved it and highly recommend the book.
Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams is called to one of the most bizarre scenes. A scheduled exhumation has revealed a female body underneath the coffin. How could a body be under the coffin? Why did the funeral staff not notice the body prior to lowering the coffin? These are questions Beth must help answer as well as who was the young woman? Beth is still dealing with her intense fear, after an attempt was made on her life, by installing a security system with cameras and a safe room in her home. She has even taken self-defense classes hoping to overcome her fear. Further unexplainable incidents make her realize that someone is still stalking her, but it can’t be her former lover who is now in prison. Who could be after her and why? The only person Beth completely trusts is her friend Detective Josh Walker. Can Josh solve the case of the murdered girl and keep Beth safe? A very twisted mystery with an ending that was a total surprise. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
The Girl in the Grave by author Helen Phifer is the first in the Beth Adams series. Elizabeth Adams is a forensic pathologist who is also a survivor of domestic violence. Her live-in boyfriend Robert, who was an orthopedic surgeon is serving time in prison for attempting to murder her. Beth fights her fears each day to become stronger and to try to live a normal life. An order to exhume a body is received for analysis and DS Josh Walker is called in when the body of a young woman is found in the bottom of the grave under the coffin. No one knows how she got there or if it is any connection to the burial of Florence Wright, an older woman who had died of natural causes due to complications of pneumonia. The story is a psychological thriller with Beth and Josh as the main characters. I was so pleased to read a very good thriller with good characters, scary scenes, and no obscene language. I am anxiously awaiting the next Beth Adams suspense thriller!
Publication Date: July 16, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.