Silent tears trickle down her cheeks as she curls inside the tiny cave-like space. She lies on her side, darkness all around her, rubbing her fingers over the little wooden doll he’d carved. He told her to be quiet, not to cry or scream. Not to be a baby. Her throat was raw, her eyes swollen shut. She wanted her mommy and daddy. She wanted to go home.
When Penny Matthews, a seven-year-old girl … Matthews, a seven-year-old girl with blonde curls and a gap-toothed smile, goes missing in the Appalachian mountains, Detective Ellie Reeves is called straight to the scene. All that’s left behind is a pink friendship bracelet etched with “Penny”.
Thanks to her own childhood––which keeps her up at night, tossing and turning––Ellie knows all too well that the endless miles of dark forest and winding rivers are the perfect place for a criminal to hide, and a little girl doesn’t stand a chance. Racing against a brutal winter storm on the horizon, she searches desperately for Penny.
But when she discovers the remains of a small body, hidden by fallen leaves and wildflowers, the breath is knocked out of her. The old bones, and the carved wooden doll they’re buried with, have clearly been there for years. Ellie fears she’s up against a serial killer who has been stalking the mountains for decades, preying on children.
When Ellie spots tiny footprints near the unearthed grave, she’s certain they belong to Penny. As she begins to untangle the truth, she realizes the monster they’re looking for is connected to her own dark past. To save the little girl she needs to confront her own demons. Can she face her greatest fear before the twisted killer claims another helpless victim?
A totally gripping and utterly addictive new crime-thriller series for readers who love Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. Prepare to stay up way past your bedtime––but be warned: you’ll be scared to turn the lights off after you’ve raced through the pages.
Readers absolutely love The Silent Dolls:
“Oh my freaking gawd!! The Silent Dolls was bloody brilliant… Rita Herron sure knew how to raise my hackles and increase the creep factor with each turn of the page… An UNPUTDOWNABLE book which gripped me.” Book Reviews by Shalini, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow!… I literally haven’t been able to put this book down! This has completely gripped me and been utterly impossible to put down… A superb start to the series, I am gutted I need to wait for the next instalment.” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Oh my word!… What a great storyteller Rita Herron is! From the fabulous plot which quite frankly had me on the edge of my seat throughout to the amazing character development, I am overwhelmed by this book! It was so good!… Oh my goodness! The twists! They kept coming! The final two though were shockers!… This book is an astoundingly well-written novel and I hope many readers pick it up based on my review as it is an absolutely exceptional read!” NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Loved this book! Action packed and with so many twists, had me hooked from start to the end!! The ending was amazing!! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!!!!!!” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow, what a brilliant book… Rollercoaster of emotions… I found it very jumpy in places as I was so engrossed. Don’t read when on your own!” NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This book was so damn good! I just couldn’t put it down until I finished it!… Had me hooked on right from the start… Amazing!!” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Truly brilliant… Right from the first chapter I was hooked and I needed to keep turning the pages… There were times during the book that I felt I was on edge and my heart was bumping. You know a story is good when you start getting physical reactions.” Chells and Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Y’all this book was amazing!… The plot & ending was simply brilliant!… Filled with twists, turns, the unexpected! Had me hooked, to where I could not put it down till I finished and saw what happened next! I honestly don’t think I’ve read a book this year with so many twists to it! But this one here packed the punches!… Every bit of 5 STARS!!!” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Loved it!!!!… A real page turner which I devoured in one sitting. Atmospheric, chilling, creepy and terrifying. A plot full of twists and turns which kept me guessing and constantly changing my mind.” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Breathtaking! This book was a wild ride from the first word to the very last. Just when you think you’ve read the last secret… Boom! Another jaw dropping revelation!” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Amazing… Such a gripping and thrilling book… Had me hooked from start to finish and I read it within a few hours!” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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THE SILENT DOLLS by Rita Herron is great…it will pull you in and never let you go. A twisted tale I couldn’t put down.
Detective Ellis Reeves is called to investigate a missing person … 6-year-old Penny Matthews. The Appalachian Mountains can hide many things … especially a lost child … if they are lost. There are many ‘shadow people’ living off the grid in this area … the forest is dark and the river is deep.
FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox wants to join the hunt, even though he hasn’t been asked to help. His sister disappeared in the same area 20 years ago and has never been found. He’s done a lot of research over the years and has come up with a list of other missing girls. He is certain that a serial killer has been hunting along the trails for at least 25 years.
Ellie refuses to believe that their tight-knit mountain community could be home to a deadly criminal, but even she can’t deny the similarities in the cases. And when they discover the remains of a small body buried with a carved wooden doll, it’s clear they’re up against a deadly serial killer preying on innocent little girls.
With a major snowstorm moving in, it’s imperative that the child is found …and soon.
The plot is intricately woven around substantial characters. It’s action packed from start to finish. The characters are all wounded in some way. Ellie, as a child, got lost in the forest which has left her fearful of the dark. She doesn’t remember much, but she did have her imaginary friend for company. Her parents sent her to therapists for years. Cole is a ranger, a good friend to Ellie. But he has secrets. Where do all his scars come from? He never talks about his past … he has no family that he talks about. And then there’s Derrick …still carrying the guilt of not watching his sister when she disappeared.
Who is the “Watcher” … a man who spends his time looking for human bones? And what are Ellie’s parents keeping from her. As the Sheriff, he should have known about the missing girls. Is he a suspect? Is Cole .. he fits the FBI profile of the killer. The conclusion is totally unexpected. What is it that Ellie can’t remember?
There is a slight cliff hangar which will merge into book 2 …. I hope it becomes available soon.
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.
The Silent Dolls by Rita Herron is the first book following Detective Ellie Reeves. While I felt the book a little slow to start, it started to pick up speed around the 30% mark. Well developed characters that are both likeable and hateable. A twist at the end that I was not expecting at all. While there are a few plot holes, I am hoping they are filled in the second book. Patiently waiting for the follow-up!
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.
Hooked from the beginning. A great story with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. The end leaves you wanting more. Can’t wait until book 2 in this new series by Rita Herron.
Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for the eARC.
Heart racing suspense filled with small town connections, dangerous liaisons and life changing secrets. I did not want to put it down from start to finish!
Detective Ellie Reeves is an intriguing character who at first simply seems like a small town cop looking to solve a missing girl case but quickly turns into so much more as the depth of her characterization takes a turn when secrets from her past are revealed and the support system she has always relied on around her begins to take on a tainted view.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a serial killer story with a lot of mystery as well as a current storyline playing out at the same time that the hunt for a killer is on. I’m looking forward to more in the series for sure.
Hunting a serial killer on the Appalachian Trail is exhausting for detective, Ellie. Why are young girls between five and seven years being targeted? As remains are discovered questions arise as to whether the murderer and the grave digger are the same person. Even though various agencies become involved Ellie has an underlying sense of betrayal as she fights to solve the crimes. Further reading may be needed since this is part of a series.
Detective Ellie Reeves is planning on running for sheriff, a position currently held by her father when several things happen…her father announces that he will be endorsing her arch nemesis, and a little girl goes missing. When an FBI agent shows up with evidence that a serial killer may be in the midst of the small town, Ellie triples her efforts to find the missing girl. However, this small town, and particularly, Ellie’s past holds more secrets than even she knows. Lies and betrayal may hinder Ellie but she won’t give up! Great story and looking forward to the next book!
I was in great need of a book with a mystery, and let me tell you-I found it! I came across this book after searching and searching for something that intrigued me on Amazon. I’m really glad I read it.
This book is a story about a detective named Ellie that has a foggy past. A girl goes missing in her town which causes an uproar, especially after the bodies of other girls are found.
This book kept me on my toes. I found myself guessing who was the culprit and in the end I was completely shocked. I LOVE a book with a twist at the end! And this one has many!
If you are into mystery books with twists and surprises, this should be your next read!
The Silent Dolls was a great start to a new series with an intriguing plot and a great cast of characters.
Detective Ellie Reeves knows how dangerous the Appalachian mountains can be, so when seven-year-old Penny Matthews goes missing, Ellie is immediately on the case. With a winter storm on the way, Ellie is in a race to save the girl before it’s too late. But Special Agent Derrick Fox believes there is more to this case than a little girl wandering off. He believes a killer has been hunting in these mountains for over twenty-five years and has taken over a dozen girls including his younger sister. Ellie has a hard time believing a killer could have lived in her community for so long, but the similarities in the cases are too strong to ignore. With Penny’s life on the line, Ellie and Derrick must work together to stop a killer before he strikes again.
The plot of this book was amazing, with the right mix of creepy and suspenseful. The concept of a serial abductor/killer that focuses on little girls and has been active for over twenty-five years is a terrifying one. It was interesting to me that no one had previously connected the cases as when Derrick lays everything out, it seems clear the cases are connected. The setting of the Appalachian mountains is fantastically done with the forest presenting as a huge, nearly impossible place to search leading to a sense of urgency for Penny to be found. The storm looming on the horizon only adds to the foreboding atmosphere as you know there’s little chance a seven-year-old girl could survive long in the elements. The book had a few surprises along the way and I didn’t expect the ending at all. Overall, the plot was fast-paced, suspenseful, and had just the right amount of action to keep things interesting.
Ellie is an excellent main character as she’s smart, dedicated to her work, and doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do. Her relationship with her parents was interesting and her father being the current sheriff adds to the tension in their relationship. Derrick’s presence definitely affects Ellie’s relationship with her father as her father was the one who investigated Derrick’s sister’s disappearance and he clearly left relevant information out of the files. I liked the dynamics in Ellie and Derrick’s working relationship, but I will say there’s a bit of a romance thrown in that ultimately doesn’t make sense in the story. As to the other characters, Ranger Cord was the most intriguing as the information on his background is very limited. I’m definitely curious to learn more about him and I hope he shows up in future books in the series.
Overall The Silent Dolls was a great read and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Wildflower Graves, when it releases later this year. I highly recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a good mystery thriller.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
There’s a new detective in town, and Ellie Reeves is a force to be reckoned with as she navigates a missing child case that brings up dark memories. I liked how the author jumped right into the story and didn’t waste a lot of time with slogging setups. Something happened to Ellie when she was a child, and her parents think it could still affect her. This is a problem because her dad is the Sheriff, and she wants to replace him when he retires. Questions unravel against the backdrop of a little girl who has gone missing in the forest. There’s a big winter storm barreling down, so time is of the essence. I don’t give away plot points, and with this mystery that would be easy to do. You’ll have to read it for yourself. For a full review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
Another great book by Rita Herron!!!!
Another awesome start to a series that I know will be action-packed, with edge of our seat, page-turning, nail-biting twists and turns carried out by evil characters.
This first book has it all and when that happens, it deserves 5 stars. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Ellie.
#TheSilentDolls #Ellie #Derrick #FamilyTies #Secrets
This was a very good beginning to what I hope is a very long series. Ellie is a strong woman with lots of heart and a VERY HARD head! She gets slammed many times but continues on despite being dizzy etc. Some of this story is a little unrealistic but you also never know what people can endure and accomplish when trying to save someone’s life. That said, the story was pretty much non-stop action and very exciting. Lots of twists and turns and red herrings to keep you on the edge. Looking forward to reading more about Ellie and the AT.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.
The Silent Dolls is the first in a promising new series with a strong female lead. A little girl goes missing and as Detectie Ellie Reeves is on the case even as it triggers visions of her “made up” friend Mae. Special Agent Derrick Fox shows up with a file full of missing girls that all disappeared on the Appalachian Trail eerily similar to the case Ellie is on. A wrench gets thrown in the works as Ellie gets blindsided with twists and secrets she never saw coming. Suspenseful and twisty, the story keeps you on the edge of your seat with the pages turning with some shocking twists and some that you see coming from a mile away. Ellie is a character that I want to revisit and read in a long storied series and I must to know where Ranger Cord McClain received his scars. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
A thoroughly satisfying thriller that takes you on a race against time to save a missing child from an unknown foe and the freak storm that may just hinder the search before it’s even truly begun. It’s well written, suspensful and everything you could want from a thriller. I cannot wait for the next one!
When Penny Matthews, a seven-year-old girl with blonde curls and a gap-toothed smile, goes missing in the Appalachian mountains, Detective Ellie Reeves is called straight to the scene. According to Penny’s parents, their daughter vanished after a picnic by the creek. All that’s left behind is a pink friendship bracelet etched with “Penny”. Ellie knows all too well that the mountains’ endless miles of dark forest and winding rivers are the perfect place for a criminal to hide. Special Agent Derrick Fox is determined to join the hunt. His younger sister, Kim, disappeared in the same area twenty-five years ago––on the day he was meant to be watching her. He’s certain the cases are linked and that over a dozen girls have vanished in the last decade. Ellie refuses to believe that their tight-knit mountain community could be home to a deadly criminal, but even she can’t deny the similarities in the cases. And when they discover the remains of a small body buried with a carved wooden doll, it’s clear they’re up against a deadly serial killer preying on innocent little girls.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & it certainly won’t be the last. I found it to be a book that once I’d started I fond very hard to put down as I was desperate for the outcome. I found it to be an uncomfortable read at times but the twists and turns held me captive. Strong characters & a well paced story added to the enjoyment. A couple of things did stretch my belief but it’s fiction. I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review. This book was phenomenal!! Exceptional writing with fantastically characterized key players in this nefarious story of deceit, lies, and murder. You will not be able to put this book down once you begin reading it. Enjoy!
Full of twists and action: Ellie’s search finds more than a killer
4.5stars
I was really impressed by author Rita Herron’s deft construction of a kidnapping/murder mystery with so many twists, suspects and secrets. Add to that a strong female protagonist who pushed through mental and physical injuries “to get her man.” With exhaustive searches through frigid and snowy terrain, the tension keeps mounting, more mysteries are rooted out, until an action-packed climax and, even after that, the story just keeps giving more twists and shocks right through to the end. The hints of deeper secrets laced through the story made me overconfident that I had the truth worked out: guess again!
I liked Herron’s use of multiple points of view to take us in to the victim’s and murderer’s perspective from time to time, but Herron keeps most of the focus on the heroine detective. Her personal and professional lives are so full of drama that I look forward to more Detective Ellie Reeves stories.
Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.
First off, I would like to point out an error in Chapter 58 – remains are found, and the ME notes that the femur had been broken at some point. One of the officers remarks they may know the identity of the remains based on a prior victim having broken their arm at one point. The femur is the thigh bone, not a bone in the arm. The author should amend that to either the radius or ulna (lower arm) or humerus (upper arm). I am sure this will have been addressed before the book is released.
Rita Herron is a new-to-me author, and despite the anatomy error, I enjoyed this book very much. The story captured me from the very beginning, especially as you learned more about the central character – Ellie Reeves – and her family.
Police work is in Ellie’s blood, and she will do anything to prove to those in charge that she is a capable detective, and worthy of following her father as Sheriff in their small Georgia town. Intriguing characters and a captivating back-story keep the action moving, and several red herrings throw you off until the true suspect is finally revealed. There are several twists that keep you on edge right up to the very end. And even at the end, you’re still left with questions.
I thought this was a good introduction to a new series, and anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists and gritty action should definitely give this one a try.
What a crazy ride through the Appalachian Trail we are taken on in search for a missing girl taken by a serial killer who been killing young girls for 25 years.
I was riveted to the story from page one through to the shocking ending. Which was an ending for somethings but an opened Pandora’s box for others. I hope there isn’t to long a wait for the next book.
Fascinating cast of characters.. Detective Ellie Reeve who is tough as nails in her professional life but suffers from nightmares from a childhood incident that may or may not be tied to her current case.. FBI Agent Derrick Fox whose sister went missing 25 years ago and he thinks was the first victim in a long line of girls taken in the 25 years since. He has been relentless in his pursuit and this current case is as close as he as ever gotten to the killer. Ranger Cord McClain is dark and broody but has helped in many missing person cases in the Appalachian trail. His scars hint at a traumatic childhood but he keeps his secrets close to the vest.
To say much more would be giving spoilers so I will just highly recommend reading this book and patiently wait for the next one.
What a fantastic thriller! A search for little Penny Matthews who disappeared from a picnic with her parents along the Appalachian Trail with a major storm brewing leads to much action and suspense. Detective Ellie Reeves is on the case and willing to face bad weather and any danger to find Penny. Finding out from FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox that he suspected that this case was part of a serial killer case he was investigating floored Ellie. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises as Ellie and Derrick work to find Penny. I really enjoyed this book.