Detective Katie Scott’s forced two-week vacation takes a turn for the worse from the tense opening scene. Peace and quiet are nowhere to be found for Katie. After a terrified girl knocks on her door, begging for help, Katie discovers something horrifying and immediately contacts the local police.

At first, the police chief is skeptical and sarcastic, but Katie’s presence may have been a sign of providence. Her involvement in the terrible crime she uncovers proves crucial. It soon becomes evident that this won’t be the only murder, and Katie’s experience, beyond her role as a cold case detective, is invaluable.

One thing Katie begins to realize is that something is very wrong in a small town that has boasted no murders in two decades. Why now? What is more is that tragically more murders occur and Katie and those from her police force realize that something sinister is going on and she doesn’t plan on leaving until she stops the killer.

As the series progresses, readers have come to understand how Katie has coped with PTSD after her time in the military and how her canine partner, Cisco, has been invaluable to her. Katie has also faced relationship difficulties, but these may be taking a turn for the better. This dynamic makes the story even more compelling. In fact, it was a one-sitting read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Katie deserves the best, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for her. While this book could work as a standalone novel, as this is a fantastic long-running series, reading it from the beginning would be recommended.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Whispering Girls’, book 14 in the Detective Katie Scott series written by Jennifer Chase, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detective Katie Scott is based at Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Unit and is enjoying what should be a relaxing break in Echo Forest. When a young girl knocks at the door saying she’s found a body Katie follows her and while she waits for the local police department to attend the girl disappears. With the bad weather due to arrive she protects as much of the crime scene as she can while waiting for Chief Cooper but when he’s hospitalised after a cardiac event Katie is asked to take over the investigation with the help of Deputy Sean McGaven and John Blackburn, Pine Valley’s Forensic Supervisor.

‘The Whispering Girls’ is a gripping police thriller where Detective Katie Scott takes over a case in Echo Forest that proves to be the hardest investigation she’s ever been involved in. As the body count rises it becomes impossible to know who to trust, the twists and turns are both unusual and horrific, and the lives of Katie, McGaven and John are put at risk. This is another well-thought-out thriller from the amazing Ms Chase who has the unique ability to write a thriller that’s unpredictable and very entertaining, with copious amounts of tension, drama and suspense. The story has had me hooked from page one to the end and I look forward to following the growing closeness of Katie and John in book 15.

This book did not hit for me. It had some similarities to another author’s books that just felt off. And I just could not get past it. I prefer to not get into particulars. But I read a lot of books and this is the first time that something like this happened to me. And it was not cool. So I will leave it at that.

Twists and turns on every page! I was hooking from the very beginning. Definitely a five star read and recommended to everybody I talk to!

Book 14 in the Katie Scott series was a fast-paced, fun read. I love this series and look forward to the next one.

Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for the eARC.

Tense, thrilling and insanely good descriptions of people, places and weather. The ending did feel a bit rushed, but I didn't guess the serial killer and there were a lot of twists and red herrings thrown in for good measure.

From the moment I started this, I knew it was going to be a one-sitting kind of book!

With each new book in this series, Jennifer Chase outdoes herself in terms of tension, suspense, and the unique plots in her stories.
In this fourteenth installment, we find Katie and Cisco on vacation, well, at least until a young woman knocks on her cabin door and tells her she found a body in the woods. This sets off a chain of events that had me on the edge of my seat until I turned the last page.

Katie and McGavin end up taking over the murder investigation in the small town of Echo Ridge, and Katie realizes pretty quickly that things seem off. And things continue to go downhill. There are twists and turns around every corner, bodies dropping left and right, and I had no idea the full extent of what was going on until it was all revealed.

I think this one is my favorite so far, and I can't wait to see what's in store next for Katie, Cisco, and McGavin!

Ok I am giving this book four stars because I really really like it overall. Great characters a great setting. It was fast paced, suspended and all that jazz that makes a book great. However, there were some serious plot holes… like why TJ and Teresa? Clearly they were not random. How did they become victims? Why? Did their killer know they were related? I feel like this was a big part of the story and then not really explained… unless I missed something big somewhere. The ending got a bit messy and hard to follow with who did what and the motives. It felt a bit cobbled together and all over the place. Lastly, a lot of the details were rather implausible or downright fictional. And I am giving that a pass as it is a fictional story. This could have easily been a 5 star read if the author did some background on police procedure and if the story culminated a bit more clearly with no loose ends.
Overall I am still going to give it a high recommendation because it was a terrific read.

The Whispering Girls is a suspenseful, fast-paced thriller that had me hooked right from the first page to the last page.
Katie, Gavin and Cisco are investigating a very strange case. What is going on???? Katie can’t wrap her head around the unusual circumstances that keeps arising.
Can Katie and her team figure things out before it’s too late????
The ending left us hanging in a good way….iykyk :)
Definitely read the series in order of release…sooooo much back story to all the characters that is very important to know.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have bewn following the detective katie scott series since the beginning have only missed one which was the last one.
I am not sure how to feel about this book i really enjoyed the pacing and the story but it fealt like there was so much going on in places i got a bit lost at some point and it became a bit confusing but then it all came together and it made sense. I love katoe, John, mcgaven and cisco though and the end was great

There is something wicked and evil lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly quiet, small town.

Detective Katie Scott, along with her K-9, Cisco, just thought she was going to get a vacation and respite from dead bodies and crime solving. A knock at the door of her cabin changes the trajectory of the restful vacation that Katie has planned. A frightened young girl leads her to a dead body and then she simply disappears.

The local police chief asks for Katie's assistance as she knows more about solving a murder than his small town force knows. Katie knows she has her work cut out for her when the local veterinarian shows up to examine the body.

Afterward the bodies start piling up, people are disappearing and the mystery deepens even further. Katie's crew joins her to assist in trying to unravel this complex, twisty mystery which is a head scratcher. Even my Spidey senses were tingling as I could just sense something was not right in this small town. I would have never guessed where this was headed.

This author knows how to shock readers with her twisty reveals, as well as fooling you into thinking you know the truth, when it fact it was just another twisted turn. I was literally panting those last 30 or so pages dreading the ending. This was a marathon that was well worth the time I spent one evening frantically turning the pages.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’ve been a long time fan of the Katie Scott series, and this one may be one of my favorites yet! There was no shortage of action, it was chilling, and I didn’t want to put it down! Love when Cisco is the star of the show, and love the partnerships with the main team. Chase builds on her stories each time, and I already can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Even on holiday, Katie and Cisco get mixed up in a murder investigation! Thankfully McGaven and John are quickly on hand to help out, as sinister things keep happening and the team don't know who they can trust in the small town. It begins strangely with the town vet acting as the crime scene forensics expert. It's always good when Cisco gets to play a prominent role in the book. I find Katie quite interesting with how her past traumas can affect her at any time, and the way she thinks things through, but it sometimes irritates how invincible the characters seem (e.g. the speed someone recovers from shrapnel in the chest).
A strong story with plenty of suspense and action.

Katie is taking a forced 2-week vacation to recover from the aftermath of the last case. No sooner has she reached the cabin to unwind, she is wondering how she is going to cope with the lack of action. Be careful what you wish for, next thing, she is drawn into a murder investigation when a girl shows up on her doorstep and taking to her scene of a crime.

The small town of Echo Forrest does not have the resources to look after a murder, the last one happened 15yrs ago and was unsolved. But there is something not right in this town and the people in it, including the Vet who doubles as the forensic support at the scene.

If you are up to date with this series, there is no shortage of action and the team finding themselves in dangerous situations, including exploding buildings. It has a good pace, the clues dribble in, but the who and the why, you will have to wait until the end of the book to find that out. It is a twisted, tangled mess of happenings.

There is even a new budding love, I won’t say more as I don’t want spoilers in this, but like Gav says in the book, you could tell it would eventually happen.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the chance to read an ARC of The whispering girls by Jennifer Chase. This is the 14th book in the Detective Katie Scott series and picks up right after the previous story. Katie is taking a much needed (but reluctant) two week vacation, but finds herself in the middle of a murder almost immediately. In a small town where the local veterinarian does double duty as the medical examiner Katie finds herself immersed in the case when the local police department are overwhelmed. The action, and twists kept me reading, and as always I love the relationship Katie has with her partner Sean McGaven, and K9 Cisco. I am also eager to read more of her budding romantic relationship with Forensic detective John Blackburn. They have great chemistry together and hope it continues to grow!  I highly recommend the entire series!

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this eARC.

I love the Detective Katie Scott series, and I love Cisco, Katie's loyal furry friend.

Note,: Although this book it's #14 of the Katie Smith books - they are written so you can grab any individual read and you won't get lost, and personally I found this to be one of the best of this stellar series.

If you are looking for an exciting, refreshing police procedural with almost non-stop action that puts a skilled detective against someone commiting a series of ruthless murders, give this book a read. Although it is by NO means a "cozy" it IS a book that includes likeable relatable characters (I dislike books peppered with only characters I hate or one-dimension cut outs).

Jennifer Chase proves in The Whispering Girls that although she is a talented author at the top of her game, she keeps her skills razor sharp; I have read every book in this series either before or immediately after publication, and I finished each book in one stretch.

Keep 'em coming Ms..Chase, we will certainly keep reading.

The Whispering Girls, the latest installment in the Detective Katie Scott series, is a thrilling page-turner that showcases Jennifer Chase's skillful storytelling.

Detective Katie Scott, as always, is a complex and driven protagonist. Her vulnerability is balanced with her fierce determination to seek justice, especially when faced with the haunting case of two murdered girls. The author has created a compelling narrative that combines heart-pounding suspense with an emotional depth that resonates throughout the story. The eerie atmosphere of the woods serves as the perfect backdrop for this dark tale. The author's vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were right beside Katie, experiencing her desperation and frustration as she races against time to uncover the truth.

Each revelation unfolds with precision, leading to a shocking climax that I genuinely didn't see coming. However, the ending felt a bit rushed, and I still had some questions on the why and how, but overall, a good book and addition to the series. I had one character picked out for being the culprit (and I was wrong), so that always is a good indication that the story is well-written for me when you can't readily guess who is involved. I didn't even think of the person who was ultimately responsible. There was one character whose fate we never found out (I don't want to name names so as not to ruin the plot).

If you're a fan of suspense that combines heart, mystery, and a strong lead character, you won’t want to miss this book. I am looking forward to more in this series to see what happens between Kim and John and what other adventures await the team. As always, Cisco is a great K9 character. I would recommend this series, this author, and this book.

#TheWhisperingGirls #NetGalley @bookouture

I enjoyed this book and the majority of characters within the story. This was a suspenseful and very interesting story with a very likable strong yet vulnerable female character. The book moves at a fast pace and there was plenty of action. I am looking forward to reading more books based on Katie Scott series. There is never a dull moment with plenty of action though and the story moves at a rapid-fire pace.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

Katie was supposed to be on a relaxing vacation with her dog Cisco until she stumbles across a crime scene that abruptly ends their break in Echo Forest.

This was an okay read. I don’t usually gravitate toward drawn out crime fiction where I’m constantly trying to piece things together with no clear clues. This town was overflowing with strange events and secrets lurking behind every local.

If you’re into stories with crime and full of mystery this one might just be your kind of book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Masterclass in Crime Fiction

Jennifer Chase delivers another chilling, utterly unputdownable installment in the Detective Katie Scott series with The Whispering Girls. From the very first page, the atmosphere is thick with suspense, and the tension never lets up.

What makes this book so exceptional is Chase’s signature blend of sharp pacing, emotionally complex characters, and richly layered storytelling. Katie Scott remains a fiercely compelling protagonist — determined, intuitive, and deeply human — and the return of her loyal K-9 partner, Cisco, adds both heart and grit to the story.

Without giving anything away, this book takes readers on a dark and twisty ride through secrets that don’t want to stay buried. The setting is immersive, the stakes feel real, and every chapter ends with a pull to keep reading just one more. It’s the kind of book that keeps you up past midnight, promising yourself you’ll stop at the next page — and never actually doing it.

Chase has truly outdone herself. If you’re a fan of gripping police procedurals with strong female leads and smart, unsettling mysteries — this is a must-read. The Whispering Girls isn’t just a five-star book — it’s a full-body experience.