Cover Image: The Hunted Girls

The Hunted Girls

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Member Reviews

Book 2 in the Nadine Finch series. Although this can be read first I would recommend reading book 1 to get the complete story.

This one starts 8 months after book 1 finishes and the story line is quite similar.

I look forward to seeing where this series goes next to keep it fresh and interesting

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Another book revolving around a serial killer?! Yes pleaseeee

I really loved A Killer’s Daughter (Book 1) in this series and was looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint! I admit it was a bit slow paced at first but once I hit the halfway mark it was action packed!

I really love the dynamic between the main characters and love that Nadine now has her own “team” to help her solve crimes! I just hope we get to see more of them in the next novels!

I did feel like I was missing a bit of character development between Nadine and Detective Dempko in the beginning of the story, but I was satisfied by the end of the book.

The book takes place in Florida, and Jenna did an excellent job at making you feel like you were there with the characters, she definitely brought that atmospheric element.

Even though the beginning was a bit slower (I felt the same when reading Book 1), it’s 100% worth it! I’m looking forward to reading Book 3 and following more of Nadine’s adventures. Highly recommend!

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Thank you NetGalley for the ARC to The Hunted Girls, the second book in the Nadine Finch series. This review is my own. I found this book to unputdownable. Jenna Kernan keeps the story moving with action, suspense and interesting characters, not to mention some romance with Nadine's Detective boyfriend, Clint Dempko. This can be read without having read the first in the series, A Killer's Daughter (also very good).

Agent Nadine Finch is a profiler who happens to be the daughter of a serial killer, her mother. Murder, as it happens, runs in the family. Nadine worries that she may have inherited the "murder gene". Her team is composed of individuals who also have parents with "unique" pasts.

In the Hunted Girls Nadine and her team are on the hunt for the killer of Nikki Darnell, a young newlywed. Nikki's body is found in the one place Nadine swore she would not go, the Ocala National Forest in Florida. Her mother's old hunting ground. Soon another body is found. Eventually, Nadine realizes that she has had some contact with the victims. Is this all about her?

I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to Nadine's next case.

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I really wanted to love this book. It had an awesome plot and great back ground story. But it just kept on dragging. Nothing happened until the last few chapters. Maybe I wasn't in the mood, I'm not sure because it never takes me this long to finish a thriller.

I will admit I thought the killer was one if the FBI people so that is what made me want to know who it was.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this.

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The Hunted Girl is the second instalment in the forensic psychologist Dr Nadine Finch series, set in Ocala, Florida. Nadine Finch has just finished her five months intensive training at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia to become a fully-fledged FBI profiler and is glad to be returning home to Sarasota, FL. She's looking forward to reuniting with her partner of seven months, homicide detective Clint Demko but as soon as the plane hits the tarmac she receives a voicemail from FBI Special Agent Sean Torrin who informs her that Special Agent Jack Skogen wants her opinion on a double murder case in Ocala, a place she vowed never to return to. The two female bodies had been found in the crocodile-infested St Johns River in the Ocala National Forest and the police would like Nadine to report to Orlando PD ASAP. Originally the deaths were thought to have been animal attacks but they were quickly recategorised as homicides. Nadine is very reluctant about the case as the serial killer is leaving his victim’s bodies in her mother’s old hunting ground; her mother, Arleen Howler, isn't the only convicted serial murderer in her family, however. For generations they have had murder in their genes, it appears, so Nadine chose this line of work as a means of absolution. One of her stipulations for taking the Orlando job is that she can bring her own team with her: Dr Juliette Hartfield, the medical examiner, Tina Ruz, her administrative assistant, and beau Clint Demko. The unique characteristic of this group is that they are all the children of killers.

They soon identify that the first victim is 31-year-old Nikki Darnell, the married daughter of an affluent developer. She had been caged like an animal for the killer’s sadistic pleasure, tortured and then brutally shot with an arrow from a crossbow severing her spinal cord after taking her dog Char for an early morning walk in the state forest; there was no doubt these women were being stalked and hunted like prey and all so that the killer could impress an unidentified woman. The second victim killed a few days later was murdered in the same manner except this time she had been sexually assaulted and posed in a sexualised manner. She is later identified as Rita Karnowski who was reported missing by her boyfriend after going on a hike. What connects these victims, if anything, and can they nab the vicious killer before he takes another life? This is a compulsive, enthralling and superbly plotted procedural with more than enough action to keep you entertained throughout. It's an adrenaline-pumping read full of twists and turns and keeps you feverishly turning the pages until the end. There's never a dull moment with developments happening quickly and frequently, and I thought the chapters where the killer reveals his warped thought processes were executed well and revealed a little more about the perpetrator each time. Nadine is a strong protagonist who has issues letting people in and this affects her relationships both romantic and platonic. She also worries that descending from a family of killers means she may have the gene too.

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After the events of A Killer's Daughter, I would not has been surprised if most of the characters decided to stay home forever with a blanket, chocolate, and Netflix. Being the child of a serial killer is traumatic, being targeted manipulated, and hunted because of that is worse. Book two in the Nadine Finch series instead sees not only Nadine, but her new circle of friends trying to rebuild and move on, yet haunted by the past. A past that is not done with them yet! There is some second book slump as Kernan works to build an ongoing series, but I expect to see more Nadine Finch on shelves in the future
If you loved the Prodigal Son tv show, this is the book for you. For fans of murder mysteries and procedurals, and a protagonist with A Past.

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Nadine Finch is a force of nature... seriously. She is an incredible leading character that Jenna Kernan keeps pushing in each novel... and Nadine rises to the challenge each time! Nadine is now an official FBI agent... and she has the brick in her luggage to prove it. Immediately after she finishes her training, she's thrust into a case of murdered women. Initially one, and the count keeps climbing - and the killer seems unexpectedly fascinated with Nadine. With an amazing cast of supporting characters - the Nadine Dream Team - they work to uncover the killer, and his or her motives, before another woman suffers. This book is absolutely fantastic - and if you haven't read book one, jump in on this one, and then catch up! A great read!

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WOW!! I loved this book just as much as the first one (A Killers Daughter). SO intense right from the first page. (definitely read the triggers for this book before jumping in- gruesome murder, kidnapping, torture, human hunting, animal violence, stalking, violence)

Nadine Finch is on her way home from FBI training (to become a certified profiler) when she gets a call about 2 extremely gruesome murders in FL. But not just anywhere in FL, in her hometown where her mother is notorious for her kills. Being the daughter of a serial killer has put much strain on Nadine, but she knows she needs to help with these murder, even if it causes her stress. This Killer calls himself the "Huntsman" and he is targeting Nadine-to get her attention.

This book was intense !! These murders are much more intense than the first book in my opinion, not for the faint of heart for sure. What I loved about most about this book was the characters. Kernan carries over the whole cast of characters from the first book leaving us with great relationships and chemistry and also introducing new and exciting characters. The killer in this book was very intelligent, sneaky, unseen...very clever and witty. I also really loved how we got more in-tuned with Nadine and her fear of becoming a killer lie her mother and the rest of her messed up family. I loved "solving the case" with the detectives and FBI in this book and I had NO IDEA who the killer was!! If you love criminal minds or true crime, definitely take a look at this book, or the whole Agent Nadine Finch series!! I am excited to see what she writes up next!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Jenna Kernan for an advanced reading copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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I had no idea that this was the second book in the series. but it did seem to read well as a standalone. I definitely want to go back and read the first. Nadine is a interesting and I'd like to read more about her and from her POV. And the homicide and case here is overall homicide. It could get graphic but I'm never one to have a problem with it. This had more potential to be stronger, mainly for some repetitive issues. But I can understand it. The plot could lack at times but despite that and some other minor problems I don't think I'll mention since I can just get too picky sometimes, I really enjoyed this novel. I flew through it.
I think if you're a fan of crime and you're a big murderino, this is for you. However if you're not good with graphic content, be wary.

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A great read from Jenna Kernan.
Nadine has just landed after five months at Quantico and her heart sinks when she listens to her voicemails.
She’s been requested to help find a killer back in her hometown and doesn’t know if she’s going to be able to deal with going back there.
This coupled with the fact she’s only just got back and hasn’t seen Clint for five months, she’s understandably hesitant.
She eventually agrees to go as two women have been murdered and asks to take her own team with her.
When the group arrive in Florida they are set to work straight away.
The women have been brutally murdered, and seemed to have been hunted like prey. Is it coincidence that the murders are taking place in the town where Nadine grew up or does the killer know her and has coaxed her back home?
This is a gripping crime thriller with some nail biting final few chapters.
I loved the dynamic in Nadine’s group and feel like I’ve got to know her more in this second book.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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The book has so many similarities with the first book that I lost interest in the first part itself. The staging of the kill, the self doubts of Nadine, the cliched romantic scenes, the same old family history were all too much for me. It would work better as a stand-alone for those who have not read the first book and those readers could appreciate better. Sorry.

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Nadine is sent to her hometown when bodies show up that were tortured and hunted like prey. Is the killer is trying to lure her in by leaving the bodies in her mother's old hunting grounds?
A dark and twisted thriller that'll keep you turning pages.  Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Hunted Girls' by Jenna Kernan.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Jenna Kernan, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous.

Publication date 25th May 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Agent Nadine Finch' series. Although this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone.

I was originally drawn to this book by its colourful and interesting eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. It also stated in the synopsis that 'Fans of Robert Dugoni, Lisa Gardner and Rachel Caine will be totally addicted to The Hunted Girls' . I am a huge fan of Lisa Gardner so am looking forward to see if it lives up to this. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 32 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Florida, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonist being Agent Nadine Finch. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

Wow!! What a non stop action packed page turner!! Fantastically written with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline. The synopsis, title and civet worked perfectly with the plot.

Although this is the second book in the series it can be easily read as a standalone. Any previous events from the first book thar are related are explained in just the right amount of detail, not too much to bore readers of the first book with duplicate details and just enough to give readers if just this book the right amount of information needed. The plot itself is intriguing and filled with heart in your mouth in the edge of your seat moments. Several times I realised I was holding my breath and biting my nails. This book has everything you could want in a crime novel!! It was filled with crime, mystery, murder, secrets, romance, friendship and several messed up family members with one sick killer. I was completely absorbed from page one until the explosive ending. I cannot wait to not only read the rest of this promising series but the previous book too. I never did work out who the killer was so a huge well done Jenna as its getting harder and harder to shock me!!

It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are and what they are like. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also the rest of the team. My worries were completely unfounded as I absolutely loved each member of this very unique team. I absolutely LOVE the fact that this team isn't your typical sort of team and each had family members who had murdered someone. They were all strong and well developed characters and I am definitely looking forward to meeting them all again. The team dynamics were fantastic and they all worked well together. I actually liked each team member as much as the protagonists which is unusual for me but I really felt like I got to know each one of them, extra points definitely go to Jack-Jack, Molly and Muffin (the fact thay the team are all animal lovers also have them all bonus points!!!).

Congratulations Jenna on making my favourite authors list. I cannot wait to read your next books!!!

Overall a heart stopping, page turning must read crime thriller that will suck you in from start to finish.

Genres covered in this book include Suspense and Police Procedural amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, M. J Arlidge and PJ Tracy.


418 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I read the first book in this series a short while ago in preparation for this blog tour which I was super excited about. It now seems that I'm pretty hooked on the Agent Nadine Finch series. Thank you to @sarahhardy681 for the invitation to join this blog tour and for all of her wonderful organisation. Thank you to @bookouture and @JennaKernan for this advanced copy of The Hunted Girls in return for an honest review. The Hunted Girls is available now and you can get a copy here.

Description 🔖

Agent Nadine Finch is back and she has stepped up the ladder. Immediately after leaving training with the FBI, Nadine is assigned to a homicide case for which two women have been found dead. Both women appear to have been hunted and were killed in the most horrific circumstances. Nadine’s training may have prepared her for this kind of case, but it could not have prepared her for the location of the murders; back at her mother’s stomping ground.

Nadine pulls together her team to help her in the case but they must work within an already established team which isn’t always easy. Despite various stumbling blocks in working relationships, Detective Skogen and Nadine start to work together well until the killer takes Skogen from right under their noses. It very quickly turns into a situation where Nadine’s own life is at risk in order to save the lives of her colleagues.

General Thoughts 🤔

I thought that this book had a slightly different feeling to it than the first and I really enjoyed the shift. The first book in the series very much had me questioning who the killer could be, whereas I felt that this second book was much more focused on the investigation and the relationships between the characters. That’s not to say that there weren’t mysteries and twists in this book; there definitely were. I just didn’t feel myself trying to work it out quite as much and I didn’t really want to. I was much more interested in the investigative steps that the team were following.

I can’t decide whether or not I think that this book could be read standalone. It most probably could but I feel like I’m invested in these characters so I can’t imagine not knowing their back stories to the level that I do. I really liked the character development in this second book and it made the story feel a little more tense and there was more was on the line for Nadine, Demko, Julienne and Tina.

Characters 👭👫👬

I love that the author has created this little dream team of serial killer hunters. They work so well together and their relationships are starting to develop more depth. I also really liked that there is almost a no man left behind feeling between them and that if one progresses in their career, they all progress.

The introduction of a new FBI team was good. I liked that there was tension between the two groups of characters yet they were all still working towards the same goal. I hoped that there would be more of Demko in the second book and my hopes were met. I hate to give away spoilers but for anyone like me who was hooked on his relationship with Nadine; you’re in for an emotional rollercoaster.

Writing Style ✍️

As I mentioned already, I liked that the tone of this book felt a little different. There was still all of the lovely tension and mystery that I love in a thriller, but I thought that it included more procedural content and I enjoyed that.

I did feel at times that there was a little bit of repetition at the start of the book which I assume was to provide back story and context for the characters. Although this was helpful, there were a couple of times that I thought reminders were mentioned more than once and I’m not convinced that that was required. That said, it was a seamless link between the two books which was good.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖️

I was excited for another dose of Nadine Finch and the team and I wasn’t at all disappointed. Following this group of characters onto their next case and seeing their relationships develop made for great reading. I’m pleased that the ending of The Hunted Girls implies another book in the series should be anticipated and I look forward to see where the team go next.

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This was a brilliant read , my sister is an avid reader like me and suggested that I read this , I was not disappointed and raced through it , I hadn't read the first in the series but it didn't matter at all you do get quite a lot of the backstory . Nadine a profiler for the FBI is asked to join the hunt for a killer named the Huntsman , he is leaving his victims in the forest , tortured in the most horrific ways , she brings along her team to assist . They all have one thing in common being the sons/daughters of convicted killers .It is obvious that the killer craves Nadine's involvement and goes to extreme lengths to get it . Fast paced , exciting and well written what's not to love .
5 Stars

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A killer calls Nadine to his hunting ground - he wants to play.
Nadine and her team are assinged to the Huntsman case. A gruesome killer leaves bodies displayed - torture and horrifying death.
Nadine works to put together a profile, struggling with Skogen - the FBI agent in charge doesn't take Nadine seriously.
Great plot, love the characters and Nadine's growth. Especially their family tie together- the support and encouragement, not to mention the animals.

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Mystery

This is book #2 of the series featuring Dr. Nadine Finch, but it can be read as a stand a lone. I haven't read book #1 yet, but after reading this gem of a detective novel/mystery, I will certainly rectify that situation.

Nadine has just returned to Florida from her profiler training at Quantico, when she is notified of two murder victims. The women's deaths have much in common indicating the possibility of a serial killer. Not only is Nadine a profiler, but both her mother and uncle were serial killers, making her uniquely qualified.

She is allowed to bring a few people with her - Clint, Tina and Juliette. They must have been introduced in book #1 because they are integral to the story. Clint is a homicide detective with the Sarasota PD and Nadine's love interest. Tina and Juliette have different skills that aid in the investigation. What they all have in common is that they have killer parents. A wholly unique juxtaposition that created some interesting tension.

Kernan creates a wonderfully creepy killer who puts his victims into unique positions. The plotting was well done and the story just flows. I was very caught up in the story. There were a few editorial snafu's where details were not correct or interchanged that took me out of the story. The only reason that this story wasn't a 5* for me was the character of Nadine. She is written well, except that for a daughter of a killer and a federal agent, she cries a lot. She is very strong at times, but also incredibly weak and it was a conundrum I didn't quite buy as a reader.

If you are looking for a really good detective serial, definitely give this one a read.

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The Hunted Girls is book 2 in the Nadine Finch series. I never read book one and while it did not hinder my understanding of anything in this book, I'm sure there was a lot of background info that I would have gotten from that one so I do wish I read it first. The characters seemed to have good relationships with each other, and there were things referenced from what I'd assume was the first book that I just wish I had known.

That being said, I did enjoy this book. It was suspenseful and had me playing detective along with Dr. Finch. The chapters were a bit long for my liking and I feel like some parts were a little more drawn out than they needed to be. Also, when books have "book #_ in the character series" in their title I feel like that lets you know this character will be around for a while, which maybe took away some of the unknowns. Will I go back and read book 1? Doubtful, but I probably will read book number 3 when it comes out.

3.5 stars rounded up for goodreads!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

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So I should start with what I loved about this book - which was everything!! And then finish with what I didn’t like - which was nothing!!
Gripped from page 1 - I was torn between thinking I had been transported into an episode of criminal minds to fear and anxiety around the hideous way the victims were being caught and tortured!
Loved the relationship with the group of “misfits “ - all souls with murderous relatives! And I can’t wait to see what is next for Nadine and Clint!
A rollercoaster of a book - but the last quarter had me on the edge of my seat, with my heart pounding!!

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“The Hunted Girls” is the second installment in Jenna Kernan’s Nadine Finch series, about a criminal profiler who also happens to be the daughter of a serial killer. You don’t have to read the first book (“A Killer’s Daughter”) in order to enjoy this one, but it does help flesh out Nadine’s background and bring more depth to her character.

Murderinos, this book is for you! I love serial killer stories, both fiction and non-fiction, and this novel’s serial killer plotline is a good one. The premise of Nadine’s character is interesting and the homicide is compelling, albeit quite graphic. It didn’t bother me, but it's not for the faint of heart!

A couple things kept this good book from being a great one. Nadine’s inner dialogue is repetitive and the amount of self-doubt she heaps on herself drove me crazy. I wanted to shake her and tell her what a strong, intelligent, brave person she was! I also didn’t love the romance between Clint and Nadine, it feels undeveloped and shallow. There are a few gratuitous sex scenes – nothing wrong with that, but these didn’t really add anything to the story, plus I felt that sometimes the pair was inappropriately passionate in certain situations, like when someone is in the hospital. Ms. Kernan has a following in the romance genre, and I would guess these scenes are targeted to her core audience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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