Madison is working against a gender biased boss, a difficult partner on whom she might have difficulties to trust and horrible crimes where the victims are stabbed to death and then cut into pieces and left to be found. Crimes that are a product of a very troubled mind. Her Dark Grave has a good plot, it's well written, and leads the reader to imagine the situations that are actually happening in the story. Great entertainment!

This was my first Detective Madison Knight series that I have actually read, there are small details that I am behind on, but nothing that made it to where I couldn’t read this as a stand-alone. The only thing that might have been different by not having read the other parts of the series is connecting with the characters. I don’t know the background of Madison well enough to know if that is why she is the way she is. She felt slightly abrupt, and I couldn’t get behind her. However, if I had more background on her I think it could have been different. I am used to partners having some fun banter and her and her partner had a few times they did, but otherwise it felt like they didn’t agree on a lot. It will be interesting to see as the series continues with the changes coming how their relationship will change.
I thought the story was good and it was interesting to have some chapters from the killer’s view and get a little more insight into what they were like. There were definitely some gory details, which sometimes gave me chills thinking about it! Not a lot of mystery/thriller books can give me chills, so I liked that this one did. I didn’t really guess who the killer was, because we don’t have much background on him, so it was nice to kind of see how the story progressed and who they thought the killer might be, and who it ended up being. The writing had a nice flow and it moved along at a good pace. There was a surprise at the end that I was not expecting on who also was somewhat involved in the murders, which I always like when a mystery can surprise me.
Overall I think this was a fun book and it makes me want to go back and check out some of the first ones in the series to get more of a background on Madison and the rest of the characters.

This is the twelfth book in the series featuring Detective Madison Knight. I hadn’t read any of the previous books but thought this book read well as a stand-alone. The book drew me in with the opening chapter which is narrated by a teenage boy who contemplated his future as a killer. Madison is struggling as she is still traumatised from her last case. Unable to sleep she goes for a drive but runs out of petrol. She is very wary about leaving her car and her paranoia gets worse when she discovers a suitcase in the ditch containing a dismembered body of a young woman. Detective Terry Grant, who is Maddison’s partner, identifies her as Tara Jackson who had been reported missing. On investigating the case they realise that Tara has been keeping secrets from her family. When another dismembered body of a young woman is discovered they realise that they are now looking for a serial killer. Maddison and Terry suspect that the killer has killed before and decide to investigate cold cases involving missing women. Maddison feels that someone is stalking her and that her own life may be in danger, I really enjoyed this book. It had plenty of suspense and twists and turns. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Her Dark Grave is the twelfth book in the Detective Madison Knight series. Like all Carolyn Arnold’s book Her Dark Grave started off with a blast and never let up. The action just kept on pouring in and not to mention the twists that poured out page after page. There was never a dull moment to be had in Her Dark Grave. The more I read the more I wanted to read as I had to know who did it and why.

Detective Madison Knight was out driving around in the middle of the night like she has been doing for a while trying to dispel the ghosts that haunt her from a previous case.

On this one particular night, she runs out of gas. While she is waiting for help to arrive she decides to get out of the car for a little stroll to stretch her legs. She spots a suitcase lying in the ditch.

After opening the suitcase to see what is inside she now probably wishes she had not. What is inside is shocking to say the least. Inside the suitcase is the body of a young woman who has been chopped up to fit inside.

Detective Madison Knight sets out with the help of her partner to find out why the girl was stuffed inside a suitcase and why. But it is not long before another body has been found stuffed inside a sports equipment bag.

During her investigation, Detective Madison Knight learns about another young woman who went missing three years ago. Is the woman missing or dead? Is this missing woman’s case related to the case of the two women found in suitcases? If so what is the connection between all of the women?

Her Dark Grave had me racing to the end as I had to know the answers to all my questions. As with any story written by Carolyn Arnold, I was pulled in from the first page and I couldn’t lay it down until I had all the answers.

I would recommend Her Dark Grave to all fans of mystery thrillers or police procedural stories. Grab your copy of Her Dark Grave today!

If prior engagements hadn’t stepped in, I would have read this book in one sitting! It was that good. Had me teetering on the brink the whole time. Madison is my new favorite detective. Reminds me a lot of The Closer on tv. She’s definitely a rule breaker who gets the job done I can’t wait to read more!

INTENSE & intriguing addition to this terrific series with great characters & a lot of suspense throughout. I have read most of this authors' books & totally enjoyed all. RECOMMEND her whole series for very satisfying reads. Thanks to #NetGalley#Bookouture for #Her Dark Grave in return for my honest review.

Disclosure. This is a review of an e-book I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.

This is book 12 in the Detective Madison Knight series but works fine as a stand-alone read. I haven’t got round to catching up with the earlier titles yet, but I’ve read books 8-11 and am invested in Madison’s cases.

The prologue pulls the reader in by tantalising you with a flashback to the killer contemplating who will be his first victim

The story then opens with Madison taking a night-time drive, because she can’t sleep due to ongoing nightmares of the Russian Mafia from an earlier case, but she runs out of both petrol and phone charge. The situation doesn’t help her paranoia and things get even worse when she discovers an abandoned suitcase in the ditch with gruesome contents.

One of forensics identifies the victim from recent media as Tara Jackson. But as Madison and partner Terry interview Tara’s family and friends, it soon becomes evident that Tara had been keeping a secret double life from them. But whilst they follow the leads including chasing after a running boyfriend, another mutilated corpse is discovered in a bag. This young woman looks almost the spitting image of Tara.

Is Tara’s boyfriend the killer? Or might he come up with an alibi?

And someone else is missing too? They need a lead quickly? Can cold cases provide any clues? And will they be in danger themselves?

I also love how the characters are all well developed for colleagues too, as we get fed snippets from theirs and Madison’s lives, which provide continuity between the stories in this series.

This is a real page turner with so many twists and turns.

An excellent thriller from best-selling author Carolyn Arnold.

Book Review: Her Dark Grave: A completely gripping bone-chilling crime thriller (Detective Madison Knight Series Book 12)

Full disclosure - I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own.

Discarded Lives

Madison Knight still struggles with the demons of her past. As a detective of the Stiles police department, she has seen her fair share of bad actors, but her recent involvement in taking down members of the mafia in her town has her looking over her shoulder. As a method of self-care, she often sneaks out for long midnight drives to sort her thoughts and clear her head. It is on one of these drives that an empty gas tank results in the discovery of a body discarded in a piece of luggage. As the first on the scene, Madison and her partner Detective Grant take the lead on the case, and it is not long before they begin to discover a pattern. All young females, all bearing a resemblance to each other, but with seemingly no other connections the going is slow until a common links between the victims emerges in a mutual connection on a dating site. As they explore and develop this lead the trail seemingly begins to grow cold. But when an unlikely trip to a homeless encampment provides the pair with an unexpected lead the pieces start to fall quickly into place. Can Madison and Terry apprehend the true killer before another life is lost?

Her Dark Grave is the 12th in the long running Detective Madison Knight series by author Carolyn Arnold. Picking up sometime after Girl on the Run, Madison is attempting to return to what passes as a normal life for a local police detective, but she is still unconvinced that her brush with the mafia in prior cases has not completely been resolved. While trying to keep these thoughts in check and most importantly out of the focus of her fiancé and fellow law enforcement officer, Knight has taken to creeping out in the dead of night for long, contemplative drives to clear her head. It is on one such drive that she runs out of gas and discovers the body of Tara Jackson stabbed numerous time and discarded in a suitcase. What better way to forget her current worries than to dive into a case and Knight and Detective Grant do just that with the skilled help of the author.

From the opening line, Arnold grabs the reader and takes them on a case that is not as simple as it looks. The twists are quite unexpected and will keep the reader guessing until the very end. As I followed along, I couldn’t help but to try to play “sideline detective” myself while the case unfolded. Having read more than my share of both this series and Arnold’s sister series involving Detective Amanda Steele it never ceases to amaze me just how Arnold brings a fresh case with new situations and twists to the pages of her stories every time. With the police procedural genre becoming more popular the chance for these types of stories to become more formulaic and even cliché increases, however, Arnold has avoided this pitfall. Each of her books are unique, compelling and unforgettable with a cast of characters that remain throughout the entire series, the individual books also work well as a stand alone read for the newcomer to this author.

If you are a fan of serial killer novels, strong female leads and storylines that will immerse you and keep you guessing until the very end, I highly recommend Arnold’s work.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. for my copy of #HerDarkGrave by #CarolynArnold

This is the first book I have read in this series and I just didn’t like the main character Madison, and that for me spoils the book.
This is a totally personal reason and I know that many people will love this book.
I thought she was rude and combative usually for no reason.
Although the main story was good I wouldn’t read another.

Wow!! I just finished this epic book from @authorcarolynarnold !! I loved that this was an immersive detective novel.

Through the imagery, I felt as if I was there in the crime scenes. The only reason why it was 4/5 stars was because it was a little slow to start. Phenomenal job, Carolyn Arnold!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #detectivebooks #herdarkgrave #netgalley

Detective Madison Knight is fighting her nightmares, and has taken to night drives. On one of those drives her car stalls and as she waits for help, she finds a suitcase, and sees a finger sticking out.
As Madison and her partner Terry set off to investigate, and other body is found. The race is on.
Madison has a tendency to get my back up a bit, she is strong willed, opinionated and less of a rule follower or rather a procedure follower, she is in constant battle with her Sergeant – but that makes her a real person. The plot line keeps you on edge, and her struggle to deal with her demons, relationships, … keeps this book real.
This is book 12 – but only the 2nd one I have read in the series, and you can definitely read it as a standalone, but as always I want to read what happened before.

Her Dark Grave is book 12 in A Detective Madison Knight Mystery series by Carolyn Arnold.
I’ve had the pleasure of reading and absolutely loving her series Detective Amanda Steele and I’ve loved every single one.

Her Dark Grave is a tense, gripping new installment in the Detective Madison Knight Mystery series.
Arnold writes the most amazing mystery and police procedurals.
Madison, our heroine, is a tough detective for the Stiles Police Department. She is smart, engaging, so well developed and a great detective. She is an exceptional character.
Carolyn Arnold has written another stunning book in an amazing series.
This book, like all of the previous books in the Madison Knight series and her previous titles have exciting premises, rapid pacing, shocking twists and turns, and always end with a thrilling climax. I await the next installment with eager anticipation.
This is a series to keep you returning to again and again, and with anticipation.
Her Dark Grave was another fantastic, exciting, tense, riveting police procedural, so very well written by Carolyn Arnold.
If you enjoy mysteries, police procedurals, amazing police work, then you need to be reading this series, as Carolyn Arnold is one of the best in police procedure stories.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley, Hibbert & Stiles Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Detective Madison Knight has had me hooked since the very start. I love how her character evolves through each book and situation that she faces in the line of duty. She is a force to be reckoned with, relentless in her pursuit of finding answers to put culprits behind bars — even if that means putting her own life at risk. Although she often finds herself in precarious situations (more often that not because of her impulsive, sassy mouth), she is excellent at stirring up her partner, Terry, and Sargeant Winston to help give her an extra push to solving cases.

Dealing with the fallout of a previous case with the Russian mob weighing on her mind and shoulders and a personal loss, Madison is out for a drive when she stumbles upon a body in a suitcase. Her nerves are already shot and paranoia threatens to win, but she swallows it and dives head first into the case with Terry. We get a glimpse at the drive behind this killer, adding a layer of suspense to the potential next victim, at critical moments in the story. As per her normal, Madison gets wrapped up in the case and has the potential to become a victim herself.

This case is quite dark and twisted, but extremely intriguing. It’s the type of case that makes your skin crawl. Carolyn Arnold is a master at creating a story that stands out against all other police procedurals because of the attention to detail. You’ll feel like you’re alongside Madison and Terry, combing through the evidence and interviewing suspects or even examining crime scenes.

I do hope to see Madison and Troy continue to move in a good direction with their relationship. I think he’s a good balance for her and is a pretty phenomenal guy!

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I’ve read several of Carolyn Arnold’s books, and I enjoy them especially for the police procedurals. Her Dark Grave is the twelfth book in the Madison Knight series. I haven’t read all of the books in this series, but they each stand alone.

Madison is not my favorite protagonist, and she seems to be getting worse. I like when characters are flawed because they’re more realistic, but Madison is aggressive and even rude (more than usual). Her partner, Terry, often has to smooth things over, and he is getting tired of her treating him and others poorly. He's also having trouble dealing with the job. Despite Madison’s flaws, she’s fiercely independent and talented and gets the case solved with the help of Terry and forensics.

In the last quarter of the book, Madison returns to her old self. She's still not personable, but she is tolerable. The ending was really good.

Carolyn Arnold sets the hook in me with the Prologue for Her Dark Grave.

I am going to kill someone before graduation.

Just because a family appears to have it all, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors…mom and ‘my little boy’ aren’t telling. And, that is how a killer is born.

Madison Knight is a detective with the Stiles Police Department. Her nightmares and inability to sleep have her driving around in the early morning hours. Her lover, Troy Matthews, a SWAT leader, had fought for his life when they went up against the Russian Mafia. Could they be following her? Are they in danger?

Her car runs out of gas and she discovers a suitcase filled with body parts.

Tara is found. She may be rich, but she is devoted to those less privileged. She fights poverty and illiteracy, knowing the power of being able to read can lead to jobs.

She strongly believed that children are our future.

Madison Knight is my favorite Carolyn Arnold character. Besides her and her significant other Troy, we have her partner Terry, who seems to be hiding something from her, and Cynthia, head of the forensics lab and lead criminal investigator. She is Madison’s best friend and expecting a baby. Madison reminds me of Brenda Lee Johnson from the TV show, The Closer.

HE knew he was different from the time he was six years old. He felt no pain, but did experience pleasure, and aren’t we supposed to pursue happiness? I don’t think ‘they’ meant by being bathed in blood. His memories are his friends. As the pace of his kills picks up and a second woman is found mutilated, is he trying to get caught. Does he want his name in lights?

As Terry’s secret is exposed and Madison and Troy’s future becomes clear to her, it seems she has come full circle. To find out what I mean by that, you will need to read the book.

I love that Carolyn Arnold’s books smack of realism. Sure, there are those ‘fiction’ moments, but her ability to take us through the procedures of the investigation, step by step, lead us to the killer in a realistic way. Her research is evident in the details.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Her Dark Grave by Carolyn Arnold.

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How can "Her Dark Grave" already be the no.12 in the Madison Knight series by Carolyn Arnold? I am already addicted to this series and I feel like I am following her whole career life as well.

Madison Knight drove through the countryside one night and unfortunately ran out of gas. What she could do was to wait for the road service patiently and we know she could not really deal with being patience. Therefore she walked and found a suitcase in the ditch. Out of curiosity, she found a body in the suitcase.

During the investigation, she showed her calmness and her interaction with her partner Terry was always captivating. This crime fiction is easy to follow, the police investigation procedure is intriguing and the story plot let you feel like sitting in the roller coaster - You never know the next gripping and twisty part .

Carolyn is always one of my favourite authors. Her writing style, intonation of characters in the story and whole story flow are totally addictive. I look forward to the next case of Madison Knight to solve...!

I received an ARC from "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Maddie is having nightmares and as a way of compensation she is out for a midnight drive. Not paying attention she winds up running out of gas and needs to get help. She is told it will take a couple of hours. As she is waiting she takes a walk where she finds a suitcase in the ditch. Once she gets to where it is at, she sees what looks like a finger. She discovers that there is a dead person in the suitcase and calls it in to the police. Once the ME arrives on the scene, they discover the body is dismembered. Her partner Terry arrives they return to the precint and begin their investigation. One f the 1st things that they need to do is notify the next of kin who happens to be a well known surgeon.

Very little is discovered evidence wise so using what little information they have begin their search. The more they look they discover there is more to the victim that they originally thought. There search yielding a lot and they even discovered a suspect. They later received word that there was the discovery of another body found and the M>O> was the same. Following up searching for info on this victim, they were able to find a correlation between the two. In addition, they also discovered that a witness that they had interviewed earlier was also missing and it dawned on them that the killer might have gotten her.

To discover who the killer was, what similarities the victims had and what was the final hint that broke the case open, then you need to read this book. It will also answer a question Maddie had about Terry.

This is the 12th book in this series and can be read as a standalone. I haven't read any other books and had no trouble following along.

Detective Madison Knight, I had a hard time warming up to her, she is stubborn, bull-headed, super bossy, and seems to jump to conclusions about people and what's happening around her really kind of made me dislike her. We do get a bit of a glimpse inside her head at the beginning of the book, where she has just woken up from another nightmare, which seems to be occurring on a frequent basis and is driving around trying to calm her mind. I did enjoy this part, getting to see her not strictly in cop mode, and while as I stated above that this can be read as a standalone I think I would have been able to like and connect with Maddison more if I had read the previous books, seeing what happened in real time versus her just thinking about it.

I think the mystery aspect of this book was quite good, the crime itself is chilling, and the journey to discover who is behind the killing is full of tension, suspense, and twists and turns around every corner. We also get the occasional chapter from the killer's POV, which adds to the story making what happened feel even more real.

I think if you are already a fan of this series you'll definitely enjoy this installment, and if you enjoy very real feeling police procedurals/mystery thrillers you should check this series out.

Madison is always intense, but in this latest edition, her vibe is on overdrive. Her intensity leapt off the pages and almost consumed me.
I knew something was going on with Terry and wondered what it was, half way guessing correctly when it was finally revealed.
I failed at cracking the case since I couldn’t fathom who what kind of predator was at work, it sent chills down my spine.
Madison is ready to take a big step in her life, but I wonder if she will really follow through.

3.5 stars
I'm a fan of this author but this is the first book I've read in the Detective Madison Knight series. The mystery of a young found brutally murdered is intriguing, but graphic and too gory for me. The case itself is a standalone, but possibly because this is the twelfth book in the series, I couldn't connect with the main characters. I found Madison to be too abrasive and didn't care for the relationship with either her work partner or her fiance. I think fans of the series will enjoy the book, but I prefer Arnold’s Detective Amanda Steele series.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Hibbert and Stiles Publishing at no cost. My review is voluntary and unbiased.