Cari Hunter is a wonderful writer of crime based thrillers set in and around Manchester and this is the second to feature DI Jo Shaw, her girlfriend Dr Isla Munro and Jo's partner DI Tully a gay man with a husband and two kids. A detailed gritty thriller begins with the discovery of a body in a run down estate, leading to a complex violent case for Jo and Tully to solve, along with the other officers who tease each other along the way, whilst munching through various biscuits and deserts. The story is believable, the characters well developed and the relationships between them all keeps you reading. There is also a side sub plot featuring entitlement and medical misogyny. I enjoyed the humour and wondering what was going to happen next.
Highly recommended if you like crime books that also make subtle comments about class, poverty and neglect of Northern England.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an intriguing second book in the series which is now set up for book three, yes. It was wonderful to read the growing closeness between Isla Munro and Jody Shaw. I liked how they talked and listened to each other. Lovely. The interaction between Mark Tully and Jo is smashing. They do have each others "six". There is also some bad stuff taking place in this story involving teens and entitlement. Awful and hateful combination. Good thing Isla is a surgeon because Jo does get injured in the line of duty. The detail of the crimes was so well described that I could visualize what is happening which had me angry and waiting for the bad guys to get their due.

Gritty Thriller

Jo is out to prove she is fit for work and finds herself embroiled in a case the Serious Crime Team are struggling with. Calling on her partner Isla to help, they soon find themselves at the centre of these chilling crimes.

Loved being back with Jo and Isla! I was excited for what the future held after A Calculated Risk and Cari delivered an amazing story to follow up. What worked so well was the fact this story, although part of a series, works great as a standalone story. From the very first chapter where Jo was bored by the restrictions of her injuries, I just knew she’d end up involved. She’s a great detective but this case had her a bit thrown. It was very dark and covered some most unpleasant moments, but probably only if you are really squeamish like me. Still, I carried on because Cari really delivers strong stories that focus on grim realities of crime and those that work in the services protecting and saving lives.

There was so much going on with the case to keep the story busy, but there were slower moments where Jo and Isla connected. They helped to lighten the mood from time to time and showed just how much their relationship had grown. They make a fantastic team and Isla really brings out the best in Jo when she is struggling or frustrated, which in this, she was quite a bit.

Really enjoyed this despite the dark nature of the chilling crimes being committed. Those helped to ground the story in a reality though and provide perspective for just how taxing Jo’s and Isla’s careers are and how strong they are mentally to cope with it all and still find time to just be with one another.

Loved this! First time reading this author and I found her style of writing so refreshing. Great storyline but I particularly enjoyed the banter between the team which you don't normally get with a crime thriller.

Certainly going to look for this author in the future.

Highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

You cannot fault the writing of Cari Hunter. The dialogue is crisp, the setting is clear, the pacing is perfect, and you’re led by a master (mistress?) through a complex plot to the satisfying ending.

DI Jo Shaw is back ~ you really need to have read the first one to pick up the allusions here and it’s well worth it. Jo is trying to ease back in to detecting when she lands a huge case with torture, murder, drugs, and a truly evil perpetrator… but the question is will Jo survive the investigation when things get a bit complicated?

The tension is real and the relationships ~ especially Jo with her police colleagues and with Isla ~ feel authentic. I’m already looking forward to book three ~ but I’ll read anything Cari Hunter writes. Recommended if you’re into crime fiction, good writing, and/or English snacks.

I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley

Perfection in book form. Everything about this story was spot on, from the police banter, to the rekindling romance, to the previous bedroom buddies or medical professionals and the rife abuse of power. Superbly written. I loved reading it and will reread it for the joy of the dialogue. The thriller aspect and catching the perps paces along nicely. Excellent. I can’t recommend this one enough. I really wish I could be friends with the characters. Also that this becomes a tv series with many more books to follow.

Cari Hunter does it best when writing crime novel series, often times my complaint about novel that features heavily in suspense and thriller, the romance always took a back burner, understandably but still a bummer, but with series there's no more rush of seeing MCs fall in love, conflict, fall out and HEA all in the same book and I love it the most with all these little snippets of their daily interactions that slowly but steadily move forwards with their relationship. I am not going to dwell more on the storyline itself because where would the fun be if I reveal all the interesting crime solving storyline am I right? I am however going to emphasize on the epilogue which promised a third book with more grueling crimes to come (hopefully last) to our poor Jo and Isla and that's all you need to know.

This was my first book by Hunter and I should have read the first book as I was a little confused. It can be read as a standalone, but it would have give more backstory if I'd read the first.

This was fantastic and some detective stories leave a lot to be desired and don't have the right balance between mystery and suspense, but Hunter knocked it out of the park. The characters are well developed and have humanity which is missing from other stories. The victims were the most important and it was well written and engaging.

I am going back to read the first book so I can see how Jo and Isla's relationship developed, but it was good to see how they are as a couple, that is always missing in standalone books.

Fantastic job and I look forward to reading more by Hunter.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic mystery! This book was well-written, the characters were thoroughly developed, and the crime-solving aspect was suspenseful. I I'm definitely looking for more books by this author.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Cari Hunter’s The Stolen Girl is a taut, compassionate thriller that unspools like a winter wind—biting, relentless, and oddly poetic in its aftermath. Set against the cold grit of northern England, the novel refuses to be pigeonholed: it's part crime drama, part psychological journey, and part exploration of fractured identity.

Detective Jo Shaw, battling her own past traumas, is assigned to a case where a woman has been brutalized and left for dead. What begins as a routine investigation quickly swells into something far more complex, spiraling into the dark territories of memory manipulation, abuse, and the resilience of those society refuses to judge, the upper crust who can afford the very best lawyers.

Hunter’s greatest strength lies in her emotional authenticity. Jo is a study in subtle suffering—sharp-witted but quietly aching. Through her lens, the reader grapples with questions of morality, justice, and the fuzziness between victimhood and survival. The dialogue crackles with grit and gallows humor, yet there’s a gentleness in the way Hunter tends to her characters’ vulnerabilities. She never exploits trauma for narrative tension; instead, she excavates it with respect, creating a space where healing feels tentative yet radical.

The plot’s pacing mimics memory itself: nonlinear, fragmented, and filled with moments that bleed into one another. At times, the narrative veers close to disorientation—but this is precisely the point. To read The Stolen Girl is to become complicit in the puzzle of identity, to feel the terror of being unmoored and the fragile triumph of reclaiming your story.

What emerges is not just a mystery unraveled but a testimony to endurance and human connection. It’s not the kind of book that offers easy closure or cathartic revelations—but it lingers, like a bruise that reminds you where you’ve been and why it mattered.

If you're drawn to emotionally layered storytelling with a raw, suspenseful edge, The Stolen Girl doesn’t just ask to be read—it demands to be felt.

I read thousands of police procedurals a year, and I rank the novels of Cari Hunter (especially this Jo Shaw series) to be among the very best.

One very minor criticism, is that a female detective were to burst into tears as frequently as Jo does (or even ONE time in front of her team members, regardless of what past trauma she had been through - she would immediately lose the respect of her male coworkers and those she managed. It would just never be overlooked.

That said, I delighted in this novel and was glad that Jo, albeit beaten, scarred (both physically and emotionally) is back investigating crime. I also especially enjoy the rare occasions she is almost prescient - when she is so in tune with an investigation that she knows to call in help a bit before she is 100 percent aware of the need for it.

Wonderfully written novel by a stellar author.

This book took me on a wild ride in the best way! I was shocked by the ending and stayed on the edge of my seat the whole time!

Because of Cari Hunter books, I fell back into reading detective stories, her Dark Peak series pulling me in with a vengeance. What I like best about the author’s books is the humanity. Sure, there are bad guys doing heinous acts and Detective Jo Shaw and her team are determined to bring them to justice. But the author makes certain the victims are always front and center, their characters well developed so we know who the individuals are or were and what this all means to those who lived and the families of those who did not.

Jo herself is tough and vulnerable and prone to getting hurt. Thankfully, Ms. Isla Munro, trauma surgeon extraordinaire, is there by her side to support her and patch her up as needed. I enjoy watching this couple’s relationship grow more serious and look forward to more of Isla and Jo. They are such a special couple.

The specifics of the book include teens, the evils of entitlement, and good people surviving the worst. Lots of action, crazy cold weather, and humorous banter between Jo and her partner, DI Mark Tully. Newbie DC Zainab Kosar is someone who caught my attention and I hope we see her in future stories. Easy five stars.

A new book by Cari Hunter? I have to have it. And as I love series, I was waiting for the next book with Joe Shaw and Isla Munroe.

At the end of the first book, Isla had to perform the most difficult operation of her life: patching up Jo. The second book begins shortly afterwards. Jo is still handicapped by her injury, but she can do desk duty. However, when a call comes in, she and the rookie on the team are the only ones available. Another nerve-wracking case awaits.

As always with Cari Hunter, the police work and the initial care of the victims are described in detail and told excitingly. The story is dramatic, dark, frustrating, powerful, and lively—with lots of emotions, both good and bad. A realistic thriller that captivated me from the start. Jo's team is good, hard-working, caring, and you can tell that most of them have been working together for a long time and know each other well. The banter between them and all the treats mentioned lighten the mood again and again.

An important subplot takes place in the clinic where Isla works. A case of sexual harassment of young women by a higher-ranking colleague, unfortunately, is a story that happens far too often. But Isla and Jo use their contacts and set out to stop the harasser.

The love story between Jo and Isla is the third storyline. The soulful and emotional revival of their friendship and coming to terms with the past are important parts, and the mix of thriller and romance complements each other perfectly. It's nice to see how they grow closer again and both realize that their love for each other has never faded. The attraction is as strong as ever, and it's only a matter of time before they can no longer resist each other. I was cheering for them.
Jo's recovery process also plays an important role. She is a very complex personality, good and competent at her job, equipped with good people skills, and she has a strong character. She is also caring and sensitive. The trauma she suffered has shaken her deeply and made her vulnerable; her emotions are sometimes all over the place. But Isla is her great support and helps her on her way back.

Cari Hunter repeatedly succeeds in making the emotions and atmospheres palpable through her language and style of expression. Fascinating. A story that moved and touched me deeply. I'm already waiting for part 3.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

Cari Hunter's Dark Peak series is one of my all-time favorites and now that book two is out, the DI Jo Shaw series has joined it. Cari Hunter writes mysteries like no one else and creates characters who are the perfect combination of bravery and vulnerability.
In this sequel to 2023's A Calculated Risk, Jo Shaw is recovering from the events that transpired at the end of the book and continuing to reconnect with the love of her life, Dr. Isla Munro. The recovery isn't as easy as she would like, and her struggles makes me love her even more. Jo is such a wonderful character. She tries so hard to do the right thing and so often finds herself in a world of shit. She is such a well-developed character and the mystery in this one is top notch, but I have come to expect nothing less from the incomparable Cari Hunter. I will wait, not so patiently, for the final book in the series so I can have more Jo Shaw in my life.

An ARC was received from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

DI Jo Shaw is still on desk duty recovering from an attack while on duty but is ready to get back to work. When an urgent call of a body is a deserted house comes into the deserted office, she springs into action and into the middle of a messy investigation. As more victims begin to turn up, it is clear to Shaw and her partner that the perpetrators may not only be ruthless they may also be hidden among the elites of the town. Shaw turns to her doctor and hopefully soon to be partner, Dr. Isla Munro to help connect the dots and bring a vicious killer to justice.

This was my first foray into a book written by Cari Hunter. I could not put it down. I was intrigued, invested, and even holding my breaths at times. The characters are friends and people you want to meet, and that you care for and root for on the way to solving a well written mystery.
There is a second-chance romanse sub-plot that is going alongside. I love the interactions between the main characters and the secondary characters. It was a solid found family.
I have to go and get A Calculated Risk so I can catch up with Jo and Isla from the beginning. But even more interested is the setup for another book to come in DI Jo Shaw series.

Another new Cari Hunter book! Squee! This is the second in a series, so go read A Calculated Risk first if you haven’t already. You could read this as a standalone, but Hunter brilliantly builds relationships over her series, so you would be missing some important details if you start here.

Detective Jo Shaw is stuck on desk duty while she recovers from, well, the first book. She and Isla have settled into friendship and while there is some lingering questioning on what is best for both of them, they are clearly both still interested. Isla continues to be a rockstar surgeon and spends much of this book looking out for Jo and some younger female colleagues who are being harassed. When a call comes into the station that nobody is around to respond to, Jo finds herself back in the field prematurely, with her new trainee, Zainab. So begins this twisty tale of a sadistic criminal that Jo, Tully, Zainab, and the rest of the gang need to stop before more people are egregiously hurt.

I love these characters so much and am simultaneously excited for the next book and sad that we aren’t going to get more time with these characters (although Safia reappearing gives me hope that this isn’t the last we’ll see of Jo and Isla). Jo is smart, sincere, morally upright, and a little broken, in this book at least. I enjoy her working out problems, anticipating what the perps are going to do next, throwing herself into situations, and figuring out the best ways forward that negatively impact the fewest number of people. I wish all police forces were filled with Jo clones. Her relationships with her co-workers are also fantastic and I continue to adore Tully while also enjoying newcomer Zainab. I also, uhm, love and am terrified by Maslin - probably a common sapphic response. Isla is a steady ship in a storm, both for Jo and for others in the hospital system. She seems to play more of a supporting role in this book on the whole, but I love her overarching role as protector.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Jo Shaw has mostly recovered from her stab wound, and is eager to get back to work. She did not expect to get called out because no one but her and a noobie cop were available.

A series of escalating crimes leaves them all run ragged, then a piece of evidence connects the crimes to a high class school.
As this is going on, Jo is rebuilding her relationship with Isla....

I confess, im not sure i read book one, but this was easy to get into. I like Jo, Isla and the various cops, and the story holds up.

4 out of 5 stars.

This is the first Cari Hunter book that I’ve read in a while and I’m slapping myself silly for waiting so long! The story is so good. I really enjoyed it, and even though I missed the first book in this series, the gaps were filled in nicely enough that I didn’t feel left-out.

The characters were diverse, it was clearly written and the story flowed smoothly. I felt for DI Jo, Shaw, just returning to work after recovering and immediately getting involved in solving a crime.
It was a messy situation with multiple incidents and bloodied victims before they got a handle on things. As the victims were hospitalized, we saw more of Isla, which was lovely to see how they were reconnecting.

As an American reader, I enjoyed the charming British language expressions that let you know where they were!
The highlight for me was the reconnection of Jo and Isla, and how Isla, being a doctor, was meshed into the story.

Now I need to go back and read the first book! But first I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

First off let's just say I looked forward to reading a Cari Hunter book and I can’t tell you how happy I was when I got to review her new read, ‘The Stolen Girl’ starring ‘DI Jo Shaw’, her ex-girlfriend ‘Isla Munro’, along with the returning cast members from ‘the Serious Crime Team.’ she and her partner DI Mark Tully worked with,
As usual Ms Hunter grabs you from the first line, hooks you and you spend every second you can find reading this book. Like all of her other novels this to includes murder, rape and every kind of crime you can think of. That’s the reason we all love Hunters books.
The cast and the great plot make this a must read and If you hadn’t read any of Cari Hunter's books but you like a good mystery you have to treat yourselves. Very, very enjoyable read
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books