This is the first book in a new series featuring Special Agent Zoe Storm, and it grabs your attention right from the start. The story opens with the discovery of a murdered girl and three nooses nearby. Zoe believes this means there will be more victims. She’s teamed up with crime psychologist Dr. Aiden Wesley to investigate, but their partnership is complicated. Aiden was once Zoe’s counselor, helping her work through past trauma, and she’s not entirely comfortable with how much he knows about her.

When witnesses report seeing the victim talking to someone who gave her candy, the search quickly focuses on finding the perpetrator. But when another young girl is taken from her home, the case becomes even more urgent. The chilling connection? Both girls come from broken homes.
Zoe is a strong, determined character, and the tension between her past, her partnership with Aiden, and the race against time keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley,Bookouture, and author Ruhi Choudhary for the advance read copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary is the first book in an exciting new crime thriller series featuring Special Agent Zoe Storm. When a young girl’s body is discovered staged with eerie precision, Zoe is pulled into a chilling case that unravels a web of secrets, lies, and hidden dangers within a small community. The investigation quickly escalates, testing Zoe’s instincts and resilience as she races to uncover the truth before more lives are lost.

The plot was gripping and engaging from start to finish, with just the right balance of suspense and intrigue. I found Zoe to be a very likeable and relatable lead, and the supporting characters were well developed, adding depth to the story. This was a strong introduction to both Zoe Storm and the series, and I’m excited to continue following her journey in future books!

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

This is the second book I have read by this Ruhi Choudhary. The first book was His Last Wife. They both were really good! There’s a lot of action and twists in The Hanging Dolls and I really enjoyed it for the most part. It kinda lagged a little bit in the middle, but I still didn’t want to put it down! I’m looking forward to the second book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary is the first book in the new Zoe Storm crime thriller series and I loved it. WoW this book starts with a Bang! with a WoW shocking scene that had me wanting more. . . What a way to start a book! Superb, it has grabbed my attention! and I ended up 🎧 listening to it all day, I was lucky to receive the book and audiobook, so I ended up reading the book whilst listening to the audiobook. The two main characters Special Agent Zoe Storm and her partner Dr Aiden Wesley were excellent and they made a good team together.

Superb Start to a new series and I loved it.

I highly recommend this book. 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️


Big Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture audio for my copies.

Special Agent Zoe Storm is on the case for a murdered girl with 3 nooses nearby. Zoe interprets this to mean that there will be more victims. She and Dr. Aiden Wesley investigate the crime. When witnesses report the victim talking to someone who gives her candy, the search is for the perpetrator. Then, another young girl is taken from her home, the case intensifies. The two girls have one thing in common. They both come from broken homes. How does this connect to the crimes? Will Zoe and Aiden get the answers they need before there's another murder.? It's a great suspenseful read that keeps you guessing. I look forward to the next book!

I cannot wait to read the rest of this series! If this is book 1 please let there be 20 more! I was reeled in for every page!

The prologue drew me in and made my mind race, and the ending made me want to see what happens in Zoe Storm book 2. In between we were in the present and then in memories with different characters and strings to unravel. Not sure how I feel about Zoe herself, I wanted to like her flaws and all, but I just couldn't sign off on her. I was also not enamored with her boss or Aiden; the premise was like laying the groundwork for some messy happenings down the road. Thank you for the advanced copy. I freely share my honest thoughts and opinions. #TheHangingDolls #ZoeStorm #RuhiChoudhary #Bookouture #NetGalley

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Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for the chance to read this book!!!!

So I just finished this book & I have to tell you I have NEVER been so dumbstruck in my life... LIKE WHAT !?!?! HOW!?!?! I'm flabbergasted! This book does such an amazing job at making you second guess everything and everyone, just when you think you have it figured out NO YOU DO NOT. & Even if you do that's no where near all the answers you need. I usually predict every book I read, it's hard to get something passed me and I was Drop jawed at the end of this book! I even went back after knowing who did it and read some of the chapters over again just be figure out how i didn't know and I won't give anything away but I Never even second guessed it, right over my head. The fact that it could do that alone It's a 5 star read for me, but other than that I blew through this book, I had to force myself to put it down when i had stuff to do and even fell asleep with my kindle on my face, woke back up in middle of the night and started reading again like what did i miss and fell back asleep, woke up picked it right back up! I can NOT wait for the next book to come out, I have no idea how I'm going to sleep at night. This book ends on a HUGE CLIFFHANGER, I'm talking I'm falling off the cliff as we speak! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING!?

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Hanging Dolls' by Zoe Stone

This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in Ruhi's brand new 'Zoe Stone' series. I have also read the first five books in Ruhi's epic 'Detective Mackenzie Price' series and would highly recommend that series too!! Which reminds me I need to type this up and go read the sixth book!!!


Yet another absolutely stunning page turner from the extremely talented Ruhi!! Well done Kim on an absolutely gripping and addictive read!! Absolutely loved meeting Zoe Storm and was landed when I realised it was just the first book in a new series from you. This book is extremely well written with beautiful descriptions that completely drew me in. The synopsis and the cover match the storyline perfectly!!

I am going to start my review a bit different to how I normally start them. Do you know when you found THAT AUTHOR, you know THAT ONE, and THAT AUTHOR has written THAT series that you absolutely LOVE with everything you have, from the characters, to the storylines. And you know when THAT author then ENDS, yep ENDS, that series and starts a NEW series. Your heart freezes, you worry, I mean what are you going to do without your favourite characters? Well, ladies and gentleman! Ruhi Choudhary did EXACTLY that. I was addicted to her absolutely fantastic 'Detective Mackenzie Price' series, if you haven't read those then WHY haven't you read them?! Anyway she then decides to take Mackenzie away from me. and I discover she has started a NEW series called 'Zoe Stone', of which this is the first book. Well, I tell myself that's great!! I cannot wait to get into it! However, how the heck am I going to love it as much as the Mackenzie series? Well, there is no chance is there? How can she even match it? Well, Ruhi what sort of magic have you got going brewing? How did you do it?? How on Earth have you created a second series JUST as amazing as your Mackenzie Price with characters that I have already become attached to? You, lady, have some incredible talent and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series!! Speaking of which, I am pleased to say that it is already available to preorder on Amazon thankfully. It is called 'Run For Her Life' and it it is going to be published on the 29th October which gives you some time to read this and also get addicted to her Mackenzie series. Congratulations Ruhi on yet ANOTHER absolute addictive masterpiece!!! If you are looking for an addictive new series to sink your teeth into with a storyline filled with crime, tension, suspense, murder, red herrings, twists, turns and so, SO much more then stop wasting your time reading what I have written when you can be reading so much better in this series and book!! Once you have finished this absolute gorgeous book, fallen in love with Ruhi and this series you are in luck as if you LOVED this book then head over to her 'Detective Mackenzie Price' series where you will meet another group of amazing characters and more stunning settings while you are waiting for 'Run For Her Life' to be released. The characters were strong and realistic and I was completely invested in them from beginning to end. Ruhi's emotive descriptions and Stephanie's fantastic narration really do work perfectly together to ensure the characters come to life in front of you and it feels like you are right next to them throughout the book feeling and seeing everything that they are. It is also one of those fantastic books where you question yourself about the characters constantly not knowing whether you believe them or not and still I was shocked by the ending!

This book an absolutely gorgeous, addictive and explosive introduction to what absolutely promises to be another amazing, addictive and EPIC new series! However, I cannot say I am surprised as I have absolutely loved each book I have read by this amazing author. I do not even bother reading the synopsis of Ruhi's books before I start reading as I know I will love it whatever the back says!! I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the storyline and just absolutely everything about this book when I started reading it. Words are not even enough to express how much I love Ruhi's books and how devastated I am to come to the end of each one and have to say Goodbye to these amazing characters. This amazing book has shot to my favourite book of the year and when you read it I am sure you will feel the same. I could go on forever about this amazing book but you just HAVE to read this EPIC page turner yourself!!! The fact that Ruhi truly does care for these amazing characters leaps out of the pages in their incredible character development and her evocative descriptions!! You truly cannot ask for a better book filled with exceptional characters!! The location , characters, descriptions are all just absolutely brilliant with Ruhi's evocative writing skills and Stephanie's amazing narrative bringing absolutely everything and everyone to life right in front of the readers eyes!! This book is fantastically written and had me hooked from the first page until the last! There was so much going on in this book that it doesn't give you a minute to get bored, or able you to put the book down!!! I gave up counting how many times I told myself one more chapter just to HAVE to know what happened next as this happened over and over until I ended up devouring the whole book in one sitting!!!

WARNING ⚠ DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE CLEARED YOUR SCHEDULES AS THIS BOOK IS ADDICTIVE!!!!

Congratulations Ruhi on yet another huge success!!! I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your books and this is exactly why you are on my favourite author list !! Here is to your next guaranteed success 🥂!!

Overall YET AGAIN, another absolutely addictive, heart racing and unputdownable crime thriller by Ruhi and an absolutely explosive start to this new and addictive series that will keep you up all night.

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Sorry what? Your mother has 'apparently' just committed suicide...but everything else leads to someone else being in the house...someone who's killed her...and you've gone behind them to hide any evidence...WTAF?

That was me hooked, lined and sinkered...and that was just the prologue!

As for the rest of the book...it was perfectly paced, by that I mean fast...or was it just me that read it rather fast? I couldn't get enough and needed to know NOW! What is going on with Zoë, and who or what is the Viper?

Zoë's definitely a character that's worthy of investing in and I have a feeling we haven't see nothing yet...her best is yet to come.

When is the next book being released...I w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ l̶i̶k̶e̶ need it now please! I have a gaping Zoë and Aiden shaped hole that needs filling!

Bloody loved it!

The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary introduces a new character: FBI agent Zoe Storm, who carries with her a ton of baggage. We will be reading her backstory for several future books, I think. She is a good agent and for this crime she is partnering with Dr Aiden Wesley, a behavioral psychologist with whom Zoe has spent numerous hours. He is good in the field, however, and proves a great help in this situation. They are off to small town named Harborwood. Where there has been a child abduction, four days past. Zoe rolls her eyes. She knows the chances of finding the child alive are almost nil. In Harborwood she meets police chief Travis Hunter and Detective Scott Cohen. She finds both of them pleasant and easy to work with. She develops an instant rapport with Scott. Aiden is inscrutable. He is a great character. I see him in the future as a pretty regular character. The local guys will be a one and done. Then they find the little girl’s body. It is staged with three nooses and a note. Then another girl goes missing. Two nooses.

This book can only be described as frenetic. It is a mess. Part of that is that it is the first in a new series. There is a lot of ground to cover. The current crime, and Zoe’s backstory. This appears to be a serial killer, until Aiden discovers some syntax differences and they discover, maybe, a copy cat. Plus there is a mayoral election going on in Harborwood and these abductions/murders turn into political capital. Travis and Scott, who are both good characters, have interesting backstories as well that just add fuel to the fire. In between all of this there is plenty of old-fashined police work. Be sure to stay in focus. This story moves quickly and it won’t do to lose the thread. There’s drugs, sex, alcoholism, childhood trauma, and more. I liked it.

I was invited to read The Hanging Dolls by Bookoutre. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #RuhiChoudhary #TheHangingDolls

Zoe is part of the FBI, but after being undercover for so long, she's now working with a small town police department to find a missing girl. But when the girl turns up dead, it seems this small town has bigger secrets than she first thought, and she will need to find the truth before another crime is committed.

Choudhary writes each character with a unique back story, giving us an engaging narrative we can't put down.

Every character was so intriguing, and I loved how the main character, Zoe Storm, seemed to straddle a thin line between right and wrong.

This has to be my new favourite crime series, I cannot recommend enough!

This is my first book by Ruhi and it definitely won’t be my last. I love Zoe’s character. There’s so much depth to her. She’s more than just a Special Agent and we get only a taste of her past in this book. Zoe’s mind works in unique ways and she comes to conclusions quicker than some of her coworkers. I love that dynamic in police forces.

I listened to this one primarily on audio and I flew through it in only a day. Stephanie’s portrayal of Zoe really made me connect with her.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copies of this book.

An absolutely shocking and relentless thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Impossible to put down, this gripping page turner is full of twists and shocks that draws the reader in and doesn’t let you go until the twisted and shocking finale.
Brilliantly crafted chills and more than enough clues to keep you guessing, this is one hell of a read.
Highly recommended.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

three nooses hanging from a tree
a girls body has been placed under that tree
a message is left in one of the hanging nooses

the message sent has been received theres going to be two more victims unless they can stop the perp

zoe storm is sent by the fbi to help the local police force, she is a milk shake drinking sweet eating fbi agent with talent for solving troubling cases and she may have some insight into this case...

ohhh man this book started off so well and i was hooked from the first page... but there was so much going on.... with zoe's past family history and with to many characters to get your head around i did lose my way a little bit... and i can get behind a sweet eating milk shake drinking fbi agent with a talent for solving crimes if it was made a bit clearer what sort of talent she has... i was a bit mystified.... but her back story sounds interesting with more clues at the end...

hopefully in the next book in this series things will become a bit clearer

The Hanging Dolls by Rubi Choudhary is a haunting and emotionally charged thriller that explores the darkest corners of human nature through the tragic lens of missing and murdered children. With a deeply unsettling premise and a narrative that doesn’t shy away from the grim details, this novel grips readers from the start and refuses to let go.

Choudhary’s writing is both chilling and compassionate, capturing the horror of the crimes while honoring the emotional weight behind them. The fear and grief felt throughout the story are palpable, and the atmosphere is thick with tension, dread, and sorrow. As the mystery unfolds, the disturbing truths at the heart of the story come to light in a twisted and unforgettable climax.

The Hanging Dolls is not only a gripping crime thriller but also a stark reminder of the fragility of innocence. Rubi Choudhary has crafted a story that is equal parts heartbreaking and horrifying—an unsettling, powerful read that lingers long after the final page.

Let me start by saying, for this being the first book in a series, I can easily see this becoming a favorite! The prologue hooked me, intrigued me, and pulled me in emotionally. And that ending? WHOA! I immediately had to see when the second book would release.
I read the book and listened to the audiobook - Stephanie Cannon, the narrator, did an excellent job heightening the tension and suspense, maintaining it throughout!

This is the first book I’ve read from the author and I’m so super excited for what she writes next!

If you enjoy FBI based characters and/or police procedurals or are just looking for a good thriller in general, I highly recommend checking out this FOUR STAR read! This was just released July 30th, 2025 and is free to read for Kindle Unlimited members.

Thank you NetGalley, Ruhi Choudhary, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to enjoy this chilling story in exchange for a review.

I was very intrigued when during the intro of this new series, you get a very "Dexter-like" mystery with young Zoe finding her mother dead in her bath and having to be interrogated by the police, but she kept some important evidence from being found. And then, the book shifts to Zoe as an adult and being a special agent with strong empathy towards the murder (or other) victims she has to investigate around. It was a little hard to follow with all the jumps in narrative, hence why I would give it 4 starts instead of 5. Overall a good start of a new series, will be nice to read more of Zoe's story. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m always thrilled to begin a new crime fiction series.
This is new one beat me up!! Every time I thought I had things figured out the author used me as punching bag and walloped me with an other surprise!
The two themes in the story are rage and trauma.
Zoe possesses a lot of rage and questions. Almost every character has a deep seated secret that made my jaw drop.
The main culprit didn’t surprise me but many other revelations did take me surprise.
Will Zoe ever find the truth about her past??

This was a fantastic kick off to a new series. I am already completely invested in Zoe. The mystery is full of twists and suspense. I read it in one sitting. I also want more of Aiden. This was an intriguing read and that ending left me wanting the next book immediately!