I'm new to using the netgalley app for audiobooks and at first I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it because I didn't finish before the archive but figured out it was there and I am so glad it was. This was a great story and well written. The atmosphere and characters were great. The ending had me going noooo I want more. I need to know more about what was going on with her mother. I want to understand why as a child she cleaned up what happened to her mother before the cops showed up. There are so many questions and I am hooked.

A really grizzly tale with complicating characters and an intense plot. A really great start to a series.

This was a high quality audio first in a new series. . The lead character is interesting and complicated with a intriguing past. The plot is in essence find the missing girls and who is doing it all and why. Full of twists and turns and interesting side characters despite its full gone conclusion this was a quick listen with non linear stories and subplots running into the main story.. It left me holding my breath to find out book 2. I grew to care about zoe and wanted the past to be resolved for her. I loved the way the scenes were described so vividly and the narration felt full of emotion. I would highly recommend this to anyone who lives to get invested in a character and their personal demons alongside an interesting who is the culprit .Thank you netgallery, publisher, author and narrator

3.5
What I liked: The flashbacks to Zoe’s childhood as she tried to piece together her mom’s story. It’s not resolved in this book, and I’d like to jump into the next book to learn more. The investigation and the murders themselves were done fairly well. The reader is lead to mistrust several characters, so the culprit is not readily identified.

Where I struggled: There are several side stories irrelevant to the primary storylines just to show how easily Zoe gets mad. But they made me mad too and should make anyone with a heart mad. It was unnecessary. Also, the timing was a little clunky. At first it felt like we were living each day with the investigators, but then it started feeling like we skipped days or weeks ahead.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This story started off great, reeled me in and kept me guessing. The downside is that I feel it could have been shorter and there were too many characters to keep track of.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in this one, I had absolutely no idea the murdered would be who they were that definitely took me by surprise.
If you are looking for a good murder mystery thriller this one is perfect for it.

It had some good twists and interesting characters, but it just wasn’t a great read for me. Some parts seemed to drag while others could have benefitted from more details.

Special Agent Zoe Storm has been called in to help catch a killer, one that has abducted and murdered a little girl. Whilst on the on the hunt for the killer, they strike again, as another young girl is found murdered. Can the highly skilled agent find the killer before another innocent life is lost?

This is the first instalment of a continuous series of the protagonist, Zoe Storm. I found that the novel provided a strong introduction to the series. The premise initially hooked me and the fast pace of the story gripped me to the final page.

I really liked the protagonist Zoe Storm, I felt that she was a well developed character. The characterization made her feel both relatable and engaging. Zoe has a mysterious back story, which I found compelling .The glimpses of Zoe’s childhood provides depth to her character. The backstory acted as a sub plot and I appreciated how it did not distract from the main plot of the story.

I did find certain points of the plot predictable and mirrored similar thrillers that I have previously read. I do enjoy the element of surprise and being shocked when the identity of the killer is revealed. This story unfortunately did not provide that for me, as I guessed the identity of the killer before the final reveal. This in turn made the final act anti-climatic.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Stephanie Cannon narrate the story and I feel that she did a superb job of relaying the characters. Stephanie provided a clear and concise delivery, which I feel made the audiobook engaging.

I had not previously read any of Ruhi Choudary’s work prior to this book. I can say with certainty that I shall be reading their work in the future. I enjoyed their writing style and the well developed characters that were created. Although, I did find the plot predictable, it did not detract from the enjoyment I experienced listening to the book.

3.5 Stars.

I look forward to following Zoe Storm and her stories in the future!

Thank you Net Gallery, Ruhi Choudary, Bookouture and Bookouture audio for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy.

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!

As usual, Stephanie Cannon did a great job bringing all of the characters to life.

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

This was a great book!! Little girls go missing and show up dead. The race is on to find them before it is too late. Gripping, intense holding you to the very end.

This was a gripping thriller that explored quite complex emotional issues alongside the shallowness of the political system.

It did take me a chapter or two to become engrossed in this audiobook but then I had difficulty stopping listening. The narrator did a great job with a wide variety of characters.

Whilst this is the first of a series, with what I imagine a continuing back story this does conclude in it's own right.

I shall look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARAC which was very much appreciated.

As an aside can those Netgalley reviewers who feel the need to give away the endings of books please stop.

Okay, so j feel I am going to be in the minority with this review however, this book was not for me. I really struggled to keep focus on what was happening and the narrator started to grate on me. The plot was good but nothing unexpected and the killer became obvious. A good read but nothing unexpected a great read for me.
Thanks to bookature and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

While I do usually love crime thrillers, this one unfortunately wasn't quite my favourite.

The idea was really intriguing, but sadly I just didn't find myself hooked.

While the book was well written, and the plot was fast-paced, I think ultimately it was just the wrong book, wrong time for me.

This one was just okay for me it was missing something to completely hook me unfortunately. It was not bad per se, but crime thrillers don't always work for me. The story was good and interesting just a little too slow for me.

A really gripping story that ends with a cliffhanger. Zoe makes a great lead character and the story moves at a great pace. I didn’t guess the final twist so it kept me on edge until the end. The narrator did a great job with all the characters- and there were a lot. Would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to this great story.

Ruhi Choudhary’s The Hanging Dolls hooked me fast. From very early on—a little girl posed against an old fir tree, hands folded like frozen in a silent prayer—I knew this wasn’t going to be one of those thrillers you can dip in and out of. This one demands your attention.

I really liked Special Agent Zoe Storm: sharp, layered, and a little scarred. Her past is messy, and it fuels the way she works—driven, uncompromising, almost reckless at times. Zoe Storm isn’t perfect, but she’s the kind of imperfect you want leading the charge. You feel the weight she carries in every decision. The flashbacks add depth without slowing things down, and her partnership with Dr. Aiden Wesley has just enough tension to make you want more.

The plot moves like it’s on a timer—symbolic nooses in the woods, cryptic notes, a killer targeting children from local homes. Every time you think you’ve spotted the thread, it slips away. And when the twist finally lands, it’s the kind you replay in your head, half-shocked you didn’t see it coming.

I read the audiobook. Stephanie Cannon kept the pacing tight and the mood tense without overplaying it. Her clarity makes the procedural parts easy to follow, and she handles Zoe’s grit well. Her male voices aren’t as distinct, but the overall delivery stays strong—enough to pull you deeper into Harborwood’s shadows instead of pulling you out.

This book isn't just about a race to catch a killer—it’s about the kids who never had a chance, the people who fail them, and the relentless fight to make it right. That’s what sticks with you after the final chapter.

And yes, I’ll be picking up the next book - which is always a good sign that I enjoyed the novel.

🎧
The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary and 🎧 narrated by Stephanie Cannon 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.

The narrator Stephanie Cannon was excellent. . . . Perfect narrator for this new series.

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.

This book was enrapturing from the start! Each character had backstory that you could follow and they all played into each other in a complicated and intricate way! The narrator was enthusiastic and played the characters perfectly! She helped capture the characters emotion in the best way!

Fast-Paced, Chilling, and Emotionally Deep – A Must-Read!

The Hanging Dolls was an absolutely gripping read. It began at a slow pace with Lily’s kidnapping and murder, setting the dark tone perfectly. Then the tempo sharply increased with Tara’s murder and Lucy’s abduction, creating a nail-biting race against time. That shift in pace was incredibly well-executed and kept me fully hooked.

I really appreciated how the book was based not just on psychosis but also grounded in real-life psychological and procedural elements. The idea of time proxying—something we hear about but don’t usually consider in detail—was explored with such depth, making the story feel terrifyingly real.

I found the psychics connected to the victims’ families especially intriguing. Each brought their own haunting presence to the story. The victims themselves had powerful backstories—Lily, who was abused with medication by her mother, and Lucy, neglected by a mother working in a brothel. These details added emotional weight that made the narrative even more heartbreaking.

The characters were unforgettable:

Zoe, with her bright exterior and inner storm of questions about her mother’s past, was awfully great.

Her partner agent, calm and collected, balanced her perfectly.

Scott, handling a case like this for the first time, felt real and emotionally vulnerable.

Travis, the Harverwood chief and the eventual kidnapper/killer, was a tragic figure shaped by childhood trauma.

Connor, a pure villain who killed Laura for political reasons, added depth and complexity.

Harvey, controlling the employees in the background and running Regina’s political campaign, shocked me when he killed Scott near the 80% mark.

I especially liked how fast the second victim, Laura, was killed right after Lily’s death—it added a strong sense of urgency. And the rush to save Lucy created an intense ticking-clock tension. The epilogue was chilling—Zoe being attacked and her keys stolen felt like a door left open for more.

This was a dark, layered, and masterful thriller. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

This book was gripping, suspenseful, and thrilling. I was constantly waiting to see what would happen next. This was my first book by Ruhi Choudhary and I am super excited to read more of her books!

This was such an interesting read! I adore listening to audiobooks after a whole day of staring at the screen, and I loved both the story and the narrator.

It was really easy to follow, the mystery kept me guessing, and I did like seeing how the past shaped Zoe! It was such a good set up for a (hopefully) further books, as I’d love to know what happened to Rachel and why she did what she did.

As for the story itself, I’m a sucker for small town mystery, and I loved following both Aidan and Zoe, and how they ended up catching the killer. I cannot say I was surprised by the very ending, but the twist before that definitely made me gasp.

I think my only issue was that the book lacked some signposting. I believe that the therapy sessions with Aidan happened before the main story, but it was impossible to tell with audiobook. Even simple THEN and NOW would help to distinguish between the two.

In summary, this is a perfect book for this summery/autumnal weather and time, that’s guaranteed to keep you hooked!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.