Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC of The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary. I was hooked from the start. Special Agent Zoe Storm is a sharp and relatable lead, and her partnership with forensic psychologist turned FBI agent Aiden Wesley adds real depth.

Called to the remote town of Harborwood after a young girl is found dead with three nooses hanging nearby, Zoe and Aiden uncover layers of dark secrets. The tension builds with every chapter, and the twists kept me fully engaged right to the end.

The narrator brought the whole story to life, moving effortlessly between characters and adding to the suspense. Well paced, tightly plotted and emotionally gripping, this is a standout thriller. I’ll definitely be back for more in the Zoe Storm series.

This is hands down the best book I’ve read this year. Twisty, dark, and completely addictive, I couldn’t put it down. The atmosphere is chilling, and the mystery drew me in. If you love crime thrillers that actually keep you guessing, this one delivers. Absolutely unforgettable, I actually cried when it ended. Highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good old “whodunnit”! Creator Tag TAYBEARYBOOKCORNER for Instagram, TikTok, Lemon8, and Facebook

The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary marks the beginning of the Special Agent, Zoe Storm series. This is a complex thriller featuring a range of well-developed characters and presented from various perspectives and timelines. There are plenty of twists and turns, culminating in an ending that took me by surprise but tied everything together beautifully.

I enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Cannon, who did a fantastic job; however, at times the voice variations were not very clear, and I found myself needing to focus intently to keep track of who was speaking.

The book opens with a shocking scene that immediately captured my interest and left me eager for more! After this thrilling start, the pace slows a bit and shifts to Zoe involved in a complex case concerning the disappearance of a young girl named Lily. When Lily's body is found, the town is left in shock. The police, including Zoe, feel frustrated as the killer leaves no solid evidence, yet there are enough clues to suggest that this is just the first of three victims.

The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary introduces the fierce, determined Special Agent Zoe Storm. She is a powerful new heroine who will steal your heart. When a young girl’s body is found in misty woods, Zoe races against time, haunted by cryptic clues and chilling symbolism. It’s a twist-filled, edge-of-your-seat thriller you won’t want to put down.

A tense and chilling start to a new series. Zoe Storm is a determined and relatable lead, balancing her fierce drive for justice with a genuine care for the victims. The mystery kept me guessing with its dark twists and eerie small-town secrets, and the emotional stakes made it impossible not to root for Zoe every step of the way. A solid, engaging crime thriller that has me eager to follow Zoe on her next case.

Thank you Ruhi Choudhary, Bookouture Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

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I LOVED this! I now want to read the rest of the #zoestorm books- she is a great lead character and this book, although full of sinister content, was so darkly intriguing that I could not stop and devoured it in 24 hours!

I had the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary, thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley. The story follows Detective Zoe Storm as she investigates the disappearance of two girls, unraveling a dark and layered mystery.

The book started off strong and pulled me in early on, but for me, the pacing slowed down as the story progressed. There were moments where I wished for more action or urgency to keep the momentum going. That said, I did enjoy some of the character development, particularly around Zoe, and appreciated the atmosphere the author created.

Overall, it was an okay read—solid in some areas but fell a little flat for me in others. I’d still be interested in seeing where the series goes next.

This is book one of a new series featuring FBI Special Agent Zoe Storm. Zoe is sent on a case to investigate the disappearance of a 7 year old girl in a small town that hasn't seen much crime in over 20 years. Soon after Zoe's arrival the case takes a turn an another girl is taken.

The story has multiple POV, dual timeline (present time and Zoe's private life), and is fast paced for the most part.
The book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and I wanted to keep going. The story has a good plot and is action packed.
I enjoy the psychological part of it (which we get from Zoe's partner, Dr. Aiden Wesley).
This book had a few plot twists I didn't see coming and although the main case was closed, there is more to come on book 2.

I enjoyed the narration for the female characters. The voices for the male characters sometimes blended in a bit, but overall it was good that I went into the grocery store listening to it.
Book available July 30th

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC!

Title: The Hanging Dolls
Series: Zoe Storm Book #1
Author: Rihi Choudhary
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Stephanie Cannon
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: July 30, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Pages: 378

This story is the first book in a new FBI agent series featuring Agent Zoe Storm. Story starts when Zoe was a child and she comes home from school to find mother dead in the bath tub. This situation made her vow she would do something to protect the innocent.

Now Special Agent Storm and her partner psychologist Dr. Aiden Wesley are called to the small town of Harborwood, Washington to assist in finding missing Lily Baker a young child who disappeared from a playground – unfortunately she is later found dead in the woods nearby.

Kidnapped, children who are injured and killed is never a ‘fun’ story. Additionally I a hard time with the foul mouth unlikeable characters.
I was rooting for Zoe and Alden to solve this case.
I read a lot of thrillers so know to suspect everyone. So, I was sort of correct on who was behind the kidnapping ~~ but didn’t have details, wasn’t positive whodunit!
I was curious about Zoe’s background and the flashbacks kept me curious.

When I read my first Ruhi Choudhary novel it wasn’t the Wow I was expecting – but I was sure I would like her.
am a big fan of thrillers so I hung in there and glad I did as I ended up likening it.
A lot happened in this story ~ I hope to read the next in the Zoe Storm series.

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for granting me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 30, 2025.

I listened to the audiobook, which may have impacted my review with this one.

Scenes jumped fairly frequently- sometimes into the past, sometimes in POV, sometimes just in location/time. These changes were not obvious in the audiobook- I often felt lost and confused.

The timeline also didn't make sense. It made it seem like they were there investigating for weeks or even months. That doesn't make sense to me, but I also don't know.

There were some weird inaccuracies- like an FBI agent is never going to walk into a classroom unannounced and talk to a young student. So many things wrong with that- the school would know ahead of time, the kids would be pulled out, and PARENTS would be involved. There were a few crazy things like that.

All of that together made this one not for me.

I received an advance audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Hanging Dolls by Ruhi Choudhary absolutely pulled me in from the start and kept me hooked all the way through. The pacing was perfect, the twists were sharp, and the emotional layers ran deeper than I expected. I listened to the audiobook and was completely drawn in; the narration really added to the mood and intensity of the story.

Detective Mackenzie Price is a character you can't help but root for. She's tough, flawed, and haunted by a past she can't quite escape, but she’s also growing, healing, and learning to face her own ghosts, both personally and professionally. The emotional depth in her character arc was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The case at the heart of this story is disturbing and compelling: a woman’s body is found hanging in the woods, eerily dressed in a doll-like fashion, and when a second body turns up the same way, the tension explodes. As Mackenzie digs deeper, she discovers a dark connection to an old children’s home, and eventually, the truth hits far closer to home than she ever expected.

The themes of childhood trauma, corruption, and buried secrets were handled with care but didn’t shy away from the grim reality behind them. And just when I thought I had it all figured out, boom! That final reveal had my jaw on the floor.

I loved how much Mackenzie evolved over the course of the story. She's still battling her inner demons, but she starts to open up, lean on others a bit more, and allow herself the space to move forward. Her growth felt believable and earned.

This was a solid, chilling thriller with great atmosphere, a strong emotional core, and characters that stayed with me. Highly recommend for fans of dark crime thrillers and twisty mysteries!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture audio for the pre publication audio book in return for an honest review.
This is a good keep you guessing book, dealing with the horrible subject of child murder, it wiled away some hours with a good narrator and well written story lines. I did find there were too many characters for me to follow well, this happens more with audio rather than written word I find. The characters are well described but there are only so many personal backstories I guess for writers to use and some are getting a bit over used. The murder mystery itself is good, with a few red herrings, although by the end I’d lost track of where the killer fit into the rest of the plot.

The Hanging Dolls is an utterly gripping start to what promises to be an addictive new crime thriller series. From the haunting opening scene to the nail-biting conclusion, I was hooked. Ruhi Choudhary crafts a chilling and emotional story, following Special Agent Zoe Storm as she races against time to stop a twisted killer targeting vulnerable young girls in the small town of Harborwood.

The case is disturbing and layered, with symbolic nooses, cryptic clues, and a chilling message that more lives are at stake. Zoe’s determination to seek justice for the innocent, especially for young Lily Baker drives the emotional core of the story. The connection between the victims and the psychological games played by the killer kept me on edge, constantly questioning what would happen next. There were several shocking moments that genuinely surprised me, which I loved.

The audiobook narration by Stephanie Cannon was phenomenal. She brought the story to life in such a vivid, cinematic way that it felt like I was watching a crime drama unfold in my mind. Her ability to shift tones and distinguish each character especially in high-tension scenes made the listening experience even more immersive and atmospheric.

I haven’t read a great thriller in a while, and this absolutely scratched that itch. A dark, twisty, and emotionally compelling mystery that left me eager for the next book in the series. Thank you to Ruhi Choudhary and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review!

Check out my Booksta to see my post: @libraryofcharis

Thanks to NetGalley for the sneak preview. This kept me engaged to the end. I do feel like there were a few loose ends, which was a bit unsatisfying. I did not predict the twist at the end. If you want a quick, twist story, this is a good one.

One star feels too mean, so I'm giving two, but reluctantly. I really disliked just about everything about this book. The whole trope is so overplayed, there were way too many peripheral characters, and the main character's backstory/flashbacks never even came to fruition. I understand this seems to be book one in a series, but if you're giving me storyline, I want it wrapped up or at least acknowledged by the end of the book.

Ruhi Choudhary has a new crime series featuring Special Agent Zoe Storm and her partner Dr Aiden Wesley. This book begins with a shocking scene which instantly grabbed my attention and had me wanting more! After the book's thrilling and shocking beginning, it slows down a little and switches to Zoe as an adult and a special agent. When a body is found, this book kicks back into gear and I was all in doing my best to figure out whodunit along with Zoe and Aiden!

Lily Baker's young body has been found with three symbolic nooses hanging nearby. Witnesses report seeing Lily speaking to an unknown man prior to her disappearance. Another young girl is taken, and the connection is the young victims come from troubled broken homes. Zoe and Aiden throw themselves into their investigations. When Zoe receives a cryptic note, she knows the killer is taunting her which only makes her more motivated.

This is the first book that I have read by Ruhi Choudhary, and I look forward to reading more of her books. I found this book to be well thought out, thrilling, shocking, and gripping. I enjoyed the investigation and never saw the reveal coming! I enjoyed the tension, the dread, and the building suspense.

Gripping, shocking, well thought out, and thrilling! I had both the book and the audiobook which made for a wonderful reading experience!

Overall a good crime thriller and a really intriguing start to a series. I did find this to be a little messy though? SO many different plot points, which I'm fine with, but I didn't feel like it flowed really well? Multiple POVs and def didn't guess the ending! I def think I'll read book 2 as book 1 ends on a bang!

Rating: 3.5 stars

I didn't love this one. I really wanted to like it but it just didn't keep me interested for some reason. I didn't love the narrator so I had a hard time getting through this.

3.5 stars. I enjoy Ruhi Choudhary, so I was excited to get an advanced listening copy of this one.

Right from the start, we meet Agent Zoe Storm, and it’s clear she’s lived an interesting life, I was invested. However, I didn’t love the narration. The pacing was good, but some of the character voices pulled me out of the story. I did get used to it as it went on.

The plot kept my interest, and I found myself guessing the killer more than once… only to be wrong. In the end, it felt a bit anticlimactic.

That said, Zoe’s backstory has me curious, and I’ll definitely continue the series. A solid thriller I think plenty of readers will enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the chance to listen early.

Phenomenal start to a new series! Loved the main character. Narration was spot on. I will be looking for the next book in this new series.