DI Rachel Prince is up for promotion and working hard at the NCA in London when a call comes in about a British citizen found dead in Los Angeles. Prince is sent over to help the investigation and quickly realises that there are links with another murder elsewhere in California. However the LA cops feel that they have their man and aren't listening to any other options so Prince is sent back to the UK. She cannot let it lie and when she traces other suspicious deaths, all linked to the Casamia website she takes leave and goes back to the US.
I love James' books featuring DI Rachel Prince, a flawed but believable cop. Yes, they are formulaic but they are an easy and satisfying read. For 95% of this book I was equally engrossed but I found the 'reveal' a little forced and overly complicated which was at odds with a clever story that is both revenant and yet follows the familiar structure.

Although this book is part of a series it is so well written that I read it as a stand alone novel. The blurb was intriguing and I wasn’t disappointed. An excellent book.

EXCERPT: It's all so easy. The website had promised 'a super-slick check-in process', and it is.

A message with the address and directions arrives twenty-four hours in advance, and another suggests an arrival time, stressing that this is negotiable. On the day, there's a quick hello, a mention of a couple of important things to remember, handover of a printed list of instructions and a set of keys, rounded off with wishes for a pleasant stay and the promise of help being at the end of the phone.

It really is that simple.

The next part is just as simple too. The blow from behind is quick and clean; its deadly trajectory neither seen nor heard. A reverberating aftershock follows, the temporal lag of realisation that this has actually just happened. That this is all it takes; the work of less than three seconds. Grab. Swing. Strike.

Dead.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Phoebe. Tiffany. Melissa. They all made one little mistake...

When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…

The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?

As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.

In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk… can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?

MY THOUGHTS: I was hooked by the end of chapter one. And the tension really never let up. I had read the first book in the series, Lola Is Missing, but somehow managed to miss the second. Silly of me for not paying attention! But it hasn't impacted at all on my enjoyment of Perfect Girls. And enjoy this I did.

Perfect Girls is a fast-paced read with plenty of action, although there are a few occasions when the reader is required to suspend belief, hence the four stars rather than five.

I like that Rachel is a well rounded character, with faults, but without the major hang-ups that so many leading female protagonists seem to be saddled with. She is stubborn, but has a sense of humor, and of the ridiculous, which I enjoy. I also enjoy the friendship between Rachel and Mark, but really don't want to see this develop into a romance. So far it hasn’t, and fingers crossed it never will.

This series is definitely worth reading, and I look forward to the next in the series. I am going to find a copy of Now She’s Gone, the second book in the series, because I really don't want to miss out on anything.

Although this is a series, each book that I have read can easily be read as a stand-alone.

😍😍😍😍

THE AUTHOR: I was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Perfect Girls by Alison James for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

This is the third book in the Detective Rachel Prince series . A perfectly dark and intense police procedural that grips you from the first thrilling page ! A vivid riveting story that was masterfully done ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #PerfectGirls

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book! I haven't read the first two books in the series but I never felt lost. I will definitely be checking those books out though. I liked Rachel Prince, she seemed "normal". She didn't have any baggage (at least, as far as I know), she wasn't a bitch, she was smart, and stayed out of trouble. She is sent to California because one of the victims is British. However, the L.A. police wrap up the investigation quickly because they aren't too bothered by other facts. Rachel senses that there is more to it though. This sends her on a quest by herself to find out why these "perfect girls" are getting murdered. To say she is tenacious is an understatement. I liked how the story flowed and really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book. This kept me turning the pages quickly! I can't wait to see what else Rachel Prince has coming for her in the coming books.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded down

When the body of a young blonde English girl is found behind a department store in L.A, Rachel Prince flies out to assist in the investigation. When another young blonde girl is found murdered Rachel is convinced a serial killer is at work. With the rest of the team unconvinced, Rachel puts herself at risk to investigate alone.

Overall I did enjoy the story I just struggled with some parts being so unrealistic. Rachel takes leave from her job and uses her own money to fly all over America chasing potential leads.

I have no idea why my brain works in the way it does but as soon as we met the killer I knew who it was and how they were doing it. It was pretty genius. The way Rachel acted in the ending was a bit ridiculous but it made for a very eventful ending which kept me hooked.

I loved Rachel and Mark but I did find Marks constant silent treatments a bit immature. I also found Rob’s constant attempts at getting Rachel into bed a bit gross. Just take no for an answer and move on with your life.

However, this book was well written and I will probably go back to read the first 2. I feel like getting to know Rachel & Mark better will probably make this book more enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thanks for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. This book was so good, I need more. I fell in love with Rachel Prince from the beginning, she is the best and has to finish what she started. I wanted more to come from her and Rob for sure. I liked the story plot. It kept me going, I had to figure out what was going on. I liked the fact that I couldn't guess, I had someone else picked out entirely. I need to go back and find the other two books in this series now!

I have been quite the fan of Alison James ever since I started reading her Rachel Prince books.

This book is probably the best one yet. The story is very intricately woven and had me guessing until the end over who was the real culprit.
Rachel herself is a fantastic character. She is believable and not without her flaws, but in the end she really goes the extra mile to resolve her cases.

Cannot recommend this book any more!

3 girls are about this tale
Phoebe .Melissa and Tiffany
What a wonderful story had me right up .
I had an ARC from Bookouture

I was delighted to receive the third book in the DI Rachel Prince series given I have read the other two books in the series. Rachel is in the NCA (the serious organised crime unit) and when a British National Phoebe Stiles, an aspiring actress is found in a dumpster in the USA Rachel has to liaise with Interpol and heads out to LA. Rachel is unconvinced that the man they have arrested is the perpetrator. It sits badly with her. Is it a random killing or the work of an opportunist? Although Rachel returns to the UK she wrestles with the American killings and like a Jack Russell continues to dig further in her own time. Her "brush" with Rob from Interpol is intriguing, but she's had her fingers burnt before with Giles Denton when she mixed business with pleasure. Will she let Rob into her life? I like the way there's a good mix of police work with her home-life and social life. It makes her more "real" and human. I am a fan of the characters in this series. That makes this series for me as well as the hilarious rapport that has developed over eight years between Rachel and Brickhall. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion and review.

This is the third book in the Detective Rachel Prince series, I have read the first in the series but not the second, and this did not hamper my ability to enjoy this book, it could easily be read as a stand-alone book, that being said, I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.

In this book, Rachel ends up going to the US on a case as a UK National, Pheobe Stiles, has murdered and they require someone from her department to assist. While in the US, this case gets under her skin and she just cannot let it go. She investigates on the side lines, even after the locals arrest a suspect, a suspect she believes is innocent and more than that, she is pretty sure that Pheobe has been killed by a serial killer. Rachel returns home and just cannot let this case go, it causes some problems in her personal and professional life, but she is obsessed and she takes her vacation time and heads back to the US, with the help of Interpol agent Rob and then on her own with the assistance of her many allies she has, she may have gotten closer to this killer than she should and her life hangs in the balance.

I liked the pace of this book and it had some great plot twists and lots of action. I would have liked to see more of her partner Mark Brickall, I like the camaraderie between them but hopefully the next book will have more of him and make no doubt, I will be reading the next book.

Phoebe. Tiffany. Melissa. They all made one little mistake...
When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn’t realise it’s the mistake that will kill her…
The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?
As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe’s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.

Rachel decides she needs to keep trying to figure out who killed these girls. With the help of another detective they work together. But then he is called away for family so she goes alone. Driving and flying all over trying to find the murderer. Also trying to clear the name of someone sitting in jail for Phoebe's murder that Rachel knows did not do it.
This is the 3rd book of the series and I did not read the other 2 books but felt like this could be a standalone.

Interesting and unusual story with good characters. Set across America with an English detective who can't let go.

This is the third book in the DI Rachel Prince series and it is just as great as the first two. Yup, I have read them all. Alison James is now, thanks to this series, one of my favourite crime authors. If you want a fast paced, no nonsense police procedural then this is it. I cannot recommend the whole series enough. Perfect Girls I read in 24 hours - I would have finished it much quicker if life wouldn't have gotten in the way! - and all the time when I was NOT reading it I was thinking about it. I like DI Prince and DS Brickall and actually, I liked most characters (well, except the bad ones of course). Often I fail to connect with the main character but that was not the case here. Rachel has her flaws of course, but don't we all? And as for Brickall, I found him hilarious, just like I did so in the first two books. I very much enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters. And as for the mystery side of things - it was a good 'un too! I was just thinking earlier which book out of the three in this series do I like the best and honestly, I couldn't decide. Alison James is underrated and there should be so many more people talking about her books.
A perfect police procedural/crime thriller, Perfect Girls, along with the author's Lola Is Missing and Now She*s Gone, was an absolute joy to read and I cannot wait for book 4!

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Rachel is back and is sent to the US to investigate the death of a beautiful British wannabe actress. Whilst there she soon realizes there is another very similar crime. However the local police arrest the boyfriend convinced they have their killer.

Rachel returns home but is obsessed with the case and takes some personal leave and at her own expense flies back out to work on the case. This is where I had a problem with the unrealistic aspect of her doing this. She is off duty and has no jurisdiction but this doesn't seem to stop her or rail-road her efforts into tracking down a killer.

Having said that I do like a ballsy feisty female detective and she is all that. Rachel soon is hot on the trail and this culminates in a violent and emotional finale.

Rachel and Brickall's relationship continues to grow in this book and I love the friendly banter between them. Another solid outing by Alison James.

Somebody is killing off all the “perfect“ blondes!!!

This is the third book in the DI Rachel Prince series... Rachel is an international liaison officer, this time the job takes her to Los Angeles.... ironically part of my love for the series is that it is set in the UK, but this time I found Rachel on my doorstep! Not that I did not thoroughly enjoy this book, it was quite fun watching Rachel outsmart the entire LAPD....

When the body of phoebe, a British citizen, is discovered Rachel is called to action... while Rachel is in LA another body is discovered, another “perfect“ blonde... even though the LAPD has made an arrest in Phoebe’s case Rachel is convinced they are wrong, and there is a serial killer on the loose.... obsessed with the case eventually Rachel take some time out to investigate on her own time and dime...

This is a fast paced, action packed, addictive read! Rachel is a very relatable and likable female protagonist, a little less prickly than a lot of other female detectives.... although admittedly I was hoping there’d be a little more about her relationship with Mark, maybe in the next book? Also the believability that Rachel single-handedly out detected all law-enforcement of the United States while entertaining, was unlikely, I hope!

Another fabulous installment in this detective series that is fast becoming one of my favorites! Absolutely recommend if you are a fan of the police procedural with a strong smart female protagonist...

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

4.5/5 stars! I am SO enjoying this series with DI Rachel Prince and Brickall!!! I love the banter between them!

Young, pretty women are being murdered and DI Rachel Prince is obsessed in trying to find the connection and stop this killer before another young girl is killed!

Perfect Girls is the third book in the series and I admit I skipped book 2 because this one looked so good and kept calling my name, I just couldn't wait. I am making sure to go back and read number 2 now. The story probably could pass as a standalone, however, I would suggest reading at least the first book to get to know the characters and their backgrounds. The only reason I am giving it 4.5 instead of 5 full stars is because Rachel was a bit obsessed and flying all over the country was a bit farfetched for me when it wasn't even her case. AND I wish she would have given a certain someone a little more of a "bollocking" at the end. Having said that, this was such an enjoyable fast paced! I love Brickall and am so curious to see where their relationship may go after this one! I will eagerly be waiting for book number 4!

A huge thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!

Perfect Girls is the third book in a series, which I did not know when I picked this up and I feel that this had an impact on my enjoyment of the book. We start when the body of a well known soap star Phoebe Stiles is discovered in a dumpster and we soon find out that she is not the only victim of what could be a serial killer.

I am refraining from actually rating this book on Goodreads as I struggled to finish and I did not properly read the last 25% of the novel. I didn't connect with the characters and found it difficult to immerse myself in the plot but as I said previously, I imagine some of my problems could have been assuaged had I read the previous two books first. I'm sure this could be an amazing series for a lot of other people, but unfortunately it was not for me.

This is the first book I have read by Alison James, so I am coming to the series cold without any preconceptions as to her writing or the characters, although I believe this is the third book featuring Detective Rachel Prince. Having read this book, I will definitely go back and read the first two, as I really enjoyed both the style of writing and the characters in this book, although it was not entirely without fault.

The action in the book starts very quickly as we are drawn in to an ambitious case, where Rachel Prince is charged with representing British interests in a case of a murdered English reality star in Los Angeles. The plot is one it is easy to become embroiled in as we feel Rachel’s frustration and her impotence as a token guest on a case in a foreign country that she does not believe is being handled correctly. The plot moved along smartly and I was very engrossed in the puzzle of the crime and whether it was linked to other similar murders or not.

Rachel Prince is an easy protagonist to relate to. She is the kind of woman a lot of us would aspire to be, intelligent, successful, talented, independent, strong – or that is certainly how she comes across in this book, although it would seem she has a complicated romantic past that is referred back to here. That just serves to make her more human and approachable. I found the romantic tension between her and Rob a compelling and very realistic thread in the book too.

For the first two thirds, the book is an intellectual puzzle as the detective investigates in the usual way, following leads and piecing together clues to try and identify the murderer. She does half of this off the books, having been taken off the case when the British girl’s murder is deemed solved but Rachel disagrees. At this point, I began to query how realistic her behaviour, and the behaviour of other professionals in the book was, as they were doing a lot of things unofficially that made me skeptical. It was still entertaining but your enjoyment from this point forward will depend on how far you are prepared to suspend your disbelief and accept that this is fiction so realism is a flexible thing.

When it came to the denouement, real physical action kicks in which is a welcome change of pace and tone. However, something happens which I really struggled to buy into, given the character and behaviour of DI Prince throughout the rest of the book. I can’t say too much without giving away the plot but I just didn’t believe it, it jarred for me with what had been set out in the first 80% of the story. It was a shame, as I had really enjoyed the rest of it and was very invested in the story and the characters and had been racing through to find out what happened.

This is a great story, fast-paced and intriguing with well-drawn, relatable characters and a fascinating spin in the shape of the foreign setting. I really like the writer’s voice and enjoyed the majority of the book, with just a disappointing mis-step at the end. This will not stop me looking out for more from this author. People less pedantic than me may not have the same issues.

This is the third book in the fantastic series featuring Detective Rachel Prince. I reviewed the first two books and gave them five stars and this one is no different, even better. A young English woman is murdered in USA and Rachel, to her delight, is the one sent to the States to investigate the case. More bodies of murdered young women are found and as Rachel is struggling to find a connection to death of the young English woman, her boss orders her to return home. Meanwhile the US police have arrested a man over this murder but Rachel is convinced that he is innocent. She uses her annual leave to return to USA to continue her investigations and liaises with other crime agencies trying to solve the murders, intent on finding the killer. As Rachel nears finding out the truth and the identity of the killer, she is taken prisoner and her own life is in danger.
I am loving this series and find that I cannot put them down as they are so gripping. I can’t wait for book number four. Don’t miss out on reading them, you will be hooked like me!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.