I raced through this book! This is not a typical crime story. In All His Pretty Girls the author Charly Cox has written an exciting look into a serial killer's life and his ingenious tricks to avoid capture. We hear his thoughts, both happy and horrific, and believe me in some cases his happy thoughts are horrific, and we get to hear his (realistically sad) story quite early on in the book. Particularly the reason behind what turned him into the monster he is now. 

Running parallel to this sadistic killer's antics, (which is akin to a horror story) we learn about Alyssa Wyatt who became a cop because of how her little brother Timmy got kidnapped and killed by someone they never caught when she was just nine years old herself.  In an effort to relieve herself from some pain that she spent blaming herself for his death throughout her childhood and even now as an adult, she became a cop - making it her mission to save others in a way that she couldn't for own own brother - who still to this day - she loves and mourns for. 

Now someone is killing women who for some reason all look similar to Alyssa, and as we delve deeper into her family and home life it soon becomes apparent that none of that is safe. Someone is out to ruin her life, but who? 

Although I don't think the jaw-dropping killer twist was really that shocking (the clues are blatantly obvious when we read the killer's story and thoughts) I still found this to be one of the most exciting crime books I've read in a long while! However, if you missed the clues then the final reveal will indeed shock you. But what I found even more interesting is not how this book ended, but how it got me thinking after I finished the book. How the hell would anyone think, feel and cope if they were Alyssa? That for me, was the true ending of this story - and not until you've reached the very end of the book will you understand what I mean... 

Thanks to NetGalley, Sarah from BOTBS, and Hera Books for this opportunity to read the ARC of #AllHisPrettyGirls. This is my honest review. I loved this book!

I should have gone to bed a couple of hours ago, but I sat down with this book later in the evening and I simply could not put it down without finishing. What an amazing debut! This is one of the best crime thrillers I've read in ages! Introducing Detective Alyssa Wyatt, her incredible team, and her amazing family, this first book in a new series is one you won't want to miss.

Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner, Cord Roberts, are getting coffee when the call comes in about a missing person. Callie McCormick had allegedly been taken from her home in an upscale Albuquerque neighborhood at some point during the day. The detectives are surprised that Callie's car has gone but her phone was left behind and there's a hole in the wall and blood. Of course, Alyssa has some suspicion about the husband but shortly it becomes clear that he was not involved. As they diligently work the case, new information comes to light. And then a nearly dead woman is found partially buried high in the Sandias. Then the twists start coming and the suspense doesn't let up as a very complicated investigation turns personal for Alyssa. NO SPOILERS.

I loved all the characters in this book (well, except for the bad guy, naturally) and it was so refreshing to see a happy family unit where there are loving interactions and good relationships. The teenagers aren't bratty and Alyssa's husband is a good guy and very understanding. The detectives form a cohesive unit and keep their focus on important stuff. I can't wait to learn more about them. I enjoyed the way the narrative flipped between points of view giving us access into the killer's thoughts and motive. I want more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for a copy of this e-book ARC to read and review.

This was a police procedural which was a complete thriller. As the story unfurled, a dread started building up in my stomach, the kidnapper was one vicious SOB. Any name I called him in my mind was lesser than he deserved.

A woman was kidnapped and tortured to an inch of her life and buried. She was barely alive when discovered by hikers. Detective Alyssa and her partner Cord were called to investigate. Soon they realized that they were dealing with a serial killer. Then Alyssa's son was kidnapped, and she came into the crosshairs of the kidnapper.

My first book by author Charly Cox, I read this with bated breath. I don't think I took even a single deep breath while reading this. Written in both Detective Alyssa and kidnapper Evan's POV, I couldn't believe what I was reading. Each chapter raised my tension and I couldn't stop tapping my kindle.

The author's brilliant mind was seen in the way she interlinked subplots and made this police procedural a mind-blowing, pulse-spiking thriller. The graphic scenes of torture caused my insides to quiver, but the scenes raised my ire to the point that I wanted the kidnapper to be skewered and burned on a barbeque one inch at a time. Whew!!

I guessed the twist earlier on, but it was more like a fleeting thought in my mind, that if the author did this, she would have a forever fan in me. And she did, and now I am a complete fan. A thriller-y police procedural, 2 fab genre in one complete story.

"The woman didn’t feel right. She wasn’t getting enough oxygen, and she was certain she was being smothered. Sharp spasms tore through her stomach with every breath she attempted to take, and what was that in her mouth?"

To stop a serial killer, a driven detective with an uncanny resemblance to the victims delves into her tragic past to bring him down before he kills again.

The story is told in 3 viewpoints: the victim, the killer, and the detective. It unfolds as a police procedural and psychological thriller drawing out the bone-chilling events occurring over a mind-numbing week filled with kidnapping, torture, flashbacks, a terrifying chase through the woods, and a mind-blowing ending which shook this reader to the core.

The characters are strong and well-written. Though she doesn’t see her family as much as she wants due to her career, Alyssa makes the most of the time she has with her husband Brock and her two children. Speaking of Brock, he’s definitely a keeper and I loved his supportive dynamic in Alyssa’s life. As the killer’s past comes to light, it is appalling and sad how he came to be, but the author does a great job digging into his psyche while he plays out his evil deeds.

This is a fantastic debut novel by Ms. Cox. She knows how to elevate the tension as the killer gets closer to his prey and the twists and turns are shocking and exciting to read. Book 2, here I come! Another book to add to my 2019 favorite reads.

Thank you to Ms. Cox and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read her book with no expectation of a positive review.

All His Pretty Girls by Charly Cox is such an intense read. A terrifying serial killer is stalking a community. For Detective Alyssa Wyatt the case hits far too close to home. When a kidnapped woman turns up dead, it becomes personal. She feels she has failed this woman and her failure to find her alive eats away at her. It makes her more determined to catch whoever is responsible for the murders that have taken place and make sure they never kill again. But this case will have devastating consequences for Alyssa and her family.

Charly Cox really did make me fear for her characters as I was reading this book. She managed to create such an intense atmosphere in her writing. I was desperately hoping that the victims of the criminal in her novel would find a means of escape. Charly Cox did make these scenes feel very claustrophobic, and I almost couldn’t bear to read on, but I knew I had to.

I really liked Alyssa. I think it did take me some time to warm to her, when I first started reading but she gradually grew on me. She is a character who has suffered in the past as well. Her brother, Timmy, disappeared when they were only children, and she has continuously blamed herself for her brother’s disappearance. He was found dead, but his kidnapper was never identified. I suspect that this part of the plot may feed into later books in the series and I’m hoping that there is going to be another book.

The plot moves along at an extremely fast pace. As the reader, you can sense the clock ticking down as the police work hard to apprehend the killer, and in the final chapters, Charly Cox really does turn the tension up a notch.

The twists that come in this book are hard-hitting, and one blew my mind. You won’t believe what is happening when it finally dawns on you. I thought it was so clever how Charly managed to weave this into her plot, but as I looked back, I could see that there were hints and signs there. It was very cleverly done, and I am still reeling from it as I am writing this review.

If I could sum of All His Pretty Girls in just a few words they would be; intense, dark, haunting and terrifying. If you enjoy crime fiction with a darker edge, then this is a book for you. I can’t wait to see where Charly takes us next.

This is one hell of a beauty to make you twitchy! I loved this book which made me curl myself into a little ball while I was reading with my comfy blanket tucked firmly around me, but it didn't stop the shivers and raised hairs on my arms, or from looking over my shoulder when I finally turned the lights out to go to bed.
Within the first couple of chapters, I felt totally invested in this book, my heart ached, my eyes filled with tears and I felt so helpless. Are monsters made or are they born like this? I wondered which it would be in this story. The story dropped back a few days to the abduction of a woman and her harrowing captive time that followed. I slipped in and out of the abductor's angry mind and the reasons for every interaction with his victim.
This is the first book in what seems, if this book is anything to go by, a pre-order must for the next one and subsequent ones that follow, as it blew me away. Set in Albuquerque New Mexico Alyssa Wyatt is a strong character, confident, happily married with two teenage children and a past that makes her a compassionate and understanding Detective.
Oh, boy, was I swiped off my feet as what was already a totally gripping read escalated into my top five for this year. Could I read on? OMG darn right I could!!!!!!! It felt like my heart was beating in the back of my throat! What a super intense read this was and it still hadn't finished with me. Simply stunning, so excited about this author.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Your connections to all the things around you literally define who you are. - Aaron D. O'Connell

This is the first book in a new mystery series featuring Detective Alyssa Wyatt. Alyssa lives with her family in Albuquerque, New Mexico and got into her field of work because of a terrible tragedy in her past.

This was an exciting thriller with Alyssa and her partner, Cord, on the trail of a serial killer targeting women that happen to resemble Alyssa.

One of the missing women is found barely clinging to life and this starts Alyssa, her partner and a select few in the Albuquerque Police Department trying to track this killer before any more women go missing.

I loved the characters in the book Alyssa, her family, her work partner Cord, and the others Alyssa works with.

The action was fast-paced and twisted, the storyline different.

I am already looking forward to book two in the series.

I received this book from Hera Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

“All His Pretty Girls” by Charly Cox is a page-turner for sure! I was immediately held captive within and throughout the story. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author and hopefully this title will be the first in a series. Loved it!

This is a well written police procedural, with the exception of the time-jumping in the first part. The characters and dialogue are excellent, and there are a few funny situations included. The plot is not very original, however, for those of us who read a lot.

I’m having a hard time putting into words how much I enjoyed All His Pretty Girls!

A woman is found badly beaten and barely alive after being missing for days. Detective Alyssa Wyatt is assigned to the case which she finds disturbing evidence that there might me a serial killer on the loose.

As she investigates, she unwittingly puts herself and her family in the cross hairs of a psychopathic killer. Will she find him before he gets to her first?

Wow did All His Pretty Girls pack a punch! I was shocked when I found out this was a debut, I see a bright future ahead for Charly Cox I can tell you.

When I started reading, I instantly warmed to Alyssa, even though she’s not to be messed with, especially when she hasn’t had her coffee! She’s mum to two teenagers with a loving husband but she carries around guilt and pain from something that happened in her past.

This is one of those novels which you think you know what’s going to happen then boom, there’s something completely throws you. I can’t say too much more in case of spoilers but if you love a quality police procedural you should pick this up.

All His Pretty Girls is a heart in your mouth read that will have you racing through those pages. I can’t wait for more from Charly Cox.

"Detective Alyssa Wyatt is hunting a serial killer.

She doesn’t know that he’s hunting her.

A woman is found naked, badly beaten and barely alive in the New Mexico mountains. The shocking discovery plunges Albuquerque Detective Alyssa Wyatt into a case that will test her to the limit.

It appears that Callie McCormick is the latest plaything of a shadowy psychopath that leaves a long shadow on the streets of New Mexico - an individual linked to a string of deaths but leaving no evidence.

But when Alyssa makes a breakthrough that just might reveal the killer, she unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a brutal maniac - one with an old score to settle.

Because the killer knows Alyssa very well, even if she doesn’t know him. And he’s determined that she’ll know his name - even if he has to extract his deadly revenge on her and everything she loves.

The launch of a dark, gripping, completely unputdownable crime thriller series, All His Pretty Girls introduces Albuquerque detective Alyssa Wyatt. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh and Angela Marsons will be utterly engrossed."

A new detective series set in the southwest that will be talked about.

This is a new series featuring Detective Alyssa Wyatt . Wow ! A dark and creepy serial killer thriller with horror tinged graphic violence !!! A delicious must read that I highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books for the opportunity to read and review this book ! #Netgalley # HeraBooks
#AllHisPrettyGirls

Alyssa Wyatt is pretty much your showcase American Mom. Not Middle American geographically, as she lives in New Mexico, but she ticks most of the other boxes; handsome successful husband, two teenage kids, nice house and a fulfilling career – as a cop. Like so many fictional law enforcement types, she has a dark past centred in childhood trauma, but what is done is done, and she lives for Holly, Isaac and husband Brock.

Alyssa and her professional partner Cord are at the forefront of the investigation into a missing woman. Callie McCormick has no apparent enemies apart from the person who has abducted her from her smart home. There is no ransom demand, no body and no progress in the police investigation. What we do have is an increasingly angry Mr McCormick and a detective squad room with a worryingly empty whiteboard, and fanciful sightings multiplying by the hour once McCormick offers a hefty cash reward for information.

Charly Cox reveals to us the identity of the bad guy fairly early in the piece. Or, rather, she doesn’t. Over enigmatic? Quite probably, but to say more would ruin the fun. Alyssa and Cord chase their tails with more determination than success, while the sadist at the centre of the mayhem plans his next atrocity.

What it may lack in nuance, All His Pretty Girls more than compensates for in punch, narrative drive and sheer energy. Albuquerque, New Mexico, is known as The Land of Enchantment, and also the setting for the epic TV series Breaking Bad. It is also home to author Charly Cox. She says that she enjoys eating copious amounts of green chile and other spicy foods, and there is plenty of heat and burn in this novel. She has come up with a sensational – and very clever – plot twist in this, her debut novel and, although the first half of the story is familiar Silence of The Lambs territory – serial killer, murdered women, frustrated cops desperate for clues – Cox then springs a breathtaking surprise on us and the remaining pages just fly by.

All His Pretty Girls is available as a Kindle on 23rd October, and is published by Hera. Hera is a brand new, female-led, independent digital publisher, founded in 2018. They say:

“We’re on a mission to publish the very best in commercial fiction. From gripping psychological suspense, police procedurals and serial killer thrillers, to romance, heartwarming sagas, quirky uplifting fiction and sexy, glamorous contemporary fiction.”

Don’t be misled, however, into thinking that All His Pretty Girls is Chick Lit. Yes, a female is the central character, but there’s no shortage of graphic violence and enough of the ‘mean streets’ to satisfy fans of hardboiled crime

This was a gripping and tense read, at times you were on the edge of your seat, holding your breath, it certainly keeps your attention from start to finish, with a few good twists to the story that I just didn't see coming. How did I miss them? I like to think of myself as a good sofa detective! But then Miss Marple this isn't. This is the first book in what I hope will become a series, introducing Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner Cord Roberts who work for the Albuquerque Police Department.

Callie McCormack has disappeared from her home Alyssa and Cord are assigned to the case, But when they find her barely alive they realise they are hunting an evil predator, realising that Callie is not the first victim to fall foul of this evil killer. The victims all have a likeness to Alyssa which is mentioned a couple of times.

At the beginning of the book the chapters jump back and forth on the timeline which give a bit of an overlap of the events that are happening, at first I wasn't sure about this and found myself flicking back and forth to check the times and date, but once I got used to it it began to make sense. The story is narrated slightly differently from usual police procedural stories, in that it is narrated by Alyssa, and the predator Evan Bishop, so you see both sides of the story. The investigation, and the motivation and mindset of the killer. When the killer is done with one victim who will he target next? What is in Alyssa's past that haunts her? It is strange knowing who the perpetrator is, but it worked and didn't take anything away from the tension.

The violence is quite graphic, also at times creepy, so not a cozy murder mystery, and not for the faint hearted. But then I like my crime novels gritty. Although I do equally enjoy a cozy crime story in-between. I felt that this book became more of a psychological thriller than a police procedural or could be classed as a sort of crossover of the two.

For a debut novel this is very well written, the characters are well thought out, likeable and relatable. Alyssa's husband is supportive of her work and the family dynamics good, there are some moments of humour, which I like to see even in a gritty crime novel, as it can lighten it a little, rather than it be all doom and gloom. I would like to see more of these characters and get to know more about them, except for the amount of coffee drinks which was far too much and was mentioned just a few times too much.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5 and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

I would like to thank net galley and Hera publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hera Books for an advance copy of All His Pretty Girls, the first novel to feature Detective Alyssa Wyatt of the Albuquerque Police Department.

When Callie McCormack disappears from her home Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her partner, Cord Roberts are assigned the case. When Callie is found, barely alive they realise that they are hunting a vicious predator and, on investigation, Callie is not his first victim. When he discards Callie he needs new prey and turns his attention to Alyssa.

I enjoyed All His Pretty Girls which is a tense, exciting read with a couple of good twists in the tail but I didn’t particularly like the format. The narrative is split almost equally between the predator, Evan Bishop, and Alyssa so the reader gets a good view of both sides and it becomes a psychological thriller rather than the police procedural I was expecting as it examines Evan’s mindset and motivation. As he’s, to coin a technical phrase, a nutter it didn’t overly interest me as I rarely find the mindset convincing and the violence is extremely graphic, not one for the faint hearted. Having said that I think he is well drawn and despite all his ramblings and incoherent rage he manages to conceal some big twists.

The plotting and writing impressed me as Ms Cox has a way of ramping up the tension and producing unexpected twists throughout the novel and, despite my dislike of hearing from the perpetrator, the constant juxtaposition of Evan and Alyssa adds to this tension and excitement. It’s difficult to believe this is a debut novel.

All His Pretty Girls is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

A really good debut novel. A lot of action with plenty of suspense, great characters and a brilliant twist. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I started this book thinking here we go again another serial killer book same old concept but I was reading along and half way thru this book this author throws in a huge twist ! I enjoyed the writing in this book. I was surprised to see it was a debut because this author wrote as well as many authors that have been writing in this genre for years. I really loved the main character Alyssa she was very relatable. I ended up loving this book it turned into a huge page turner with lots of suspense. Great book I recommend reading you will be shocked mid book like I was ! Looking forward to reading this author's next book she is now on my watch list. Loved it. Great thriller!

Gripping, thrilling, scary what a book. Full of tension and suspense, a nail biting read which I found very hard to put down. A psychopath and his playthings. A serial killer par excellence. Detective Alyssa Wyatt and her team have been tasked with finding this killer. This case brings up memories she has tried so hard to bury. Little does Alyssa realise that both her and her family are now in the crosshairs of this sadistic killer. I spent most of this read sat on the edge of my seat, plenty of heart in your mouth moments. A psychological serial killer like no other. This book is a MUST READ for all readers of this genre. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!
I would like to thank the author, Her a Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Hera Books for this ARC

A great debut crime thriller with a surprising twist. An engaging story with well written characters. I also liked that her husband is written as a supportive character and not just there in the background.
Detective Wyatt, who is way too dependent on coffee, is on the hunt for a killer who is plotting his revenge against her. A real page turning psychological thriller. Looking forward to more of this series.

Alyssa Wyatt is a seasoned detective, with a very loving and supportive family, and a secret. She becomes involved in a murder investigation where the victims all have physical similarities to her.

This was a very exciting read. At the start the chapters jump back and forth in time to give us an overlap of the events as they are happening. I have to admit, it was a bit confusing at first, but I got used to it after a few chapters and then it made complete sense. There was a very interesting and unexpected twist towards the end.

I was utterly convinced of the twisted nature of Evan Bishop, the murderer. There was no doubt about his motivations or intentions. Alyssa was a very well developed character as well. I felt very immersed in the story and with Alyssa’s feelings about everything that was happening in her world.

This was well written and definitely a great first novel from Charly Cox. I would love to read more of her work.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.