Um... I'm so baffled by all the five star reviews of this book, not to mention baffled by the supposed villain and his motives. Oh my goodness. What on earth?? This author has supposedly got degrees in criminal profiling? How can anybody be satisfied with this ending and the supposed reasoning? I am baffled by all of it.

First off, I do appreciate the premise of the main character. She is a veteran with PTSD who has her service dog from the war accompany her as a cold case detective. I'm always a fan of strong female characters but more so when they are allowed to have flaws, be relatable, and be likeable. A few other reviewers have mentioned that we don't really get much for why we're supposed to like Katie. We're just shown that every man in her universe worships her and admires her, and she does things like falls through two stories of an old house into a basement and then is banged up again and gets back up (note: this is not really how old houses or human bodies work). This premise is why I gave the book two stars instead of one, along with the fact that I appreciate the short chapters, quick storytelling and some good writing. Some writing was good, while other parts were incredibly amateur though and just sloppy. Little things kept jarring me, like there's an incredibly detailed description of how Katie rappels down the side of a cliff to get to something (obviously a well googled section for very specific details on how to use the equipment) and then it says "a large predatory bird circled overhead." This woman can rappel down a cliff and lives in a rural area, but she doesn't know the difference between a hawk or a vulture? Can we at least call it a raptor?

Or the chief of police in the small town she was sent to (Rock Creek) kept being referred to as the sheriff, when the sheriff was her uncle who she worked for in her own town. A sheriff is in charge of the whole county, while the police are in charge of one town and each town has its own police chief. Then she went to Rock Creek to check out leads and nobody in the (real) sheriff's department had been to the town or knew much about it. That's not how sheriff's offices work. You work your whole county, and police will often assist neighboring towns even for things like fire calls or drug busts even if they're not even in the same county. There's no way a deputy in a sheriff's office wouldn't know all the towns in her/his county because they're all in your territory. But then they'd go back to calling the Rock Creek police chief the sheriff again. In one section they called Rock Creek's chief sheriff so-and-so twice in a row before going back to referring to him as a chief.

And then there were like 20 absolutely ridiculous and/or unexplained plot elements. To name a few.... (view spoiler)

The author does write about doing things in the rain well. That's kind of the strong suit of the book and I'm not joking. It's pouring down rain pretty much the entire book and she does a very good job of describing driving in the rain, chainsawing downed trees in the rain, fighting with bad guys in the rain and so on. The rest of it just has me continually shaking my head and rolling my eyes.

I read a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

GREAT reading with likable characters (including Cisco), a good storyline with enough intrigue throughout to the grand finale. I have read all of this series & RECOMMEND all. Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.

The fragile ones was my first book by the author.

I enjoyed it quite a lot as it was a bit more than the police procedural usual storyline and I really liked Katie. While this is the fifth book in the series and she makes a few references about past moments, I feel like I can read it as a stand-alone with no problems at all.

I used to watch Cold Case tv episodes and while I was reading this book; it reminded me how much I loved a complex detective heroine and always wanted to know what drives her to find the culprits after so many years. Here’s the same thing, Katie and McGaven are trying to find out what happened with the two sisters that disappeared a few years ago and why there’re so many twists in their investigation.

It intrigued me to know what was all about the tattoos and if they will find a new body out next.

A serial killer on the move, an interesting investigation, and great detective teamwork in this book.

I received an ARC copy of #TheFragileOnes from #NetGalley for review.

The Fragile Ones is the fifth entry in the Detective Katie Scott series and is an excellent read. As Katie continues to work though her PTSD from her time in the military, she discovers the bodies of two deceased little girls from a neighboring town while taking a film crew on a tour of an old historical site. As she and her partner investigate, the quickly realize that someone will do anything to keep them from solving the murder.

The plot and story-line were very well done. There were a few parts the lagged a little bit, but the unexpected reveal at the end of the story more than made up for it.

The Fragile ones by Jennifer Chase has so many elements that I like in mystery thrillers. A strong yet vulnerable detective Katie Scott. Her journey in dealing with her own past while solving her cases is what made me like her.

A detective is incomplete without a supportive partner, Mc Gavin is the one Katie Scott can rely on.
This is the book 5 in the series but it definitely can be read as a standalone. It has a few references to the past but didn't ruin my experience with this book. Just made me feel I would have enjoyed this one more if I already had a picture in my mind for Katie. Her K9 friend Cisco adds to the charm.

The story line seemed simple in the beginning but went through a lot of twists. The story did seem a bit fragmented in between but got covered till the end. Two missing girl's from Rock creek are found dead by Katie and the journey to find the culprit n the reason is what this story is about.

If you love stories related to police procedurals, profiling and love to read about characters who are willing to face their own vulnerabilities then this story is for you.

I thank Bookouture, the author and Netgalley for approving my request to read the story and the opinions expressed are solely mine.

Although I haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, I found the book easy to read as a standalone.

Detective Katie Scott is working on her PTSD, when she is asked to accompany a film crew to film local historical sites for a documentary. It is in the grounds of one of these sites that Katie spots the bodies of two young girls deep in a ravine. These are the bodies of two sisters - Tessa and Megan Mayfield - who had gone missing two years ago. Katie and her partner, McGaven and Katie's trusted service dog, Cisco set out to solve the case.

Something surprising comes in one of the girl's DNA and a tattoo with a number is found on one of the bodies. There seems to be attempts to stop them from working on the case. Now everyone around seems to be a potential murderer.

Given that the story was about murders of children, it was incredibly difficult to come to terms with and I had to read through until the case was resolved. There were some red herrings, but I didn't anticipate the totally unexpected ending. It was scary and thrilling at the same time and I'm certainly going to be reading more of this series.

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I love Detective Scott so I was very excited to see what trouble she got herself into this time.

Katie is finally getting a grip on her PTSD when it is triggered again by this case. Jennifer shows that no matter how far you think you have got and how under control you are unfortunately you can always be triggered. Katie does show us that you can overcome these moments and keep going. Katie is resilient and will never give up on her case. I was exhausted just reading everything she goes through in this book so I can only imagine how she felt.

The case itself is complex. The killer is very disturbed and is an extreme manipulator. Jennifer had me tense and on edge until the very end. She really puts her characters through the wringer! I was shocked when everything was finally revealed. Jennifer did such a good job of layering the story and providing that shock ending.

this book will grip you from the first page until the last. I cant wait for more!

“But the front door never opens…”

This is another of those detective series I kinda wish I had followed from the beginning, even though this story worked more than adequately as a stand alone. Author Jennifer Chase, did an amazing job at filling in the backstory as we went along and I never really felt short-changed on that front, however Katie Scott is such a complicated, emotional and damaged character, that I would have liked to have got to hear her story in her own words.

This ‘read alone’ case opened with a prologue which I knew in my heart of hearts, was setting a scene which was going to end badly. The investigation moved along at a fair old pace, although there were a couple of ‘What? – Really?’ moments. The ending as it was presented, was quite neatly tied up, although I was left with more than a few questions about the efficacy of this particular policing district. Oh! and the fourth thing you need for a good series thriller to succeed, is that the main protagonist lives long enough to fight another day, which thankfully Katie does, although this time it was quite a close call.

There were quite a few red herrings carefully placed to snare the not so wary reader and I admit that I got caught out by a couple of them, before I managed to work out roughly what was going on, although I have to come clean and say my suspect list was down to two names and I picked the wrong one!

As with any story which has the plight of children as its central theme, this gripping and very disturbing, multi-layered story, is rich in atmosphere, has an air which is constantly crackling with tension and sense of urgency which has everyone pulling out all the stops to solve. The chapters are just the right length to create natural deep breath breaks, in what is otherwise a fluid, fast moving, intense and confidently written storyline. The descriptive and observational narrative and dialogue, offered both a good sense of time, and a clear commentary about the locations the action took me to. There are no wasted words in this matter of life and death race against the clock.

The characters, although on the whole well developed and drawn, were definitely divided into two distinct camps. Those I was rooting for from the very start and those I loved to hate right from the get-go and the author did a great job at evoking those emotions, with her descriptive and highly visual narrative and dialogue. They were mostly quite open, relatable and fairly easy to engage with and invest in, with some good interaction and synergy between each other and also with me, the reader. However, there were one or two which were really multi-faceted and not altogether genuinely believable, so they were well and truly in my sights as potential ‘baddies’ right from the first time I met them, although I did trip myself up once or twice. Katie was clearly the character with the most emotional baggage, as it would seem, are so many other fictional detectives. Clearly her time in the armed forces and events she had witnessed during her various overseas tours of action, had taken their toll on her emotionally. It seems as though each of her police cases to date, has manged to push one of those warning buttons which have triggered some quite intense and potentially damaging responses. She is fighting her own personal battle to make the transition to civvy street a success and she has some very special people in her life who really want to help her succeed. Most of them are of the two-legged variety, however Katie’s four-legged friend, Cisco, deserves a special mention as the star who stole the show. As double acts go, they don’t get any better than this and I would really like to see Katie flourish and meet her full potential in her new career.

When Katie comes across the remains of two young girls, one of whom has been branded,  she and her partner are given the case.  The pair are sisters who disappeared two years ago from the neighbouring small town of Rock Creek but their DNA doesn't match. Turns out one of the girls was abducted 10 years earlier. As they investigate they find something sinister is going on in Rock Creek and someone really doesn't want them digging into things.

Having the story set during a terrible thunderstorm added more urgency and danger to this gripping read. Though it can be read as a stand alone I strongly recommend starting the series at the beginning to get a better feel for the characters. I'm looking forward to #6.

Thrilling. Tense. Fast paced. Brilliantly written. An amazing suspenseful wonderful read. Highly recommend to everyone.

Thanks for allowing me to read this Arc.
The Fragile Ones is by far one of the fastest moving and exhilarating books I've read in a long time.
There was no time to relax because the excitement and twists and turns just kept on coming.
I would highly recommend it. Definitely deserves five stars.

Detective Katie Scott and her trusty sidekick Cisco are back for another case. I can honestly say that this was the most heartbreaking of the five cases (so far). Katie is still sharp and working hard to keep her PTSD at bay. I would have liked to see a little more progress on this front, but I understand why the author keeps it at the particular level. It’s a condition that can resurface at any time with any trigger – and for many it never goes away even if the person thinks it has been combatted. The atmosphere that goes with a cold case is held throughout the book. One particular moment gave me an actual chill (roughly ¾ of the way through the book). Although I wish there had been more with the new undersheriff introduced in the previous book, this is another solid entry, and I will continue to avidly read Katie’s stories. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book.

This is book 5 in the Detective Katie Scott series. I have read book 1 but not the others in between but that didn’t impact the reading of this one in any way. They can definitely be read as a standalone. I was drawn in from the first word. The pace was slow to start but soon picked up. It was a really good read and one where you just needed to know the outcome. Loved Detective Katie Scott as a character. Even though she’s a strong female character she’s not without her own demons and flaws and the author portrays that really well that you can be strong and vulnerable at the same time. Love the dynamic between her and and her partner Detective McGaven and it’s how you would imagine most partners would be. The storyline itself was interesting and you really didn’t know what way it was going or how it even fit together. Love a good police procedural storyline that gives you all the information without bombarding you. Really like this series and would recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 8th of March.

The Fragile Ones is the 5th instalment in the police procedural series featuring Detective Katie Scott. Having followed this compelling series from the start I was keen to jump straight in and read this next superb instalment. The book starts with a chilling prologue that immediately had me hooked, then jumps to a time period two years later.

In Sequoia County, California, Katie and partner Deputy Sean McGaven are asked by her uncle to act as chaperones to production company Wild Oat Productions who are visiting the area to film footage of local historical sites to be used in a documentary. The production company has requested a guide to give them a tour of some of the more rural areas. In the grounds of an old settlement, Katie spies the bodies of two girls at the bottom of a ravine. Katie and McGaven are assigned the case as it becomes apparent that the corpses are those of eleven and twelve-year-old sisters, Tessa and Megan Mayfield who went missing two years ago. One of the girls has the number 372 branded onto her.

Once again, Katie brings her warming and personable attributes to this thrilling story, and she has made inroads into conquering her anxiety and nightmares with the help of Dr Carver. This novel is a fantastic, solid and well-balanced police procedural that had me glued to the pages and I didn't want to put it down as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story. The exciting plot is clever, gripping, and wonderfully paced, as Katie and McGaven embark on an exhilarating mission to solve the case. I continue to be impressed by Jennifer Chase’s stylish writing and masterful prose that elevates the novel above that of traditional police procedurals. A spellbinding, highly recommended read.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the chance to read an advanced copy of The fragile ones by Jennifer Chase. This is the 5th book in the Detective Katie Scott series and I love this series since book 1! Katie is called in when the bodies of two missing sister (11 and 12 years old) are finally found at the bottom of ravine. This triggers Katie's PTSD as she realizes there are other missing children. Katie needs to rely on her instincts, her team and her service dog Cisco to solve this crime! I recommend reading this series from beginning - f or fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh!

This book is extremely well written and tells a tale of two sisters who go out to play and never come back. Their bodies are discovered two years later by a film crew – seemingly by accident
Detective Katie Scott is one of the first on the scene and has to fight her PTSD, a reminder of her time at war, as she is lowered into the ravine and begins the forensic process of finding out who the girls are, and who killed them.
This is a complex plot with lots of characters, and clues that are creepy in themselves. I almost want to read the book again to tie up all the loose ends. Author Jennifer Chase takes us on a journey of discovery not only in a geographical sense, but through the mind of the killer as Katie, her partner and her service dog close in on a town that is not what it seems.
As the story unfolds, a storm is brewing, which will ultimately cut the detectives off from the outside world as they close in on the killer.

The Fragile Ones by Jennifer Chase
Detective Katie Scott #5

Two young girls – sisters – go missing as this book begins. Knowing what happened to them is what this book deals with. Cold case detective Katie Scott ends up on the case with her work partner Gav. Though a cold case, the scent heats up as the book progresses.

What I liked:
* The pace of the book: not too fast and not too slow
* The location: descriptions made me feel I was there
* The relationship between Katie and her work partner
* That the killer was not easily determined early in the story
* Team dynamics of those that Katie worked with
* Chad: not much seen of him but he seems to be a good match for Katie
* Cisco: a wonderful dog, K-9 partner, friend
* Katie’s uncle, the sheriff
* That Katie, though strong, had issues she had to deal with – PTSD being a major one
* The red herrings…some of them
* That the killer was unearthed, eventually

What I did not like:
* The killer…I guess killers don’t have to have rational reasons for what they do and this one’s reasoning definitely eluded me.
* A few other characters after I found out more about them

What I would like to see in future books:
* More of Katie’s personal life, time with Chad, time at home, a hiking adventure with Cisco and Chad, etc
* John Blackburn is intriguing…wondering if he will end up starring in a future book and who he might end up with Katie’s friend, Lizzy.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? I believe I would

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Oh my god! This has got to be the best Jennifer Chase book yet!!!!! The book will take you on the trip of your lifetime!! Adventure, intrigue, suspense, murder, and love are all a part of this superbly amazing book. This is one book mystery readers do not want to miss. #netgalley #jenniferchase

Detective Katie Scott works in a small town in California and while showing a documentary film crew around the more rugged parts of their town, they end up finding two small bodies that ended up being of two sisters that had been missing for two years, but the story behind the story is these sisters are not biological sisters and this sends their investigation down a road they would never had predicted.

I read this book right after I read another murder/mystery about young women, so it was hard to read these two back to back, but I was glad that there was more to this story than the mystery trying to be solved. There was some great character development about Detective Katie Scott as she was confronting demons from her past. I also can't help loving a book that has a great German Shepherd in it as I am a proud dog mom of two from this great breed, seeing them in action in this book was so great to read.

I didn't know when I signed up to read this book that it was book 5 in a series and while the mystery itself was contained within this novel, I could tell throughout the book that the main character was hinting at events of the past and I felt a little left out jumping in the middle of the series - BUT I was intrigued enough and enjoyed the book where I want to go back and start this series at book one and get caught up in hopes that another one comes after this one.

I really hope I can get into the backlist of this series and find out how Katie got to the point where this book begins.

This is Book 5 in the Detective Katie Scott series. I have read all of them and usually with a series, I don’t recommend reading them as a stand alone. However, this one could be read as a stand alone. With only a very few minor references to past events, you wouldn’t really know this was part of a series.

As far as this installment, I would have to say I found it disappointing. I kept waiting for something, anything to be that "wow" moment. It just never came. There was something missing that was in the prior books. This one fell flat. There was no emotional connection to the characters or the story. The plot felt incomplete. The conclusion was a let down.

This was my least favorite if the series. With that being said, since I really enjoyed the first 4 books, I look forward to reading the next one in the series. You can’t win them all.

2.5 out of 5

Thank you #bookouture and #netgalleybfor eARC.