Nikki Hunt Closes A Bothersome Cold Case

The novel opens with a flashback to 2014. Special Agent Nikki Hunt is investigating a cabin that a suspect is using. She understands that the suspect is gone. She enters the cabin. The filth and foul order is quite strong. She enters the bedroom, which is even worse. The window is boarded up, but enough light filters through for her to see what else is in the room. She rushes out of the cabin just before she vomits. She sees someone running among the trees and chases him. As she is chasing him up a cliff, she loses her footing and falls. She hits the bottom, has the wind knocked out of her, and loses her gun. She sees the man coming down the slope. When he reaches her, he grins and takes out a knife. Nikki yells, "Please don't! I'm pregnant." A 20-year cold case begins.

This novel has two threads. The first is the current murder and further investigations, which Hunt narrates. The novel starts with Hunt feeling bad as she has not followed up on the initial investigation. Now, the supposedly dead killer is back for her, fulfilling his promise ten years ago. Her investigation is hindered by a usually helpful Sheriff who is distant and uncooperative. She has a new supervisor with whom she was not on the best terms at the FBI Academy. Hunt needs information from the Washington, DC, police about the 20-year-old murder, but she was in a very public and bitter quarrel with the police, so the chance of their cooperation even now is nil. The second thread consists of a few chapters narrated by the victims. Yes, my attention was sucked in quickly and thoroughly engaged with each new clue. It was a quick and easy read, as I finished reading this novel in four days, half of my median read time.

I have read all but one of this series, so let me provide where I learned the most about the Nikki Hunt character. Her friendship and professionalship can be seen in her relationships with her partner, Liam, and the Crime Lab supervisor, Courtney. To see how Nikki works with someone with whom she had a rocky start in her FBI career, observe her interactions with her new boss, Garcia. Also, observe how she handles this relationship when it sours. To see her commitment to friends, see relationships with Sheriff Miller and Anita, the mother of the 2014 victim. These aspects enhanced my reading enjoyment.

Very few aspects can cause some readers to stop reading this novel. There are no intimate scenes. Most of the language is impolite versus vulgar. The violence is descriptive after the fact until the chapters where the victims describe their captivity. Lastly, this novel is the ninth in the series, and with the background provided, it did not require reading the previous eight.

I had no issues with this novel, although the crimes against women may stop some readers. What I liked were all the various views of Nikki Hunt’s character. The statement of the killer telling Hunt 20 years earlier that he will see her again, combined with her learning that he was not dead, kept a tension that also kept me reading. There are no loose ends at the end of the novel. I was happy with the ending as it showed that Nikki Hunt could accept her faults and the faults of others. In a way, this was a C-storyline in this novel. If the trailer interests you, I do recommend reading this. This is a must-read if you have read six previous Nikki Hunt novels like me. I am looking forward to reading her next novel. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Bookouture. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Bookouture, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I love Nikki Hunt books and this one was no different. All the intrigue and suspense. In this book agent Hunt is after a serial killer with a personal vendetta. As always agent Hunt is up for the fight.

FBI Agent, Nikki Hunt's, past comes back to visit in Stolen Mothers. When pregnant with her daughter, Nikki had a confrontation with a serial killer in the woods. She was chasing him in an attempt to capture him, when she tripped on a root. He let her live - and she did - for two days in the rugged terrain before she was rescued. What sticks out to her about that time, was the smell of the pink flowers nearby. The same pink flowers that are found clutched in a murdered mother's hand in Minnesota. Nikki was told the serial killer was killed, but now she believes that was not the case. As she digs through files with her team, there's even more to the case than she was told. Told with some flashbacks, Stacy Green weaves an incredible story. The Nikki Hunt Series is one of my absolutely favorites - I hope it becomes one of yours, as well. I look forward to each and every book! Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

"Stolen Mothers," the ninth installment in Stacy Green's Nikki Hunt series, served as my introduction to her work. In this novel, Special Agent Nikki confronts a chilling and sadistic serial killer who specifically targets postpartum women.

While fictional, the story seems to be inspired by the real-life Gilgo Beach murders, diving into themes of societal dehumanization and neglect of certain victims. Green's reference to Shannan Gilbert, a real-life victim, underscores how sex workers are tragically perceived as "disposable," their cases often overlooked by investigators. These real-world connections added a spine-chilling depth to the narrative.

Initially unfolding at a slower pace, the story steadily intensifies, gripping me to uncover the suspect's identity and motives. I look forward to reading her previous installments in the series and would most certainly tune in if it were a TV series.

Special thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC and uncover Stacy Green's work!

Absolutely fantastic. Thanks a million to netgalley for allowing me to read this unforgettable book.
Stacy Green delivers every time and this was no different. From the first page it just took off and didn't stop until the last. Definitely 5 stars and I highly recommend it.

Another fantastic addition the the Nikki Hunt series. This can be read as a standalone as there's enough information of previous books that you're not lost but not too much that it's repetitive for people who have read them all. I highly recommend checking them all out in order though 1. because they are an incredible read and 2. so you can see Nikki grow in her personal and proffesional life. I love that we get to see bits of Nikki's personal life and that she can have a loving family and be good at her job. Although she forgives other people way easier than she forgives herself. She has an amazing team and the hunt for the killer is full of twists and turns. It's also packed full of all the emotions.

I’ve always enjoyed Stacy Greens novels and this book Stolen Mothers does not disappoint I could not put it down often reading late into the night, now I haven’t read any of the Nikki Hunt books and I didn’t realise this was book 9 but it reads quite well as a standalone, the author gives just a hint of previous stories with out it becoming annoying but enough to enjoy the drama. Nikki Hunt is a great character strong but she has her flaws and the case she is called in to definitely hits home as she had previously encountered one of the victims, it is cleverly written and kept me guessing to who the killer was. Now I’ve gone back to the beginning of Nikki’s stories so I will be ready for book 10.

Thus was a great read. With a lot of twists and turn. Also it was slot of jaw dropping in part.

The story starts with a hunt for a serial killer

Great job Stacy! I really loved the cover and the book

I absolutely love this series and the author, Stacy Green! Stolen Mothers, the ninth in the Nikki Hunt series, had me hooked from the start, couldn’t read it fast enough. Nikki thinks they have a serial killer who is targeting postpartum mothers and it is a race against time to try to find the killer and his latest victim before it’s too late. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this arc.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Stolen Mothers", the 9th book in Stacy Green's incredible Nikki Hunt series of thrillers. Once again, Ms. Green has crafted an exceptionally suspenseful case for Nikki and her team, one with personal implications for the FBI Agent.
In flashbacks to 10 years before the current events (and some even earlier which seem to set the scene for events both in 2014 and 2024) we learn that the FBI was on the hunt for the killer of a new mother, while Agent Hunt was in the early stages of the pregnancy that brought her daughter Lacey into the world; injured while chasing the suspect, Nikki's life is spared but the killer gets away. Only to be found dead later.
In present day, another new mother has been murdered and the scene bears all of the hallmarks of the decade-old crime. And then another murder seems to solidify the thinking that all was not as it seemed back in 2014.
Nikki never really went back and examined the events of ten years earlier, and begins to wonder if the man that they believed had committed the crime was really the killer - especially with what was happening right now.
As more and more evidence comes to light, Nikki realizes that the man who spared her life has returned - and possibly never really stopped killing in all the years since, and then events begin to spiral - leading to a deadly confrontation.
Highly recommended. Can be read as a standalone thriller - there's enough backstory to satisfy your curiosity - but if you're like this reader, you'll want to read all eight of the previous stellar instalments in the series.

Brilliant but is it my favourite?

This is such a tricky book to review! I absolutely love Stacey Green and her Nikki Hunt series. Every single book of hers has been a five star hit for me but for some reason I can’t put my finger on it. This book just doesn’t quite hit the mark. It doesn’t feel the same as the others in the series and as such it isn’t my favourite.

That said I did enjoy reading it, Stacey’s writing style is so easy on the eye and her chapters are short which means that they’re always so tricky to put down!

The plot, as always, is brutal and the ending very well concealed. I don’t think I’ve managed to predict the ending of any of Stacey’s novels which is always a good thing in my books.

For newbies to the series don’t panic, you don’t need to have read the others to enjoy this book. This book gives you just enough to be able to enjoy the story without feeling left out.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Nikki Hunt series just keeps getting better and better! I could not put this one down!! Sometimes when a series gets this far into it, it starts to feel a little stale and repetitive. But Stacy Green outdoes herself time and time again! Stolen Mothers brings back Nikki and her team, investigating the deaths of new moms by what appears to be a serial killer with ties to Nikki's own past. I enjoyed the look back into her past and how it's formed her into who she is today. As always with this series, you'll be hooked instantly and on the edge of your seat throughout the story. These stories are definitely not for the squeamish, as Green does a great job at capturing every detail of a crime scene and of the investigation. I am a huge fan of both her writing and this series!

Not enough stars available for this!! A huge fan of Stacey Green, I literally cannot wait for a new instalment of the Nikki Hunt series!
This time we have a murder victim who has some flowers in her hand! Nikki knows it is a sign from someone from her past!
To be honest with everything that has happened to her, I am amazed she is still standing, but she absolutely smashes it again!
If I had to pick fault with it…. Well I can’t, because I loved it! Kept me glued to my kindle and now I have to wait for another!! Sigh!!

I liked that you got more information about Nikki's back story in this one. Nikki thought a killer from her past was dead but now he left her a calling card that he was alive and coming for her.

This serial killer has been leaving a trail of dead bodies for ten years and Nikki feels responsible. She is bound to find the missing mother alive and catch the murder even if she has to put her life on the line.

This was gripping police procedural thriller.

Book nine in this series featuring Special Agent Nikki Hunt. Her past returns to haunt her in this fast paced thriller. An enthralling and enjoyable read.

Nikki’s past has come back to haunt her in more ways than one. A dangerous serial killer is kidnapping and murdering moms with newborns and she must race against the clock to save the next victim, a close friend, and herself. Loved the book and have loved the series. Stacy Green has done it again..

#NetGalley

Suspenseful & tragic: new mothers targeted😩

This Nikki Hunt thriller had all the strong elements of a good hunt for a serial killer. Nikki herself is heavily invested in the outcome because she has a history with this killer and feels she let the ball drop when they first met for her own personal priorities. Actually, this story showcases a number of law enforcement types who made critical errors of judgment and the killer's victims and their families paid the price. I found it realistic that the author showed their weaknesses, but also sobering because of the irreversible consequences.

While the chase, the investigation and the fancy forensic technology used were as fascinating as usual for this series, the story goes off track on occasion, like when it waxed on about Nikki's challenges early in her career in the male-dominated FBI. In fact, I thought there was too much harking back to her past that was not directly tied to the case and killer. And the forensic assistant's actions just seemed unlikely.

This was not among my favorites in the series, but it was as fast-paced and unpredictable as I anticipate with a Stacy Green novel. I particularly like murder and kidnapping investigations where, like this one, there is a chance, no matter how slim, that victims still may be saved. Good entertainment value and a pretty fast read.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stacy Green for the win again! I’ve read all the books in this series so far and I absolutely love them. This one stood out to me for some reason though, maybe because of some further glimpses into Nikki’s past.
This novel was a little darker than most, as the element of torture the victims experienced was extreme to say the least. This was a nail biter, it was eerie, and it was fascinating. I loved every minute and can5 wait for the next one!

This is one of my favorite series. I have loved and solved cases with Agent Nikki Hunt from book one.
This is a decade old serial murderer and in her true style Nikki goes all in to solve these murders!

This is a fantastic series and this is book 9, While you can read it as a standalone, you are going to want to jump in with book one take this wild ride!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stolen Mothers by Stacy Green

Diving back into the Nikki Hunt series with Stolen Mothers was a thrilling experience! Stacy Green continues to deliver gripping, heart-pounding mysteries that keep me on the edge of my seat. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh, and Lisa Regan won’t be disappointed in starting this series.

In this ninth installment, Special Agent Nikki Hunt arrives in Mulberry Creek to a chilling scene: a new mother, Kiania Watson, lies dead in her front yard, a rare flower placed in her bound hands. The flower is a mark of a serial killer Nikki encountered nine years ago, a killer she thought was dead.

Nikki's investigation leads her to suspect Kiania’s abusive husband, but she soon uncovers two other similar murders in different states, all involving mothers to newborn babies. As Nikki digs into old case files, she finds a crucial piece of evidence—a blood-stained rock from the crime scene nine years ago—that was never tested. Before she can act on this lead, another woman is abducted, plunging Nikki into a desperate race against time to save her.

Stolen Mothers masterfully weaves past and present, bringing back a haunting adversary and testing Nikki's resolve to its limits. Green's compelling narrative and intricate plotting make this a standout addition to the series. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a suspenseful and emotionally charged read!

Thanks to Ms Green, the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.