Silenced Girls (Agent Tori Hunter Book 1)
By Roger Stelljes, narrated by Kate Handford

Thanks to getting book #1 of this series as an ARC, I'm off on a binge of this series because I also have book #7 as an ARC (and the other books as KU selections). Daunted by a tight timeline, at first I was not going to attempt this binge but I enjoyed the first book (this one) so much that I'm already almost finished with the second book. What makes this fun is that all seven of the books have already been previously published so no waiting for the next book to come out before I can start reading/hearing it.

Roger Stelljes is another new author to me. FBI Agent Tori Hunter's twin sister disappeared under very disturbing circumstances twenty years ago and that disappearance was probably responsible for their father's ill health and death two years later. Once Tori's father died, Tori left town and never looked back although the town, the tragedy, and the grief has haunted her days all these years. Tori's sister's death is why she became an FBI agent and why she devotes every bit of her existence to the job. She has no time and no desire for friends, an outside of work life, or meaningful relationships with anyone.

But when another girl disappears twenty years after Tori's sister disappeared and Tori receives a mysterious message taunting her back to her hometown she is ready to tackle whatever it takes to figure out what happened to her sister and other missing girls. That has Tori running smack dab (he he) into the local, formerly big time, sheriff's detective working the case and sparks fly in more ways than one. The crimes are disturbing, the clues are confusing and it's like a big high school reunion with all of Tori's long time childhood friends still on the local scene.

The story goes into detail, it is not a short story, and by the time it's over I'm all in to keep on with these characters. What a treat to have more books ahead of me. Kate Handford is really good as the narrator and I wish I could listen to the rest of the series although what I have on hand are the KU books and I'm happy with those, too.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

I'm a FAN of Tori - this was exactly my kind of book - I'll be binging this series.

The book is a page-turning female-led mystery that follows Tori Hunter as she works to get to the bottom of her sister's murder and a large string of murders before the killer strikes again.

The book keeps the suspense building throughout as it hits the climax. I was really hooked following the trail of clues. I also LOVED the twists and turns in this book so many red herrings I couldn't keep track.

I really love it when the murderer is in regular contact with the investigators, in a sort of cat-and-mouse dance.

My only critique is that I felt Tori being pulled out of the main crime to investigate a side child disappearance distracted from the main suspense.

Appreciate that I guessed the murderer incorrectly.

I would recommend this book to fans of female mystery books who love suspense and twists. Easy very quick read.

4.2 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Silenced Girls by Roger Stelljes
Narrated by Kate Handford
Provided by NetGalley

I had heard good things about this author and decided to try his books. The narration was quite well done. Kate Handford offered the telling of a story rather than a reading. However, the story itself left a lot to be desired. It was far longer than it needed to (or should) be and contained a LOT of filler. Once we’ve determined a character is into fashion, unless there is something relevant about the clothes, I just assume they are wearing some in keeping with their character. I don’t need to keep hearing about it.

Silenced Girls lacked focus. We were introduced to three unrelated crimes and a romance. As you can imagine, all the crimes involved a whole new set of characters. The number of characters in conjunction with the mind-numbing filler made this story difficult to stay engaged with. I’m not sure what relevance the two child abductions had to do with the main story other than prove how good the FBI agent was. But then we knew that through the other characters making a point of it…repeatedly. The female lead came off more like a moody teenager than a capable woman.

The audiobook was truly exciting, and the narrator did a brilliant job throughout the performance. Despite feeling that the story was a bit drawn out at times, I still found great enjoyment in it. The plot kept me engaged, particularly because I couldn’t easily figure out the mystery behind the killer.

This was 17 hours long and it flew by!! Story moves along at a good pace with zero slow spots. My first novel by this author and I'm excited that I have a new series to read.

Silenced Girls by Roger Stelljes is a thrilling start to the Agent Tori Hunter series, and I was hooked from the very beginning! The storyline was gripping and kept me on edge with its twists and turns. Tori Hunter is such a compelling character, and her determination and grit made me root for her throughout the entire book. The plot was full of suspense, making it a real page-turner—well, in this case, a real "listen-to-the-next-chapter" moment!

Now, I must admit, the pacing slowed down a bit in some parts, but boy, did this story hold my attention. Even in those quieter moments, I found myself deeply invested in the characters and their development. Stelljes’ writing is captivating, and I loved the balance between the action-packed scenes and the investigative elements of the story.

As for the narration, what can I say? Kate Handford did an amazing job bringing the story and characters to life. Her voice captured the intensity of the plot perfectly, and she really made the story soar. I would absolutely love to listen to more books that she has narrated, especially if they are as action-packed and suspenseful as this one!

If you're a fan of crime thrillers, *Silenced Girls* is a must-read (or must-listen)!

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

~

The story was great but at some points it felt like the story was dragged out a little too much and got a little boring on a few parts. I'm just glad the killer did not turn out to be who I was thinking it was gonna be though, I did not see that coming on who was actually behind it all in the end.
Overall a good read, It's a good ‘who did it and why’ and I’d would also take up reading the next book in the series.

~

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC 🫶🏼

An exciting thriller read with twists that keep you guessing till the end! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of criminal minds then this series is for you. I love how you are kept guessing and in suspense throughout the entire book. I also was bamboozled with who the killer actually was and I loved that aspect. I also really enjoyed the main characters and watching their developing relationship.

When agent Tori gets a message baiting her back to the hometown that she left 20 years ago things go awry. I enjoyed this read and will definitely be reading more of this authors books

This was a fantastic read. I loved Agent Tori Hunter and her flawed character. I loved the tie in with her sister's old cases to the new cases, and the way the killer was constantly playing games with the cops. I can't wait for another Tori Hunter book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

I absolutely loved this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC copy of this audiobook.

I was first attracted to this story because of the title and the cover. I went in with no synopsis other than I knew it was a mystery and it involved an FBI agent and investigation. Immediately sign me up! I was not disappointed at all. This story is long but it was so well written that I had no trouble following the characters and story line.
I can see this playing out as a movie or series because of the in between stories that were involved. That made for a great character development because you got to learn more about what a great agent the FMC is. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was another twist and more uncovered.

This is the first book I have read from Roger Stelljes and now I cannot wait to get into the other books in this series.

All I can say is wow. This was a great book, full of little red herrings. My 13 year old daughter and I kept trying to piece the clues together, and I must say, she said pretty early on who she thought it might be. She ended up correct, but not for the correct reasons. I however, was very wrong. I went in not realizing this was the first in a series, and now I must read the rest. This was definitely a book that got you tangled up in the story and one you couldn't put down.

Super great read!!! Loved it from start to finish! Found it a little slow in parts Toria came off a little ehh at 1st but she did grow on me!!!

Silenced Girls (Agent Tori Hunter #1)
Roger Stelljes
Narrator: Kate Handford
Twenty years ago, Jessica, Tori’s twin sister, disappeared. It was July 4, 1999; Jessica’s car is found abandoned about three miles from her home; the car has a flat tire from a puncture. FBI Special Agent Tori Hunter’s life has centered around her missing sister. Tori focused on her work and shut everything else out, until she received the letter. She had no way of knowing who sent the letter, but she knew it was time to face her fears. Tori wanted to solve the mystery of what happened to her sister. She returned to Manchester, Minnesota where it all began. Another young woman is missing.
In Manchester Tori works closely with the police to solve the missing girl. She works closely with the Shepard County Chief Detective Will Braddock in hopes of finding the link between the two missing girls. Someone wants Tori and Brock dead. Tori was taking a run when someone attempted to shoot her; Brock’s vehicle was armed with a bomb, when he tried to start it was his key fob it exploded. As the police investigate more deeply, they discover more missing girls. Tori is convinced it is someone local.
When I read a police procedure or mystery book, I also attempt to guess who the culprit was, before the plot reveals him. In this instance I thought I knew who it was but until the final fourth of the book, I was wrong. I enjoyed the relationship between Brock and Tori. It was the perfect amount of romance without overdoing it. The plot is well paced, begins with a bang and follows up with a well written tale. There are quite a few characters in this tale. This is the first book in a new series, I am eagerly waiting for the next installment

NetGalley provided me with a free copy of this book for review purposes. My reviews are always my opinions.

A well narrated and intense story, dark and twisty in nature. A good read but could probably have done with finishing earlier than it did

For me this book started really strong with a great main character full of confidence with a little edge and curiosity.

I was so intrigued by Tori and the home town she left behind. Reopening the case and revisiting what happened 20 years ago kept me interested however I felt the story became a bit too drawn out making this an unnecessary long read often lacking excitement or purpose.

The book did pull it back at the end with a great finale pulling the whole story together which didn’t disappoint

The narration was great and paced the story well.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an author that I have never heard of.

Tori Hunter became a FBI agent years after her sister disappeared in High School. Twenty years later Tori receives a cryptic letter that directs her to an online article. Another girl has disappeared in her hometown. Tori is compelled to go home and dig up the past. This is a twisty thriller of a book. Tori and the local police department are pressured to figure out how two women have disappeared without a trace. This turns into a multi-murder investigation over several states. There is a spark between Tori and the local detective which leads to some spice.

I do feel like the book could have been a tad shorter. The narrator did a good job. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I loved this audio - it was fantastic and I don’t have a negative thing to say about it. It had me gripped from the beginning. The setting was brilliant

Tori Hunters twin sister disappeared in her teens, 20yrs later, it’s FBI Tori Hunter who specialises in finding missing persons. Tori has had no closure about her twin as yet….

Absolutely addictive, fast paced - loved it!

This audio can be a Netflix film it was that good

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre Audio

4.5 ⭐️ - Hooked from the first minute! I think I found myself a new favorite series to binge!

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kate Handford. I have listened to audiobooks by her before and she is absolutely great. They way she narrates the story just kept me glued to my AirPods until it was finished. The suspense was so palpable, I just could not stop listening.

The story follows FBI Agent Tori Hunter, who has been haunted by guilt for twenty years since her twin sister vanished. The shadow of that unsolved disappearance looms large over her return to Manchester Bay, triggered by an anonymous newspaper clipping about another missing girl, Genevieve. Like Tori’s sister, Genevieve disappeared without a trace, her car found abandoned on a lonely lakeside road as fireworks lit up the night sky.

The local police, under pressure to make an arrest, are focused on a suspect—a man seen flirting with Genevieve the night she disappeared. However, the plot thickens when that suspect is found dead in his cabin, just days before another girl’s body is discovered, bound and strangled in the trunk of her car. Bloodstains surrounding the body belong to the one man Tori thought she could trust, forcing her to confront the unsettling reality that the closer she gets to the truth, the more her own life is at risk.

Stelljes's writing is sharp and captivating, drawing readers into a world filled with suspense and emotional depth. Tori is a compelling protagonist, portrayed as both strong and vulnerable, grappling with her past while remaining dedicated to her work. The author skillfully balances Tori's professional challenges with her emotional journey, making her a relatable and multidimensional character.

"Silenced Girls" is very fast paced, ensuring there is never a dull moment. The author excels at building tension, as Tori races against time to uncover the truth and save the victims. Moreover, her romance with Will and the tension between them, adds an nice layer to the narrative.

My only point of critique: I think this book could have been a 100 pages shorter. Half way there was a plot line that didn't make any sense to me of the overall plot line. The author could have left that out in my opinion.

I am definitely going to continue reading or listening to this series, it is a must read for crime fiction and thriller fans!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.