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purple_dragonfly's review against another edition
5.0
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. With some books, you can figure out who the bad guy is before the end. Not so with this one, at least not for me. I like the way the book ended, with a nice little wrap up of the various lives involved. This was a hard book to put down. I can see another book involving a few of the characters and if the author chooses to do it, I’ll definitely be reading
jules60657's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars. I could not put this book down. A tell of a good thriller (to me) is that you shouldn't be able to guess all the twists & turns, and this book did not disappoint. Mix that with a healthy dose of likeable/relatable/well-developed lead detectives, and really, really strong writing, you have a truly enjoyable thriller on your hands. I will absolutely read more by Louisa Luna, and I *really* hope she brings back Cap and/or Vega in her next one!!
kristieinva's review against another edition
4.0
In TWO GIRLS DOWN by Louisa Luna, Bailey and Kylie Brandt, ages 8 and 10, disappeared when their mom dashed into a store to pick up a birthday gift for the party of one of Kylie's friends. The local police in Denville, PA are short staffed and unable to cope with the level of manpower needed to track down leads, so the great-aunt of the two missing girls hires a private investigator to find them. Alice Vega is ridiculously successful at finding missing kids: she's had 18 cases, and she has found all of them--and most of them have been alive. Working in an unknown town means that Vega decides to tap into the resources and connections of a local private investigator. Max Caplan resigned in disgrace from the Denville police department a few years ago, and he's been making his living by collecting information on cheating spouses. When Vega approaches him to help her locate the girls, he initially shies away from the case; however, his precocious sixteen-year-old daughter, Nell, talks him into it.
Alice Vega and Max "Cap" Caplan are fantastic characters. Alice is a complete badass, and although she isn't good at dealing with people, she has trained herself in how to behave in social situations. She also has a sharp mind, is incredibly resourceful, and she can kick anyone's heinie if she can catch them by surprise. Cap is a pretty typical ex-cop. He drinks a little too much, but most people really like him, they want to talk to him and tell him their secrets, and he's good at piecing puzzles together. I really liked both of them, and Vega's shadowy assistant, The Bastard, is so intriguing that I'd love for him to get a book of his own.
Louisa Luna is a good writer who writes tight action scenes while stringing words together in a sometimes lyrical manner. Her characters are well constructed, and the mystery surrounding the missing girls is a good one. The ending was actually a surprise to me!
I really hope that Cap and Vega team up in future novels, because now that I've spent some time with them, I don't want to let them go. Plus, it's rare that a thriller keeps me guessing until the end, but TWO GIRLS DOWN did! My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Alice Vega and Max "Cap" Caplan are fantastic characters. Alice is a complete badass, and although she isn't good at dealing with people, she has trained herself in how to behave in social situations. She also has a sharp mind, is incredibly resourceful, and she can kick anyone's heinie if she can catch them by surprise. Cap is a pretty typical ex-cop. He drinks a little too much, but most people really like him, they want to talk to him and tell him their secrets, and he's good at piecing puzzles together. I really liked both of them, and Vega's shadowy assistant, The Bastard, is so intriguing that I'd love for him to get a book of his own.
Louisa Luna is a good writer who writes tight action scenes while stringing words together in a sometimes lyrical manner. Her characters are well constructed, and the mystery surrounding the missing girls is a good one. The ending was actually a surprise to me!
I really hope that Cap and Vega team up in future novels, because now that I've spent some time with them, I don't want to let them go. Plus, it's rare that a thriller keeps me guessing until the end, but TWO GIRLS DOWN did! My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
o_harlow's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the best books I’ve read of this genre. This book tells a bold, taboo story that makes readers cringe, cry and gasp for air. The writing style is fast-paced and thrilling, with incredible character development.
roanfrancis's review against another edition
4.0
Very gripping and horrifying. Recommended by Samantha Irby’s IG.
hambysmith's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars - Good plot, several surprises I didn’t see coming, a nice emotional aspect with Cap/Nell/Vega that allowed me to connect to the characters.
ri49ck's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this thriller. There was an interesting dynamic between the two detectives. The story was engrossing and moves quickly. It was hard to guess who was the real culprit until you were told. I can't wait for the next one.
leahfenner2202's review against another edition
5.0
If you like procedural thrillers with realistic paced boots on the ground police work - it doesn’t get much better than this. I absolutely loved it. Cannot wait to read the 2nd and 3rd ones.
readwithhugo's review against another edition
4.0
Oh man, this book and author are total sleeper agents in the crime fiction world - definitely underhyped. This book is so smartly written and both main characters are imperfect yet completely compelling in a way that means you can’t help but to root for them. The plot is engaging and moves quickly, and while this book is dark, there’s dry humor to provide much-needed levity.