The Other Girl: A Novel

I was very iffy on this book when I started, but I was quickly sucked in by the night that sent Ronnie to juvie and the night 14 years later when Richard Stark was murdered. By the time I was 25% into the book I did not want to put my Kindle down. The story was very well paced and flawlessly switched back and forth between Miranda's past and present. Even though I guessed the mystery behind the stark murder, I enjoyed the tale Spindler wove. I felt like this book was more than just a crime thriller. This was also the story of a woman finally healing from the past she had spent 14 years hiding from. I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a Five Star book. I enjoyed the song female characters. You're rooting for the underdog and hoping for justice throughout the book. This book held my interest from start to finish. Lots of twists and turns throughout the book. I thought I had it figured out from the begging but I was only right about part of it. The ending is a perfect fit. My only complaint is the self-talk of the main character, Miranda. She continually reminded herself to “let it go” through out the book. It was unnecessary but did not detract from my enjoyment. I highly recommend this book. If you like Gone Girl or Lies She Told you will like this book.

Fourteen years ago Police Officer Miranda Rader was a 15-year-old girl with an attitude. She was known as a liar, shoplifter, all around hellion. One night she makes some really bad choices and finds herself tied wrists and ankles in the woods somewhere. Close by is another girl, also tied. The man who took them is no where to be seen. Feisty Miranda chewed the tape around her wrists, but as she was trying to help the other girl, the man returns. Miranda runs vowing to the girl that she would be back with help. But that was before she found that no one believed her. And when the police searched, the girl had disappeared. She wound up 6 months in juvie jail because she had some weed on her. Her own mother and brothers would not believe her or help her in any way. That is when Miranda made some life altering changes. She is now known for her honesty and integrity. She turns her life around becoming the person she is and wants to be. But when she's called to investigate the murder of a prominent college professor, her past comes roaring back with a vengeance. She discovers that the murdered man is the man who abducted her all those years ago. And someone has planted evidence that points to Miranda as the killer. Then another man turns up dead... the cop that took her statement all those years ago. There are no ties between the men ... only Miranda is the common ground. Once more, she's having to make people believe her .... and if she must, she will go it alone to prove she's innocent of these horrific killings. I've been a big fan of this author for several years. I have always found her books to be well written, with memorable characters, usually lots of suspense and/or mystery. There is always twists and turns that sometimes leave the reader turning pages at a ridiulous pace. This book is no different. The chapters flow seamlessly back and forth from today to Miranda's memories of the trauma she suffered when she was a young teenager. There are plenty of suspects....it's no easy task picking out the one who-dun-it. There's lot of action, especially as she crosses the lines to find evidence. Her partner, Jason, seems to believe her in the beginning, but then he slowly turns away .. leaving her totally alone. Her boss, who has been her mentor, father figure for so long, is not the man Miranda always thought he was. This is a very engaging book, highly recommend for Spindler fans ... or for those who have never read her suspense stories. It's a fast easy read. Many thanks to the author / St. Martin's Press / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of THE OTHER GIRL. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.