The Girl in the River

The body lay in the river, arms outstretched. Long brown hair swirled in all directions, flowing with the current of the water. Her eyes were wide open in death, pale pink lips parted in a scream. Detective Ellie Reeves should be enjoying the wedding of her dear friend Mia Norman. But instead of celebrating, she is frantically searching for the missing bride. Something is terribly wrong-just hours ago, Mia was blissfully happy. Why would she suddenly vanish? Bursting through the dressing room, Ellie finds it in disarray-chairs overturned, a perfume bottle shattered. Hiding in the bathroom is Mia’s six-year-old daughter Pixie, curled in a ball and sobbing her heart out. The little girl says she was locked inside when she heard a man’s voice, and her mother crying. 'I just want my mommy back,' she pleads. Ellie vows to make that happen. Turning the venue upside down, Ellie’s blood turns to ice when she reaches the riverbank. Someone is dead in the rippling water, floating beside a white veil. Ellie holds her breath as she turns the body over. It belongs to Tori, Mia’s bridesmaid, a gunshot wound in her back. Near the murder scene, Ellie discovers a button from a man’s shirt, and her friend’s engagement ring. The race is on to find Mia-before it’s too late. When forensics come back, the investigation takes a dark turn. DNA proves that Mia was actually Jesse Habersham, a woman who went missing five years ago. Ellie is certain that Mia was running from someone. Did her past finally catch up with her? Facing the most complex case of her career, Ellie is in a race against time. Can she uncover the truth before her friend is brutally killed? And when the murderer comes after innocent little Pixie, will Ellie save her from the clutches of death? This pulse-pounding and utterly addictive crime thriller will have you staying up way past your bedtime, and scared to turn the lights off! Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Lisa Regan and Kendra Elliot. Readers absolutely love Rita Herron: 'WoW! WoW! WoW! What an absolutely mind-spinning, gripping story!... I had a really hard time putting my e-reader down to do my adult responsibilities.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Omg omg omg... Man oh man, this book gripped me... This is edge-of-your-seat stuff... You won’t get anything else done throughout the day as you can’t put this book down... Amazing.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wow! An explosive page-turner filled with dark secrets and heartbreak! A mesmerizing story filled with unforgettable characters! I highly recommend this book!' @CJthompsonjr, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I was literally hooked ... So many twists and turns... I stayed up all night reading!... This book is unputdownable, giving you a rollercoaster ride with twists and turns you never would expect!' Tropical Girl Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wow!... I literally haven’t been able to put this book down! This has completely gripped me and has been utterly impossible to put down.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐