Girl Number One

Written by Jane Holland

Narrated by Anna Parker-Naples

There’s a body in the woods. At least, there was. Eleanor Blackwood saw it on her morning run: a young woman, strangled to death.

But the police can find nothing—no body, no sign of a crime—and even Ellie has to wonder if it was a trick of her mind, a gruesome vision conjured up by grief. It’s eighteen years to the day since she witnessed her own mother’s murder on the same woodland spot. But what if she really did see what she thinks she saw? What if the body was left there for Ellie alone to find?

And there’s one detail Ellie can’t shake: a deliberate number three on the dead woman’s forehead. When she discovers a second body, this one bearing the number two, Ellie is convinced they are not messages but threats. The killer is on a countdown: but who is girl number one?

Revised edition: This edition of Girl Number One includes editorial revisions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Sep 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781531846336

Jane Holland

Jane Holland grew up in a house of writers. Her mother was bestselling Mills & Boon author Charlotte Lamb, her sister also penned romances, and her father was a journalist and biographer. Small wonder she became a writer herself! Starting off in poetry, historical fiction and thrillers, she's now proud to be following in her mother's footsteps writing romance for Harlequin. A mum of five, she loves tramping the Cornish coast, and often writes with a cat on her lap.

[huzeifav · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I guessed who the killer was midway. Did not like the writting style or the narrator. Overall, don't waste your time on this. Absolutely not worth it

[Monique Edwards · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Probably one of the worse books I’ve read this year. The story is awful!

[Lisa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent read!! I highly recommend this to readers who appreciate solid character building with a great psychological twist. There are many other turns along the way, always flowing at a good pace. I absolutely do NOT agree with the negative reviews written and I typically read/listen to a novel per day while working. I found this book to be very engaging and entertaining.

[Shelly Quick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Predictable but kind of a classic whodunit, with lots of suspects. I enjoyed the narration.

[Louise Skelding · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed listening to this book. Some of the voices the narrator puts on are a bit cringe but overall it was a great story with plenty of twists! definitely recommend!

[harley0326 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I always enjoy finding a new author to read. The story sounded intriguing and I was ready to be scared, on the edge of my seat and taking deep breaths as I began the book. Ellie was just a mere child when she saw her mother murdered in the woods. I can't imagine the terror that must have been for her. Ellie was the only witness to her murder and as a child her description of the person who did it was very vague. Needless to say he was never caught and she has never forgotten thst horrible day.


Fast forward to Ellie grown up and remembering the anniversary of her mother's death by taking a run in the woods where her mother was killed. I did think that was a bit odd , because I could have thought of a lot more ways to honor her mother than going to the woods. The story was a bit predictable and I didn't feel like the characters were well developed. The premise behind the book is Ellie finds a dead body in the same place her mother was killed. What are the odds that would happen? Now for the big surprise do mystery in the story. When the police come to investigate, the body is gone. Did it just get up and walk away? Was it all in Ellie's imagination? Well something is really wrong and Ellie sets out to prove that there was another murder. Will she find herself in danger? Is someone trying to make her think she is crazy?

Overall the book is a nice read, perhaps a bit wordy at some points but it is entertaining to read. The author is good at keeping a reader's attention and it is a book I would tell others to try.

I received a digital copy of this book from The Goodreads Giveaway Program for an honest review.

[jenn88-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Eleanor Blackwood was only six-years-old when she witnessed her mother's murder. The killer was never found. Now, exactly 18 years later, Eleanor finds a woman's body in the same spot where her mother was killed. By the time Eleanor gets out of the woods and the police arrive, the body is gone. The police don't believe the body was ever there and Eleanor is left wondering if her mother's killer has resurfaced, who it could be and when they'll come after her.

The writing wasn't that good. The characters were one-dimensional. The main character got on my nerves. She's finding dead bodies all over the place and all she's thinking about is how good Connor, Tris and Denzil look and which one she wants to sleep with at that particular moment, even when she suspects they could be the killer. The romance thrown into the book seemed out of place. The author spent too much time describing paths, hills and waves - I wanted to know about the murders! It was boring. By the end of the book I didn't even care who did what. And this: "A holiday photo of me and my parents on a sandy beach, taken while my mum was still alive." Really? That last part needed to be written? Ugh.

[hellonicole_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book should have been right up my alley, but for the life of me I could not get into it. The flashback was, to me, unrealistic for a 6 year-old, and then 24 year-old Ellie just irritated the heck out of me. Her reactions were unbelievable, way too calm when she finds a dead body and no one believes her. It just did not work for me.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher/netgalley in exchange for my honest review.