Three Girls Gone

Once again Carolyn Arnold has provided readers with a suspenseful and heart-pounding story. The fourteenth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series, Three Girls Gone, combines a mystery, a police procedural, and the lives of the main and secondary characters into a powerful storyline that packs a punch.

When the body of six-year-old Hailey Tanner is found in a local park, Steele and her partner Trent Stenson rush to the chilling scene. They confirm with the parents that Hailey never made it home from her dance class. A search in Hailey’s room reveals that some ballet clothing has been removed. Could the killer be someone close to her or was there an intruder?

As the investigation continues, they’re reminded of a similar case in New York that was similarly murdered twelve years ago. A former colleague, Katherine Graves, who had moved from New York to Virginia always wanted to close that previous case and continued to work it in her spare time.

Amanda is determined to get justice for victims and tends to get immediately to the point at a crime scene which doesn’t endear her to a new crime scene technician. She’s sensitive but not soft, inquisitive, resilient, struggles with work-life balance, and tends to rush ahead without back-up at times. She also fears overlooking some crucial detail in a case. Stenson is loyal, funny, and always has Amanda’s back. He grounds her when she needs it and is often the voice of reason. He values honesty and views work as a calling, not a day job.

The author does a great job of making the reader feel engaged from start to finish. A chilling prologue and great writing quickly pulled me into the story. There are several suspects, a few twists, some action scenes near the end, and a solid plot. The recurring characters grow more dynamic in each new novel as readers learn more about their personal and professional lives. Themes include families, relationships, child abuse, kidnapping, murder, and much more.

While this story is mainly centered on the investigation and Steele’s personal life, there is plenty of suspense and action in the second half of the novel. It was also interesting to see how focused on the public optics of the investigation the chief of police was. My biggest quibble is Steele’s tendency to get in trouble and need rescuing when she doesn’t take back-up with her as well as the ongoing saga between Steele and Stenson that never gets resolved.

Overall, this is a clever and fast-paced mystery with great characterization and some heart-breaking moments as well as some heart-warming scenes. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Steele and Stenson. This series is best read in order to fully understand the backstories of the main characters. However, it would also work as a standalone. It’s a must-read for those who enjoy mysteries, crime thrillers, and police procedurals.

Bookouture and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 27, 2025.