Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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Description:
The first rays of sun filter through the tall trees, casting a faint light on the girl lying at the water’s edge. Her tears have frozen on her pale face, a black orchid rests against her cold white skin.

When hikers find the body of a beautiful young girl on the banks of the Potomac River, Detective Amanda Steele is shaken and confused. What is the significance of the delicate flower resting on the girl’s torso? A sign of affection, or a twisted killer’s calling card?

The girl is Chloe Somner, a local nineteen-year-old ecology student well-known to the park rangers and loved by all her classmates. Searching Chloe’s home, Amanda can’t work out who could have tempted her to the water in the early hours of the morning, but a long night hunting through cold cases gives her a possible lead: twenty years ago another local girl was murdered, a red rose left on her body. But why would this killer strike again now?

Focused on the past, the last thing Amanda expects is the news that Chloe’s roommate has been found dead, another black orchid left. Terrified that more innocent victims will follow, can Amanda uncover the significance of the flowers and stop this cold-hearted killer before he returns for the next orchid girl…?

Review:

Black Orchid Girls by Carolyn Arnold is the 4^th book in her fantastic Detective Amanda Steele series.  I have noted this many times, that I am a big fan of Arnold, having read most of her series, and I love this series, which I feel is the best one yet.

Amanda Steele, our heroine, is a homicide detective in Dumfries, Virginia Police Department.  She is called with her partner, Trent to a scene where a girl (local college student) is found murdered in the forest of Leesylvania State Park.  The dead girl was stabbed 7 times, with the murderer cleansing her body and leaving a black orchid flower on her.  What does the Black Orchid mean: sign of affection, or a dark death wish?

Both Amanda and Trent learn more about the girl (Chloe), especially after they meet her two roommates and find out more information about her ex-boyfriend, as well as students who hated her.  Josh the boyfriend was a suspect, since he supposedly sent her a message to meet him at the park; and another boy was also suspected, since he dropped off someone at the park.  Both Amanda and Trent have their hands full, investigating all the suspects, including another boy and girl who hated Chloe. While deep in their investigation, another girl is murdered, found the same way as the previous girl.  Is this a serial killer?

While deep in the case, Amanda also worries about Zoe, the young girl she is adopting; seems the biological father wants to meet her, to perhaps fight for custody.  Amanda does her best to spend time with Zoe, as she has come to love her; luckily Amanda has friends who can watch her while she is spending long hours at work.  Amanda’s feels the pressure of the case, as well as concern about Zoe.

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, tense mystery that kept me unable to put the book down. There were so many suspects, and even surprises at the end. To say too much more would be spoilers, and this was a very good story that needs to be read from start to finish.

Black Orchid Girls was a very good excellent crime thriller that was suspenseful, intense, and kept us guessing who was the murderer to the end. I loved the team of Amanda, Trent & her Sergeant, as well as many of the secondary characters.  Amanda is a great heroine, and a fantastic detective.  Black Orchid Girls was so very well written by Carolyn Arnold, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next. If you like mystery thrillers, police procedural, then you need to be reading this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review