Shadow Girl (An Afton Tangler Thriller)
by Gerry Schmitt
About the Book
Shadow Girl (An Afton Tangler Thriller)
Suspense/Thriller
2nd in Series
Setting – Minnesota
Berkley
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425281789
Paperback: 320 pages (May 1, 2018)
ISBN-13: 978-0425281796
Kindle ASIN: B01MXHV6CL
The brutal murder of a business tycoon leaves Afton Tangler and the Twin Cities reeling, but that’s just the beginning of a gruesome crime spree…
Leland Odin made his fortune launching a home shopping network, but his millions can’t save his life. On the list for a transplant, the ailing businessman sees all hope lost when the helicopter carrying his donor heart is shot out of the sky.
Now with two pilots dead and dozens injured, Afton Tangler, family liaison officer for the Minneapolis Police Department, is drawn into the case. As she and her partner investigate family members and business associates, whoever wants Leland dead strikes again—and succeeds—in a brazen hospital room attack.
The supposedly squeaky clean millionaire has crossed the wrong person—and she’s not finished exacting her revenge. The case explodes into an international conspiracy of unbridled greed and violence. And as Afton gets closer to unearthing the mastermind behind it, she gets closer to becoming collateral damage…
I was privileged to read and review the hardcover edition of this book!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this follow up to Little Girl Gone we find Afton Tangler tangled up in another police investigation. Something she loves as she hopes to become a full-fledged detective instead of a family liaison officer.
A helicopter bringing a donor heart from Madison, Wisconsin is shot down out of the sky crashing down on a college campus. Afton and Detective Max Montgomery were nearby for a neighborhood meeting so they become some of the first responders. Deputy Chief Gerald Thacker assigns Afton to work with Max on this difficult case.
Mom Chao Cherry ordered the hit on the helicopter. She is out for revenge but the police know nothing about her or even that she and her team plan to keep terrorizing the victims she chooses.
Ms. Schmitt takes us into the story from various characters points of view to drag us deep into the gritty and at times terrifying story. This story involves many more people than the first book but I had no trouble following. I really enjoyed following the investigation to its conclusion. It grabbed my attention right away and held it to the very end.
I found both Afton and Max to be very engaging in the first book and they have grown to be very comfortable working together in this one. All the officers working on the case and the Deputy Chief realize Afton has talents to bring to the table. She doesn’t always follow Max’s orders but when she doesn’t she seems to have a good reason.
The content of the story was very well written and researched. This series brings a totally different type of story than I have seen from her alter ego Laura Childs. The language and events are raw and rough at times but ring true for these characters in this setting. It is fun to see this author bring us this thrilling story and a darker side of life while still giving us characters to root for.
Warning – do not start this book late in the day. The author writes in a short chapter format that will have you saying “just one more chapter” several times until you realize you have read the whole darn book.
This book is part of a series but can be read on its own. To really know Afton and Max you should start with Little Girl Gone. I am already looking forward to the next Afton Tangler Thriller
.

About The Author
Gerry Schmitt is the author of the Afton Tangler Thrillers
, and, writing under the pseudonym Laura Childs
, the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels, the Tea Shop
, Scrapbooking
, and Cackleberry Club
Mysteries. She is the former CEO of her own marketing firm, has won TV and radio awards, and produced two reality TV shows. She and her professor husband enjoy collecting art, travel, and their two Shar-Pei dogs.
Author Links –
Website – Facebook
To find books written as Laura Childs click here.
Praise for Shadow Girl
I enjoyed the characters a lot. Max and Afton seem to play off of each other well as far as figuring things out.
~Valerie’s Musings
This is one of those books where the bad men are really bad, and everyone in the case is hiding something to have a money profit…
~Varietats
Afton was a likable character for me. She seemed in tune with some of the other characters. She is good at her job.
~A. Holland Reads
Shadow Girl by Gerry Schmitt is one of the most gripping and chilling books I’ve read this year.
~Back Porchervations
The mystery and suspense aspect of this book was great. This was a definite page-turner.
~Bookworm Cafe
Can I just say Wow! It’s been awhile since I sat and read a book that terrified me with precision action that intrigued me so much it was impossible to put the book down.
~Texas Book-aholic
It starts off with a bang (literally) and the suspense never lets up. I love stories that grip you right from the start and this thriller fits the bill.
~Brooke Blogs
This is a serious thriller with a lot going on. There’s surface to air missiles, conspiracies to kill no matter who gets hurt and what has to be done, and characters with some seriously shady backstories.
~I Wish I Lived In a Library
From page 1 I was engaged in a thrilling and suspenseful ride!
~My Reading Journeys
As the chapters unfold we get a good look at things from both the good guys’ and the bad guys’ perspectives. This gives you a first-hand understanding of the killer’s motives, but in no way takes away from the suspense or the desire to see Afton and Max bring her to justice.
~The Book’s the Thing
A page turner like you never read before, Shadow Girl is a deeply rooted thriller in the art of murder, mystery, and revenge.
~Bibliophile Reviews
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Thank you for the giveaway! This book sounds very intriguing and I’m heading right to my local library site to put Little Girl Gone on hold!
Thank you for your wonderful review on “Shadow Girl”. This book is on my TBR list and I can’t wait for the opportunity to read it.
Don’t know if it’s just me or what, but the link for the the twitter COMMUNITYBOOKSTOP doesn’t work.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks for the chance at the giveaway. It looks like a really good book. Would love to read it.
faithdcreech at gmail dot com
Sounds like a really different type of read by Laura Childs. Looking forward to reading.
What an intriguing book! Thanks for sharing.