The Other Girl by Erica Spindler

Author: Erica Spindler
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Date of publication: August 2017

Officer Miranda Rader of the Hammond PD in Louisiana is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis—but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from Jasper, just south of Hammond, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to leave the girl she used to be behind and earn respect in her position as an officer.

However, when Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the gruesomeness of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about a terrible night from her long-buried past. Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop, and not just any cop—Clint Wheeler, the cop who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common—except Miranda. 14 years ago.

And when her fingerprints turn up at the scene of the first murder, Miranda once again finds herself under the microscope, her honesty and integrity doubted, her motivations questioned. Alone again, the trust of her colleagues shattered, Miranda must try to trust the instincts she’s pushed down for so long, and decide what’s right—before it’s too late.

The Other Girl is the latest stand alone from Erica Spindler.   For the most part I enjoyed this mystery.  I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong in most of my theory about what was going on.  In fact, the reveal was fairly surprising.  The story waffles between the investigation now and the events of her abduction when she was fifteen.    The mystery was the strongest and most engaging part of the story.

What I didn't care for was Miranda herself.  She made a lot of dumb decisions throughout the investigation that ended up getting her into more trouble.  I'm not sure she is a character I would want to read more about in the future. I also could have done without the romance.  It fell flat for me and really wasn't too necessary. I don't feel like the story would have suffered without it.  It's a fairly quick read, so I recommend giving it a try.  It wasn't as strong as The Fist Wife (which I loved).  But, it's still worth picking up.