Review: The Dancing Girls

The Dancing Girls by M.M. Chouinard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Martin knew he wasn’t a psychopath. He’d done his research, so much so that he probably knew more about serial killers than most profilers did.”

Jeanine’s body is found in a hotel room, spangled and left lying on the floor..had she been posed or just fallen oddly?

Jo Fournier is called in to investigate along with her partner, Bob Arnett….They feel something is off about how the body is lying but can’t put their finger on it…

Then a second woman is found a few weeks later, Emily. Similarly posed, strangled and her wedding ring is missing…just what connects these two women.

Jo finds more deaths with similar MO’s and feels there is a link, and she will not let it go….

What follows is an absolutely gripping thriller that really brings to light the dangers of online grooming…it’s not just young people who are targeted, but sometimes people who are a little vulnerable, looking for a connection with another human being, someone who ‘sees’ them after living with passive neglect from their own families and partners…..

World of Warcraft is an original setting for the grooming, but it made sense….the escapism and chatting with other ‘players’….

I found the chapters showing the online chats between Martin and his potential victims truly terrifying, it seems so innocuous but the menace behind it is palpable….I enjoyed the police procedural part too and the atmosphere of sheer menace is a credit to M.M.Chouinard’s gripping writing..

I loved the relationship between Jo and Arnett, the friendly banter and heartfelt chats really brought them to life…

Will Jo manage to find Martin before he kills again? Will Diana survive?……

With a stunning ending, I loved every minute and read this in one sitting and can thoroughly recommend it for anyone who loves a serial killer thriller…I’ll certainly be looking out for #2 in the Jo Fournier series.

Thank you to Bookouture for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

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