The Other Girl by Erica Spindler

Summary:

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.

My Thoughts:

     This is my first Erica Spindler novel and as it is a police procedural/thriller novel it seemed right up my alley.  I have to say that the writing was pretty good but there were some instances in this story that bugged me.
     The story of Miranda Rader started out well and sucked me right in but as I kept reading things started falling apart for me.  Great premise and good characters and setting but there were things that were done by Miranda and some of the other police officers that were beyond believable for me.  Without spoiling anything I'll just say that while I can suspend belief a bit and I totally believe that there is corruption in some police forces, especially small towns, no one would be able to get away with some of the things pulled off in this book!
  I really liked the Miranda character and her partner, Jake, but found that occasionally their interactions went from hot and cold for unexplainable (to me) reasons.  I see potential in Miranda and the setting for a series but feel that things need to play out a bit better.  I kept reading to see how the storyline would play out but feel it was totally predictable and at times the personal storyline was immature.  2.5/5 stars

Author's site: http://www.ericaspindler.com/