Pretty Girls Dancing

Years after Whitney DeVries vanished, another teenage girl disappears from the same small Midwest town. The cases share similarities with the unsolved kidnapping of Kelsey Willard twenty years prior, suggesting a potential connection. Former homicide detective Mark Foster joins forces with FBI profiler Jenna Trask to investigate the pattern of missing dancers. Their work brings them into contact with Kelsey's younger sister, Janie, who has spent decades grappling with her sister's disappearance. The investigation forces the town's residents to confront buried secrets as pressure mounts to find the missing girl. The story alternates between multiple perspectives, including those of investigators, family members, and victims. This psychological thriller explores themes of grief, family bonds, and the lasting impact of trauma on small communities. The narrative examines how unresolved crimes can shape both individual lives and collective memory.

Readers describe this thriller as fast-paced with multiple viewpoints and timelines following missing girls cases. Many reviewers note they finished it in 1-2 sittings. Readers appreciated: - Complex character development, especially of the female leads - The realistic portrayal of victims' families - The police procedural details - The resolution that tied plot threads together Common criticisms: - Too many character perspectives making it hard to follow - Pacing issues in the middle sections - Some found it predictable - A few readers felt the ending was rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (23,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (5,800+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "The multiple POVs added depth to the story but occasionally confused the timeline. Still, I couldn't put it down." - Goodreads reviewer Another noted: "The investigation details felt authentic but some parts dragged with unnecessary backstory." - Amazon reviewer

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🔎 The book explores the connections between two missing-persons cases that took place 15 years apart, weaving together multiple perspectives including a former detective, a grieving mother, and a teenage dancer. 💃 Author Kylie Brant drew inspiration from her background in special education and understanding of trauma to create authentic character reactions and psychological depth. 🏆 "Pretty Girls Dancing" reached #1 on Amazon's Kindle bestseller list in January 2018, staying in the top spot for several weeks. 🕊️ The story's theme of missing dancers parallels several real-life cases, including the disappearances of young performers from dance studios across the United States in the past decades. 🖋️ Kylie Brant wrote this standalone thriller as a departure from her usual romantic suspense series, allowing her to explore darker themes and more complex family dynamics.