Girl in the Mist - Helen Phifer

 Girl in the Mist - Helen Phifer

Pub. Date: May 27, 2026

She read

This is the eighteenth installment in the Detective Morgan Brookes series, one of my favorites. It can be read as a standalone as crucial background information about the recurring main characters is revealed throughout the narrative.

After three friends are attacked one misty evening at an abandoned summer camp rumored to be haunted, Morgan and her team race to investigate, despite the dangerously poor visibility.  When a body is spotted in the middle of a lake, Morgan disregards caution and risks her life by jumping into the freezing water to retrieve it.  Unfortunately, she is too late, as the young man, one of the three friends, is already dead, his head bashed in. While a second victim did escape, a third one is still missing. 

Helen Phifer is an author whose name alone compels me to request the title without reading the synopsis. Her books are so captivating that I often find myself unable to put them down until I’ve finished them.

This twisty plot is suspenseful and a bit spooky as the tension escalates.  Interspersed with the pressure of the case is some biting humor.Engrossing and fast-paced, it is an ideal read for fans of British police procedurals, mysteries, and thrillers. 

I like Morgan. She is a smart, capable, empathetic protagonist, dogged in her investigations although she does often go rogue and puts herself in danger. There is a convivial, teasing dynamic within the investigative team (well, except for Amber!). Morgan’s Aunt Ettie always adds a wee bit of the mystical to a story.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @Bookouture for the DRC.

*****