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Dead End Girl (Violet Darger FBI Mystery Thriller) Paperback – February 27, 2017

by L.T. Vargus (Author), Tim McBain (Author)

32,108 ratings

Book 1 of 12: Violet Darger FBI Mystery Thriller

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Her body is broken. Wrapped in plastic. Dumped on the side of the road. She is the first. There will be more.

The serial killer thriller that "refuses to let go until you've read the last sentence."

The most recent body was discovered in the grease dumpster behind a Burger King. Dismembered. Shoved into two garbage bags and lowered into the murky oil.

Now rookie agent Violet Darger gets the most important assignment of her career. She travels to the Midwest to face a killer unlike anything she's seen. Aggressive. Territorial. Deranged and driven.

Another mutilated corpse was found next to a roller rink. A third in the gutter in a residential neighborhood.

These bold displays of violence shock the rural community and rattle local law enforcement.

Who could carry out such brutality? And why?

Unfortunately for Agent Darger, there's little physical evidence to work with, and the only witnesses prove to be unreliable. The case seems hopeless.

If she fails, more will die. He will kill again and again.

The victims harbor dark secrets. The clues twist and writhe and refuse to keep still. And the killer watches the investigation on the nightly news, gleeful to relive the violence, knowing that he can't be stopped.

A page-turning thriller packed with heart-stopping suspense. Fans of John Sandford, Jeffery Deaver, Karin Slaughter, and Lisa Gardner should get to know Violet Darger.

Praise for Dead End Girl:

"Wow, just wow! If you like scare-you-half-to-death mystery books this is the one for you. It starts with a bang and just doesn't stop." -- Ada Lavin

"Refuses to let go until you have read the last sentence." -- Bloodymummer

"Violet Darger is a unique, incredible character, and I immensely enjoyed taking this journey with her." -- Cat

"If you liked Silence of the Lambs, you'll love Dead End Girl... At the same time, there's so much attention to detail and organic storytelling that this could easily compete with any of Stephen King's longer works. I found myself completely invested in every character, from the authorities to the killer to the victims themselves." -- eden Hudson, author of Jubal Van Zandt & the Revenge of the Bloodslinger

"A fantastic, twisted, full of suspense read." -- lady g

"This book reminds me of some of my favorite books in the crime thriller genre - Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, The Collector by John Fowles, the Mr. Mercedes trilogy by Stephen King, and of course Silence of the Lambs. It's not a glimpse...it's a good long look inside the mind of a killer. It's fast paced, it's scary, and it's satisfying." -- Rain

"Dead End Girl is nonstop action and intrigue that will keep you putting off everything until the story is over. This is a must read if you enjoy action & crime genre stories." -- David C. Taylor

"If you are a fan of Silence of the Lambs, this book is a spiritual successor." -- Amazon customer

"Vargas and McBain spin a fine tale with characters I want to climb inside--but not in a weird way." -- Jeanne Tarrants

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 27, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 518 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1544172869
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1544172866
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.72 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
Book 1 of 12 ‏ : ‎ Violet Darger FBI Mystery Thriller

Best Sellers Rank: #63,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,406 in Police Procedurals (Books)
- #3,002 in Women Sleuths (Books)

Customer Reviews:
32,108 ratings

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L.T. Vargus
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L.T. Vargus grew up in Hell, Michigan, which is a lot smaller, quieter, and less fiery than one might imagine. When not click-clacking away at the keyboard, she can be found sewing, fantasizing about food, and rotting her brain in front of the TV.
L.T. Vargus now lives in New Mexico with her special man friend/writing partner, Tim McBain.
She likes YouTube videos of cute animals, mystery novels, punk rock, and pizza.
http://ltvargus.com
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Tim McBain
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People say your author bio should tell the world why you write. I write because life is short, and I want to make something awesome before I die.
http://timmcbain.com
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Customer reviews

32,108 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book exciting with a fast-paced plot that keeps them engaged. The writing is compelling and detailed, with richly developed characters, particularly highlighting the female protagonist as a "female bad ass." The pacing receives mixed reactions - while some find it fast-paced, others say the first half goes slowly. Similarly, the insight and interest aspects are mixed, with some finding it insightful while others complain about excessive details, and some enjoying it while others find it boring and drawn out. The book's length is also a point of contention, with some appreciating its good length while others find it too long.

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Suspenseful story Readability Writing quality Character development Pacing Insight Interest Length

909 customers mention "Suspenseful story"773 positive136 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of the book, describing it as an exciting thriller that's action-packed from the first chapter, with a very exciting ending.

"Seems to be a good start to another great series. So many great authors, so little time. On to the next book." Read more

"This was a good story, and I liked the characters too. But it got very wordy. We didn’t need to know every single thought the psycho killer had...." Read more

"...Nice surprise at the end." Read more

"...Well written, some points to quibble with, but on the whole a very good mystery and a new female heroine, which I enjoy quite a lot, glad to see the..." Read more

677 customers mention "Readability"620 positive57 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, noting that it keeps them engaged throughout.

"...THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC! I am so glad I found it and cannot wait to read more. Great job, Lex and Tim! You both have great talent." Read more

"Loved this book. Struggled a little at the beginning by the 5th chapter, I was fully engaged. High octane and well written! On to book 2 now" Read more

"...Great book!" Read more

"Excellent , plenty of plot twists. keeps you guessing till the end. 1st book in a series, looking forward to more." Read more

334 customers mention "Writing quality"234 positive100 negative

Customers find the book's writing compelling and easy to read, appreciating its detailed nature, with one customer noting its intense emotional descriptive style.

"a solid read i enjoyed the pace and the guessing who done it. i also hate how many words i have to write" Read more

"to a new series for me. Well written, some points to quibble with, but on the whole a very good mystery and a new female heroine, which I enjoy..." Read more

"...But it got very wordy. We didn’t need to know every single thought the psycho killer had. It was 6 pages when 1 would do." Read more

"...High octane and well written! On to book 2 now" Read more

313 customers mention "Character development"261 positive52 negative

Customers love the characters in the book, particularly appreciating Violet as a female bad ass, and one customer notes that the main character is more human than typical FBI characters.

"I loved the characters, although Darger could be irritating. Constantly lolling around in guilt distracts from the great job she does...." Read more

"...to quibble with, but on the whole a very good mystery and a new female heroine, which I enjoy quite a lot, glad to see the genre branching out,..." Read more

"...The characters were great, I felt like I got to know them." Read more

"Good character build up. Good love story. Plenty of excitement. Makes you hate the perp. Good read. Looking forward to next in series." Read more

193 customers mention "Pacing"96 positive97 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced and quick-moving, while others note that it starts out slow and the story lags.

"a solid read i enjoyed the pace and the guessing who done it. i also hate how many words i have to write" Read more

"Gave it a 4 , should have given it 3.5 Slow start not quite a Jack Anderson page turner...." Read more

"...The action moves at a pace that is not too slow, not too fast but you still have to be on your toes so you don’t miss anything...." Read more

"...good, but the main character is lacking in charisma and does some very questionable things...." Read more

115 customers mention "Insight"49 positive66 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's insights, with some finding it very insightful while others complain about it being overboard with too many details and containing too much unimportant information.

"To the very end. Got a little confusing toward the end...... seemed like some of the story had gotten chopped out...." Read more

"...She is smart, she's intuitive, and she identifies with the victims' circumstances, not as diectly her own, but in the painful lives of the victims...." Read more

"...She is also incredibly gullible and emotional (loud outbursts of anger and yelling - not professional) in a way that does not draw the reader to..." Read more

"...However, she knows the job and has got instinct of a great agent. The baby doll killer had met his match and it almost ended her life." Read more

85 customers mention "Interest"40 positive45 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's interest, with some finding it a thrilling ride and entertaining, while others report it being boring and drawn out.

"...endless internal monologue from killer that feels overdone and boring enough that I was no longer enjoying the journey...." Read more

"...Because blood and gore are great, and tracking down sickos is fun, but the living aren't the only characters who haunt the pages of Dead End Girl—..." Read more

"Like many other readers the story is a cliche and the main characters are not appealing. Agent Darger is really incompetent as a FBI agent...." Read more

"...By the halfway point, I was totally sucked in, and really enjoying it. I would even go so far as to call it a page-turner...." Read more

60 customers mention "Length"19 positive41 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's length, with some appreciating its good pacing while others find it too long, particularly noting that 200 pages is excessive.

"...end did not save my overall opinion that while well-written, it was way too long and made this reader feel like she was stuck in quicksand...." Read more

"...But gradually it became overly wordy and way too long. The amount of time spent on describing certain situations was ridiculous...." Read more

"...It’s long, involved and certainly held my attention...." Read more

"...Well the answer is obviously these authors. This book was just way too long. About 200 pages too long to be more precise...." Read more

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Amazon Customer
great thriller
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase

a solid read i enjoyed the pace and the guessing who done it. i also hate how many words i have to write

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Kindle Customer
Just finished the first book
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Seems to be a good start to another great series. So many great authors, so little time. On to the next book.

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One person found this helpful

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Lana
Amazing writing and story!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I am extremely snooty when it comes to good authors and it’s rare an author passes my vibe test. THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC! I am so glad I found it and cannot wait to read more. Great job, Lex and Tim! You both have great talent.

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HeatherJo
good story, got a little wordy
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This was a good story, and I liked the characters too.
But it got very wordy. We didn’t need to know every single thought the psycho killer had. It was 6 pages when 1 would do.

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Anna Bertholf
Sooo good!
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I loved the characters, although Darger could be irritating. Constantly lolling around in guilt distracts from the great job she does. She is smart, she's intuitive, and she identifies with the victims' circumstances, not as diectly her own, but in the painful lives of the victims. Nice surprise at the end.

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genej101
A really good start
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
to a new series for me. Well written, some points to quibble with, but on the whole a very good mystery and a new female heroine, which I enjoy quite a lot, glad to see the genre branching out, though unsurprised given a female author and quite a good one at that. Complex story but realistic characterization, really looking forward to the rest of the series.

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Danielle
Enthralling to the end!
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Loved this book. Struggled a little at the beginning by the 5th chapter, I was fully engaged. High octane and well written! On to book 2 now

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Ronald V Finnegan
Good Read,
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2019
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Gave it a 4 , should have given it 3.5
Slow start not quite a Jack Anderson page turner.
Seems the Publisher told the writer to redo with more long drag out irrelevant information. Author needs to included more realistic background information about the local police and real streets and places that really exists.
Seems the author got tired of writing the ending and drag out the female FBI agents fight for ten papers. Overall
Needed to be a little more realistic. Author needs to send out manuscript to 50 more people to review. Why is more information needed in order to submit. Why is more information needed to submit
included more realistic background information about the local police and real streets and places that really exists.
Seems the author got tired of writing the ending and drag out the female FBI agents fight for ten papers. Overall
Needed to be a little more realistic. Author needs to send out manuscript to 50 more people to review. Why is more information needed in order to submit. Why is more information needed to submit
included more realistic background information about the local police and real streets and places that really exists.
Seems the author got tired of writing the ending and drag out the female FBI agents fight for ten papers. Overall
Needed to be a little more realistic. Author needs to send out manuscript to 50 more people to review. Why is more information needed in order to submit. Why is more information needed to submit
local police and real streets and places that really exists.
Seems the author got tired of writing the ending and drag out the female FBI agents fight for ten papers. Overall
Needed to be a little more realistic. Author needs to send out manuscript to 50 more people to review. Why is more information needed in order to submit. Why is more information needed to submit
bb.
local police and real streets and places that really exists.
Seems the author got tired of writing the ending and drag out the female FBI agents fight for ten papers. Overall
Needed to be a little more realistic. Author needs to send out manuscript to 50 more people to review. Why is more information needed in order to submit. Why is more information needed to submit
bb.

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Top reviews from other countries

Dianne J.
Excellent
Reviewed in Germany on June 18, 2022
Format: KindleVerified Purchase

Love this series and really hope to be able to continue reading Violet Dagger books for years - many, many years- to come.

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Marcia Shore
Superb!
Reviewed in Canada on June 7, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Well-written, very good book! I’m hooked. If you’re looking for a thriller that sucks you in, this is it. Enjoy!

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M. J. Keavey
Dead End Girl
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Really enjoyed this one and will definitely explore more of said author’s works. Kept me intrigued for a few days/nights with a few dark moments and also some comical descriptive writing which had me laughing out loud. On to the next!

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Kristen Clement
clever
Reviewed in Australia on June 4, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
The storyline dealt with many lives showing the realistic people at their best and worst. The ending reflected life goes on.

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MISSMOPLEY
Keeps the pages turning
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
The writers have a lot to say and say it philosophically and say some very, very important things. Not just a detective story; however, it drags when the moralising starts. Could use a good editor to trim the repetitions. I just started skipping and skimming which is a shame.

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Dead End Girl (Violet Darger FBI Mystery Thriller) Paperback – February 27, 2017

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