The Missing Ones by Patricia Gibney @bookouture @trisha460

Book Description:

The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror.

The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. ‘I wonder which one of us will be next?’

When a woman’s body is discovered in a cathedral and hours later a young man is found hanging from a tree outside his home, Detective Lottie Parker is called in to lead the investigation. Both bodies have the same distinctive tattoo clumsily inscribed on their legs. It’s clear the pair are connected, but how? 

The trail leads Lottie to St Angela’s, a former children’s home, with a dark connection to her own family history. Suddenly the case just got personal. 

As Lottie begins to link the current victims to unsolved murders decades old, two teenage boys go missing. She must close in on the killer before they strike again, but in doing so is she putting her own children in terrifying danger? 

Lottie is about to come face to face with a twisted soul who has a very warped idea of justice. 

Fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni will be gripped by this page-turning serial killer thriller, guaranteed to keep you reading late into the night.

My Thoughts:

The Missing Ones is the first book in the gripping Detective Lottie Parker series. I actually read the sixth novel in the series first prior to reading this one. Goes to show they can be read out of order but was great to see how the series starts off.

Lottie is widowed and bringing up her three teenage children as well as having a demanding job. She has a well meaning but interfering mother who helps out when needs must. I didn’t envy Lottie at all. She is constantly torn between her job and children and knows she needs to do better by them. The case she is working on though is very demanding as the death count keeps on growing.

I loved the story line with the back ground of St Angela’s which was run by the church. I don’t know why but any story involving the church almost seems darker and more eerie and grabs my interest immediately.

Boyd is a great character in the story. I love his working relationship with Lottie. I also like the hope that these two may possibly get together. Probably not ideal when working together, but there is some great banter that goes on between them both and it gives a bit of light hearted relief at times.

The Missing Ones is a great start to a crime series. Set in Winter time, it really adds to this chilling crime thriller. With a fair few suspects, there is lots of lies and secrets for Lottie and her team to discover and try and solve. A gripping thriller that will have you hooked from the first to the last page.

The Missing Ones is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).