Another great story by this author, they just get better and better! So many twists, turns, lies and deceit in this thrilling book full of grizzly murders. Devoured every last page and look forward to more in this series.

The Lost Child is Patricia Gibney's third book in the Detective Lottie Parker series . What a ride !!! A very dark thriller ! I love this talented author !! This book is shocking with grizzley murders .
The book starts out with a child locked in an asylum for many years . Her story is told off and on during the book .
Detective Lottie Parker and DS Boyd are called to a murder on the outskirts of Ragmullin . It's a senior woman found dead in her daughter's house with the daughter missing . Everything starts to tie in with Lottie's father's suicide . I loved everything about this book , especially the shocking ending . I highly recommend this book . Thank you to Patricia Gibney , Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the chance to review this ebook in exchange for my honest opinion .

From a terrifying beginning of twins locked in a cupboard to a lush in the next room, I realized I was in for a thrilling ride. This is my first Patricia Gibney book and I enjoyed the seamless natural flow of the story. She finds inventive ways to introduce a strong cast, whose agonies and victories the reader feels. Characters such as brusque DI Lottie Parker and protective DS Mark Boyd, each with their own story to tell. Not only does a violent death and a missing person ratchet up the pace, but Lottie’s Xanax and booze dependency threatens to undermine her ability to lead. Can she find something to ‘shave off the bristling edge’? It’s her inner monologue that offers a darker perspective on her life and with Detective Lynch’s and Boyd’s ‘minder’ nature, help is on its way in two different guises.

The chapters from the point of view of the ‘mother’ and child were so harrowing, I did have to take a few breaths to get clear of it. Even a feral man’s persistent tracking and monitoring had me looking for an escape route. A burly cast of characters allows for different narrative perspectives and cleverly stitches the threads of this case together.

In terms of characterization and storytelling, this book is a must for all who those who enjoy a combination of solid police procedural and thought-provoking works that explore a litany of today’s most pressing issues. This book is a standalone but reading the first in the series would shed a little more light on the background of Lottie Parker and her team.

Oh my! What an incredibly satisfying read this was! I can say right now The Lost Child, book 3 in the Detective Lottie Parker series, will have a spot on my top ten reads of 2017.

OK, so Lottie, a detective in the Ragmullin garda (Irish police force), is a little messed up. Slight understatement. In fact, some readers don’t like Lottie, and I can see why. No spoilers here. She can’t control her drinking, she is always craving tranquilizer pills, and she is a pretty terrible mother to her three teenagers (though she loves them dearly). She has reasons to be screwed up. Her husband, her rock, is dead. Her father committed suicide. Her brother died young. Her mother and she have issues. I could go on, but you get the picture. Despite all of this, I really like Lottie. In fact, I may be getting close (not quite yet) to loving her. I already love her partner, DS Mark Boyd, who in turn probably loves Lottie, despite the fact that she can be a real bitch towards him.

The thing that made this book so rewarding for me is its plot. For a while there early on I was dizzy, spinning this way and that as the bread crumbs kept falling from all directions. SO many directions. When I read crime fiction, I often sit back and let the story come to me. If I had done that in this case I would have probably given up and whined in my review that the book was too confusing. Instead I did something I rarely do and that was to get out my pencil and pad. This time I was inspired to do everything I could to crack the case, not to mention to not get lost in everything Ms. Gibney was throwing at me.

At the 60-65% mark, Ms. Gibney threw flames on the fire and really cranked things up. In between increasingly frequent episodes of information-induced vertigo, I took long pauses from reading and scratched on my pad as I tried to puzzle things out. On more than one occasion I thought I had it somewhat figured out and felt a little letdown as I thought I was depriving myself of the great reveals at the end. Note I say more than once. I was so sure on multiple occasions that I had it sussed. However, the shockers continued to come fast and furious and my poor notepad was reduced to shambles. Boy, Ms. Gibney, you are good! Not only did you engage me lock, stock, and barrel, but you beat me when I was so sure I had it all figured out.

Adding to my pleasure were the crisp short chapters. There were over 100 of them (and this was a fast read), and it seemed the majority ended with something that pulled at me to keep going. A nice change was the lack of a lot of back and forth in time. There were a few short flashbacks related to one character’s childhood, but they were not intrusive.

If I had to throw some constructive criticism out there, I would suggest that publishers consider laying to rest the cover portraits of a woman in bright clothes walking away, usually towards a house. It’s been used too many times and has started to steal the distinctiveness from each individual book and author. Since this has nothing to do with Ms. Gibney nor Lottie, my 5 stars stand.

In summary, this book challenged me in an almost exhilarating way. I actually felt joy when I was proven wrong so many times. I’d rather feel duped than smug when reading a book, and this one certainly succeeded in doing that. If you are willing to pay attention and play along with Lottie, then this book is for you. I do recommended reading this series in order to fully appreciate Lottie’s world. Great job, Ms. Gibney!

I wish to thank Net Galley, Bookouture, and Patricia Gibney for an ARC of this novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Patricia Gibney, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

Detective Lottie Parker and her partner Detective Boyd are called in to investigate are investigating the murder of an elderly woman, who died in her own home. When they discover that the victim’s daughter is missing as well, they start to fear for the safety of the whole family. Two days later, a nearby house is set on fire, and the body count begins to rise. Lottie discovers a web of secrets and lies that link back to a case investigated by Lottie's father before he took his own life. With little knowledge of what really happened to her father, Lottie knows this is a case that could give her some answers. But how much does she want to know? And how far is Lottie prepared to dig to uncover the truth?

I enjoyed THE LOST CHILD and admired Gibney's writing. This was my first novel from her, and I'll definitely be back to read more of her books. With that being said, THE LOST CHILD is the third book in her Detective Lottie Parker series, and to enjoy the books to their fullest, you should read them in order. (Whoops.) Even so, Gibney's writing was clear enough to keep me, a new reader, hooked until the very last page. The writing was witty and fast-paced, which I enjoyed. The story line was complex, but it was done well. The intertwining subplots were executed well, so I never got lost or confused. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys mystery thrillers.

Patricia Gibney just gets better and better with every stunning book! Her stories are blockbusters, having a little bit of everything. Beautifully written, packed with suspense, another spine tingling story that I couldn't put down. This author writes with cinematic flair - I can picture the scenes and I keep turning the pages, scared and awed, wanting to know more, completely absorbed in the lives and tragic deaths of the characters. Brilliant writing from an amazing author. She is my go-to author for a story that I know will take me in its thrall and not let go even after the book is over. Highly recommended - an absolutely perfect story. I cannot wait for the next.

Patricia Gibney’s The Lost Child is more shocking than a bug in a zapper! WOW! I spent a lot of time bouncing in my seat, waiting for this book to come about for us to review. It was worth the impatient wait!

DI Parker and DS Boyd attend to a murder on the outskirts of Ragmullin. It’s a senior woman, at her daughter’s house. And the daughter is missing.

From that point on, The Lost Child takes off. There are flashbacks of a girl in a mental facility. A drunk prostitute who keeps having babies. A drug ring. And twisty relationships that weave in and out of each other. It’s a crazy ride.

And, as is ever present with each Lottie Parker book, she continues to delve into her father’s long-ago death.

Bestill my heart Ragmullin

So, let me first start off by talking about Ragmullin. I am not typically a reader that cares about the location of the book. I rarely know where the book takes place because that just isn’t a detail my mind gives much attention.

However, I LOVE Ragmullin. It’s entirely fictional and ever so spooky. A lot goes on in that small country town, and it has an eerie vibe to it that adds to the story. I would move to Ragmullin if it were real. Spooky towns thrill me.

The entire second half of the book was read in one sitting. OK, I stopped to get some water and use the restroom. But that was it. While the entire book is fantastic, that second half had me stuck to the book like glue.

It was an actual roller coaster ride, and I feel very privileged that I was able to read and review this book so soon. What an enjoyable treat. Five spooky stars!

Thank you to Patricia Gibney, Bookouture, and Netgalley for giving me this opportunity. All opinions are my own.

A very dark and complex storyline with several unexpected twists but it find it difficult to like the character of Lottie Parker. With her chaotic personal life and alcohol issues she should provoke sympathy but I find her blunt, gung-ho attitude more grating than endearing.

This series just keeps getting better and better. I loved the first two books in the series, but I honestly think this may be my favourite.

This book brings Lottie right into the thick of things as she discovers that the case she is working on is far more complex than she first imagined. Lottie finds herself doubting those closest to her as thy appear to be keeping the truth from her. When she finally discovers all that has gone on she is shocked to the core.

Lottie is such a complicated character who has demons of her own. Unfortunately those demons start to surface and her colleagues begin to notice she is changing. Can she hold it together enough to work out what is going on, or will she be pulled under by her bad choices?

I cannot wait to see where the story goes next. Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.

Stunningly good!
Patricia Gibney was on fire with this book, what a cracking third part to the Lottie Parker series.
Lottie is dangerously close to the edge, her life is chaotic but she still manages to deliver the goods. This series is real, her struggles are real, no one has perfect lives, Lottie struggles daily balancing family and work and sometimes she gets it wrong.
I love the characters in this series, I really hope Lottie and Boyd get together! Reading this book was like getting together with old friends again.
Wow, now the ending was something else. Not only was the plot excellent but the ending provided some answers that we have all been on the edges of our seats waiting to figure out.
A real page Turner, I couldn't put this book down. Easily in my top 5 favourite books for 2017 (this was number 114 so to be in the top 5 is no mean feat).
I highly recommend this book it was excellent. I feel that the books should be read in order so that you get the history of Lottie and her family etc but it can also be read as a stand alone novel.
A big fat 5 stars - you have to read this book!

I love when each book in a series is better than the last. This book was awesome! The story is so twisted and takes so many turns, I'm not sure how the author kept everything straight. I had no clue who the murderer was and how the whole story tied together. The ending was very good and I can't wait for the next book.
I liked Lottie more in this book than in the previous ones. She's still having trouble with alcohol and pills but I think she may have turned a corner. She is so determined to do a good job with her police work and feels very guilty about how much time she needs to spend at work and away from her teenagers. She tends to make questionable decisions, and kind of goes off the rails once in a while but usually she ends up doing the right thing. I also very much like her co-workers, especially Boyd.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am glad I stuck with these books...

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Lost Child, the third novel to feature DI Lottie Parker of the Ragmullin Gardai.

Lottie and the team are called out to a dead body in Marian Russell's house but it's not Marian it's her mother, Tessa so the hunt is on for Marian and the prime suspect, her husband Arthur. The name Tessa Ball, however, rings a bell with Lottie and she finds it in her dead father's notes of his investigations back in the 70s. As the bodies pile up Lottie and the team struggle to find the links.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Child which had me glued to the pages from start to finish. The plotting is complex with its web of interconnecting relationships but never difficult to follow. There are multiple twists, some genuinely shocking and almost all unexpected which held my attention throughout. The narrative is interspersed with first person chapters entitled "The Child: The Seventies" which have no apparent relevance to current events and distract from them but, given they are written in italics, it's no stretch to understand that they will be relevant by the end. I can't be bothered with this kind of insight and skim read them.

There are also hints of where the next novel will be going as Ms Gibney hasn't finished with Lottie's history and it will be a long wait to find out. It's not a cliffhanger by any means, just a couple of loose threads. The novel does work well as a stand alone but this ongoing thread means it makes sense to read the novels in order.

Lottie is an excellent protagonist and an inspired creation. A widow, she does her best to hold down a demanding job and raise her 3 children and new grandson but it's a struggle and her life is chaotic, no wonder she sometimes resorts to vodka and Xanax. Nevertheless she is lovable with her determination to get justice for the victims, even if she doesn't always get it right, and her guilt about her children's upbringing, in other words a very normal woman trying to juggle all the demands on her.

The Lost Child is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

When past and present collide *POW* we get one hell of an explosive and utterly riveting read !!!

DI Lottie Parker and DS Boyd are called to the scene of a gruesome murder but discover that the body assumed to be that of Marian Russell is in fact that of a much older woman and Marian is missing.

But soon the body count begins to grow and links to the past and her father are thrust into the investigation.
With her personal and home life spiraling out of control, does Lottie really want to open old wounds and discover secrets that have been hidden for years but are there just too many unanswered questions that she has no choice.

And with such a suspenseful and mind boggling ending I can't wait to find out what happens to Lottie next.

A fantastic and highly recommended novel .
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my copy in return for an honest review.

This book certainly did not disappoint. This book keeps you reading and just as you think you know where the book is taking you it twists. Brilliant read. I am loving the exploits of d I Parker and can’t wait to hear about her next case

3 stars

DI Lottie Parker and DS Mark Boyd attend the scene of a murder. Believing it is the mother of their young witness, they are surprised to discover it is an older woman. Her name was Tessa Bell. Her daughter Marian Russell is missing. When Marian is found she has been beaten and missing her tongue.

They bring is Marian’s estranged husband in for questioning. He denies that he had anything to do with Tessa’s death or Marian’s injuries. He wants to know where his daughter Emma is. Lottie knows that they don’t have enough evidence to hold him, especially after he gives permission for a DNA swab.

Marian dies. Emma is killed at a country farmhouse. A man is burned and he is the brother to a drug kingpin. Then Lottie goes missing.

Lottie is a lousy mother, a drunk and a junkie. If the reader can get past her attitude and various addictions, the book is not too bad a read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.

Oh what a great read. I've read all the other books in this series and the series just gets better and better. Small town Ireland where everyone knows everyone and boy do they in this book!

When Detective Lottie Parker and her partner Boyd are called to the crime scene of a murder at the home of an elderly woman on the outskirts of Ragmullin, little do they know what lies ahead. Then they discover that as well as a massacred body in the house, her daughter is missing and alarm bells begin to ring. As the investigation forges ahead Lottie is drawn into the eye of the conspiracy as she discovers that her father was investigating an historic case involving the same family. She does not know how the crimes are linked yet but she is determined to find out. She has always wanted to learn more about her father’s death as a serving police officer, but her mother is reluctant for her to delve into the past. Lottie sees this as a chance to uncover more information about the case and the circumstances surrounding her father’s death.
Lottie is a complicated and taciturn character, although she is a courageous and talented detective. Her manner is abrupt and her many family problems complicate her life and cause her lots of anxiety. Truth be told, her life is chaotic, especially with the demands of a new baby in the household. With her sad family history, she is a supportive mother and cares deeply about her family. She is haunted by demons and can be impulsive, but none-the-less she is committed to her work and dedicated to solving the spate of merciless murders. The main problem is that it seems as though everybody connected with the case is either keeping secrets or telling blatant lies. Sifting through the evidence and going over the interviews may be the only way to put together the pieces of the jigsaw.
This carefully planned, gripping police procedural crime thriller pans out into a veritable murder fest with a host of deranged and vengeful perpetrators; some acting under duress. It is full of twists and turns and more than a few blind alleyways. There are also several threads running parallel with the main story and a compelling and unjust historic case driving the action forward, and some really gory methods of despatching the many victims. I love the partnership between Lottie and Boyd; he watches out for her, full of concern especially more recently. The thing about book series is that you come to know the characters more intimately and it is interesting to see how they are developing.. You also feel as though they are familiar, and so the interaction deepens and continues.
With a massive cliff-hanger at the end of this third Detective Lottie Parker novel in the series, I’ll definitely have to read the fourth novel to find out more about Lottie’s situation. I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for my copy of ‘The Lost Child’, sent out to me in return for an honest review. I enjoyed watching the untangling of the various threads in this novel and recommend it as a good read within this genre.

The Lost Child Patricia Gibney

You know the saying “You can’t put a good book down”. Well I literally spent every spare waking minute I had reading this book. From page 1, I was hooked and only came out of it when I had to.

After the last page, I was left sat in stunned silence, wondering how I was going to wait for the next instalment of life in Ragmullin. Whatever I write below will never do this book justice so please, bear with me and while I try.

The book starts in the 70’s with a drug addled, alcoholic woman, locking her toddler twins in a cupboard before starting a fire in her house. The woman and one of her twins are committed to St Declan’s Asylum.

October 2015 and DI Lottie Parker is back. Her family has grown, by one, as her youngest daughter has had a baby, and the house is more chaotic than ever. No matter how busy Lottie’s work life is, her kids expect her to be the domestic goddess when she gets home. This is having a bad effect on her, and she is back on the booze at night, and is popping Xanax to get her through the day.

Parker and her team are tasked with investigating the horrific murder of a woman in her own home, discovered by her daughter. The investigation quickly establishes that the dead woman is not who they thought, but her mother; and that the person they first though had been killed is missing.

And so, it starts. This investigation leads the team down all sorts of paths. Why was an elderly woman killed and why is her middle-aged daughter missing?

2 days later a cottage is found burning with 2 men inside, the body count is rising, but is this crime related to the murder of the old lady.

Shock events keep occurring piling more pressure on Lottie, so much so she turns to an old friend, Dr Annabelle O’Shea, in the hunt for more Xanax. In return Annabelle tries to reach out to Lottie about her own problems; but Parker is to immersed in her work, and family, to notice her friend needs help.

As the case continues Parkers own team start to wonder about her ability, but the ever-faithful DS Mark Boyd backs his boss and tries to give her professional and emotional support.

As the body count rises, and drugs are found at one of the scenes, a DI from the National Drugs Unit is drafted in from Dublin, piling more pressure on Parker and her team.

Can the murders be drugs related, or is this another blind alley the team are being pushed down.

Do the crimes of the past have anything to do with the happenings of 2015

As the book progresses the reader learns more about the Ragmullin of the past and I think this quote from the book sums it up nicely

“In the 70’s The Priests and the Nuns ruled the roost. The Guards were as twisted as the Priests, and Health had crooked people in every organisation you can think of.”

But what effect is that having in 2015. How many of the crimes are related to each other? Is it possible that Ragmullin is just in the grip of a random crime wave?

The book twists and turns to a fantastic final chapter, which is the biggest surprise I’ve had reading a book for a long time.

Patricia Gibney first came to my attention last year and this is the 3rd Book in the Lottie Parker series. I have no hesitation in saying they are without doubt my favourite books at the moment.

This story is complex with a plot which has many strands in its 483 pages, but Gibney has a great way of keeping the reader up to date with the plot. She uses staff briefings, and chats between Parker and Boyd, or between Parker one of her family to review the plot. The reader never gets left behind, but neither do they feel patronised.

In the same way, this book can be read as a stand-alone novel. But why should it. It’s the third book in the best series of Crime Fiction Thrillers there is.

Pages: 483
Publisher: Bookouture
Publishing Date: 27th October 2017.
Available to pre-order on Amazon And why wouldn’t you.

Thank you netgalley, bookouture, and the publisher for letting me read this book. O WOW WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK!!!! True to form Patricia Gibney has delivered another fantastic page turner!! From the very start to the last page you're hooked! There are twists and turns throughout that keep you on the edge of your seat! But the biggest twist at the end is a total shock that you won't see coming!! I read this in a day on my hols simply because I couldn't put it down!! Like I said before if I could've given it ten stars I would have! Like all Patricia Gibney's previous books I honestly can't recommend it highly enough!! A definite must read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boolouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I saw that this book was coming out. Patricia Gibney certainly did not disappoint. This book took me on a thrilling ride with so many twists and turns, it left me reeling. Unfortunately, the journey was so short as I devoured this book so fast.

Detective Lottie Parker is called in to investigate the murder of an elderly lady and to complicate matters, the victim's daughter has disappeared too. I don't want to say too much about the plot, I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I will just say that it seems like an impossible case with uncooperative characters, leads which don't add up, and characters who seem to have no relation to each other, but it comes together beautifully in the end. Detective Lottie's cheekiness amused me to no end. The book ends explosively and leaves the reader with some questions which I am dying to have answered. Cannot wait till the next instalment.

I highly recommend the series. I suppose one could read this book as a stand-alone, but I think it is best to read the other two books first before this one.