"She Lies in Wait" is the first novel in the DCI Jonah Sheens series from Gytha Lodge. As per my MO, I read the second in the series first but I enjoyed it so much, I decided to go back and read the first.

On a summer night in 1983, a group of teenagers go camping and by morning, the youngest of them, Aurora Jackson, will be gone. Her body remains undiscovered for 30 years until it is unearthed by a young girl on a family vacation. DCI Sheens is assigned to the decades-old investigation, though he is all too familiar with the facts of the case. He was a young cop when Aurora disappeared and participated in the search but aside from that, he had known each of the suspects, and Aurora, personally. He is determined to uncover the real truth of what happened on that night and perhaps absolve himself of a few things on the way there.

I thought this was a great procedural novel, albeit longer than it should have been. There were too many red herrings that ended up feeling as distractions from the novel rather than legitimate. There was also a subplot involving a failed relationship between DCI Hanson and her ex that didn't serve any purpose. That said, there are so many other strong things about this novel, like the slow burn as everything unfolds. The alternating timelines. I didn't even mind the multiple points-of-view because it flowed together so easily.

I loved every word. The synopsis grabbed me straight away and I knew I needed to read this. I loved the characters and the atmosphere! Highly recommend picking this up.

Thank you Random House Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you are looking for a quick and easy summer read, this is one I would recommend. It was not my absolute favorite book of all time, but the setting and mystery plot aspect makes it a great book to read during the summer. This one unfortunately was just one of those books that really didn’t seem to grab me much. The characters weren't very interesting and I didn't feel really invested in most of them. I did enjoy the ending, though. It kept me on the edge of my seat and it was quite believable.

First off, I love the synopsis of She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge. It is so short, and I love that it doesn't give anything at all away. It was what initially interested me in the book, and I am happy to report that I really, really enjoyed it!

She Lies in Wait is part police procedural and part mystery/thriller, and I loved all of the different viewpoints. The fact that there are so many of them and quite a few different characters may end up confusing some readers, but I was able to keep all of them straight for the most part. I thought it was really impressive that this is a debut since it didn't read that way to me at all. The plot and characters were complex, and I liked how all the layers were peeled back throughout the book up until the big reveal at the end. My two favorite characters were DCI Sheens and DC Hanson, and I hope to see a lot more of them in future books.

I enjoyed that the book alternated chapters between present characters with chapters from Aurora in the past up until her death. I am a huge fan of when author's do that and I loved the inclusion of it for this one. I also loved Lodge's writing style and She Lies in Wait kept me interested the whole time. I think it would be a really quick read for a lot of people. I also didn't see the ending coming and it completely surprised me. There are definitely some disturbing aspects to the novel but for the most part it was just a steady-paced mystery with a jaw-dropping ending. Highly recommend to lovers of mysteries, thrillers, and police procedurals!

Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I'm not sure what i was expecting from this book. It reminded me of Lisa Jewel.'s slow burn thrillers. I wish it had been more thrilling and moved at a little bit of a faster pace. Overall, the book was entertaining but middle of the road for me.

Book was great until about page 200 then the story just dragged on and on around in circles. Wasn’t overly surprised by the ending. Had great potential but not very suspenseful.

RATING: 2.5 STARS
2019; Random House Publishing Group

In 1983, on a summer night, a small group of teenagers go camping in the woods. As most of them drink, take drugs and pair off for the night, the youngest of them goes missing, Aurora Jackson. Thirty years later, her body is uncovered and the cold case warms up. DCI Jonah Sheens, in 1983 was a young constable and involved in the search. As it was a small town, Jonah also knew the teenagers involved. In present day, as Jonah and his team investigate they realize the group had secrets back then that for them seemed to trump finding out what happened to Aurora.

I am a fan of cold cases, so I was excited to start this British police procedural. She Lies in Wait started out as an interesting case, but soon it fizzled out. The suspects in the case were not very interesting, or had any strong motivations. I did not mind the cliche of the cast of characters, but that's all that they remained. I felt like the characters were not very distinguishable from one another, and they seemed to not have a personality. If Sheens and Hanson were not male and female, I could not tell them apart. I just didn't connect to them as I had nothing to sort of grab onto. The ending, revealing the murder, felt a bit forced. I felt like this novel did not have an editor and this was just a draft. I am hoping that this book was just a clumsy attempt at a first book in a series. I will be reading the second book in the series and hope that we get to know Jonah Sheens.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

Jonah Sheens is a UK police detective who finds himself investigating a 30-year-old missing persons-turned-murder case when the body of 14 year-old Aurora is found. Six friends and a former teacher are among the suspects. As Sheens gets closer to solving the case, he suspects the murderer may act again to keep long-held secrets hidden.

The premise of the novel isn’t bad, but there are too many generic characters to keep straight. Not a single character, including Sheens, is fleshed out enough to be interesting. I had to force myself to keep reading, and by the end, I didn’t care who killed Aurora. I hadn’t made any connection with any of the characters to root for them or against—I was indifferent.

Enjoyable enough but after reading so many thriler/mysteries this was very solid but as middle of the road for me. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy thriller/mysteries.

Lodge's debut novel was a great read. Told in dual timelines of past and present, I thought the way the story unfolded was a truly engrossing whodunnit that managed to take me by surprise. Would definitely be interested in reading more about DCI Jonah Sheens and his team. (Anyone else shipping Ben + Juliette?)

Being a debut novel, it was better than I had expected. It had a slow beginning but it finally picked up and I couldn't put it down! I absolutely love books from different perspectives, especially ones that go from past to present. I feel like it gives the book more depth. Though, I did wish there were less characters. Having too many can get too confusing at times. I was left guessing right up until the end. So many clues could point to so many suspects. Interested in reading how the next book goes and how this author progresses in her writing.

I can't believe I waited this long to read this one! It did not disappoint. Police procedurals are not something I'm usually drawn to but I'm so glad I have this one a chance. Well plotted debut.

This was so well written! It kept me hooked and guessing the entire time. The cast of characters was great too. I find myself thinking about this book a lot; it definitely left an impression on me. (ARC via netgalley)

This book was so good!
Kept me interested all throughout and I never knew exactly how things were going to come out! Thank you netgalley for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Thirty years ago a group of teens go on a camping trip. After a night of partying,drinking, drugs and sex, the fourteen year old sister of one of the party goers ends up missing.

Suddenly, this cold case becomes very active with the discovery of the bones of the missing 14 year-old. Everyone at the party again becomes a suspect, including the girl’s English teacher that happened to be camping with his girlfriend in a nearby area on the night in question.

This book follows the investigation, moving at a deliberate pace. Another death takes a prominent place in the investigation, as does the part a drug dealer plays. The characters are not particularly likable. The investigating detective is flawed and is keeping secrets of his own. Friends begin to turn against each other as their suspicions come into play.

The story weaves around but manages to reach a satisfying conclusion. Anyone interested in detective stories or murder mysteries would enjoy this British detective story.

From the description of this book, I was eager to read it. However, I found the overall story a bit disappointing. My favorite character was Aurora and wished we could have learned more about her as a character. I like novels that give more in depth characterizations. While there were some twists and turns in the book, it was easy to figure out who killed Aurora. I found the repeated stories of the group of teenagers who were friends getting drunk, high and sleeping with each other to not really be of any interest. It also didn't do much to help get to know those characters. I think if more had been written about each of them so we could learn about them, it would have made a better story. I also didn't like the flipping back and forth on the names of those teens being their real names and their nick names. I kept losing who each of them were. Since this is a first book for the author, I hope the reviews are read and maybe some points being listened to. I found many similarities in the reviews for this book. All in all, I don't regret reading the book. It just left me feeling a little short changed on what I'd hoped for.

Gytha Lodge wrote an amazing book in She Lies in Wait. Admittedly, it took me a few chapters to get invested in this story, but in the end, it was a thrilling read.

She Lies in Wait is told alternately between past and present, giving the reader clues about a death investigation trying to be solved many years later. The twists and turns make it virtually impossible to figure out until the very end. Characters in this story are well developed and relatable. I often found myself seeing this unfold in my head like a movie.

If you like mysteries, thrillers, and crime stories, She Lies in Wait is the book for you. I look forward to more from Gytha Lodge.

An engrossing police procedural series debut. I enjoyed becoming acquainted with the four member team led by DCI Jonah Sheens.

Enigmatic DCI Jonah Sheens, with his mysterious past as a member of a family of 'Travellers' whose father was emotionally abusive. It is obvious to the reader that Jonah has more than one family secret and has layers of personality that is yet to be unveiled.

Detective Sergeant Domnall O'Malley, the eldest of the team, an Irishman who works on his instincts and is brilliant at making connections. O'Malley is an ex-military man who is very intelligent, yet he is undisciplined and a drinker.

Detective Constable Ben Lightman, whose outward efficiency, logical thinking, and cool detachment hides a warm heart. Outwardly reserved, he is a college graduate who joined the police immediately following his graduation. Ben has no family attachments and is a workaholic.

Detective Constable Juliette Hanson, the newest member of the team, recently transferred from Birmingham. With a rocky personal life in which her ex-boyfriend is taunting her with verbal abuse and texts, she is trying valiantly to make a good impression on her new boss and co-workers.

The setting, around and about the New Forest in England, added to my enjoyment.

The story was told over a two week period which brought immediacy to the events. In addition to the police investigations, the novel was interspersed with chapters told by the fourteen year old Aurora detailing what happened the night she died. These chapters were among my favourites and added poignancy to the story.

The author did a sound job of making the reader distrust the various characters, even the police at one point.

The characters were intriguing, though I found I didn't warm to them as much as I have with other series. I did enjoy their interactions enough that I will definitely read the second book in the series which is called "Watching from the Dark".

Recommended to all who enjoy a cleverly written police procedural. "She Lies in Wait" marks the beginning of a new crime thriller series that I anticipate following.

Based upon the information released for the book I was super excited to delve into it. I was really disappointed. It reminds me of Final Girls but not as well thought out with ideas all over the place. I also figured it out within the first half of the book. Maybe these type of novels just aren't for me anymore but I felt it was a slow build and not a good connected storyline.

It took me a long time to get through this book. It started off interesting. A group of teens go out to party in the woods and one goes missing. Flash forward to the teens as a adults and Aurora's (the missing teen) body is found buried in the woods where the teens admitted to partying. She is found with a beer can and trace amounts of drugs around her. The body appears to be hidden, so the police must investigate for foul play. This book dragged in the middle and was pretty predictable. It was a book that I kept setting aside and forgetting about.