A clever mystery book with plenty of twists and turns. What a great series - can't wait for the next book!!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A private investigator tracks a woman who gave birth to the daughter of a notorious serial killer. There are lots of twists and turns in this mystery novel.

I love the strong female characters. It was a very fun read.

Jessica Shaw a PI is hired to find a long lost friend of Christine's, Veronica Lowe who had disappeared after a photo was published of her and her daughter with the child father, a prisoner in death row.
Jessica starts diggng and putting together the pieces as to where Veronica may have gone.
All is not as it seems though and Jessica seems to be uncovering more mysteries as she is investigating.
Good read and the story flows well.

I got an ARC of this book from NetGalley and it was after I'd requested the book that I realized that it is part of a series and that this is the 4th installment. But I don't think that caused a problem. The book can be easily read as a standalone because you can still connect with the characters.

Jessica Shaw is a PI who is hired by a Christine Ryan to find a long lost friend. What looks like a simple missing persons case quickly becomes a lot more complicated, because the lost friend was at some point of time the lover of a serial killer, whose wife has recently been killed. I was engulfed in this gripping story from the beginning. The writing is fast paced, which makes the book unputdownable. What makes it even better is that the story is not predictable. It takes time for the little doubts to creep in and theories to start formulating.

This was also the first book I've ever read from Lisa Gray and loved how she focused on the fact that the victims of serial killers are often forgotten. We've heard and read a lot about Ted Bundy, BTK or Jack the Ripper, but not much about their victims. These notorious men end up as celebrities. This is the sad part of true crime, where the killers get a lot more attention than the victims.

I would love to pick up more books from the author and I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC.
#NetGalley #LonelyHearts

PI Jessica is searching for a missing girl that soon puts us on edge. A pen pal service for some of these women is proving deadly. What a Name too-Lonely Hearts Club. As we go along looking for answers we will be turning those pages for the discovery of who the killer is.

I really struggled getting into this book and then I realised it was part of a series so I’ve stopped reading it until I’m up to date!

From when I first opened "Lonely Hearts," I was hooked. It's not often I stay up late, especially on a Sunday night, to read a novel in one sitting. In the newest offering in the Jessica Shaw series, we ride along the private investigator's newest case: a missing persons case that is anything but simple. The woman hiring her, Christine Ryan, is seeking an old friend from nearly two decades ago. The problem? The old friend is the former girlfriend of infamous serial killer, Travis Dean Ford, and if still alive, likely doesn't want to be found. Still. A job is a job is a job. As she follows the leads, she realizes perhaps Veronica isn't the only member of the Lonely Hearts Club being hunted.

There is a lot to enjoy about this novel, from the writing to our characters. I didn't even mind the alternating timelines and point-of-views, which you know I despise. I was never confused; I thought it was really well-done. This is the fourth novel in the series but par for course with me, I haven't read the others in the series. It was not an issue, however. You could figure out the killer early on - my antennas were up! - but there were enough red herrings and twists and turns to keep the momentum. There were also flaws when it came to some plot holes and what happens in the romance subplot, but overall, a great page-turner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an e-ARC, available everywhere now.

I have always been curious as to what allows an intelligent person to marry an inmate who seriously has no future based upon a long or permanent jail. Sentence. Now, I sort of know.

The characters are quirky, a bit strange, lonely interesting. Jessica, the main character is pretty realistic but not always likeable.

This can be read as a stand alone book but I feel you might like the characters a bit more if read in order.

Lonely Hearts by Lisa Gray
A Jessica Heart Thriller #4

Able to standalone as a story but I do wonder what I missed not having read the first three books. I read through the book descriptions of the previous books to find out a bit more about Jessica but not till I had finished this book. That did help flesh Jessica out a bit, but I still had trouble warming to her and wonder if that might have to do with coming in on book four rather than book one.

What I liked:
* The premise, plotting, and story telling
* The look into how a PI would search for a missing person
* Jessica’s persistence and dedication to the job
* The mystery of who the murderer in present time was
* Wondering about how Jessica knew Pryce and how/why they shared information on this case
* Wondering about Jessica’s social life
* Jessica seemed independent and capable…kind of a loner
* Wondering if Jessica will end up in a relationship in future books
* The setting – it was familiar to me having lived in Southern California
* The twist – although I had a good idea what it would be since I usually read the end of books soon after starting them.
* Thinking about what would cause any woman to become the pen pal/girlfriend/wife/baby-mama to a man on death row – that did kind of creep me out, though
* That all of the threads related to the cases were tied up by the end of the story

What I didn’t like:
* Thinking about the evil that people do…and how that evil can warp “good” people, too.
* It was hard for me to warm up to Jessica and I am not sure that I really did even by the end of the story
* Mixed feelings on moving from past to present in the story telling. It can generate momentum or it can detract from the forward momentum of this type of books – and it did both from time to time.

Did I enjoy this book? I think so
Would I read more in this series? I might give one more a try to see if Jessica grows on me

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

Star Rating:
3 stars for being an average read to me
4/5 stars for being worth reading and probably a good addition to the series

It's the first book I read in this series and I enjoyed it.
Good characters, a fast paced and twisty plot, an interesting MC
The mystery is solid and the well developed plot kept me hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This mystery is the fourth book in Lisa Gray's Jessica Shaw series. Jessica is private investigator who is drawn into a missing persons case -- Veronica Lowe disappeared around 20 years ago with her three year old Mia. Her best friend of many years, Christina, wants to find her out of concern that Veronica's life could be at risk. As a young woman,Veronica joined a Lonely Hearts Club for women who wished to correspond with prisoners. She quickly becomes entangled with Travis Ford, a death row inmate convicted of strangling slim, red headed women. Veronica is his type. They have a child together. Someone leaks a photo of their family group together in San Quentin and Veronica disappears, apparently to avoid threats and publicity. Shortly after this Travis married another Lonely Heart Club member, Jordana. Since Travis's execution, Jordana has been writing about him and now-about their relationship. Somehow, this has stirred the pot. Someone is closing in and Jordana is murdered, but who is the killer and what motivated the killing. Gray leads us through Jessica's investigations with wrong turns and solid investigation that ultimately resolves the mystery. A pleasurable read.

This book was fantastic, it was well written and kept me entertained and wanting to know more. I didn’t want to put it down. The story line focuses on several main characters telling the story from their perspective and the eventual interconnection between them. The story goes from present day to horrific events of the past and how it leads up to a current murder. Can’t wait to read another book from this author.

I received an advance e-book version of this novel through Netgalley. My review is based only on my own reading. Thank you again for this book!

I had absolutely no expectations going into this book seeing this was the first book from this author I’ve ever read, and let me tell you…

It was brilliant. I engulfed this book in one sitting because the characters in this book is so intriguing and the plot absolutely consuming.

Following Private investigator Jessica Shaw as she unravels the mystery of a woman named Veronica who 15 years and counting is still missing after having a love child with a brutal serial killer on death row. Veronica met the notorious serial killer Travis Dean Ford via the Lonely Hearts prison pen pal group, and fell deadly in-love. As reality set in of the situation Veronica got herself in, she starts retracting herself, and hasn’t been seen ever since…
With Ford’s widow recently being killed the way he killed his victims, an old friend of Veronica hires Jessica Shaw to track Veronica and her daughter, before they share the same fate as anyone tied to Travis Ford. With both his former lovers being part of the Lonely hearts club, there seems to be a connection with the killings, but with Travis Ford executed for his crimes years back, the investigation might not seem as straight-forward as planned. As Jessica diggs deeper into this mystery, she can feel herself being watched. But by who?

Although this book is part of a series, it works perfect as a stand-alone. I haven’t read any of Gray’s books before this one but will definitely pick up one in the future! Her writing is fast paced, to the point, witty and with unexpected plot twists.

I mean this plot is to die for. Who finds love on death row? I’ve seen so many documentaries about these pen pal stories and I must say this book takes the cake! It was so gripping and kept me up all night. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves thriller mystery novels.

As a first time Gray reader, I am beyond impressed. Not only was this about a missing person case, it also delved in pop culture and how there is a phenomena of serial killers having fans, families and all the drama that come with it. How it affects those left behind and the spiraling the victims families have to go through. How love can be found in prison cells.

Extremely gripping, bone-chilling and one hell of a ride. Not at all predictable, and will have you biting your nails and covering your mouth in shock. A must read.

I’m so glad that I discovered this series when the first book came out. It is one of the series that I auto buy without even reading the synopsis. This book is my favorite yet! Jessica is hired by a woman looking to locate a friend that she lost touch with 17 years earlier. But this isn’t your typical long lost friend search. Veronica and her daughter Mia disappeared after it was publicized that her daughter’s father was a convicted serial killer... and now that man’s wife is dead. Are Veronica and Mia in danger? Or are they already dead?

Jessica Shaw is a private investigator in CA. It’s 1989 and a killer is on the loose and he always kills thin, young women with red hair. Christine comes along and hires Jessica to find her long lost friend who she hasn’t seen in many years. Many twists and turns throughout the story.

This is a unique book where the villain is someone who you would not expect. I don't want to ruin the book, so I will simply say, if you are looking for a thriller with a unique bent, then you should definitely pick this one up!

When I requested this book I did not realise that it was number 4 in a book series, nonetheless you do not really need to have read the previous 3 books to enjoy this novel.

I am a new reader to Lisa Gray and I love her style of fast paced, edgy writing.

The year is 1989 and Jessica Shaw is an investigator living in California. Jessica Shaw is asked to find Veronica, a woman who went missing after having a relationship with an inmate, Veronica and her daughter went missing and her best friend Christine wants answers.

Jessica's investigation is interesting and held my attention greatly and with force. I loved Jessica Shaw, she is an unapologetic woman who is feisty and wants justice. I can not wait to backtrack and start on novel 1.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lisa Grey and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I picked up Lonely Hearts, not realising it’s the 4th book in the Jessica Shaw series. If I’m honest, I prefer to read a series from the beginning. But I loved the sound of this book and Lisa Gray is a new author to me, so I put my reservations to one side and dug in. A middle- aged woman wanting her to find her friend approaches Jessica. Veronica disappeared over fifteen years ago, not long after having a child with a Death Row inmate. When his widow is murdered in the same way as his victims. The case gets more complex and takes on a more sinister tone when Jessica unearths both women were members of The Lonely Hearts Club, a pen pal service for women who write to men in prison.

Jessica Shaw is a PI, which makes a refreshing change from a detective as they can focus heavily on police procedures. I always think these types of characters can push the boundaries, take more risks when they aren’t governed by rules and regulations. I enjoyed getting to know Jessica. She’s a tough, headstrong, and a likeable protagonist. Although I may have missed some aspects of her back story, the author provides enough detail so that the reader doesn’t feel like they're missing out.

I liked the fact the book is based around women writing to serial killers in prison. It’s a subject that’s always fascinated me. Why you would want to write to someone who has committed the most terrible acts is beyond me. Is it a case of morbid fascination? Or a need to rescue damaged individuals? Who knows! But Veronica’s POV gives the reader an intriguing insight into this phenomenon.

The story alternates between the past and the present, moving swiftly between the two. As the two timelines interweave, the tension builds. The unraveling of the mystery of Veronica’s disappearance drives the reader onwards to the conclusion. I really enjoyed my first outing with Lisa Gray and would definitely go back and rest of the series.

My review will be left on my Instagram account, goodreads, Amazon etc

Every time I see a new book publishing in this series I know I have to pick it up immediately! This one did not disappoint and I binge read this book as fast as I could.

Told in multiple POVs, Lonely Hearts follows Jessica as she investigates a missing person case. As she digs deeper into the case she uncovers a tangled web of lies. I was hooked from the first pages and while I did figure out most of the twists I still found the book enjoyable. While this book could be read as a standalone, reading the whole series gives you a better picture of the main characters. I highly recommend this one to anyone who is looking for a quick thriller.

This was such a great murder mystery! Although it’s a sequel, which I didn’t realize when I got it, it definitely reads as a stand-alone. If you haven’t read the others you’re definitely going to want to after this one.
Jessica, a private detective, is trying to track down her client’s old best friend. It’s a bit tricky though since the friend, Veronica Lowe, dropped off the map ages ago. She’s been linked to a serial killer and the Lonely Hearts Club which writes to prison inmates. Besides that, there’s no information to go on.
As Jessica works on tracking Veronica down, her uncle is working a case with the LAPD about another woman’s murder.
This was written in a few different time lines and alternating perspectives which made for a very quick read. It’s a bit of a cross between a police procedural and a whodunnit murder mystery.