The Lost Ones introduces readers to Detective Sargent Jackson (Jackie) Cooke a pregnant mother of two whose home life is extremely hectic and whose boss wants her either sat behind a desk or at home out of the way not out catching serial killers. Which is exactly what she and her partner Dave end up doing when they are called to a macabre crime scene in a beer garden in Manchester.

And what they discover is only the start of what is an engaging story, that leads to a heartbreaking discovery for Jackie and a shocking confrontation between her and the killer. But I did work out who the killer was and if I'm honest I found all the home life distractions a little too distracting.Yet, the characters were likable, and the story definitely had potential not to mention lots of grusome moments which I loved.

This is the first in a series and it starts off with a bang! Unfortunately, it was too much of a bang for me. I enjoyed the characters and the side stories but it's a case of too much, too soon. I understand laying the ground work for subsequent books but it was too much for one book. I found the writing a bit clunky, but not too bad. Overall, too many side stories and disjointed writing made this one just 'meh' for me.

Book: The Lost Ones
Author: Marnie Riches
Pub Date: 6/7/22
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


Review~
The Lost Ones is a thriller that is full many twists and turns!! The plot was really good and it really catches my attention.

Jackson also known as Jackie is a detective who is pregnant and on a hunt an extreme serial killer. Jackie is a strong mc and she holds her ground and fights for the things she works for. Jackie is still trying to find her brother after he disappeared and was trying to figure out if the serial killer is linked to him.

The serial killer is absolutely crazy they way he murdered all of the people he targeted. I never have heard of a murder like this before!!

Overall this book was amazing I definitely recommend reading this. I love how the women mc has a strong role in the book and holds her ground. This murder case was wild and I could not put down this book!!

like always I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Bookouture , the author , and to the wonderful ladies of the Bookouture Anonymous Facebook group without them and their hard work and efforts I wouldn't knew about these books and to NetGalley for the invite to join this blog tour as well as letting me read and review it. First time I've read anything thing by this author so not only is it a new to me series but also a new to me author which is great since I love to find new authors as well as new series to start reading. I do have to say that even though it had the creepiness and how the killer left his bodies of his victims it was still a bit slow going in to the story, but in some ways it also helped with the build up of the story line as well as letting you get to know the characters themselves . As for the writing the author did an amazing job of written strong, clear images throughout the story because it brought the carnage left behind by the killer to life so much so that it was like I could actually see the bodies themselves ( what can I say I love when books or movies with blood and gore in them , if their done right and this one was ) , in some ways it reminded me of one of my all time favorite books Eeny Meeny by J. Arlidge

After enjoying a number of the author’s earlier books I was very pleased to get this. But unfortunately I was a little disappointed. First the good stuff.

I enjoyed the plot. There is a serial killer leaving bits of bodies and torsos publicly displayed at locations around Manchester. Some are found with parts of mannequins as well and some mannequin parts are found on their own. This is a very tricky mystery to solve as there are no clues or evidence to be found.

I also liked the main characters. Detective Sergeant Jackson (Jackie) Cooke, 6 ½ months pregnant, heads up a fabulous team. Others include Detective David Tang, her loyal sidekick and new, very promising officer DC Shazia Malik. On the technical side is Clever Bob, he seems like a bit of a teddy bear.

On the other hand the killer, whom we met in the first few pages, seemed like a caricature. I swear I’ve read the same ‘thoughts’ by dozens of fictional baddies and it was a bit cringey! Also, did we have to have the stereotypical nasty boss, Inspector Tina Venables. Again, she and her ilk, are a dime a dozen.

While I enjoyed the plot, it was quite predictable. I had a few guesses and, yep, they all panned out. I did not guess who the villain was though which was a good thing. However the story went exactly as I thought it would. And what’s with the latest ‘thing’ of having the female detectives pregnant? In this book, after a serious car accident which has potential repercussions for Jackie, she should have been placed on immediate leave. But she wasn’t, which led me to think “we’re not going there, are we?” Yep we did (eye rolls).

It was readable and entertaining but no great masterpiece. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Very good edge of your seat book will have you gripped and trying to solve the crime.I can highly recommend this book and readers will love it 5*

“The Lost Ones,” Detective Jackie Cook series book 1.
The author, Marnie Riches, did a great job in developing such a unique story plot that will keep you in suspense until the end of this gory mystery thriller.
The lead character is DS Jackie Cook who happens to be pregnant with a Downs Syndrome baby in her womb. She struggles through the demands of her job, childcare for her two young children, difficult family members, and a not so understanding husband, Gus. Gus is a stay-at-home dad that does take care of their kids but drains the family bank on musical instruments for the band he is in leaving the family financially broke. Add to that stress, Jackie’s boss, who treats her poorly. Jackie will win your heart as she struggles through life’s struggles while finding the murderer.
Thank goodness Jackie has a wonderful detective partner, David Tang, to work with and support her emotionally. The story starts out with the two detectives investigating a crime scene in a pub courtyard. Jackie is devastated because the victim is Chloe Smedley, a seventeen-year-old Downs Syndrome teenager. This hits home because her brother, Lucian, also had Downs Syndrome and is a missing child.
The author did such a great job of descriptive writing throughout the story. It was done so well at the end that I couldn’t finish it because of the gore.
My thanks to Marnie Riches and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is the first book of the Detective Jackie Cooke series.

The story starts with the discovery of a body of a girl named Chloe who was mutilated. Chloe was suffering from Down's Syndrome and when Chloe's mother cried over the death of her daughter, Jackie was determined to bring justice. But then a second body was found, murdered in the similar fashion and Jackie thinks she is dealing with a serial killer. Meanwhile, her boss threatens to cut her off from the case as she refused to believe that there's a killer on loose.

The writing was spot on! The author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of the story. The story is fast paced though in my opinion not much of twists and turns that I would like to see in a psychological thriller. Nonetheless, what I really liked about this book is the diverse cast of characters--Jackie's partners Dave who is I supposed is Chinese and Shazia who is a Muslim so I do like the diversity in the book. Besides solving the crimes, I do like the personal life of Jackie--how her husband left her for another woman and how she was dealing with her pregnancy while solving and chasing after a killer. It was, in my opinion a unique thing in the book. Overall, though the ending was predictable, I liked the ending.

If you are looking for a start of a detective series, then I will recommend this series--worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Heavily pregnant DS Jackie Cooke with partner David Tang is called to a grisly murder scene where a young Down Syndrome girl has been found dead, where her body has been dismembered in a pub garden. The case has similarities of her brother Lucian who disappeared when he was nine years old, who also had Downs, never to be seen again. When another body turns up, she knows she has a serial killer on her hands. With the pressure of that and her own family life she has a hard task a head of her.
But when her partner David has been given time off. Her own boss doesn’t think she is not up to the task on her own and wants to give her a desk job. But the two colleagues that she wants to give too have enough on their plate and will not fully commit to it as she will. So going against her bosses wishes, she carries on regardless. She needs to find this killer before he kills again and will finally find out what happened to her brother all of them years ago.
Thank you Bookoutre for a copy of The Lost ones by Marnie Riches. I can’t believe that I have not read any books from this author before. This is so good. This is the first book in the Detective Jackie Cooke Series.
The is fantastic first book in the series. A well written, strong storyline gritty in parts. It has likeable characters, especially Jackie, who is a strong, feisty woman and doesn’t stop anything getting in her way even though she is pregnant. I felt a bit sorry for her too. Her family are not that forthcoming. I can’t wait for the next instalment in this series. 5 stars from me

This is the first book and what looks to be a very promising new series, I was all in from page 1 and I could not put the book down I read it in one sitting!

First book In a new series featuring D.S Jackson (Jackie) Cooke.
When a young girl with Downs syndrome in found dismembered Jackie starts to work the case and when other body parts are found the hunt for a serial killer begins.Years ago her brother went missing and as the case proceeds she starts to wonder if there is a link between the case then and now.
The story covers Jackie's private life very well so we see what a strong character she really is.
A very strong and gripping storyline.
Really looking forward to reading the next book, in the series.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

A fantastic story with great characters. I was gripped from the start and didnt put it down till I finished. I am looking forward to reading more

A new series, a new police team and a (to me) new author to meet. I always love that. It’s a bit like the first day in a new school. Who are these people? Will they soon become familiar faces or will I not want to see them again at all? What makes them tick? What kind of writing style has the author? Is the storytelling something that will attract me or is it rather a one trick pony for me?

I find all this very existing and I always start with an open mind. That’s the fair thing to do, right?

I can honestly say this book ticked all the boxes and it came out with straight A’s on every level.

It was filled with emotions and suspense, but it was also dealing with a seriously disturbed and evil killer.

Jackson (Jackie) has a lot to deal with at home in her private life too. Some would think this would distract her and make her focus on the wrong things. I find the opposite is true. I had the feeling it made her even more determined and she was like a dog with a bone. Even if she was putting something precious at risk, she had to push through, but she had a very good reason for that too. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, but she would fight with all she has.

This story also has a money-makes-the-world-go-round message. It’s a simple basic in economics: when there are no buyers, there don’t have to be sellers and buyers are the cowards driving the sellers often to do what they do… Aren’t they as much to blame…?

I was captivated and disgusted by this story. 5 stars

Thank you

A great new crime series to get stuck in to. I found this to be gripping with lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked. A great main protagonist with interesting side characters. Looking forward to reading more.

4-5 stars

Heavily pregnant DS Jackie (Jackson) Cook and her partner David Tang attend a murder in a pub courtyard and it’s a weird one with similarities to another that is equally gruesome. The victim proves to be 17 year old Chloe Smedley, a teenager with Downs Syndrome. The case resonates and feels deeply personal to Jackie as her brother Lucian disappeared without trace at the age of nine, he too had Downs. The story is principally from Jackie’s perspective but is interspersed with the killers “smooth” voice which strikes a chilling blow from the beginning.

Wow. I could not put this down and I guess one of the biggest compliments you could pay an author is to say you can’t wait until the next one! I really like Jackie, she feels so real as she desperately balances huge demands of work with home especially when she has a useless workshy husband in Gus . Through Jackie’s loss of Lucian you to feel her empathy with the devastated families she deals with. The rest of the characters are very well portrayed, there is likable DC Shazia Malik, her harpy of a boss Venables and I love the combative exchanges with between them. Go Jackie.

This is a good, solid police procedural, there’s nothing unnecessary, there’s no prevarication unless it’s to flush out a character. It’s well written, the pace is fast, it’s gritty, gruesome, intense, chilling and utterly spine tingling in places. The case grows exponentially, it’s staggering as you try to get a get your head around it - think something that the BAU team of tv show Criminal Minds may have got their teeth into. It’s exciting, tense, heart in the mouth stuff as the killer leaves the conundrum of an utterly bizarre and macabre puzzle which feels personal to Jackie. I did guess the outcome but this in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the book.

Overall, this is a well written crime thriller with a good injection of humour which helps to counterbalance some of the darkness that evolves.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bookouture for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

“They were never lost, they were taken”

Brilliant first book in a new series, DS Jackie Cooke is a fantastic character. We find out a lot about her back story, family life and importantly for the future novels (which I am looking forward to reading) her tenacity in her job. I liked her as a main character and also the introduction we got to her partner Dave.
I am a fan of Marnie Riches, I like her writing style. This book is a great introduction to her work for others.

British crime books are my weakness, I was excited to start a new series. The crime\serial killer itself did not disappoint. It was complex, not easily guessable, dark, and smart. I liked the main characters and I always have a soft spot for detectives who break the rules. I think personal side stories of the main detectives always make the book more interesting , but in this one the pregnancy was unnecessary. The husband drama by itself was enough, plus it was unrealistic that she didn’t miscarriage, I will most likely continue the series, but it won’t be at the top of my list.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Lost Ones, the first novel to feature DS Jackson Cooke of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Crimes Unit.

When parts of a body are found artfully displayed in a pub garden Jackie knows that she is hunting an out of the ordinary killer. When the dead girl is identified as Chloe Smedley, a young woman with special needs it reminds Jackie of her brother’s disappearance thirty years ago and she is determined to solve the case. The discovery of more body parts, another vulnerable young person, makes Jackie sure she is hunting a serial killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Ones, which is a fast paced procedural with plenty of twists, turns, tension and excitement. The novel is mostly told from Jackie’s point of view with the unnamed killer chipping in occasionally to give a hint of how, but never why. This is a great way to do things in my mind. I like the concentration on the investigation, the continual stream of discoveries and the reader’s potential for speculation. In this case I guessed nothing right and that’s a good thing as it kept me turning the pages to find out what was coming next. I should point out that the novel is designed for entertainment and does that job well, not for realism, starting with a heavily pregnant woman out and about at crime scenes, so a certain suspension of disbelief is called for. I did it willingly as the novel rushes along at a fast pace, so is continually absorbing.

Jackie Cooke is a great protagonist. She’s dedicated to her job, but also has to run her household with an unemployed and disengaged husband, twin sons and a mother who feels that her time at the coal face of child rearing is finished. I don’t know how she keeps going but so many women do. She’s realistic in her struggles and I’m hoping that the next novel will see her burdens eased, new baby not withstanding.

The Lost Ones is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

“They were never lost . . . . They were taken.”

WOW! When the cover states that this is “[a] serial killer thriller with nail-biting suspense,” my expectations were already set high, and this book did not disappoint. The most macabre novel I have read in a while, The Lost Ones centers around homicide Detective Jackson Cooke – a heavily pregnant mother of twins, with an imbecile of a husband and an erratic mother. Together, Jackie and her partner Dave are called to the gruesome murder of a teenager with Downs Syndrome, (insert gasping noise) where most of her body parts are missing.

Then – more body parts are discovered, this time of a male who was left out to thaw, and it is evident that a sadistic serial killer is lose in Manchester. But when things start personally happening to Jackie, she can’t help but wonder if these crimes are connected to her brother’s disappearance (whom also had Down Syndrome), when they were children.

This was my first novel by Marnie Riches and I’m thrilled that this will be a series. Riches was able to quickly grab my attention and I lost sleep quickly “turning” the pages. This book takes us deep into the underbelly of the dark web, showing us that our biggest nightmare may be closer than we think.

I loved the strong female lead, the plot, and the writing. I felt like I was reading an episode of Criminal Minds! Very detailed and paced perfect – the visualizations you will receive may not be pretty but are impactful. Having young children, this book drilled home the fact that you can never take your eyes off your kids – even for a second.

My only con for the novel was the ending (and not the outcome, just the quick finality of it); I felt that I was on a rollercoaster ride – slowly going up and up and up, only then to be rapidly brought back down to earth. Yes, this left the novel with no ends left open (which I like and the explanations were closing the case for us readers like most real life police briefings), but I almost felt like I was waiting for another shoe to drop. Maybe that comes in book 2?

This was a psychological thriller down to the core, one that I won’t easily forget. I rate this book a 4.3 (for the ending) but recommend it to all mystery and suspense lovers. Riches has made a follower out of me!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC; all opinions are my own!

Marnie Riches's Lost Ones (Detective Jackie Cooke Book 1) had a good ending. I liked the author's writing style, and the mystery was good and held my interest. It was sometimes hard to follow the story due to word choices, but it had a good plot.

I will check out more books by this author.

#TheLostOnes #NetGalley @bookouture