Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In this book Detective Grace Halling's life takes an unexpected turn when Harold Crighton, a man she has been visiting for years, mysteriously disappears from the Campbell Home. With seemingly no trace, of Harold, Grace's world is thrown into a spin as she grapples with her new role as a detective.

Adrian J. Smith weaves a compelling narrative in Lost and Forsaken. The character of Detective Grace Halling is both relatable and intriguing. Her determination to find Harold, despite not being the lead detective on the case, showcases her tenacity. The emotional scars from losing colleagues add depth to her character, making her journey all the more compelling.

The pacing is well-balanced, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. Smith's writing style is crisp, allowing us to immerse ourselves in Grace's world. The mystery surrounding Harold's disappearance keeps you guessing, and the twists and turns add layers of suspense.

What sets this novel apart is its exploration of Grace's personal growth. Her evolution as a detective and her struggles to balance professional and personal life make her authentic and endearing.

Lost and Forsaken is a solid start to the Missing Persons series. Adrian J. Smith's blend of mystery, emotion, and character-driven storytelling makes this a choice for fans of suspenseful fiction.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

I found that the book was interesting but ultimately found it a bit predictable and not totally engaging. That being said I still liked the characters!

Detective Grace Halling is a wonderful character. She is struggling to adapt to her new role as a Detective, when her friend goes missing. With great energy and dedication, she gives 100% to solving the case and finding her friend. Her personal life is also a place where she is finding her bearings, as she builds a strong relationship with her girlfriend. This is a great series. I can't wait to read the next book.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

Grace is back, along with some old and new characters. This is a spin off of the Spirit of Grace series. I enjoyed this book and the way the author peered into how authorities treat the less fortunate. This is the first of the series and I look forward to seeing how Grace turns out.

Very much enjoyed this book. Smith really shines a light on the plight of those who are marganilized, and how they fall through the cracks. In this instance it's not just how law enforcement view them but also how their families are negligent.
Detective Grace Halling is no longer a beat cop, which is how she became so close to Harold Crighton, she's a full fledged detective. But now Harold has gone missing, she has her own case to work, and she's trying to balance it all on top of her new relationship with Amya.
It's a very good read.

First of all, the beginning is just kinda weird but still interesting. Throughout the book there is a lot of sighing and rolling eyes of our MC which kinda took me out of the story a little cause it was so repetitive. I love the FF romance going on, it was cute. The other thing that bothered me was in the middle of their first case about the character Harold all of a sudden boom some other random character takes over the story mostly kinda in my opinion and I didn’t really like it. Overall it wasn’t anything fantastic but it was alright, I was hoping for more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Grace has just been promoted to detective and is working in missing persons. When an older man goes missing she is shocked to find it is Harold, someone she visits in a care home.

As the investigation continues anomalies in the carers versions of events, the finances of his brother and Grace’s gut feeling add up but she still can’t find Harold.

Whilst I enjoyed this book, I haven’t read any others featuring Grace and there was little back story explanation. I also felt that the missing persons case went on and on. Too long for me.