This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 hearts

I am well into the Alaska Wild Mysteries . I would read the series in order as both the mystery plot arc and the personal relationships grow throughout the series. Beth came to Alaska to hide from a stalker. She doesn't remember everything about her abduction. She initially didn't tell people and didn't know who to trust. Now that her stalker has been caught she is feeling a bit better. She has also gotten to know and become friends with more people in this small town.

Lost Hours has plenty of mystery: a dead body, an abducted woman, and a missing teenage girl. Beth throws herself into investigating and danger. She has good reasoning and strategy to solve things but no defensive skills against criminals and continues to stupidly endanger herself. It's unrealistic how law enforcement lets her do it.

We see more of Beth's relationship with Tex, and her uncertainty if she will stay here or go back to Missouri. A new resident is her long lost father, Eddy. Beth doesn't trust him but she can't help but want to know him better.

Of course, Beth figures things out, working well with law enforcement. Her mother is MIA. The end has a bit of a cliffhanger which gives us an idea of the theme of the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I really enjoyed Lost Hours by Paige Shelton. This is the fifth book in her Alaska Wild series. I have not read the previous four books, but this book does work well as a standalone. Paige Shelton gives you all the information/details you need to understand the characters & their backgrounds, and the story itself is fine to read without having read the previous books. That being said, I do think it would be worth it to read those earlier books if you do like this one. I certainly plan to when I get the chance. That's a testament to the quality of the story.

Lost Hours is a good bridge between a cozy mystery and a thriller. Definitely a book I found intriguing to start and then realized I didn't want to put it down. It's not a very long book so I think anyone could read it in one sitting. If you're like me you'll be turning page after page just to see what's happening next. I enjoyed the twists and turns. The ending will have you wanting another book as soon as possible.

I really enjoyed Beth as a narrator and liked getting to know her story. I would definitely read the earlier books just for more of her. Lost Hours does a good job with all of the characters, though there are definitely a lot of people.

I think I'm personally the most fond of the setting. Shelton does a great job making it feel like you're there in a small town in Alaska and I just loved that aspect of the book!

This is the first book I've read by this author. I haven't read the other books in the series and was able to fully enjoy the story on its own. I am curious about the other books, so I will be going back to read the others. I liked Beth Rivers as the lead character. She's likeable and smart. Her past gives her a different view on things. The setting of Alaska is almost like another character, and it gives the story a unique spin. The mystery was intriguing and had a number of twists. The characters were likeable and interesting. This was a great way to spend some time on a late fall afternoon. It was a great escape and kept my attention from the beginning. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is book 5 in the "Alaska Wild" series, although I've only read this and #4; the author refers to things that happened in previous books, but I think Lost Hours is fine as a stand-alone (or introduction to the series to make you want to go read the previous ones). Author Beth Rivers first came to Benedict, Alaska, a year ago to hide out, but now she feels she is part of the community, and her estranged father has moved to town to try to reconnect. Beth decides it's time to see the glaciers that the region is famous for, but the ship she is on never makes it to the glaciers because it comes across a woman, covered in blood, apparently abandoned on one of the small islands in the area. She says she was kidnapped from Juneau and brought to the island, and that a bear attacked her captor and he is dead and gone. Beth and her friends involved in local law enforcement try to figure out what's going on, as they suspect they're only getting part of the story, but things get more complicated when young tourist disappears under suspicious circumstances. I especially liked the multifaceted characters, uniqueness of the setting, and the unpredictable plot.

I always look forward to December because it means there will be a new book in the Alaska Wild series. I've been reading this series since book 1 Thn Ice. While I think you will enjoy it more if you read the series in order as there is an over-arching mystery, you can start with this one.

I must admit that Lost Hours isn't my favorite book in the series. It is still good, but there seemed to be something missing. It is book 5 in the series and it felt more like a placeholder than a book to move the story forward.

Just as we got to know Beth's mother Mills in book 3 Dark Nights and see their relationship, in this book we get to know her father and their strained relationship.

As I mentioned there is an over-arching mystery running through the series, but each book has its own stand-alone mystery. A woman is found on an uninhabited island and claims she had been kidnapped. Was she really or is it a ploy to get close to Beth? There are some holes in her story, but Beth and the rest of the town are willing to believe her or at least investigate until they have all the facts.

The mystery was okay. It didn't have the tension that the mystery in the other books had, but it was still interesting.

I'm glad I read it and I'm still looking forward to next December when the next book comes out. There is a little twist at the end that I'm eager to see how it plays out.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/12/lost-hours-by-paige-shelton-review.html

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Lost Hours (Alaska Wild #5) by Paige Shelton from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

…With twists, turns and a plethora of red herrings the reader is led through a suspenseful, well plotted, brilliantly written and edgy cozy....

Lost Hours, the fifth entry in Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild series. I am a huge fan of the author, and this series in particular, and was thrilled to get the opportunity to read and review this entry which I am pleased to say, did not disappoint.

We open with protagonist Beth Rivers, after a year of moving to the small town of Benedict Alaska. Fleeing there after escaping the clutches of kidnapper Travis Walker she has found a place so far removed from the life she once had as a best-selling author, shedding her pen name, Elizabeth Fairchild. Living at Benedict House, a halfway house run by Viola, who is one of the few who knows her true identity along with police chief Gril Samuels, his deputy Donner and undercover agent, Orin all of whom have gone to extreme lengths to protect her secret, help her heal and grow into her new identity as well as into the hearts of those in Benedict.

With her good friends, new boyfriend Tex and the resurgence of her estranged father Eddy, Beth is finally feeling more optimistic about life. When she hears the news from Detective Major that Walker has been captured, she is incredibly relieved and can finally live her life. While finally getting to be a tourist she takes a quick trip with Tex to see the icebergs. Things change when they stumble across a blood covered woman desperately flagging them down from the shore of deserted Lillybrook island. When they manage to get her on the boat, she tells a tale of being kidnapped, held hostage and ending with her assailant being killed by a bear. The kidnapping story resonates with Beth and wanting to help she agrees to sit with the victim until they get to shore. Sadie Milbourn, the victim, bonds with Beth and confesses to her that she is in fact in witness protection hiding out in Juneau. Feeling conflicted, Beth supports Sadie but when she refuses to speak with the Juneau police Beth believes there is more going on and she must decide how much she wishes to get involved. Unfortunately, the details of Sadie’s abduction are foggy, and with no evidence to support her story something does not sit right with Beth about Sadie’s story.

When they return to Benedict and with Travis Walker in custody Beth can now breathe deep but when her story hits the news, everyone now knows where Beth has been and what she now looks like, she is thrown off a bit, but it no longer matters, in a few months she’ll testify, and she can decide whether to return to her life as Elizabeth Fairchild.

With nothing to lose and her curiosity running wild she starts her own investigation to help Gris and Donner. When Beth’s father Eddy, who runs a fishing charter, asks her to join him to impress his clients the DuPont’s whose sixteen-year-old daughter Gracie is a huge fan, she agrees along as he stops at Lillybrook so she can do a more in-depth investigation. Exhausted from their fishing trip when they arrive at the island, the family is napping Beth and Eddy decide slip away to investigate the island. Not seeing anything unusual except a few friendly kayakers, they head back to the boat. Upon reaching the boat, they find a distraught Mrs. Dupont, upset that Gracie has disappeared. They must wonder if she has simply run away or has met a more dangerous fate.

With twists, turns and a plethora of red herrings the reader is led through a suspenseful, well plotted, brilliantly written and edgy cozy which will thrill and excite any mystery lover. Although good as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the series in order, and with a surprise cliffhanger, I cannot wait to read book six!

Lost Hours is the first book I have read written by Paige Shelton. It was just the kind of story that I enjoy reading, especially if there are twists that make the villain more difficult to discover. That is exactly what this story is, a cozy mystery with an edge.

While it isn’t the first in the series, I had no problem getting to know the characters or the back story. Beth and friends are intelligent, diligent, and critical thinkers who stay with a problem until there is a valid solution. The villains are ones who are cunning and manipulative. In no way was I sorry to see the whole truth come out.

As for Beth and what drove her to move to Alaska, well that is the continuing thread in this series. It makes the reader of this book want to go back, catch up with Beth’s story and then be sure to find out what happens in the next book. A series sure to become addictive.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Beth Rivers finally feels at home living in Alaska. With her friend, Tex, she goes on a boat tour to see the glaciers. But they don't make it as the captain receives a notice of a woman in distress on one of the islands. The woman claims she was kidnapped and that the man who took her was killed by a bear. No evidence to support her claim is found. She also claims to be in witness protection. Beth isn't sure what to believe, but when another kidnapping occurs she is determined to find out.

Dollycas's Thoughts

We return to Benedict, Alaska, where Beth Rivers has made her home since fleeing from the lower 48. She is fitting in well with the other residents and has relaxed since her ordeal a year ago. Her father, Eddie, is now in Benedict too. He has bought a boat and working as a fishing guide.  She is really trying to forgive him but she will never forget him leaving her and her mother behind.

It is unseasonably warm for July so she decides to finally see the glaciers from the water. She and her "man-friend" Tex board a tour boat and are enjoying the ride and the scenery when the ship takes a "sharp right veer" and a siren starts blasting. When the siren stops they see a woman on the shore of a nearby island screaming and signaling for help. She appears to be covered in blood. Tex helps with the rescue and brings her aboard the boat and tells Beth he thinks she can help the woman. Her name is Sadie and she says she was taken from her home in Juneau and brought to the island.

Later a young woman goes missing from the same island. Are the events connected? Can Beth help Police Chief Gril untangle the clues? Or will the events be too close to what happened to her that she needs to back off to save herself?

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The characters Ms. Shelton has created for this series get stronger and more fleshed out in each story. Beth has truly become a part of the community and she has earned the trust of Viola, Orin, and Gril. She also stands up for herself in ways she didn't in previous books. Her relationship with Tex is evolving in a way that makes sense for both of them. Her father, Eddie plays a large role in this story and it was interesting to watch the relationship start to move in a positive direction.

The mysteries in this story take the readers along with the characters on quite an adventure. Beth pushes to be involved and I love that. Clues are found in interesting places, some discarded at first come into play later. The story had many layers that needed to be peeled away to move forward. There are twists, turns, and strange connections that all lead to an exciting end. Beth traveled somewhere I never would have been able to go. Ms. Shelton's writing was so powerful in the whole book but especially in that scene, I had to put the book down and take a couple of deep breaths. The author sets a fast pace from the start so I was not surprised that I read the book all in one sitting.

Lost Hours is a compelling story filled with suspense and intrigue. I am totally invested in Beth's life and hated to leave Benedict because while Beth, aka Elizabeth Fairchild, finished her current book by the deadline Beth's story is nowhere near complete. I see more danger in her future so it's going to be tough waiting a year for Ms. Shelton's next book to be released but this has been the case when I finish each book in this series so I know it will be worth the wait. She is an outstanding storyteller. I will be including Lost Hours on my Best Reads List for 2023.

Note: Each book in this series can be read on its own but to really enjoy the series you have to know Beth's story from the start.

The synopsis does a great job of summing up the story so I won't say any more about that. This is an intriguing story line. A woman, covered in blood, who reveals that she's in witness protection... Then another body, and some other weird occurrences. Beth is a mystery writer and definitely has an interest in sleuthing in her real life. Although hampered by spotty internet and cell phone service, Beth works her contacts to expand her clues and her mind starts to pull the pieces together.

This is a well written, interesting book. There is a lot going on because it's a complex story.

This is the first book in the series that I've read. While I absolutely enjoyed the book, I think I would have enhanced my appreciation with some of the background information that came from the earlier books in the series. Based on this book, I expect that they would be equally well written an entertaining and I recommend reading them first for complete enjoyment.

4 stars - release date 12-5-2023

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is an action-packed mystery/thriller set in the wilds of Alaska. This is book 5 in the series, but it's a standalone mystery that can be read without reading the other books. There was also enough backstory that I didn't feel too lost.

The MC, Beth Rivers, is a gory mystery author that moved to Alaska after suffering a brutal kidnapping in Missouri. She's trying to make a new life, heal, and gain distance from her kidnapper and the upcoming trial. Her long-lost father moved to Alaska to be near her after spending time on the run in Mexico. Their relationship is fragile, but she's trying to let him back into her life.

While Beth and her boyfriend are on a tour boat to see the glaciers, the boat is detoured by a woman on a small island screaming for help. She claims she was kidnapped from Juneau three days before and her kidnapper was killed by a bear, which is why she is covered in blood. She states that she's in the witness protection program, is in fear for her life, and doesn't trust the Juneau police.

As Beth and the police investigate the kidnapping, another person goes missing and everyone wonders if the crimes are connected. Clearly, something isn't adding up, and as the danger intensifies, it becomes more important than ever to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I really liked Beth and the found family she's surrounded herself with. Her hesitant relationship with her father made me feel uneasy, because I couldn't figure out if he was for real or not. Of course, it just adds to the eerie mystery of the book. I also loved Beth's relationship with her landlady. Talk about two badass women! While the overarching mystery was wrapped up at the end of the story, the book ended on a fantastic cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I read this book in one day, so if you like quick, easy, action-packed mysteries, this is the perfect one to pick up. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

Paige Shelton's Alaska Wild series continues to be my favorite, and Lost Hours is another strong entry. This fast-paced mystery gives us the next step in Beth's continuing recovery from her horrifying experience of being kidnapped. She's made friends, she's continuing to write her bestselling thrillers while publishing the local paper, and she's getting to know her estranged father.

One of the things I like the most about Beth is the fact that she has no moments that I call TSTL (To Stupid to Live). After what she's already lived through, she doesn't take unnecessary risks. She's quite happy to let trained professionals do the work, and she communicates with them whenever she has pertinent information. Her strength and resilience are quite admirable, and I enjoy watching her form strong friendships and carve out this new chapter in her life.

The mystery in Lost Hours is multi-layered, and it was a treat to see how all the various elements came together: who was coming and going, the witness protection program, bears, and even how Beth reacts to a teenage fan.

If you enjoy intriguing mysteries with a strong lead character in a wild and often unforgiving landscape, give Paige Shelton's Alaska Wild series a try. A word of advice: Because of Beth, it's best if you start at the beginning with Thin Ice.

Lost Hours is an exciting story from the start. There is so much drama, action and thrills that it is a fast paced and mysterious read. There are so many twists that I didn’t know what was going to happen until the end.

I enjoyed that there is the mystery of the current story but also an evolving storyline involving the FMC’s kidnapping and familial experiences.

Though this is the fifth book in the series, I feel that I had no trouble reading and enjoying this book as a reader that has not read the previous books. I will, however, go back and read the first four books because I enjoyed this one so much.

I have posted this review on Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6001388650

Instagram

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And will post on Amazon after pub date.

This book was sent to me via SMPG Influencer Program

Although the fifth book in Ms. Shelton's Alaska Wild series, it was just as riveting a tale as the previous books. The emotions run high in this addition to the series as Beth has become more attuned to her own complex emotions both due to her kidnapping trauma and to her childhood. The author provided some insights into Beth that I hadn't seen before which only helped me like her even more.

The suspense builds up from the first chapter when Beth witnesses the rescue of a woman who claims that she was kidnapped; but there is more to her story as the drama unfolds. Twists, turns, a history of murder and deceit with multiple persons involved and the increasing suspense provided a comfortable pace for the book. I love the rich details of Benedict, Alaska that Ms. Shelton provides throughout the books. It provides realism to how residents of Alaska may live outside of the few urban areas.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Minotaur via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own. I am already anxious to read the next book in this series.

The fifth book in Shelton's Alaska Wild series gets off to a quick start, with a bloodied woman screaming for help as a ship approaches the island she's on. She insists that a bear attacked the man who was holding her captive but no bear can be found. She can't remember much because she was drugged and her story isn't making much sense. Is it true she was in witness protection in Juneau??

Author Beth Rivers, who was herself a victim of a kidnapping, is intent on digging deeper into the woman's story. Is someone using the plot of one of her thrillers in their own crime?

Shelton is a master of pacing and building tension as she moves towards the exciting ending. I find the characters very likable and believable and can't wait to see what happens next in the series.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. I'll be looking forward to that drink if I ever have the opportunity to meet the author. :-)

Lost Hours by Paige Shelton is book 5 in her Alaska series. Beth is still adjusting & enjoying her life in Benedict, AK and decides to finally go out on a glacier tour. Part way out the captain spots a bloody woman waving frantically from the shore of an island and sends a boat over to rescue her. When she’s brought on board she has a story that Beth can relate to so she quickly gets involved. Fast paced mystery with interesting characters - hoping for more in this series. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Lost Hours by Paige Shelton
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This is book five in the Alaska Wild series. We follow Beth Rivers, who has recently moved to remote Benedict, Alaska after surviving a harrowing kidnapping. In Lost Hours she is on a glacier tour when the boat comes upon a woman on an island requesting aid.
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What I liked:
-I love that all of the books in this series are mysteries on top of mysteries. There is a mystery to be solved in each book, but through the whole series there are the mysteries surrounding Beth’s kidnapping.
-All the people in Benedict are such interesting and likeable people, I love learning more about all of them.
-This mystery was a tricky one and I couldn’t figure any of it out really. Very addicting read!
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to the next book in the series. Also ALL of the covers for this series are gorgeous! 😍

This is an enjoyable small-town mystery with many interesting characters. And while it is part of a series, you don't need to have necessarily read the previous books. Beth Rivers can't help but want to solve mysteries and fortunately for her there are townspeople who will provide her with information. As the story progresses, there are many potential directions in which the story can go but the pieces start to fall into place toward the end. This was a quick, enjoyable read.

I can’t believe this is book #5! A lot has happened to Beth in the last year since arriving in Alaska. This story had a lot of moving parts to it. A kidnapped woman found, a teenager gone missing, strangers in town, phone lines being cut. It was all a little confusing the way all the storylines tied together, but I’m always here for a Paige Shelton book!
I have read one other book that takes place in Alaska, but nobody describes its beauty like Shelton. It’s summer in this story, but winter is coming which isn’t good for Beth who just received some horrifying news at the end of this book. While this book was good, I’m ready to get back to the real reason Beth is in Alaska, and that’s hiding from Travis Walker.

Lost Hours
Paige Shelton
December 05, 2023

It’s been a year since Beth Rivers came to Benedict, Alaska. The lonely, rural town gave her a home in the halfway house under the direction of Viola. At this time the only resident besides Gus,the wayward hound, was Beth. Police Chief Gril Samuels arranged her stay from the get go. Now she felt at home there. When Lost Hours opens we find Beth and beau,Tex heading out for a day cruise on this unseasonable warm day. They hoped to make it to the glaciers. In the amount of time Tex had left her to get coffee for the duo, he received word that it was necessary for him to check out a problem at one of the surrounding islands. Boat Captain, Horace Moore had already turned the boat towards the island. There in the shore’s cold waters stood a woman, covered in blood. Thoughts leaned towards the bears or local animals on the island. Tex manned the rescue ship towards her. All on the cruise stood quietly watching.
Lost Hours will be published by Minotaur Books on December 05, 2023. I was able to read the ARC of Shelton’s latest Alaskan Wild mystery via NetGalley. Having read the four books in the series, I was pleased to be able to conquer number five. Although parts of this series are dark and unexplainable, I fell into it immediately. Lost Hours gave me a closer look at Benedict and the folks who live there and within the surrounding areas.
I encourage detective and thriller lovers to start with part one of the series titled Thin Ice. Reading each selection will allow readers to understand the Alaskan Wild series. I am hoping for a 6th novel to take me further into the journey of Beth Rivers. Do Enjoy!