Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting of this book is a small Cornish town that rarely sees crime. This book is exactly what you would except when you think of an English murder mystery. The skeletal remains turn up behind a derelict cottage at the same time that a small child is taken from a daycare. I wanted to know what the connection was. The plot is light and the audiobook is easy to follow. There were a few minor things about this book that I did not like. There were not nearly enough suspects. Normally you find yourself guessing and doubting characters trying to figure about the plot but honestly there wasn’t a lot to go on. Also the author over uses ma’am. Now I understand that addressing someone by ma’am is respectful but with the accent in the audiobook it sounds like the entire police department is calling her mom. It just sounds odd.

Other than a few minor pet peeves the book was solid.

I tend to not be a series reader or a fan of detective procedurals, but Sally Rigby did this one right! She did a great job of presenting two very different mysteries (20 year old skeletons and 3 kidnapped toddlers from Nursery Schools) and creating a very compelling story. There was a great balance of mystery/police procedure and "every day" life which allowed me to get to know Detective Pengelli "Ice Queen" and Matt Price. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I really am looking forward to #2 in this series and seeing more of Matt and Pengelli. (I also loved Matt's parents)
I was hesitant at first when I pressed play because it seemed like there was not going to be much of a story, but Rigby really did suck me in and made for a VERY easy and enjoyable read.
I am looking forward to more in this series.
If you need a quick entertaining book that will keep you flipping the pages and cheering on Matt and Pengelli on do yourself a favor and check this one out when it publishes on October 5, 2023.

Thank you Netgalley and Sally Rigby for this advanced copy audio review copy. I was not influenced or paid for my own honest thoughts.

The Lost Girls of Penzance (Cornwall Murder Mystery #1) by Sally Rigby
Narrated by Clare Corbett
Publisher: Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing
Genre:General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: October 5, 2023

The Lost Girls of Penzance is the first book in the new Cornwall Murder Mystery series by Sally Rigby. This is the first book I've read by the author and I really enjoyed it!

I thought this was very engaging and very interesting. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. The mystery was captivating and I loved peeling back the layers. This was a great read and I look forward to the next books! I definitely recommend reading this one!

I enjoyed the narration by Clare Corbett. She did a great job bringing the story to life and I loved hearing the accents!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of The Lost Girls of Penzance by Sally Rigby in exchange for an honest review. I was so impressed by the writing of this book. While I kinda guess who the culprit was early on, I got so attached to the characters and the setting that I couldn't stop reading. I read it all in an afternoon and then felt like my best friend left. I highly recommend this book and am going to be on the lookout for any more books by Sally Rigby.

The Lost Girls of Penzance is the first book in the Cornwall Mystery series by Sally Rigby who is also the author of the excellent Cavendish & Walker series of police thrillers

When human bones are discovered by a couple of kids in a field in Penzance, Detective Inspector Lauren Pengelly fears there is a murderer on the loose.

Later that day it’s reported that a little girl, Isla, has been kidnapped from her nursery and seemingly vanished. Are the two cases connected? And what’s the link to Detective Sargent Matt Price?

When another little girl is taken, again from her nursery in the middle of the day, it’s clear Lauren and her new partner Matt need to get to the truth as soon as possible before the hunt becomes a murder investigation.

Good characterisation for both of the very different lead characters, new boy Matt is more laid back and likable whereas Lauren is not wildly loved by her department and has control issues regarding the team.

An intriguing plot plus a selection of interesting supporting characters make this mystery good fun to read or listen to. The author throws plenty of red herrings into the mix whilst ably delivering a gripping story including the emotional turmoil associated with any case that includes young children.

In audio book format the narration is great and adds to the enjoyment of the book. The audio narrator, Claire Corbett, does an excellent job with the local accents.

This is an excellent start to the new series that I hope will maintain the quality as further titles are added. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for book 2

I’d recommend this title to anyone who enjoys mystery detective stories, police procedurals or if you have a particular fondness for UK regional settings.

The Lost Girls of Penzance

Detective Matt Price recently relocated to Penzance to his parents and is the new member of the Penzance police force. Right then, a missing toddler was reported which he and Detective Lauren Pengelly started investigating.

This book not only focused on the case handled by the police but also delved into the dynamics in the team thru Matt’s eyes, being the transferee in the group. I don’t know if this is a series with Lauren in the center, because it feels that she is already an established character in the book.

The pacing is fast, the investigation straighforward as is the work ethic of both Matt and Lauren. There were no clear clues by 50% of the audiobook, solely focused on inquiries and conversations.

As an audiobook, I liked the narrations involving Lauren and Matt’s daughter. I can feel Lauren’s a stickler for rules just based on the voice. Made me really oay attention.

This is overall a good book, but I’d like to read this to see if I’ll get a different experience.

I was on edge the whole time as little toddlers were kidnapped and bones were found so the Momma Bear in me was on edge worried sick about finding these babies hoping they were all found and alive and well. It definitely had me worried (hence the 4 stars) but it was beautifully written and I was so happy to have a happy ending. There was a twist at the end but I would definitely read it again.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read it!

Book Title: The Lost Girls of Penzance
Author: Sally Rigby
Series: Cornwall Murder Mystery #1:
Narrator: Clare Corbett
Publisher: Dreamscape Select- Storm Publishers
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Pub Date: October 5, 2023
My Rating: .4.4 stars
Pages: 263

Although this is my first read by this author I understand that characters ae from previous stories.

This story features DI Lauren Pengelly and DS Matt Price (from and the earlier series Cavendish and Walker). After the death of his wife, Matt has, transfers to the small town of Penzance so his parents can help with his two year old daughter, Dani.

On his first day, bones are found in a field near town. Who do the bones belong to and how did they end up in a field?
Since young girls have gone missing perhaps their bones?
Pressure is on to find the little girls; additionally there is the pressure of investigating the cold case..

The missing nursery school girls had me glued to this story. When the third little girl goes missing my ‘armchair detective skills were on high alert and I was rather sure I knew the motive.

However, I was complete off on the cold case.
We do find out that the cold case bones had been buried for perhaps nineteen or twenty years. Olive and Clide Randal lived on the estate with their teenage daughter Nora. However, only the bodies of the parents were found. Was Nora buried somewhere on the estate as well or was she involved?

This audiobook was great. Claire Corbett, the narrator did a beautiful job performing the characters.

This was my first Sally Rigby novel. What a treat as I totally enjoyed it.
I was fearful that the situation with the little girls was going to be disturbing but our author was careful and didn't go there.
Now I am looking forward to ‘"The Hidden Graves of St Ives" Cornwall Murder Mystery #2- Pub Date January 19, 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley and the amazing team at Dreamscape Media and Storm Publishing for the chance to review this early eGalley
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 5, 2023.

I love everything that Dally Rigby writes. This was another fantastic book. It seemed like it will be a series. I hope so.

Entertaining whodunit with hardworking police staff including a new guy with an mysterious background. This story is a combination of several crimes - some happened many years before and some are occurring currently. These are unusual crimes in this usually peaceful area. The overwhelmed law enforcement backs their ears, and eventually get their break. Made a good diversion for a long car ride, and I particularly appreciated the descriptive writing.

Detective Matt Price is new to the Penzance police department, he’s moved to town with his toddler daughter, and his first case, the disappearance of a young child hits a little too close to home. Together with Detective Lauren Pengelly, he investigates the disappearance, along with the discovery of bones behind an abandoned cottage. The two main characters in this book are perfectly matched and play well-off each other, and the setting for the story only heightens the suspense

oh my goodness this was so good, I have read another series by this author, so I was intrigued to listen to this one as soon as I saw it.

The dynamic between the two main leads is brilliant - love the ending quote 'woolly ice queen'. I cant wait to see how she and Matt develop as a team bringing in the rest of the team.

The crimes itself were interesting and I felt for the parents - it was always a fear of mine at that age. It was so well described.
The narration was perfect and so suited
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

First in a new series

Detective Matt Price moved to Cornwall with his two year old daughter after the death of his wife. He joins Detective Lauren Pengelly's team. His first day at his new job and some kids find some skeletal remains. Before they can even start investigating, a little girl goes missing from a local daycare. That hits too close to home for Matt, since he also has a young daughter. The team rushes to find the little girl, but also try to keep their other case in sight.

This is short, and I had it all figured out early on, but I still enjoyed it. It is fast paced and I like the characters. I will look forward to the next book in the series. I want to see if Matt's influence helps Lauren mesh with her team more.

Clare Corbett narrates the audiobook and does a good job.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Lauren Pengelly is literally on her way to some forced vacation when human bones are discovered at a nearby farm. As this is not a usual occurrence in their sleepy town, she backtracks to her office where her boss directs her to the crime scene. There she meets Detective Matt Price, her new sergeant. As if that weren't enough excitement, a child is then taken from a local daycare that same day. A few days later, a second child is taken from another daycare. What is going on in Penzance?

I enjoyed the characters immensely. They are quite different, but work well together. As for the plot, it was a little predictable, but it didn't turn me away from the story. Overall, this was a quality mystery.