Lost to Dune Road was a twisty and tense read perfect for heading into the summer season. My only real quibbles are that so many suspects get introduced that it was sometimes hard to keep everything straight and the ending was a little too rushed, but overall I really enjoyed this one.

Lost to Dune Road is a dark and suspenseful layered thriller, mystery. The story follows former reporter Lee Ellerin, who is now a private investigator and gets drawn back into an unsolved murder case when a pregnant college student, Amanda Hartley, lies in a coma. The novel delves into scandal, secrets, and the sway of the rich and powerful. The plot while complicated at times was twisty and kept me interested. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A topical thriller where past and present collide for Lee, a disgraced reporter who sees echoes of the case that ruined her career in the death of Amanda, whose mother hires her because she does not believe the official story. Wealth, privilege, and disregard for women all combine here. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Know that there's a large character list and that you might find yourself annoyed with Lee periodically but it's a good read.

A solid outing for Thomas that is somewhat hampered by an unnecessary romance that at times disrupted the pacing of the book. Readers will enjoy the way Thomas doles out just enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing and will likely also enjoy the book's denouement as it feels earned and makes sense within the context of the plot. For book collectors, this is definitely one you will want to have in your collection as the cover art is stunning.

Lee Ellerin is working as a private investigator after making a tragic mistake as a reporter while investigating a murder. With only small jobs here and there she is down on her luck when a mother contacts her wanting her help finding out who the father of her pregnant daughter is. You see her daughter is in a coma after appearing to commit suicide and the daughter had Lee’s information on her. As Lee digs into this case she finds connections to the case that got her disgraced as a reporter and she finds out that not everyone is as innocent as they seem.

If you like character heavy reads with multiple plots, this book is for you. While I enjoyed the twists and how everything connected, I found it hard at times to keep up with all the names and plots.

Kara Thomas has a way of pulling readers into her stories and keeping you hooked until the very end. I went into this one blind. I had no idea of the subject matter and while it was very heavy, there were opportunities for some comical relief that were taken by Thomas. I read this book in 2 days and needed to find out the ending. I was able to guess some of the twists but definitely not all. By the end I was on the verge of tears and left, yet again, amazed by the writing. Kara Thomas is becoming an instant read author for me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Lost to Dune Road" by Kara Thomas is a mesmerizing mystery that unfolds against the backdrop of the Hamptons, Long Island, and New York City. Set in these dynamic locations, the story follows Lee Ellerin, a disgraced reporter turned private investigator, as she delves into the unsolved murder of a young woman and its eerie connection to a recent case involving a comatose pregnant college student.

Initially skeptical due to the title's lack of immediate intrigue, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and intricacy of the narrative. Thomas's storytelling prowess shines through as she expertly crafts a tale filled with twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. However, the length of the chapters may prove cumbersome for some readers, interrupting the flow of the story.

Narrated primarily from Lee's perspective, the narrative unfolds with a diverse cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations. Lee's dynamic with Chase, the former detective turned FBI agent, adds complexity to the plot, though their romantic entanglement feels somewhat forced and repetitive at times.

The plot itself is a gripping rollercoaster of suspense, with Thomas skillfully weaving together multiple threads to keep readers guessing until the final pages. However, the abundance of red herrings in the latter half of the book may overwhelm some readers, and the ultimate reveal of the killer may leave questions unanswered regarding motive and exploration.

Despite these minor flaws, "Lost to Dune Road" remains a captivating read that will enthrall fans of the mystery genre. Its vivid portrayal of the Hamptons, Long Island, and New York City, combined with its intricate plot and well-developed characters, make it a solid four-star addition to any reading list.

I extend my gratitude to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advance copy of this book for review purposes.

Lee’s career goes down the toilet after she makes a mistake during a journalism investigation. Now five years later, another case leads Lee back to Dune Road in the Hamptons. Are the cases connected and can she amend her mistakes from the past?

So. Many. Characters. I could have really benefited from a list in the beginning, although most were either investigators or possible suspects. I had a really hard time keeping them straight and often thought “wait who is that again?” Plus sometimes they are referred to by their first name, sometimes last name. Besides that, there was a decent, but sad, mystery behind the story. I loved the subplot of the road itself and how location played into it.

“Wrongful convictions are as much a part of Long Island’s DNA as Billy Joel and the twenty-four hour diner.”

Lost to Dune Road comes out 4/16.

This book made me stay up way too late reading until the end! Sharp writing along with an emotional and thrilling plot that never stops surprising!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of Lost to Dune Road!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
📰 ever wanted to be a journalist
🕵🏻‍♀️ like to solve cold cases
👀 enjoy different POVs
🌪️love twists you don’t see coming

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Reporter Lee Ellerin’s investigation into a young woman’s unsolved murder gained national attention―only for her to lose everything due to a tragic mistake. After being publicly ridiculed for causing a suspect’s death, Lee is forced to leave her career behind.

Five years later, pregnant college student Amanda Hartley lies in a coma. The police say she attempted suicide, but the details don’t add up. Where is the father? Who was paying for Amanda’s Manhattan penthouse? Why did Amanda have a note with Lee’s name in her backpack? There’s also one alarming coincidence: Amanda was last seen on Dune Road in the Hamptons―where the murder victim in Lee’s previous investigation disappeared.

As she’s pulled back into the still-unsolved case that destroyed her career, Lee sees the chance to amend the mistakes of her past. But finding a killer and unearthing Amanda’s secrets sends her down a darker path than she has ever walked before.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Lost to Dune Road was such a compelling read right from the start. Natalee is a unique character who has a background in journalism but is now working as a PI after a bad fallout concerning a cold case. Now she’s being sucked into another case that might be related to the 2019 one, and I loved seeing her do her detective thing. I honestly forgot that she wasn’t a cop or detective due to how good she was at it. The viewpoints from Amanda were definitely my favorite part of the story because this was the only way she ever had a voice. I also enjoyed the fact that a lot of the story took place in the Hamptons, and think this could make for a thrilling movie!

Natalee “Lee” Ellerin made a terrible mistake during her investigation into Jenna Mackey’s murder that signalled the end of her journalism career.

Five years later, pregnant college student, Amanda Hartley, was in a coma after an apparent suicide attempt. However, her family was left with a lot of unanswered questions and hired Lee to investigate. Upon discovering a potential link between Jenna and Amanda’s cases, Lee set out to find out what happened to both girls once and for all.

Lost to Dune Road was a riveting suspense story with a ripped from the headlines vibe. I found this novel easy to get into, and quickly became enthralled with the mystery behind Jenna and Amanda’s cases. There were many unexpected twists and turns along the way, and I never would’ve been able to predict how it all ended. My only criticism was that the pacing was a bit slow through the middle. I would recommend checking this out if you’re a fan of suspense with a strong female lead.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC!

A copy of this review will be posted to my Instagram page (whats.amy.reading) the week of March 25.

This was definitely a fun and intriguing read but I felt a little lost with the amount of characters in this book and this made things seem more confusing to me than they probably were. I’m not sure if it was just me that struggled with this aspect, aswell as the pacing being a little slow.
The whole concept could’ve been better but overall it was an okay read for me

This one started off throwing the reader into the action. I enjoyed how the two cases were connected, even though it wasn't entirely clear why they were connected. I enjoyed Amanda's POVs as it gave the reader so much more insight on what was going on during her final months. I did think there were some difficult situations within the story, but they felt like they were dealt with well.

A cold case heats up in this ripped-from-the-headlines thriller. Just in time for summer, this book meets all the criteria for a vacation read. A disgraced reporter finds herself at the center of a similar case but this time she's investigating an attack and the mother wants answers. Wealth, power, a penchant for young women, corruption at the highest levels mean answers may never come. Excellent beach read, so good you may never go in the water.

Massive thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and Kara Thomas for my advanced review copy. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite click with me, and I had to throw in the towel at 29%. It's not really my cup of tea, and I couldn't find the motivation to power through, especially considering I was already 29% in.

Natalee (Lee) was a reporter who is now working as private investigator, she was fired in 2019 from her journalism job while reporting and trying to help solve a case of a missing girl named Jenna. Jennas body was found a year later on Dune Road.
It’s now been five years and another girl named Amanda is pregnant and in a coma, The police say she attempted suicide, but the details don’t add up. Where is the father? Who was paying for Amanda’s Manhattan penthouse? when Amanda’s mother contacts Lee and informs her that Lee’s information was found written on a piece of paper in Amandas backpack. Lee is confused she doesn’t know her- but Amanda’s mother wants to hires her to find out answers on what really happened to Amanda and who the father of Amanda’s baby is.
Lee begins to investigate Amanda’s life, she begins to find connections to the years-old case that landed her in hot water and led her to being fired the infamous case of Dune Road. But finding a killer and unearthing Amanda’s secrets sends her down a darker path than she has ever walked before and someone is determined to keep the past in the past.
Please Check trigger warnings before reading. Some TWs include statutory rape, violence, abortion, and sexual assault.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read my fair share of Kara Thomas YA books, but this was my first time giving one of her few adult novels a go. Lost to Dune Road is a noir-ish mystery about a journalist turned PI who is forced to revisit an unsolved murder she was reporting about by being hired to help figure out the father of an unborn child by a girl who supposedly tried to kill herself and now lays in a coma.

Overall this ended up being a pretty good read. It felt a little long in spots and probably could've done with some tighter story telling. However, I still found it enjoyable and would recommend it for those that love a good cold case mystery.

Lost to Dune Road definitely covers some tough and controversial topics.
Lee's investigation into a girl's disappearance and murder several years ago resulted in her becoming a disgraced reporter and ousted from the career she loved. Now, years later, a young pregnant woman is in a coma and her mother found Natalee's name in her bag. She is asked by the mother to help her understand what happened to her daughter - did she really try to commit suicide? If so, why? As Lee starts to dig, she comes across similarities and connections to the young woman that was lost to Dune Road and killed years before.

I liked the premise of the story, even though it was all a bit dark with a lot of shady characters. At times the overlap of Jenna and Amanda became confusing, as did the number of characters in the book. I wasn't sure why the romance was thrown into the story, but maybe there was originally a different element the author had in mind.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. Kara Thomas has an easy-to-read writing style and a good, but complicated, main character.

I’ve been a fan of Kara Thomas for years, and this adult thriller was a treat! Lovely prose, captivating characters, and twisty and delicious suspense.

Thanks to Netgalley & Thomas Mercer for access to this E-ARC! I actually really enjoyed this one! The characters were very well-written and the setting was cool. Definitely will read more from this author.