A Compelling Mystery Muddled by Many Characters and Plot Threads

3.5 stars

Lost to Dune Road is a gripping thriller centered on a former journalist, now a Private Investigator, who tackles a case linked to the scandal that ruined her career. This novel highlights the rich and powerful in the form of a Jeffrey Epstein-like character.

Told primarily through the POV of Lee, a former Vanity Fair reporter, she is a driven character with a strong voice. Unfortunately, she is closed off, making it difficult to connect with her. The other POV shared is that of Amanda, a 20-year-old art student who falls prey to a wealthy and powerful man.

There are two mysteries, but as the plot progresses, other mysteries emerge. All were compelling, and there were some surprising twists that I didn’t see coming.

Unfortunately, there are some problematic elements. The plot is overly complicated. In addtition, there are too many characters to keep track of, a romance that fell flat and didn’t match the plot, and too many moving parts, which resulted in some parts being glossed over and creating plot holes. Another gripe is that information just seems to fall into Lee’s hands without much effort. This isn’t a bad read by any means; the plot and the characters just need to be simplified.

Thomas always brings strong characterization to the table, which is evident in this novel. Although I didn't love Lee, I understood her character. The case was fascinating yet sickening. The reveal of the killer caught me off guard, and there was one final surprising twist at the end. Overall, this is a worthy but flawed read.

TW: Sexual Assault

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer in exchange for a honest review.

The plot and main mystery of the Lost to Dune Road was compelling and interesting. However the biggest downfall was the number of characters. At times I would need a refresher as to what role everyone played. Overall, the book was enjoyable.

Let me just say that I LOVE Kara Thomas's books. I am always hooked on her stories and I can never get enough after each read. I was so excited to receive an ARC for this book!

Lee is a reporter who has lost her career due to one mistake she made. She is blackballed from her journalism career, and now is trying to piece together a new life. Lee is now a private investigator and can't shake the case of the missing girl who ended her career. Now five years later, another girl, Amanda, is pregnant and in a coma. What happened to her, and why was Lee's information found on Amanda? Did she really try to end her life or was their something more nefarious going on. Lee is thrown back into investigating what really happened to Amanda. Was this all connected to the missing girl from Lee's past?

What I enjoyed:
- this was a very dark thriller and story. There were some crazy and toxic plots going on. There were things that made me uncomfortable but I was compelled to continue reading.
- This was full of twists, red herrings and kept me on my toes the whole time. I know their were times I held my breath and I was completely shocked.
- The pacing was well done! I felt like I was kept interested the whole time and had no issues devouring the book
- the slight romance! Now necessary, but I did enjoy it

Overall, this wasa really interesting and dark read. The themes were super dark but the author is truly amazjnf at crafting an intriguing plot line. I absolutely recommend this book for anyone looking for a wild ride of a thriller. 4 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lost on Dune Road was a page turner for sure. I really enjoyed this story was more of a mystery to me than a thriller and did have some real life comparisons to the Long Island Serial Killer. I was surprised by the twist at the end which brought my rating up from 3.5 to 4 stars. Would absolutely recommend this one and will read more from Kara Thomas. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Five years ago, investigative journalist Natelee „Lee“ Ellerin was working on a story about the disappearance of a young woman from Dune Road, a stretch of road in Rhode Island where the rich and famous reside - a young woman who was later found dead. Following Lee‘s subsequent - and very public - fall from grace after her main suspect committed suicide but was later ruled out by local police, Lee works as a private investigator when the story opens. But then, a phone call from the mother of a pregnant young woman - who is in a coma following an apparent suicide attempt - leads Lee straight back to that unresolved murder five years ago, the case that ruined her career.

If you‘re looking for a fast-paced, intense thriller that will require you to pay attention (not least because of the large cast of characters), look no further. This is not an oversimplified murder mystery with an obvious conclusion at the beginning of the book, and it’s all the better for it. And while the bad guys are, by and large, rather one-dimensional, Lee is the perfect protagonist - determined, smart, gritty, but still likeable. The case itself is eery and the subject matter rather dark, but both are executed well and in a sensitive manner by the author.

What bothered me a little was that while the whodunnit itself ended up being no big surprise, the murderer‘s motives actually remained somewhat murky, which was unsatisfying. However, the only truly frustrating thing about the story was the romance angle, which was not only unnecessary, but felt a tad juvenile in its execution (why are two grown-ups, one of whom is engaged, still lusting after each other like hormone-crazed teenagers, years after they last met and shared a simple kiss?).

Overall, the entire book is well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat. I would gladly read another book by the same author.

TW for sexual assault, grooming, violence, abortion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars

Coming from a journalism background, this story did pique my interest. However, I was struggling to finish reading just for the slower pace. Readers of procedural crime books would enjoy this suspense, but I think I just prefer faster thrillers. And because it took me awhile to finish, I got lost with the amount of characters and the romance was unnecessary.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I always love a Kara Thomas book! Natalee (Lee) has been working as a private investigator ever since her journalistic career ended. The guy she’s pointed to as the murderer of Jenna Mackey killed himself and was proven to be innocent. She was blacklisted. Luckily her lawyer had given her a job. Then she gets a phone call. The mother of Amanda Hartley wants to speak with her. Amanda’s been dragged through the mud despite the fact that she’s in a coma. She allegedly tried to kill herself while being pregnant. As Lee investigates the circumstances she begins to find connections between the two girls. Is it possible the cases are connected? Who’s the father of Amanda’s baby? Why did no one know she was pregnant? When the answers lead Lee to the powerful, rich, and elite, she may be in danger. Twisty and I definitely didn’t see the end coming! I love that Kara’s books are always so complex and that they draw you the characters! I loved that we got the events of Amanda’s life as Lee discovered them as well! I couldn’t put it down and I highly recommend! Can’t wait to read it again!

On the surface this book is exactly what I want, a great cover to draw me in and an interesting plot involving a unsolved murder connected to a new complicated case. Unfortunately this one didn't deliver for me. The best way I could describe this book is dense. Every time I picked it up I felt like I was taking a deep breath and reading it like I was studying for an exam. I thought there were too many characters that it got to the point I would read the name, pause and then have to think, oh ok that's the FBI agent dude. The story line itself was interesting and I loved that the author wanted to connect two cases, but it was just far too much information and pretty confusing. The way the main character was drawing comparisons between these two cases was wild, I would have been ROLLING my eyes at her if I was one of her several million police/FBI/lawyer connections. Without giving away any spoilers, I just didn't enjoy the ending either. When everything is revealed, it doesn't actually feel like a big reveal where all the pieces connect. It once again was sort of confusing and felt like I just needed to roll with it. And don't even get me started on the "romance". It was not needed, and was the equivalent of a high school crush...not the actions or behaviors of adults in their mid to late 30s. Despite all my dislikes, I have to say I was interested the entire time and wanted to know how everything would resolve. Was it the worst book I've ever read, not at all. Would I recommend it? Ehhhh maybe if you like very detailed stories with the deep process of a private investigator?

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This story follows Natalee (Lee) who is a reporter turned private investigator who was fired in 2019 while trying to help solve the case of a missing girl, Jenna. Her body was found a year later on Dune Road.
Now it’s five years later, and another girl, Amanda, is pregnant and in a coma, and Lee’s information was found written on a piece of paper in her backpack. Lee doesn’t know her- but Amanda’s mother hires her to seek out answers. Lee is desperately trying to connect the two cases and help solve them both,

The story did get confusing at times, as it was constantly jumping back between Jenna’s story and Amanda’s. There were also quite a lot of characters and it was a little difficult to keep their stories straight sometimes.
I would recommend for fans of unsolved cases and police procedurals.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and was eager to find out how it ended.

This is Kara’s best work yet. A richly layered and atmospheric mystery with series potential! Loved every minute of this read!

Did you hear that buzz?

It’s bookstagram talking about Kara Thomas’ new book, Lost to Dune Road, and I can guarantee you, it’s worth all the hype.

I always get nervous asking a publicist for a copy, they instantly transform into these bookish fairies, either grant your wish or reject you like last nights Chinese.

I wasn’t rejected. My bookish dreams came true and I received my most anticipated book.

Well, you know me, I dropped my plans (nap and housewives) and began reading…

These characters jump from the pages and stand right before you, so much so that you can smell the sickly sweat as it drops across their brow. Your pulse will race just when you think you have it all figured out but then you’ll be clutching your chest as something pops right out of left field at you.

There was way too many WTF moments to count. At one point I grabbed Rock’s paw and white knuckled it for the better half of the ending .

This is a book you don’t want to miss!

Check out this teaser :

For a disgraced reporter, unraveling a conspiracy of murder could mean redemption in a powerful novel of suspense by the bestselling author of Out of the Ashes.

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.

I would give this book ten stars if I could!!!!! That was a thrilling and layered mystery and I legit had no idea who the bad guy was until the very end!!! I'm now a big fan of Kara's books and I hope she does another asap!

This is the first Kara Thomas book I have read and for the most part, enjoyed. The story is about an ex-journalist who is determined to solve that case that cost her career. This was defiantly fast paced, and I did not see the ending. It is nice to see authors incorporate new plot twists and not the same old ones you see reading thrillers. The two complaints I have are the amount of characters in the book. It started to get confusing after a while and was the romance really necessary? Overall, I did enjoy it for the most part. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the arc.

Lee is a disgraced reporter because of a story she had written several years prior about a murder of a young woman. Now, another young woman is in the hospital and Lee’s name and phone number are written on a piece of paper. How are these two women connected? As Lee digs into the latest incident she learns that she is ruffling the feathers of some of the Hampton’s elite. A slow start but strong finish.

I enjoyed Lost to Dune Road. I’ve read books by Kara Thomas and really like her writing style. This story was fast paced and dealt with strong topics. Overall, the story was interesting and kept me hooked.

Lost to Dune Road is a dark and suspenseful thriller that handles some tough topics. Did I enjoy it? Eh … kind of? The premise is good, but it lost me a bit when it came to the characters and the pacing.

The good:

That cover – so pretty! The cover is, like, 60% of the reason that I decided to grab this book off of NetGalley. I'm like a magpie with shiny things, except that I'm human and my irresistible things are colorful, not shiny. So not like a magpie with shiny things at all, really. Also, I read recently that birds are actually scared of shiny stuff and the magpie thing is a myth, but whatever. The cover is just pretty, okay?

The subject matter – this book handles some really tough topics. Police (and politician) corruption, wealthy individuals and their ability to skirt the law, abortion and adoption, and unhealthy relationships (especially where older men with young girls are concerned). They're not fun subjects, but Kara Thomas writes about them in a sensitive yet entertaining manner.

The plot – compelling and interesting. I really liked the way that both of the major storylines were woven together, even though I sometimes got a bit confused about which victim I was reading about and who did what to whom.

The setting – I'm a former New Yorker and I enjoyed reading about all the various locations in Manhattan.

The mediocre:

The romance – It was unnecessary and the relationship didn't seem particularly realistic.

The characters – they're all rather unlikeable. I mean, I can handle unlikeable characters, but the bad guys are all mostly one-dimensional villains and the good guys are all horribly broken people that aren't much more likeable than the villains at times. Kona (a dog / very minor character) is cool, though.

The pacing – parts of this book were really suspenseful and parts of it dragged on for forever. This novel came in at 272 pages on my Kobo e-reader, but I swear it felt like it was 400+.

The bad:

The characters, part two - HOW MANY CHARACTERS DOES A BOOK NEED? I couldn't keep them straight and felt like I needed a flowchart at times. So many awful rich men. So many cops. So many witnesses. So many family members. So many suspects. If you have a Swiss cheese brain like I do, prepare to be tremendously overwhelmed by all of the names you'll have to remember.

So, yeah. This wasn't a terrible read by any means, and if you like private detective-based thrillers, there's a decent chance you'll enjoy this one, too. Was it one of my favorites? Nah. But would I pick up another book by this author? Most likely.

Final rating: 3.4 stars, rounded down.

Lee finds herself in a familiar situation - investigating a crime. The only thing is, last time this didn't go so well for her, and she ended up losing her job as a reporter. These days, she's a PI, and she's trying to find her way after her name is found with a woman in a coma. The story is then her trying to figure out what happened to this woman, why she had her name, and even what the truth is about the first crime. This is one that was a quick read. It was more "procedural" which isn't generally my thing, but this was also written in a way that it kept the pace moving. I needed some good thrills in my life, and this did hit the spot. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this April 2024 release!

3.5⭐️

Lee Ellerin was a formally well known investigative journalist who lost her job while investigating the murder of a young woman found on Dune Road. Her leave no stones unturned attitude lead to the death of a man in power and she lost everything.

Five year later, Lee has been working as a private investigator when she is contacted by a desperate mother looking for help. Her college age pregnant daughter was currently in a coma after what everyone believed was a suicide attempt. Lee agrees to look into the case once she learns the connection between Amanda and Dune Road.

I liked this for the most part. It was fairly fast paced and action packed that kept my attention. I liked Lee as a character and her desire to not only clear her name but also help the mother's of these young girls who got wrapped up in something bigger than themselves. The contrast between Chase and Nelson, two men Lee can depend on for the most part, and the corrupt men of power was also strong.

My biggest complaint of this was there's just too many characters. There were a lot of similarities between the two cases that Lee had been investigating that it was hard at times to keep who was who straight. She spent so much time chasing down one lead after another that ended up being red herrings that by the time we got to the twist I had started to lose interest. The motive for the killer really didn't come clear until the last little bit of the book and by that point it felt too late.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC to me!

This book took me an unusually long time to finish. There was too much info dumping, too many characters, and the plot was way too complicated—to the point where I found it hard to follow and keep track of everyone. On top of all that, the romance was unnecessary and unbelievable. The writing was good enough on a fundamental level, aside from a few proofreading/grammar errors and a couple of mistakes. But I just couldn’t connect with the characters or the story, and I really had to force myself to finish it.

On the up side, the cover is gorgeous.

I’ve come to expect riveting murder mysteries from Kara Thomas, and Lost to Dune Road was just that. It's gritty and sharp and very hard to put down..

As a journalist, Lee Ellerin reported on a high-profile missing person case. She named a wealthy Dune Road resident that everything seemed to indicate was responsible. After he was proven innocent, she lost more than her job. She also lost any chance of getting hired as a journalist elsewhere and any hope of finding the missing girl. Years later, she’s approached by the mother of another young woman nearly murdered on Dune Road. Lee finds it too easy to connect the two cases - too easy unless there’s a real connection. If someone is hurting girls on Dune Road, She sets out again to find out who.

Lee believes that there is no such thing as a good person. She's a mixture herself, so full of hangups, distrust, and affection that she feels absolutely real.

Lost to Dune Road has all the drama and muddy waters of a real investigation. Many of the characters and elements sound like those from the Gilgo Beach murders case. Kara Thomas has exceptional twists at the ends of her novels, and this one is no exception. I enjoyed the read, but now that I’ve finished I remember it with an unusual sensation. It feels like something that actually happened instead of a novel that I read. Five stars for this novel and highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley as well as Thomas and Mercer for this advance read.