Twenty years ago, Arran was in university but in his first year there he disappears. He has always lived on a farm with his parents and two sisters, and the plan was for Arran to take over the farm management which is why he enrolled in this course to complete studies. On his last visit home before his disappearance his family felt Aaron was not alright, he seemed withdrawn and not in a great state of mind, but he would not discuss any issues with them.

Arran finds university to be a whole new world, he is quite shy and has anxiety regarding how he will fit in with his fellow students. But on his first day he meets Jono, a young man with wealthy parents, full of confidence and charisma. People are just drawn to Jono, and he and Aaron become good friends, Arran also develops friendships with two girls and the four of them become inseparable.

Cal Lovett is a podcaster who focuses on missing persons, his sister Margot disappeared many years ago so when he is asked if he can help Arran’s family find some answers he agrees to do so. Cal feels the three other friends may know more about what happened to Arron but are keeping quiet.

The story is told moving back and forward regarding both Cal and Arran’s past lives and as it progresses, we fed more information that leads to a book that is gripping and very enjoyable. Clever twists along the journey will keep you turning the pages, and I found this book very hard to put down reading it is a few hours.

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publisher for an ARC, all opinions are my own.

True crime podcaster Cal Lovett is back for the third installation of this series. In this book, Cal has been enlisted to determine what happened to a university student named Arran who went missing fourteen years ago in Edinburgh.

For Arran’s family, it is a chance to have closure; for Cal, it is a distraction from the trial of his sister’s murderer. However, as Cal begins to uncover what happened to Arran, he finds himself becoming more invested than he anticipated.

As mentioned, this is the third book of a series, but I haven’t read the other two and found this one works as a standalone. However, I enjoyed it enough I would read the earlier works, and it probably would help to enhance this story.

Cal’s struggle with personal issues rings true; he is not overly stoic and is just the right amount of self-destructive where he is sympathetic but not infuriating.

Regarding Arran, there are flashbacks to give the reader insight into his story. These flashbacks help move the story forward while also making the reader feel invested in Arran; however, near the end of the book, it all starts to feel a bit rushed, and the ending feels somewhat anticlimactic.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and a good selection for someone looking for a new, well-written mystery series.

Unsound is the third instalment in the Cal Lovett series and the best one yet. This time, Cal is delving into another cold case to solve the disappearance of a Uni student. But the case coincides with his sisters murder trial leaving Cal fearing that he will lose everything. This series just gets better and better. Tense and pacey, Heather Critchlow has a masterful way of making you feel for the characters. Bravo!

Another Case..
The third outing in the Cal Lovett Files series and true crime podcaster Cal finds himself very much a last resort for the parents of a missing boy. As Cal begins to dig, his own personal trauma begins to resurface. Another well written instalment in this series with well developed characters populating a propulsive plot. The writer, as always, proceeds carefully with an empathetic pen.

Loved this book for a number of reasons;
1. Great premise - it can be hard to find an entirely unique angle in books nowadays, but this was very close
2. I really liked Cal as his POV, and I was especially sucked in my his raw and honest emotions at the start of the book
3. A gorgeous setting - this book is set in Edinburgh, my favourite city in the world, and it is beautifully written, with absorbing descriptions
4. Good twists and pay off, I won't post spoilers but the twists in this book were satisfying, often unpredicted, and made for a neat ending.

HER BEST BOOK YET! This book has to be my favourite of the Cal Lovett series so far! I loved the storyline and the return of certain characters, the atmospheric setting and the emotions that came with it. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster as I feel by now, (book 3) that I really know Cal, what he’s been through and how he’s feeling… each issue he went through hit a little closer to home! I loved the classic twists and turns of the series, thinking you have it all figured out only to be thrown in a completely different direction! I honestly cannot recommend this series enough and I cannot wait for book 4!
Huge huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC!

I am a big fan of the Cal Lovett files series and it just keeps getting better and better!

We rejoin podcaster Cal as he is in the midst of his sister’s killer’s trial. Tensions are high, his daughter is moving away to university, his relationship with girlfriend Shona is currently rocky, and he’s worried about his relationship with his Mum whose health is rapidly deteriorating. It’s definitely not the best time for Cal to take on a new unsolved case, but he does so as a favour to Shona.

Arran went missing in Edinburgh fourteen years ago during his first year of uni. The police were quick to dismiss it as suicide, given Arran’s recent change in personality, but Arran’s family do not believe this. With Cal’s help, the truth about Arran’s disappearance slowly begins to unravel, and it is truly shocking.

The book alternates between Arran’s past and Cal’s present. I love this format and I was really invested in Arran’s story. The twists were clever, I didn’t see any of it coming! I love it when a book completely blindsides you, the final revelations shocked me!! Tense, dark and gritty…this book completely captivated me and I read it in one day. I love Cal and I can’t wait to see what case he takes on next. There’s definitely unfinished business with his sister’s killer too, so I hope there are many more books planned in the series 🤞🏻

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Heather Critchlow has hit upon a winning formula with her "Un"-titled Cal Lovett mysteries.
Cal is a podcaster who is called in by families to investigate the long-ago murder or disappearance of loved ones. Chapters take three viewpoints:
Cal conducting his present-day enquiries;
the victim in the months leading up to their disappearance/murder;
Cal's podcast episodes.
In this third outing for the series, Cal looks into the case of Arran, a lad from a Scottish farming family who disappeared at the start of his second term at Edinburgh University. (Be warned: what happens to him at uni is horrible.)
The series also has an overarching story arc where Cal is driven to investigate these cases because of the disappearance of his sister decades earlier. This backstory comes further to the fore in each novel and is primed to stay centre stage in the next book.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in each for an independent review.

While awaiting the verdict in the trial for his sister's murder, Cal decides to help a friend of Shona's whose son disappeared fourteen years earlier.
It's the third book in the series and if something works why change it? With the usual scheme alternating past and present we see how Arran struggles to adapt to his new life at college, friends, environment and challenges. He disappeared one day and has not been heard from since. Now Cal Lovett tries to find out what happened while trying to distract himself from the trial and the issues that concern him, such as his mother's health or his daughter's college life.
A novel with a good story both in the investigation and the personal side and as always with some interesting twists. After the closing of the case, we are left with the expectation of knowing more about the murder of Cal's sister and her killer.
If you have read the previous ones, you can't miss this one.

I requested this book from Netgalley not knowing that it was the third book in a series. Not one to read a book out of series, where possible, I went back and read the first two before devouring this one.

Anyone who is in a similar position, I would encourage them to do the same. Not that it couldn't be read as a standalone, I just feel that you would be missing too much of the backstory to jump in at book three and fully appreciate the main character and what makes him tick.

In essence, Critchlow has a formula which works and one she sticks to firmly. If you have read the first two books in this series, then this review will be quick. If you enjoyed them, you will enjoy this one. There is little that deviates from the previous novels in terms of writing, structure etc.

If you are new to the series, these novels focus on Cal Lovett, true crime podcaster (yeah, I know, are there any characters left who aren't?) which focuses on missing people. Cal's own sister went missing over 30 years ago, when he was a child, and this motivates him to work hard for other families looking to bring closure and answers where possible.

Each novel focuses on Cal working a specific case but with the overarching story of his missing sister playing across all three novels so far - this is why, for me, you need to start at the beginning with this one.

The stories are told over dual timelines, Cal's current investigation but also from the perspective of the missing person leading up to their disappearance. At the end of the novel, the two timelines combine to provide a conclusion which works really well.

I have really enjoyed reading these three novels back to back and look forward to the next one. Other broadly similar series (I am thinking of Tim Weaver's David Raker series) have managed to continue and develop over a number of novels and I am hoping this will be the same.

Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, wow, wow. Unsound is an awesome book. It’s a gripping thriller that left me.heartbroken at times. I can’t say that about many books. This was a great read.