
Member Reviews

Louisa Scarr is fast becoming my go-to for thrillers. I absolutely love the Butler and West series, and the PC Halliday series is shaping up to be just as good.
This one was quite a hard read just for the subject matter (huge tw for child abuse) but well written and sensitively done. Genuinely gasped at several points in the book from all the secrets of the Logan family.
I love that this is a police thriller involving a dog handler as it's not something you read often. The dogs are written in a way that their personalities really come through as well. They're not just a plot device, they're proper characters. Can't wait for the next instalment!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Louisa Scarr does it again!
Having loved the first book, I did wonder if it would be possible to live up to the hype and book 2 does not disappoint. I may even go as far to say that book 2 is better than the first.
The characters have me hooked and I really enjoyed how Louisa has managed to further develop these without pushing the boundaries of reality too far. I cannot wait to see how these characters continue to grow as the series goes on. There has to be a 3rd book!
As for the twists and turns in the book - well, I don't want to give any spoilers, but you certainly won't get bored reading this book.
Final shout out to the dogs in the book, yes there are multiple this time - but I'll leave the readers to find out about their part in the story. As a dog lover it is great to have Moss (he is my fave) as a main stay in the series.

Lucy, Moss and Iggy return for book two and having enjoyed the first instalment I was hopeful of a repeat and was not disappointed.
Lucy and Co are called to support the search of a missing three year old Rosie, a complex case that has many layers and revelations, as well as offering her services to a cold case concerning the disappearance of DI Jack Ellis childhood friend Theo thirty years previous her quest to find justice unearths some starking disturbing truths.
A hard hitting emotive read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and look forward to reading the first book in this series. There were quite a few mysteries that the characters were trying to solve, which kept me very captivated and on the edge of my seat at times. A really great thriller.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I absolutely loved this book. Having really enjoyed the first one in the series I couldn’t wait to read this one. It picks up with Lucy and Jack and their back stories from the last series. Lucy has her police dogs which I think really adds a bit of difference to this police procedural novel. The subject matter was at times quite hard to read but that is expected with this genre. I can’t wait for the next one now.

This is my first book by this author, I don't know why but I am definitely going to change that. Really enjoyable, perfectly paced and kept me guessing all the way through

I Loved this read! It has everything you want in a thriller, excellent characterisation, suspense, good plotting, fast paced and dogs. It was great to catch up with Lucy and her lovely police dogs, not to mention the handsome Pete! There is a good bit of closure for Jack, at long last, and I really hope there is more to come from Lucy and the team. This is a very enjoyable 5*read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I read this book in sitting.which involved reading into the early hours of morning. It was so worth it. The second in series PC Lucy Halliday, a former Detective and now a dog handler with Hampshire police. A child goes missing from a park while she's there with her mother. This story was so troubling, with some questionable characters. So many secrets and revelations made this a gripping read. DCI Jack Ellis is a great character . I hadn't read the first book 8n this series but it's now my next read.

“Memorial Park” is a mystery about not one but two missing persons, 3 year old Rosie Logan in the present day and 11 year old Theo thirty years earlier. There is no real connection, only that Jack, the DI in charge of the case was Theo’s best friend, the last to see him and initially a suspect in his disappearance.
Lucy, the police dog handler uses her animals to try and locate Rosie but to no avail at first. As time passes Jack fears that it is history repeating itself and is desperate to find the child.
When the dogs find something related to Theo’s disappearance , Jack is not sure if he wants to know the truth, guessing that there will not be a happy ending. Lucy uses her detective skills to investigate and Jack is angry at first, telling her to leave it be.
I thoroughly enjoyed this procedural mystery and although it is book 2 in a series, a fact of which I was not aware, it was easy to pick up the story. It did leave me thinking I would be keen to read the first book and certainly I look forward to any further additions to the series.
I found the characters interesting, Lucy and Jack both have tragic pasts which they are trying to overcome- Lucy escaping the memory of a dead spouse who treated her badly. Jack feels guilt about the loss of Theo, even 30 years later. These two characters definitely have a friendship and look out for each other although it is made clear that this is not a romantic relationship.
I liked reading about Lucy’s life with her dogs and how they have helped her overcome her difficulties. Of course the mysteries of the missing children were central to the book and this certainly ratcheted up the tension.
I definitely recommend “ Memorial Park” to crime thriller fans who enjoy an engrossing and compelling read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Another great case for Jack and Lucy.I love this series and to see what they get up to next. Plenty of twists and turns and suspense to keep me hooked. Well rounded characters. Great writing style. Eagerly awaiting the next adventure. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Once again I really liked the police dog aspect of this as its a bit different to the usual. The main characters are interesting, they've all got back stories but not too much drama.
The parents of the abducted child were a complete mess and terrible parents and human beings. It was quite dark in places and sad but still good.

Wow another great book from this author . As with her previous books it’s full of interesting characters you just want to know more about alongside a very tense and twisting storyline . I hope there’s another book featuring these detectives. Definitely 5 stars from me , I love all of this authors books

A fantastic read, 2nd in a series this one was gripping, love getting to know the characters more, and the dogs. Can't wait for more in the series.

A police procedural with police dogs! My favourite kind. The book is exciting and mysterious and the characters were hard to get to know. The plot is tragic and I loved how involved it made me feel.

Thank you Canelo for the ARC. All opinions are my owns. I am a HUGE Louisa Scarr fan; I've read all her books—yes even Dream Wife and the DS Munro series. I was very excited to see what was next for Lucy, her dogs, and Jack. Unfortunately this one fell a bit flat for me. I found Theo's case to be kicked off by the coincidence of all coinkidinks and then bum rushed to an anti-climactic resolution. It should've been the main case in one of the books, not the amuse bouche in book #2. I also want more tension between Lucy and Jack. Okay maybe it's cliche to have the MMC and FMC be in love in the club, but give the people what they want. Idc about Jack and Theo's sister! I want Jack being spooned from both sides by Moss and Iggy while Lucy looks on fondly. Anyways, Scarr can definitely write, but this one was a bit lacklustre for me.

When starting this novel I was initially worried as I was starting on the second of the series but this reads well as a standalone and actually has convinced me to read Gallows Wood which is number 1 in the series. The characters are interesting and well constructed and the storyline kept me gripped throughout. Twists and turns throughout kept the action going and as a dog lover I loved the inclusion of Moss and Iggy.

Dog Handler Lucy Halliday is back on the case of a missing 3-year old who disappeared under her mother's nose in a park. DCI Jack Ellis heads up the investigation, finding it hard because of his history, friend Theo disappearing when Jack was 11 and never found. Moss and Iggy, the cadaver and search dogs respectively are brilliant. Rosie, the missing girl, has a disingenuous family, never telling quite the whole truth and there are plenty of twists and turns to investigate here. Th characters are well written and understandable; none is perfect, but all try hard. Intriguing, suspenseful and well worth a read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Loved this second Pc Lucy Halliday book from Louisa Scarr (who is now my favourite author). I enjoy a police procedural thriller and she absolutely nails it every time. Lucy has got her 2 police dogs and it was also great to have a window on their roles. When a small girl disappeara in a local park, the search is on for her and it seems like everyone in the family has something to hide. In comes Jack Ellis from Major Crimes, but when a link comes up to the disappearance of his childhood friend in which he was suspected as the mirderer, Lucy decides to investigate it herself against his wishes. It was great to have a resolution to that aspect of the characters lives whilst Louisa also dropping in hints for the next storyline for Lucy.
I love the relationship between the 2 characters of Jack and Lucy and the fact that they are good friends, not romantically involved. I absolutely whizzed through this...desperate to finish and desperate for it not to be over!

I randomly picked up Louisa Scarr’s Gallows Wood on holidays in September which started the PC Lucy Halliday series and I really enjoyed it. Recently I’ve noticed that an ARC was available for the second book in the series - Memorial park and I was happy to receive it the day after!
Now, my bad, I did not look into the blurb (I generally like to go into such books blinds to spoil as little as possible). It’s a story about not one, but 2 individual cases of missing children. For some reason the missing child trope is my least favourite in crime books so I did struggle a little. However the writing remains very good, the characters are quickly becoming some of my favourite + police dogs!
I also don’t tend to get very emotional over the bodies found in police procedurals but this book did make me tear up. It was very raw in some parts and I was really surprised how it impacted me.
Overall I definitely recommend this series! It’s very fast paced, high stakes and I will definitely continue and pick up the next book when it comes out. I’ve rated this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and it comes out on the 6th of February.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a strong sequel in the PC Lucy Halliday series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the first book in this series. The characters had that element that I was looking for and was invested in what was happening. Louisa Scarr wrote this perfectly and am excited for more.