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nannyf's review against another edition
5.0
I am a fan of the author's previous series, so couldn't wait to see what she had come up with in this book. I now eagerly await the next one in this new series.
I love police procedural stories and this one didn't disappoint. The story is based in an old asylum, and jumps between the present day and the past. We learn exactly what happened to some of the children who were sent there and it doesn't make for easy reading. The way they were treated was horrific and the way the author describes everything had me imagining the scenes as I was reading.
Trying to piece together why certain people are being targeted isn't overly difficult, given what we learn about the asylums terrible past, but figuring out who is doing it was far more difficult. The characters are written very well, the story kept me gripped all the way through, and I found myself reading this in one sitting. I honestly couldn't put the story down once I started. I can't wait to see what the author brings us next.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
I love police procedural stories and this one didn't disappoint. The story is based in an old asylum, and jumps between the present day and the past. We learn exactly what happened to some of the children who were sent there and it doesn't make for easy reading. The way they were treated was horrific and the way the author describes everything had me imagining the scenes as I was reading.
Trying to piece together why certain people are being targeted isn't overly difficult, given what we learn about the asylums terrible past, but figuring out who is doing it was far more difficult. The characters are written very well, the story kept me gripped all the way through, and I found myself reading this in one sitting. I honestly couldn't put the story down once I started. I can't wait to see what the author brings us next.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
clairereviews's review against another edition
5.0
Blog Tour for The Lost Children (D. I. Lucy Harwin #1) by Helen Phifer: My Review
Lizzy pulled the covers over her head. Then she realised what was being dragged behind the person with the torch. She rammed her fist into her mouth to stop herself from screaming… For decades, The Moore Asylum was home to the forgotten children of Brooklyn Bay. But ever since a scandal forced its closure, the abandoned building has cast an imposing shadow. Until now – when an elderly man is found dead, his body strapped to a gurney... Detective Lucy Harwin, still reeling from a previous case that ended in the devastating murder of a mother and her child, finds herself on the trail of a killer ruthlessly fixated on avenging wrongs. What disturbing secrets lie within the asylum’s walls? Together with her partner Detective Mattie Jackson, Lucy begins to unearth its terrible history, and the horrors endured by the vulnerable children. As the attacks escalate and a woman is murdered on her own doorstep, Lucy is forced into a terrifying game of cat and mouse with a twisted individual. But can Lucy stop a murderer with nothing left to lose? An absolutely terrifying and gripping thriller that will chill readers of MJ Arlidge, Angela Marsons and Rachel Abbott to the bone.
Published by: Bookouture (21 March 2017)
ISBN: 978-1786811752
My rating: 5*
My review:
There are a lot of fantastic female crime writers around at the moment, and Helen Phifer proves she is no exception with this compelling introduction to Detective Lucy Harwin, who I absolutely LOVED from the outset! With her bright red hair, no-nonsense attitude and tattoos, I get the feeling we'd get on like a house on fire! I really like the way we get glimpses of her personal life and past as well as her work life. The same goes for her sergeant, Mattie Jackson. Lucy's personality shines through, and her relationship with Mattie, is brilliantly written. Their are comical moments that are a welcome relief among the chilling terror of the case they are working on. As for Lucy and Mattie...I think they are my new favourite police twosome.
The case itself is horrific and told both in the present time and from the perspective of a child in the asylum in 1975. It is completely gripping and I simply couldn't put it down. There are lots of twists and turns, it felt like I was on a rollercoaster! I was utterly mesmerised by the plot and the amazing attention to detail. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and find out what is in store next for Lucy and Mattie.
Buy The Lost Children:
UK: http://amzn.to/2moFflc
US: http://amzn.to/2m6VFOH
About Helen Phifer
Helen Phifer’s love of reading began with Enid Blyton, before progressing on to Laura Ingals Wilder and scaring herself with Steven King. If she can’t write for any particular reason she finds herself getting itchy fingers and really irritable. She loves reading as much as writing and is also very fond of chocolate, Prosecco, The Lake District, New York, white Zinfandel wine, my children and grandchildren, my friends, porn star martini cocktails, Stephen King, watching scary films, Marilyn Monroe, Melissa McCarthy, Idris Elba, Simon Baker, Spandau Ballet, The Munsters and coffee. In no particular order.
Catch the rest of the blog tour here:
Lizzy pulled the covers over her head. Then she realised what was being dragged behind the person with the torch. She rammed her fist into her mouth to stop herself from screaming… For decades, The Moore Asylum was home to the forgotten children of Brooklyn Bay. But ever since a scandal forced its closure, the abandoned building has cast an imposing shadow. Until now – when an elderly man is found dead, his body strapped to a gurney... Detective Lucy Harwin, still reeling from a previous case that ended in the devastating murder of a mother and her child, finds herself on the trail of a killer ruthlessly fixated on avenging wrongs. What disturbing secrets lie within the asylum’s walls? Together with her partner Detective Mattie Jackson, Lucy begins to unearth its terrible history, and the horrors endured by the vulnerable children. As the attacks escalate and a woman is murdered on her own doorstep, Lucy is forced into a terrifying game of cat and mouse with a twisted individual. But can Lucy stop a murderer with nothing left to lose? An absolutely terrifying and gripping thriller that will chill readers of MJ Arlidge, Angela Marsons and Rachel Abbott to the bone.
Published by: Bookouture (21 March 2017)
ISBN: 978-1786811752
My rating: 5*
My review:
There are a lot of fantastic female crime writers around at the moment, and Helen Phifer proves she is no exception with this compelling introduction to Detective Lucy Harwin, who I absolutely LOVED from the outset! With her bright red hair, no-nonsense attitude and tattoos, I get the feeling we'd get on like a house on fire! I really like the way we get glimpses of her personal life and past as well as her work life. The same goes for her sergeant, Mattie Jackson. Lucy's personality shines through, and her relationship with Mattie, is brilliantly written. Their are comical moments that are a welcome relief among the chilling terror of the case they are working on. As for Lucy and Mattie...I think they are my new favourite police twosome.
The case itself is horrific and told both in the present time and from the perspective of a child in the asylum in 1975. It is completely gripping and I simply couldn't put it down. There are lots of twists and turns, it felt like I was on a rollercoaster! I was utterly mesmerised by the plot and the amazing attention to detail. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and find out what is in store next for Lucy and Mattie.
Buy The Lost Children:
UK: http://amzn.to/2moFflc
US: http://amzn.to/2m6VFOH
About Helen Phifer
Helen Phifer’s love of reading began with Enid Blyton, before progressing on to Laura Ingals Wilder and scaring herself with Steven King. If she can’t write for any particular reason she finds herself getting itchy fingers and really irritable. She loves reading as much as writing and is also very fond of chocolate, Prosecco, The Lake District, New York, white Zinfandel wine, my children and grandchildren, my friends, porn star martini cocktails, Stephen King, watching scary films, Marilyn Monroe, Melissa McCarthy, Idris Elba, Simon Baker, Spandau Ballet, The Munsters and coffee. In no particular order.
Catch the rest of the blog tour here:
nazeerah's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture.
I am giving this book 3.5 stars.
This is a great book. It was very interesting. Detective Lucy is quite a quirky character and I found myself laughing at some of her antics.
This book had a good story line. Some of the descriptions were rather gory. That is my favourite kind of book though. I would have awarded it more stars, but just felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. I read a lot of these kind of books, so maybe I am just used to all the drama. Other than this though, it was a good read and I would most definitely recommend this book.
I hope there will be many more books in the series.
I am giving this book 3.5 stars.
This is a great book. It was very interesting. Detective Lucy is quite a quirky character and I found myself laughing at some of her antics.
This book had a good story line. Some of the descriptions were rather gory. That is my favourite kind of book though. I would have awarded it more stars, but just felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. I read a lot of these kind of books, so maybe I am just used to all the drama. Other than this though, it was a good read and I would most definitely recommend this book.
I hope there will be many more books in the series.
thegeekybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Back in April, I put my auto-approval with Bookouture to good use, and downloaded this on Netgalley... and it sat for months waiting for me to read it while I read other books instead. I finally opened it up last week, and just like that, I've found a new series and author to love!
In my opinion, some of the best books (regardless of genre and sub-genre) use an old, abandoned asylum as a backdrop for the action. You can't pick a creepier setting that than... your imagination sparks images of sorts of things that might have happened there before you even crack open the book. They give books an ambience that can't be achieved in other settings, and is used to particularly chilling effect in crime thrillers.
Helen Phifer puts all of this to use in The Lost Children, creating a story about a place—the Moore Asylum—whose past is as horrifying as the murder that takes place there decades after its closure. It's the first of several murders connected to the asylum, and it's up to Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin to figure out who the killer is and put an end to the bloodshed.
Lucy Harwin is fabulously flawed. Her relationship with her daughter is rocky, and she's a workaholic with a tendency to drink too much at times in order to forget the horrific things she sees on the job. She struggles with the guilt she feels over victims she was unable to save, holding herself responsible whether she is or not. The woman has issues, but she's tough as nails when it comes to her job, and fiercely protective of the people she loves.
There are occasional flashbacks to the mid-1970s, which are told through one of three point of view: children who were patients in the asylum, a doctor at the asylum, and a nurse who worked on Ward 13—the children's ward. It was fascinating to see the asylum through the eyes of people who worked, or were patients, there. The abandoned asylum of the present day is creepy, but what happened before the asylum closed is the stuff of nightmares.
I was able to figure out a couple of things before they were revealed in the story, but it didn't affect the rating I've chosen to give this book because there were a couple of things I didn't see coming that were fantastic and really added to the story.
I can't wait to read more about Lucy Harwin!
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
In my opinion, some of the best books (regardless of genre and sub-genre) use an old, abandoned asylum as a backdrop for the action. You can't pick a creepier setting that than... your imagination sparks images of sorts of things that might have happened there before you even crack open the book. They give books an ambience that can't be achieved in other settings, and is used to particularly chilling effect in crime thrillers.
Helen Phifer puts all of this to use in The Lost Children, creating a story about a place—the Moore Asylum—whose past is as horrifying as the murder that takes place there decades after its closure. It's the first of several murders connected to the asylum, and it's up to Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin to figure out who the killer is and put an end to the bloodshed.
Lucy Harwin is fabulously flawed. Her relationship with her daughter is rocky, and she's a workaholic with a tendency to drink too much at times in order to forget the horrific things she sees on the job. She struggles with the guilt she feels over victims she was unable to save, holding herself responsible whether she is or not. The woman has issues, but she's tough as nails when it comes to her job, and fiercely protective of the people she loves.
There are occasional flashbacks to the mid-1970s, which are told through one of three point of view: children who were patients in the asylum, a doctor at the asylum, and a nurse who worked on Ward 13—the children's ward. It was fascinating to see the asylum through the eyes of people who worked, or were patients, there. The abandoned asylum of the present day is creepy, but what happened before the asylum closed is the stuff of nightmares.
I was able to figure out a couple of things before they were revealed in the story, but it didn't affect the rating I've chosen to give this book because there were a couple of things I didn't see coming that were fantastic and really added to the story.
I can't wait to read more about Lucy Harwin!
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
nicoleanaisx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
definitely a gripping serial killer thriller however i would’ve liked if there was more mystery about the killer as i pieced it together very quickly. i did like the plot and i might have to carry in with DI Harwin’s story.
dannih30's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
candles_and_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
izey's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
noseinabookagain's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic police procedural! An exciting storyline with plenty of twists and turns. Believable and likeable characters. The asylum flashbacks added a suspenseful atmosphere which intrigued me. Would definitely read more from this series.
noveldeelights's review against another edition
3.0
The Lost Children is the first book in a new police procedural series. We are introduced to Lucy and her colleagues which sets the tone for the next instalments.
The first chapter tells us of some of the children who were patients at the asylum in the seventies. One of the children disappears from the ward and nine year old Lizzy quickly realises what happened to him.
The case the detectives are working on starts out most intriguingly. When a body is found in the abandoned asylum, it doesn't take long for them to find a connection to the past. Can the killer be stopped before they strike again?
I must admit, I'm a little disappointed in this book. The blurb sounded right up my alley but it didn't deliver for me. I found it quite predictable, not helped by some chapters from the killer's point of view, which pretty much gave everything away.
Lucy seems to have some sort of sixth sense. She has all the ideas and solutions, making decisions without involving her boss. The answers sometimes just drop into her lap instead of being the result of hard-hitting investigative work. It's a little hard to explain but it just didn't work for me. There are a few other things that bothered me but I can't go into detail about those because that would involve revealing half the plot.
I also would have preferred to learn a lot more about the circumstances of the children back in the day. As it is, there are a few mentions of what life was like for them but nothing too profound or in-depth. Things happened that could have done with an explanation but that never came. Then along the way, the story started to focus more on Lucy's private life which completely threw me off. While I understand character development is important when setting up a new series, the asylum storyline had so much more potential that I feel was left unfulfilled.
Nevertheless, it's a quick read and there are worse ways to be spending an afternoon.
I would like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy.
The first chapter tells us of some of the children who were patients at the asylum in the seventies. One of the children disappears from the ward and nine year old Lizzy quickly realises what happened to him.
The case the detectives are working on starts out most intriguingly. When a body is found in the abandoned asylum, it doesn't take long for them to find a connection to the past. Can the killer be stopped before they strike again?
I must admit, I'm a little disappointed in this book. The blurb sounded right up my alley but it didn't deliver for me. I found it quite predictable, not helped by some chapters from the killer's point of view, which pretty much gave everything away.
Lucy seems to have some sort of sixth sense. She has all the ideas and solutions, making decisions without involving her boss. The answers sometimes just drop into her lap instead of being the result of hard-hitting investigative work. It's a little hard to explain but it just didn't work for me. There are a few other things that bothered me but I can't go into detail about those because that would involve revealing half the plot.
I also would have preferred to learn a lot more about the circumstances of the children back in the day. As it is, there are a few mentions of what life was like for them but nothing too profound or in-depth. Things happened that could have done with an explanation but that never came. Then along the way, the story started to focus more on Lucy's private life which completely threw me off. While I understand character development is important when setting up a new series, the asylum storyline had so much more potential that I feel was left unfulfilled.
Nevertheless, it's a quick read and there are worse ways to be spending an afternoon.
I would like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy.