“The Missing Ones (Detective Lottie Parker #1) by Patricia Gibney

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

“The Missing Ones (Detective Lottie Parker #1) by Patricia Gibney is a thriller/mystery/police procedural that had me hooked from the first few words!  After the first opening sentences, “The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror.” I was hooked. I could not put it down. I had to find out what had happened, who witnessed it and why they were being killed off!

I did have a couple of issues with the book. First, I wanted to smack Lottie at times. Her children were obviously in need of lots of mothering after losing their father. Not only does she ignore their demands for time with her and for food/dinner, but she has alienated her mother who could be a great help. She even throws a home cooked meal from her mother in the garbage! In her defense, she is a single mother, overworked, addicted to pills, a recovering alcoholic, and going through her own issues after the death of her husband.

Second, when Boyd took Lottie’s call at the gym where a known suspect was listening… really? Anyone could see that one coming!

4.5 stars from me, but as you can’t do halves on any of the review sites, I rounded up. This was a very solid first novel! Good story line with lots of twists and turns.

On the cover, I liked the black and white with the splashes of red text and coat. I assume that the building in the background is St. Angela’s. Not sure what else it could be. However, it should be much larger. Lottie’s counting of the windows played a large part in the ending. That structure is not even close to what it should be.

4.5 stars from me, but as you can’t do halves on any of the review sites, I rounded up. This was a very solid first novel! Good story line with lots of twists and turns. Plan to read the next installment in the series. Be sure to read the acknowledgments and Reader Letter at the end of the book. You will learn why the author writes about losing a husband so poignantly.