Title : The Lost
Author : Claire McGowan
Pages : 384
Published : April 2013 by Headline
Source : From Publisher
Not everyone who's missing is lost...
When two teenage girls go missing along the Irish border, forensic psychologist Paula Maguire has to return to the hometown she left years before. Swirling with rumour and secrets, the town is gripped by fear of a serial killer. But the truth could be even darker.
Not everyone who's lost wants to be found...
Surrounded by people and places she tried to forget, Paula digs into the cases as the truth twists further away. What's the link with two other disappearances from 1985? And why does everything lead back to the town's dark past- including the reasons her own mother went missing years before?
Nothing is what it seems...
As the shocking truth is revealed, Paula learns that sometimes, it's better not to find what you've lost.
My Thoughts :
Paula left her home town as soon as she could and vowed never to go back, but that changes when her father breaks his leg. She is offered a position as the forensic psychologist in the new cross border Missing Person Units. They will open cold cases and deal with any new one that comes up. She takes up the offer but only till her dad is better.
When two girls go missing the unit have their hands full. One is a traveler and the other a rich girl. What connects both girls? Is the recent suicide really a suicide and does any of these cases have anything to do with older ones? When one of the girls turns up dead it throws everything into high gear.
Its been a while since I read a good crime book and when I saw this I had to read it.
I loved Paula. She is an independent strong woman. She got into trouble at her old job because she didn't stick to the rules. She questions everything and if something has to be done, she will do it no matter what. When she was young her mother disappeared without a trace and nothing was ever found so she will do her best to find these girls. She is still dealing with her own loss and unanswered questions even after all the years.
Guy, Paulas' boss, has come over from England to head up the unit. He is over with his teenage daughter and this case hits close to home. The whole Unit consists of an Irish Garda, an English officer, Paula, A catholic girl and a PSNI officer. Could be a whole host of trouble but it works!
Aidan was quite the character. The editor of the paper and Paulas ex, he was a bit of lighthearted fun. Even though he is broken after what happened his father and wants his paper to succeed, he still can raise a smile with his quips. I hope to see more of him in the next book.
The whole setting of the book is in Northern Ireland. Paula has to deal with a lot of cross border tension and hostility at times while trying to solve a case. With references to the Troubles it was fascinating to read. I'm in Ireland and I remember my parents on about the troubles and what happened in the north.
Overall I really enjoyed The Lost. Its always hard reading about missing kids but its also fascinating reading how a team works no matter how diverse they are. They all work towards one goal. The history and the impact of the Troubles was fascinating. The story itself is fast paced with lots of twists. You think you know "who done it" but you don't. Its not just a story of missing girls, its a story of survival, of lost loved ones, of dealing with the aftermath of losing someone. Its a strong start to a promising series. I really look forward to reading more of Paula and the gang.
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