The Missing Ones – Patricia Gibney @trisha460 @bookouture

5*

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. The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. “I wonder which one of us will be next?”

How’s that for a prologue?

The Missing Ones is the first instalment in a brand new series featuring DI Lottie Parker and Patricia Gibney immediately hits a home run with her debut!

Set in a fictitious town in Ireland, this story has everything. From murder, to child abuse, to corruption and a whole lot of crazy. Gibney offers a multi-layered plot with various threads that come together in a most satisfying ending. Sometimes pacy and action packed, other times sad and heartbreaking, this was one engrossing read.

DI Lottie Parker is a single mom with three teenaged children. Her husband passed away a few years ago and Lottie struggles to combine her demanding job with the needs of her children, while still trying to come to terms with the loss of her husband. There’s also a great backstory that ties in nicely with the case Lottie is currently working on.

The book is quite long so don’t start this one if you don’t have a whole afternoon to spare because you’ll want to read it one sitting. Still, at no point does it drag on or become boring. The plot is exquisitely constructed with a host of utterly realistic characters and delicious chemistry between Lottie and her colleague Boyd. Admittedly, I’m not usually a fan of romance in my crime fiction but I’m rooting for these two like you wouldn’t believe.

While the case is absolutely engrossing, it’s also Lottie’s private life that really grabbed my attention. I’m sure it’s something many career women can relate to.

This is one fabulous way to start a new series and I can’t wait to follow Lottie on her next case.