A tension filled story where the truth cuts both ways.
Welcome!
I’m a bit behind with this review.
An Amazon First Read from April, released on May 1st, The Lost Victim is an incredibly heavy read that’s disturbing in it’s believability. Is it based on a true story? No. But you could easily imagine that this may just be someone’s reality.
Personally, I’m not sure I enjoyed this book so much as I endured it..
But while I may not be rereading it in the future, I don’t regret picking it up.
Good luck!
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The Lost Victim by Jennifer Hunter
Publication date: May 1, 2023
Pages: 295
Genre: Thriller, Police Procedural, Mystery, Psychological Fiction
Book 1 of 2: Ryan Strickland
First line: The shadows cradled him in silence an secrecy as the need pulsing inside him grew to a fever pitch.
Characters: Sympathetic. Believable.
Storyline: Dark. Heartbreaking.
Pace: Slow-building.
Writing: Intelligent. Well done.
Cover: 3/5
POVs: Ryan Strickland
Three and a Half Stars
Ryan Strickland, who’s known for getting the most difficult of witnesses to talk, has been searching for the monster who took his sister for a very long time. So, when a young woman who either refuses to or can’t communicate is brought in, the police believe she may have information about a string of missing women and Ryan’s called in to work his magic.
A life-time of trauma is written in her scars and body language but with some compassion and patience, he soon has her opening up.
And though her ability to communicate is limited, what she reveals is a story far darker than any could have imagined.
My Thoughts:
This was a nice, quick read, but I would be sure to check the Trigger Warnings first.. it’s not a happy story.
Ryan’s been searching for his missing sister for over twenty years and the police believe they have a witness who may be connected to her case.
The young woman, Olivia, was found wandering the side of the road and brought into the precinct where her reaction to a missing persons photo will lead them down a path filled with blood. Some will find closure.. but others? Only death.
Ryan’s one of those genuinely good guys. It’s obvious that Olivia’s been through a lot so even though he’s desperate for answers he takes the time to form a connection with her and his kindness, consideration, and patience pays off. I really liked him as a main character and that made it easier to get through the darker bits of the story.
Olivia has very obviously been through hell. Her scars, inability to properly communicate, and ignorance of some of the most basic things says much. I can’t tell you how many times I’d have liked to reach through the pages and hug the poor girl. She seems so young that it hurts your heart and as the truth of her life, what she’s endured and witnessed, comes to light.. it’s both horrifying and heartbreaking. But there were also moments where something felt off about it all and I found myself questioning her trustworthiness.. this created a good amount of tension that heightened the suspense and had me on the edge of my seat.
The author did well. The writing wasn’t pretty or captivating but it was intelligent and misleading, which is pretty much perfect for stories like this.
One issue I had that still kind of irks me is how the book ends. We reach multiple points where the story could have ended and it would have tied things up nicely but this goes chapters past that and, frankly, it just felt unnecessary.
Other than that though, it was a good read.
Would I recommend The Lost Victim? Yes.
Those who enjoy dark reads with well written characters, twisted storylines, and heart stopping revelations—this may be for you.
That’s all for now folks!
Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my review, I hope it was helpful.
Be sure to stay safe out there, have a beautiful week, and happy reading!
The books sounds intriguing, Sheri. I’m not quite sure I’m up to such a dark read right now, but the main character appeals to me, as well as the suspense and twists. Thanks for sharing your review and the caution about content. 🙂 Happy Reading!