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angrygreycatreads's review against another edition
4.0
S. J. Bolton’s Lacey is trying desperately not to stay on the force, but she is drawn into an investigation of missing and murdered children almost inevitably. Lacey is a great character and really drives the book, but the other characters and the mystery are well done as well.
I didn’t guess who the villain was until the reveal, I had eliminated other suspects but still the ending was a surprise. I really enjoy the dark moodiness that Ms. Bolton’s books evoke through her use of settings and description. I have read several of her other books and will continue to read her work. Highly recommended!
I didn’t guess who the villain was until the reveal, I had eliminated other suspects but still the ending was a surprise. I really enjoy the dark moodiness that Ms. Bolton’s books evoke through her use of settings and description. I have read several of her other books and will continue to read her work. Highly recommended!
rainnbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I had no intention of starting another series but here I am again starting one in the middle. Sharon Bolton is exceptional in her writing, the twists and turns were making my heart pound and towards the end the pressure just builds to a crescendo. I loved Barney's character,in spite of the very dark theme of children being murdered which was too painful to read, there were some lovable moments of Mark and Huck and of course Barney and his friends. So I am hooked to Lacey Flint and her history and hoping to catch up with others in the series.
jlmb's review against another edition
3.0
The third in the series. I liked it. I was wondering if the author was going to bring up certain issues from the previous two books and she did. I was glad because it drives me a bit batty when I am reading a series and the characters don't reference or deal with certain things that were in previous books. I understand the author and publisher want to have a stand-alone mystery book for when people read the books out of order, but it does make for odd reading when main characters act like they have amnesia.
The mystery itself was good - I did not guess the killer til towards the end. Lots of entertaining red herrings throughout the story. I did think the children acted too mature for their ages. I have a 12 yr old and he's not a dummy, just an average kid and the kids in this book seemed way older than him. Like more 14/15 yrs old than 10/11. Made me wonder if the author has children herself or if she even knows any.
The use of technology throughout the story was clever. Phone tracking apps, Facebook, blogs etc. Sometimes I will read a mystery supposedly set in current day and it will be a weird bizarro world where no one ever goes online. Maybe the author doesn't want to date the book? Not sure but it brings me out of the story when none of the characters act like real people. I'm glad Bolton has her characters using current technology.
Looking forward to reading the fourth in the series.
The mystery itself was good - I did not guess the killer til towards the end. Lots of entertaining red herrings throughout the story. I did think the children acted too mature for their ages. I have a 12 yr old and he's not a dummy, just an average kid and the kids in this book seemed way older than him. Like more 14/15 yrs old than 10/11. Made me wonder if the author has children herself or if she even knows any.
The use of technology throughout the story was clever. Phone tracking apps, Facebook, blogs etc. Sometimes I will read a mystery supposedly set in current day and it will be a weird bizarro world where no one ever goes online. Maybe the author doesn't want to date the book? Not sure but it brings me out of the story when none of the characters act like real people. I'm glad Bolton has her characters using current technology.
Looking forward to reading the fourth in the series.
micrummey's review against another edition
3.0
A fast paced page turner which has the Lacey character looking in from the outside as she recovers from the Cambridge incident. Here lies a bit with a problem with the book, you do have to have read previous novels in the series to fully appreciate the relationship between Lacey and Josebury.
The plot involves 11 year-old Barney Roberts being fascinated by a series of murders of boys his own age in London. The person who writes the blurb on the back couldn't have read the book as they describe Barney as 12. This type of detail I find annoying.
Barney comes across as intelligent and engaging throughout but Bolton does use him as an information dump as he and friends spend a night on the bank of the river Thames.
There are plenty of red herrings to keep any reader going and the author does like graphic detail especially towards the conclusion.
Once I found out who and how the crimes were committed I was let down slightly by the plausibility of it all but it was still a decent read.
The plot involves 11 year-old Barney Roberts being fascinated by a series of murders of boys his own age in London. The person who writes the blurb on the back couldn't have read the book as they describe Barney as 12. This type of detail I find annoying.
Barney comes across as intelligent and engaging throughout but Bolton does use him as an information dump as he and friends spend a night on the bank of the river Thames.
There are plenty of red herrings to keep any reader going and the author does like graphic detail especially towards the conclusion.
Once I found out who and how the crimes were committed I was let down slightly by the plausibility of it all but it was still a decent read.
fxtrtr's review against another edition
5.0
SJ Bolton does it again. In this third book featuring Lacey Flint, Lacey gets herself unofficially involved in the newest serial killer case. Eleven-year old boys are being taken and murdered but the case doesn't follow any of the norms for serial killers. Lacey's young neighbor, Barney, has also taken an interest in the case but for different reasons. When DI Joesbury's son is taken, Lacey believes she knows where he is being kept and who took him.
fxtrtr's review against another edition
5.0
The third book in the Lacey Flint series. Excellent. I'll update my review later!
book_tangled's review against another edition
3.0
its one of the time when you really want goodreads to introduce a half star option.
annrawson's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant. To really appreciate you have to know the characters already from previous novels. But it really is the kind of novel that you stay up half the night reading. And there are not so many writers who can keep me guessing all the way to the end.
S J Bolton is one of my favourite crime writers right now, along with Sophie Hannah.
S J Bolton is one of my favourite crime writers right now, along with Sophie Hannah.
ogokoo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
Very good mystery. this book is part of a series so there are some references I didn't get because I haven't read the previous. Joesbury was annoying as hell. To be honest, Jorge being the killer was...okay but a little contrived, in my opinion. It ruined all the tension. I would have been perfectly fine with the killer being a random person we hadn't met as a character before, that would have made more sense rather than going for the shock value of it being Jorge. Anyway, Barney was an incredible character. And the eeriness of it being Jorge will stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Self harm
ophelias's review against another edition
2.0
i love sharon bolton but this is the second time i try reading this book and it’s just not working for me