The Lost – Simon Beckett
Ten years ago, the disappearance of firearms police officer Jonah Colley’s young son almost destroyed him.
A GRUESOME DISCOVERY
A plea for help from an old friend leads Jonah to Slaughter Quay, and the discovery of four bodies. Brutally attacked and left for dead, he is the only survivor.
A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH
Under suspicion himself, he uncovers a network of secrets and lies about the people he thought he knew – forcing him to question what really happened all those years ago…
I received a review copy of The Lost from Orion and was delighted to be invited to join the blog tour by Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers
I have been enjoying Simon Beckett’s books for several years after picking up The Chemistry of Death not long after it first came out. Beckett’s books always keep me hooked and I am not ashamed to admit he hoodwinks me every time with his clever plotting. Needless to say I had been looking forward to starting The Lost.
Read in just two sittings it’s safe to say I loved this book. It had the feel of a race-against-time thriller where the protagonist only has 24 hours to avert a disaster. But it’s not that type of plot, I believe the “up against a deadline” feeling I got from The Lost may actually be a reflection on how events are spiralling out of control for Jonah Colley.
It begins when a friend from the past reaches out to Colley asking for help and for Colley to meet him late at night by the docks. Colley is confused to receive the message. Both he and the sender are police but his old friend is no longer a friend, the two fell out many years ago during the aftermath of Colley’s son Theo disappearing while Colley was meant to be watching him.
Colley attends the meet to find out why, after all this time, his former friend feels he needs Colley’s help. But he walks into a horror show. His friend lies dead, three more victims are on the scene too wrapped in plastic having suffered before Colley’s arrival. Colley tries to escape buy is attacked by the killer and has to fight for his own survival. He manages to call the police for support but gets badly injured before they arrive.
Waking up in hospital two days later, knee rebuilt in surgery, Colley struggles to understand what has happened. To make things worse it seems he is a prime suspect in the murder of his friend.
The Lost is Colley’s story, trying to clear his name but there is also growing evidence the man suspected of abducting Colley’s son may be involved in the murder of Colley’s friend, the murder police suspect Colley committed.
Why, after ten years, is one man hell bent on ruining Colley’s life? He means to find out but there will be more deaths and innocent lives will be at risk before Colley begins to understand what’s happening around him.
I don’t think I have the words to tell you how much I enjoyed The Lost. It delivered everything I want from a thriller. It kept the pace up throughout the book and the action was coming thick and fast; at no point did I want to pause my reading. Terrific book, you should not miss out on this one.
The Lost is available in Hardback, Digital and Audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B095RQFNN9/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
