Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) By Chris Merritt
Standing at the school gates, he waits until the last child leaves the safety of the playground. And then he follows at a distance, keeping to the shadows. Only he knows what’s going to happen next.
In a quiet church, on a busy London street, 12-year-old Donovan Blair is found dead. His hands are clasped together as if in prayer. Just hours ago, he was happily playing with his friends at school, but now his body is lifeless, and his killer is long gone.
Detective Dan Lockhart is working alone on his wife’s missing person’s case when he receives a call telling him to get to the crime scene at St Mary’s Church immediately.
Bringing in psychologist Dr Lexi Green to help profile the murderer, Dan is convinced that the killer has provided a clue by leaving the body in a prayer position, and Lexi agrees. As they try to get into the mind of the person responsible, another victim is found. A 13-year-old girl, left in a different church, posed in exactly the same way.
Fearing the murderer may already have another child in his sights, Dan and Lexi work together to establish links between the two deaths, and soon discover that not only were both children in care – they had attended the same school. And when it emerges that Lexi’s new boyfriend works there, things become difficult between her and Dan. How much can he tell Lexi about the case? And could she be at risk?
As Dan makes a breakthrough in the investigation, he receives devastating news about his wife, Jess. But with children’s lives at stake and Lexi in danger, Dan must put his personal emotions aside and chase the killer. Can he and Lexi work out who is behind the murders before another vulnerable child is taken?
This nail-biting crime book is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni. Once you pick up Lost Souls, you won’t be able to put it down! Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3)
Free read ✓ E-book, or Kindle E-pub ñ Chris Merritt
This was a great read. I had read the first in the series, Knock Knock and really enjoyed it, but somehow missed the next installment Who's Next so I was a little trepidatious going into this one, wondering if it would limit my enjoyment and understanding of the story so far. It definitely didn't. Merritt does a fantastic job of reminding readers of the back story of the detectives and the side plot of the disappearance of Dan's wife, Jess. I am a sucker for missing persons' stories (fact or fiction) and this was a great addiction to the series.
The characters Lockhart and Green are like old friends, and still complemented each other perfectly. I now wish I'd read them in order to see their full character development!
The last quarter of the book was incredibly gripping and I raced to the end with barely a breath!
Excellent installment! Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) EXCERPT: Death was a fresh start for them; that's how he saw it. Others might not agree, but they were wrong. He could understand why some would think of dying as the end though. In one sense, that was true. It was an ending. But it was also a beginning. A chance to go on to a better place. Somewhere you no longer had to suffer the torments that your earthly body had endured.
Somewhere everything would be okay for evermore.
ABOUT 'LOST SOULS': Standing at the school gates, he waits until the last child leaves the safety of the playground. And then he follows at a distance, keeping to the shadows. Only he knows what’s going to happen next.
In a quiet church, on a busy London street, 12-year-old Donovan Blair is found dead. His hands are clasped together as if in prayer. Just hours ago, he was happily playing with his friends at school, but now his body is lifeless, and his killer is long gone.
Detective Dan Lockhart is working alone on his wife’s missing person’s case when he receives a call telling him to get to the crime scene at St Mary’s Church immediately.
Bringing in psychologist Dr Lexi Green to help profile the murderer, Dan is convinced that the killer has provided a clue by leaving the body in a prayer position, and Lexi agrees. As they try to get into the mind of the person responsible, another victim is found. A 13-year-old girl, left in a different church, posed in exactly the same way.
Fearing the murderer may already have another child in his sights, Dan and Lexi work together to establish links between the two deaths, and soon discover that not only were both children in care – they had attended the same school. And when it emerges that Lexi’s new boyfriend works there, things become difficult between her and Dan. How much can he tell Lexi about the case? And could she be at risk?
As Dan makes a breakthrough in the investigation, he receives devastating news about his wife, Jess. But with children’s lives at stake and Lexi in danger, Dan must put his personal emotions aside and chase the killer. Can he and Lexi work out who is behind the murders before another vulnerable child is taken?
MY THOUGHTS: I have been a little disappointed in Chris Merritt's Lockhart and Green series. I love this author's Zac Boateng series, and I was looking forward to more of the same. WRONG. The Lockhart and Green series is very different. Where I found the Zac Boateng series to be fast paced, suspenseful and thrilling, Lost Souls seems to be drawn out and, to be quite honest, I found passages where the author seemed to be pontificating/procrastinating, and repeating himself. Don't get me wrong - this is not a bad read, but it needs to be tightened up, to be not quite so bogged down in repetitive psychological analysis.
I liked the characters: Dan, Detective Lockhart whose wife has disappeared without trace; Maxine Smith, a strong character inclined to follow her instincts; Lexi Green, psychologist, who also has trauma in her past. Even the lesser characters, the supporting cast, are an interesting if not always likeable bunch.
The basic plot is sound, and there are a few interesting twists and misdirections, but I didn't find the read particularly suspenseful or thrilling. I did have fun trying to guess the killer - I didn't. There are plenty of suspects to choose from. I thought the chapters written from the POV of the murderer were a little repetitive and didn't, after the initial insight, add much of value to the book.
And I do have just one small quibble with the blurb where it states 'with children's lives at stake (true enough) and Lexi in danger'......wait - did I miss something?
Lost Souls is a good read, just not a great one.
⭐⭐⭐.5
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THE AUTHOR: Hello! I'm a British author whose crime thrillers combine psychology, suspense, and characters you care about.
All my novels are set in London, where I live.
I began writing fiction in 2014, after previous careers as a diplomat, based in Iraq and Jerusalem, and later as a psychologist working with victims and perpetrators of crime. I specialised in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which sparked my interest in telling stories about how people cope when faced with extreme adversity.
Now, I spend most of my time writing novels and drinking coffee while 'thinking' about writing novels. When I'm not writing, I love climbing and playing basketball.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Lost Souls by Chris Merritt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/... Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) Lost Souls is the third instalment in the Detective Dan Lockhart and Dr Lexi Green series, set in London. It's January 5th and Lockhart is on a stake out outside his brother in law Nick's haulage company on the Darent Industrial Park; something he has been doing for 9 months in his spare time. 11 years ago Dan's wife, Jess, vanished from their home while he was on a tour of duty in Afghanistan and following a sighting matching her description in Whitstable, Kent, Dan had eventually found a trawlerman who recognised her photograph saying he saw her in the harbour 2 years earlier with someone who matched Nick's description. His phone rings and it's DSI Burrows who needs a Senior Investigating Officer at a murder scene in Mortlake. Called to St Mary the Virgin church in south west London where a boy is knelt in front of the altar and beneath a large gold cross. His hands are clasped under his chin as though praying when he was found by verger at the church Eric Cooper. He also has a dark ligature mark around his neck. His name was Donovan Blaire, an innocent 12 year old boy. Dan then discovers that the bible on the altar has a section that has been highlighted. It reads: Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
Donovan had recently stayed with fosterers Roger and Trish Hughes who had brought him along with them to Sunday services but apparently he ran away and had not been the first to do so while under the care of the Hughes'. A week later a girl is targeted with the same posing of the body at a church only a few miles from their MIT base at Jubilee House. This time the victim is Charlotte Mullins and another bible verse referring to children is highlighted next to her body. Now Lockhart, Lexi and team know they have what appears to be a ruthless serial killer on their patch, although the killer sees his actions as making angels. Can they stop him before he takes the life of another innocent child? This is a compulsive, riveting and action-packed procedural overflowing with tension, mystery, intrigue, twists and reveals. It's pacey and well written and before you know it you're fully immersed in the story alongside the characters. The cast is comprised of fully rounded characters and we get a little more of both Dan and Lexi’s backstories. The plot is complex with Merritt making superb use of smoke and mirrors to pull the wool over your eyes and the large suspect pool is used to great effect to bamboozle us readers, as many people have motive. An enthralling, exhilarating and thoroughly gripping page-turner. Highly recommended. Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) LOST SOULS is a gripping page turner with a fantastic cast of characters. Detective Dan Lockhart and his team of investigators are hot on the trail of a child serial killer who stages his scenes in a disturbing way. In order to get a grip on exactly the kind of perpetrator they're dealing with, Lockhart brings in psychologist, Dr. Lexi Green for a profile. Can they catch the elusive killer before more children die? Merritt weaves a complex and heartbreaking tale, taking a deep dive into the psyche of a killer while police race against the clock to save the next victim. There are plenty of twists, turns, and suspects in this gripping novel. The pages crackle with tension and the chemistry among the characters is palpable. Get ready to stay up late! Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) Lost Souls is another gripping thriller from Chris Miller and the third In the Dan Lockhart and Lexi Green series. The series just gets better and better.
After a proposed sighting of Dan Lockhart’s wife Jess in nearby Whitstable. Lockhart has been trawling Kent to find her for several months While on a stakeout he recognises his brother in laws car. The brother that says he hasn’t seen her and wants to pronounce her dead.
He suddenly gets a call of about a murder of 12-year-old Donovan Blair found dead in a London church with his hands tied together by a white ribbon kneeling as if he was praying and a verse in the bible highlighted. Donovan a troubled kid. Who is in foster care, is an abused child and parents that are drugs addicts? Instinct tells Lockhart and with Green’s guidance know that this is not going to be a solitary incident and a few days later another child’s body turns up.
This is another brilliant episode in the series. I found it to be fast-paced chilling thriller and this episode was so realistic to today’s society as the author did mention not only the COVID-19 pandemic. But the pro’s and cons of police work. But also, how frequent children go missing when they have problems in their lives and how many children get lost in the system. Five stars from me.
Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3)
Lost Souls is the 3rd book featuring Chris Merritt's detectives Lockhart and Green.
The story begins with the killing of a schoolboy found in a church on a busy London street. At St Mary the Virgin church in south-west London, Donovan Blair, 12, wearing clean-looking clothes, is knelt in front of the altar beneath a gold cross on the wall, with his hands clasped under his chin as though he is praying. Called to the scene, DI Dan Lockhart notices the ligature markings on the victim's neck, underneath white ribbon. Dan alerts a member of his team, DC Mohammed Khan who is house-sharing with psychologist Dr Lexi Green. Dan, realising he needs to get inside the perpetrator’s mind, contacts Lexi. A week later a girl is targeted with the same positioning of the body at a church a few miles away.
With its steady pace, Lost Souls had a terrific plot and I had plenty of time to become re-invested in the main characters. An ex-soldier, Dan Lockhart is working as part of the Major Investigation Team (MIT) in London, as well as continuing with the search for his wife Jess who disappeared seven years ago. The characters of both Lexi and Dan are fabulously crafted by Chris Merritt and the two have a great working relationship. I also enjoyed the contributions from civilian analyst Lucy Berry, examinating data compiled by a graduate student’s algorithm, who was easy to like.
This is a tense, exciting and superbly crafted police procedural, and I appreciated the MO of the serial killer as it made for compelling reading. The use of a psychologist to create a probable profile of the killer was captivating and there are some shocking twists in this dark tale. Chris Merritt managed to keep me guessing right up to the riveting conclusion. A remarkably good story I can confidently recommend that will have you reading late into the night. Lockhart and Green make a brilliant duo and I can't wait to read more of them.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion. Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3)
In a small, quiet church, a young boy is found dead .. his hands posed as if he was praying. Around his neck, a single dark line. He'd been strangled...
Detective Dan Lockhart is working alone on his wife’s missing person’s case when he receives the call, and he rushes to the crime scene at St Mary’s Church immediately.
Lockhart brings in Psychologist Lexi Green to help with a profile. And then another body is found .. a young girl left in a different church, posed exactly like the boy.
When investigating, Lockhart discovers that both children attended the same school, they were both in foster care. And then Lockhart discovers that Lexi has a link to the school. That makes it difficult for Lexi to participate in the case. Are these killings trying to get her attention? Is she in danger?
As Dan makes a breakthrough in the investigation, he receives devastating news about his wife, Jess. But with children’s lives at stake and Lexi in danger, Dan must put his personal emotions aside and chase the killer.
Full of action, the mystery of Lockhart's wife is revealed. The killer is finally unmasked amid twists and turns that lead to a surprising conclusion. Suspense starts at the very beginning and doesn't let go. This is a fantastic series and I highly recommend reading the books in order.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3)
Lost Souls by Chris Merritt is the third in the Detectives Lockhart & Green series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DI Dan Lockhart is a detective in the Major Investigation Team (the Murder Squad). He doesn't always play by the rules. He is still trying to come to terms with his wife's disappearance 11 years ago. Psychologist Dr. Lexi Green, had tried to help him with this and his flashbacks, but now she helps him when a difficult case needs solving. She is still trying to get over the loss of her brother. Although Lexi has feelings for Dan, she has set them aside, because Dan is obsessed with his missing wife Jess.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
A young boy is found dead, posed beneath the altar at St. Mary's Church, hands clasped in prayer, and tied with a white ribbon, a bible verse nearby. Young Donovan had a rough life, and now it is over.
As Dan consults with Lexi, she is sure that this killer is not done. Unfortunately, she is right, as a young girl's body is found in a different church, but with identical characteristics. They will have to link the two and hope there is not a third body before they figure out is is killing these vulnerable children.
Dan is reporting directly to DSI Paula Burrows, since the DCI post that Porter left when he was promoted to Media Relations has not yet been filled. She is a stickler for going by the book. Dan will have to tread carefully. He is also still searching for Jess, but he has to put that on the back burner until this killer is found.
Meanwhile, Lexi is dating Tim, and although it is going well, something is holding her back. When she finds out that Tim worked at the same school attended by both victims, things get a little tense between Dan and Lexi.
My Opinions:
This book picked up speed for me, where I had though the first two books seemed long, this one moved much faster. I really enjoyed it. It may be that I am starting to like the characters a little more, and now have an interest as to where they are headed.
The pace was good, and the suspects were many. The identity of the actual perpetrator came as a surprise to me, which was good (although to be honest I was hoping it was someone else).
The plot was quite good, if a little dark, as it dealt with vulnerable, missing children. It is a little scary that a lot of this was based on actual cases, and that the number of actual missing children is so high.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including my reason for choosing to read this as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/ Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) This is book #3 of the Lockhart and Green series. Whilst part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone book. I really like these two main characters, DI Dan Lockhart and Dr Lexi Green, and thought they worked well together throughout the book. Dan is a tenacious detective who doesn’t always play by the rules, and would rather suffer the consequences of this once the job is done. I loved the side story of him looking into his wife’s disappearance from many years before, with this fitting nicely alongside the main storyline. Lexi is also dealing with her own past demons and is trying to keep her feelings for Dan purely professional. I can’t wait for another book in the series to see where both their storylines go!
I was hooked into this story from the very beginning, with the body of 12-year-old Donovan Blair being found posed at the altar of a church. When another body is discovered in similar circumstances, it becomes obvious that they have a serial killer on the loose who is targeting vulnerable children within the care system. We hear from the killer in chapters interspersed amongst the main storyline, but given no clue as to who they may be. I have to admit I think I suspected everyone at some point throughout the book, and loved being kept in the dark until well into the story. We certainly aren’t short of suspects to choose from, having so many different agencies and organisations working with these children. The care system storyline I did find particularly heart-breaking, seeing children who already had so much neglect in their lives to fall prey to someone who they trusted.
The storyline flew along at a great pace, bringing all aspects of the police investigation into it. I loved the civilian analyst, Lucy Berry’s role on Dan’s team, and am wondering where I can find me a job like that! Her role interpreting and analysing information and turning into useful leads for the team to work on was so interesting, and I loved where Lucy’s storyline went. The other members of Dan’s team all gelled together so well, and I particularly liked the relationships they had with each other.
Shamefully this is the first book I’ve read from this series, although I have read books from this author’s previous series which I’ve really enjoyed. For me to be able to come in at book #3 and read it without any confusion of characters and plotlines is great. I knew there was an ongoing storyline of Dan’s missing wife, but this didn’t overpower the murder story at all. It does however make me want to go and read the previous two books, which I will most definitely be doing to catch up on what I’ve missed! It is also one of the first books I’ve read which includes a Covid-19 storyline, which I suppose is something we will need to get used to! I absolutely loved this book and it has kept me on the edge of my seat for the last few days. This was a brilliant serial killer thriller, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series to carry on Dan and Lexi’s story. Fantastic!! Highly recommended!!
Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3) I love a good cliffhanger & Chris Meritt sure knows his way around one. Lockhart with his quest to find his missing wife progresses with every book in the series but this was the most progression so far! What it means for the Lockhart Green crime fighting duo remains to be seen bit the tension is palpable & has me coming back for more. As for the plot, it was really good but with way too many characters/suspects it was difficult for me to keep track of the story. For someone with less on their mind this might not be the case! I loved seeing Berry's work shine through & as a data analyst myself I whooped for joy when the part of predictive analytics for crime solving came up. I loved this installment of this series & can't wait for the next. Especially as Lockhart seems to be close to the truth seemingly within his grasp!
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture & Chris Meritt for an arc! Lost Souls (Detectives Lockhart and Green #3)