16 Oct The Stolen Girls by Patricia Gibney #BlogTour #Review

AMIGOS!!! I haven’t posted for few days and missed it so much! But today I’m back with a review of a chillingly brilliant book, THE STOLEN GIRLS by Patricia Gibney. I also have the pleasure to kick off the blog tour (YAY!) and also post my review on the very publication day!! SO MUCH EXCITEMENT! First off, massive happy pub day to Patricia! Secondly, guys, guys guys…you really need this series in your life. If you love thrillers/crime make sure you read this one, as well as the first one in the series, The Missing Ones (which I also reviewed here). Anyway, I know you’re all getting a bit impatient to see why I loved this book so much, so without further ado here’s my review. Cheerio, sweethearts!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Stolen Girls by Patricia Gibney
Series:Detective Lottie Parker #2
Also in this series:The Missing Ones
Published byBookouture
Published on 6.7.2017
Genres:crime, thriller
Pages: 461
Format:e-book

The young woman standing on Lottie’s step was a stranger. She was clutching the hand of a young boy. ‘Help me,’ she said to Lottie. ‘Please help me.’

One Monday morning, the body of a young pregnant woman is found. The same day, a mother and her son visit the house of Detective Lottie Parker, begging for help to find a lost friend.

Could this be the same girl?

When a second victim is discovered by the same man, with the murder bearing all the same hallmarks as the first, Lottie needs to work fast to discover how else the two were linked. Then two more girls go missing.

Detective Lottie Parker is a woman on the edge, haunted by her tragic past and struggling to keep her family together through difficult times. Can she fight her own demons and catch the killer before he claims another victim?

The Stolen Girls is a gripping and page-turning thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni.

Patricia Gibney’s books are definitely gems and I’m so thankful for discovering this author and reading her books. Few months ago, Patricia made her debut on the thriller scene with her gripping and simply unputdownable book, The Missing Ones. Ever since then I’ve been waiting impatiently for the next installment in the series. Now that I’ve read it, I can only say, WOW…Patricia sure knows how to create a gripping story, characters you’ll either love or dislike strongly and intertwine the past and present amazingly.

In ‘The Stolen Girls’ we’re back in Detective Lottie’s messy life and follow her story few months after the incidents in ‘The Missing Ones’. Lottie is struggling with her life, still mourning the loss of her beloved husband due to cancer and juggling taking care of 3 teenage kids and her dangerous career. She’s really on the edge sometimes, having difficulties in communicating and expressing her feelings. Her partner, Mark Boyd is there for her despite sharing a bit of personal history with him and many on/offs in their relationship.

One day the body of a young girl is found and the very same day a mother and her son visit Lottie for help in finding a missing friend. Could this be the same girl? And why have they come to her for help? Soon more bodies appear and Lottie is struggling to find a connection and if this is done by the same killer. In short chapters we’re moving from present to past, from Ireland to Kosovo discovering some pretty nasty cases of human trafficking, organ farming, rape… Lottie also discovers that her late husband might be somehow connected to these cases and it brings her to pieces.

As you see, there’s a lot of stuff happening in this book. There are many stories to follow and I have to say I found this rather challenging at times. It’s also the only reason why I rate it 4.5/5, just half a star less than the first one in the series, The Missing Ones which I found simply mind-blowing.

The Stolen Girls is equally thrilling and gripping like the first one in the series, however I had some difficulties in following the many stories. It’s still a chilling thriller that at times will have your stomach in knots. Patricia has a real knack for describing a crime scene and as in the first part, she doesn’t shy away from this task and doesn’t spare the reader from all the gruesome details. The topics covered in this book are rather sensitive and I think she did an amazing job in connecting the past with the present crimes.

Overall, this is definitely a great thriller and follow up in the series and I can’t wait to see what Patricia has in store for us next. I’ll definitely be following this series in the future as well as read everything Patricia ever writes, cause I simply love her writing style. Layered and clever, not to forget simply unputdownable, ‘The Stolen Girls’ definitely deserves to be on your reading lists. Especially if you’re a fan of crime/thriller, I think you’ll absolutely love Patricia’s books. However, one piece of advice, though they can be read as stand alones, I advise you to start with the first one so you can get to know Lottie better and get a better feel of the dynamics in her relationship/partnership with Boyd and the rest of the team. Enjoy!

About Patricia Gibney

My name is Patricia Gibney and I’m from Mullingar, County Westmeath. Right in the heart of Ireland. Surrounded by lakes, Mullingar is damp and wet most of the year but when the sun shines it is a little piece of heaven on earth. I’ve lived here all my life. I’m widowed, seven years in May, but was married to Aidan since 1982. I’ve three children who keep me sane, or maybe keep the madness at bay, just a little bit! I say that because I am an artist and a writer. I started writing, for therapy, when Aidan died.

I secured an agent in January 2016 and she is fighting my corner in an effort to get my debut novel published.

Three years ago, I decided to get serious about it. I joined The Irish Writers Centre. Started doing courses. I love reading crime thrillers so it was obvious to me to start writing in the crime genre. And let me tell you, it is not easy. A crime novel needs to be tightly plotted and plotting is the bane of my life. I prefer to write straight off the top of my head. Oh, Oh. Feels good when writing but then comes the editing. I lost 20,000 words in the process. But at least I am proud to say I got it done.

I am now writing the second novel in the series, featuring Lottie Parker and a host of credible characters. They are all part of my extended family, you know the kind – people you love one minute and want to kill the next!

So join me on this journey and lets see where it leads us.