The Lost by Simon Beckett is published on 25 November 2021 by Trapeze. My thanks to the publisher who sent my proof copy for review for this blog tour organised by Tracy from Compulsive Readers.
The Lost is the first in a planned series from Simon Beckett and features Jonah Colley, a police officer currently working the firearms department.
I do love a new crime fiction series and if this one is anything to go by, then readers are in for a treat in the future. I don't think I can remember an opening chapter that made my heart pound quite so loudly and so fast as this one. It is an explosive beginning and one that ensures that the reader is totally immersed in the story from page one.
Jonah Colley is in an old, dark crumbling warehouse in an area known as Slaughter Quays. He'd taken a while to decide whether to actually go to the quays after receiving a voice mail from his old mate Gavin. He and Gavin were mates for years but haven't been in touch for a long time. Jonah has no idea why Gavin would call him, but he sounded as though he was in distress and he's a cop after all, just like Jonah.
What he finds in the warehouse becomes a nightmare. The stench of blood, pitch darkness, and bodies. Jonah has to fight for his life and has no idea where Gavin is, or who the man he's battling against is.
Jonah has faced many troubles in his life. Ten years ago, his four year old son disappeared from a nearby park, under Jonah's watch. His body was never found and nobody was ever held to account. Jonah's wife Chrissie always blamed him, his marriage crumbled and he's currently living alone in a flat on the wrong side of town.
Although Jonah does manage to get away from the warehouse, he's badly injured. However, that's the least of his worries and it soon becomes clear that whilst he is a cop, he's not above suspicion and he faces an almost daily grilling from the detectives in charge of the case. Jonah is worn down, confused and becomes very frightened. Is he being framed? Are there any connections to his son's disappearance and what happened to Gavin. Throw in a determined journalist who will get her story, whatever the cost and Jonah's life is going into meltdown, quickly.
The Lost is super fast paced. The author throws curve ball after curve ball and the reader is never quite sure who to rely upon. Jonah hides things, as do most of the other characters, and getting down to the explosive and shocking truth doesn't come easy at all.
I loved this one. It's gripping and smart and twisty and unexpected. Beckett is a fine crime author who has created a flawed, but totally realistic lead character that readers will grow to love and will support. I can't wait for book two.
JOINT WINNER OF THE EUROPEAN CRIME FICTION STAR ‘RIPPER’ AWARD 2018/19
As well as co-winning the Ripper Award in 2018/19, the largest European crime prize, Simon has won the Raymond Chandler Society’s ‘Marlowe’ Award and been short-listed for the CWA Gold Dagger, CWA Dagger in the Library and Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year.
In addition to the six David Hunter titles, the most recent of which is The Scent of Death, he has written five standalone novels, one of which, Where There’s Smoke, was adapted into a major ITV two-part drama.
Find out more on www.simonbeckett.com, or follow him on Twitter @BeckettSimon
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