When a young boy is reported missing detectives Stone and Oliver find themselves involved in a missing persons case that soon evolves into murder.
I have a vague recollection of reading Mari Hannah's debut novel, The Murder Wall, when it was first published but nothing since then. Discovering that the author was going to make an appearance at my local library I decided that I would make sure to have read at least one book beforehand. In the end, I opted for The Lost, the first book in the Stone and Oliver series.
Arriving home after a week's holiday with her sister, wealthy Alex Parker learns that her son is missing. Detectives Frankie Oliver and David Stone, a relatively new pairing, are tasked with the investigation. Suspicion initially falls on the boy's stepfather, Tim Parker, who was looking after the boy. The following day events take an unexpected turn, leading everyone to believe that a simple misunderstanding took place. DS Frankie Oliver isn't so sure and holds a kernel of doubt, convinced that there is more to the situation. When a fatal hit-and-run takes place a week later both Oliver and Stone are convinced everything is connected, but how?
I loved the fact that what started out as a missing person, possibly a kidnap, case morphed quickly into a murder investigation. The fact that the two investigations have links makes the whole thing more intriguing. What initially appeared to be a tight-knit family unit of mother, stepfather and child quickly begins to show cracks, leading to the reader wondering who is being honest and what secrets are lurking behind the wealthy facade.
The detectives, DS Frankie Oliver and DI David Stone work well together. Stone has recently relocated from London, taking a demotion in rank to do so. He is originally from the north and still has links to the community in the form of a brother and nephew. Frankie is a third-generation police officer and while policing has moved on since her father and grandfather were active officers she still lives by many of their rules. The characters of the two officers are vastly different but complement each other. David is reserved, methodical and a rule follower, whereas Frankie is impulsive, empathetic and intuitive. This intuitiveness highlights the way in which police investigations are carried out, with small clues or vague links leading inquiries to pivot completely. Having been raised around police officers has added to Frankie's bravado, she's certainly not frightened of telling her boss exactly what she thinks. While this means she oversteps the mark now and again, most of the time it's a breath of fresh air for David as he appreciates Frankie's honesty.
There are hints of past problems for both Stone and Oliver, issues that have affected them greatly and continue to cast a shadow over their lives. Mari Hannah has chosen not to reveal all in this novel, instead, she has skillfully made vague references. As a reader I'm now desperate to know more about the characters so will definitely be diving into book two very soon.
Although suspicion falls on a number of different characters throughout the book, none of them seem to have a real motive. I found it impossible to second-guess what was happening. The addition of an almighty twist certainly left me scratching my head. When all of the pieces finally fall into place the revelation is shocking and lives are put at risk in an intense conclusion.
Author Details
Mari Hannah is a multi-award-winning, bestselling author/screenwriter. She writes across three crime series: DCI Kate Daniels (in development for TV with Sprout Pictures & Atlantic Nomad); Stone & Oliver and Ryan & O’Neil. Among her numerous awards is a Crime Writers’ Association Dagger in the Library 2017. In 2019, Mari was the programming chair of Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. In 2020, she was the recipient of Capital Crime International Crime Writing Festival’s Crime Book of the Year. She lives in rural Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective.
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