Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens is on the trail in this “riveting” ( Publishers Weekly ) crime novel from the acclaimed author of She Lies in Wait , Watching from the Dark, and Lie Beside Me On closer inspection, Jonah discerns that she seems unharmed. When he asks if he can help her, she merely smiles and says she’s okay, but that her sister, Nina, might need his assistance. Introducing herself as Keely, Jonah learns that the sisters vanished five days ago from their children’s home apparently of their own volition. With Keely now sitting across from him in an interview room, he dives into questions that will hopefully lead his team to wherever Nina might be. I loved the way the author retells the story through Keeley’s eyes, which is given in a series of police interviews with Sheens and his team. Her version of events that have led to this moment in time adds to the impending sense of dread that grows as her story unfolds. It’s a tough story to read as it explores the failings of a care system and the complexities of the relationship between the two sisters. Intriguing, unsettling and twisty as hell. A great cast of characters who are brilliantly drawn. Gytha is a classy storyteller -- Neil Lancaster Bones are found 30 years after a young girl goes missing on a camping trip. The DCI for the new homicide case, Jonah Sheens, was a young man at the time and knew the victim from school. This is the first in a new series involving Jonah Sheens.

If you enjoy police procedurals, particularly British ones, then I highly recommend She Lies in Wait. If you like a good mystery, I think you will enjoy it as well. From the pen of a skilled storyteller, this is perfectly paced, with twists and turns to keep you hooked, and beautifully written -- Amanda JenningsShe has signed with Penguin Random House worldwide for the first three books in her crime series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens. She Lies in Wait will be released in J Gytha Lodge is a multi-award-winning playwright, novelist and writer for video games and screen. She is also a single parent who blogs about the ridiculousness of bringing up a mega-nerd small boy. I thought the timelines were really well done and the pacing, for me, was perfect. I was so impressed with the fact that this is a debut novel.

The party goes late into the night, until everyone eventually passes out. In the morning, when the hungover teens awaken, they find nothing of Aurora but her cold, empty sleeping bag. The story begins with DCI Jonah Sheens enjoying the beautiful weather (and a drink) in the pub's beer garden with his baby daughter Milly, waiting for Jonah’s domestic partner, Michelle to arrive so they can do a child handover. In this rare moment of quiet enjoyment, a young teenage girl wanders onto the grounds and is heading in their direction. With striking features and flaming red hair, she's beautiful; but it's not those attributes which draws everyone's attention. The young teenage girl stumbling into the yard is covered in blood. When Jonah races to help, the girl insists she's fine. Then she smiles. It's her sister he needs to worry about. Keely and her sister, Nina, disappeared from a children's home a week ago. Now Keely is here--but Nina's still missing. Jonah is sure Keely knows where her sister is--but before she tells him anything, she insists, he has to listen to her story from the beginning. Keeley fascinated me. She has all the makings of a psychopath, the ability to manipulate others, lie, and she shows no signs of remorse. But as Lodge scratches away at the layers of this complex character, there’s a hint of vulnerability that allows the reader to feel a great deal of compassion for this troubled character. You feel she is very much in charge of the narration, which constantly throws doubt on her story. It felt like she was playing a game, taunting Sheen at every opportunity.

This novel has everything from manipulation, revenge to jealousy to control and human frailty is and although it’s dramatic it is also very believable. An unforgettable read and highly recommended. Trying to keep his past private, DCI Sheens and a great cast of fellow officers, slowly unravel what happened to poor Aurora on that night long ago.

I was introduced to Gytha Lodge through the third instalment in the Jonah Sheens series, “ Lie Beside Me”. I was instantly pulled into the gritty police procedural and the crime fighting team led by Jonah, and was beyond excited to receive the fourth instalment, “Little Sister”. The story opens with Jonah having a quiet drink in a pub garden when his peace is interrupted by the arrival of a teenage girl, Keely, covered in blood. She tells a story about her sister, Nina, who is missing. Jonah and his team scramble to find Nina, but Keely isn’t in any hurry to give up any clues. Instead, she relates the sisters’ story very much in her own time – and it is up to Jonah and the police team to work out whether Keely is a killer or a victim. The younger girl feels out of place as the older kids begin drinking, taking drugs, dancing and more.DCI Jonah is relaxing at a bar while pondering his domestic problems. A young woman with blazing red hair stumbles out of the woods drenched with blood. She deliberately approaches the bar. Jonah is concerned, but she is not forthcoming in her answers. He learns that she is 16-year-old Keely Lennox and that she and her younger sister, Nina left an abusive care home five days earlier. She says she is alright, but the missing Nina should concern him. Whose blood is it? Is it Nina's? Did Keely injure or kill someone? While Jonah is wrapped up in this case, working long hours, his thoughts are still conflicted about his feelings for Michelle, who is at home struggling through the first stages of motherhood alone. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to getting my hands on more Gytha Lodge books in the future!