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She Lies in Wait

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge is the first book in a new British procedural series, and I think it will be a great match for fans of Tana French.

In 1983, seven teenage friends go camping, and the youngest among them, Aurora Jackson, disappears in the middle of the night. At the time, Jonah Sheens is a young police officer. Jump forward thirty-five years, and Jonah is a Detective Chief Inspector when Aurora’s remains are finally found in the forest. Jonah and his team, including newbie Juliette Hanson, are responsible for the case. They quickly track down the six remaining friends believing one of them has to be involved, and it’s clear each among them is keeping secrets.

I found myself really engaged in this novel, and for a debut mystery I thought the pacing and plot execution was excellent. The mystery is revealed in snippets from Aurora’s perspective in 1983, and then from the investigation team’s point of view in the present day. Even though we’re being introduced to Jonah’s team for the first time, there isn’t a lot of info-dump, and the characters are revealed to us through showing and not telling.

Probably the only thing I questioned is who lets a group of 14, 15 and 16-year-olds go camping in the middle of the forest alone with zero supervision? I guess the eighties were a different time. And I do want to warn readers that there are violent scenes in this book, and that it does contain a graphic rape scene.

I really want the next book in this series, and I’m super bummed out that I probably have to wait a year or more for it.

– Elyse

Get ready for the biggest crime debut of 2019…

Six friends. One killer. Who do you trust?

“A dark, deep, terrific thriller and a scorching portrait of friendship and its betrayal” Nicci French

On a hot July night in 1983, six school friends go camping in the forest. Bright and brilliant, they are destined for great things, and young Aurora Jackson is dazzled to be allowed to tag along.

Thirty years later, a body is discovered. DCI Sheens is called to the scene, but he already knows what’s waiting for him: Aurora Jackson, found at long last.

But that’s not all. The friends have all maintained their innocence, but the body is found in a hideaway only the six of them knew about.

It seems the killer has always lurked very close to home…