This is the sequel to Leona Deakin's Gone, featuring the gifted psychologist, Dr Augusta Bloom, and the former MI6 spook, Marcus Jameson. I had some issues with the first in the series, but enjoyed it sufficiently to read this, which worked out much better for me, although it requires significant suspension of disbelief. It is best to just let yourself go with the flow in this thrilling, action packed story that begins with a bomb explosion at a military ball at Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth. One of the injured is the highly decorated and respected Royal Navy Captain Harry Peterson, closely observed at the scene by his girlfriend, psychologist Karene, thankful he seemed to have got off relatively lightly. What seems to be ostensibly a straightforward terrorist attack turns out to be something significantly more worrying and intriguing when a distraught Karene fails to locate Harry in any hospital after he is driven away in an ambulance.

Karene seeks help from Bloom whose relationship with Marcus appears to be irretrievably fractured after their last case. They need Marcus's specific set of expertise, contacts and skills to gain entry into a military world that is notoriously difficult to penetrate, eventually managing to draw in a reluctant Marcus. However, Harry turns up 3 days later, dumped in a Exeter hospital A&E, but shockingly with more severe injuries and evidence of what appears to be torture. Emerging from a coma, it soon becomes clear that Harry has lost his episodic memories of the last 4 years, and there is every possibility that he will never regain them. This means he still believes he is happily married to ex-wife Caroline, with whom he has 2 children and has no recollection of his love and relationship with Karene. In a narrative that shifts back and forth in time to the start of Harry and Karene's first meeting, and the present where Karene starts receiving odd emails, there is more murder, and the return of the psychopathic Killer Queen, Seraphine. Bloom and Marcus are going to need to be at the top of their game to uncover the startling and twisted truths that lie behind what happened to Harry.

There are strong elements of black humour, fun and suspenseful entertainment in Deakin's series which made this an enjoyable read. It was interesting watching Bloom and Marcus iron out the serious kinks in their relationship, necessary if the two are to continuing working together in the future. Then there is the nature of their relationship with Seraphine, playing behind the scenes power games and a key to the mystery of Harry. Bloom is significantly more comfortable with Seraphine, whilst Marcus has no intention of letting her anywhere near him again, Seraphine herself is going to continue keeping a close eye on both of them, clearly a triangle that is going to run on in coming additions to the series. Reading this made me feel a little like I dropped into a rabbit hole where the fantastical is the norm, but I cannot deny that it was a thrilling, fast paced, intense and addictive experience. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed Leona Deakin’s first book, Gone, so was keen to read the similarly titled Lost, which also features Dr Augusta Bloom and her colleague Marcus Jameson.

When a bomb is detonated at a military ball, Captain Harry Peterson - injured, but apparently not seriously - is taken away in an ambulance. Then, however, he apparently disappears. His partner Karene, unable to get the police to take her seriously, turns instead to her old friend Dr Bloom.

I was very engaged with the characters of Harry and Karene, though began to get a little lost (ha!) with the plot after a character from the previous book reappeared. The psychopathic - and, apparently, remarkably powerful and influential - Seraphine definitely gives me “Villanelle” vibes, though I prefer the latter. Seraphine has rather too much of the makings of an arch-villain bent on world domination.

I did enjoy the story and the characters, though I’m not sure I liked it quite as much as Gone. Nevertheless, it’s very good and definitely worth a read.

A second book is often a trial for an author, especially after a successful first book! That said, Leona hit the mark again with this one!

A brilliant story, with great character, and a fascinating delve into the world of neuro-surgery. What started out feeling like a book that begins with a terrorist act, leads to something much more profound and sinister.

It was also excellent to see the renewal of the Bloom and Jameson partnership, after the traumatic events of the first book, Gone. Allied with the re-appearance of Jameson's nemesis, Seraphine, the story gathers pace to a fascinating outcome.

I also loved the idea at the end of the book of the inclusion of reading group questions. I have not seen that in anything I have read recently.

I highly recommend Leona's second novel, and I hope that other readers enjoy it as much as I did.

Leona Deakin has created an absolutely gripping and skilfully plotted novel which every bit as good as its predecessor Gone. I struggled to put it down.

A bomb exploded at a military ball and Captain Harry Peterson was one of the injured. When his girlfriend Karene searches for him at the local hospitals she can find no trace. When he does turn up, three days, later he has no memory of the last four years. Karene contacts her old friend, psychologist Augusta Bloom for help. Augusta and her partner Marcus begin to look into the circumstances of Harry’s disappearance and reappearance and uncover a much bigger picture than one guy with memory loss.

This is a fast paced thriller with great characters, including my second favourite psychopath. There is plenty of action and a lot of twists and turns. A very entertaining read which I would recommend to thriller lovers everywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a superb sequel. Riveting from the get go. The character relationships and small details into their backgrounds were great. You can see this is going to be a great long running series. Loved the chemistry between Bloom and Seraphine. That’s what this book is, pure chemistry. Was a joy to read and am eagerly awaiting the next instalment. Suspenseful, exotically exciting and the best thing I have read in ages. No surprise but 5 stars from me.

I do like the characters Augusta Bloom, Marcus Jameson and Seraphine
I really do think they work well together
I like the concept of this plot and thought it was a breath of fresh air
It's easy to read, plenty of twists and turns
And keeps you gripped & guessing
Looking forward to the 3rd instalment

Thank you netgalley, Leona Deakin and Random House UK for allowing me to read and review this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

book 2 in the series with jameson and bloom and how brilliant it was to read its based in my home town of plymouth

a bomb explodes in devonport dockyard at a ball, several people are injured but not as many as there could have been...

one of the injured personnel harry peterson is taken away by ambulance but he never turned up at derriford hospital

3 days later he is found with no memory and the mystery begins....

have to say very well written and could not put the book down, kept me right to the end glued...keep an eye out for more from this author

A bomb explodes at a military ball. Harry Peterson is unconscious but alive. He is taken away in an ambulance and then goes missing. When he is eventually found, he remembers nothing, not even his girlfriend. Was this a terrible price to pay for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or was there more to it? A decent enough plot to begin with and I was intrigued to discover more. However, when a character from the first book in this series reappeared I was quite disappointed especially as the explanations then became far fetched and virtually impossible to believe. I like a complex and layered plot but would have much preferrred the focus to be on the two main investigators and how they solve a case rather than on this bizarre character. Hopefully this will happen in the third book.

Although I had read the first book in the series there have been a lot of other books in between so initially I felt a bit lost. The repeated characters didn’t have enough depth and we were expected to know too much about them. A brief resume of the first book or more fleshing out of the characters would be useful. I did enjoy the story nonetheless even if it was a bit too far fetched.

Thank you so much for the ARC of this book
Although I found the start slower than Gone I thought the book had a great plot although some of it was slightly unbelievable. I love the characters of Augusta and Marcus and was a little surprised at first that Seraphine had turned up again and the.n I wasn’t. I would definitely recommend this book but think it would be best to read Gone first, I really hope the series continues and can’t wait for the next instalment. It’s great to find a new author.

I really enjoyed this book with its suspense and mystery held until so near the end. I cannot say that the premise is completely believable but (NB Spoiler Alert!) science is advancing fast so it indeed might be possible to wipe a selective part of someones memory in the near future.
I shall be looking out for more of Leona Deakin's books in the future.

Having enjoyed the first book in this series, I was looking forward to the second, but somehow it just didn't stack up. The story concerns Captain Harry Peterson, who is attending a military event where a bomb goes off. He is taken away with the injured, but then disappears. When Harry is eventually discovered three days later, he can’t remember a single thing.

His girlfriend asks Augusta Bloom to support the investigation, and she is again helped by Marcus Jameson and his ex-MI6 contacts (who seem incredibly accommodating for a former colleague).

The book is quite pacy and kept my attention, although the character from book 1 seemed to be shoe-horned rather unnecessarily into the tale. Overall, though I didn't really believe the story. The conclusion bordered on the ridiculous - it just was beyond belief that someone would do what was suggested.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Black Swan for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Soon as I knew this book was coming out I couldn't wait to read as I devoured the first one.

The second installment follows Augusta Bloom on her next case and her fractured relationship with Marcus Jameson her work partner.

A bomb goes off at a naval dinner. It could of killed hundreds at the prime moment but didn't, why? An injured man is unaccounted for and doesn't make it to hospital, again why? A memory wiped, a murder.... Who is behind it all.

Karene calls on her old friend Augusta for help to solve her partner Captain Harry Peterson's dissapearance. However with his memory wiped, the clues are helped along the way by an likely source.

Had me gripped. Read it within two days as couldn't put it down.

I read Gone by Leona Deakin at the beginning of the year and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when I received an email from the publishers, offering me a copy of Lost, the 2nd book in the Dr Bloom Thriller series, I couldn’t wait to see how the story continued.

The book begins with a very explosive start (quite literally). It jumps straight in to the action, and has you instantly asking questions, desperate to find out more. The excitement doesn’t end there, and this story is gripping from beginning to end.

Lost has such an interesting storyline. The Captain goes missing after an explosion, and doesn’t turn up until 3 days later in a hospital miles away from the incident, with injuries seriously worse that he had at the scene, and his memory of the last 4 years completely erased. Doesn’t that instant intrigue you? How did he end up there? How did he get those injuries? and what happened to his memory? The journey through the book will uncover the answers to every single one of the questions you will have asked in your head, and I can guarantee that you will not be expecting the roller-coaster you are taken on.

I felt so sorry for Karene (the Captain’s girlfriend). I can’t imagine how painful it must be for the person you love to no longer have a clue who you are. To be completely wiped from their memory. Her character is so strong. Considering they had only been a couple for 18 months, Karene stuck by Harry’s side through it all, despite him having no idea who she was, not many people would do that.

The investigation into what happened to Harry is so intense, that you just can’t stop reading, and Bloom and Jameson’s theories are sure to have you hooked. Usually, I have my suspicions and ideas on who it was, or what is going on, but I can honestly say that with this one, I had no idea. There is no chance of cracking this case before the story reveals all.

I particularly enjoyed the resurfacing and involvement of a particular character from Gone (book 1), this character makes everything so much more interesting, and also a lot harder for Bloom and Jameson! I’m not going to name them, as I don’t want to spoil it for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book. I actually preferred Lost to Gone, and I am really hoping that there are more books to come in the Dr Bloom series, because I can’t wait to read more.

A huge thank you to Transworld Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book, and to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc.

I give Lost a 5/5 rating!

I found Lost to be a slower starter than Gone but just as good once it got going.
I will be on the lookout for more by Leona Deakin as I have now found another great author to add to my list.
The person you are trying to help holds all the answers to what happened to him, the only problem is, he cannot remember those answers so how can Bloom & Jameson figure out the mystery?

This is such a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I did the first book in the series 'Gone' and I'd strongly reading that first. This is a solid, stand alone thriller, but, you'll be missing out if you don't read 'Gone' first. Particularly, as, I reckon there's a third book in this series and it's well worth the investment of reading them all.

It's so well written and had me interested from the get go. There's an explosion at an army ball and then only 3 or 4 ambulances turn up at the hospital and a high ranking official, Captain Harry Peterson goes missing. What follows is a rabbit warren of a mystery, with many twists and turns.

The characters are all well rounded and the plot extensive and it's such a page turner.

Thanks to Transworld and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview and I wish this book every success.

4.5 stars
I’ve enjoyed Gone a few months ago and needed to read this book as well.
Same fast-paced, well written and a suspenseful story full of interesting characters and twists and turns that made me doubt my theories do many times with each new chapter.
Some people are willing to go to an unimaginably extent for power and money.
After an explosion at the military gala, Captain Harry is missing for 3 days and ends up with amnesia in another hospital. His girlfriend tries to find out what’s happening but someone is trying to keep them away from the truth. Now starts a hide and seek game where many secrets are unveiled but also many questions remain unanswered.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.

An excellent story that will have you guessing until the very last page about who did what to whom and why. I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn and surprise and would suggest reading this book when you are not going to be disturbed so that you do not miss any of the nuances that make up this intricate plot.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book. I have been sent a copy of this book for review purposes. This has not influenced or affected my opinions in this review.

I really enjoyed Lost. It is filled with so many twists to keep you going and on edge throughout. Normally, I enjoy a fast-paced thriller, but this was well-paced and keep me on tenterhooks. If you haven’t read the first book in the series (like me), I do think this book is great as a standalone. I will be reading the first book in this series, Gone, at some point in the near future. If you’re a fan of thrillers and crime, you will enjoy this book!

*4 stars*

Equally as fascinating and gripping as the first novel. Hard to put down once you start reading.
So many twists and turns, it's hard to follow where the story is going . . . and that makes it such a good read.