A second book that I enjoyed just as much as the first! I loved meeting up with Seraphine Walker again and the different take on the usual amnesia plot was clever. A brilliant mix of secret services, psychopathy, the Navy and more added to the fast pace and intrigue of this novel. I’m already looking forward to number three!

Wow! what a second novel, so many twists and turns i didn't see coming. I loved getting to explore Bloom and Jamesons relationship more. I was unsure how Seraphine fit into the story, but it made sense in the end. I can't wait for the next instalment and will be recommending to friends and family. Thank you Leona for such an exciting read, keep it up, I love them.

This is that difficult second book and, unfortunately, it doesn't match up to the standard for the first.

I loved the first book about Seraphine, a psychopath with an agenda to connect with other psychopaths and build a powerful network to further her ambition. While she's an important character in this follow up, she doesn't take centre stage.

A bomb goes off, leaving one man with permanent amnesia. As the dust settles, it becomes clear the amnesia isn't as accidental as it would seem, leading to a desperate race to discover who's responsible and why. However, when the reasons become clear, they just don't appear as compelling as they'd need to be for such drastic action. Without giving away anything, too many people in positions of power would need to care about the circumstances and I wasn't convinced they would.

I'd be interested in reading the third book in the series. I do feel that as Deakin hits her stride with her characters, things will pick up and become more rounded, but this was a real let down in comparison to the first.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Absolutely loved Gone so was really excited to start Leona Deakins new novel Lost.
It was exciting, intriguing and perfect escapism during lockdow which also meant I could continue reading well into the night when I couldn't put it down (most nights. )
I think Augusta is a brilliant character which is weird because we actually don't get to know that much about her but get enough to live her.
Love that it continued threats of Gone which was my favourite but will be looking out for Deakins next book for sure.

I really liked Gone, Leona Deakin's first novel, so I was looking forward to reading this. However it didn't live up to the first one at all. I'm not sure what the problem was. The set-up is intriguing. Harry, a senior naval officer. is injured in what appears to be a terrorist bomb attack. His partner, Karene sees him immediately after and is reassured to see that he has only surface wounds. Then he disappears, turning up three days later in a battered state having lost his memory. So far, so good. Karene has called in an old friend, Augusta Bloom and her partner, Marcus Jameson to investigate. These two came up against the psychopath Seraphina in the previous novel and Seraphina appears to be involved in this case too. So, why didn't I like it? I think on balance the problem was with the characters. I found that I didn't really care about them. Karene seemed to have little personality, Harry had his erased with whatever happened to him after the bomb and the ridiculous Seraphina grew into a sort of James Bond villain who seems intent on world domination. It's a shame because as I say, I enjoyed the first in the series. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this story. It is fast moving thriller and ideal for this period of lockdown when we want distraction.
I like the hero but I found that his character changes as he loses his memory and he seems to lose his personality as well.
I found the story rather fragmented as my download didn't separate the different parts of the story - even with a paragraph - which made it awkward to follow at times. Obviously, this will not happen in the published book!

I was delighted to be given an early copy of Leona Deakin's "Lost", a worthy follow-up to "Gone". It's an excellent psychological thriller with a difference.

The main characters are Dr Augusta Bloom, a psychologist and something of a mystery herself., and her reluctant partner and former MI6 operative Marcus Jameson. The book picks up several months after the dramatic conclusion of the previous book, and the pair are still barely on speaking terms until Dr Bloom's old friend Karene approaches her to ask for help. Karene's partner was a victim of a terrorist bombing, was picked up by an ambulance which then disappeared for several days. When he is eventually found he has unexplained additional injuries and has lost any memories of the previous 4 years. The story follows Bloom, Jameson and Karene as they try to figure out what has happened, and meet an old adversary along the way.

The story is absolutely gripping and deftly plotted. Characters are all unique and the locations have gone international - France and Sub-Saharan Africa are featured heavily.

The ending explains the mystery but some very intriguing hints are dropped about the extent of the adversary's influence. I am already looking forward to reading the next in the Dr Bloom series! Highly recommended.

Captain Harry Peterson of the Royal Navy is at the biannual ball at Portsmouth. Harry is happy that Karene has turned up to surprise him. Within minutes, life for them has changed forever.

Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson will need to work together again if Augusta wants to sort out what has happened; where is Captain Peterson?

This exciting psychological thriller kept me intrigued ultimately to an ending that is very creative and satisfying.

To start with I wasn't sure I would like this story. I read a few pages and opened another NetGalley book that interested me more. However, having finished that I went back to Lost and got swept into the story which I then found enjoyable. Harry and Karene were likeable characters. I did have one reservation in that I found the swapping back and forth between characters and locations was distracting. I realise it was probably the author's intention to up the tension but for me, it had the opposite effect as I had to keep rereading bits to get the orientation

This book brings back characters from previous stories. The private dectives all have psychological issues which brings them into conflict with each other to the detriment of any attempt to solve a case. That aspect can be a distraction from the theme of the book. Dr Augusta Bloom and her business partner Marcus reconvene to help a woman find her lover,a senior naval officer who is damaged by a bomb at an event she also attends. It turns out that the whole thing is a diversion to have him spirited away at the behest of a known terrorist. The officer suffers brain damage,the origin of which comes as a surprise later in the story. He supposedly has lost all memory of the facts the terrorist leader wants from him but how much of this was self inflicted? His ex wife and children become involved too as hostages. The story is well written but there is too much action for a fairly minor purpose. It is certainly fiction,no question of it being likely to happen.

I'm so pleased that Leona Deakin has chosen to explore the character of Dr Bloom further. I'm hoping this is the second novel in what will turn out to be a lengthy series. I started reading "Lost" late at night which was a huge mistake - I couldn't put it down. Loved the plot. It's fast-paced and intriguing from start to finish. A great read!

Leona Deakin does a great job of keeping all the different balls in the air and each plate spinning at the right speed. Lost is a truly twisted, high-octane mystery thriller that starts with a bang and which I raced through in a few hours. Just absolutely brilliant can't wait for more xx

The tough second book expertly executed. Held my breath for the entire opening sequence and couldn’t wait to figure out what on Earth was going on. Superb!

An explosion at a Military ball kills two and deletes one Captain's memory of the last four years leaving his girlfriend distraught. Was this a terrorist attack or a personal attack on the captain? A real fast paced investigative thriller that pitches Dr Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson against the military, terrorists and the return of their most evil oponent yet.

Lost by Leona Deakin is the superb sequel to Gone, starring Augusta and Marcus as private detectives trying to find out why Captain Harry Petersen has lost a very specific time period of his memory.

Like the first book, this story draws you in and keeps you interested the entire time. It’s filled with mystery and intrigue and the character development is excellent. I would suggest reading the first book before this one so that you understand the relationship between Augusta, Marcus, and Seraphine.

I am fully hooked on this series and look forward to a long literary life with these fascinating people!

#netgalley #lost #leonadeakin #randomhouse #transworldpublishers

The problem with Lost is that it’s so good, you immediately want the next book!! Once again Augusta & Marcus are caught up in a new mystery- what happened to Harry and why? Who’s sending the emails to Karen’s and how on earth is Seraphine involved???? Lost draws you in, not quite knowing where you’re going to end up but you won’t want to put this book down until you know.

This series of books now need their own tv or movie series as I’d love to see Augusta, Marcus and yes, especially Seraphine to life. Roll on book three please!!!

Thank you again to Leona Deakin, Random House and Net Galley for the ARC of LOST.
Leona mentions the difficult second book in her summing up of her experience writing LOST, but I can assure her the story is just as captivating as GONE.
Augusta Bloom and Marcus are pulled into another case, yet this one is not their usual fare. When Augusta's friend, Karene fears for the life of her lover, Harry, a captain in the Navy, she asks Bloom to investigate his disappearance from the site of bomb blast where he survived with minor injuries yet turns up in a hospital miles away with far greater injuries. This is one to keep you guessing. And of course, with Seraphina in the mix, you just don't know what you're going to get. Gripping! Brilliant!

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK,, Transworld Publishers - Black Swan, for the ARC.
I did enjoy this book, although if you haven't read the previous novel you may find it a little hard to understand some of the connections between the main characters.

Marcus Jameson is ex-MI6 and reluctantly, (due to past history), teams up again with Criminal Psychologist Dr Augusta Bloom. Karene Harper's boyfriend, Captain Harry Petersen R.N. was injured in what appeared to be a terrorist bombing during a military ball at the naval base in Devonport. But then he disappeared for 3 days, reappearing at a hospital 40 miles away. He had lost four years of memories; he does not recall his divorce nor his girlfriend. Not only that, but he has suffered extensive head and facial injuries - far worse than when Karene had seen him after the bombing.
Harry's cousin Julian is found brutally murdered at his home in France but is there a connection? Especially when an attempt is made on Harry's life in a rehabilitation centre.
When Karene starts receiving cryptic text messages no one is sure whether they are meant to help or hinder the investigation. Then Seraphine - a high-functioning psychopath - inserts herself into the story, seemingly in control and pulling everyone else's strings. What is she really up to?

This is a fast-moving thriller with great characters and dialogue. I particularly like the love/hate relationship between Marcus and Augusta, and the unpredictability of Seraphine's psychopathic behaviours.

#LostBook #NetGalley
I didn't read better suspense than this in a decade.
Captain Harry Peterson is missing.
His girlfriend calls upon her old friend Dr Augusta Bloom, who rushes to support the investigation. But no one can work out what connects the bomb and the disappearance.
When Harry is eventually discovered three days later, they hope he holds the answers to their questions. But he can’t remember a single thing. What happened next?
Read this mind blowing book. Its a blockbuster.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers Black Swan for giving me an advance copy.

Having read the first book in the Augusta Bloom series, I was desperate to read this next one and was really glad netgalley offered me an opportunity to read.

However, initially, I was a bit disappointed in this BUT that did change and the last sections of the book really ramped up the pace and kept me hooked. I think given that it was a proof - the formatting may just have been a bit 'off' and it was often difficult to read at some points!

It is clear that this is a strong series and I love the parts with Seraphine in - who is very much, if you're a fan of Killing Eve, a companion to Villanelle!

Over all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it!