The first time I have read this Author but I enjoyed the style of writing. A solid four star read. Great premise. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing Would definitely read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

The title and cover gave me psychological suspense vibes but this turned out to be a relatively average detective novel. Book 1 in a series, this may appeal to those readers who like village settings with police as the main characters. I don't mind this sort of plot and setting as a rule, but I found the writing lacking. Dare I say it was like the bones of a story but it needed to be fleshed out?

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

After the death of his wife, DS Matt Price transfers to the small town of Penzance so his parents can help care for his young daughter. On his first day, bones are found in a field near town. Who do the bones belong to and how did they end up in a field?
When young girls go missing from local nurseries, the pressure amps up and the team must work together to find the children, while still investigating the old murders.
I was immersed in the story from the very beginning and the investigations into old bones and missing children are woven together skillfully. The ending was a surprise and yet it fit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

Rating: 2.1/5

I can find it awkward to get into a book series once it is already established, so I was pleased to be able to pick up "The Lost Girls of Penzance" as the first of the "Cornwall Murder Mysteries" featuring DI Lauren Pengelly and DS Matt Price. I have been known to have something of a "love-hate" relationship with police procedurals, as I often find them to be too formulaic and hackneyed, but given that this one had the benefit of a Cornish setting, which often adds an extra element of appealing atmosphere to a novel, I was hopeful that this may be one of the more pleasing examples.

It certainly makes for easy reading, flows comfortably and does an effective enough job of establishing the central characters at the outset of a new book series, but overall I can't honestly say that it floated my boat. The writing mostly errs on the simplistic side with the dialogue often seeming quite stilted and unnatural. It also struck me that there was quite a bit of padding that seemed only to be serving the purpose of raising the word count. I also felt that the potentially favourable Cornish backdrop was wasted. I didn't really feel any sense of Cornwall as I was reading this book - it could have been equally well set in any other reasonably remote location in the UK.

There are dual threads to the plot, but it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to learn that they will prove to be connected in some way. Sadly, the plotting is all a bit clumsy. Developments are at best very convenient - if you are feeling kindly disposed towards the author - but in all honesty, it would be more accurate to say that they stretch credulity beyond the acceptable bounds of literary fiction. The earlier sections of the book do show reasonable levels of promise and the writer is also clearly trying to establish some ongoing background themes to develop as the series progresses. However, in the later stages there is an increasing lack of credibility and at times it simply becomes silly.

There will be people out there who lap up this type of disposable reading matter and be looking forward to further books featuring these characters - but I don't think I will be joining them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was an intriguing mystery in the first of a series. Enjoyed the set up of introducing new characters and a new location. I must admit that I figured out the “one”’who who was wanted” before it came together-but that’s also a plus in this case. I can’t say it was great literature however I’m intrigued enough to explore other series by this author. An entertaining read.

Excellent! The story starts as two separate threads, both of which are very engaging and intriguing and would work as stand-alone stories. Some, seemingly, historic bones have been found near an old farm cottage and foul play seems to have occurred so the race is on to confirm the identities and exactly what happened.
The parallel thread is the heart stopping abduction of a young child from a day nursery, somewhere where we always assume to be safe for our children thus plays on our worst fears brilliantly.
The action is fast paced and non stop, blows keep coming left right and centre. We also meet the police team who are all fascinating characters in their own right, including the boss- nicknamed the Ice Queen and the newest member of the team Matt who has recently lost his wife and who becomes very much part of the plot on several levels (trying not to give spoilers).
There is a little bit of artistic licence regarding Police procedure and language used but not too much to grate and the characters were engaging and I can’t wait to see how they progress. I would definitely like to read more by this author, recommend.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed the book and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Exceeded as expected.
Sally Rigby never disappoints. Always a good storyline and strong characters.
Hope her next book comes along soon.
Recommend.

DI Lauren Pengelly is a hard taskmaster. A workaholic who accepts only the very best from her team, she has earned the nickname Ice Queen, behind her back of course. Unwilling to take a break, it is at the insistence of her DCI that she has holiday. Reluctantly Lauren agrees, booking herself on a Lands End to John O’Groats cycle ride. On the day of departure, human remains are discovered on a nearby farm, so instead of going off on her jollies, in full cycling gear she heads up to the location of the find.

DS Matt Price has transferred to Penzance from a busy Midlands station. This is because he has recently become a widower after the sudden death of his wife. Needing help to look after his precocious two year old Dani, Matt moves into his mum and dad’s house in Penzance. Arriving at the station early on his first day, he finds the office empty, until the DCI turns up and tells Matt to get out to a nearby farm to investigate the call re the human remains.

Thus is the first meeting between the two officers, Pengelly in her cycling gear without her official ID trying to get onto the secure site, and Price, refusing to let some random cyclist anywhere near the action!

From the first chapter I really liked this book. Fast paced, good plot, and a captivating read. Of course, at times I needed to suspend belief in some events, but a good story nevertheless. I liked the characters, even warming to Lauren who fully deserves her nickname.

I believe this is the first in what is to become a series. I haven’t read this author before but will definitely be on the look out for the return of Pengelly and Price.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! The publication date is the 5th October 2023. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it won’t be the last! This book is a fantastic police procedural book which had lots of suspense and nail biting moments. I throughly enjoyed it. My favourite characters were Matt and Lauren as I felt like they had a good relationship and worked well together. Overall, a fantastic book as it was so good I read it in a day!

A skeleton found with a hole in its skull and little girls going missing from nursery where they are supposed to be safe.

I was completely hooked from ther first page. Having never read any of Sally Rigby's previous book i will now to be going looking for some.

This kept my attention and I was willing Lauren and her team on

Thanks to net galley for this arc

5 stars

In The Lost Girls of Penzance by Sally Rigby, the pale outline of bones in the dew-laden grass catches and holds Detective Lauren Pengelly's gaze. In the distance, she can hear the faint sound of crashing waves and the eerie screech of seagulls. Whose life was so brutally cut short in this beautiful, lonely place?

I really liked getting to know Lauren and Matt and how they would navigate their working relationship, and how the team would work together. I liked the dynamics between Matt and Lauren and the other characters.

I love a good police procedural, and The Lost Girls of Penzance did not disappoint. I hope to read more about the next adventures of these characters.

#TheLostGirlsofPenzance #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

I enjoyed the Matt price character and I'm so glad he's returned. A great novel to start us off which I personally can't wait to continue the series

Return of Matt Price in the setting of Cornwall.
The action is non stop, along with child kidnapping, murder and a lot of mystery.
Lauren is Matt's new.boss and a good strong character, that will develop more in
this new series. Outstanding to read and enjoyed.
Given arc for my voluntary review by Net Galley and Storm Publisher

The storyline for this one was outstanding.
I enjoyed meeting new characters. I think the Ice Queen will soften up some and be a really likeable character.
It was very nice to see Matt Price back in action.
The suspense and emotion was spot on throughout the entire read.
A very good read.
Many thanks for the chance to read and review this.

Cornwall is having a moment in mainstream fiction and the thriller genre these days. Detective Lauren Pengelly is called out when human remains are found behind a house, and while the victim has been dead for at least two decades, their death was anything but natural. Lauren‘s formerly quiet little town becomes a hotbed of crime when on the same day, a child disappears from a nursery. Are the two cases somehow connected? Cornwall‘s beauty is a juxtaposition with the crimes. Lauren is trying to solve.

Great book!! For some reason I thought this was going to be a cosy mystery type book, but I was pleasantly surprised! This book had some grit to it! It had high suspense, intrigue, action, child kidnapping, murder, mystery, great police work and a few crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my Kindle! I highly recommend reading this book! It was well worth reading! I can't wait for more! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Fans of Sally Rigby will be in heaven. Her new thriller is an absolute better. She has never written a more confidently plotted novel.
For months I have been waiting for the return of Matt Price (always one of my favourite characters from Sally's Cavendish and Walker series). And what a way to introduce him in his very own series set in Cornwall.
This is an amazing read. From the outset it is relentlessly tense, and be warned you are likely to have heart palpitations long before you reach the end.
Lauren Pengelly is Matt's new boss and an absolutely stunning character, already fully formed in this very first novel, and just full of hidden depths.
In the last third of the book the plot just goes into emotional overdrive and reaches an absolutely nail-biting denouement.