I enjoyed this book a lot. The setting was creepy and I loved that I didn’t immediately know what was going to happen with the ending. An extremely fun read as well as one that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Especially if you’re reading it at night like I mostly did. I am curious to read more about the characters in this series and seeing how more of their adventures would unfold. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 Rating.
I did enjoy this book and was particularly excited to read a horror novel set in an abandoned psychiatric hospital. I know I'm weird in my appreciation of abandoned places. I liked the characters and seeing the relationship between our main characters.
Where things went south for me was the fact that it felt like there were three books happening in one. I don't want to spoil too much about the story but it felt like a horror, semi sci-fi, and then police procedural all at once and it felt discombobulating.
Overall, I did enjoy reading it and will be looking out for future work by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant story with a believable character in Detective Miller. The story line kept me engaged throughout.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series

O.M.G what a book. !!
This is book 2 in the series with frankie and maria., best friends and partners in the task force, which solves crimes that are not the Norm. When the chiefs daughter riley goes missing after a visit to an old haunted asylum, frankie and maria are called upon. Something is lurking in the deep dark abyss of the tower which has been locked for years, buy why?.
This was addictive, had my heart beating faster than it should and it was as CREEPY as hell!! The hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end throughout.. This has to be one of the best books i have read. Highley recommend. What you waiting for?????

Detective Maria Miller #2

She moves her flashlight around the dark, empty ward. How could her friends have left her alone in a place like this? But she isn't really alone. Someone is watching. And he won't let her leave this place alive....

Shorty before midnight, four teenagers broke into the old abandoned psychiatric hospital on Beacon Hill. But only three come out again.

When Riley Holt disappeared after she and her three friends broke into an old abandoned psychiatric hospital, Detectives Maria Miller and Frankie Conway were called in to investigate. The story has a dual timeline - the past, 1960, and the present day, 2023. Part ghost story and part police procedural, it's quite a creepy and chilling read. Something evil is hiding in the shadows.

The more you read, the more the pieces start to come together. The characters are well-developed and it has been descriptively written. Helen Phifer is one of my favourite authors, she never disappoints.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #StormPublishing and the author #HelenPhifer for my ARC of #HerLostSoul in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3.5
I received the ARC for this title and would like to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing.
I realized that this book was the second in a series, so I got the first title and read it before this one.
This book was a little different than the first. I love the characters, and liked seeing how they worked together in this book.
I enjoyed this book, and read it in two days. However, there were certain aspects that were in the first book that seemed to be “light” in this one. I knew that the paranormal would be involved, because Maria and Frankie head a special department in the police force. But in the first novel there was a lot of research and investigating all aspects of the case. It was that part that really made the story come together.
Alas, not as much in this book. The researching and investigating seemed light when looking at the human aspect. This felt more horror than police procedural. However, once I saw where it was going, I was hooked and wanted to see how in the world everything would be resolved!
I will read the next installment of this series to see where it goes. The pace was fast, I was creeped out in a few scenes. So, yes, I enjoyed this book- but missed some elements that were in the previous novel!

4.00 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THANK YOU TO NET GALLEY FOR THE ARC OF THIS NOVEL!

I like a book to get to the meat of the story and not bog me down in detail about the weather, the curtains, and what they were wearing. Yes, set the stage. Yes, give me context so I can get a sense of the environment, but I don’t need to get lost in it. Her Lost Soul fits that bill perfectly.

The big bad of this novel is the Asylum (so to speak). Yes, there is an ominous presence because it was never a good place, and yes, it held souls due to an ancient evil. (Don’t go building things on indigenous grounds) The Asylum was explained in detail, and we need that context to know about this ominous place where terrible things happened and whom it catered to. The rooms, the tower, and the grounds all needed to be laid out because they’re where the story takes place.

Her Lost Soul is set in a small town outside New York, and two detectives, Maria and Frankie, are put on a missing persons case of an unusual nature. A teenage girl was missing in a nearby town, and as a favor to a fellow detective, Maria and Frankie wanted to help bring the missing teen home.

Of course, teenagers are partly to blame for entering this abandoned building in the first place and showing off. (Have they learned nothing from scary movies …LOL) WE DON’T DISRESPECT THE DEAD. Why is everyone looking to chase ghosts when they don’t have the full knowledge or background of the supernatural? They see it on TV (which we know is scripted) and think …” Hey, we can do that”. These stupid actions are the cause of awakening what's been dormant for a time to come alive.

The novel does get a little dippy, going back and forth through time (from 1960, when the asylum housed patients, to the present). I guess this helps the reader to understand things a little better, but it’s in the present that we learn about the grounds where the asylum was built. However, we still don’t get the necessary details about said evil. There should have been a backstory of how it came to fruition, exactly when it started, if, in fact, it was trapped on this ground …etc.

That being said, this was a quick read that I didn’t dread. It kept me going back to it every time, wanting more and getting more into the story, so while it’s a little flawed, I still enjoyed the overall story.

A real eye opener. Book Two Detective Maria Miller, in Greenwich Village, New York, a lively area with always something happening and Maria is settled here in her apartment, her relationship with Harrison Williams is just how she likes it no strings attach, he's a good guy, a few dates, no ties her love life is running smoothly.
Frankie Conroy, her best buddy, her police partner, are sent out to Beacon Hill, the old hospital where a young girl was last seen and is now missing, Maria cannot forget the events on West 10th Street, and entering this old asylum, creepy haunted place, reminds of the college kid killer.
The book also takes us back to 1960 Faye Miller, a patent who is sent to rest and take her meds.
I tell you what, this book gave me the jeepers creepers, with loads of almighty goose bumps they need to find this missing girl Riley and bring her back to the current day that isn't going to be easy.
Wow! it is such a unputdownable chilling read right through to the end.
Love these characters they do grow on you.
a big 5 stars from me.

Although I have read and enjoyed other books by this author, I had not realised that this book is a supernatural thriller. Not really my genre, but I started to read it anyway. This book is based in an old psychiatric hospital and set in two timeperiods, present day and 1960. It involves 4 friends exploring the old hospital but one girl disappears. The team of Frankie and Maria are called in from New York city because they have previously been involved with "strange" cases.
Pretty much a police procedural I suppose, with the supernational dimension. A short book with short chapters, I read it rapidly . Not too scary and actually better than I had expected, it is an unusual read which was entertaining in its own way. There is plenty of suspense and perhaps the filmstar was a step too far but not a bad read.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

What a unique book! I was good with just a scary, abandoned asylum...you just can't go wrong there. This was not at all what I was expecting and I loved it. It was hard to wrap my head around at times and I had to re-read parts but oh it was so worth it.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. Maris Miller is in my top five favorite heroines! What a great paranormal story that twists and turns like only Helen Phifer can create. Please let there be more with this character! Highly recommend.

Despite not having read the first book I still enjoyed this one. It’s well written, with enough information to ensure you can read it as a stand alone. Great plot and characters, a solid read.

This book came out swinging. There was a lot of things going on in a good way. I really enjoyed this quick spooky read. I am curious to read the 1st book in the series but I didn't feel completely lost when reading this 1st. I think the story held up well and was not gory or overly disturbing so if you like " cozy" supernatural horror this is worth a shot.

I had to read The Haunting on West 10th Street before I jumped into Her Lost Soul because I'm a little OCD about reading a series in order. I love Detectives Miller and Conroy and the additional supporting characters. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Set in a haunted asylum in Beacon Hill with a little bit of time travel added in made for a great story. Thank you so much Storm Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to review this title. I have enjoyed Helen Phifer books in the past so when a friend recommended book one in the Maria Miller series I quickly read it. Totally not my style but ended up trying to force myself to stay awake to read more as I was completely engrossed, lol. The same held true with book 2, Her Lost Soul. Character development is great as is dialogue for the most part. Some didn't flow as well as others but that's to be expected I guess. My only pet peeve with this series is that although it is set in the USA Phifer sometimes seems to forget that and reverts to UK terminology such as bin instead of trash or garbage can, lift instead of elevator, stopping at someone's home for the night instead of staying at, etc. Small gripe in the grand scheme of things but irked me nonetheless. This installment of the series dealt with demons and time travel which at times was hard for me to wrap my head around but that's a me problem...I have that issue with time travel books in general. Love the movie star named Marilyn...made it so clear who she was without actually saying it. And....offering a 17 year old in NY state a beer in front of two police officers, would NEVER happen!

Her Lost Soul is a dark and gripping read that will have you looking over your shoulder and shuddering.

Detective Maria Miller and her partner Frankie are called in to investigate when four teenagers enter an abandoned psychiatric hospital .

One does not come out.

There is no trace of Riley at all.

The atmosphere is creepy and the pace is fast.

Helen Phifer tells the story in dual time lines from when this horrific hospital was open to present day and she tells it very well.

Maria and Frank make quite the team and I cant wait to see what eerie adventure that they take us on next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a chillingly good read.

The second book in the Detective Maria Miller series. I'd definitely advise reading the first book as it introduces the characters and gives you a better feel for the story. However, Her Lost Soul is a great read on it's own. Not my usual genre but I love Helen Phifer's other books so thought I'd give them a go and was so glad I did. Part police procedural part horror story these books are real fun to read and shouldn't be missed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Four teens break into an abandoned psychiatric hospital but only three leave ...

I love this series. The characters are great - brave and endearing. The book is spooky but not terrifying or gory. The dual timelines are an interesting twist. I love the addition of the troubled star. The book is a well-written, easy read. I am looking forward to the next one.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC copy.

What a page turner! I was fortunate enough to read this ARC thanks to netgalley and Storm Publishing.
Late into the night four teenagers looking for excitement and adventure wander their way into an old abandoned asylum. Keen of ghost hunting and all things supernatural they couldn’t stay away from the rumoured haunted building.
The teenagers start wandering around the building only to quickly realize, things are lurking in the shadows. Its chilly in spots, sounds of almost whisperings are all about, and things that cannot be explained start happening. It all becomes too much and they run out. Only something is terribly wrong, theres only three of them now and not four.
Riley Holt, a teenager and the chief of polices daughter is missing, seeming to have vanished into thin air.
Manhattan detectives who specialize in weird and inexplicable cases are called in to help. Maria and Frankie are an inseparable duo who keep an open mind to all possibilities. They quickly work the case uncovering the sinister history of the abandoned building- once home to the “College kid killer”, horrible medical practices, and that the building itself is on ancient burial grounds. The case begins getting more and more complex.
They start considering something supernatural may be at play. People know more than what they’re saying and Maria is about to put her life on the line to try to figure it out.
Something evil is lurking in the shadows and shes going to put a stop to it once and for all.
This was a very exciting and fast paced read. The supernatural and mystery elements made for a refreshing and imaginative read. It’ll keep you spooked and wanting more all at the same time! I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more Maria and Frankie novels!

I LOVED IT! Even better than the first, which was pretty damn good too.

What can be a more awesome read than an old haunted asylum, time travel and an age old mystery solved? A starlet, dotted throughout with the story based on real life events, that's what!

I love the way that the real life events can be intertwined with fiction, Forrest Gump style.

I also think you have a hit with your main characters together.

Thank you for the thrills, you have got a faithful reader in me, now. Sign me up for the next installment!

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.