This gripping, but hard to listen to at times, book introduces us to Detective Lottie Parker, a fierce and determined officer who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. The story begins with a chilling prologue that sets the stage for a suspenseful and thought-provoking story that is not always easy to listen to but sadly believable.

I was hooked from the start. The characters are well-developed and Lottie is a really strong character. The plot is complex and very engaging with twists and turns that kept me on my toes. While it was quite a long book, which might not suit everyone, it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.

The narrator, Michele Moran, is excellent, really bringing the characters and their world to life.

Overall, this is a great start to a new (to me) detective series and many thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts on this, a great start to a series.

Overall I just had a hard time getting into this book. I do not know if it was because it was an audio book and I did not care for the narrator or the actual story line. I just found it boring.

An interesting story, which made me respect Lottie with this first adventure of hers.
The plot is complex enough for a page turning detective novel and Lottie is likeable for a new character to get to know. As usual in these kind of cases, Lottie has a partner Boyde and a past full of secrets, which would probably be relieved one by one in the next books. Lottie is not perfect, which automatically makes her relatable.
The narrator has done a great job with the audiobook, despite having the wrong accent and I am certain that I shall follow the next story and accompany Lottie in another knot to be solved.

This is the storey of an Irish detective, lottie, juggling being a single parent and the biggest case in her career. With bodies starting to stack up in a small Irish community, it looks like all roads point to long buried secrets, the Catholic Church and a modern day cover up. Can lottie solve the case and stop more bodies turning up.
This took me a little while to get into. I found the narrator had quite a slow pace, once I sped it up to x1.5 I was well away. Great story telling, complex and felt incredibly truthful.

Even if I read various books by Patricia Gibney this was the first audiobook I listened too and it was a weird experience.
I enjoyed the plot, was surprised by the twists and couldn't guess the solution.
This is usually a grim series with more gore than average, the audio-book made me notice more details and graphic description.
A good one if you love crime thrillers, not a good one if you are queasy
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This review is a more it's me than the book situation. I really enjoy thrillers / police procedurals. But being a US resident, I find that I don't always connect with the DI style of UK and Ireland. This one kind of falls into that category. Since I know very little about many aspects of the religious practices and the procedures of their garda, it was a little harder for me as I am an information gatherer that enjoys knowing the why for actions. I did like that the first book is being rereleased in audio so I was able to start from the being of a series that is prolific. For those readers who love coming back to characters they love, this one will satisfy. Thanks NetGalley for the ALC of this title.

This book was a bit of a slog. Don't get me wrong, the story was decent but I felt the characters were a bit underwhelming.

I almost gave up on it twice. I'm glad I didn't because it was graphic and I was disturbed in all the right ways. It was well written but the characters.. UGHHHHHHHHHHH.

I think there is a good chance it was because of the narrator. This has happened to me before and reading the book improved the characters so I am waiting on my library hold and if there is an update, you will get one too.

3.5 stars

I love falling asleep to true crime podcast yet I still find overly graphic crime novels like this very visceral and haunting. If this entire series will be as dark as book one then lovers of thrillers who still look under their beds ( you know just in case) will be life long fans of Patricia Gibney. The audio was bone chilling and I finished it during daylight hours.

This is book 1 in the Detective Lottie Parker Series. It is an awesome debut thriller. It took me awhile to get into it, initially I didn't think I wasn't so sure I was going to like it. The subject matter is both graphic and disturbing in nature, and not for the faint-hearted, but were very well researched. Some passages are hard to read, but are critical to the story. Patricia Gibney is one to definitely keep an eye out for and I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who reads the genre. I am already looking forward to reading Lotties next outing and am delighted to have found such a talented author at the beginning of her career.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Patricia Gibney for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A murder mystery with several twists as well as real threats to Lottie and her family. I feel like this was non stop action as Lottie navigated between the victims and finding more. This was a crazy story and was really good and well written.

I love a good crime thriller, and this one delivered for sure! This book is installment one in a new detective series. It starts off with a serious bang as the prologue details a child being buried while other children watch wondering if they'll be next. I was captivated from the beginning and the writing kept me enthralled until the end. This book was an exciting start to a new series surrounding Lottie Parker. She is a fierce and thorough detective that will stop at nothing to solve the case in front of her. We are also introduced to those closest to her. The character development was great in this book. I felt as if I truly knew and understood Lottie by the time the book was over. I did feel the book was slightly long, but i enjoyed it nonetheless.

The narrator, Michele Moran, helped bring the characters to life, and I enjoyed the storytelling through her voice.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting book to listen to and kept me engaged throughout. I liked the narration. There were definitely enough twists and turns to k keep me really intrigued. This is my first read by this author and I will look for more. I am going to go with it being deliciously dark.

This was the sort of book that can make you lose sleep..due to both the subject matter and the reluctance to stop listening.
The characters were very well written and the plot was, sadly, believable and well paced.
The narration was excellent
I'm really looking forward to reading more D.I. Lottie Parker books and will definitely be reading more by Patricia Gibney.

5⭐️/5

This is a MUST READ series for fans of gritty crime dramas - and had the same feel of Broadchurch or Silent Witness. I listened to this on audiobook as an advanced copy of the first book in the D.I. Lottie Parker mysteries, just released on audiobook for the first time. I was thrilled to discover that there are 13 more books to binge next!!

The narrator, Michele Moran, did a wonderful job giving voice to the battered detective inspector, able to show both her broken and vulnerable side, as well as the steel beneath the surface.

I loved the dynamics between Lottie and her family, the way that grief affected them all so differently, and the complex relationships of parents and teenagers. Lottie’s struggle to balance her work, being a mother, and a recent widow, was poignant but also relatable. And the underlying subplot of the cold case added so much to the story, tying the past and present together seamlessly, and adding depth to Lottie’s character and motives.

Overall, an excellent start to what I’m sure will be my new favorite detective series!

Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and Bookouture Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook to review.

Loved Loved Loved listening to this one
A little slow to get into things but once it picked up it was fantastic
If you enjoy a good detective story, easy to follow, then this one is for you

Detective Lottie Parker's first outing and a complex and personal one. Lottie has a lot to deal with in her personal life as well as solving this case. With plenty of twists along the way, this is an enjoyable novel. Michelle Moran is a joy to listen to and moves this novel along nicely. Thanks to Bookoutre and Netgalley for this review audiobook.

The first book in the Det. Lottie Parker series, it is a gripping thriller set in in the fictional town of Ragmullin, Ireland.
The book begins with the discovery of a woman's body in a church, leading Detective Lottie Parker into a complex investigation involving murder, corruption, and dark secrets from the past.
Soon after, another victim turns up, leading Detective Parker and her team into a deep and increasingly personal investigation. Both murders seem connected to St. Angela’s, a former children's home run by the Catholic Church, where long-buried secrets of abuse, corruption, and lost children begin to surface
The investigation takes Lottie into a disturbing world where institutional abuse, human trafficking, and the horrors faced by orphans decades ago come to light. As the bodies pile up, Lottie has to unravel the connections between these murders, the church, and powerful figures in Ragmullin. Lottie herself is haunted by the unresolved trauma of her husband’s death, struggling to raise her children while dedicating herself to solving the case. As the investigation intensifies, her personal and professional lives blur dangerously
Detective Lottie Parker, is an emotionally charged character. Her personal grief over her husband's untimely death, her tense relationship with her teenage children, and her struggles with authority make her a multi-dimensional character. Lottie’s flaws are prominently displayed—she drinks too much, avoids dealing with her personal grief, and throws herself into her work to avoid her problems.
Lottie’s backstory is subtly woven into the mystery, making her not just an observer of crime but also someone with her own demons tied to the central plot.
This was a long woven story but totally worth reading, thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the ARC.

I want to think NetGalley for a copy of the missing ones. Honestly, the missing one is not what I thought it was gonna be just when you think you know what’s going on. The pilot twist gets twist-er, and will have you on the edge of your seat.

When I requested this book I didn’t realize it was a series with 14 books! I’m quite invested in the main Character Lottie Parker’s story, so I’m hoping to find the others on kindle!

It took me a while to get into this one but I ended up really enjoying this book! Lottie Parker was a great character - I foresee more in this run! I enjoyed the narrator

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

3.5 Stars rounded up

Publish date: 09/20/2024

Dealing with one of the darkest secrets in irish history this novel is set in one of the many mother and baby homes around the country.

Gripping from beginning to end though the subject matter is disturbing to listen to at times.