Number two in this series, I warmed more to Lucy in this book than the first one. She has had a difficult past though and is now working as a police dog handler after being a detective for years. This book deals with the difficult subjects of child abuse and abduction/disappearance of children. Saying that it is a good read, fast paced and most of the loose ends are tied up by the last chapters. It did trigger emotions for me, sadness about some of the events and the effect this had on relationships. Lucy is discouraged from following her instincts on one case by Jack, a good friend and detective who himself was involved in a murder case as a child. Lots of food for thought about percussions of some of the events, some of which can last for years.
A police procedural, with a difference . Thanks to Net Galley for a great read

Thanks to netgalley for providing this advanced copy for the purpose of review.
I have read a previous police procedural by this author and really enjoyed it. I found this to be a very promising start with the same great writing. I found the characters interesting and well fleshed out. The mystery was gripping and I am looking forward to reading more

Once again , I have jumped in at number 2 in the series. I loved the fact that this book involves dogs. I connected to the characters, even though the plot of a missing child is one I have read many a time, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I am a fan of Louisa Scarr so was keen to read this latest offering. The characters roll on from the last one in the series and we find enough out about their past to answer a few questions including quite a few I wasn’t really bothered about. I read it more or less in one sitting so I must have had something good to a certain level but it just didn’t quite hit the high notes either. Interesting but not interesting enough.

I love this series and already cannot wait for book 3! What's not to love? British procedural (check); strong, smart female protagonist (check); a smidge of romance (check); DOGS AND MORE DOGS (check and check). Louisa Scarr is THE BEST.

You know I love my crime novels and Louisa Scarr is one of the best in the biz, especially because her new British procedural series includes my other favorite thing: dogs (and a guarantee that they’ll be unharmed!!)!

I’m obsessed with these books! MEMORIAL PARK is the second installment in the PC Lucy Halliday series and it was even better than the first. I think book one (GALLOWS WOOD) understandably had to spend some of its focus on setting the stage with the characters and their backgrounds while teaching me about working dogs. While I absolutely loved it, that breakneck crime novel pacing was slowed down a tad, but not to worry - the plot is extra twisty and addictive in book two!

I will caution that this story is hard to stomach at times and I imagine it would be even harder if you’re a parent. I think because it’s so well written and you’re so invested in the characters the dark parts pack an extra punch. Swipe for full synopsis but a young girl goes missing and while Halliday and her team are looking for her, details emerge about a cold case very close to her friend DCI Jack Ellis’ heart.

If you’re a fan of Cara Hunter or Karin Slaughter you need to be reading Scarr’s books! I say this as the self-proclaimed number one fan of all three of these women so please take me seriously.

Scarr is the only author that has been able to create characters that are up there with my love of the cast of Will Trent. Plus, her gritty crime cases and moody British settings are a bit reminiscent of Hunter’s books while still feeling really unique and fresh!

MEMORIAL PARK is my favorite in this series but I still strongly recommend starting with GALLOWS WOOD. It’s fab and you’ll easily fall in love with Lucy and Moss.

It’s hard to compete with books about dogs, but I think Scarr’s Butler & West series is still my fave by a smidge. Start with LAST PLACE YOU LOOK and thank me later.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own!

Memorial Park by Louisa Scarr is a gripping and emotionally charged crime novel that pulls you in with the harrowing search for a missing three-year-old girl, Rosie Logan. Something you wish never to happen to your own kids. I had no idea this was book 2 in the PC Lucy Halliday series but luckily you can read it separately. I received a copy from Canelo via Netgalley and it came out yesterday!

The story skillfully weaves together the present-day investigation with the unresolved trauma from DCI Jack Ellis's past, as he is haunted by the disappearance of his childhood friend, Theo. The case becomes personal for Jack, offering a powerful emotional undercurrent that drives his determination to solve the case and prevent another tragedy.

Scarr excels in creating a tense atmosphere, with unexpected twists and family secrets that hinder progress at every turn. The dynamic between dog handler Halliday, her loyal canine partners Moss and Iggy, and her superior, Jack, adds depth to the investigation. The writing is done superbly which, at specific times in the book with specific descriptions, gives you the shivers. The horrible scenes sometimes make it a tough read.

All in all, a great thriller with so many twists that you keep guessing till nearly the end. I can't wait to read more about these characters.

5/5 ⭐️

I read the first book in this series and loved it, and this one is just as fantastic. The characters are incredibly well-developed, and I really appreciate the depth they bring to the story. I’m a big fan of police procedurals, and I love the unique twist of Lucy working with police dogs.

If you’re looking for a new series to dive into, I highly recommend this one!

I’m not sure why I chose this book to read. I don’t usually go for books about missing children, largely because there are so many, but this one just appealed to me. I liked the idea of a dog handler as part of the investigative team and seeing a crime through those eyes. I’d not read the first in the series, but that in no way impacted on my pleasure in reading this one.

I found this to be a pacy and involving read. Well-rounded characters, a good plot and lots of misdirection helped to make this a one-sit read. I enjoyed getting the back history of both Lucy and her friend and boss, Jack Ellis. Its not that often you see senior policeman face their own vulnerabilities and though DCI Jack Ellis is an exceptional policeman who does not suffer fools gladly, his emotional response to the disappearance of his childhood friend was both plausible and touching.

There’s a good mix of the professional and the personal in both Jack’s and Lucy’s lives, which makes the characters easy to empathise with. The dog handling elements are also fascinating as I read about the difference between searching for a live person and using a different, cadaver dog, in cases when proof of life is not anticipated.

Memorial Park deals with some dark subject matter, as it intertwines a present-day case of a missing child, Rosie Logan, and old (and cold) case – that of DCI Jack Ellis’ childhood friend, Theo, who disappeared one night after the two had been out playing.

The story is well-plotted and has plenty of threads to follow, though choosing which is the right one that will lead to the answer is not as easy as it appears. The action is constant, the tension palpable and emotions run high throughout. I enjoyed Louisa Scarr’s writing style which flows well and can absolutely convey darkness when the plot requires it.

Verdict: I enjoyed this for its engaging characters, interesting plot-line and for the work I had to put in trying to work out what had happened to both children. Memorial Park is a fast-paced, enjoyable and entertaining read. I’ll go back and read the first book before signing up for the rest of the series!

*Book Review *

🄽🄴🅃🄶🄰🄻🄻🄴🅈 🅁🄴🅀🅄🄴🅂🅃

Book Two of the PC Lucy Halliday series!!

I totally loved book one in the series and just couldn’t wait to get more of Lucy and her dogs.

What a book this was. This book I found to be a lot darker than the first one which is always a bonus in my eyes. The way that Louisa deals with some of the heavy topics within this book is just fantastic. There is one part in particular within the book that had me literally balling my eyes out. It felt so raw and real, I felt like I had been through it myself. For an author be able to make a reader feel this sort emotion just shows the quality of their writing. I had to message Louisa straight away and let her know!

Whilst reading you can tell that Louisa has done her research for this book which gives it much more authenticity. It is well written, very easy to read with interesting and rich characters. I felt like I was catching up with old friends. They are strongly written and the connections they have between each other just compliment so well.

As the story unfolds it just twist and turns in ways you don’t expect and kept me on the edge of my seat all the way right up until the very last word. I cannot wait for book three.

I ecstatic to find out that Louisa has also wrote books under the pseudonym of Sam Holland. I can’t wait to read them as well. I’ve heard so many raving reviews about them.

Thankyou to @louisascarrwriter @netgalley and @canelo_co for accepting me to read and review this book.

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

where to start with this one....

maria takes her daughter rosie to the park but gets distracted not for long but its enough for rosie to go missing.... and when she cant be found the police are called.....

lucy and her dogs get called to the scene to help find rosie.... but it begins to look more and more like rosie has been abducted....

what a gripping novel this one was.... you just never knew what to expect and the characters in this book are so well thought out and well written its a pleasure to read...

never saw half the things that got uncovered in this book.....

looking forward to reading the next book in this series

I make no secret of the fact that I am a big fan of this author, having devoured her brilliant Butler and West series (which I also wholeheartedly recommend) as well as the series opener to this book - Gallows Wood, which I also recommend you read prior to digging into this one.
We start with a missing child - three year old Rosie Logan disappeared whilst her mother, Maria, was distracted, only for a moment. As is the protocol in these cases, police dogs are called in to search the area, and that means DCI Jack Ellis calls on PC Lucy Halliday and her wonderful dogs Moss and Iggy. But, sadly, there is no sign of Rosie. This case is a bit too close to home for Jack as it brings back memories of his own unresolved trauma around the disappearance of his childhood best mate Theo, still unresolved after all this time.
If that wasn't enough, it soon transpires that the Logan family has many many secrets that they fail to disclose and which would have helped at the start, in the golden hour, but at every turn the police find out more and more to take them off at a tangent, the case really stutters...
There are so many books of this genre around at the moment, the good old police procedural, but, and please correct me if I am wrong, I can't recall another which focuses on the dog handling unit. Which, to me anyway, gives this series a bit of an edge. Something different to get to grips with, the whole search dog or cadaver dog decisions etc etc...
The story and characters are all just perfect and all fit together well. As with all series books there is a balance to be struck between the main episode storyline and that is done well here too. We have the whole Jack and his friend sub-story to be has as well as the personal stuff around Lucy, none of which distracts away from the missing child.
This was all delivered in a no nonsense, no waffle way which meant that it all got on with itself very well indeed. And then, the ending when it eventually came, was perfect and left me completely satisfied.
All in all, a cracking follow-up to what was a great series opener... roll on book three. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another brilliant police procedural with police dogs. Love louisa scarr's writing, great to read and its refreshing to read from a dog handlrs point of view rather that the standard detective.
Highly recommend.

Memorial Park by Louisa Scarr is the 2nd book in the PC Lucy Halliday series. The main character PC Lucy Halliday was a former Detective and recently changed her career and became a dog handler with Hampshire police.
When 3 year old girl called Rosie goes missing from a park while she's there with her mother. Rosie's mother is beside herself. She goes searching for her and there is no sign of her little girl. DCI Jack Ellis. is called to the scene and PC Lucy Halliday with Moss and Iggy her four legged companions, are there to help find Rosie.
This investigation is not an easy one, especially for DCI Jack Ellis as this case brings up old trauma for him. His childhood best friend, Theo, went missing when he was eleven and was never found. This is Jack’s only chance to make things right. He won’t fail Rosie like he failed Theo.

So many questions and the Logan family are keeping secrets from everyone who is trying to find Rosie. Every time Lucy and Jack think they’re making progress, they’re hampered by yet another one.

Why are they not telling them everything?

Can they find the truth, and Rosie, before it’s too late?

I highly recommend this book especially as you can read it as a standalone book, but I do recommend you read the first book. It will not disappoint.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for my ARC.,

Memorial Park by Louisa Scarr is a dark and gripping police procedural that does involve the subject of child abuse. The author writes this in a delicate way and it is not graphic at all. This is the second book in the PC Lucy Halliday series but definitely can be read as a standalone.
One second is all it took for little Rosie Logan to vanish. PC Lucy Halliday and her police dogs Moss and Iggy are on the case as well as DCI Jack Ellis. Jack takes this case to heart especially because it reminds him of the disappearance of his best friend Theo 30 years ago. With law enforcement using every technique in the book can they find little Rosie? Who took her and is she safe? And what exactly are the Logan's hiding?
This novel was very well written especially dealing with such sensitive subject matter. The way Scarr blends mystery and intrigue with the gripping action of a police novel with dogs is brilliant. I also like the back and forth between the cases, it really ties everything together in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Louisa Scarr, and Canelo for this ARC. Expected release date is February 6th 2025.

4 Stars
One Liner: Dark and gripping

It took just one second for a three-year-old Rosie Logan to vanish when her mother, Maria, turned the other side.
PC Lucy Halliday (with police dogs Moss and Iggy) and DCI Jack Ellis are on the case. Jack is determined to save Rose as this reminds him of his childhood best friend who disappeared one day without a trace.
However, the Logan family is unwilling to share its secrets, hampering the investigation at every point. Can Lucy and Jack little Rose before it’s too late?
The story comes in Maria, Lucy, and Jack’s third-person POVs in the present tense.

My Thoughts:
This is the second book in the series that has a standalone mystery but it will be much better if you read the previous book (if I say this, then you know you can’t ignore it).
The story is dark like the first book and has more than one case in parallel. Despite the fear and heavy atmosphere, the content is not graphic. It seems like the author took great care to mention only what is necessary for the plot. I appreciate this since the plotline is around a missing child.
The mystery is layered with many reveals and twists. These happen periodically to keep the reader hooked and the plot moving. It makes the narration steady if not fast-paced. Also, there’s enough internal dialogue to continue with character development for Lucy and Jack.
Given that the FMC is a dog handler, the police dogs play a vital role in the book. Moss and Iggy take turns doing their jobs and are such adorable cuties. Iggy takes the spotlight this time though Moss is not far behind.
So far, I like the development between the main characters. They are friends now but still annoy each other often. I am curious to see how things will change as the series continues but no complaints for now.
Most questions are answered well. The themes are as dark as the plot but handled with care. Revealing them could be spoilers but know that there might be a few triggers.
There’s a short author’s note about the places mentioned in the book. I understand what she means when she says it is easier to make up new places than to use real ones. That’s how I prefer to write too.

To summarize, Memorial Park is a fairly intense read but doesn’t get overwhelming. It tackles important themes and makes the reader think. The writing style is really good. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Canelo Crime, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #MemorialPark

This police procedural grabbed me from the prologue and didn’t let go. The investigations into a current and cold case missing child were both intense. I loved the details of dog training and deployment by British police. I also enjoyed Lucy’s dance of a developing relationship with fellow dog handler Pete. Messy pasts make the main characters and their reactions more interesting, and though this is the second Lucy Halliday book it can stand alone. This is sure to appeal to readers of Mizushima & Driscoll. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The story starts with us learning that 3 year old Rosie Logan has disappeared from a local park when her Mum, Maria turns away for a bit!! PC Lucy Halliday and her police dogs - Moss and Iggy are called in to help with the search. The police are using all forms of tools to aid finding Rosie. We discover there is a witness, who calls the Police and is helping Maria search the local park. Later, the case is passed to DCI Jack Ellis, along with his Major Crimes team set out to run various lines of investigation. Who took Rosie? How? Why? Is there a motive? However, for Jack, this brings back painful memories of his best friend, Theo who went missing about 30 years ago. The friendship dynamic of Lucy and Jack is brilliant. What is there not to love about a police procedural with dogs. More please!!!!

Louisa Scarr is fast becoming my go-to for thrillers. I absolutely love the Butler and West series, and the PC Halliday series is shaping up to be just as good.

This one was quite a hard read just for the subject matter (huge tw for child abuse) but well written and sensitively done. Genuinely gasped at several points in the book from all the secrets of the Logan family.

I love that this is a police thriller involving a dog handler as it's not something you read often. The dogs are written in a way that their personalities really come through as well. They're not just a plot device, they're proper characters. Can't wait for the next instalment!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Louisa Scarr does it again!
Having loved the first book, I did wonder if it would be possible to live up to the hype and book 2 does not disappoint. I may even go as far to say that book 2 is better than the first.
The characters have me hooked and I really enjoyed how Louisa has managed to further develop these without pushing the boundaries of reality too far. I cannot wait to see how these characters continue to grow as the series goes on. There has to be a 3rd book!
As for the twists and turns in the book - well, I don't want to give any spoilers, but you certainly won't get bored reading this book.
Final shout out to the dogs in the book, yes there are multiple this time - but I'll leave the readers to find out about their part in the story. As a dog lover it is great to have Moss (he is my fave) as a main stay in the series.