I loved the first book in this series and was so excited to have more of Lucy and the dogs. What could be better than a police procedural book with dogs!! for me that is just heaven 😊

This time Lucy and the boys, Moss and Iggy, are called to Memorial Park where 3 year old Rosie has gone missing. Her mother is beside herself but there is no sign of the little girl. The investigation is not an easy one, especially with the family being less than honest with them.

This is a much darker book than the first one, dealing with some very heavy topics. It is also very emotional for these characters. It had me reading late into the night and I was getting teary as well. The case was not at all straight forward and had plenty of twists. The ending was not at all predictable which is always a win for me.

I do love Lucy and her dogs. Anyone who loves dogs is always going to be my friend. It is interesting seeing a different side of policing and how they train these animals.

Absolutely loved it. Published on February 6th, 2025. Thanks so much to Canelo on NetGalley for my early copy to read.

I really enjoyed this one, if anything I preferred it to the first. There was something more gritty about this one and I found it much darker. I loved the development of the characters and how they all have so much depth, Lucy, Jack and Pete are top notch, there best be another book, I don't know how many are intended for this series!

I'd highly recommend.

This was just truly incredible. I absolutely adored Gallows Wood so i had high expectations for Memorial Park and oh my goodness it did not disappoint. The characters and their backstories are just addictive and you can’t not want to discover the mystery of what happened to Jack’s best friend Theo. The writing is fast paced and the plot throws twists out where you least expect it. It’s everything that i love about a detective thriller book. Louisa Scarr, I love you!

Memorial Park follows the abduction of three-year-old Rosie Logan, and the story dives headfirst into the turmoil faced by those tasked with her search, primarily PC Lucy Halliday and her trusty police dogs, Moss and Iggy. From the outset, the author establishes a sense of urgency as Lucy, under the watchful eye of DCI Jack Ellis, navigates a labyrinth of secrets surrounding the Logan family. Each revelation not only propels the plot forward but also adds layers to the characters, particularly Jack, whose own painful past resurfaces with the investigation. The haunting memory of his childhood friend, Theo, who vanished without a trace, fuels his determination to rescue Rosie, creating a compelling emotional resonance throughout the narrative.

The interplay between the probing nature of the investigation and the underlying personal stakes for the characters creates a gripping reading experience. The inclusion of the police dogs adds a unique element to the search, emphasizing both their loyalty and the critical role they play in law enforcement.

The only flaw in the book was the actual character of Lucy. For some reason, I found her abrasive and arrogant in this story. But, overall, Memorial Park is an absorbing read that delivers a heart-pounding mystery and delves into the complexities of human relationships and the weight of unresolved guilt.

#NetGalley

My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Louisa Scarr can do no wrong, I am super into this series!!!

This is the second book in the series, and while you can read it as a standalone you do miss a little of the backstory to DCI Jack Ellis and the previous case.

I think for me this one wasn’t quite as strong as book one, but I still really liked it. I think that Lucy and Jack needed to work together more… and the whole Logan family need a punch in the throat (except for Rosie of course).

Louisa’s writing is as always captivating I love it… and I have no complaints there… I don’t really have any complaints at all if I am honest just that it wasn’t quite as good as book one but I still ate it up with no leftovers… so there you go.

I really like Lucy as a character, she can accept when she makes a mistake and she also knows when she wants something. I think she has grown from book one as well which is great. Her friendship with Jack is awesome, and seemingly not going to be a romance which I am actually ok with (who knows with Lousia though she is tricky). I think that the love interests in this one are actually really good.

The Theo storyline was interesting and I was really keen to know what happened, it was all tied up nicely… but still had some twists enough to keep me guessing.

Overall, if you liked book one I do recommend continuing… it was worth it. I love LS writing and her storytelling is awesome.. I am super keen for another Butler and West though please!!!

Thank you to Canelo Crime, NetGalley and Louisa Scarr for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the authors first book Gallows Wood and Memorial Park is another great read that really hit the mark with me. Lucy and her police dog are called in to search for a young missing girl. Are the family being honest with the police though? The authors writing is very good and the story flows well. I think the pacing is perfect and Lucy and DI Ellis find themselves in a race against time to find the young girl. There are lots of different story threads here that really held my attention and interest and made this a very moreish read full of intrigue and suspense. I like the growing friendship between Lucy and Jack and the glimpses the author gives into their personal lives is a lovely touch. They are both likeable, relateable characters each with a back history and the author portrays them realistically.

I think this series is shaping up to be a very good one, and it is a refreshing change to have a police dog handler as a main character. Overall a very good read which I'd recommend although you need to read Gallows Wood first. Really looking forward to the next book.

I love Police procedral books and it's rare that they include other aspects such as dog handlers, so this book about missing children was very very real.

Rosie is missing having disappeared when her mother 'looked away for a moment'.

This is a brilliant but emotional read. It covers difficult subjects that go hand in hand with children and their abductors.

It is superbly written and I loved how the story progressed.

Memorial Park is the second book in PC Halliday series. It tells a gripping story of a missing child and brings back Lucy and Jack into readers lives. This book contains multiple mysteries with lots of turns and surprises along the way. Furthermore it brings readers into the world of dog handlers and their police dogs.

The start of Memorial Park is little slower with lots of information that someone who read the first book already has. This allows a new reader to not be lost but I found myself wishing to get to the main story and find out what will happen next. Once I got past the first couple chapters I found myself struggling to put the book down.

Louisa Scarr creates such a smooth read it's a pleasure to jump into her story, she brings in factual information about the police system that makes it that much more interesting.

Her characters are consistent although I did find myself frustrated few times with how easily one of the main characters is seeing holes in people stories where everyone around her seems to be missing them. Nonetheless I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of mystery in their life and is not overly disturbed by mention of child pornography or sexual abuse.

This book was not what I expected. The books I usually read are more to do with serial killers and murders, but I loved this one just as much.
There aren’t many books focusing on police dog handlers, but this seemed to nail the idea on the head. It brought everything from the first book and tied it all together nicely whilst leaving room for anticipation for the next book.
Memorial Park is a book with lovable characters (Moss and Iggy take the cake for that obviously!) and a plot that is just as good. I was hooked from the first page and often found myself wondering what would happen next time I opened the book.
Louisa Scarr is an incredible writer who takes immense effort to be accurate and do her research. There are many links to famous events and people such as Madeleine McCann which really immerse you in this book. The link to “our” world only makes everything that the characters go through more real.

I would recommend this book, and all other books by this author, to any reader who wants to get sucked into this immersive, emotional and heartwarming series, whilst second guessing everything you know about these people and events.

When Maria Logan is distracted by a phone call while at the park, her three-year-old daughter Rosie goes missing, sparking a major police hunt. Newly promoted DCI Jack Ellis and dog handler PC Lucy Halliday are determined to find her.

The action is well-paced, and I was gripped with the various case and plot developments. The various secrets of the Logan family were certainly not what I guessed (one character did give me the ick though for the pressure they put on another character). Set nine months after the first book Lucy, has started to heal, with a new romance with fellow dog handler Pete. Loners Lucy and Jack, who is still triggered by the loss of his best friend Theo when they were 11, have also formed a supportive friendship. Both see in the other a doggedness to find justice for victims. I appreciate that Jack has a chance to reconcile his past. However, I really hope we're spared the same drama that Scarr’s Butler and West experienced in book four, which seems to be foreshadowed at the end of this book (please see it isn’t so!).

I’m hooked for more. These books are addicted and I’m highly invested. MORE PLEASE!

Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.

Dog Handler, PC Lucy Halliday is back with her dogs and the rest of the team to investigate the disappearance of three year old Rosie Logan. The investigation soon starts to spiral as they learn there are a lot of hidden secrets and links to the past. Will they discover the truth?

This was a must read for me since previously reading the first in this series, Gallows Wood. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to put everything else down and delve straight in. Immediately I was drawn into the plot and the lives of the character’s, it felt like visiting old friends. The characters continue to be strongly written and have great connections with one another, they are some of my favourite across all police procedurals. I love the dogs too! I can’t wait to join them in their next investigation. Hopefully soon!

The storyline has a tight plot and flows well. I found there was lots of suspense and I raced through the pages, saying just one more chapter. There were some excellent twists and cliffhangers, that had me enthralled. The storyline does get disturbing at times, covering serious topics. I would suggest everyone who loves a dark, fast paced and complex police procedural to read this series straight away! This author has quickly become one of my most highly rated. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily

Louisa Scarr is an author that never puts a foot wrong- not a word or chapter is wasted. I easily slipped back into the world of Lucy Halliday and Co as the characters and settings became instantly familiar. Dealing with the grim subject of a missing child this is a perfectly paced and plotted storyline which is interwoven with a missing boy from Jack’s past. Dark and disturbing in places as we learn what happened to Theo all those years ago, as the story picks up this thread from book one. Wonderfully written with some serious research done by the author to give this series so much authenticity. Some very good twists along the way keeps the suspense going right to the end and even then we are left with a little cliffhanger. The dogs are such a joy in this book! Iggy is definitely top dog in this one, but going by the authors note at the end Moss will be taking the lead (no apologies for the pun!)in the next one. Absolutely loved this and it’s a massive 5⭐️ from me

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is the second appearance of dog handler Lucy and her colleague in the Murder Investigation Team DCI Jack Ellis. They are both involved in the search for a missing three year old, whose family lie to Jack about everything. After a (very coincidental) link to the disappearance 30 years ago of Jack's childhood friend Theo is uncovered, Lucy switches to reviewing this cold case.

I think I said this about the first in the series, but I struggle to believe Lucy was ever a DI, and I find her tendency to harangue/have a tantrum at Jack (who is far her superior in rank) very weird, but whatever. The two plot lines were well done and kept me turning the pages, although the Theo one was very dark. Also, I find it hard to understand why

SPOILER

Maria didn't recognize Gemma in the park...

Otherwise excellent.

Really good follow up in the Lucy Halliday series.
It's beings back all the characters , with plenty of plot development there
.
Also adds in a new case, of a missing three year old, where time is of the essence.
There were some parts that were quite brutal, so it's not for the faint hearted, but it's definitely for those who like a gripping read, packing a punch.
Already can't wait for book 3.

Every family’s worst nightmare… Three year old Rosie Logan is missing. Her mother, Maria, turned away for just one moment and now her life is changed forever. It falls to PC Lucy Halliday and her police dogs, Moss and Iggy, to find the girl, under the direction of Lucy's boss and friend, DCI Jack Ellis! Great read! This book had great suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery, kidnapping, family secrets, and a few crazy twists! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

If you want a top notch complex police procedural, you found it! Kidnapping, murder, secrets and lies everywhere, and a great team including working dogs that steal the show, of course they do. Great series, hope to see more.