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DC Laura McGanity #2
Lost Souls
Sometimes the worst nightmares happen in broad daylight…
An utterly gripping novel for fans of Peter James and Mark Billingham, from a rising star in the crime genre.
A woman is found brutally murdered on a quiet housing estate, her tongue and eyes ritualistically gouged out.
Children are being abducted and then returned to their families days later without a scratch and with no knowledge or where they have been - or with whom.
If DC Laura McGanity thought moving from London to sleepy Lancashire was taking the easy option then she can think again. Already worried about uprooting young son Bobby to follow her reporter boyfriend Jack Garrett back to his hometown, she must quickly get a handle on these mystifying cases terrifying the people of Blackley - without putting the local officers' noses out of joint.
Meanwhile, restless Jack is itching to get back to his writing and the cases provide the perfect opportunity to do so. But as he delves deeper into them, he finds murky connections between the two crimes and skeletons buried in the most unlikely of closets.
Most astonishing of all, he meets a man who 'paints' the future - terrible events come to him in vivid dreams which he then puts onto canvas. This 'precognition' is not so much a gift as a curse and to Jack it becomes terrifyingly that many people, including his own family, are in danger…
An utterly gripping novel for fans of Peter James and Mark Billingham, from a rising star in the crime genre.
A woman is found brutally murdered on a quiet housing estate, her tongue and eyes ritualistically gouged out.
Children are being abducted and then returned to their families days later without a scratch and with no knowledge or where they have been - or with whom.
If DC Laura McGanity thought moving from London to sleepy Lancashire was taking the easy option then she can think again. Already worried about uprooting young son Bobby to follow her reporter boyfriend Jack Garrett back to his hometown, she must quickly get a handle on these mystifying cases terrifying the people of Blackley - without putting the local officers' noses out of joint.
Meanwhile, restless Jack is itching to get back to his writing and the cases provide the perfect opportunity to do so. But as he delves deeper into them, he finds murky connections between the two crimes and skeletons buried in the most unlikely of closets.
Most astonishing of all, he meets a man who 'paints' the future - terrible events come to him in vivid dreams which he then puts onto canvas. This 'precognition' is not so much a gift as a curse and to Jack it becomes terrifyingly that many people, including his own family, are in danger…
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
33 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Neil White
36 books152 followersNeil White (b. 1965) is a British freelance criminal lawyer and a full-time crime writer.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 14, 2019
Really enjoyable read, looking forward to the next one in the series
March 29, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, although I think enjoyed is, perhaps, the wrong word to use. The characters were easy to identify with although the author does not always use their names when writing their thoughts so you have to understand each character and build up a profile of each one in order to think who the author is writing about. Very unnerving plot with some conflict of interest, a journalist living with a police officer, causing another twist to the sub-plot. Don't want to give too much away but a good read and a page turner. A little gritty and the subject matters of abducted children, murder, greed, fear and precognition are well brought together.
August 13, 2018
Nice! A solid 4 for the second in the McGanity series. Jack Garrett and Laura McGanity have moved from London to Lancashire and are trying to establish themselves as a new family unit with Laura’s son, Bobby, while establishing their careers as reporter and detective inspector. The plot revolves around a summer of child snatching, people who dream alarming premonitions, and a murder. Together with a bucketful of red herrings, enough heart stopping moments and all round great character development, Fallen Idols is a satisfying page turner!
May 9, 2014
I enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to getting stuck in to book 2. This time around Laura and Jack have relocated from London back up to Lancashire and are starting afresh. I liked both Jack and Laura in the first book and nothing has changed since then. They are easy to read characters and the writing has a nice easy flow about it. The opener of this latest book sets the scene for what Laura will have to deal with working alongside new colleagues in her job as a police officer.
Laura’s colleague on the job Pete was a really good character and one that I hope I get to see again. However, nobody else within the book made that much of an impression on me. The storyline was certainly okay, but in my opinion it didn’t feel strong enough. That may sound slightly ‘wishy-washy’ but it’s the only description I can think of. There is quite a lot of action and when the characters are introduced they all seem to interlink somewhere along which certainly kept me interested. I just couldn’t help but feel like something was missing and whatever that something was, it just didn’t make the story that memorable for me.
Jack and Laura obviously clash heads within their personal lives due to the nature of their respective careers. However, with that in mind I couldn’t help but feel like that rule only applied when the story suited. Overall, I am finding this review hard to write, or even explain in any great details. What I will say is that it’s certainly not a bad book, just one that could do with being better. Seeing as Neil White has such a great following and has gone on to write another 3 in this series I will certainly be continuing in the hope that the next book doesn’t leave me feeling the same way.
Laura’s colleague on the job Pete was a really good character and one that I hope I get to see again. However, nobody else within the book made that much of an impression on me. The storyline was certainly okay, but in my opinion it didn’t feel strong enough. That may sound slightly ‘wishy-washy’ but it’s the only description I can think of. There is quite a lot of action and when the characters are introduced they all seem to interlink somewhere along which certainly kept me interested. I just couldn’t help but feel like something was missing and whatever that something was, it just didn’t make the story that memorable for me.
Jack and Laura obviously clash heads within their personal lives due to the nature of their respective careers. However, with that in mind I couldn’t help but feel like that rule only applied when the story suited. Overall, I am finding this review hard to write, or even explain in any great details. What I will say is that it’s certainly not a bad book, just one that could do with being better. Seeing as Neil White has such a great following and has gone on to write another 3 in this series I will certainly be continuing in the hope that the next book doesn’t leave me feeling the same way.
July 8, 2015
I was certainly not let down by this, the second book in the Laura McGanity series. I'm the type of person who likes hard facts and evidence. Precognition is something I've come across before and my honest opinion is that there isn't sufficient evidence to substantiate such claims. Nevertheless, the use of this phenomenon worked well within the story and it added an extra dimension. I can honestly say that I was left guessing whodunit right up until near the end. I thoroughly enjoyed Lost Souls and struggled to put it down.
January 7, 2012
Both this book and his first novel are cracking reads moving along at a great pace with great twists and turns.The authors knowledge of law and possibly the guilt he feels about being a defence lawyer add an extra honest dimension to this book.Read it you wont regret it
June 10, 2022
Second book in the DC Laura Mcganity series following on from Fallon Idols.
Laura has reallocated from London to Lancashire with her reporter boyfriend Jack Garrett. The story soon develops as children are being abducted but then returned a week or ten days later, apparently unharmed and with no memory of where they've been or what has happened to them. There's urgency but not panic in the local police force. Until a woman's body is found. She's been strangled and her eyes and tongue have been brutally cut out.
The local hard man's son is arrested for the murder and the story follows the solicitor hired to support him, Laura's role in the police and Jack's input as the reporter.
The story is written from the point of view of all the main characters. The only flaw that I struggled with is Jack's perspective is written in first person but the others are not.
This book didn't have the fast pace of the first book or the same gruesome content and I found the start too slow. It did pick up though and by the end there was the expected twists that kept you guessing and the ending was fast paced.
I think this book would make a fab Netflix series following the story of Jack and Laura's relationship with a bit of murder thrown in too. Looking forward to the next instalment to see how their relationship develops.
🌟🌟🌟
Laura has reallocated from London to Lancashire with her reporter boyfriend Jack Garrett. The story soon develops as children are being abducted but then returned a week or ten days later, apparently unharmed and with no memory of where they've been or what has happened to them. There's urgency but not panic in the local police force. Until a woman's body is found. She's been strangled and her eyes and tongue have been brutally cut out.
The local hard man's son is arrested for the murder and the story follows the solicitor hired to support him, Laura's role in the police and Jack's input as the reporter.
The story is written from the point of view of all the main characters. The only flaw that I struggled with is Jack's perspective is written in first person but the others are not.
This book didn't have the fast pace of the first book or the same gruesome content and I found the start too slow. It did pick up though and by the end there was the expected twists that kept you guessing and the ending was fast paced.
I think this book would make a fab Netflix series following the story of Jack and Laura's relationship with a bit of murder thrown in too. Looking forward to the next instalment to see how their relationship develops.
🌟🌟🌟
December 10, 2017
What a cracking read - I thoroughly enjoyed this & couldn't put it down! All the characters were engaging & believable, DC Laura McGanity, her partner journalist Jack Garrett & lawyer Sam Nixon being the main players. My only criticism would be I found some of the final scenes a bit muddling & hard to visualise. However, the ending has left me wanting more so I'll be off to track down anymore in the series.
November 23, 2018
Good story. Laura and Jack have just moved back to his home town in the north of England. Bobby, Laura’s young son, is also with them.
In this new place, Laura, with the police, and Jack, a freelance reporter, have to find out how to live and work together. When children go missing, and people get murdered, their lives and goals are sometimes at odds.
Interesting twists in the story.
In this new place, Laura, with the police, and Jack, a freelance reporter, have to find out how to live and work together. When children go missing, and people get murdered, their lives and goals are sometimes at odds.
Interesting twists in the story.
September 11, 2023
Tight plotting, good characters, 2nd in a series.
Bought this after enjoying the first.
I’ll now get the third.
Likeable lead characters, well drawn supporting ‘cast’ of villains and victims.
Well plotted, imaginative storylines.
Bought this after enjoying the first.
I’ll now get the third.
Likeable lead characters, well drawn supporting ‘cast’ of villains and victims.
Well plotted, imaginative storylines.
May 2, 2018
story was good. but jumped a bit from one character to the next. good ending and not until nearly the end did you know the child abductor.
December 11, 2018
Took me a while to get in to but once I was there, it was good. Not Chris Carter good but certainly kept me reading.
April 14, 2020
A good fast paced British thriller, with the regional and couple elements. Exploring the dark underbelly of a small town in Lancashire.
Easy read, and I would be tempted to read more by the author.
Easy read, and I would be tempted to read more by the author.
December 5, 2020
First time reading this author and I like their style. Unique with the characters and set up. And I had no clue who it might be which is unusual.
December 17, 2021
This was a great read.
December 12, 2016
In 'Lost Souls', a woman has been brutally murdered with her tongue and eyes ripped out. Meanwhile, young boys are kidnapped and subsequently returned to their parents. They appear unharmed yet they have no memory about where they had been and what had happened. As DC Laura works together with her colleagues to figure out if the motive of the perpetrator, her reported boyfriend Jack hunts for information too. Will they be able to capture the criminal before more people become victims?
Despite the interesting premise, I found the execution to be a major letdown due to the painfully slow pacing that simply didn't work for this story. Instead of creating a suspenseful atmosphere, the author's ineffective writing turned this promising crime tale into a slow moving story that took ages to rev up and get exciting. As usual, Jack seemed to be doing more legwork and investigation than the police. He was always the one who found out something crucial that eventually helped solve the cases. I would prefer the police to be a whole lot more competent.
The existing pool of suspects was simply too contrived for my liking. There's the usual family of troublemakers who appear to be involved in the abductions yet there's no evidence. Furthermore, they're powerful and aggressive and will stop at nothing to ensure none of their own ends up behind bars. The only good thing was how the author succeeded in portraying them as lowlifes. Although I tend to enjoy reading the criminal's point of view, that wasn't the case here since he basically did nothing that evoked any emotion whatsoever.
Overall, 'Lost Souls' was dull and long-winded thus I was glad when I finally got to the last page. With better editing, perhaps the slow pacing wouldn't have been an issue.
Despite the interesting premise, I found the execution to be a major letdown due to the painfully slow pacing that simply didn't work for this story. Instead of creating a suspenseful atmosphere, the author's ineffective writing turned this promising crime tale into a slow moving story that took ages to rev up and get exciting. As usual, Jack seemed to be doing more legwork and investigation than the police. He was always the one who found out something crucial that eventually helped solve the cases. I would prefer the police to be a whole lot more competent.
The existing pool of suspects was simply too contrived for my liking. There's the usual family of troublemakers who appear to be involved in the abductions yet there's no evidence. Furthermore, they're powerful and aggressive and will stop at nothing to ensure none of their own ends up behind bars. The only good thing was how the author succeeded in portraying them as lowlifes. Although I tend to enjoy reading the criminal's point of view, that wasn't the case here since he basically did nothing that evoked any emotion whatsoever.
Overall, 'Lost Souls' was dull and long-winded thus I was glad when I finally got to the last page. With better editing, perhaps the slow pacing wouldn't have been an issue.
March 26, 2015
In Lancashire, a woman has been brutally murdered and kids are being kidnapped but brought back to their families, unharmed. While the woman’s eyes have been gouged out and her tongue cut off, the kids who are brought back to their families do not have a single memory of where they’ve been or who have taken them. Could both of these cases have something in common? DC Laura McGanity and her son have just moved from London to join her boyfriend Jack Garret, in Blackley. As Laura McGanity works her way through the cases, Jack Garret being a reporter simply cannot stay away, especially not when a good story could come out of it all. And what happens when a club that’s consisted of people who write and paint, whose works actually predict the future, come into the picture?
I greatly enjoyed reading Lost Souls, the suspense definitely kept me reading. It also didn’t take me long to get used to the short chapters and each character’s perspective. I enjoyed Jack Garret’s pov the most. Each character had a distinctive personality which made them stand out, which was great since that’s what usually draws me into a story even more, however it felt like DC Laura McGanity wasn’t that involved? I haven’t read the previous book in which she’s introduced for the first time, I don’t think the author’s decided to take the spotlight off her in this book just because of the previous one, not when she’s the “Detective.” Who knows. I wasn’t a fan of the writing either, there were moments when I found it extremely annoying but it wasn’t hard to get through.
Overall, this book was a great read and the ending was satisfying. :]
I greatly enjoyed reading Lost Souls, the suspense definitely kept me reading. It also didn’t take me long to get used to the short chapters and each character’s perspective. I enjoyed Jack Garret’s pov the most. Each character had a distinctive personality which made them stand out, which was great since that’s what usually draws me into a story even more, however it felt like DC Laura McGanity wasn’t that involved? I haven’t read the previous book in which she’s introduced for the first time, I don’t think the author’s decided to take the spotlight off her in this book just because of the previous one, not when she’s the “Detective.” Who knows. I wasn’t a fan of the writing either, there were moments when I found it extremely annoying but it wasn’t hard to get through.
Overall, this book was a great read and the ending was satisfying. :]
April 2, 2012
This was another new author to me earlier this year and I liked his first one so bought this one too.
It features DI Laura McGanity once more and her journalist boyfriend. In this one they've both headed up north to live. Young boys are going missing BUT then being returned unharmed after a week with no memory of where they've been in the interim.
Also, in another case, a young lady is murdered and her eyes and tongue removed. So Laura and her team are investigating. In this book she has a new police partner called Pete and he's a great character.
In a few instances there was a total lack of punctuation that got my back up a bit as usual as it does make a book hard to follow when it happens so that's why I didn't give it 5 stars.
However, I'll stick with this series as I do like the characters.
It features DI Laura McGanity once more and her journalist boyfriend. In this one they've both headed up north to live. Young boys are going missing BUT then being returned unharmed after a week with no memory of where they've been in the interim.
Also, in another case, a young lady is murdered and her eyes and tongue removed. So Laura and her team are investigating. In this book she has a new police partner called Pete and he's a great character.
In a few instances there was a total lack of punctuation that got my back up a bit as usual as it does make a book hard to follow when it happens so that's why I didn't give it 5 stars.
However, I'll stick with this series as I do like the characters.
May 15, 2021
Again [after "Fallen Idols", the 1st novel of the series] the novel was so good that had i been a film producer, I would have instantly purchased the copyright and made a thriller movie on it .
—–—
The story seemed to be a lot of guessible till 80-85% of the story length as the suspicion was focused to only one character in the story which was SURPRISINGLY NOT. Suspense was totally incredible and contrary to what expected.
Difficult to put down till the end. Close your eyes and go for it.
—–—
My request to all the readers in this network who are connected to me as well as to those who are not :
Neil White's “Laura Mcgnaity & Jack Garett series” books (if you REALLY liked them) –
“Fallen Idols” & “Lost Souls” in such large numbers that they are compelled to adapt them into feature films>
—–—
The story seemed to be a lot of guessible till 80-85% of the story length as the suspicion was focused to only one character in the story which was SURPRISINGLY NOT. Suspense was totally incredible and contrary to what expected.
Difficult to put down till the end. Close your eyes and go for it.
—–—
My request to all the readers in this network who are connected to me as well as to those who are not :
Neil White's “Laura Mcgnaity & Jack Garett series” books (if you REALLY liked them) –
“Fallen Idols” & “Lost Souls” in such large numbers that they are compelled to adapt them into feature films>
May 18, 2013
It was interesting to see the notes that I made when I read the first in the series last year. I think that I could almost rewrite them for this book too.
It is a good story but with a section,in my opinion, unnecessarily gory for my taste. Certainly a page turner and there is one passage of very cleverly misleading narrative, but in the final action I found it difficult to understand clearly what was happening.
I have the next book in the series available and will probably be back to it at some time in the future but I feel that I need a break with another author first.
It is a good story but with a section,in my opinion, unnecessarily gory for my taste. Certainly a page turner and there is one passage of very cleverly misleading narrative, but in the final action I found it difficult to understand clearly what was happening.
I have the next book in the series available and will probably be back to it at some time in the future but I feel that I need a break with another author first.
April 4, 2011
An interesting tale which just didn't deliver as much as I wanted. I'm a sucker for anything like precognition so I was sold on this before I even started. The characters are good and well described and have lots of room to develop. However, it just doesn't happen. Lots of opportunities to develop the plot through the characters are just missed.
The plot fizzles out and then is too neatly wrapped up at the end. Shame because this could have been a really good story.
The plot fizzles out and then is too neatly wrapped up at the end. Shame because this could have been a really good story.
April 28, 2012
I was given this book by a friend to read. When I started it I thought it was going to be an ok read and it was easy to read. However as I got throuh the book I began to be irritated by the way the author wrote and I didn't care at all about the characters. During the last pages when it was meant to be an exciting climax I found myself switching off and not really taking in what was happening! Won't be reading any more of his books!
January 14, 2013
I've read a lot from this genre and can say this was fabulous- I was interested from the moment I started to read and the interlinking of several story lines meant there was NEVER a dull moment. Gripping!!!
Good development of characters from book one and more than laying foundations for the next. Original plot unlike anything I've read and i read the genre a lot.
Would recommend
Good development of characters from book one and more than laying foundations for the next. Original plot unlike anything I've read and i read the genre a lot.
Would recommend
June 4, 2014
This was ok..I felt that the first quarter was a little confusion as the shifting between first person and other people's perspective didn't always make it clear who was telling the story at each point. I think this meant my enjoyment was clouded by my early confusion. The book picked up from about 60% through and I enjoyed the "whodunit" aspect.
February 21, 2015
This is ok, but I had a few problems with it. I don't think the relationship between reporter Jack Garrett (who for some reason is written in the first person while all the other characters are written in the third person) and DC Laura McGanity is interesting enough to warrant a higher rating. Some aspects of the plot seemed a bit mechanical.
June 17, 2016
Unfinished. Not thinking of continuing.
The only thing I can say about this book is that it gets boring.
Im not a big reader and so I only end up finishing a book only if it is hair gripping. This is not. This is very slow paced and there are too many characters so it can be confusing. I think there should be a character page for this book.
The only thing I can say about this book is that it gets boring.
Im not a big reader and so I only end up finishing a book only if it is hair gripping. This is not. This is very slow paced and there are too many characters so it can be confusing. I think there should be a character page for this book.
January 8, 2017
Good plot, but found the switching between different points of view a bit irritating. The author doesn't give each section enough length, so that you have to switch after only a few paragraphs at times. Otherwise, an enjoyable read and I have already put the rest of the series on request at the library!
March 22, 2013
A very enjoyable read. The plot has twists and turns in a town that has lots to hide. The author has used his knowledge of the legal system to make a story that comes alive and will draw you in to want to read more.
October 6, 2012
Excellent 2nd book in series. Gripped from start to finish,
October 1, 2010
Quite good and did not want to put it down once started. The story has lots of twists to it but never gets ridiculous.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews