What do you think?
Rate this book
The Finder Mysteries #2
The Case of the Lonely Accountant
Bournemouth 2008, the height of the financial crash. Don Bayliss, a timid and well-mannered accountant, vanishes after leaving his office before a scheduled meeting. His wife is both perplexed and distraught. His clothes are found discarded at the mouth of Poole Harbour.
After seven years of searching with no firm leads, the investigation is closed, and Don is presumed dead.
Until, sorting through his possessions, his wife finds a garish business card of one Dwight Fricker and decides it must be of some importance. Now more than eight years after his disappearance Dorset Police call in the Finder and the cold case is reopened.
The Finder begins with the last sightings of Don on the day he went missing, hearing how he seemed in a hurry, somewhat distracted? He unearths a string of overlooked clues that lead him to face the unlikely friendships that Don had made, the somewhat overbearing nature of Mrs Bayliss, the secrets that haunted him in his home life and the mistakes that led to him being investigated at work.
The Case of the Lonely Accountant is a dark and rich mystery that centres upon one lonely man and reveals the distance between those who are missing and those who are lost.
After seven years of searching with no firm leads, the investigation is closed, and Don is presumed dead.
Until, sorting through his possessions, his wife finds a garish business card of one Dwight Fricker and decides it must be of some importance. Now more than eight years after his disappearance Dorset Police call in the Finder and the cold case is reopened.
The Finder begins with the last sightings of Don on the day he went missing, hearing how he seemed in a hurry, somewhat distracted? He unearths a string of overlooked clues that lead him to face the unlikely friendships that Don had made, the somewhat overbearing nature of Mrs Bayliss, the secrets that haunted him in his home life and the mistakes that led to him being investigated at work.
The Case of the Lonely Accountant is a dark and rich mystery that centres upon one lonely man and reveals the distance between those who are missing and those who are lost.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2024
54 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
Simon Mason
56 books239 followersSimon Mason was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, on 5 February 1962. He was educated at local schools and studied English at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. He splits his time between writing at home and a part-time editorial position with David Fickling Books, an imprint of Random House and publisher of his 2011 children's novel, Moon Pie.
He is the author of the Quigleys series for young readers: The Quigleys (Highly Commended in the UK's Branford Boase Award), The Quigleys at Large, The Quigleys Not for Sale, and The Quigleys in a Spin. He has also written three adult novels.
Simon lives in Oxford with his wife and two children.
He is the author of the Quigleys series for young readers: The Quigleys (Highly Commended in the UK's Branford Boase Award), The Quigleys at Large, The Quigleys Not for Sale, and The Quigleys in a Spin. He has also written three adult novels.
Simon lives in Oxford with his wife and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 20, 2024
The Case Of The Lonely Accountant is the first book in the Finder Mysteries series by British author, Simon Mason. When, in October 2008, Don Bayliss, Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President for Asset Management with the Marshall Worth bank, excuses himself from a meeting, then inexplicably fails to return, his colleagues are mystified. Even moreso when he, after a few sightings, is never seen again. Only a bag with his clothing, phone and wallet on a Bournemouth beachside ledge are left behind. Did he suicide in the ocean?
Seven years on, he is legally presumed dead, but then, eight years later, his widow, recently remarried, finds amongst his papers a business card belonging to a man convicted of numerous crimes and serving time in Belmarsh Prison.
Talib, aka the finder, is a former policeman now freelance investigator, who is called in to ascertain if there is any connection between the two men that may explain what happened to Bayliss. Before he interviews Dwight Fricker at the prison, he diligently questions all those associated in any way with the case: the widow, colleagues at the bank, and witnesses who saw him in the final hours before he disappeared.
By the time he has spoken to most of them, he is left wondering if Don Bayliss was a hard-working, considerate colleague or a sexual predator; an overworked, stressed employee or an embezzler; a dull but dutiful husband or man who frequented sleazy clubs to get his kicks with younger women. And some of his strange behaviour raises doubts about his fate.
The Dorset detective who called him in, and oversaw the original case, is rather displeased when he starts turning up information of which she was unaware. Don’s widow is equally irritated by what he’s telling her. He lets neither of them deter him, committed to finding answers.
The finder has a history only lightly touched upon, but it’s clear he is intelligent and thorough, compassionate and kind. Is the novel he’s reading in his down time a clue to the truth? The plot takes a few turns and, even though the astute reader may have twigged to what is going on, the reveal is definitely worth persisting for. More of this series will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus Books/riverrun.
Seven years on, he is legally presumed dead, but then, eight years later, his widow, recently remarried, finds amongst his papers a business card belonging to a man convicted of numerous crimes and serving time in Belmarsh Prison.
Talib, aka the finder, is a former policeman now freelance investigator, who is called in to ascertain if there is any connection between the two men that may explain what happened to Bayliss. Before he interviews Dwight Fricker at the prison, he diligently questions all those associated in any way with the case: the widow, colleagues at the bank, and witnesses who saw him in the final hours before he disappeared.
By the time he has spoken to most of them, he is left wondering if Don Bayliss was a hard-working, considerate colleague or a sexual predator; an overworked, stressed employee or an embezzler; a dull but dutiful husband or man who frequented sleazy clubs to get his kicks with younger women. And some of his strange behaviour raises doubts about his fate.
The Dorset detective who called him in, and oversaw the original case, is rather displeased when he starts turning up information of which she was unaware. Don’s widow is equally irritated by what he’s telling her. He lets neither of them deter him, committed to finding answers.
The finder has a history only lightly touched upon, but it’s clear he is intelligent and thorough, compassionate and kind. Is the novel he’s reading in his down time a clue to the truth? The plot takes a few turns and, even though the astute reader may have twigged to what is going on, the reveal is definitely worth persisting for. More of this series will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus Books/riverrun.
February 13, 2025
A ‘finder’ of missing persons is sent by the police to Bournemouth (that’s a leafy English seaside town) to track down the sad executive of the title. He works his way through various connections and has an incidental fling with an exotic stranger staying in the same hotel. He unearths clues, mostly mundane, some improbable.
He seemed down in the dumps, and no character stood out. I was still trying to work out whom to root for when, abruptly, the story concluded.
I remember turning the book over in my hands, baffled. It felt like a standard paperback. Then I noticed the thick, double folded flaps and, inside, the generous line-spacing and point size. At a rough count, I made it 45,000 words – or half a typical Agatha Christie.
Emblazoned on the front cover are two quotes:
“Unputdownable”
David Pearce
“Utterly compelling”
Mick Herron
When I worked in advertising, our mantra was “Legal, Decent, Honest & Truthful.” Set deliverable expectations, and the customer will return.
He seemed down in the dumps, and no character stood out. I was still trying to work out whom to root for when, abruptly, the story concluded.
I remember turning the book over in my hands, baffled. It felt like a standard paperback. Then I noticed the thick, double folded flaps and, inside, the generous line-spacing and point size. At a rough count, I made it 45,000 words – or half a typical Agatha Christie.
Emblazoned on the front cover are two quotes:
“Unputdownable”
David Pearce
“Utterly compelling”
Mick Herron
When I worked in advertising, our mantra was “Legal, Decent, Honest & Truthful.” Set deliverable expectations, and the customer will return.
May 7, 2025
This kind of mystery appeals to me. It's primarily psychological, with focus on one missing person - his life comes under scrutiny. Essentially it a string of vignettes, interviews with the people who knew the missing person but they are all strikingly different, not at all like in a police murder story where the format is somewhat the same. It is an interesting and wonderful book, look forward to the next one in the series.
November 1, 2025
This is a good one. Simon Mason has written a book that is so different from the Ray and Ryan series. The emotions that this book stimulates are so different from the Ray and Ryan series books, that it’s hard to actually recognize that it is the same author. It’s like Simon Mason keeps himself in check with Ray and Ryan, and then lets out his more academic side in the Finder books. I thought this story was so intriguing because it was about a person who seemed to be unknowable. That is, it was hard to develop an image of the character that the detective was looking for. Great writing, good story, 4.5 stars. I look forward to the five star version that Simon Mason certainly will produce.
March 2, 2025
The second of the Finder series I have read by the author and equally riveting. Beautifully written as the Finder -- hired by the police to track down people who have disappeared when a case is re-opened -- travels to Bournemouth to discover what happened to a successful accountant. Appositely the Finder Talib -- Iraqi-born and whose tragic past is delicately dropped in without dominating either of the stories -- is reading The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde written whilst Robert Louis Stevenson was residing in Bournemouth hoping the better climate would improve his health. Not that he enjoyed the experience stating living in between the matrons he felt 'like a weevil in a biscuit'.
There are stories within the main story richly woven despite the book being only 198 pages, handled with the sensitivity that Talib deals with pretty much everyone he comes across. Great characters and denouement for this series one can say 'Finders Keepers' for they are that good. Chapeau!
There are stories within the main story richly woven despite the book being only 198 pages, handled with the sensitivity that Talib deals with pretty much everyone he comes across. Great characters and denouement for this series one can say 'Finders Keepers' for they are that good. Chapeau!
August 7, 2024
The 2nd in these Novellas is similar in pace and tone to the first but has a more pronounced literary feel.
The Finder is again doing what he does and picking up the case of a person missing many years past.
The book follows the same structure as the finder unpicks the old investigation to find threads that were missed.
A book that ebbs and flows, but much more of the former, it’s extremely slowly paced and ponderous and again fixates on a book from the past - Jeckyll and Hyde - which also offers some clues to the story.
The finale is clever. It’s well written but I question why these two novellas are being released at the same time by the publisher.
I’m not sure i would continue with this particular series but Simon Mason Is an author I like.
The Finder is again doing what he does and picking up the case of a person missing many years past.
The book follows the same structure as the finder unpicks the old investigation to find threads that were missed.
A book that ebbs and flows, but much more of the former, it’s extremely slowly paced and ponderous and again fixates on a book from the past - Jeckyll and Hyde - which also offers some clues to the story.
The finale is clever. It’s well written but I question why these two novellas are being released at the same time by the publisher.
I’m not sure i would continue with this particular series but Simon Mason Is an author I like.
October 8, 2024
In 2008, Don Bayliss, Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of a prestigious asset management company in Bournemouth, went missing during the madness of the financial crash. His clothes were found folded in a neat pile on the quayside at Poole Harbour, and it was assumed that he had committed suicide. His body was never recovered.
Eight years later, Don's wife is sorting through his belongings and discovers a business card she does not recognise. Thinking it might be important she reports this to the police, who are very interested to note that it is for one Dwight Fricker, a gangster currently serving a long stretch in prison. At a loss to know why an unassuming and respectable fellow like Don should have such a card in his possession, the police decide to re-open the case and call in the man known as 'Finder' to see if there was more to the accountant than they thought...
This is the second book in the new Finder Mysteries by Simon Mason, and this time Finder is asked to use his considerable talents to see if he can shed some light on the case of Don Bayliss - a quiet corporate accountant whose apparent suicide shocked those that knew him. Finder gets to work following up the original investigation in his singular way, with an attention to detail that bears promising new lines of inquiry, somewhat to the consternation of the police force he is working for, and Don's pillar-of-the-community wife.
The story unfurls from Finder's point of view, very much as in the previous book, Missing Person, Alice. As I am coming to see, Finder's talent lies largely in getting witnesses to reveal more than they think they know, and the rational way he sifts through information he uncovers means the twists and turns of the suspenseful plot have a beautiful flow to them. Mason is very clever in the way he links incidental facts together to put thoughts into your mind about the direction of the story too, and there are nicely contrived red herrings to work through on the way to the ending you will not see coming.
I am delighted that a bit more of the man behind the reputation in this second book. Mason adds an extra layer to the mystery of what makes him tick on top of the little that was divulged about his Iraqi-born past during the Alice case. A picture is starting to form of a man who has had to deal with considerable losses in his life, and although his manner is mostly detached from the emotional aspects of the cases he works, there are times when this facade cracks to allow a glimpse of what lies within and the ghosts that haunt him. This really helps connect you to the character, and makes you want to find out more about how his experiences have shaped him. I loved how this also weaves in with the overarching themes of loneliness and melancholy that pervade this story.
It was also a joy to see that Finder's reading choices are a big part of the novella once again, with an intriguing linking allusion to Henry James, which will make you smile if you have read the first book as well. This time Finder is sipping the delights of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, who has a connection to Bournemouth, and Mason shrewdly reflects its themes of duality and darkness hidden within to perfection as the Don Bayliss investigation plays out. There is also a lovely side-order of choice musings about Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
As expected, this second book went down just as nicely as the first one, and Mason's considerable talent as a crime writer continues to impress. If you have yet to discover his books, either in his cracking DI Wilkin's series, or in these new novellas, then you really should. I cannot wait for more!
Eight years later, Don's wife is sorting through his belongings and discovers a business card she does not recognise. Thinking it might be important she reports this to the police, who are very interested to note that it is for one Dwight Fricker, a gangster currently serving a long stretch in prison. At a loss to know why an unassuming and respectable fellow like Don should have such a card in his possession, the police decide to re-open the case and call in the man known as 'Finder' to see if there was more to the accountant than they thought...
This is the second book in the new Finder Mysteries by Simon Mason, and this time Finder is asked to use his considerable talents to see if he can shed some light on the case of Don Bayliss - a quiet corporate accountant whose apparent suicide shocked those that knew him. Finder gets to work following up the original investigation in his singular way, with an attention to detail that bears promising new lines of inquiry, somewhat to the consternation of the police force he is working for, and Don's pillar-of-the-community wife.
The story unfurls from Finder's point of view, very much as in the previous book, Missing Person, Alice. As I am coming to see, Finder's talent lies largely in getting witnesses to reveal more than they think they know, and the rational way he sifts through information he uncovers means the twists and turns of the suspenseful plot have a beautiful flow to them. Mason is very clever in the way he links incidental facts together to put thoughts into your mind about the direction of the story too, and there are nicely contrived red herrings to work through on the way to the ending you will not see coming.
I am delighted that a bit more of the man behind the reputation in this second book. Mason adds an extra layer to the mystery of what makes him tick on top of the little that was divulged about his Iraqi-born past during the Alice case. A picture is starting to form of a man who has had to deal with considerable losses in his life, and although his manner is mostly detached from the emotional aspects of the cases he works, there are times when this facade cracks to allow a glimpse of what lies within and the ghosts that haunt him. This really helps connect you to the character, and makes you want to find out more about how his experiences have shaped him. I loved how this also weaves in with the overarching themes of loneliness and melancholy that pervade this story.
It was also a joy to see that Finder's reading choices are a big part of the novella once again, with an intriguing linking allusion to Henry James, which will make you smile if you have read the first book as well. This time Finder is sipping the delights of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, who has a connection to Bournemouth, and Mason shrewdly reflects its themes of duality and darkness hidden within to perfection as the Don Bayliss investigation plays out. There is also a lovely side-order of choice musings about Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
As expected, this second book went down just as nicely as the first one, and Mason's considerable talent as a crime writer continues to impress. If you have yet to discover his books, either in his cracking DI Wilkin's series, or in these new novellas, then you really should. I cannot wait for more!
March 31, 2025
This is the second of the Finder Mysteries which focuses on Talib, a specialist in finding people. Having enjoyed the first book in the series, Missing Person: Alice, I decided to listen to the second one.
In 2008, Don Bayliss, a well-respected accountant, vanished in Bournemouth. His clothes discarded by the harbour led police to presume death by suicide. Fifteen years later, the discovery of a possible connection to a convicted criminal results in the case being re-opened. The Finder is hired to determine exactly what happened to the quiet accountant.
Talib re-interviews everyone associated with Don at the time of his disappearance: his wife, colleagues, neighbours, acquaintances, etc. His slow and methodical approach results in uncovering clues that were missed in the initial investigation. As expected in the investigation of a cold case, this is not an action-packed book.
As in the first novel, literature is used to suggest parallels to the case. Talib is reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and with its theme of dualities, it is soon obvious that part of solving the mystery of Don’s disappearance is determining who the real Don Bayliss was. Was he the hardworking and scrupulously honest colleague or an embezzler? Was he a dull and dutiful husband or a sexual predator?
I liked learning more about Talib’s past which explains his choice of career. He remains the intelligent, thorough, and compassionate man we met in the first book but discovering more events in his past helps the reader to understand him better.
I didn’t enjoy this second book as much because it seems formulaic in that it has so many similarities with the first. In my review of that book, I referred to a character mentioning that people often present contradictory versions of themselves to different people. That is very much a theme in this novel as well, as is the examination of the impact of the missing person on those left behind.
A third book is scheduled for release later this year, but I’m not certain I’ll add it to my audiobook collection. Will it just follow the same formula and repeat the same themes?
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) or substack (https://doreenyakabuski.substack.com/) for over 1,100 of my book reviews.
In 2008, Don Bayliss, a well-respected accountant, vanished in Bournemouth. His clothes discarded by the harbour led police to presume death by suicide. Fifteen years later, the discovery of a possible connection to a convicted criminal results in the case being re-opened. The Finder is hired to determine exactly what happened to the quiet accountant.
Talib re-interviews everyone associated with Don at the time of his disappearance: his wife, colleagues, neighbours, acquaintances, etc. His slow and methodical approach results in uncovering clues that were missed in the initial investigation. As expected in the investigation of a cold case, this is not an action-packed book.
As in the first novel, literature is used to suggest parallels to the case. Talib is reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and with its theme of dualities, it is soon obvious that part of solving the mystery of Don’s disappearance is determining who the real Don Bayliss was. Was he the hardworking and scrupulously honest colleague or an embezzler? Was he a dull and dutiful husband or a sexual predator?
I liked learning more about Talib’s past which explains his choice of career. He remains the intelligent, thorough, and compassionate man we met in the first book but discovering more events in his past helps the reader to understand him better.
I didn’t enjoy this second book as much because it seems formulaic in that it has so many similarities with the first. In my review of that book, I referred to a character mentioning that people often present contradictory versions of themselves to different people. That is very much a theme in this novel as well, as is the examination of the impact of the missing person on those left behind.
A third book is scheduled for release later this year, but I’m not certain I’ll add it to my audiobook collection. Will it just follow the same formula and repeat the same themes?
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) or substack (https://doreenyakabuski.substack.com/) for over 1,100 of my book reviews.
September 9, 2024
A second installment in the Finder series which is being published at the same time as the first part. Written in the same style as the previous book, factual, almost like a report, the reader is treated to another interesting search for a missing person when Talib is tasked with finding Don, an accountant who has disappeared in the same way as “Reginald Perrin”! A pile of clothes near a beach and a complete lack of clues!
Talib is reading “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde” as he investigates and the plot of the fictional story ties in with what he is finding out about Don- the same literary device as used in book 1.
In this novel we learn more about the Finder’s own background and the losses he has suffered which have prompted him to make a career of finding missing people.
The case becomes very mysterious when the business card of a gangster is found in Don’s discarded wallet and Talib reinvigorates his search hoping to work out what has happened to the meek and supposedly law abiding accountant. As more things come to light, the Finder realises that the disappearance is rather complicated.
I enjoyed the slow and methodical way that facts about Don were revealed and how Talib pieced together the clues.
This is definitely a series I will look forward to reading and I will keep my eyes open for the next Finder mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Talib is reading “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde” as he investigates and the plot of the fictional story ties in with what he is finding out about Don- the same literary device as used in book 1.
In this novel we learn more about the Finder’s own background and the losses he has suffered which have prompted him to make a career of finding missing people.
The case becomes very mysterious when the business card of a gangster is found in Don’s discarded wallet and Talib reinvigorates his search hoping to work out what has happened to the meek and supposedly law abiding accountant. As more things come to light, the Finder realises that the disappearance is rather complicated.
I enjoyed the slow and methodical way that facts about Don were revealed and how Talib pieced together the clues.
This is definitely a series I will look forward to reading and I will keep my eyes open for the next Finder mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
July 29, 2025
Mit The Case of the Lonely Accountant legt Simon Mason ein Meisterwerk vor. Es ist eines der seltenen Beispiele, in denen ein Kriminalroman zugleich als hochklassige Literatur überzeugt. Mason gelingt die perfekte Verbindung beider Genres, ohne Abstriche in Handlung oder Sprache zu machen.
Sprachlich besticht das Werk durch Eleganz und feine Anklänge an andere literarische Klassiker. Besonders stark ist die Einbettung in Stevensons Jekyll and Hyde, aus der heraus Mason ein tief menschliches Drama entwickelt. Eine Begegnung mit einer Frau, die als Nebenhandlung zunächst unscheinbar wirkt, verleiht dem gesamten Werk zusätzliche Tiefe und eröffnet eine weitere Dimension der Figurenzeichnung. Schritt für Schritt entfaltet sich eine Geschichte, die zu Beginn kaum vorstellbar scheint und dennoch vollkommen glaubwürdig bleibt.
Am Ende werden alle Fäden überzeugend zusammengeführt, während auf jeder Seite die literarische Qualität und sprachliche Präzision gewahrt bleiben. Ein Krimi, der weit über die üblichen Grenzen des Genres hinausreicht.
Sprachlich besticht das Werk durch Eleganz und feine Anklänge an andere literarische Klassiker. Besonders stark ist die Einbettung in Stevensons Jekyll and Hyde, aus der heraus Mason ein tief menschliches Drama entwickelt. Eine Begegnung mit einer Frau, die als Nebenhandlung zunächst unscheinbar wirkt, verleiht dem gesamten Werk zusätzliche Tiefe und eröffnet eine weitere Dimension der Figurenzeichnung. Schritt für Schritt entfaltet sich eine Geschichte, die zu Beginn kaum vorstellbar scheint und dennoch vollkommen glaubwürdig bleibt.
Am Ende werden alle Fäden überzeugend zusammengeführt, während auf jeder Seite die literarische Qualität und sprachliche Präzision gewahrt bleiben. Ein Krimi, der weit über die üblichen Grenzen des Genres hinausreicht.
July 7, 2025
This is the second in Mason's The Finder series. In addition to using the same protagonist and type of plot, this book employs a literary work as its parallel text. In the first of the series, Missing Person: Alice it was Henry James' What Masie Knew; in this one it is Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The theme of the reference text is reflected in the main text, but not exactly. It's an intriguing device, appropriate for the author of The Rough Guide to Classic Novels. Of course it acts as a key or central clue.
Like the previous installment, this is beautifully written and nicely imagined. The tone is reflective and melancholy, to match the character of the Finder himself. I look forward to future installments.
Like the previous installment, this is beautifully written and nicely imagined. The tone is reflective and melancholy, to match the character of the Finder himself. I look forward to future installments.
November 13, 2024
Second in the series and an equally satisfying mystery.
The Finder is tasked with checking the background to the disappearance of a middle aged accountant who walked out of a meeting and apparently drowned himself.
In his own self-deprecating way, the Finder asks questions which appear innocuous but lead him (and us) closer to the truth. We also discover a few more events from the enigmatic Finder’s past.
During each case, the Finder is reading a book which contains themes relevant to the investigation. Here it’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, with references to various events in the book. It’s not necessary to have read it but it makes the story more entertaining.
Incredibly easy to read and at just under 200 pages can be read in a couple of sessions. Or just one if you have the time!
The Finder is tasked with checking the background to the disappearance of a middle aged accountant who walked out of a meeting and apparently drowned himself.
In his own self-deprecating way, the Finder asks questions which appear innocuous but lead him (and us) closer to the truth. We also discover a few more events from the enigmatic Finder’s past.
During each case, the Finder is reading a book which contains themes relevant to the investigation. Here it’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, with references to various events in the book. It’s not necessary to have read it but it makes the story more entertaining.
Incredibly easy to read and at just under 200 pages can be read in a couple of sessions. Or just one if you have the time!
August 6, 2025
This is a low key, strangely compelling story. The narrator, who is never named, is a ‘finder’ - he tracks down missing people.
He is tasked with finding out what happened to Don Bayliss, who mysteriously disappeared many years ago. New evidence revives the investigation.
The plot unfolds slowly with the Finder’s calm narration carrying you along with it, as he gently unravels the story of what happened.
Who the Finder is and how he does things is written really well - he is calm, analytical but disengaged and without much emotional range.
Along the way you learn a bit about the Finder’s background, which gives some clue as to why he is so numbed.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, which he is reading through out the novel, also becomes a point of reference.
This is the second in the series, but can be read as a stand alone.
He is tasked with finding out what happened to Don Bayliss, who mysteriously disappeared many years ago. New evidence revives the investigation.
The plot unfolds slowly with the Finder’s calm narration carrying you along with it, as he gently unravels the story of what happened.
Who the Finder is and how he does things is written really well - he is calm, analytical but disengaged and without much emotional range.
Along the way you learn a bit about the Finder’s background, which gives some clue as to why he is so numbed.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, which he is reading through out the novel, also becomes a point of reference.
This is the second in the series, but can be read as a stand alone.
August 27, 2024
The second in the series, I personally found this book more slow going than the first. Talib is now in Bournmouth and although there is description of the town , the buildings and the site Robert Louis Stevenson's house, it felt diminished due to repetition. Likewise the character of Don, who although liked by almost everyone he came into contact with, seemed fairly colourless with an overbearing wife. I did enjoy the gradual and gentle piecing together of the mystery based on the small clues and reading about the details of his stay in Bournmouth. The finder's own history is also added to here. I will definately read more of this series in the future, I like the unusal take on missing people and hop to find out more about Talib in the future.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
September 13, 2024
This is the second novel I read in this series and it's another intriguing and solid story. I love how these stories starts as a missing person cold case and becomes a puzzle formed by different aspects of a person who wasn't known to those who lived next to him.
There's a lot of unhappiness, there's the facade, and there a final twists which was unexpected and surprising.
There's the parallel story of the Finder reading Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and meeting another reader, sharing some more about his life.
I read it in one sitting as I wanted to know what was going to happen.
It's slow burning but never let my attention wander. Can't wait to read another story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
There's a lot of unhappiness, there's the facade, and there a final twists which was unexpected and surprising.
There's the parallel story of the Finder reading Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and meeting another reader, sharing some more about his life.
I read it in one sitting as I wanted to know what was going to happen.
It's slow burning but never let my attention wander. Can't wait to read another story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
November 1, 2024
In 2008 a man disappeared. his clothes found by the sea and he was presumed to have committed suicide. Don was a quiet, introverted accountant and the case was quickly closed. Now his wife has discovered a business card in his belongings and the case is reopened. The police employ Talib, a 'finder', and he follows the clues to find the answers
Having enjoyed Mason's previous books I picked up this novella but accidently read this one before the first in the series. It made no difference to my delight in this complicated story with an intellectual edge. There is a gentle weaving of literature, societal stereotypes and detective work which works so well.
Having enjoyed Mason's previous books I picked up this novella but accidently read this one before the first in the series. It made no difference to my delight in this complicated story with an intellectual edge. There is a gentle weaving of literature, societal stereotypes and detective work which works so well.
July 15, 2024
I read this immediately after the Alice book in this new series and wonder why they are both to be published simultaneously given the similarities between them?
This was another well plotted, gentle and thoughtful book which gradually revealed the contradictions in the life of the businessman who has gone missing.
Again, the denouement is surprising and again, The Finder is reading a book that will have some relevance to his search.
I enjoyed it but perhaps a gap in publication schedules would have been more advisable.
This was another well plotted, gentle and thoughtful book which gradually revealed the contradictions in the life of the businessman who has gone missing.
Again, the denouement is surprising and again, The Finder is reading a book that will have some relevance to his search.
I enjoyed it but perhaps a gap in publication schedules would have been more advisable.
October 30, 2024
Mason has a couple of very good series going. This one, narrated by Talib the “Finder”, explores absences, both the person who is missing but also the holes and vacancies in our own lives. Here, a completely innocuous man disappears, a presumed suicide. The case is reopened because his wife finds one tiny anomaly she wants clearing up. In the Finder books, Mason provides a literary counterpoint to his own plot, previously Henry James, here Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and its themes of doubling and opposites.
November 21, 2024
My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is the second book in this excellent series, but could easily be read as a standalone story. Like the first this beautifully written with superb characterisation throughout, a clever intelligent missing person mystery with plenty of surprises and twists until it's conclusion.
A real page turner totally engaging from first to last page.
Completely recommended.
This is the second book in this excellent series, but could easily be read as a standalone story. Like the first this beautifully written with superb characterisation throughout, a clever intelligent missing person mystery with plenty of surprises and twists until it's conclusion.
A real page turner totally engaging from first to last page.
Completely recommended.
December 6, 2024
This second in the series was stronger than the first, I thought. Here Talib looks into the disappearance of a banker during the 2008 economic crisis. At the same time he reads Stevenson's Jekell and Hyde story and the parallels are interesting. Various mysteries are cleared up satisfactorily by the end, and the solution was fairly well clued. However, I was confused about the story told by
July 22, 2024
I really enjoyed reading both novellas - accountant and school girl. I love the plotting and how information that seems irrelevant is actually really important. In the first one (Alice) I hadn’t read What Maisie Knew so it didn’t impact on my understanding of the plot. However with this one I felt that the book the Finder is reading actually spoils the plot as you can see exactly where the story is going to go. Would definitely read more if only for the excellent plotting
December 19, 2024
The Case of the Lonely Accountant is a light, cozy mystery with a unique protagonist and a small-town setting. The writing is charming, and the case itself is intriguing, offering moments of humor and suspense. However, the pacing can be slow, and the plot feels somewhat predictable at times. While it’s an enjoyable, easy read for fans of cozy mysteries, it doesn’t fully capture the complexity and depth found in other similar novels. A decent, relaxing mystery with a touch of whimsy.
February 11, 2025
Not as good as I hoped, nor what it seemed to promise at the start. I found it rather ponderous and slow. The dragged out parallels with Jekyll and Hyde (and - by more inference - The Magus) were a bit tenuous. I think the blurb on the front of the "unputdownable" trend possibly oversold and undermined it at the same time.
July 7, 2025
An exceptional (audio) book. I resisted this series for a while, because the crimes are sometimes darker than I can handle. But the rave reviews were correct. Excellent storytelling *AND* great plotting. Secondary plotlines were well resolved. This book, second of the series, is an excellent entry point. Matthew Spencer does a fine job as narrator.
August 7, 2025
Deceptively smart and polished
The Finder series has really impressed me. The books read comfortably yet are satisfyingly complex. There's no cheap, gratuitous violence, just intriguing puzzles to be solved.
The Lonely Accountant winds its way along, taking new and unexpected directions, and building to an interesting ending.
Recommended!
The Finder series has really impressed me. The books read comfortably yet are satisfyingly complex. There's no cheap, gratuitous violence, just intriguing puzzles to be solved.
The Lonely Accountant winds its way along, taking new and unexpected directions, and building to an interesting ending.
Recommended!
Read
August 11, 2025A low-key detective novel with a man who specialises in missing persons cases investigating the disappearance of an accountant. Intriguing and nicely worked out but rather low stakes as these things go - there's no jeopardy and no great need to see justice done. Well written and works if you're in the mood for more slice of life than drama in your crime.
October 15, 2024
the finder
Slow starting but gains psychological impact as the story unfolds. Does a conscience make one a coward. It wd seem this timid man had none and thus was strangely moved to be brave.
Slow starting but gains psychological impact as the story unfolds. Does a conscience make one a coward. It wd seem this timid man had none and thus was strangely moved to be brave.
October 21, 2024
I absolutely love the DI Ryan Wilkin’s books by Simon Mason. So I tried both of these books too.
I’ve read/listened to both of these books about the finder. Love the narration, it’s excellent, but the stories are different, slower than the DI Wilkins novels. Different but still good!
I’ve read/listened to both of these books about the finder. Love the narration, it’s excellent, but the stories are different, slower than the DI Wilkins novels. Different but still good!
April 2, 2025
I absolutely love this series and its focus on the work of detection. Patience, double checking, observing closely. It's so satisfying to read. I did think there was one strand left unexplained this time round, but overall it was so good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews