Lost, Like Me

by Ivanka Fear

Two women’s lives intersect. One goes missing and needs to be found while the other must remain lost. Both their lives depend on it.Following a horrific event twelve years ago, Cheryl MacGregor disappeared from the city where she grew up and moved to a remote northern town, assuming a new identity with her husband, Jim. She thought she was safe from the danger that led her to flee—until her parents’ deaths last year. When Jim’s receptionist, Julia, mysteriously vanishes from her home Cheryl teams up with Detective Scott Evans for two to find Julia and to write the exclusive report that will forward Cheryl’s career as a journalist. While investigating the possibility that Julia’s disappearance may be linked to strange happenings at an abandoned mine, Cheryl uncovers a connection to her own former life, reminding her that the threat to her family is still out there. As wildfires threaten the town, Cheryl and Detective Evans race against the encroaching smoke to find Julia before it’s too late. When the investigation hits too close to home, Cheryl must face the reality that she may never be lost enough to escape her past.

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2024

About the author

Ivanka Fear is Canadian writer, born in Slovenia. She earned her B.A. and B.Ed. in English and French at Western University. Prior to pursuing writing full time, she enjoyed a long career in education. Her debut novel, The Dead Lie, is the first in her Blue Water Mysteries series. Where is My Husband? is the first book in her Jake and Mallory Thriller series. Ivanka is a member of Crime Writers of Canada, International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. She resides in Ontario, Canada, with her family and the stray cats that wandered in. When not reading and writing, Ivanka enjoys watching mystery series and romance movies, gardening, going for walks, and watching the waves roll in at the lake.

Reviews

[Joseph Souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping mystery thriller that keeps you turning the pages. Lost Like Me is full of dark secrets, missing persons, and crazy twists. Ivanka Fear keeps the reader guessing to the very last page!

[Cindy Goyette · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOST LIKE ME by Ivanka Fear kept me glued to the page. It’s unique, with a somewhat nosey protagonist, Cheryl MacGregor who loves her family, but also can’t quell her curiosity about the strange happenings in her small new town. When she piques the interest of the local hot cop, Detective Scott Evans, he takes advantage of her interview skills to help him solve the case of a missing woman, who happens to work for Cheryl’s husband.

As more strange happenings occur in the quaint Canadian town, Cheryl’s past threatens to catch up to her, which might put her family in danger. Both Cheryl and Scott try to keep their relationship professional and platonic although it’s not easy, especially for Scott. But Cheryl loves her husband and Scott tries to respect that.

Throw a forest fire into the mix and a missing baby and things really heat up. There are so many twists and turns, it’s hard to know who to trust. Just when I thought I’d figured things out, I was wrong. Fear keeps you guessing until the satisfying and suspenseful climax.

I really enjoyed Lost Like Me. The second book in the BLUE WATER MYSTERY series can be read as a standalone. But if you do, I can promise you, you’ll be looking for book one, which is now on my TBR list.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book was a quick read for me. Another book
In series with Cheryl and Jim and I enjoy their characters along with Detective Scott Evan’s. Jim’s assistant Julia went missing one evening -her boyfriend Danny another relator at the agency sounded the alarm and Cheryl made it her mission to find where.. there is a drug problem that is also high on detectives list to figure out how these drugs are being distributed.. Cheryl working for local paper is getting the inside scoop for her article. And 2 more people go missing?! Are they all connected? Separate cases.. enjoyed the book. Looking forward to reading other books in the series.
Happy 📖Reading

[J. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I have not read the first in this series, I had no trouble at all being immediately caught up in the life of Cheryl and Jim and their children and neighbours in their Northern Ontario town. Told from two different points of view (and occasionally, and necessarily, from a few others'), Cheryl and Det. Scott Evans work many hours together - sometimes too many, in Jim's opinion - to try to solve the mystery of a missing woman, and several other intertwined cases that seem related to Julia's disappearance. Northern Ontario, its mines, provincial parks, and wildfire evacuations are all themes with which I've had first-hand experience and Ivanka Fear has recaptured these times of my life with accurate descriptive passages - yet they are well-balanced with dialogue too. In addition, she is expert at ramping up the suspense with each chapter, keeping the reader guessing at all times. Fear has penned an exciting Canadian thriller, with action throughout, dropping us into several different worlds for a peek at a variety of criminal activities and questionable domestic situations. ** (Aside from the good quality of the writing of plot and characters, as a former English teacher I am often put off by a lack of line editing in most of today's publications; Ivanka Fear and her editors have worked hard to prepare a novel that was easy to the critical eye and that in itself certainly helps move the story along more quickly, as any good thriller should.)
- J. Ivanel Johnson, award-winning author of the JUST (e)STATE mysteries (also set in Canada)

[Rose Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book takes place in Northern Ontario and this intrigue me because I’ve lived most of my adult life in Northern Ontario.
The author did an excellent job with the setting. A small mining town in Northern Ontario, in the summer, with threats of wildfires.

The main character, Cheryl MacGregor, is a complex individual who has secrets that she isn’t willing to reveal, especially to the police. She’s a feisty, determined young woman with a family to protect.
I wasn’t sure what to think of Detective Evans. At times he was a difficult character and not always likeable. However, he was central to the story and played his role well.

The pacing in the story moved briskly. The subplots add to the tension in the story and are well executed.

This is the second book in the Blue Water Mystery Series.

I recommend this book if you enjoy a well plotted mystery with a satisfying conclusion!


I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Gayle Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Fear nails the genre! From the first page until the last, you won't want to put the book down. With a colorful cast of characters, each one raising suspicion as to who has done what, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Fear fills the book with tension, action, and wonderful character development, with the perfect amount of red herrings to keep the reader on their toes. You'll want to race to the end to see the twisty ending!

[Michelle Godard-Richer · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first book in this series, I eagerly anticipated this second installment of A Blue Water Mystery, and I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed returning to Cheryl McGregor's POV and seeing her in amateur sleuth mode as a journalist at home. Full of suspense, twists and red herrings, Lost, Like Me grabs your attention and keeps you entertained from start to finish. I highly recommend this book for suspense, mystery, and thriller fans.

[Anna St.John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Ivanka Fear delivers again, in this mystery/thriller about a missing woman and the race to find her. The story unfolds in alternating points of view, with each character speculating about what might have happened to Julia. New secrets are revealed at every turn, as the book draws us deeper into a world where it seems that everyone has something to hide. If you like multilayered mysteries, you won’t want to miss this one. It’s a page-turner.

[Sjoukje Vandenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story!
Fast paced, missing person, drug smuggling, a missing baby and a possible connection to the main characters past. I can’t wait to continue this series!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Like Me is a twisty and turn-y small town mystery that will leave you guessing until the end. I loved that it's set in Ontario, Canada, and my favourite parts are the banter between Cheryl and Detective Scott. I will keep following Ivanka's interesting and layered characters!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book solely to leave a review but was pleasantly surprised and glad that I read it. I had never heard or read anything from this author yet. This was an easy, smooth enjoyable read with an ending that I definitely did not guess as a possibility.
I realized this is book 2 of 2 so I'm definitely adding the first one to my never ending TBR list.
Cheryl is a reporter for a small town who had literally ran from her past and true identity 12 years earlier. She gets involved with a missing person's case both personally and professionally, helping alongside detective Scott. I do wish there had been...not sure how to word this, but character/relationship development or details? I'm not sure exactly but they develop a close bond and together work the case which only keeps turning up more questions than answers. More missing people including a baby follow next.
Also towards the end, the reader finally learns the basics of why Cheryl changed identities which I had wondered all along. I don't want to give away too much but I would recommend this as a great, quick, plot twisting read!

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost Like Me is the second book in A Blue Water Myster series. This was a cozy mystery.

There are a lot of characters with plenty of twists and turns. I can't say I was engrossed in the story. I didn't particularly care for the characters. Cheryl seemed a bit of a busy body. For someone who had left their old life behind and now lives under a new name with her family, she chooses to be a reporter where she might end up front and center. Seems a little hard to believe.

I struggled to finish this one, Sorry, it wasn't for me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Kim Herdman Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost, Like Me is a fantastic follow-up to Fear's previous Blue Water Mystery, The Dead Lie. But this time the action heads north, to Northern Ontario to be exact, as protagonist Cheryl teams up with attractive police officer, Scott, in an attempt to uncover the truth about the mysterious disappearance of her husband's secretary. Sparks fly - in many different ways - as the two battle to find the missing Julia before wildfires hit the town. A great read with a fascinating back story as Cheryl tries to outrun her own past. Five stars for Lost, Like Me!

[David Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Blue Water Mystery series, Lost, Like Me was well worth the wait.

What starts off as a simple missing person investigation develops into something far more involved and sinister.

As amateur sleuth, Cheryl MacGregor delves more deeply into the case, it threatens to put both her life and marriage in jeopardy.

I was drawn into Cheryl's world from the very beginning, and the tale kept me guessing until the very end. A well crafted story from a very accomplished author.

[Gary Gerlacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two, but stands alone as a great mystery thriller. Cheryl MacGregor is trying to escape her past in a small town in northern Ontario. When a secretary goes missing, her investigation uncovers much more is going on than a simple disappearance. The tension between her and Detective Evans builds throughout, and culminates in a reveal in the final pages. This is a great read with intriguing characters, majestic settings, and enough subplots to keep a reader entertained throughout. I am looking forward to going back to read book one in the series.

[Charlotte Grainger · Rating 5 out of 5]

And yet again, Ivanka Fear pulls out a gripping and intense story out the bag.
I loved this follow up, the further character development of Cheryl, getting to know her husband and their relationship better and the introduction of new characters.
The story was brilliant yet again with a fantastic twist at the end which I never ever guessed.
I really enjoy all of Fears books and I recommend them to anyone who is looking for a book to read- they pull you in from the first page and they stay gripping all the way through.

[Sandra R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Like Me, book 2 of the Blue Water Series by Ivanka Fear is full of twists and turns that suck you in. Cheryl, a local reporter learns that her husband’s assistant, Julia has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Between Julia’s drug-dealing, possessive boyfriend and an ex-boyfriend with a sketchy past, Cheryl along with a police detective named Scott are determined to find Julia. Amid some illegal activity happening at the local mine and a forest fire that almost brings the investigation to a fiery, screeching halt, this story will have you guessing all the way to the end. Again, Ivanka has written a hard-to-put-down mystery thriller, with sympathetic characters, heart-wrenching back stories, and a small town enshrouded in dark secrets and scandals.

[Kelly Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely phenomenal book! I wasn't sure that Ivanka Fear could give us a book as wonderful as the first in the series, but she knocked it out of the park!
Superbly written, full of action that keeps the reader turning the pages and multi-faceted characters, Lost Like Me grabs you and refuses to let go. The twists and turns make for a fascinating and riveting read, and keep you guessing to the very end.
Thanks to the author for the review copy! I anxiously await the next book in the series.

[Shauntelle (shauntellereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 in a series. I did not read the first book, but this was a good standalone. The book is told from Cheryl McGregor's POV. It was full of suspense, and grabbed my attention from the beginning. I enjoyed the ride, not knowing who to trust throughout the story. I was kept guessing right up to the very end.

Book 1 is now on my TBR list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Suzanne Craig-Whytock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost, Like Me by Ivanka Fear grips the reader from the very first page. It’s a clever mystery, full of twists and turns, complicated characters with hidden pasts, and non-stop suspense. The story begins as an investigation into the disappearance of a young woman told from a variety of perspectives, and then escalates into a full-blown revelation of secrets that the reader never sees coming.

[Nanasbookreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Lost Like Me by Ivanka Fear is a gripping mystery. It's the second book from "A Blue Water Mystery" series.

This is such an amazing story. It has a captivating plot and good world-building. The detailed descriptions give the right emphasis to each scene. The build-up for the mystery is slow and steady. The are a variety of characters and are very down to earth. Cheryl and Scott worked so well together like they were true partners. What I liked here was that you can't figure out what happened until the very end. There are lots of twists that can throw you off. My favorite part was
the gathering with the old neighbor and the detective.

If you are a mystery lover then this book is for you. I highly recommend it and I will give it 5 bright stars.