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The Lost Girls
Three girls disappear into the night. One by one they go missing, never to be seen again. No witnesses, no leads, nothing.
The only thing they had in common? An uneasy sense of being watched in the days before they vanished. Noises in the night, boot prints in the flower beds outside their bedroom windows . . .
Today.
One of the lost girls was Anna Klein's best friend. With no body, the case went cold. But Anna never stopped looking for Sylvie - or whoever took her.
Now, four years later, Anna finally has a lead when a body turns up in an abandoned mansion. She has to is it Sylvie?
But time is running out. As the storm of the century rolls in, the clock is ticking to find the answers before this trail goes cold.
Can Anna find Sylvie and the other girls before they're lost forever?
** Previously published as The Flash Girls **
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2023
463 people are currently reading
717 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 22, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for an Advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is my second JM Cannon novel, having previously read Blood Oranges. I was invested for much of the story. I loved the core concept of a serial killer enacting her online published stories and there was plenty doubt around her POV to have me intrigued.
I didnt really get the storm storyline, however, and I found the ending slightly disappointing and melodramatic unfortunately. It felt like 2 completely different books being pushed together, and it didn't fully work for me.
Overall though I would still recommend this read to others. JM Cannon writes great thrillers, and though the ending wasn't for me it certainly wasn't boring and may be for you.
This is my second JM Cannon novel, having previously read Blood Oranges. I was invested for much of the story. I loved the core concept of a serial killer enacting her online published stories and there was plenty doubt around her POV to have me intrigued.
I didnt really get the storm storyline, however, and I found the ending slightly disappointing and melodramatic unfortunately. It felt like 2 completely different books being pushed together, and it didn't fully work for me.
Overall though I would still recommend this read to others. JM Cannon writes great thrillers, and though the ending wasn't for me it certainly wasn't boring and may be for you.
August 17, 2025
aka the Flash Girls it gets kinda crazy unbelievable at the end. I liked the twists. I wish I understood the murderer more, his motivations.
February 12, 2025
I was fortunate to have been given an advanced copy of The Lost Girls and for the most part, I really enjoyed this book.
It was a fast paced and on the edge of your seat thriller - - except until the end of the book where the plot just didn't quite work for me and it felt a little unbelievable.
I enjoyed the sleuthing of Anna and how she went about trying to solve the case. It started out so strong and it was gruesome and thrilling and in some parts I got chills while reading it. So it kept me wanting more. As a debut novel, I was impressed with the writing style it was easy to get through and the chapters were small.
Overall, a good read. Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this before it comes out at the end of the month!
It was a fast paced and on the edge of your seat thriller - - except until the end of the book where the plot just didn't quite work for me and it felt a little unbelievable.
I enjoyed the sleuthing of Anna and how she went about trying to solve the case. It started out so strong and it was gruesome and thrilling and in some parts I got chills while reading it. So it kept me wanting more. As a debut novel, I was impressed with the writing style it was easy to get through and the chapters were small.
Overall, a good read. Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this before it comes out at the end of the month!
Read
November 15, 2025Not only was this “putdownable” it was almost DNF’d multiple times but I kept deciding to give it a chance since it had so many positive reviews. I don’t know if we read two different stories or if the reviews were just bought or what.
A nosebleed doesn’t look anything like a leper. And then to mix the metaphors throwing in a plague reference in pretty much the same sentence.
The way the other journalists/news people seem to treat Anna seems disproportionately odd. The author is really harping on it so hard that it’s coming off as abnormal (not in the way the writer intends) and is really being counterproductive to what seems to be an attempt to segregate her and make her feel ostracized and alone.
lol a town isn’t going to care what kind of plywood is installed and just because this one looks like brick isn’t going to stop people from graffiting it. It’s such a weird detail to mention repeatedly.
So Anna is miffed that the new guy is assigned a juicy story while at the same time saying she can’t do the basic thing needed for such stories which is clamor at officials to get quotes. Saying that’s one part of the job she was never good at yet that’s a key element to being a reporter on any of these tops stories. Talk about being entitled.
Barely into the book and the author is clearly obsessed with metaphors. Yikes!
Her sentence structure is disjointed and makes the reader stumble through the sentence rather than flow more naturally.
They would’ve left a car/officer behind to keep the scene secure at least for a few hours after they left.
An unnatural death and they aren’t treating it as a homicide?
Lol that’s not what being a vigilante means.
The journal mentioning sawing makes it a super obvious clue so she should feel stupid or upset with herself for missing it. It practically smashed the reader over the head with its obviousness.
Why is she now saying it’s her habit of running away especially when fight or flight kicks in when she ran after someone screaming for help earlier? Not only went to go check it out but followed a blood trial and then went right back after almost getting run over. What she’s saying and doing are contradictory.
Lol Anna figuring out the doors latched wasn’t as swift as lightning. In fact she was greatly delayed. The reader is constantly ahead of her and it’s exhausting and annoying.
Anna flexes her lip under her top one? Lol why not just say she bit her lip coyly?
Cadaver door - you mean the cold locker or sometimes called cabinets or just (cold) storage.
After Katrina any morgue should have known to safely securely a body much less one that needs to be processed for evidence in the airtight secure locker and not leave it out unattended and exposed.
“Law enforcement detectives” is redundant. Just “detectives” is enough. Same with “morgue room” - just “morgue” is fine. The writer does this throughout and I’m not sure if they’re trying to sound more official or just trying to fill page space.
Weird to compare minimum security prison to Fort Knox. If anything you wouldn’t break “out of” Fort Knox you’d want to break in. But there’s plenty of famous maximum security prisons that would’ve been a better comparison.
Closing the roads so all outgoing traffic can evacuate is pretty common.
Lol what nonsense why would she take the keys out of the ignition/car to begin with.
She can take the headrest off - which takes pinching both sides at the same time, but she couldn’t scoot her butt up to get her knife?
The word is not “mustached” it’s “mustachioed”
She keeps saying she deleted her story but people save good fic all the time she could have asked on any of the fic forums and there’s way back archive website
lol silly thinking she’d feel safer inside the police lines. They’re the enemies.
Seems the author assumes we are all going to know what a random pipe that’s chopped and scratched means and why it was painted over. They just left the whole pipe thing hanging with no further details.
Why is she always fumbling for her keys? Even if she can’t afford a brand new car even older models now usually don’t need to be taken out to be used. It’s just a fob so the doors would open just touching them with the keys on her pocket and would start just fine.
Why is every time she gets a new clue she’s ready to give up and stop? Most people would be driven further - and she reluctantly keeps going - but she keeps acting like every clue she gets is a failure and a let down and a reason to give up.
The car’s windows SUDDENLY goes down. And it SUDDENLY stops. And then it SUDDENLY explodes. Please get a thesaurus
The storm clouds are as black as night? Isn’t it already night anyway so how would she be able to tell plus it’s just redundant. Maybe something like “they were so dark they blended in with the darkness of the night” would have been better.
Already said the blood makes her feel nauseous no need to keep repeating it. Why not just pull his body out? The storm will deal with it.
Why leave the door open and not just turn on the overhead lights manually?
She won’t spend a night in prison. Prison is where you go when you’re sentenced and doing your time. JAIL is where you go after you’re arrested and being held so you can be arraigned.
The water wouldn’t be cold. Hurricanes need warm water to form and intensify. They can bring cold water in their wake through upswelling but the storm hasn’t come in yet so the water would be warm and since hurricane season is primarily in the summer the waters would’ve been warmed throughout the summer months and they get especially warm in the south. There’s absolutely no reason she should be in cold water. While even warm water can zap your body heat her running around and the average warmer summer month temps she’d hardly have any immediate concern for hypothermia.
The writer is just making up absolute convoluted nonsense at this point between leaving the body so now the cops are chasing her and the cold water/hypothermia. All of that could’ve been excluded.
Why in the world would the police expect her to run to battery? They have absolutely no idea what she’s doing or where she’s going.
Apparently we are back to just being afternoon and not night time. Even if it’s afternoon why would the bathroom be brighter if the dark as night clouds are rolling in? Wouldn’t it all be dark and dreary like any other stormy day.
Strangles her hands behind her back? Lol ummm maybe “wrangles” if anything.
No one tried to get their arms in front of them? Seriously?
Thoughtless, dreamless sleep is pretty much just called unconsciousness.
No ropes or duct tape but there’s surely plenty of power cords that she could have cut to use as bindings.
After just saying rescue could take days why in the world would she so carelessly dispose of a tool or potential weapon.
A nosebleed doesn’t look anything like a leper. And then to mix the metaphors throwing in a plague reference in pretty much the same sentence.
The way the other journalists/news people seem to treat Anna seems disproportionately odd. The author is really harping on it so hard that it’s coming off as abnormal (not in the way the writer intends) and is really being counterproductive to what seems to be an attempt to segregate her and make her feel ostracized and alone.
lol a town isn’t going to care what kind of plywood is installed and just because this one looks like brick isn’t going to stop people from graffiting it. It’s such a weird detail to mention repeatedly.
So Anna is miffed that the new guy is assigned a juicy story while at the same time saying she can’t do the basic thing needed for such stories which is clamor at officials to get quotes. Saying that’s one part of the job she was never good at yet that’s a key element to being a reporter on any of these tops stories. Talk about being entitled.
Barely into the book and the author is clearly obsessed with metaphors. Yikes!
Her sentence structure is disjointed and makes the reader stumble through the sentence rather than flow more naturally.
They would’ve left a car/officer behind to keep the scene secure at least for a few hours after they left.
An unnatural death and they aren’t treating it as a homicide?
Lol that’s not what being a vigilante means.
The journal mentioning sawing makes it a super obvious clue so she should feel stupid or upset with herself for missing it. It practically smashed the reader over the head with its obviousness.
Why is she now saying it’s her habit of running away especially when fight or flight kicks in when she ran after someone screaming for help earlier? Not only went to go check it out but followed a blood trial and then went right back after almost getting run over. What she’s saying and doing are contradictory.
Lol Anna figuring out the doors latched wasn’t as swift as lightning. In fact she was greatly delayed. The reader is constantly ahead of her and it’s exhausting and annoying.
Anna flexes her lip under her top one? Lol why not just say she bit her lip coyly?
Cadaver door - you mean the cold locker or sometimes called cabinets or just (cold) storage.
After Katrina any morgue should have known to safely securely a body much less one that needs to be processed for evidence in the airtight secure locker and not leave it out unattended and exposed.
“Law enforcement detectives” is redundant. Just “detectives” is enough. Same with “morgue room” - just “morgue” is fine. The writer does this throughout and I’m not sure if they’re trying to sound more official or just trying to fill page space.
Weird to compare minimum security prison to Fort Knox. If anything you wouldn’t break “out of” Fort Knox you’d want to break in. But there’s plenty of famous maximum security prisons that would’ve been a better comparison.
Closing the roads so all outgoing traffic can evacuate is pretty common.
Lol what nonsense why would she take the keys out of the ignition/car to begin with.
She can take the headrest off - which takes pinching both sides at the same time, but she couldn’t scoot her butt up to get her knife?
The word is not “mustached” it’s “mustachioed”
She keeps saying she deleted her story but people save good fic all the time she could have asked on any of the fic forums and there’s way back archive website
lol silly thinking she’d feel safer inside the police lines. They’re the enemies.
Seems the author assumes we are all going to know what a random pipe that’s chopped and scratched means and why it was painted over. They just left the whole pipe thing hanging with no further details.
Why is she always fumbling for her keys? Even if she can’t afford a brand new car even older models now usually don’t need to be taken out to be used. It’s just a fob so the doors would open just touching them with the keys on her pocket and would start just fine.
Why is every time she gets a new clue she’s ready to give up and stop? Most people would be driven further - and she reluctantly keeps going - but she keeps acting like every clue she gets is a failure and a let down and a reason to give up.
The car’s windows SUDDENLY goes down. And it SUDDENLY stops. And then it SUDDENLY explodes. Please get a thesaurus
The storm clouds are as black as night? Isn’t it already night anyway so how would she be able to tell plus it’s just redundant. Maybe something like “they were so dark they blended in with the darkness of the night” would have been better.
Already said the blood makes her feel nauseous no need to keep repeating it. Why not just pull his body out? The storm will deal with it.
Why leave the door open and not just turn on the overhead lights manually?
She won’t spend a night in prison. Prison is where you go when you’re sentenced and doing your time. JAIL is where you go after you’re arrested and being held so you can be arraigned.
The water wouldn’t be cold. Hurricanes need warm water to form and intensify. They can bring cold water in their wake through upswelling but the storm hasn’t come in yet so the water would be warm and since hurricane season is primarily in the summer the waters would’ve been warmed throughout the summer months and they get especially warm in the south. There’s absolutely no reason she should be in cold water. While even warm water can zap your body heat her running around and the average warmer summer month temps she’d hardly have any immediate concern for hypothermia.
The writer is just making up absolute convoluted nonsense at this point between leaving the body so now the cops are chasing her and the cold water/hypothermia. All of that could’ve been excluded.
Why in the world would the police expect her to run to battery? They have absolutely no idea what she’s doing or where she’s going.
Apparently we are back to just being afternoon and not night time. Even if it’s afternoon why would the bathroom be brighter if the dark as night clouds are rolling in? Wouldn’t it all be dark and dreary like any other stormy day.
Strangles her hands behind her back? Lol ummm maybe “wrangles” if anything.
No one tried to get their arms in front of them? Seriously?
Thoughtless, dreamless sleep is pretty much just called unconsciousness.
No ropes or duct tape but there’s surely plenty of power cords that she could have cut to use as bindings.
After just saying rescue could take days why in the world would she so carelessly dispose of a tool or potential weapon.
September 9, 2023
thrilling!
Very intriguing, thrills along the way. Great ending, I highly recommend this book-layers upon layers of depth. Hope you enjoy it too.
Very intriguing, thrills along the way. Great ending, I highly recommend this book-layers upon layers of depth. Hope you enjoy it too.
May 20, 2025
Very criminal minds vibes and good twist but it just didn’t have the wow factor I was hoping for. I think I set my standards too high and just got disappointed.
September 7, 2023
Loved the sense of urgency through out the story, it gave it a kind of panicked rollercoaster feel.
August 2, 2025
3.7 a lot was happening in this book, happy with the ending and the final reveal, suspenseful
April 7, 2025
I didn’t love it as much as Blood Oranges but it still had a decent twist. 3.75
February 6, 2025
The Lost Girls by J M Cannon (ARC REVIEW)
4⭐️
My very first ARC read was not a disappointment!
One by one, three girls go missing. No witnesses, no leads, nothing. Among them, Anna Klein’s best friend, Sylvie. Despite the case going cold, Anna never stopped looking for Sylvie and four years later she finally has a lead when a body is found in an abandoned mansion. Is it Sylvie?
As a huge storm threatens the East Coast, the clock is ticking to find the answers before the trail is lost forever…
From the very beginning I was drawn into this book. Anna's story is one with a lot of unanswered questions that you find yourself desperately needing to know the answer to.
There's an easy flow to the plot where we have info about characters but not too much that it's overwhelming, going from one part to the next without being abrupt. The narrative is descriptive enough to give you hints but not enough to give it all away. As the reader we are at mercy of the narrator and Anna's perspective.
The sense of urgency because of the storm and the increasing suspicion towards every character leaves the reader on edge, confused, and needing to read more! There were times I was genuinely scared and I find that rare in most books, even thrillers.
If you like a fast paced, mind swirling, who-dunnit then this is the book for you!
Thank you to Net Galley & Embla Books for allowing me to read this ARC!
4⭐️
My very first ARC read was not a disappointment!
One by one, three girls go missing. No witnesses, no leads, nothing. Among them, Anna Klein’s best friend, Sylvie. Despite the case going cold, Anna never stopped looking for Sylvie and four years later she finally has a lead when a body is found in an abandoned mansion. Is it Sylvie?
As a huge storm threatens the East Coast, the clock is ticking to find the answers before the trail is lost forever…
From the very beginning I was drawn into this book. Anna's story is one with a lot of unanswered questions that you find yourself desperately needing to know the answer to.
There's an easy flow to the plot where we have info about characters but not too much that it's overwhelming, going from one part to the next without being abrupt. The narrative is descriptive enough to give you hints but not enough to give it all away. As the reader we are at mercy of the narrator and Anna's perspective.
The sense of urgency because of the storm and the increasing suspicion towards every character leaves the reader on edge, confused, and needing to read more! There were times I was genuinely scared and I find that rare in most books, even thrillers.
If you like a fast paced, mind swirling, who-dunnit then this is the book for you!
Thank you to Net Galley & Embla Books for allowing me to read this ARC!
February 25, 2025
Was this really J.M. Cannon’s first book? I’m blown away by that fact alone! Superbly written! Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for this ARC.
I loved the premise of this book and went in mostly blind. Unfortunately, there are a lot of books out there with similar titles, so I allowed myself to read a few lines of the blurb. This story follows the disappearance and murder or 3 girls, and while vastly different, have something in common. While friend and amateur detective looks for clues to find out what really happened, she must race Mother Nature and the approaching hurricane.
I really did love this story. I felt it was way longer than it needed to be, but I was also impressed that the author took the time to write in detail and not just skip over parts. I wish there were more detail about the killings, but that would’ve changed the book completely. Maybe there’s a chance for a prequel. I found some of the information to be unnecessary, some of the characters too, but they also provided doubt along the way. Overall, I think it was well done.
I loved the premise of this book and went in mostly blind. Unfortunately, there are a lot of books out there with similar titles, so I allowed myself to read a few lines of the blurb. This story follows the disappearance and murder or 3 girls, and while vastly different, have something in common. While friend and amateur detective looks for clues to find out what really happened, she must race Mother Nature and the approaching hurricane.
I really did love this story. I felt it was way longer than it needed to be, but I was also impressed that the author took the time to write in detail and not just skip over parts. I wish there were more detail about the killings, but that would’ve changed the book completely. Maybe there’s a chance for a prequel. I found some of the information to be unnecessary, some of the characters too, but they also provided doubt along the way. Overall, I think it was well done.
August 18, 2023
The Flash Girls has the gritty atmosphere of Dark Places with Nordic-noir-level creepy crime scenes.
Anna Klein is sure her friend is a victim of The Flash Girl killer. Three girls have vanished days after having a flash photo taken of them in the middle of the night. No one believes the connections Anna sees in the cases, so she’s been trying to solve them by herself. When bodies start to surface as a catastrophic hurricane heads for Charleston, Anna is in a race against time to gather all the evidence she needs before the storm wipes it all away.
J.M. Cannon has quickly become an auto-buy author for me this year, and this book had me hooked from the very first page. The horrific imagery, the persistent feeling of being stalked, and the perfect pacing had me mesmerized the whole way through, all the way up to the action packed finale.
Anna Klein is sure her friend is a victim of The Flash Girl killer. Three girls have vanished days after having a flash photo taken of them in the middle of the night. No one believes the connections Anna sees in the cases, so she’s been trying to solve them by herself. When bodies start to surface as a catastrophic hurricane heads for Charleston, Anna is in a race against time to gather all the evidence she needs before the storm wipes it all away.
J.M. Cannon has quickly become an auto-buy author for me this year, and this book had me hooked from the very first page. The horrific imagery, the persistent feeling of being stalked, and the perfect pacing had me mesmerized the whole way through, all the way up to the action packed finale.
August 15, 2023
Another great one from JM Cannon
I get so excited when I see a new book from this author. I've loved all three. This one did not disappoint! The coming storm gave it even more of a countdown feel - I couldn't stop reading.
I get so excited when I see a new book from this author. I've loved all three. This one did not disappoint! The coming storm gave it even more of a countdown feel - I couldn't stop reading.
June 23, 2025
All my reviews can be found at: http://www.jessicasreadingroom.com
This review will appear on my site on June 24, 2025.
~~~~
The Lost Girls is my first novel by J.M. Cannon and I enjoyed it! I was approached to read it and the description interested me. Missing girls, a possible ‘serial kidnapper’, one girl left trying to find answers years later, and much more.
I was riveted in the book from the beginning. I liked Anna and was along for the ride with her. So much was going on in the story and we have another villain heading towards Charleston: The seemingly biggest hurricane that may cause ultimate devastation to the area.
There is a sense of urgency with the hurricane coming and this upcoming storm is its own character! Cannon was very descriptive of Charleston and I felt like I could have been there. There was also a scene that dealt with news footage of the colossal waves hitting a ship. This was making me think twice about doing a cruise out in the ocean! (Not that I am going on a cruise anytime soon).
Bodies being found with the upcoming storm was also giving a sense of urgency with the crime scenes. And the crime scenes too! And there is also a scene in a morgue I won’t go into. Let’s just say these scenes helped to keep the ‘thriller lover/serial killer reader’ in me intrigued!
Some of the directions the story went in was a bit out of left field, but I really wanted to see what was going to happen in the end! Was the villain going to be found and was Charleston going to be devastated by the storm?
Lauren Allman was the narrator and she is fast becoming a narrator that I will look out for. She is becoming a ‘must listen to’ narrator for me. She did a great job with her narration. She kept me wanting to keep listening to the story!
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a Spotify audio copy via Pubvendo to listen to and review. I enjoyed it!
This review will appear on my site on June 24, 2025.
~~~~
The Lost Girls is my first novel by J.M. Cannon and I enjoyed it! I was approached to read it and the description interested me. Missing girls, a possible ‘serial kidnapper’, one girl left trying to find answers years later, and much more.
I was riveted in the book from the beginning. I liked Anna and was along for the ride with her. So much was going on in the story and we have another villain heading towards Charleston: The seemingly biggest hurricane that may cause ultimate devastation to the area.
There is a sense of urgency with the hurricane coming and this upcoming storm is its own character! Cannon was very descriptive of Charleston and I felt like I could have been there. There was also a scene that dealt with news footage of the colossal waves hitting a ship. This was making me think twice about doing a cruise out in the ocean! (Not that I am going on a cruise anytime soon).
Bodies being found with the upcoming storm was also giving a sense of urgency with the crime scenes. And the crime scenes too! And there is also a scene in a morgue I won’t go into. Let’s just say these scenes helped to keep the ‘thriller lover/serial killer reader’ in me intrigued!
Some of the directions the story went in was a bit out of left field, but I really wanted to see what was going to happen in the end! Was the villain going to be found and was Charleston going to be devastated by the storm?
Lauren Allman was the narrator and she is fast becoming a narrator that I will look out for. She is becoming a ‘must listen to’ narrator for me. She did a great job with her narration. She kept me wanting to keep listening to the story!
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a Spotify audio copy via Pubvendo to listen to and review. I enjoyed it!
January 16, 2024
I had a really interesting time with this book, very rollercoaster-like with the ups and downs that I felt as the chapters raced by. At the start, I was intrigued, but during the middle, things started to wane for me, and I felt less compelled to care about the characters as the plot got muddled in my head.
Anna is a journalist, but she's unable to focus on her profession because something much more important is bothering her. She's set on investigating The Flash Girls, a string of missing and presumed murdered girls from her childhood who she can't let go of. Just as it seems she's found a new lead when a body is recovered, a looming hurricane threatens to permanently halt her investigation, and leave her with nothing.
The pros of this book are as follows. It's fast-paced, with short digestible chapters that urge you to keep on reading even late into the night. This book is the epitome of a 'one more chapter' read, and it was never unrewarding to dive a little deeper. However, I had an issue with the middle of this book, things felt suddenly very convoluted when the basic premise of a girl hunting for a serial killer against the threat of a tropical storm was strong enough. There were twists galore, but also a lot of unanswered questions, and despite my trying, I couldn't gel with the protagonist, she was just fine rather than someone to root for.
I have more books in my TBR by J.M Cannon, and after reading this I'm excited to continue checking out their repertoire.
Anna is a journalist, but she's unable to focus on her profession because something much more important is bothering her. She's set on investigating The Flash Girls, a string of missing and presumed murdered girls from her childhood who she can't let go of. Just as it seems she's found a new lead when a body is recovered, a looming hurricane threatens to permanently halt her investigation, and leave her with nothing.
The pros of this book are as follows. It's fast-paced, with short digestible chapters that urge you to keep on reading even late into the night. This book is the epitome of a 'one more chapter' read, and it was never unrewarding to dive a little deeper. However, I had an issue with the middle of this book, things felt suddenly very convoluted when the basic premise of a girl hunting for a serial killer against the threat of a tropical storm was strong enough. There were twists galore, but also a lot of unanswered questions, and despite my trying, I couldn't gel with the protagonist, she was just fine rather than someone to root for.
I have more books in my TBR by J.M Cannon, and after reading this I'm excited to continue checking out their repertoire.
October 10, 2023
This author’s manipulation game is destabilizing. Let the games begin, indeed. I’m all in for it.
There is so much going on, but it’s easy to keep up, but it’s easy to get confused- and I’m pretty sure I’m living in that office/closet space with Anna trying to piece together the puzzle until the very end.
There’s a killer and a hurricane coming…and you can feel the clock ticking. I feel I really got to know the main character, Anna through past glimpses of her life of neglect. I realllly like her because of her impulsive, downright nutty behavior. Alpha-female ✊🏼
Every other character will become suspect at some point in your mind and that kept me on my toes. That ending though…! I need a little more closure, even though that imagery had me smiling with a slow clap.
Just read it.
It’s a legit thriller 🤯
There is so much going on, but it’s easy to keep up, but it’s easy to get confused- and I’m pretty sure I’m living in that office/closet space with Anna trying to piece together the puzzle until the very end.
There’s a killer and a hurricane coming…and you can feel the clock ticking. I feel I really got to know the main character, Anna through past glimpses of her life of neglect. I realllly like her because of her impulsive, downright nutty behavior. Alpha-female ✊🏼
Every other character will become suspect at some point in your mind and that kept me on my toes. That ending though…! I need a little more closure, even though that imagery had me smiling with a slow clap.
Just read it.
It’s a legit thriller 🤯
November 21, 2024
I found this book to be very interesting. Although, I believe there could have been more substance to the story. Unfortunately, I predicted the perpetrator well before the ending because of various breadcrumbs left by the author. I'm sure this was intentional, but it didn't really pack the punch once the twist came around. But, on a positive note this was a quick read that definitely keeps you hooked until the end. The main character being a regular person with a regular job in a regular home was also very relatable. The riddle within the story was also very good, although I will say I thought it was "Mother" the whole time, but I was wrong about that so that's good. All in all, the book is very interesting especially if you don't read thrillers often.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2023
This book took off running from chapter one! Anna is a journalist with secrets. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to find her missing friend and make the offender pay.
The crime scenes are creepy. Victims posed as dolls? Woof.
The setting is top notch. A monster hurricane is rapidly approaching Charleston, SC. There was a scene describing a boat captain’s video footage of gargantuan waves at sea that truly freaked me out. (Anyone else with deep ocean fears?!)
The action is wild and multiple reveals are scattered throughout. I could have used a bit more time spent on the final reveal giving the how and why, but I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through this book!
I’m excited to read more by J.M. Cannon and appreciate Kate for recommending her!
⭐️RATING⭐️: I really liked it! If you enjoy bingeable, atmospheric serial killer books, this could be a great pick! (4⭐️)
The crime scenes are creepy. Victims posed as dolls? Woof.
The setting is top notch. A monster hurricane is rapidly approaching Charleston, SC. There was a scene describing a boat captain’s video footage of gargantuan waves at sea that truly freaked me out. (Anyone else with deep ocean fears?!)
The action is wild and multiple reveals are scattered throughout. I could have used a bit more time spent on the final reveal giving the how and why, but I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through this book!
I’m excited to read more by J.M. Cannon and appreciate Kate for recommending her!
⭐️RATING⭐️: I really liked it! If you enjoy bingeable, atmospheric serial killer books, this could be a great pick! (4⭐️)
September 4, 2025
J.M. Cannon packs a whallop of a case. The Lost Girls is about a serial killer on the loose and targeting local girls. His ways are truly evil, stalking these girls until they disappear, only to eventually show up later, in truly unexpected and horrific ways. Anna is an aspiring journalist who is investigating the lost girls, but Anna also has a secret. One she's not really willing to share with anyone. What happens next is a thrilling ride of twists and turns you won't see coming. Highly recommend and will definitely look for more by this author!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*
September 8, 2025
The Lost Girls is the renamed edition of the author’s original The Flash Girls novel. The thriller aspect and some good twists kept me reading to the end. But, as one reviewer said, it was like a Fast and Furious movie—an overdone plot that grew more ridiculous over time. I didn’t like the protagonist, and I found the hurricane doom buildup a bit unnecessary. Although the author had hooked me to read to the end, I shook my head over the increasingly unbelievable final chapters. Really?! (And the rooftop scene…Huh?!)
With that said, however, this author is worth reading again. A number of reviewers have recommended Blood Orange and The Quiet Wife.
With that said, however, this author is worth reading again. A number of reviewers have recommended Blood Orange and The Quiet Wife.
May 11, 2025
3.25 stars rounded down to 3.
I was of two minds about this one. At times I really liked the plot and the mystery element of the way newspaper journalist Anna doggedly searches for answers to the mystery of her missing friend(s). However, a lot of the details and development came together in a way that felt too scripted and entirely unrealistic. Ultimately, the bad guy would have had to have superpowers to engineer the final twists and the intensity of the situations she found herself in were just over the top in every single scene.
Just meh for me.
I was of two minds about this one. At times I really liked the plot and the mystery element of the way newspaper journalist Anna doggedly searches for answers to the mystery of her missing friend(s). However, a lot of the details and development came together in a way that felt too scripted and entirely unrealistic. Ultimately, the bad guy would have had to have superpowers to engineer the final twists and the intensity of the situations she found herself in were just over the top in every single scene.
Just meh for me.
August 13, 2025
"The Lost Girls" is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that maintains a sense of urgency throughout. The plot twists are phenomenal, with surprises lurking at the end of almost every chapter.
The story follows Anna Klein, a determined journalist who suspects her best friend fell victim to a serial killer. Driven by her own investigation, Anna seeks justice and truth.
In addition to all the above, "The Lost Girls" is an engaging and suspenseful read that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Some chapters are short and there aren’t too many characters. The author kept it simple and it works.
The story follows Anna Klein, a determined journalist who suspects her best friend fell victim to a serial killer. Driven by her own investigation, Anna seeks justice and truth.
In addition to all the above, "The Lost Girls" is an engaging and suspenseful read that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Some chapters are short and there aren’t too many characters. The author kept it simple and it works.
June 27, 2025
I listened to this audiobook thriller. Three girls go missing. Each one reported hearing strange noises, boot prints around their homes, and a camera flash before her disappearance. One of those girls was Sylvie, and her best friend has never stopped looking for her. Police have given up, and when Savannah undergoes a hurricane, the crimes come to a head while police are busy elsewhere. Recommended.
November 16, 2025
I had no idea where this story was going, in the best way. Every time I thought I had the bad guy figured out, it would swerve left instead of right, never taking that straight or predictable path. The looming hurricane added so much tension, and while the main character’s choices were super frustrating at times, it kept me turning the pages to see what she’d do next. Overall, a solid, twisty thriller that kept me guessing until the end!
November 21, 2024
i have never read a book set somewhere i know so well! i loved the charleston setting! the hurricane was such a tense feeling i know well. anna girl you are better than me, i would have said bye girls. i liked it a lot tho! i wasn't expecting the story being hers and used against her, i loved that element. such a great pacing as well, i never felt like i wasn't learning enough or too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2025
The 'heroine," or protagonist, of this story is without a doubt one of the most unlikable characters I've ever encountered in fiction. Her base emotions, her recklessness, her terrible decision making skills were frustrating and often unbelievable. I won't be reading any more stories by this author. I was relieved to finish this one.
May 23, 2025
3.5 stars. The audio was enjoyable to listen to. At first the story was very confusing and I never really liked the FMC. As things progressed, you’d see little morsels of info come to light that made more sense and slowly things came together in one area while still super confused about the rest. The end felt anticlimactic. And it was just a sad book overall and weird.
September 27, 2025
It (clearly) took me a long time to finish this book.
Anna is a journalist chasing a story about the upcoming hurricane. But a body that links to her past has recently been discovered and all the clues pull Anna in.
I just didn’t like the characters. The middle jd end was decent enough. But I felt like it took forever to get there.
Thank you to netgalley jd the publisher for and arc
Anna is a journalist chasing a story about the upcoming hurricane. But a body that links to her past has recently been discovered and all the clues pull Anna in.
I just didn’t like the characters. The middle jd end was decent enough. But I felt like it took forever to get there.
Thank you to netgalley jd the publisher for and arc
September 14, 2023
Didn't expect it
Honestly the first book I've read in awhile that really kept me in and wondering. No clishays or run on. Very much enjoyed this and I wasn't even going to read it at first.
Honestly the first book I've read in awhile that really kept me in and wondering. No clishays or run on. Very much enjoyed this and I wasn't even going to read it at first.
April 6, 2024
3.5⭐
I did really enjoy the mistery . Anna was a good character and the plot twists had me shocked.
what I didn t like tho was the writing. sometimes it was too simple , like in a confusing way where I had to reread sentences 5 times. but overall I had fun.
I did really enjoy the mistery . Anna was a good character and the plot twists had me shocked.
what I didn t like tho was the writing. sometimes it was too simple , like in a confusing way where I had to reread sentences 5 times. but overall I had fun.
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