What do you think?
Rate this book
D.I. Lottie Parker #7
Palūžusios sielos
Betė sudrebėjo, nors virtuvėje buvo šilta. Nuojautos šiurpuliukas leidosi stuburu ir susitelkė apie pilvą. Jautėsi lyg panardinta į geliančio vandens kubilą. Drebančiomis rankomis nusitraukė gumą nuo riešo ir pakėlė nuo sprando plaukus. Sukdamasi nuo lango nepastebėjo praeinančio šešėlio.
Vieną tamsų žiemos rytą Keira Djun randama pasikorusi savo namuose. Moteris vilki nuotakos suknelę, trūksta jos plaukų sruogos. Pirmoji į įvykio vietą atvyksta detektyvė Lotė Parker. Kai kurios detalės inspektorei sukelia dvejonių, ar čia tikrai savižudybė.
Įvykiai įgauna dar niūresnį atspalvį, kai tą pačią popietę randama antra jauna moteris, nukritusi nuo abatijos slaugos namų, kuriuose dirbo, stogo. Fiona Hefernan turėjo netrukus ištekėti ir irgi vilki nuotakos suknelę. Aukai taip pat nuo galvos nukirpta plaukų sruoga.
Nuvažiavusi pranešti artimiesiems apie nelaimę, detektyvė sužino naujieną, nuo kurios kraujas sustingsta gyslose: Fionos aštuonerių metų dukrelė Lilė tą popietę po šokių repeticijos negrįžo namo. Išsigandusi, kad mergaitė gali tapti pavojingo ir nesveiko nusikaltėlio auka, Lotė imasi tirti bylą ir rizikuoja savo gyvybe, kai akis į akį susitinka su žudiku...
Vieną tamsų žiemos rytą Keira Djun randama pasikorusi savo namuose. Moteris vilki nuotakos suknelę, trūksta jos plaukų sruogos. Pirmoji į įvykio vietą atvyksta detektyvė Lotė Parker. Kai kurios detalės inspektorei sukelia dvejonių, ar čia tikrai savižudybė.
Įvykiai įgauna dar niūresnį atspalvį, kai tą pačią popietę randama antra jauna moteris, nukritusi nuo abatijos slaugos namų, kuriuose dirbo, stogo. Fiona Hefernan turėjo netrukus ištekėti ir irgi vilki nuotakos suknelę. Aukai taip pat nuo galvos nukirpta plaukų sruoga.
Nuvažiavusi pranešti artimiesiems apie nelaimę, detektyvė sužino naujieną, nuo kurios kraujas sustingsta gyslose: Fionos aštuonerių metų dukrelė Lilė tą popietę po šokių repeticijos negrįžo namo. Išsigandusi, kad mergaitė gali tapti pavojingo ir nesveiko nusikaltėlio auka, Lotė imasi tirti bylą ir rizikuoja savo gyvybe, kai akis į akį susitinka su žudiku...
348 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2019
3015 people are currently reading
2029 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Gibney
31 books1,351 followersMy name is Patricia Gibney and I’m from Mullingar, County Westmeath. Right in the heart of Ireland. Surrounded by lakes, Mullingar is damp and wet most of the year but when the sun shines it is a little piece of heaven on earth. I’ve lived here all my life. I’m widowed, seven years in May, but was married to Aidan since 1982. I’ve three children who keep me sane, or maybe keep the madness at bay, just a little bit! I say that because I am an artist and a writer. I started writing, for therapy, when Aidan died.
I secured an agent in January 2016 and she is fighting my corner in an effort to get my debut novel published.
Three years ago, I decided to get serious about it. I joined The Irish Writers Centre. Started doing courses. I love reading crime thrillers so it was obvious to me to start writing in the crime genre. And let me tell you, it is not easy. A crime novel needs to be tightly plotted and plotting is the bane of my life. I prefer to write straight off the top of my head. Oh, Oh. Feels good when writing but then comes the editing. I lost 20,000 words in the process. But at least I am proud to say I got it done.
I am now writing the second novel in the series, featuring Lottie Parker and a host of credible characters. They are all part of my extended family, you know the kind – people you love one minute and want to kill the next!
So join me on this journey and lets see where it leads us.
I secured an agent in January 2016 and she is fighting my corner in an effort to get my debut novel published.
Three years ago, I decided to get serious about it. I joined The Irish Writers Centre. Started doing courses. I love reading crime thrillers so it was obvious to me to start writing in the crime genre. And let me tell you, it is not easy. A crime novel needs to be tightly plotted and plotting is the bane of my life. I prefer to write straight off the top of my head. Oh, Oh. Feels good when writing but then comes the editing. I lost 20,000 words in the process. But at least I am proud to say I got it done.
I am now writing the second novel in the series, featuring Lottie Parker and a host of credible characters. They are all part of my extended family, you know the kind – people you love one minute and want to kill the next!
So join me on this journey and lets see where it leads us.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
October 14, 2019
Progress--Finally!
Multiple suicides have the small Irish town of Ragmullin on edge. When Detective Lottie Parker examines one of the crime scenes, she begins to suspect that there is more going on than meets the eye. As she and her team dig deeper into the the suicide victims' pasts, they uncover a dark web of lies and twisted minds.
Lottie Parker is back and better than ever. Sure she’s investigating horrible murders, her kids constantly remind her that she is never there when they need her, and her romantic life has hit a snag (Boyd is keeping a secret), but for once she is attempting to deal with her issues vs. drowning herself in booze and pills. I appreciated this much-I needed this change in her behavior!
The mystery was interesting and had me turning the pages. However, I thought there were too many characters and POV’s to keep track of. I also wasn’t happy with one certain development, but we shall see how things play out in the next book.
Broken Souls is book 7 in the Lottie Parker Detective series. After finishing book 6, I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep up with this series due to the lack of character development. However, I have to say that this book reignited my love for this series and I am looking forward to book 8!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Multiple suicides have the small Irish town of Ragmullin on edge. When Detective Lottie Parker examines one of the crime scenes, she begins to suspect that there is more going on than meets the eye. As she and her team dig deeper into the the suicide victims' pasts, they uncover a dark web of lies and twisted minds.
Lottie Parker is back and better than ever. Sure she’s investigating horrible murders, her kids constantly remind her that she is never there when they need her, and her romantic life has hit a snag (Boyd is keeping a secret), but for once she is attempting to deal with her issues vs. drowning herself in booze and pills. I appreciated this much-I needed this change in her behavior!
The mystery was interesting and had me turning the pages. However, I thought there were too many characters and POV’s to keep track of. I also wasn’t happy with one certain development, but we shall see how things play out in the next book.
Broken Souls is book 7 in the Lottie Parker Detective series. After finishing book 6, I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep up with this series due to the lack of character development. However, I have to say that this book reignited my love for this series and I am looking forward to book 8!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2019
When school teacher Cara Dunne is found hanging in her bathroom - a belt pulled taught around her neck, it sadly looks like a cut and dried case of suicide, however, there’s no suicide note, but what makes a suicide verdict seem more likely is the fact that she was wearing a wedding dress. A heartbroken jilted bride perhaps?
Later that day, Fiona Heffernan, a nurse at a local nursing home is found dead by a colleague, having fallen from the roof three floors up. She too was wearing a wedding dress. Now in most communities, this would be an extremely unusual event, but in the tiny village of Ragmullin it’s about as rare as hens teeth. When some hours later it’s discovered that Fiona’s 8 year old daughter Lily is missing, it’s down to DI Lottie Parker to not only make sense of it all, put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and see if these women were linked in any way, but more importantly to bring Lily back safe and sound. However, it’s going to get a lot more complicated before those pieces of the puzzle slot nicely back together.
On arriving at any crime scene, DI Parker is extremely impatient, but that’s merely her professional desire to get right on with a case - no time to waste - as well she knows, the first 48 hours in a case are crucial. When she attends the scene of Cara Dunne’s ‘suicide’ something doesn’t sit right, and she has her suspicions that this is more likely a case of murder.
In the small village of Ragmullin all of the characters, both the ones who are innocently caught up in these murders, and the others who stand out for all the wrong reasons, are interlinked in some way - though it’s difficult not to be in a village of this size.
DI Lottie Parker is instantly likeable, (flawed though she is) and ‘Broken Souls’ is a great police procedural, that combines mystery, murder, and family drama. Although there were some references to previous events in the series, (which I hadn’t read) I don’t think it was detrimental to my understanding of the storyline, and I managed to follow it easily enough.
Very clever storyline and much to commend in this complex and tightly plotted novel.
*Thank you to Bookouture for my ARC, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Later that day, Fiona Heffernan, a nurse at a local nursing home is found dead by a colleague, having fallen from the roof three floors up. She too was wearing a wedding dress. Now in most communities, this would be an extremely unusual event, but in the tiny village of Ragmullin it’s about as rare as hens teeth. When some hours later it’s discovered that Fiona’s 8 year old daughter Lily is missing, it’s down to DI Lottie Parker to not only make sense of it all, put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and see if these women were linked in any way, but more importantly to bring Lily back safe and sound. However, it’s going to get a lot more complicated before those pieces of the puzzle slot nicely back together.
On arriving at any crime scene, DI Parker is extremely impatient, but that’s merely her professional desire to get right on with a case - no time to waste - as well she knows, the first 48 hours in a case are crucial. When she attends the scene of Cara Dunne’s ‘suicide’ something doesn’t sit right, and she has her suspicions that this is more likely a case of murder.
In the small village of Ragmullin all of the characters, both the ones who are innocently caught up in these murders, and the others who stand out for all the wrong reasons, are interlinked in some way - though it’s difficult not to be in a village of this size.
DI Lottie Parker is instantly likeable, (flawed though she is) and ‘Broken Souls’ is a great police procedural, that combines mystery, murder, and family drama. Although there were some references to previous events in the series, (which I hadn’t read) I don’t think it was detrimental to my understanding of the storyline, and I managed to follow it easily enough.
Very clever storyline and much to commend in this complex and tightly plotted novel.
*Thank you to Bookouture for my ARC, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
September 13, 2024
I’ve been a big fan of the Lottie Parker series since the first book. But the last book wasn’t as strong as the prior ones. So, I was anxious to see how I felt about this one.
It starts fast and furious. Two women are found dead, both in wedding dresses. They look like suicides but appearances can be deceiving. And then the young daughter of one of the women is missing.
We’re given lots of potential suspects. In fact, with every chapter, my mind lit onto another potential murderer. We hear from the murderer, but only his remembrances of his early years.
And Lottie has her hands full. Her staff are letting her down, her boss is on her back expecting miracles, Boyd is keeping something from her and her kids are acting out. Her stress literally palpated off the page. At times, I found her incredibly infuriating, she was so dense. But she always feels very real. Gibney’s strength is in her character development.
Parts of this book didn’t ring true. My thoughts would be that a missing child would trump murder investigations, but for much of the book, the search for the child seemed to take back stage to the murders.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
It starts fast and furious. Two women are found dead, both in wedding dresses. They look like suicides but appearances can be deceiving. And then the young daughter of one of the women is missing.
We’re given lots of potential suspects. In fact, with every chapter, my mind lit onto another potential murderer. We hear from the murderer, but only his remembrances of his early years.
And Lottie has her hands full. Her staff are letting her down, her boss is on her back expecting miracles, Boyd is keeping something from her and her kids are acting out. Her stress literally palpated off the page. At times, I found her incredibly infuriating, she was so dense. But she always feels very real. Gibney’s strength is in her character development.
Parts of this book didn’t ring true. My thoughts would be that a missing child would trump murder investigations, but for much of the book, the search for the child seemed to take back stage to the murders.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
October 2, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
Patricia Gibney has filled up my heart with love and also broken it simultaneously. Damn she's a good writer!
Crying myself to sleep of that I have no doubt.
Oh yes, I tossed and turned last night thinking about where Patricia Gibney left off DI Lottie Parker, her family and her team. Lottie has overcome a lot, but may be faced with her toughest challenge yet as she realizes her daughters and son are growing up. Not to mention that Mark Boyd, her workmate and love interest is acting a bit off. At least, Lottie can always depend on her job to keep her busy.
Several cases of suicide in a nearby neighborhood soon spell that a serial killer is on the loose and as the team scrambles to get answers, a little girl goes missing. This one was filled with people that were very despicable and honestly they all made good candidates for being the "bad guy." I won't say anything more because who really wants a spoiler. Not me!
So this sequel did not disappoint and it is hands down one of my fave books in the series. I am emotionally wrecked, but I cannot wait to see what happens in BOOK 8.
Goodreads review 02/10/19
Publication date 18/10/19
Patricia Gibney has filled up my heart with love and also broken it simultaneously. Damn she's a good writer!
Crying myself to sleep of that I have no doubt.
Oh yes, I tossed and turned last night thinking about where Patricia Gibney left off DI Lottie Parker, her family and her team. Lottie has overcome a lot, but may be faced with her toughest challenge yet as she realizes her daughters and son are growing up. Not to mention that Mark Boyd, her workmate and love interest is acting a bit off. At least, Lottie can always depend on her job to keep her busy.
Several cases of suicide in a nearby neighborhood soon spell that a serial killer is on the loose and as the team scrambles to get answers, a little girl goes missing. This one was filled with people that were very despicable and honestly they all made good candidates for being the "bad guy." I won't say anything more because who really wants a spoiler. Not me!
So this sequel did not disappoint and it is hands down one of my fave books in the series. I am emotionally wrecked, but I cannot wait to see what happens in BOOK 8.
Goodreads review 02/10/19
Publication date 18/10/19
October 6, 2019
It's so good to see Patricia Gibney back in form, with Irish DI Lottie Parker investigating a series of murders and a missing child without any of her own family being abducted or threatened (goodness knows, they've suffered enough in the past!) Lottie's family is still important to her and part of what makes Lottie an interesting character as she tries to juggle single motherhood of teenagers with her high pressure job as a DI. The She's recently become engaged to DS Mark Boyd (but hasn't told anyone yet) and seems happier and a little less bitchy, but is concerned that Boyd is acting a little distant. However, she has too much on her hands to worry about it with two murders, posed as suicides, and the young daughter of one of the victims missing. The crimes are hard ones to crack and there will be quite a few false leads before all is resolved in this well plotted thriller. A surprise announcement at the end of the book leaves a bit of a cliffhanger that will have fans of Lottie Parker biting their nails waiting for the next episode in this series. Please keep them coming Ms Gibney!
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC to read
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC to read
December 21, 2024
Firstly I must thank Net Galley, the publishers and the author for an ARC copy.
Broken Souls is the seventh book in the DI Lottie Parker series
Two apparent suicides are discovered but both are wearing wedding dresses so suspicions are raised that the deaths were in fact murders. One of the women had an 8 year old daughter but she is now missing: has the murderer taken her or has she been abducted by someone else?
Lottie’s personal relationship with Boyd has become complicated. They have agreed to marry but are keeping it quiet until she feels ready to tell her children and face her superior officer. This has led to tension and Boyd starts behaving oddly, taking time off and making secretive visits to his mother. Lottie thinks he may be having an affair…
There is a careful balance in Patricia Gibney’s narrative between the suspects and the police perspective, and her family life. This has the effect of allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of their behaviour's and draw our own conclusions, a detailed investigation depicting realities of working with different members of a team. Lottie was a straight-shooter too involved in her work, I felt bad for her children. She worked hard but had her down points and vulnerabilities. This book had a good dose of reality mixed of true family relationships added with the fiction.
There are heartbreaking glimpses into the mind of the killer as we see flashbacks to his unhappy childhood.
The plot is delivered in quite a fast pace through short chapters to represent the urgency of the case, in particular finding the lost little girl. A whole heap of suspects/red herrings are acting suspiciously so Lottie and her team have a tough job getting them to reveal the truth. The victims and suspects are all linked together in a complicated web of family ties and business dealings. In fact I was becoming frustrated as I could not guess the guilty person.
Broken Souls is full of mysteries and secrets; it will keep you guessing, that's for sure with a few shocks at the end as well.
Broken Souls is the seventh book in the DI Lottie Parker series
Two apparent suicides are discovered but both are wearing wedding dresses so suspicions are raised that the deaths were in fact murders. One of the women had an 8 year old daughter but she is now missing: has the murderer taken her or has she been abducted by someone else?
Lottie’s personal relationship with Boyd has become complicated. They have agreed to marry but are keeping it quiet until she feels ready to tell her children and face her superior officer. This has led to tension and Boyd starts behaving oddly, taking time off and making secretive visits to his mother. Lottie thinks he may be having an affair…
There is a careful balance in Patricia Gibney’s narrative between the suspects and the police perspective, and her family life. This has the effect of allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of their behaviour's and draw our own conclusions, a detailed investigation depicting realities of working with different members of a team. Lottie was a straight-shooter too involved in her work, I felt bad for her children. She worked hard but had her down points and vulnerabilities. This book had a good dose of reality mixed of true family relationships added with the fiction.
There are heartbreaking glimpses into the mind of the killer as we see flashbacks to his unhappy childhood.
The plot is delivered in quite a fast pace through short chapters to represent the urgency of the case, in particular finding the lost little girl. A whole heap of suspects/red herrings are acting suspiciously so Lottie and her team have a tough job getting them to reveal the truth. The victims and suspects are all linked together in a complicated web of family ties and business dealings. In fact I was becoming frustrated as I could not guess the guilty person.
Broken Souls is full of mysteries and secrets; it will keep you guessing, that's for sure with a few shocks at the end as well.
October 6, 2019
Detective Lottie Parker is back again. .. book 7 in a series that is still going mighty strong. Returning to Lottie and her team is always something to look forward to and this book did not disappoint. Lottie and her family have been through a lot throughout this series and book 7 is no different.
This is a complex case for the team, with a lot going on with a lot of different characters. It keeps you guessing right up until the big reveal. There are women in wedding dresses in suspected suicides, a missing child and links to older cases. How does it all link up? Where is the little girl and who has taken her? Why is there tufts of hair missing? Who is terrorising this village.? Lottie knows that there I see more going on than meets the eye but how far will she take it?
Another great instalment. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
This is a complex case for the team, with a lot going on with a lot of different characters. It keeps you guessing right up until the big reveal. There are women in wedding dresses in suspected suicides, a missing child and links to older cases. How does it all link up? Where is the little girl and who has taken her? Why is there tufts of hair missing? Who is terrorising this village.? Lottie knows that there I see more going on than meets the eye but how far will she take it?
Another great instalment. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
October 17, 2019
Broken Souls is the seventh book in the Detective Inspector Lottie Parker police procedural series, and it's a welcome return to form for both Ms Gibnry and Lottie as the last few novels had slipped in terms of her character getting on peoples last nerve but here she is shown in a better light.
Both Cara Dunne and Fiona Heffernan look to have committed suicide and were both residents of the sleepy village of Ragmullin; Cara by hanging and Fiona by jumping from the roof of her workplace. But their location isn't the only thing they have in common: they were also both dressed in wedding garb. This is bad enough but a short time later Lottie and colleagues realise that Fiona's eight-year-old daughter Lily is missing after taking part in show rehearsals at her dance school. So are the confirmed murders connected and if so how? And is Lily's abduction the handiwork of the same perpetrator or an opportunistic endeavour on the part of the kidnapper?
There is enough mystery, murder and drama here to satisfy any crime reader and the twists and turns were rather shocking and, as they should be, unexpected. The author makes the possible suspects blend into the crowd so it is certainly no easy feat to spot the culprits; Gibney partakes in some captivating misdirection and plants red herrings in plain sight for us to query. It is a dark, complex and thoroughly entertaining read which had no problem keeping my attention. I have read each book in the series and after careful consideration believe it's the most compelling so far. A cracking page-turner. I hope the next instalment is as accomplished. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
Both Cara Dunne and Fiona Heffernan look to have committed suicide and were both residents of the sleepy village of Ragmullin; Cara by hanging and Fiona by jumping from the roof of her workplace. But their location isn't the only thing they have in common: they were also both dressed in wedding garb. This is bad enough but a short time later Lottie and colleagues realise that Fiona's eight-year-old daughter Lily is missing after taking part in show rehearsals at her dance school. So are the confirmed murders connected and if so how? And is Lily's abduction the handiwork of the same perpetrator or an opportunistic endeavour on the part of the kidnapper?
There is enough mystery, murder and drama here to satisfy any crime reader and the twists and turns were rather shocking and, as they should be, unexpected. The author makes the possible suspects blend into the crowd so it is certainly no easy feat to spot the culprits; Gibney partakes in some captivating misdirection and plants red herrings in plain sight for us to query. It is a dark, complex and thoroughly entertaining read which had no problem keeping my attention. I have read each book in the series and after careful consideration believe it's the most compelling so far. A cracking page-turner. I hope the next instalment is as accomplished. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
September 29, 2019
*4.5 stars
She's back!! I was worried that I wouldn't like this because the last couple books have got on my nerves but I wanted to keep on to my hope that Gibney would deliver a book worthy of this series. I'm happy to say that she finally got back on track. First, and most importantly, she left her family out of the investigation. Big plus right there! The investigation was a good one too. I never like to actually go into that because I think its important to go into mysteries blind so you're surprised. I will say that it will keep you guessing and that Lottie and the team do a great job. I also liked Lottie a little better in the 7th book, she wasn't quite so bitchy in this one. She does still have a couple of tantrums though! The ending will leave some people sad--I kind of wish it would have been different, and maybe it will. I guess I'll have to see what book 8 brings me (us).
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
She's back!! I was worried that I wouldn't like this because the last couple books have got on my nerves but I wanted to keep on to my hope that Gibney would deliver a book worthy of this series. I'm happy to say that she finally got back on track. First, and most importantly, she left her family out of the investigation. Big plus right there! The investigation was a good one too. I never like to actually go into that because I think its important to go into mysteries blind so you're surprised. I will say that it will keep you guessing and that Lottie and the team do a great job. I also liked Lottie a little better in the 7th book, she wasn't quite so bitchy in this one. She does still have a couple of tantrums though! The ending will leave some people sad--I kind of wish it would have been different, and maybe it will. I guess I'll have to see what book 8 brings me (us).
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2019
Book 7 in the Lottie Parker series and another excellent addition.
Book 6, although I enjoyed it, did irritate me a bit with the investigation/family overlapping into each other. Despite being a strong book, there was an element of the fantastical, even unbelievable that I didn’t care for much and there was also an element of soap opera to it.
No such worries here as we have clear separation between the two. A strong enough murder mystery element that kept me guessing until the end, the family side of these books is just as important as it’s an essential part of showing who Lottie is and why at times she is very short with her work colleagues and a bit bitchy at times(which seems to irritate certain readers and distance her from them). For me it’s makes her all the more human, all the more interesting and very easy to empathize with.
Patricia Gibney is an excellent story teller and crime book writer. Book 6 was the first in the series that I felt wobbled a bit in balance and quality(although I still enjoyed it) but I’m glad to report she is back on form here.
A bit of a shocking ending that has now left me waiting impatiently for book 8!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Patrica Gibney for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Book 6, although I enjoyed it, did irritate me a bit with the investigation/family overlapping into each other. Despite being a strong book, there was an element of the fantastical, even unbelievable that I didn’t care for much and there was also an element of soap opera to it.
No such worries here as we have clear separation between the two. A strong enough murder mystery element that kept me guessing until the end, the family side of these books is just as important as it’s an essential part of showing who Lottie is and why at times she is very short with her work colleagues and a bit bitchy at times(which seems to irritate certain readers and distance her from them). For me it’s makes her all the more human, all the more interesting and very easy to empathize with.
Patricia Gibney is an excellent story teller and crime book writer. Book 6 was the first in the series that I felt wobbled a bit in balance and quality(although I still enjoyed it) but I’m glad to report she is back on form here.
A bit of a shocking ending that has now left me waiting impatiently for book 8!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Patrica Gibney for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2021
Lectura entretenida pero nada más. Primero de esta serie que leo (aunque ya está avanzada) pero que fastidio empezar de cero. Parece una película dominguera, no hay nada que te deje enganchado o impactado. 2,5 🌟 pero siendo generosa lo subo a tres como regalo de principio de año 😂
October 11, 2019
Even though the novel is set in the run up to Christmas, this is a story that chilled me in more ways than just the weather!
Lottie, well things don’t get any easier for her. More than a few times I wanted to reach in to the story and give her a hug. I really felt for her with the constant struggle between motherhood and her job. I have to admit to feeling a wee bit sad for her kids as lets be honest, they do seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to Lotties career.
Her job though is what keeps bringing us readers back for more. How can you not get wholly wrapped up in the cases that her and the team are working on? Especially as it soon appears that there is more than just one murder victim.
As there is not only a murderer to find, there is also the missing eight year old girl. This adds to the tension and the urgency to get it solved. On top of that we have Lottie’s home life as well as her relationship with Boyd. I couldn’t get enough and was racing through the pages.
Broken Souls is a story that packs a punch in more ways than one. It is a dark and menacing read that had me hanging off every word. One bit in particular left me in emotional turmoil. This has been one brilliant crime series so far and I am eager for more.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Lottie, well things don’t get any easier for her. More than a few times I wanted to reach in to the story and give her a hug. I really felt for her with the constant struggle between motherhood and her job. I have to admit to feeling a wee bit sad for her kids as lets be honest, they do seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to Lotties career.
Her job though is what keeps bringing us readers back for more. How can you not get wholly wrapped up in the cases that her and the team are working on? Especially as it soon appears that there is more than just one murder victim.
As there is not only a murderer to find, there is also the missing eight year old girl. This adds to the tension and the urgency to get it solved. On top of that we have Lottie’s home life as well as her relationship with Boyd. I couldn’t get enough and was racing through the pages.
Broken Souls is a story that packs a punch in more ways than one. It is a dark and menacing read that had me hanging off every word. One bit in particular left me in emotional turmoil. This has been one brilliant crime series so far and I am eager for more.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
October 16, 2019
Seventh book featuring DI Lottie Parker but first of mine, this was again a different police procedural.
A series of suicides suddenly seemed off when the pathologist realized that it was all building up to be murder. DI Lottie Parker and her team investigated. A lot of convoluted clues with no interpretation and a missing child too added to the confusion.
Patricia Gibney wrote a detailed investigation depicting realities of working with different members of a team. Lottie was a straight-shooter too involved in her work, I felt bad for her children. She worked hard but had her down points and vulnerabilities. This book was a mix of reality and fiction. She had slackers in her team, her boss and kids were losing patience, and her partner was moving away emotionally.
The investigation was long and frustrating, And the final reveal was unexpected. But it was the storm in Lottie's life (the doc in me totally guessed it) which turned the story. I wonder want would happen in the next book.
A series of suicides suddenly seemed off when the pathologist realized that it was all building up to be murder. DI Lottie Parker and her team investigated. A lot of convoluted clues with no interpretation and a missing child too added to the confusion.
Patricia Gibney wrote a detailed investigation depicting realities of working with different members of a team. Lottie was a straight-shooter too involved in her work, I felt bad for her children. She worked hard but had her down points and vulnerabilities. This book was a mix of reality and fiction. She had slackers in her team, her boss and kids were losing patience, and her partner was moving away emotionally.
The investigation was long and frustrating, And the final reveal was unexpected. But it was the storm in Lottie's life (the doc in me totally guessed it) which turned the story. I wonder want would happen in the next book.
January 21, 2024
This is the seventh book in the DI Lottie Parker series by author Patricia Gibney. I am a regular reader of this series and enjoy it very much but for me this one was a little weaker than others.
This is still a good book though and worth reading. Detective Lottie Parker is faced with the gruesome sight of the lifeless body of bride-to-be Cara Dunne, dressed in her wedding gown, hanging in her home. Lottie’s investigations uncover a series of grisly murders that make no sense. Soon Fiona Heffernan’s broken body is discovered pushed from the roof of the hospital where she worked. Both victims were due to be married and share a haunting similarity, they were both wearing wedding dresses and hair removed. An unusual case that is intriguing and macabre.
Writing this review is making think maybe I under marked it a three stars.
This is still a good book though and worth reading. Detective Lottie Parker is faced with the gruesome sight of the lifeless body of bride-to-be Cara Dunne, dressed in her wedding gown, hanging in her home. Lottie’s investigations uncover a series of grisly murders that make no sense. Soon Fiona Heffernan’s broken body is discovered pushed from the roof of the hospital where she worked. Both victims were due to be married and share a haunting similarity, they were both wearing wedding dresses and hair removed. An unusual case that is intriguing and macabre.
Writing this review is making think maybe I under marked it a three stars.
October 10, 2019
Lottie has a lot on her plate and it is taking everything she has to keep sober. She and Boyd are finally engaged but they are not telling anyone. Boyd starts making trips to Galway supposedly to help his mother but Lottie is suspicious. The girls decide to go to NYC for Christmas taking Louis with them and their newly discovered uncle.
If the home life wasn't stirred up enough there are two dead bodies both disguised as suicides and both dressed in wedding dresses. One of their young daughters is missing. How is a pig farm tied into a bankrupt garage full of stolen cars? What does a dance troupe have to do with a nun on her death bed? Every time Lottie picks up a thread to investigate why does it lead to the same people over and over again?
Luckily, Lottie's family is not involved with the investigation this time but her staff keeps her on her toes. Kirby is still grieving. Boyd keeps disappearing. The boss is driving her nuts. Will she get to the bottom of it all? I never guessed the ending. It took me surprise and kept me entertained all the way through. Another interesting, complex mystery.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Merged review:
Lottie has a lot on her plate and it is taking everything she has to keep sober. She and Boyd are finally engaged but they are not telling anyone. Boyd starts making trips to Galway supposedly to help his mother but Lottie is suspicious. The girls decide to go to NYC for Christmas taking Louis with them and their newly discovered uncle.
If the home life wasn't stirred up enough there are two dead bodies both disguised as suicides and both dressed in wedding dresses. One of their young daughters is missing. How is a pig farm tied into a bankrupt garage full of stolen cars? What does a dance troupe have to do with a nun on her death bed? Every time Lottie picks up a thread to investigate why does it lead to the same people over and over again?
Luckily, Lottie's family is not involved with the investigation this time but her staff keeps her on her toes. Kirby is still grieving. Boyd keeps disappearing. The boss is driving her nuts. Will she get to the bottom of it all? I never guessed the ending. It took me surprise and kept me entertained all the way through. Another interesting, complex mystery.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
If the home life wasn't stirred up enough there are two dead bodies both disguised as suicides and both dressed in wedding dresses. One of their young daughters is missing. How is a pig farm tied into a bankrupt garage full of stolen cars? What does a dance troupe have to do with a nun on her death bed? Every time Lottie picks up a thread to investigate why does it lead to the same people over and over again?
Luckily, Lottie's family is not involved with the investigation this time but her staff keeps her on her toes. Kirby is still grieving. Boyd keeps disappearing. The boss is driving her nuts. Will she get to the bottom of it all? I never guessed the ending. It took me surprise and kept me entertained all the way through. Another interesting, complex mystery.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Merged review:
Lottie has a lot on her plate and it is taking everything she has to keep sober. She and Boyd are finally engaged but they are not telling anyone. Boyd starts making trips to Galway supposedly to help his mother but Lottie is suspicious. The girls decide to go to NYC for Christmas taking Louis with them and their newly discovered uncle.
If the home life wasn't stirred up enough there are two dead bodies both disguised as suicides and both dressed in wedding dresses. One of their young daughters is missing. How is a pig farm tied into a bankrupt garage full of stolen cars? What does a dance troupe have to do with a nun on her death bed? Every time Lottie picks up a thread to investigate why does it lead to the same people over and over again?
Luckily, Lottie's family is not involved with the investigation this time but her staff keeps her on her toes. Kirby is still grieving. Boyd keeps disappearing. The boss is driving her nuts. Will she get to the bottom of it all? I never guessed the ending. It took me surprise and kept me entertained all the way through. Another interesting, complex mystery.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
October 8, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Broken Souls, the seventh novel to feature Detective Lottie Parker of the Ragmullin Garda.
When Cara Dunne is found hanged in her bathroom something doesn’t seem right about it and a post-mortem confirms she was murdered. That afternoon Fiona Hefernan is thrown off a building and her 8 year old daughter, Lily, is missing. With the bodies piling up and Lily still missing Lottie and her team work overtime to solve the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed Broken Souls which is a good procedural with several twists and turns. Initially I found it hard to concentrate on as the narrative switches between several characters who have little discernible relevance but many of the links soon become clear and I quickly settled in. This is a story of secrets as just about every character, except Lottie, is hiding something and I found that a bit frustrating as many of the reveals, including one stunner, are withheld until the end. Nevertheless it is a good tale with much more going on than “just” the murders. I liked the way the characters started off independent of each other only to be gradually linked together.
Lottie is her usual frantic self, panicking about the case and her perceived inability to manage both her work and home life. Normally this works well but in this novel she comes off as neurotic and controlling with more than one character telling her that it’s not all about her.
Broken Souls is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When Cara Dunne is found hanged in her bathroom something doesn’t seem right about it and a post-mortem confirms she was murdered. That afternoon Fiona Hefernan is thrown off a building and her 8 year old daughter, Lily, is missing. With the bodies piling up and Lily still missing Lottie and her team work overtime to solve the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed Broken Souls which is a good procedural with several twists and turns. Initially I found it hard to concentrate on as the narrative switches between several characters who have little discernible relevance but many of the links soon become clear and I quickly settled in. This is a story of secrets as just about every character, except Lottie, is hiding something and I found that a bit frustrating as many of the reveals, including one stunner, are withheld until the end. Nevertheless it is a good tale with much more going on than “just” the murders. I liked the way the characters started off independent of each other only to be gradually linked together.
Lottie is her usual frantic self, panicking about the case and her perceived inability to manage both her work and home life. Normally this works well but in this novel she comes off as neurotic and controlling with more than one character telling her that it’s not all about her.
Broken Souls is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
December 15, 2020
Séptima entrega de la inspectora Lottie Parker y no decepciona. Historias que se cruzan, la vida personal de la inspectora, todo te mantiene enganchada. En esta entrega, ha habido algún hilo suelto, pero el conjunto es muy bueno. Como siempre muy recomendable.
March 16, 2025
Patiko, bet ne taip, kaip iki šiol skaitytos šios autorės knygos. Gal todėl, kad pabaiga nenustebino, nes beveik nuo pat pradžių įtariau, kas gi tas žudikas. Nors visi kiti autorės suregzti siužeto viražai buvo puikūs, bet iki 5⭐️ to įtraukumo visgi pritrūko.
January 11, 2023
Cada vez tolero menos a los hijos y a la madre de Lottie. Qué gente más egoísta 😩
November 1, 2019
★★★ 3.5 stars
I'm no stranger to DI Lottie Parker and have been a fan of the Irish crime series since the beginning. So I was excited to see where this one would lead, as I thoroughly enjoyed the last book "Final Betrayal" but for the cliffhanger Ms Gibney left us on. The premise for BROKEN SOULS was intriguing with two women found dead in suspected suicides, both wearing wedding dresses.
Cara Dunne, a schoolteacher, was found hanging in her bathroom, a belt pulled taut around her neck. By all accounts it appeared to be a suicide, particularly as she had recently been jilted by her fiance local pub owner Steve O'Carroll. What little was known about Cara said that she was devastated over her broken engagement. Is that why she chose to end her life wearing her wedding dress? But why was there no note? And wasn't hanging a little dramatic? Women usually opt for an overdose of pills, a clean and painfree end. Something didn't add up for Lottie. Cara had scratches on her neck that weren't easily explained. Added to that, her new found faith would see suicide as a mortal sin. Surely she wouldn't jeopardise her eternal soul for the sake of a broken engagement?
Fiona Heffernan was a nurse at the Ballydoon Abbey nursing home and, having finished her shift the day before she was to married, she is found dead by a colleague, having seemingly thrown herself from the Abbey roof. She, too, was wearing a wedding dress. But not, it seems, her own - unlike Cara who was.
No sooner were investigations into Cara's death underway with her body having hardly reached the mortuary when word reaches the team about Fiona. Two suicides in one day? In Ragmullin? Surely not. Then through the course of their investigations, the team learn that Fiona had an 8 year old daughter that no one had thought to tell them about, until her husband-to- be Ryan did, and the race is on to locate her. Her last known whereabouts was at the theatre where she has dance practice. But upon their arrival, there is no sign of Lily.
With two suspicious deaths and now a missing child to contend with, Lottie needs to make sense of it all, piecing together the puzzle and work out how each case is linked. But most importantly, to find Lily and her back safe and sound.
Then the team find a link to the suicide of a Robert Brady, who was found hanging from a tree two weeks ago. But where he was found was of great interest to Lottie...just a few hundred metres from the residence of their prime suspect, shift solicitor Colin Kavanaugh, Fiona's ex-partner and father to her daughter Lily. It seems wherever she turns, Kavanaugh's name continues to crop up. So what exactly has he got to do with these cases?
Aside from the pressures of her professional life, Lottie's personal one seems to be just as much turmoil. Although one would think that after the abduction of her own daughters in the previous book, it would draw them all closer as a family but it seems to have the opposite affect. Her daughters are now both adults and doing their own thing while her 15 year old son angrily shuts her out. I was very surprised at the dynamics in her family after such a traumatic event.
And then there is Lottie's relationship with her DS, Mark Boyd. His proposal at the end of the last book surprised us, including Lottie, but in this book both are behaving like they are anything but engaged. Boyd's behaviour has become somewhat furtive as he continually skives off to Galway on what Lottie believes is a pretense of seeing his mother. Lottie thinks he's found someone younger so that puts her in a continually bad mood, sniping and snarling at everyone...instead of actually sitting down and talking with Boyd. However, it is Boyd who broaches the subject and says they need to talk at the close of the case. Lottie thinks "This is it. He's changed his mind and doesn't want to marry me. He's found someone else." and voices her thoughts of that nature to him before he can get a word in. But when he does...nothing will prepare her for his revelation.
I do like Lottie but I find her increasingly frustrating. She has an annoying habit of pre-empting everything, which is especially annoying in her personal relationships with her family and Boyd...instead of talking to them. And in many cases she is way off the mark. I really like Boyd though he was more of a silent partner on this outing, probably due to his personal issues. Sometimes I have to wonder what he sees in Lottie but then he is about the only one who keeps her centred when she starts to spiral out of control. Her family feature so little in this book, except as ships passing and all that, although Lottie does enjoy a little outing with her grandson Louis.
I don't think BROKEN SOULS was as exciting or as thrilling as past books but it was still marginally compelling. I think because the case seemed a little convoluted in parts making the investigation long and frustrating on all count. And I found her kids incredibly frustrating as well when they should have been drawn together, particularly after the last case.
BROKEN SOULS is an intriguing police procedural with mystery, murder and mayhem all combined to make for a compelling read. There are references to previous events and occurrences from the series but while I don't think they deter from the storyline, the series is best read in order to gain a fuller understanding and appreciation of Lottie and the other characters.
After the bombshell delivered at the end of this book, I can hardly wait to see what happens for Lottie next!
I would like to thank #PatriciaGibney, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #BrokenSouls in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I'm no stranger to DI Lottie Parker and have been a fan of the Irish crime series since the beginning. So I was excited to see where this one would lead, as I thoroughly enjoyed the last book "Final Betrayal" but for the cliffhanger Ms Gibney left us on. The premise for BROKEN SOULS was intriguing with two women found dead in suspected suicides, both wearing wedding dresses.
Cara Dunne, a schoolteacher, was found hanging in her bathroom, a belt pulled taut around her neck. By all accounts it appeared to be a suicide, particularly as she had recently been jilted by her fiance local pub owner Steve O'Carroll. What little was known about Cara said that she was devastated over her broken engagement. Is that why she chose to end her life wearing her wedding dress? But why was there no note? And wasn't hanging a little dramatic? Women usually opt for an overdose of pills, a clean and painfree end. Something didn't add up for Lottie. Cara had scratches on her neck that weren't easily explained. Added to that, her new found faith would see suicide as a mortal sin. Surely she wouldn't jeopardise her eternal soul for the sake of a broken engagement?
Fiona Heffernan was a nurse at the Ballydoon Abbey nursing home and, having finished her shift the day before she was to married, she is found dead by a colleague, having seemingly thrown herself from the Abbey roof. She, too, was wearing a wedding dress. But not, it seems, her own - unlike Cara who was.
No sooner were investigations into Cara's death underway with her body having hardly reached the mortuary when word reaches the team about Fiona. Two suicides in one day? In Ragmullin? Surely not. Then through the course of their investigations, the team learn that Fiona had an 8 year old daughter that no one had thought to tell them about, until her husband-to- be Ryan did, and the race is on to locate her. Her last known whereabouts was at the theatre where she has dance practice. But upon their arrival, there is no sign of Lily.
With two suspicious deaths and now a missing child to contend with, Lottie needs to make sense of it all, piecing together the puzzle and work out how each case is linked. But most importantly, to find Lily and her back safe and sound.
Then the team find a link to the suicide of a Robert Brady, who was found hanging from a tree two weeks ago. But where he was found was of great interest to Lottie...just a few hundred metres from the residence of their prime suspect, shift solicitor Colin Kavanaugh, Fiona's ex-partner and father to her daughter Lily. It seems wherever she turns, Kavanaugh's name continues to crop up. So what exactly has he got to do with these cases?
Aside from the pressures of her professional life, Lottie's personal one seems to be just as much turmoil. Although one would think that after the abduction of her own daughters in the previous book, it would draw them all closer as a family but it seems to have the opposite affect. Her daughters are now both adults and doing their own thing while her 15 year old son angrily shuts her out. I was very surprised at the dynamics in her family after such a traumatic event.
And then there is Lottie's relationship with her DS, Mark Boyd. His proposal at the end of the last book surprised us, including Lottie, but in this book both are behaving like they are anything but engaged. Boyd's behaviour has become somewhat furtive as he continually skives off to Galway on what Lottie believes is a pretense of seeing his mother. Lottie thinks he's found someone younger so that puts her in a continually bad mood, sniping and snarling at everyone...instead of actually sitting down and talking with Boyd. However, it is Boyd who broaches the subject and says they need to talk at the close of the case. Lottie thinks "This is it. He's changed his mind and doesn't want to marry me. He's found someone else." and voices her thoughts of that nature to him before he can get a word in. But when he does...nothing will prepare her for his revelation.
I do like Lottie but I find her increasingly frustrating. She has an annoying habit of pre-empting everything, which is especially annoying in her personal relationships with her family and Boyd...instead of talking to them. And in many cases she is way off the mark. I really like Boyd though he was more of a silent partner on this outing, probably due to his personal issues. Sometimes I have to wonder what he sees in Lottie but then he is about the only one who keeps her centred when she starts to spiral out of control. Her family feature so little in this book, except as ships passing and all that, although Lottie does enjoy a little outing with her grandson Louis.
I don't think BROKEN SOULS was as exciting or as thrilling as past books but it was still marginally compelling. I think because the case seemed a little convoluted in parts making the investigation long and frustrating on all count. And I found her kids incredibly frustrating as well when they should have been drawn together, particularly after the last case.
BROKEN SOULS is an intriguing police procedural with mystery, murder and mayhem all combined to make for a compelling read. There are references to previous events and occurrences from the series but while I don't think they deter from the storyline, the series is best read in order to gain a fuller understanding and appreciation of Lottie and the other characters.
After the bombshell delivered at the end of this book, I can hardly wait to see what happens for Lottie next!
I would like to thank #PatriciaGibney, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #BrokenSouls in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 10, 2025
7toji Lotės Parker dalis. Jei turiu kelias knygas, iš kurių galiu rinktis, šią seriją griebsiu pirmiausiai, taip ir šį kartą, iš leidyklos naujienų labiausiai norėjau sužinot, kaip sekas Lotei.
Na ir ką.. šįkart nelikau sužavėta. Taip, nusikaltimai ir jų tyrimas prikaustė. Vakar baiginėdama knygą ir būdama 302psl, nė trupučio nenutuokiau, kuo baigsis istorija (iš viso apie 340psl). Tad įtraukti autorė tikrai moka. Tačiau šįkart man nepatiko visa ko paaiškinimas, neįtikinamas, per paprastas. Viskas pernelyg sumalta į vieną ir pasirodė, kad norint supainiot skaitytoją, buvo šiek tiek persistengta.
Ir kaip jau atsibodo Lotės ir Boido santykiai! Tai jie kartu, tai nekartu, tai jis pasipiršo, tai ji nebeteka. Netikiu, kad taip gali elgtis 3 vaikus užauginus policijos inspektorė, prieš tai buvusi viršininke. Taip ir norėjos ją pakratyt ir pasakyt, eik pasikalbėt su juo. Aišku, jie kalbėjos, bet maždaug taip: "turi kitą? nenusišnekėk. ok - Lotė trenkia durimis ir nueina", ką??? 😂 Su savo vaikais ir panašiai, tik vienoj daly susitaiko ir pradeda bendraut, kitoj vėl nebesusikalba. Gal taip būna tikram gyvenime? Bet manęs neįtikina. Nesuprantu ir jos neapykantos netikrai motinai ir broliui ar anūko seneliui. Tiesiog per daug dalykų buvo, kurie šioj knygoj erzino.
Ir vis dėlto pabaiga paliko nemažai klaustukų ir žinau, kad tikrai tęsiu seriją 👌
Na ir ką.. šįkart nelikau sužavėta. Taip, nusikaltimai ir jų tyrimas prikaustė. Vakar baiginėdama knygą ir būdama 302psl, nė trupučio nenutuokiau, kuo baigsis istorija (iš viso apie 340psl). Tad įtraukti autorė tikrai moka. Tačiau šįkart man nepatiko visa ko paaiškinimas, neįtikinamas, per paprastas. Viskas pernelyg sumalta į vieną ir pasirodė, kad norint supainiot skaitytoją, buvo šiek tiek persistengta.
Ir kaip jau atsibodo Lotės ir Boido santykiai! Tai jie kartu, tai nekartu, tai jis pasipiršo, tai ji nebeteka. Netikiu, kad taip gali elgtis 3 vaikus užauginus policijos inspektorė, prieš tai buvusi viršininke. Taip ir norėjos ją pakratyt ir pasakyt, eik pasikalbėt su juo. Aišku, jie kalbėjos, bet maždaug taip: "turi kitą? nenusišnekėk. ok - Lotė trenkia durimis ir nueina", ką??? 😂 Su savo vaikais ir panašiai, tik vienoj daly susitaiko ir pradeda bendraut, kitoj vėl nebesusikalba. Gal taip būna tikram gyvenime? Bet manęs neįtikina. Nesuprantu ir jos neapykantos netikrai motinai ir broliui ar anūko seneliui. Tiesiog per daug dalykų buvo, kurie šioj knygoj erzino.
Ir vis dėlto pabaiga paliko nemažai klaustukų ir žinau, kad tikrai tęsiu seriją 👌
October 7, 2022
Lottie es una apuesta segura entre su crisis existencial, su drama familiar y su pasión por su profesión siempre me atrapa y me deja deseando mas. Mi corazón esta estrujado por Boyd.
Lottie is a safe bet between her existential crisis, her family drama and her passion for her profession, she always grabs me and leaves me wanting more. My heart is crushed by Boyd.
Lottie is a safe bet between her existential crisis, her family drama and her passion for her profession, she always grabs me and leaves me wanting more. My heart is crushed by Boyd.
July 7, 2025
Dar vienos penkios žvaigždutės į Patricios Gibney kolekciją. Septintoji mano perskaityta Lotės Parker serijos dalis pagavo nuo pirmo puslapio, o paskutiniam dovanojo diiidelį plot twistą, kuris dar tik rutuliosis sekančiose knygose.
Kaip ir visose serijos dalyse, taip ir čia: kraupūs, itin supainioti (šioje knygoje - ypatingai) nusikaltimai ir vis didesnę dalį užimantys pagrindinių veikėjų santykiai. "Palūžusiose sielose", vietomis net dramą ar melodramą primindavo. Gal, jei tai būtų pirma skaitoma dalis ir rasčiau tiek meilių ir santykių aiškinimosi - būt kiek nervinę, bet kai esu taaaip susidraugavus su veikėjais, žinau jų traumas, praeitis, norus ir baimes - buvo smalsu.
Eilinį kartą pasakysiu, taip, smarkiai rekomenduoju knygas skaityt iš eilės, nes kuo toliau, tuo viskas labiau jungiasi, ir tik taip pilną skaitymo džiaugsmą patirsit. Apskritai, Gibney trileriai skaitosi labai greit, veiksmo netrūksta, logiškų paaiškinimų irgi. Visada ją rekomenduoju tiems, kad ieško kažko panašaus į Tess Gerritsen knygas.
Kaip ir visose serijos dalyse, taip ir čia: kraupūs, itin supainioti (šioje knygoje - ypatingai) nusikaltimai ir vis didesnę dalį užimantys pagrindinių veikėjų santykiai. "Palūžusiose sielose", vietomis net dramą ar melodramą primindavo. Gal, jei tai būtų pirma skaitoma dalis ir rasčiau tiek meilių ir santykių aiškinimosi - būt kiek nervinę, bet kai esu taaaip susidraugavus su veikėjais, žinau jų traumas, praeitis, norus ir baimes - buvo smalsu.
Eilinį kartą pasakysiu, taip, smarkiai rekomenduoju knygas skaityt iš eilės, nes kuo toliau, tuo viskas labiau jungiasi, ir tik taip pilną skaitymo džiaugsmą patirsit. Apskritai, Gibney trileriai skaitosi labai greit, veiksmo netrūksta, logiškų paaiškinimų irgi. Visada ją rekomenduoju tiems, kad ieško kažko panašaus į Tess Gerritsen knygas.
January 11, 2021
3,5 ⭐ / 5
October 5, 2019
I always get excited when another book from Patricia Gibney comes out. Broken Souls is the 7th Book in the DI Lottie Parker Series and what a great book it is.
Set again in Ragamullin and the surrounding areas. Lottie is called to Hill Point apartments to a scene of a woman, Cara Dunne hanging behind the door in her bathroom, with a belt around her neck, wearing a wedding dress, apparently a suicide. Then another body of a woman is found. Fiona Heffernan a nurse, her body broken and again in a wedding dress. She has been pushed from the roof of a nursing home where she worked. Lottie fears there is a serial killer about and when Lottie goes and tells the next of kin of death, they find out that her daughter Lily is missing.
Lottie has a very hectic life with not only the with the investigations of the suicides and the disappearance of Lily but, she is trying to juggle her home life with her kids and her half-brother. She also thinks that Boyd is ignoring her, and she is buckling under the strain. Lottie doesn’t know what to do.
This is another excellent episode in the Lottie Parker series. Patricia Gibney is a great storyteller and very good at keeping the reader entertained throughout. This is an unputdownable thriller with lot of twists and turns and my heart broke at the outcome at the end. I can’t wait to find out in the next installment what’s is going to happen in this series.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Set again in Ragamullin and the surrounding areas. Lottie is called to Hill Point apartments to a scene of a woman, Cara Dunne hanging behind the door in her bathroom, with a belt around her neck, wearing a wedding dress, apparently a suicide. Then another body of a woman is found. Fiona Heffernan a nurse, her body broken and again in a wedding dress. She has been pushed from the roof of a nursing home where she worked. Lottie fears there is a serial killer about and when Lottie goes and tells the next of kin of death, they find out that her daughter Lily is missing.
Lottie has a very hectic life with not only the with the investigations of the suicides and the disappearance of Lily but, she is trying to juggle her home life with her kids and her half-brother. She also thinks that Boyd is ignoring her, and she is buckling under the strain. Lottie doesn’t know what to do.
This is another excellent episode in the Lottie Parker series. Patricia Gibney is a great storyteller and very good at keeping the reader entertained throughout. This is an unputdownable thriller with lot of twists and turns and my heart broke at the outcome at the end. I can’t wait to find out in the next installment what’s is going to happen in this series.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
February 20, 2021
Este es el séptimo libro de la inspectora Lottie y el primero que leo 😭😭😭. Aunque son independientes hay detalles de la vida de los inspectores que se pierden.
Me gustó mucho el suspenso, la intriga que hicieron que me devorará el libro e hice tantas teorías y no le atiné a ninguna 😂😂😂
Me gustó mucho el suspenso, la intriga que hicieron que me devorará el libro e hice tantas teorías y no le atiné a ninguna 😂😂😂
March 28, 2025
"Žinojau, kad vieną dieną kas nors už tai sumokės. Žmonės galvoja,kad maži vaikai neprisimena vaikystės įvykių,bet galiu patvirtinti,kad tie nutikimai mane suformavo. Jos veiksmai pavertė mane tuo,kuo esu šiandien. Pažeminimas kito rankomis pažadino manyje miegojusį poreikį. Poreikį siekti atpildo.
Supranti,turiu misiją. Taisyti. Nubausti tuos,kurie išduoda. Negaliu pakęsti žmonių, laužančių pažadus".
Visi mirusieji vienaip ar kitaip susiję su kaimu. Žmogžudystės būsimų nuotakų ar buvusių sužadėtinių, atrodančios kaip savižudybės. Širdžių daužytojai ir pažadų laužytojai. Plaukų sruogos kaip trofėjai.
Dingusi mergaitė. Viskas dėl vaiko.
Intriga išlaikyta, įtampos netrūko.
Tik didelis klaustukas dėl Boido,ir kaip istorija klostysis toliau.Su nekantrumu lauksiu sekančios serijos dalies.
Supranti,turiu misiją. Taisyti. Nubausti tuos,kurie išduoda. Negaliu pakęsti žmonių, laužančių pažadus".
Visi mirusieji vienaip ar kitaip susiję su kaimu. Žmogžudystės būsimų nuotakų ar buvusių sužadėtinių, atrodančios kaip savižudybės. Širdžių daužytojai ir pažadų laužytojai. Plaukų sruogos kaip trofėjai.
Dingusi mergaitė. Viskas dėl vaiko.
Intriga išlaikyta, įtampos netrūko.
Tik didelis klaustukas dėl Boido,ir kaip istorija klostysis toliau.Su nekantrumu lauksiu sekančios serijos dalies.
September 25, 2019
Oh my days! Where on earth do I start with this review? It was so nice to catch up with Detective Lottie Parker again, I’ve missed her and the team. This is #7 of this Irish Police Procedural series set in Ragmullin and it’s surrounding villages. I’m not sure it’s a place I’d love though as it has more than it’s fair share of psychopaths and serial killers. It’s chock a block full of the twists and turns that we have come to expect from Ms Gibney. (No pressure for #8) These really shouldn’t be read as stanalones, I feel that all of the background information in the earlier books needs to be read to even begin to try and understand Lottie Parker and how her minds work.
Never one to shy away from writing about current affair or events that are happening around us far and wide and this book is no different. Ms Gibney talks about both mental and physical health and the lengths people will go to to keep them secret from family, friends and colleagues rather than ask for help.
As I was reading bits I wanted to throttle her family to make them realise just how lucky they are. Obviously her family life has problems, which mothers life doesn't? They know their mum works very long hours and she loves them deeply. In her heart she knows that she gets things wrong and often gets overly immersed in cases, but she doesn't deserve the way the family have behaved in parts of this novel, although I worried for Sean. I can't help but feel that Leo her stepbrother has an ulterior motive for all his offers of good fortune.
No Lottie Parker review would be complete without talking about her relationship with her colleague Boyd, they are so close but appear further apart than ever in Broken Souls. Knowing the way Lottie's mind works Boyd was daft to try to keep secrets from her even if he ultimately had her best of intentions at heart. I've got everything crossed that at some point the author will allow Lottie to be happy, if only for a short while.
I really don't want to give a complete rehash of the book as then their would be no surprises for the reader and that would be a disappointment so I'll be brief:
When a young woman is found hanged at home wearing a wedding dress Lottie and Boyd sense something is a little off. When another young woman is found dead Detective Lottie Parkers spidey senses really begin to tingle. The next poopstorm to hit them is abduction of a victims eight year old daughter, that sets off another new load of problems. (my only criticism is I felt the abduction warranted a more prominent role in the story). It doesn't help that things are somewhat strained between her and Boyd. As she can't work out why and he doesn't want to talk about it her mind begins to think the unthinkable.......
Right that's it peeps, if you want anymore buy the book lol I will highly recommend this and the rest of the series to any one who enjoys a fast pace, page turner of a book
Read for an honest review. Thank you Patricia Gibney, Netgalley and Bookouture Publishers
Never one to shy away from writing about current affair or events that are happening around us far and wide and this book is no different. Ms Gibney talks about both mental and physical health and the lengths people will go to to keep them secret from family, friends and colleagues rather than ask for help.
As I was reading bits I wanted to throttle her family to make them realise just how lucky they are. Obviously her family life has problems, which mothers life doesn't? They know their mum works very long hours and she loves them deeply. In her heart she knows that she gets things wrong and often gets overly immersed in cases, but she doesn't deserve the way the family have behaved in parts of this novel, although I worried for Sean. I can't help but feel that Leo her stepbrother has an ulterior motive for all his offers of good fortune.
No Lottie Parker review would be complete without talking about her relationship with her colleague Boyd, they are so close but appear further apart than ever in Broken Souls. Knowing the way Lottie's mind works Boyd was daft to try to keep secrets from her even if he ultimately had her best of intentions at heart. I've got everything crossed that at some point the author will allow Lottie to be happy, if only for a short while.
I really don't want to give a complete rehash of the book as then their would be no surprises for the reader and that would be a disappointment so I'll be brief:
When a young woman is found hanged at home wearing a wedding dress Lottie and Boyd sense something is a little off. When another young woman is found dead Detective Lottie Parkers spidey senses really begin to tingle. The next poopstorm to hit them is abduction of a victims eight year old daughter, that sets off another new load of problems. (my only criticism is I felt the abduction warranted a more prominent role in the story). It doesn't help that things are somewhat strained between her and Boyd. As she can't work out why and he doesn't want to talk about it her mind begins to think the unthinkable.......
Right that's it peeps, if you want anymore buy the book lol I will highly recommend this and the rest of the series to any one who enjoys a fast pace, page turner of a book
Read for an honest review. Thank you Patricia Gibney, Netgalley and Bookouture Publishers
October 15, 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Killings are happening and there is a common thread. D.I. Lottie Parker is trying to determine what wedding garb has to do with the bodies that are being found. Then when Lottie discovers that one of the victim's eight-year-old daughter has gone missing, she works feverishly from all angles to find the missing child while solving the murders.
As per usual in this progressive and incredibly effective series, there is a lot to offer readers. There are always the cases Lottie and her team deal with on a regular basis, but the growing pains Lottie and her children, as well as her relationship with her mother, is always a pivotal part of each story. With the crime element of the series, it is a nice bonus that Lottie and Boyd are working on their relationship. I love watching that develop, and that feels very real.
Over this series, readers have come to know Lottie, her children, Boyd and even Lottie's unlikable boss. However, this story is focused on current cases and thus could serve as a standalone. As mentioned already, I read the entire series because I absolutely love continuity.
Lottie has overcome quite a bit as the series has gone, and I loved watching her growth. I feel like I know each of primary characters, and have been strongly affected by all of the trauma they have dealt with. I am already eager for book 8.
Many thanks for Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Killings are happening and there is a common thread. D.I. Lottie Parker is trying to determine what wedding garb has to do with the bodies that are being found. Then when Lottie discovers that one of the victim's eight-year-old daughter has gone missing, she works feverishly from all angles to find the missing child while solving the murders.
As per usual in this progressive and incredibly effective series, there is a lot to offer readers. There are always the cases Lottie and her team deal with on a regular basis, but the growing pains Lottie and her children, as well as her relationship with her mother, is always a pivotal part of each story. With the crime element of the series, it is a nice bonus that Lottie and Boyd are working on their relationship. I love watching that develop, and that feels very real.
Over this series, readers have come to know Lottie, her children, Boyd and even Lottie's unlikable boss. However, this story is focused on current cases and thus could serve as a standalone. As mentioned already, I read the entire series because I absolutely love continuity.
Lottie has overcome quite a bit as the series has gone, and I loved watching her growth. I feel like I know each of primary characters, and have been strongly affected by all of the trauma they have dealt with. I am already eager for book 8.
Many thanks for Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
October 4, 2019
Hallelujah! After being fairly disappointed by the last two books in the series, in "Broken souls" DI Lottie Parker is (almost) back to form. Sure, she's a little bit less bitchy than in previous stories, but she still acts like everything's about her. If she keeps going that way she will alienate all the people in her life, both work and family. I have to concede that her children sometimes act like ungrateful brats, but she doesn't put much on her part to make things easier at home. I'm curious to see how she'll react after her relapse and if Boyd's revelation will serve to open up her eyes and change for the better her relationship with him. And thank God this time her family isn't implicated in the investigation!! :P
In this case we have a pretty complex mystery, basically because all the characters are related to one another, with intertwining storylines and shared secrets. Maybe because of this I felt like some details were a bit far fetched and not explained clear enough at the end. The investigation was quite enjoyable but the villain was a bit weak in my opinion.
All in all, good police procedural with an interesting enough plot and great improvement after the last two books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this case we have a pretty complex mystery, basically because all the characters are related to one another, with intertwining storylines and shared secrets. Maybe because of this I felt like some details were a bit far fetched and not explained clear enough at the end. The investigation was quite enjoyable but the villain was a bit weak in my opinion.
All in all, good police procedural with an interesting enough plot and great improvement after the last two books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews