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The Lost Detective
On a summer's day, a baby vanishes. The mystery is never solved, leaving a young mother lost in grief. Twenty-one years later, ex-police detective Dan Hennessy is struggling with his own tragic loss, and when a neighbour disappears and a body turns up at the solar farm, he is desperate for answers. The haunted landscape is keeping secrets, and there are dangers lurking in the Brecks. Dan must find the truth. Can he offer hope to the grieving mother, and also save himself?
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About the author
Elspeth Latimer
2 books4 followersLonglisted for Crime Writers Association ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger. Elspeth Latimer lives with her family in the Brecks, at the heart of East Anglia. The haunting beauty of this landscape inspired her to write 'The Lost Detective', a murder mystery, which was also shortlisted for the international Bath Novel Award. A gripping story of loss and redemption, 'The Lost Detective' has been described as "A superb crime debut" (Lee Child), "Luminous, haunting, humane" (Ashley Hickson-Lovence), and "A sophisticated, multi-layered mystery" (Harriet Tyce). Elspeth is originally from Edinburgh, where she ran a successful architecture practice, before her passion for books prompted a career change. She has a Prose Fiction MA along with a PhD on crime series, from the University of East Anglia. As well as being an author, Elspeth is a creative writing tutor and researcher, and her guide to crime series, 'Writing the Detectives', is published by Cambridge University Press. Elspeth loves photographing and writing about Norfolk and Suffolk. Most weekends she can be found exploring forgotten paths, crumbling ruins, hushed forests, and waterlogged fens, in search of hidden stories. You can connect with her on Goodreads as well as Instagram, Threads, Facebook & Bluesky, where she shared photos and updates.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 4, 2026
Wow! The Lost Detective is one of the best debut novels I have ever read. Do not miss this book, crime fiction fans!
I had to double check that The Lost Detective is Elspeth Latimer's debut as her writing is so accomplished and the plot is so compelling that I read all but the last few chapters of this fantastic book in one sitting. I only put it down to go to sleep and I couldn't wait to pick it up the next morning to read the stunning conclusion.
The prologue is haunting and heartbreaking; it is every mother's nightmare to lose their child and Alice has had to live for 21 years without knowing what happened to her six-week-old baby Felix. Dan Hennessy knows all about loss as his fiancée was tragically killed by one of his police colleagues and he lost his future as well as his career that day.
There's a lot of mystery and intrigue as we read about various events and different characters but they all tie together perfectly into a satisfying and incredibly emotional conclusion. I may have had something in my eye at the end...
Poignant, evocative and captivating, The Lost Detective is a breathtaking debut novel that is unpredictable and unmissable. Elspeth Latimer is certainly one to watch based on the strength of this very highly recommended read.
I had to double check that The Lost Detective is Elspeth Latimer's debut as her writing is so accomplished and the plot is so compelling that I read all but the last few chapters of this fantastic book in one sitting. I only put it down to go to sleep and I couldn't wait to pick it up the next morning to read the stunning conclusion.
The prologue is haunting and heartbreaking; it is every mother's nightmare to lose their child and Alice has had to live for 21 years without knowing what happened to her six-week-old baby Felix. Dan Hennessy knows all about loss as his fiancée was tragically killed by one of his police colleagues and he lost his future as well as his career that day.
There's a lot of mystery and intrigue as we read about various events and different characters but they all tie together perfectly into a satisfying and incredibly emotional conclusion. I may have had something in my eye at the end...
Poignant, evocative and captivating, The Lost Detective is a breathtaking debut novel that is unpredictable and unmissable. Elspeth Latimer is certainly one to watch based on the strength of this very highly recommended read.
February 21, 2026
Broad Way!
The perfect holiday read for anyone Staying in Norfolk/Suffolk ! A gripping story set in a gorgeous English rural location…
The perfect holiday read for anyone Staying in Norfolk/Suffolk ! A gripping story set in a gorgeous English rural location…
February 27, 2026
I saw a post on social media this morning that included photographs of the covers of three crime fiction novels, and asked the simple question: which order would you read these in? And I wondered how I was possibly supposed to answer.
One of them was by an author whom I have heard of, so on that basis alone I'd probably choose to read that one first. But the others? Short of doing 'eeny, meeny, miny mo', or perhaps getting my dog to pick, I really have no idea. In reality, they'd probably both end up somewhere in the lower part of my TBR pile, ready to read in the event that I ever get to enjoy what by that point will probably need to be several decades of retirement.
And - much as I hate to start a review on a negative - I have to say that, had I not been invited to read the book as part of a promotional tour, The Lost Detective by new-to-me author Elspeth Latimer might have joined them there. Because I don't think I'd have been persuaded to make it a 'priority read' based on that front cover. Of course I appreciate that first appearances are subjective, but to me it looks very old-fashioned and includes nothing to incite me to choose it over whatever else happens to be on the shelf in a bookshop. Or included in a selection of photos on a social media post, for that matter.
Luckily, however, I did read it and I'm going to get my only other slightly negative sounding comment out of the way right now by saying what this book isn't. This is in no way meant as a criticism, but it's no thriller. So if you want a high octane-fuelled piece of crime drama, where the killer is a crazed psychopath and the victims drop like flies, you'll need to look elsewhere.
If, however, you're happy to read a novel that's a character-driven, psychological portrayal first and a murder mystery second, The Lost Detective is a book that deserves your full attention. It's wonderful.
The character of Dan Hennessey is a superb creation. Seven months ago, the tragic death of his fiancee Beth, after she was struck by a police car on a high-speed chase, left him a broken man. Today, he's existing from one day to the next, providing security and doing other odd jobs at a caravan park in exchange for free accommodation, and earns a living of sorts by occasionally driving a taxi for his friend's company. So well is he portrayed that not only could I see him in my mind, I could almost smell him.
But the detective that Dan used to be remains hidden deep inside that empty shell. So when the sudden disappearance of a man from a neighbouring caravan is quickly followed by the discovery of a body at a nearby solar farm, his interest is aroused. And his relationship with his former police colleagues - not exactly love-hate, but a sort of mixture of sympathy and frustration - is, again, conveyed so well that I could feel it in my head and chest as I read.
In parallel to this, we have the heartbreaking, yet beautifully told story of the disappearance of a baby 21 years earlier, and a grieving mother who has never dared give up hope. And then there's the sensitive and compassionate portrayal of a man who is suffering with dementia, and his daughter left wondering if he knows something significant, but is unable to tell ...
I fear I'm starting to run out of superlatives, which is a problem. Because I still haven't got to the best thing about this book, which is the spellbinding - there, I managed it - description of the setting; the Brecks in East Anglia. Not only does the location become a character in itself, but it also manages to give the whole of the book another dimension. It makes it wonderfully, eerily atmospheric.
Elspeth Latimer's hardest job now is going to be to persuade readers to notice, never mind buy, her new book. But they really, really should.
My thanks to Zooloo's Book Tours for including me on the blog tour for The Lost Detective, which was published in the UK by Story Machine on 25th October 2025. I have reviewed the book voluntarily and honestly. My review is also published on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com and shared on my social media pages.
One of them was by an author whom I have heard of, so on that basis alone I'd probably choose to read that one first. But the others? Short of doing 'eeny, meeny, miny mo', or perhaps getting my dog to pick, I really have no idea. In reality, they'd probably both end up somewhere in the lower part of my TBR pile, ready to read in the event that I ever get to enjoy what by that point will probably need to be several decades of retirement.
And - much as I hate to start a review on a negative - I have to say that, had I not been invited to read the book as part of a promotional tour, The Lost Detective by new-to-me author Elspeth Latimer might have joined them there. Because I don't think I'd have been persuaded to make it a 'priority read' based on that front cover. Of course I appreciate that first appearances are subjective, but to me it looks very old-fashioned and includes nothing to incite me to choose it over whatever else happens to be on the shelf in a bookshop. Or included in a selection of photos on a social media post, for that matter.
Luckily, however, I did read it and I'm going to get my only other slightly negative sounding comment out of the way right now by saying what this book isn't. This is in no way meant as a criticism, but it's no thriller. So if you want a high octane-fuelled piece of crime drama, where the killer is a crazed psychopath and the victims drop like flies, you'll need to look elsewhere.
If, however, you're happy to read a novel that's a character-driven, psychological portrayal first and a murder mystery second, The Lost Detective is a book that deserves your full attention. It's wonderful.
The character of Dan Hennessey is a superb creation. Seven months ago, the tragic death of his fiancee Beth, after she was struck by a police car on a high-speed chase, left him a broken man. Today, he's existing from one day to the next, providing security and doing other odd jobs at a caravan park in exchange for free accommodation, and earns a living of sorts by occasionally driving a taxi for his friend's company. So well is he portrayed that not only could I see him in my mind, I could almost smell him.
But the detective that Dan used to be remains hidden deep inside that empty shell. So when the sudden disappearance of a man from a neighbouring caravan is quickly followed by the discovery of a body at a nearby solar farm, his interest is aroused. And his relationship with his former police colleagues - not exactly love-hate, but a sort of mixture of sympathy and frustration - is, again, conveyed so well that I could feel it in my head and chest as I read.
In parallel to this, we have the heartbreaking, yet beautifully told story of the disappearance of a baby 21 years earlier, and a grieving mother who has never dared give up hope. And then there's the sensitive and compassionate portrayal of a man who is suffering with dementia, and his daughter left wondering if he knows something significant, but is unable to tell ...
I fear I'm starting to run out of superlatives, which is a problem. Because I still haven't got to the best thing about this book, which is the spellbinding - there, I managed it - description of the setting; the Brecks in East Anglia. Not only does the location become a character in itself, but it also manages to give the whole of the book another dimension. It makes it wonderfully, eerily atmospheric.
Elspeth Latimer's hardest job now is going to be to persuade readers to notice, never mind buy, her new book. But they really, really should.
My thanks to Zooloo's Book Tours for including me on the blog tour for The Lost Detective, which was published in the UK by Story Machine on 25th October 2025. I have reviewed the book voluntarily and honestly. My review is also published on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com and shared on my social media pages.
March 14, 2026
Here is my review for The Lost Detective by Elspeth Latimer
This was a totally immersive mystery read which I really enjoyed reading. I got hooked right at the very start of the story when the baby went missing. Then the story shoots forward twenty-one years and Dan Hennessy is asked to look at the original police case files for the abduction to see if he has any luck finding out anything now. Then he's tasked with finding someone who's left the caravan park owing some rent. Also, a body turns up, not far away and they seem familiar but he can't think of their name. Is he too old for all this? Will he get over his grief? The story drew me in with all the interesting little details and everything that was described in great detail. It was well plotted and thought out. The characters were very well described and seemed very realistic. I liked the synopsis and the storyline. Dan Hennessy was portrayed very realistically as a grieving man trying to rebuild his life but struggling. He was no longer a policeman which he was trying to come to terms with as well. I'd like to read more from this author.
Blurb :
On a summer's day, a tiny baby vanishes. The mystery is never solved, leaving a young mother lost in grief. Twenty-one years later, ex-police detective Dan Hennessy is struggling with his own tragic loss. When a neighbour disappears and a body turns up at the solar farm, Dan becomes desperate for answers. The haunted landscape is keeping secrets, and there are dangers lurking in the Brecks. Will he find hope for the grieving mother, and can he save himself?
This was a totally immersive mystery read which I really enjoyed reading. I got hooked right at the very start of the story when the baby went missing. Then the story shoots forward twenty-one years and Dan Hennessy is asked to look at the original police case files for the abduction to see if he has any luck finding out anything now. Then he's tasked with finding someone who's left the caravan park owing some rent. Also, a body turns up, not far away and they seem familiar but he can't think of their name. Is he too old for all this? Will he get over his grief? The story drew me in with all the interesting little details and everything that was described in great detail. It was well plotted and thought out. The characters were very well described and seemed very realistic. I liked the synopsis and the storyline. Dan Hennessy was portrayed very realistically as a grieving man trying to rebuild his life but struggling. He was no longer a policeman which he was trying to come to terms with as well. I'd like to read more from this author.
Blurb :
On a summer's day, a tiny baby vanishes. The mystery is never solved, leaving a young mother lost in grief. Twenty-one years later, ex-police detective Dan Hennessy is struggling with his own tragic loss. When a neighbour disappears and a body turns up at the solar farm, Dan becomes desperate for answers. The haunted landscape is keeping secrets, and there are dangers lurking in the Brecks. Will he find hope for the grieving mother, and can he save himself?
February 23, 2026
The Lost Detective was such an interesting read. I loved the atmospheric elements of the landscape being used seemingly showcase the bleakness that Hennessy is feeling. At least that is what I felt. I also loved how human Hennessy is, seemingly grappling with their own grief they want to focus on helping someone else. The case itself is cleverly woven and we are kept guessing and piecing together the evidence alongside Hennessy. All in all this was a brilliant read that got me really invested in the characters and was wonderfully written.
As always thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours and author for the copy to review, My reviews are always honest, truthful and given freely.
As always thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours and author for the copy to review, My reviews are always honest, truthful and given freely.
February 23, 2026
I really enjoyed this read, it was a clever plot surrounding a cold case investigation into the disappearance of a baby 21 years ago plus a new murder investigation when a body is found at a local farm.
Ex police detective Dan is a complex character still dealing with his grief over the death of his fiancée, but I really liked him and his emotional journey was compelling.
The story was full of suspense and kept me guessing till the end, it also had some great twists too.
It would be great to have another book with Dan he would make a great series character.
Ex police detective Dan is a complex character still dealing with his grief over the death of his fiancée, but I really liked him and his emotional journey was compelling.
The story was full of suspense and kept me guessing till the end, it also had some great twists too.
It would be great to have another book with Dan he would make a great series character.
April 23, 2026
I enjoyed this so much. The character of Dan, the lost detective of the title is superbly portrayed, as is the setting. Dan's grief is compelling and completely believable. He became real to me; I wanted to invite him round for a cup of tea and a chat. The mysteries Dan sets out to solve in the book are intriguing and moving. It's not an on the edge of your seat thriller, but it's better for that. A very enjoyable read - i was sad to finish it.
March 8, 2026
This was my first read by this author - and the front cover didn't really give too much away - so I had no clue going into this, what to expect.
I was immediately drawn into the story by the wonderful writing style and we're slowly introduced to our main characters and the case itself but also drawn to the amazing setting of the Brecks which I found almost provided a character tin itself.
I liked the pull of the missing baby - I was instantly on alert, being a mum, I really felt for the poor mother.
Fast forward a couple of decades and ex-police detective Dan - already reeling from his own trauma - ends up embroiled in the investigation of a body found at a local farm.
Because we were dealing with the reopening of a cold case, this didn't give us much to go off, so long after the event - but that made this case all the more intriguing and I was kept guessing until the end.
I'm not sure what I'd been expecting from this read, but I found this was brilliantly fast paced and gripping and I raced through this in just a couple of sittings.
Dan's character was fascinating and I'm pretty sure there's much more development potential for him beyond this book - I wonder whether we might see him again in future books by this author.
A great first read for me and I look forward to exploring more in the future.
I was immediately drawn into the story by the wonderful writing style and we're slowly introduced to our main characters and the case itself but also drawn to the amazing setting of the Brecks which I found almost provided a character tin itself.
I liked the pull of the missing baby - I was instantly on alert, being a mum, I really felt for the poor mother.
Fast forward a couple of decades and ex-police detective Dan - already reeling from his own trauma - ends up embroiled in the investigation of a body found at a local farm.
Because we were dealing with the reopening of a cold case, this didn't give us much to go off, so long after the event - but that made this case all the more intriguing and I was kept guessing until the end.
I'm not sure what I'd been expecting from this read, but I found this was brilliantly fast paced and gripping and I raced through this in just a couple of sittings.
Dan's character was fascinating and I'm pretty sure there's much more development potential for him beyond this book - I wonder whether we might see him again in future books by this author.
A great first read for me and I look forward to exploring more in the future.
April 3, 2026
The Lost Detective by Elspeth Latimer
🌟🌟🌟🌟
A fab, fast, gripping read!
Loved it.
A missing baby. A body. In comes Dan. An Ex Detective. Troubled, on an emotional journey.
A gripping read. I devoured it. Twists and turns!
I need more stories about Dan!!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
A fab, fast, gripping read!
Loved it.
A missing baby. A body. In comes Dan. An Ex Detective. Troubled, on an emotional journey.
A gripping read. I devoured it. Twists and turns!
I need more stories about Dan!!!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews