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Clare Carlson #1
Yesterday's News
A classic cold case reopened—along with Pandora's box
When eleven-year-old Lucy Devlin disappeared on her way to school more than a decade ago, it became one of the most famous missing child cases in history. The story turned reporter Clare Carlson into a media superstar overnight. Clare broke exclusive after exclusive. She had unprecedented access to the Devlin family as she wrote about the heartbreaking search for their young daughter. She later won a Pulitzer Prize for her extraordinary coverage of the case.
Now Clare once again plunges back into this sensational story. With new evidence, new victims, and new suspects—too many suspects. Everyone from members of a motorcycle gang to a prominent politician running for a US Senate seat seem to have secrets they’re hiding about what really might have happened to Lucy Devlin. But Clare has her own secrets. And, in order to untangle the truth about Lucy Devlin, she must finally confront her own torturous past.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2018
172 people are currently reading
3454 people want to read
About the author
R.G. Belsky
14 books506 followersCo-author with Bonnie Traymore of Swipe (2025);Author of Broadcast Blues (Oceanview - 2024); It's News to Me (Oceanview - 2022); Beyond The Headlines (Oceanview 2021); The Last Scoop (Oceanview-2020) Below The Fold (Oceanview - 2019) Yesterday's News (Oceanview - 2018) Blonde Ice (Atria - 2016; Shooting for the Stars (2015); and The Kennedy Connection (2014).
Also writes thrillers under the pen name of Dana Perry.
Former Managing Editor of NBCNews.com
Worked as Managing Editor of NY Daily News; News Editor of Star magazine; Metropolitan Editor of NY Post.
Author of numerous other mystery novels including Loverboy and Playing Dead.
Contributing Writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.
Also writes thrillers under the pen name of Dana Perry.
Former Managing Editor of NBCNews.com
Worked as Managing Editor of NY Daily News; News Editor of Star magazine; Metropolitan Editor of NY Post.
Author of numerous other mystery novels including Loverboy and Playing Dead.
Contributing Writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
June 19, 2018
This was a quick, entertaining read. I enjoyed it even though it had many coincidences converging together that made it mostly implausible. I did like peeking into the reality of a television newsroom. One odd thing that’s never happened before is that the female protagonist felt like to me to be a male. Weird, I know.
I won this Kindle book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity.
I won this Kindle book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity.
May 2, 2018
Like the author, I've spent time as managing editor (and reporter and copy editor) of a newspaper, albeit something like 429 miles from big-time New York City. Unlike the author, though, I couldn't write a word of fiction if my life depended on it. No matter - he does it so well that I was perfectly content to kick back, pull out my Kindle and enjoy the heck out of this one.
It is that print/TV/news "connection," of course, that initially prompted me to request an advance review copy (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for making that happen). But it was the intricate, well-written plot, with all its twists and turns, that hooked me from the beginning and didn't let go till the end (and then some). In short, it's one of the best books I've read in quite some time.
The star of the show is Clare Carlson, a newspaper reporter-turned-TV news director - the latter a position she earned in large part because of earning a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the disappearance of 11-year-old Lucy Devlin back in her newspaper days. When Lucy's long-suffering mother claims to have new information on her daughter's disappearance, Clare's TV boss agrees to do an update on the missing child story (bringing to my mind one of the things I hate most about TV news - a reporter shoving a microphone into the face of a grieving family member). But I digress; Clare agrees, and when she meets with Lucy's mother, she learns the woman is dying of cancer. Apparently, the mother has been informed of someone who saw her young daughter with a motorcycle gang - a gang to which the girl's ex-husband once belonged.
With her boss's approval, Clare starts to dig (after all, she's got a stake in the case as well as in the success of the TV update). The trail leads to a "biker chick" who claims to have seen Lucy way back when - with a man who's now in the running for a big-time political office. Clare is in awe of the guy (and it doesn't hurt that he's an unmarried hunk), but she's suspicious as well. Then, bodies of other young children are unearthed, and Clare suspects they may be related to Lucy's case and once again begins to dig in.
But surprise - as any good reporter knows, there's always more to a story than meets the eye or ear. Now it's time to get serious - and in the process, unearth some news that Clare would be happy to keep buried.
Well done - highly recommended!
It is that print/TV/news "connection," of course, that initially prompted me to request an advance review copy (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for making that happen). But it was the intricate, well-written plot, with all its twists and turns, that hooked me from the beginning and didn't let go till the end (and then some). In short, it's one of the best books I've read in quite some time.
The star of the show is Clare Carlson, a newspaper reporter-turned-TV news director - the latter a position she earned in large part because of earning a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the disappearance of 11-year-old Lucy Devlin back in her newspaper days. When Lucy's long-suffering mother claims to have new information on her daughter's disappearance, Clare's TV boss agrees to do an update on the missing child story (bringing to my mind one of the things I hate most about TV news - a reporter shoving a microphone into the face of a grieving family member). But I digress; Clare agrees, and when she meets with Lucy's mother, she learns the woman is dying of cancer. Apparently, the mother has been informed of someone who saw her young daughter with a motorcycle gang - a gang to which the girl's ex-husband once belonged.
With her boss's approval, Clare starts to dig (after all, she's got a stake in the case as well as in the success of the TV update). The trail leads to a "biker chick" who claims to have seen Lucy way back when - with a man who's now in the running for a big-time political office. Clare is in awe of the guy (and it doesn't hurt that he's an unmarried hunk), but she's suspicious as well. Then, bodies of other young children are unearthed, and Clare suspects they may be related to Lucy's case and once again begins to dig in.
But surprise - as any good reporter knows, there's always more to a story than meets the eye or ear. Now it's time to get serious - and in the process, unearth some news that Clare would be happy to keep buried.
Well done - highly recommended!
June 15, 2018
Yesterday’s News is a crime thriller told from the perspective of a tv news reporter/producer who gained fame fifteen years earlier when she sparked a nationwide outcry about a missing girl. Fifteen years later, it’s still an unsolved crime. The girl’s mother never gave up hope, but is barely functioning and the father has moved in and closed that chapter of his life. Anonymous letters point to new information and Clair puts aside her management hat and dives back into her career case, doggedly chasing down clues.
Using a news reporter’s perspective is often an interesting way to present a crime story and it certainly is here. A terrific narrator’s voice carries the story quite well through the first half of the book.
Crazy coincidences and connections take us through the remainder of the book which may have just one or two too
many twists and turns to really pull it off in terms of ultimate believability. All in all, a fairly easy quick read.
Using a news reporter’s perspective is often an interesting way to present a crime story and it certainly is here. A terrific narrator’s voice carries the story quite well through the first half of the book.
Crazy coincidences and connections take us through the remainder of the book which may have just one or two too
many twists and turns to really pull it off in terms of ultimate believability. All in all, a fairly easy quick read.
June 12, 2019
Clare Carlson won a Pulitzer prize writing about the unsolved disappearance of 11-year old New York City schoolgirl named Lucy Devlin. Many years later, Clare is now a TV news producer and is contacted by Lucy's dying mother with a lead that seems to involve a prosecutor vying to become a US Senator for New York. The book had a fairly solid pace, including several pivotal plot twists along the way, and delved into the business and ethics of news reporting.
July 3, 2018
Wow! You really outdid yourself with this one, R.G. Belsky. One twist after another, after another, after another. They just did not stop coming in Yesterday's News, a story about TV news executive, Clare Carlson who becomes embroiled in a story that won't leave her alone, and for which she already won a Pulitzer prize -- the unsolved disappearance of 11-year old New York City schoolgirl, Lucy Devlin.
This time there is more at stake: a New York City politician who seems on the brink of being elected to the US Senate appears to have a connection to the disaapearance; Lucy's mother is dying of cancer without any closure over her little girl's fate, and protagonist Clare has demons and secrets of her own, which just might be revealed, and which she may have to finally confront, if she pursues this story.
Carlson is a terrific protagonist, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Belsky also portrays the setting of local TV news with the sort of 100% authenticity you'd expect from someone who has lived the life of a TV news executive himself. Enjoyed every minute of this one. Well done, Dick.
This time there is more at stake: a New York City politician who seems on the brink of being elected to the US Senate appears to have a connection to the disaapearance; Lucy's mother is dying of cancer without any closure over her little girl's fate, and protagonist Clare has demons and secrets of her own, which just might be revealed, and which she may have to finally confront, if she pursues this story.
Carlson is a terrific protagonist, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Belsky also portrays the setting of local TV news with the sort of 100% authenticity you'd expect from someone who has lived the life of a TV news executive himself. Enjoyed every minute of this one. Well done, Dick.
October 5, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A journalist made her bones exploiting a story about a missing child. Now she's in a middle age rut when the story comes back with new evidence. This leads her to even more leads as the story unravels.
Too many twists and turns for its own good. The plot gets in the way of the story.
A journalist made her bones exploiting a story about a missing child. Now she's in a middle age rut when the story comes back with new evidence. This leads her to even more leads as the story unravels.
Too many twists and turns for its own good. The plot gets in the way of the story.
March 11, 2018
Clare is a journalist who made her career with a missing child story. She had incredible access to the family, and had exclusive after exclusive, and even won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the story. It has been 15 years since the child went missing, and the young girl was never found. Clare is now a news director for a TV station, and the girl's mother has never stopped looking for her child. When the mother contacts Clare, saying she has new evidence in the case, she also says she will only talk to Clare. Clare jumps back into investigative journalism and searches for the truth behind the girl's disappearance. During her search, she deals with a motorcycle gang, a popular politician, other cases of missing children, and many dark secrets.
The story is told from Clare's point of view. The characters were all well developed, and the story was intriguing enough to make this a fast read.
Good for fans of crime fiction and plot twists. A complex mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I love twists in a story, but this book had too much going on for me. On the plus side, some twists were completely unexpected and I didn't see them coming at all.
I received a copy of this book from Oceanview Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be published in May 2018.
The story is told from Clare's point of view. The characters were all well developed, and the story was intriguing enough to make this a fast read.
Good for fans of crime fiction and plot twists. A complex mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I love twists in a story, but this book had too much going on for me. On the plus side, some twists were completely unexpected and I didn't see them coming at all.
I received a copy of this book from Oceanview Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be published in May 2018.
January 22, 2020
It's the 15th anniversary of Lucy Devlin's disappearance. Clare Carlson started out as a reporter at a newspaper, moved on to TV, and now she's news director for Channel 10 in NYC. All those years ago, Clare won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of 11 year old Lucy's disappearance.
Lucy's mother comes to Clare saying she has cancer and just wants to see her daughter one last time. She received an email where someone is coming forward saying they saw Lucy with a biker gang 15 years ago. She asks Clare to investigate.
I've always liked a story where a news person starts digging. At times, Clare didn't do her homework or dig deep enough. The story shows some big revelations near the end. I would probably read the next book in the series.
Lucy's mother comes to Clare saying she has cancer and just wants to see her daughter one last time. She received an email where someone is coming forward saying they saw Lucy with a biker gang 15 years ago. She asks Clare to investigate.
I've always liked a story where a news person starts digging. At times, Clare didn't do her homework or dig deep enough. The story shows some big revelations near the end. I would probably read the next book in the series.
June 16, 2018
Clare Carlson, an investigative and driven journalist, won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage on the disappearance of Lucy Devlin 15 years ago, which became a cold case. Now as a, TV News Director, Lucy's mother, Anne, contacts her stating she has new information. Once again, Clare is on the hunt to find out what did happen on that fateful day. Could Lucy be alive or is it just a mother's hope?.
While investigating this case, the new evidence leads her to have more questions than answers including what is Elliott Grayson, currently in the race for NY Senate race, hiding? His relationship with members of a motorcycle gang, which was the last sighting of Lucy and a grave in NH holding 6 youngster's bodies that Grayson was part of the task force on the case? What are his secrets?
Clare also has a secret, a big one. Was she the reason that Lucy disappeared? A past that she now has to face.
This book was outstanding!! The suspenseful pace did not let up! So many twists and turns!
The explosive ending blindsided me. So much so that after reading the last word, it took several more hours to process and digest what I had just read! A riveting and thrilling book that held me captive! No question, this novel will be on my 2018 Top Ten Reads!
I highly encourage you to pick up a copy! However, once you start it, just know, that you won't be able to put it down!
While investigating this case, the new evidence leads her to have more questions than answers including what is Elliott Grayson, currently in the race for NY Senate race, hiding? His relationship with members of a motorcycle gang, which was the last sighting of Lucy and a grave in NH holding 6 youngster's bodies that Grayson was part of the task force on the case? What are his secrets?
Clare also has a secret, a big one. Was she the reason that Lucy disappeared? A past that she now has to face.
This book was outstanding!! The suspenseful pace did not let up! So many twists and turns!
The explosive ending blindsided me. So much so that after reading the last word, it took several more hours to process and digest what I had just read! A riveting and thrilling book that held me captive! No question, this novel will be on my 2018 Top Ten Reads!
I highly encourage you to pick up a copy! However, once you start it, just know, that you won't be able to put it down!
June 26, 2018
Eleven year old Lucy Devlin disappears and there is no trace of where she goes. Clare Carlson is a reporter that seems to get all the exclusives from the family. She wins a Pulitzer for her work but little Lucy is never found. Clare’s life moves on and it is now fifteen years later as she manages television news. Lucy’s mother comes out with more information on Lucy’s disappearance but she will only talk to Clare and then reveals that she is dying of cancer.
The new leads take Clare to a motor cycle gang that Lucy’s father was part of at the time of her disappearance. She also finds a potential connection to a man running for the US Senate. But then some of Clare’s own secrets are going to be coming out too.
This story has lots of twists and turns and things happening that will keep you guessing about what really happened to Lucy. Just when I would think I had an idea of where the story was going to go then something happens and you are off in another direction.
This is a great story that will suck you in and leave you wanting to know more. There are a lot of things happening and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
The new leads take Clare to a motor cycle gang that Lucy’s father was part of at the time of her disappearance. She also finds a potential connection to a man running for the US Senate. But then some of Clare’s own secrets are going to be coming out too.
This story has lots of twists and turns and things happening that will keep you guessing about what really happened to Lucy. Just when I would think I had an idea of where the story was going to go then something happens and you are off in another direction.
This is a great story that will suck you in and leave you wanting to know more. There are a lot of things happening and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
May 16, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author. Yet, I can guarantee you that it will not be the last book I read from this author. You could say that this book and the main lead, Clare hooked me right away. Therefore, I am going to say #instalove.
It was like I had been with Clare for years. Yet, this is the first book in a new series featuring Clare. Which, if the rest of the books are anything like this one, I am in for a real treat.
Clare is very engaging. She made me follow her wherever she went. Although, I will say Clare's reporter instincts were not as sharp as they could have been but I am sure that Clare's skills will be more focused in the next book.
Lastly, can we talk about the ending. I did not see it coming. I was blindsided (in a good way). Wow. You really do have to read this book if for nothing else than the ending. Yesterday's News is today's #instahit!
It was like I had been with Clare for years. Yet, this is the first book in a new series featuring Clare. Which, if the rest of the books are anything like this one, I am in for a real treat.
Clare is very engaging. She made me follow her wherever she went. Although, I will say Clare's reporter instincts were not as sharp as they could have been but I am sure that Clare's skills will be more focused in the next book.
Lastly, can we talk about the ending. I did not see it coming. I was blindsided (in a good way). Wow. You really do have to read this book if for nothing else than the ending. Yesterday's News is today's #instahit!
July 24, 2018
This book was pretty poorly edited for the first third but the premise was sound so I stuck it out even though I wanted to put this one aside. I’m glad I didn’t give up on this one since there are so many shocking reveals in the latter part of this book that I literally gasped out loud several times. Fun , fastish read.
May 2, 2018
R.G. Belsky sure knows how to hold a reader's attention! Yesterday's News, which deals with missing children, could be ripped from any given day's headlines.
It's the 15th anniversary of the date when eleven year old Lucy Devlin went missing. Clare Carlson, a journalist at the time, covered the story so exceptionally that she won a Pulitzer prize for her work. Now 45 and three-times divorced, Clare has moved on to management in television news but misses the excitement of her old work. When the anniversary brings forth new information from the missing girl's mother, who is now dying, Clare's investigative journalistic side is stirred and she is determined to see this cold case reopened and answers found.
Little does Clare know where this decision will lead her. She finds herself involved with people ranging from members of motorcycle gangs to someone running for the U.S. Senate. Before there were no suspects, now there are too many. Seems like everyone has secrets that they don't want exposed, even Clare herself.
Belsky does a great job of handing the reader red herrings, and unexpected twists right up to the very end. This is an absorbing, fast-paced read! Four-stars from me!
Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
It's the 15th anniversary of the date when eleven year old Lucy Devlin went missing. Clare Carlson, a journalist at the time, covered the story so exceptionally that she won a Pulitzer prize for her work. Now 45 and three-times divorced, Clare has moved on to management in television news but misses the excitement of her old work. When the anniversary brings forth new information from the missing girl's mother, who is now dying, Clare's investigative journalistic side is stirred and she is determined to see this cold case reopened and answers found.
Little does Clare know where this decision will lead her. She finds herself involved with people ranging from members of motorcycle gangs to someone running for the U.S. Senate. Before there were no suspects, now there are too many. Seems like everyone has secrets that they don't want exposed, even Clare herself.
Belsky does a great job of handing the reader red herrings, and unexpected twists right up to the very end. This is an absorbing, fast-paced read! Four-stars from me!
Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 3, 2018
Read all my reviews at https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com
A heart-wrenching story about the investigation behind the kidnapping of eleven-year-old Lucy Devlin and reporter Clare Carlson’s will to help Lucy’s Mom, Anna, make the world never forget Lucy. Anna still believes Lucy is alive. She is single and dying of cancer. The last thing she wants is to hear that her daughter has been found alive and well. With no family or friends to enlist, Anna reaches out to Clare who was the original reporter on the Devlin case. In fact, Clare even won a Pulitzer for her reporting on the story. Now, more than ten years later, Clare is pulled into digging deeper into the case and finds out there is much more to the story than a simple kidnapping. What I really loved about this book was the emotional attachment the author made the reader have to his main character. Clare’s soft spot for Lucy and her mother is nothing to ignore. Clare’s own character unravels throughout the story and we start to see more of her true self and why this investigation is so important to her on a more personal level. I gave this book 5 stars for its solid storyline, well-developed cast of characters, and fabulous twists and turns throughout the plot. Well done, R.G. Belsky. I look forward to Clare Carlson #2.
A heart-wrenching story about the investigation behind the kidnapping of eleven-year-old Lucy Devlin and reporter Clare Carlson’s will to help Lucy’s Mom, Anna, make the world never forget Lucy. Anna still believes Lucy is alive. She is single and dying of cancer. The last thing she wants is to hear that her daughter has been found alive and well. With no family or friends to enlist, Anna reaches out to Clare who was the original reporter on the Devlin case. In fact, Clare even won a Pulitzer for her reporting on the story. Now, more than ten years later, Clare is pulled into digging deeper into the case and finds out there is much more to the story than a simple kidnapping. What I really loved about this book was the emotional attachment the author made the reader have to his main character. Clare’s soft spot for Lucy and her mother is nothing to ignore. Clare’s own character unravels throughout the story and we start to see more of her true self and why this investigation is so important to her on a more personal level. I gave this book 5 stars for its solid storyline, well-developed cast of characters, and fabulous twists and turns throughout the plot. Well done, R.G. Belsky. I look forward to Clare Carlson #2.
April 30, 2018
A mystery tied in knots. It might tie you in a few as well.
Yesterday's News opens on the upcoming 15th anniversary of a child's disappearance. The world has gone on. But things like that are never simple or entirely left behind. Clare Carlson, the journalist who made her career off the story has moved from reporting to management. She's aware it does not quite fit her but life is life. The dead girl's mother shows up with new information and the ticking clock of her own failing health. How can you not fall into a set up like that?
Mr. Belsky has written a compelling, tight paced mystery that manages to be complex and challenging. The fact that the story revolves around missing children adds a heart breaking nuance. Get it for the story and you will stick around for the people. One thing I have to say. I'm not sure if I like Clare Carlson. Not the character, the person. At times I was angry with, other times cheering, and a few times I simply wanted to pull her aside and give her a good talking to. That's a good thing. It shows how real she is on the page. Great job, Mr. Belsky.
Yesterday's News opens on the upcoming 15th anniversary of a child's disappearance. The world has gone on. But things like that are never simple or entirely left behind. Clare Carlson, the journalist who made her career off the story has moved from reporting to management. She's aware it does not quite fit her but life is life. The dead girl's mother shows up with new information and the ticking clock of her own failing health. How can you not fall into a set up like that?
Mr. Belsky has written a compelling, tight paced mystery that manages to be complex and challenging. The fact that the story revolves around missing children adds a heart breaking nuance. Get it for the story and you will stick around for the people. One thing I have to say. I'm not sure if I like Clare Carlson. Not the character, the person. At times I was angry with, other times cheering, and a few times I simply wanted to pull her aside and give her a good talking to. That's a good thing. It shows how real she is on the page. Great job, Mr. Belsky.
February 10, 2022
Yesterday's News - Clare Carlson #1 R.G. Belsky
I really enjoyed the fresh approach to the sleuth trope, in this case a TV reporter whose career was built on the case of a missing girl many years before. Now Clare Carlson feels the pull to finally resolve the cold case, partially to generate ratings for her station, and partially because she might just have a deeper link to the case. There’s more than meets the eye to this complex protagonist. The first book in R.G. Belsky’s Clare Carlson series is a compelling mystery with twists and turns the reader won’t see coming. The level of detail on the warts-and-all reality of the news “industry” is an added plus.
I really enjoyed the fresh approach to the sleuth trope, in this case a TV reporter whose career was built on the case of a missing girl many years before. Now Clare Carlson feels the pull to finally resolve the cold case, partially to generate ratings for her station, and partially because she might just have a deeper link to the case. There’s more than meets the eye to this complex protagonist. The first book in R.G. Belsky’s Clare Carlson series is a compelling mystery with twists and turns the reader won’t see coming. The level of detail on the warts-and-all reality of the news “industry” is an added plus.
June 19, 2018
Outstanding!!
5 stars for this superbly written fast paced mystery.
Bombshell droppings every few chapters; eye rolling, head shaking, & the feeling that some things amiss, or "off".
This book starts out as a child abduction case & quickly unravels into so much more.
Sinister, sneaky, danger, intrigue, an interesting array of characters, unexpected twists.
If it smells like a rat, then it probably is.
5 stars for this superbly written fast paced mystery.
Bombshell droppings every few chapters; eye rolling, head shaking, & the feeling that some things amiss, or "off".
This book starts out as a child abduction case & quickly unravels into so much more.
Sinister, sneaky, danger, intrigue, an interesting array of characters, unexpected twists.
If it smells like a rat, then it probably is.
October 18, 2018
Yesterday's News
Lots of twists and turns made an interesting story that kept me reading but so many unanswered questions. I did like Clare. She was a pretty gutsy lady.
Lots of twists and turns made an interesting story that kept me reading but so many unanswered questions. I did like Clare. She was a pretty gutsy lady.
August 10, 2023
didn't want to put it down, great book
April 5, 2023
Lots of twist and turns
The book had a lot of unexpected twists and turns. I wanted to keep reading to see what far-fetched thing happen next. I didn’t particularly like the characters, none of which had much integrity, and the ending was less than satisfactory. In spite of all the things I didn’t like about the book, I couldn’t quit reading. It was like watching a train wreck that you couldn’t look away from. I debated about the rating but ultimately gave it a higher rating than I would have based on how much I enjoyed it because it had so many surprises that I kept reading to find out what would happen next.
The book had a lot of unexpected twists and turns. I wanted to keep reading to see what far-fetched thing happen next. I didn’t particularly like the characters, none of which had much integrity, and the ending was less than satisfactory. In spite of all the things I didn’t like about the book, I couldn’t quit reading. It was like watching a train wreck that you couldn’t look away from. I debated about the rating but ultimately gave it a higher rating than I would have based on how much I enjoyed it because it had so many surprises that I kept reading to find out what would happen next.
December 2, 2017
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Clare is a TV news executive, previously a print journalist, and agrees to revisit the story that made her famous; the disappearance of 11 year old Lucy Devlin 15 years ago. Lucy has never been found and her mother claims to have a new lead. This lead appears to implicate Elliott, a Democratic candidate for the Senate.
I am giving this novel three stars, being the average of the first half, which was a solid four stars, and then the second half (to which I award two stars) where the plot went absolutely crazy. There were threads of humour through the narration, especially around the fluffy "news" items the station runs, which I enjoyed, and things moved along at a good pace. Clare seemed a fairly undistinguished journalist, despite her oft-referred to Pulitzer prize, requiring others to point things out to her and giving up her source to Elliott without a qualm.
I can't really go into my thoughts about the second half without giving things away, but there were elements that I found fantastic and/or unlikely to the point of impossibility, and one in particular that seemed a dishonest late reveal to the reader. Clare's musings at the end about all the things she couldn't be sure about felt lazy - did the author even know what really happened?
Clare is a TV news executive, previously a print journalist, and agrees to revisit the story that made her famous; the disappearance of 11 year old Lucy Devlin 15 years ago. Lucy has never been found and her mother claims to have a new lead. This lead appears to implicate Elliott, a Democratic candidate for the Senate.
I am giving this novel three stars, being the average of the first half, which was a solid four stars, and then the second half (to which I award two stars) where the plot went absolutely crazy. There were threads of humour through the narration, especially around the fluffy "news" items the station runs, which I enjoyed, and things moved along at a good pace. Clare seemed a fairly undistinguished journalist, despite her oft-referred to Pulitzer prize, requiring others to point things out to her and giving up her source to Elliott without a qualm.
I can't really go into my thoughts about the second half without giving things away, but there were elements that I found fantastic and/or unlikely to the point of impossibility, and one in particular that seemed a dishonest late reveal to the reader. Clare's musings at the end about all the things she couldn't be sure about felt lazy - did the author even know what really happened?
May 27, 2019
I first became aware of this first book in the Clare Carlson series when the author R.G. Belsky was recently spotlighted on the Jungle Red Writers blog to promote the 2nd book in the series.
I was intrigued by that one so I decided to get the first one when the synopsis sounded just as interesting as Book 2.
As luck would have it, my interest was more than paid off. Now I know that a thriller that centers around a journalist (or TV news director in this particular case) might not seem like the ideal way of having an exciting pace to a thriller, but I was pretty taken with the step by step progress the plot had.
Fifteen years ago, 11 year old Lucy Devlin disappeared without a trace. Clare Carlson was working as a newspaper reporter and she became immersed in the coverage of the story. It made her a star and won her a Pulitzer Prize. But Lucy was never found and was eventually presumed dead and the world moved on.
Now, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of Lucy's disappearance, Carlson is contacted by Lucy's mother when a new clue comes her way. Anne Devlin never moved on and has spent the last decade and a half dedicating her life to tracking down every possible clue to find her daughter, refusing to believe that she is dead. It ended her marriage and now the need to find out the truth has taken on a desperate feel.
While Clare is sympathetic, she doesn't see much new to go on. That is until she starts digging on her own and suddenly there's a wealth of new material to work with. Becoming drawn back into the story that made her career sees Clare tracking down people who figured prominently during the original investigation. It seems everyone is acting odd about the case coming back to prominence. The head of the investigation, now a candidate for Senate, seems to be tied to a number of other deaths in the same area where Lucy was spotted at a motorcycle rally long after her "disappearance". Lucy's father has not only moved on to a new life and new family and refuses to co-operate in digging up the past, a strange reaction that has Clare suspicious.
But what really makes the story sing is just how much every main character in the story is somehow tarnished with darkness and secrets related to Lucy's disappearance. In fact, no one here is covered in glory. Secrets thought long buried come back to haunt everyone as Clare investigates every new clue.
What happened to Lucy Devlin all those years ago? Is she dead as long thought or is she still alive after all these years? What's the truth behind her kidnapping and who's to blame for all that has gone on in the intervening years?
Yesterday's News asks these questions and more with a journalist's zeal for the truth. Clare looks to shine a light on the truth despite an ever expanding darkness or shadow that envelops all concerned parties desperate to hide their secrets and lies.
Despite the many flawed characters, I think R.G. Belsky has crafted an intense thriller that definitely serves as a launching point for a brilliant new series. Yesterday's News leaves a mark on the reader and I know that I'm looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
I was intrigued by that one so I decided to get the first one when the synopsis sounded just as interesting as Book 2.
As luck would have it, my interest was more than paid off. Now I know that a thriller that centers around a journalist (or TV news director in this particular case) might not seem like the ideal way of having an exciting pace to a thriller, but I was pretty taken with the step by step progress the plot had.
Fifteen years ago, 11 year old Lucy Devlin disappeared without a trace. Clare Carlson was working as a newspaper reporter and she became immersed in the coverage of the story. It made her a star and won her a Pulitzer Prize. But Lucy was never found and was eventually presumed dead and the world moved on.
Now, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of Lucy's disappearance, Carlson is contacted by Lucy's mother when a new clue comes her way. Anne Devlin never moved on and has spent the last decade and a half dedicating her life to tracking down every possible clue to find her daughter, refusing to believe that she is dead. It ended her marriage and now the need to find out the truth has taken on a desperate feel.
While Clare is sympathetic, she doesn't see much new to go on. That is until she starts digging on her own and suddenly there's a wealth of new material to work with. Becoming drawn back into the story that made her career sees Clare tracking down people who figured prominently during the original investigation. It seems everyone is acting odd about the case coming back to prominence. The head of the investigation, now a candidate for Senate, seems to be tied to a number of other deaths in the same area where Lucy was spotted at a motorcycle rally long after her "disappearance". Lucy's father has not only moved on to a new life and new family and refuses to co-operate in digging up the past, a strange reaction that has Clare suspicious.
But what really makes the story sing is just how much every main character in the story is somehow tarnished with darkness and secrets related to Lucy's disappearance. In fact, no one here is covered in glory. Secrets thought long buried come back to haunt everyone as Clare investigates every new clue.
What happened to Lucy Devlin all those years ago? Is she dead as long thought or is she still alive after all these years? What's the truth behind her kidnapping and who's to blame for all that has gone on in the intervening years?
Yesterday's News asks these questions and more with a journalist's zeal for the truth. Clare looks to shine a light on the truth despite an ever expanding darkness or shadow that envelops all concerned parties desperate to hide their secrets and lies.
Despite the many flawed characters, I think R.G. Belsky has crafted an intense thriller that definitely serves as a launching point for a brilliant new series. Yesterday's News leaves a mark on the reader and I know that I'm looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
June 27, 2018
A deft, compelling thriller that contains many surprises, which you expect in a novel like this, and subtle, well-concealed depth, even wistfulness, which you don't. Dick Belsky, my old city editor at The New York Post, has also pulled off something unusual for a male author: creating a very believable female narrator, who's quite flawed and, refreshingly, doesn't have all the answers, even at the end. Clare Carlson, a newspaper reporter turned television news executive is certainly no Nancy Drew. But like Nancy and Judy Bolton (Nancy's great rival long ago), she's determined to follow the mystery to its conclusion, and, unlike them, must accept its ambiguity. As the plot picks up speed, the many hairpin turns threaten to send the narrative crashing through the guardrails. But just as you're about to say, Oh, come on, something pulls the story back onto the road and you say: Yeah, that makes sense, strangely enough. One quibble: Elliott Grayson, who may or may not be the villain, is the United States attorney in Manhattan, a fictional successor to Preet Bharara and Rudolph Giuliani. That's a powerful position, certainly, but you won't find U.S. attorneys from Manhattan, or anywhere, leading manhunts, as Grayson does in the book. That territory is jealously guarded by the F.B.I.
February 4, 2018
3.5/5.0
The story is compelling, a well-composed intricate weaving of mystery that makes for a book one won't want to put down.
Read full review in the 2018 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
The story is compelling, a well-composed intricate weaving of mystery that makes for a book one won't want to put down.
Read full review in the 2018 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 25, 2019
Very disappointing ending
April 23, 2019
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
So many storylines that are unbelievable. There were things the reader should have been told earlier. The ending was disappointing. So, a superstar reporter is just going to let everything go? Because she agreed to? Or to cover her a$$?
Mind you, I enjoyed the story until I realized that Clare was going to let the story go so people wouldn't know about her past?
And why didn't she go meet her daughter & granddaughter?
No loose ends were tied up. Maybe that would be ok under different circumstances but not in this case.
Clare is a wimp who will tell lies to protect herself. She's the opposite of a great journalist.
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch...
April 23, 2019
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
So many storylines that are unbelievable. There were things the reader should have been told earlier. The ending was disappointing. So, a superstar reporter is just going to let everything go? Because she agreed to? Or to cover her a$$?
Mind you, I enjoyed the story until I realized that Clare was going to let the story go so people wouldn't know about her past?
And why didn't she go meet her daughter & granddaughter?
No loose ends were tied up. Maybe that would be ok under different circumstances but not in this case.
Clare is a wimp who will tell lies to protect herself. She's the opposite of a great journalist.
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch...
February 18, 2018
An intriguing story, well executed with a mind-blowing ending.
A news director at a New York TV station, Clare Carlson, wants to pursue a cold case involving a missing child, Lucy Devlin. As a newspaper reporter she won a Pulitzer for her coverage of the case when it occurred. New information turns up on the 15th anniversary of the tragedy and Clare is approached by Lucy’s mother who is dying and wants answers.
This complex plot has more twists than a bag of pretzels and very strategically placed red herrings. The author has very skillfully constructed a complicated and engaging mystery around the issue of missing children. The relatable characters and realistic dialogue he has created keep the pace moving. And the reader will never suspect the ending.
A news director at a New York TV station, Clare Carlson, wants to pursue a cold case involving a missing child, Lucy Devlin. As a newspaper reporter she won a Pulitzer for her coverage of the case when it occurred. New information turns up on the 15th anniversary of the tragedy and Clare is approached by Lucy’s mother who is dying and wants answers.
This complex plot has more twists than a bag of pretzels and very strategically placed red herrings. The author has very skillfully constructed a complicated and engaging mystery around the issue of missing children. The relatable characters and realistic dialogue he has created keep the pace moving. And the reader will never suspect the ending.
February 21, 2018
This was a suspenseful mystery that had characters that were dynamic and seemed like they were ripped out of today's headlines. There were plenty of twists and turns that happened throughout the book that kept me engaged with the story and characters. One of the main characters, Clare, made me feel as though I wanted to hug her and help her with some of the difficult decisions she had to make.
April 21, 2018
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Yesterday's News by R. G. Belsky that I read and reviewed.
This book was pretty good overall. It did start off a bit slow but the action did pick up and it was full of twist and turns and a number of surprises.
I am giving Yesterday's News four out of five stars.
This book was pretty good overall. It did start off a bit slow but the action did pick up and it was full of twist and turns and a number of surprises.
I am giving Yesterday's News four out of five stars.
April 26, 2018
Clare won a Pulitzer when she was a working journalist for her coverage of the disappearance of Lucy but the case was never solved. Now she's in management at a TV station and at the behest of Lucy's mom, she goes at it again. This one has some entertaining bits at the tv station (will make you chuckle and probably remind you of your own local station) and a twisty turny mystery. Some of the twists are very out there but the book is compulsively readable. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. There are an incredible number of missing kids out there somewhere and if only more of them had Clare on their sides.
March 8, 2018
I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a great story that kept me guessing until the end. I thought that the characters were complex but yet oddly approachable. If you are looking for a few hour escape from life, I suggest this book.
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