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DCI Jonah Sheens #4
Little Sister: Is she witness, victim or killer? A nail-biting thriller with twists you'll never see coming
Is she the victim, or the killer? . . . THE GRIPPING NEW THRILLER FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER GYTHA LODGE'Addictive, fast-paced and so expertly plotted' CLAIRE DOUGLAS'Smart, moody, intense and tangled. I loved it' GILLIAN MCALLISTER________Two sisters, Keely and Nina, disappear without a trace.Days later, Keely comes back, covered in blood.It's not her blood.Detective Jonah Sheens knows that she must know what happened to Nina. But before she tells him, Keely insists on telling their full story from the beginning.Is she a traumatised young woman, in need of help?Or is she playing a deadly game?Can Jonah find the truth - and the missing girl - before it's too late? . . .________'Brilliantly sharp, and wonderfully paced, it is a page-turner not to be missed' L.V. Matthews, Richard and Judy bestselling author of The Twins'Perfectly paced, with twists and turns to keep you hooked' Amanda Jennings Praise for Gytha 'Gripped me from the first page and kept me turning the pages long into the night' Erin Kelly'Fast-paced but never rushed, with clues and twists to keep you absolutely hooked from the first page to the last' Jane Casey'Filled with twists and turns made to suck you in and prove once again that Gytha Lodge is a master of crime detective stories' 5**** Reader Review'A novel that literally makes you hold your breath then gasp out loud' VAL MCDERMID'Full of corkscrew twists and subtle turns' DAILY MAIL 'A dark, deep, terrific thriller' NICCI FRENCH
416 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2022
219 people are currently reading
15121 people want to read
About the author
Gytha Lodge
18 books1,034 followersGytha Lodge is a multi-award-winning playwright, novelist and writer for video games and screen. She is also a single parent who blogs about the ridiculousness of bringing up a mega-nerd small boy.
She has a profound addiction to tea, crosswords and awful puns. When not writing, she heads up a copywriting team at a global translation firm, where she generally tries to keep all the video-game writing to herself.
She studied English at Cambridge, where she became known quite quickly for her brand of twisty, dark yet entertaining drama. She later took the Creative Writing MA at UEA.
She has signed with Penguin Random House worldwide for the first three books in her crime series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens. She Lies in Wait will be released in January 2019 and can be preordered in the US and the UK here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/She-Lies-Wai...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/198...
Facebook
She has a profound addiction to tea, crosswords and awful puns. When not writing, she heads up a copywriting team at a global translation firm, where she generally tries to keep all the video-game writing to herself.
She studied English at Cambridge, where she became known quite quickly for her brand of twisty, dark yet entertaining drama. She later took the Creative Writing MA at UEA.
She has signed with Penguin Random House worldwide for the first three books in her crime series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens. She Lies in Wait will be released in January 2019 and can be preordered in the US and the UK here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/She-Lies-Wai...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/198...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 575 reviews
July 31, 2023
Little Sister by Gytha Lodge
(DCI Jonah Sheens #4)
This is the forth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series and I'm hooked on the series because I like following Sheens and his team. I enjoy the crimes they work so hard to solve but I also like knowing about what is going on in their lives. They can be working non stop on trying to stop more bad things from happening, be so focused on stopping criminals, but we do get time spent in their heads, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, where we see their hopes, fears, regrets (so many regrets), and their dedication to moving on, doing better.
This time the team is dealing with a sixteen year old girl, covered in blood, with a story to tell. She won't be convinced to tell the story any quicker than a step by step relating of all that has happened to her, and her fourteen year old sister, since their mother died about seven years ago. Keely wants what has happened to her and her sister, Nina, known. It is on record already because they tried to bring bad men to account but they haven't been believed. Could that blood be from Nina? There aren't wounds on Keely, but Keely won't say how her sister is, just that she is okay "for now". It seems that time could be running out for Nina but there is no rushing Keely. She is going to tell her story in her way.
At first I didn't like listening to Keely. She seems robotic in the way she relates her story, not to be coaxed off the path she has set for herself. Cold, clever, and possibly a psychotic mastermind? It's so hard to know. There is talk of jealousy, revenge, hurt feelings, and cruel and unjust punishments. These girls might have been abused in so many ways and no one listened to them. Or they might be making it all up and now Nina could pay if Keely doesn't get what she wants.
Sheens has been very involved in the care of his six week old baby, especially since his partner is struggling with exhaustion and depression. Now he's not able to take his share of the load off his partner. He wants to make this relationship work although his heart is not completely in the relationship. Still he's bending what he wants to fit what is right. He wants to do the right thing above all else.
Once we get further into the story, things just get more confusing and complex. Keely holds the key but time is running out. This is another fascinating entry into a really good series. Now I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Pub Jun 28, 2022
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.
(DCI Jonah Sheens #4)
This is the forth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series and I'm hooked on the series because I like following Sheens and his team. I enjoy the crimes they work so hard to solve but I also like knowing about what is going on in their lives. They can be working non stop on trying to stop more bad things from happening, be so focused on stopping criminals, but we do get time spent in their heads, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, where we see their hopes, fears, regrets (so many regrets), and their dedication to moving on, doing better.
This time the team is dealing with a sixteen year old girl, covered in blood, with a story to tell. She won't be convinced to tell the story any quicker than a step by step relating of all that has happened to her, and her fourteen year old sister, since their mother died about seven years ago. Keely wants what has happened to her and her sister, Nina, known. It is on record already because they tried to bring bad men to account but they haven't been believed. Could that blood be from Nina? There aren't wounds on Keely, but Keely won't say how her sister is, just that she is okay "for now". It seems that time could be running out for Nina but there is no rushing Keely. She is going to tell her story in her way.
At first I didn't like listening to Keely. She seems robotic in the way she relates her story, not to be coaxed off the path she has set for herself. Cold, clever, and possibly a psychotic mastermind? It's so hard to know. There is talk of jealousy, revenge, hurt feelings, and cruel and unjust punishments. These girls might have been abused in so many ways and no one listened to them. Or they might be making it all up and now Nina could pay if Keely doesn't get what she wants.
Sheens has been very involved in the care of his six week old baby, especially since his partner is struggling with exhaustion and depression. Now he's not able to take his share of the load off his partner. He wants to make this relationship work although his heart is not completely in the relationship. Still he's bending what he wants to fit what is right. He wants to do the right thing above all else.
Once we get further into the story, things just get more confusing and complex. Keely holds the key but time is running out. This is another fascinating entry into a really good series. Now I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Pub Jun 28, 2022
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.
April 10, 2022
How a Psychopath is Made
Little Sister is a procedural/psychological thriller about two sisters who grew up in foster care. When one sister has gone missing, the other sister approaches the police with a doozy of a story that has them running in circles to solve a mystery that stems from revenge.
Detective Jonah Sheens is having a drink in a pub garden with his newborn nearby when a girl comes out of the woods covered in blood. 16-year-old Keely is on the run from her group home. She ran away with her sister Nina, but Keely won’t reveal Nina’s location until the police hear her twisted tale. The police, fearful for Nina's life, slowly come to realize that Keely’s story is not what it seems.
The narrative alternates between Detective Sheens, Keely, and officer Juliette Hanson. It took me a little while to get into the story, but I was hooked once Keely begins her chilling tale. Keely’s story is enthralling but also deeply disturbing. She is a brilliant character with a chilling voice.
The plot heads in a different direction than I thought, making this a standout. This is a fast-paced, page-turner. I was eagerly trying to solve what was going on in Keely’s mind. There are some surprising twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.
I am new to this series, and I was fine starting with this book. It was helpful that the plot focuses more on the mystery than the characters on the investigative team. It can be read as a standalone.
Little Sister is a solid procedural/thriller. The mystery is intriguing, most of the characters are likable, and the villains are scum. Things wrap up rather neatly, which would have normally irked me, but in this case, I was satisfied, as the sisters took me on an unpredictable ride!
I was luck enough to win this book in a Goodreads Giveaway!
Little Sister is a procedural/psychological thriller about two sisters who grew up in foster care. When one sister has gone missing, the other sister approaches the police with a doozy of a story that has them running in circles to solve a mystery that stems from revenge.
Detective Jonah Sheens is having a drink in a pub garden with his newborn nearby when a girl comes out of the woods covered in blood. 16-year-old Keely is on the run from her group home. She ran away with her sister Nina, but Keely won’t reveal Nina’s location until the police hear her twisted tale. The police, fearful for Nina's life, slowly come to realize that Keely’s story is not what it seems.
The narrative alternates between Detective Sheens, Keely, and officer Juliette Hanson. It took me a little while to get into the story, but I was hooked once Keely begins her chilling tale. Keely’s story is enthralling but also deeply disturbing. She is a brilliant character with a chilling voice.
The plot heads in a different direction than I thought, making this a standout. This is a fast-paced, page-turner. I was eagerly trying to solve what was going on in Keely’s mind. There are some surprising twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.
I am new to this series, and I was fine starting with this book. It was helpful that the plot focuses more on the mystery than the characters on the investigative team. It can be read as a standalone.
Little Sister is a solid procedural/thriller. The mystery is intriguing, most of the characters are likable, and the villains are scum. Things wrap up rather neatly, which would have normally irked me, but in this case, I was satisfied, as the sisters took me on an unpredictable ride!
I was luck enough to win this book in a Goodreads Giveaway!
January 18, 2023
First of all: I admire Gytha Lodge’s extra ordinary story telling skills and her brilliant efforts to create this moving series!
The detective Jonah Sheens, Juliette Hanson seem like your old friends you want to catch up, having long chats to learn about how their lives are going. Even though it was a little exhausting to read their POVs in the meantime you also try to concentrate on Keely’s heart wrenching, blood freezing story which tears your heart apart and force you take deep breaths to digest the horrible and tragic things you’re reading.
The beginning of the book was strong,making you drawn into the mystery immediately.
DCI Jonah Sheens has a peaceful Sunday by drinking at pub, thinking about his living and custody situations with his ex who recently gave birth to their baby daughter. Then suddenly a girl walks out of the woods, moving toward the direction of the pub: a red headed girl, 16, deep blue eyes, drifting, covered in blood. Whose blood is this? Did she hurt herself? Did somebody do harm her? Or something worse: did she kill somebody?
She sits next to Jonah, telling she’s ran away from foster care along with her 14 years old Nina . When Jonah takes her to the station, she promises to tell what happened to Nina but she has a condition: Jonah has to listen to sisters’ story from the beginning without interrupting. Jonah reluctantly accepts.
The story is truly surprising and there are so many unexpected, definitely you’ve never see it coming twists!
I enjoyed mostly listening to Keely’s story even though things she’s told make my heart bleed. That’s what makes Gytha Lodge a perfect story teller. The resonating, powerful voices of her characters directly address to your soul. You live in their brains and hearts. Totally understand, ache, accept anything you read about them devotedly.
Normally I was planning to give five stars but I think I’m addict of the series so I decided to round up 4.5 stars to 5 creative writing, perfect characterization stars!
I’m looking forward to read the next book of the series!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
The detective Jonah Sheens, Juliette Hanson seem like your old friends you want to catch up, having long chats to learn about how their lives are going. Even though it was a little exhausting to read their POVs in the meantime you also try to concentrate on Keely’s heart wrenching, blood freezing story which tears your heart apart and force you take deep breaths to digest the horrible and tragic things you’re reading.
The beginning of the book was strong,making you drawn into the mystery immediately.
DCI Jonah Sheens has a peaceful Sunday by drinking at pub, thinking about his living and custody situations with his ex who recently gave birth to their baby daughter. Then suddenly a girl walks out of the woods, moving toward the direction of the pub: a red headed girl, 16, deep blue eyes, drifting, covered in blood. Whose blood is this? Did she hurt herself? Did somebody do harm her? Or something worse: did she kill somebody?
She sits next to Jonah, telling she’s ran away from foster care along with her 14 years old Nina . When Jonah takes her to the station, she promises to tell what happened to Nina but she has a condition: Jonah has to listen to sisters’ story from the beginning without interrupting. Jonah reluctantly accepts.
The story is truly surprising and there are so many unexpected, definitely you’ve never see it coming twists!
I enjoyed mostly listening to Keely’s story even though things she’s told make my heart bleed. That’s what makes Gytha Lodge a perfect story teller. The resonating, powerful voices of her characters directly address to your soul. You live in their brains and hearts. Totally understand, ache, accept anything you read about them devotedly.
Normally I was planning to give five stars but I think I’m addict of the series so I decided to round up 4.5 stars to 5 creative writing, perfect characterization stars!
I’m looking forward to read the next book of the series!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
March 27, 2022
This is the latest outstanding and gripping psychological thriller in Gytha Lodge's Southampton based DCI Jonah Sheens series. Sheens and his crack police team of DS Ben Lightman, DS Domnall O'Malley, and DC Juliette Hanson, finds themselves frantically racing against the clock in one of their most harrowing of investigations. Sheens is at the pub appreciating a pint, a moment of calm in a changed life of chaos and mayhem with the arrival of 6 week old daughter, Millie, with his ex-fiance Michelle, with whom he now lives. This moment of bliss is shattered with the appearance on the scene of a red haired and pale 16 year old Keely Lennox, covered in blood. It turns out Keely and her 14 year old sister, Nina, went missing from a care home 5 days ago, and there are strong reasons for concern, Keely does not get on with Nina. Is Keely a killer, a victim or a witness?
Keely is no ordinary teenager, she is cold, hard, manipulative, controlling and utter implacable in carrying out an agenda that she will not be moved from. She is intent on telling her story, taking her time, relating that there are 3 men responsible for destroying her life, a tale with its own clues and leads that police team have to listen to carefully, in an effort to locate Nina as soon as possible and in this they are aided by DI Murray Quick and the police kidnap team. The team wonder how much, if any, of Keely's account of her life can be believed, there is a history of serious allegations made against foster parents, Henry and Sally, Frank Pinder and a care worker, Jared Boula. Sheens's opinion shifts and changes several times during the challenging and traumatic interview, in this twisted, dark and intense narrative of damaging and heartbreaking child abuse, physical, emotional and sexual, within the care system.
Lodge writes an utterly riveting, well plotted psychological thriller that requires the reader to pay close attention to details, big and small, and even then you are unlikely to see some of the big twists coming. The characterisations of the Lennox sisters is done brilliantly, 2 middle class girls who find themselves in the completely unfamiliar world of the flawed care system after the death of their mother. This is a stellar addition to what is a wonderful crime series, the hardworking police team work their socks off as they follow the trail of crumbs laid out for them by Keely in a case that particularly gets to Ben Lightman. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Keely is no ordinary teenager, she is cold, hard, manipulative, controlling and utter implacable in carrying out an agenda that she will not be moved from. She is intent on telling her story, taking her time, relating that there are 3 men responsible for destroying her life, a tale with its own clues and leads that police team have to listen to carefully, in an effort to locate Nina as soon as possible and in this they are aided by DI Murray Quick and the police kidnap team. The team wonder how much, if any, of Keely's account of her life can be believed, there is a history of serious allegations made against foster parents, Henry and Sally, Frank Pinder and a care worker, Jared Boula. Sheens's opinion shifts and changes several times during the challenging and traumatic interview, in this twisted, dark and intense narrative of damaging and heartbreaking child abuse, physical, emotional and sexual, within the care system.
Lodge writes an utterly riveting, well plotted psychological thriller that requires the reader to pay close attention to details, big and small, and even then you are unlikely to see some of the big twists coming. The characterisations of the Lennox sisters is done brilliantly, 2 middle class girls who find themselves in the completely unfamiliar world of the flawed care system after the death of their mother. This is a stellar addition to what is a wonderful crime series, the hardworking police team work their socks off as they follow the trail of crumbs laid out for them by Keely in a case that particularly gets to Ben Lightman. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
April 18, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Little Sister is the 4th-book in Gytha Lodge's DCI Jonah Sheens series, which is a Crime Thriller series with strong police procedural aspects.
This installment kicks off with a bang. While Jonah is relaxing, having a rare moment of free time at a local pub, a disheveled teenage girl wanders out of the woods.
She is a vision, with striking red hair and fair skin. She also happens to be covered in blood. Jonah approaches the young lady in order to help and that's when the games begin.
The girl, Keely, assures him she is fine. It's not her blood. It's her younger sister Nina he needs to be concerned about.
After bringing Keely to the station house, Jonah begins the tedious work of unraveling her twisted story. He learns quickly that they do in fact need to be worried about Nina.
Their story is horribly sad. The two girls became wards of the state after the tragic death of their mother. Since that time, they've been bouncing around within the system. Recently the two girls went missing from their care home.
The story is built out in a very compelling way. As the Reader you get entire chapters of Keely telling their story from the beginning.
Jonah and team try to push her for answers more quickly, they have a missing and possibly injured girl to find, but Keely has a plan and she is going to tell this story her way. As frustrating as that is, it could be their only chance of finding Nina in time.
We get Keely's recollections, we get the present perspective investigation, as well as a bit into Jonah and his team's personal lives.
One thing I have always loved about this series is the detective team. They work so well together and each of them is interesting, bringing something unique to the table. I love the dynamic among them. It works so well.
In all honesty though, out of the four books in the series, I actually enjoyed this one the least. Initially, I was not going to round up to 4-stars, but after having time to reflect on it, this book really made me think and I appreciate that.
From the start I was loving this, but then there was one big twist that completely turned me off from it. I was so unhappy it went the way it did. It was like someone I really liked and enjoyed and was meshing with was stripped of their identity; was stripped of what drew me to them.
I know this won't make much sense if you haven't read this, but it is the best way I can think to explain why the narrative took such a nose dive for me.
With this being said, it's clear I still really enjoyed this story. The aspects that disappointed me were more to do with my personal taste than with anything else.
I did enjoy getting more background progression on our regular characters, Jonah and Hanson in particular. I'm really looking forward to seeing where their personal stories go from here.
Thank you to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This was certainly one of my most anticipated series continuations and it was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to many more investigations with Jonah and the team!
Little Sister is the 4th-book in Gytha Lodge's DCI Jonah Sheens series, which is a Crime Thriller series with strong police procedural aspects.
This installment kicks off with a bang. While Jonah is relaxing, having a rare moment of free time at a local pub, a disheveled teenage girl wanders out of the woods.
She is a vision, with striking red hair and fair skin. She also happens to be covered in blood. Jonah approaches the young lady in order to help and that's when the games begin.
The girl, Keely, assures him she is fine. It's not her blood. It's her younger sister Nina he needs to be concerned about.
After bringing Keely to the station house, Jonah begins the tedious work of unraveling her twisted story. He learns quickly that they do in fact need to be worried about Nina.
Their story is horribly sad. The two girls became wards of the state after the tragic death of their mother. Since that time, they've been bouncing around within the system. Recently the two girls went missing from their care home.
The story is built out in a very compelling way. As the Reader you get entire chapters of Keely telling their story from the beginning.
Jonah and team try to push her for answers more quickly, they have a missing and possibly injured girl to find, but Keely has a plan and she is going to tell this story her way. As frustrating as that is, it could be their only chance of finding Nina in time.
We get Keely's recollections, we get the present perspective investigation, as well as a bit into Jonah and his team's personal lives.
One thing I have always loved about this series is the detective team. They work so well together and each of them is interesting, bringing something unique to the table. I love the dynamic among them. It works so well.
In all honesty though, out of the four books in the series, I actually enjoyed this one the least. Initially, I was not going to round up to 4-stars, but after having time to reflect on it, this book really made me think and I appreciate that.
From the start I was loving this, but then there was one big twist that completely turned me off from it. I was so unhappy it went the way it did. It was like someone I really liked and enjoyed and was meshing with was stripped of their identity; was stripped of what drew me to them.
I know this won't make much sense if you haven't read this, but it is the best way I can think to explain why the narrative took such a nose dive for me.
With this being said, it's clear I still really enjoyed this story. The aspects that disappointed me were more to do with my personal taste than with anything else.
I did enjoy getting more background progression on our regular characters, Jonah and Hanson in particular. I'm really looking forward to seeing where their personal stories go from here.
Thank you to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This was certainly one of my most anticipated series continuations and it was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to many more investigations with Jonah and the team!
March 23, 2022
DCI Jonah Sheens #4
This is a brilliant series, each new addition is one I eagerly anticipate and yet again there is no disappointment! This one is very thought-provoking as it focuses on the care system and I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read as it makes you feel edgy and uncomfortable at times, exactly as it should.
Jonah is now a father to a six week old baby Millie with his ex fiancé Michelle (yes, his personal life is complicated!) He is enjoying a glass of lager in the garden of the Spread Eagle when a teenage figure emerges apparently covered in blood and a very strange encounter ensues. This has the effect of hooking you into the storytelling immediately. She’s 16 year old Keely Lennox and she says her sister Nina needs help, both having absconded from the care home a few days previously. Keely’s reactions are odd, she’s cool, casual, amused and unmoved. She is very disconcerting and cleverly deflects questions. Where is her younger sister Nina? Has she suffered harm? Keely tells Jonah and the story on her own very particular terms.
What follows is absolutely riveting, it’s a dark intriguing and, at times, devastating cat and mouse game that sends cold shivers up and down the spine as it’s so unsettling. Some of the dialogue and events are absolute jaw droppers and most are out of the blue and utter surprises. Talk about about twists and turns! Most are extremely clever which you do not foresee. It’s a shocking story that does make you feel something, from anger and sadness to heartache and heartbreak.
The pace is fast and the story flows, so much so that it’s hard to put down as it’s so gripping. The characterisation is excellent, the police team are very likeable, some are flawed but that makes them feel authentic and very real. The portrayal of the sisters and the telling of their story is outstanding and you definitely end up rooting for them.
This novel has everything from manipulation, revenge to jealousy to control and human frailty is and although it’s dramatic it is also very believable. An unforgettable read and highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This is a brilliant series, each new addition is one I eagerly anticipate and yet again there is no disappointment! This one is very thought-provoking as it focuses on the care system and I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read as it makes you feel edgy and uncomfortable at times, exactly as it should.
Jonah is now a father to a six week old baby Millie with his ex fiancé Michelle (yes, his personal life is complicated!) He is enjoying a glass of lager in the garden of the Spread Eagle when a teenage figure emerges apparently covered in blood and a very strange encounter ensues. This has the effect of hooking you into the storytelling immediately. She’s 16 year old Keely Lennox and she says her sister Nina needs help, both having absconded from the care home a few days previously. Keely’s reactions are odd, she’s cool, casual, amused and unmoved. She is very disconcerting and cleverly deflects questions. Where is her younger sister Nina? Has she suffered harm? Keely tells Jonah and the story on her own very particular terms.
What follows is absolutely riveting, it’s a dark intriguing and, at times, devastating cat and mouse game that sends cold shivers up and down the spine as it’s so unsettling. Some of the dialogue and events are absolute jaw droppers and most are out of the blue and utter surprises. Talk about about twists and turns! Most are extremely clever which you do not foresee. It’s a shocking story that does make you feel something, from anger and sadness to heartache and heartbreak.
The pace is fast and the story flows, so much so that it’s hard to put down as it’s so gripping. The characterisation is excellent, the police team are very likeable, some are flawed but that makes them feel authentic and very real. The portrayal of the sisters and the telling of their story is outstanding and you definitely end up rooting for them.
This novel has everything from manipulation, revenge to jealousy to control and human frailty is and although it’s dramatic it is also very believable. An unforgettable read and highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
August 10, 2023
Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens is relaxing outside of a pub with his newborn daughter while waiting for his partner to meet him. Suddenly, in the distance, he sees a redheaded teenage girl walk out of the woods covered in blood. Even on his day off, he can’t dismiss this troubling sight and jumps up to help her. After all, she must be terrified given the situation.
On closer inspection, Jonah discerns that she seems unharmed. When he asks if he can help her, she merely smiles and says she’s okay, but that her sister, Nina, might need his assistance. Introducing herself as Keely, Jonah learns that the sisters vanished five days ago from their children’s home apparently of their own volition. With Keely now sitting across from him in an interview room, he dives into questions that will hopefully lead his team to wherever Nina might be.
Keely, unnaturally aloof and eerily calm given the circumstances, responds that she will tell him everything—but only from the very beginning. Convinced that she knows exactly where Nina is, he accepts her terms and listens as she starts her tale. But internally he starts to wonder—is Keely’s story vital to finding her sister? Or is it a calculating plot to distract them all until it’s too late? Is this mere girl a witness, yet another victim, or—as inconceivable as it may be—a killer?
For a second time, I was utterly blown away by the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series, Little Sister. Where absolutely nothing was it seemed and utterly no one could be trusted, the gradually escalating suspense obscured an absolute humdinger of a case. But in this police procedural novel, the storyline was intertwined with a compelling story crafted by the enigmatic Keely. So intertwined, in fact, that it felt decidedly more like a suspense/thriller than crime fiction, despite the requisite following of leads and interviewing of suspects.
Yet again, however, my all-time favorite aspect of this book (as well as the entire series), were the characterizations. But this time around, the sisters at the heart of the story were just as gripping as the police team behind the investigation. I do have to say, though, that a few of the detectives were so deftly drawn that they came to life before my eyes. With real world hurts and flaws, they were justifiably imperfect which made them all the more genuine.
As I’ve hinted, the plot was where this one truly came alive, however. With one of the best twists I’ve ever read, I naturally remembered it just a tiny bit from my first reading, but it caught me out nonetheless. I had, in fact, forgotten just enough that the complex truth behind it left me blinking and with my jaw-dropped. Even better, it wasn’t even remotely the only one, with another shocker proffered up right at the end. Before that, however, was also a truly top-notch climax. Both spellbinding and nerve-inducing, it had me ripping through the pages, eager to learn who—villain or victim—came out on top.
The subject matter itself was one part dark and disturbing and other part perfectly done. Focusing on child abuse and grooming, the mere idea behind some of the scenarios was a punch to the gut. At the same time, however, it was written almost delicately (this was no Karin Slaughter novel) with regards to its descriptions of the unholy agony that kids in the social services system sometimes experience. But, for obvious reasons, if you’ve lived through anything like this yourself, you probably will still want to avoid this book.
Yet again I’m left utterly blown away by how outstanding the entire premise behind this plot was. Even more astounding, however, was how brilliant Lodge’s writing was in order to disguise it all. Stuffed to the brim with painful pasts and terrible secrets, it was a total home run for me. After all, as thought-provoking and heart-wrenching as it was, it was also one heck of a fantastic cat-and-mouse game. Granted, perhaps a somewhat more low-keyed one than a traditional action-packed thriller, but just as thrilling nonetheless. Now I just can’t wait to dive into Lodge’s newest addition to this stellar series, A Killer in the Family, which is coming out on August 8th. Rating of 5+ stars.
Trigger warning: missing child, child care, child abuse, molestation, gaslighting, bullying, kidnapping, house fire, mention of: arson, harassment, grooming
On closer inspection, Jonah discerns that she seems unharmed. When he asks if he can help her, she merely smiles and says she’s okay, but that her sister, Nina, might need his assistance. Introducing herself as Keely, Jonah learns that the sisters vanished five days ago from their children’s home apparently of their own volition. With Keely now sitting across from him in an interview room, he dives into questions that will hopefully lead his team to wherever Nina might be.
Keely, unnaturally aloof and eerily calm given the circumstances, responds that she will tell him everything—but only from the very beginning. Convinced that she knows exactly where Nina is, he accepts her terms and listens as she starts her tale. But internally he starts to wonder—is Keely’s story vital to finding her sister? Or is it a calculating plot to distract them all until it’s too late? Is this mere girl a witness, yet another victim, or—as inconceivable as it may be—a killer?
For a second time, I was utterly blown away by the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series, Little Sister. Where absolutely nothing was it seemed and utterly no one could be trusted, the gradually escalating suspense obscured an absolute humdinger of a case. But in this police procedural novel, the storyline was intertwined with a compelling story crafted by the enigmatic Keely. So intertwined, in fact, that it felt decidedly more like a suspense/thriller than crime fiction, despite the requisite following of leads and interviewing of suspects.
Yet again, however, my all-time favorite aspect of this book (as well as the entire series), were the characterizations. But this time around, the sisters at the heart of the story were just as gripping as the police team behind the investigation. I do have to say, though, that a few of the detectives were so deftly drawn that they came to life before my eyes. With real world hurts and flaws, they were justifiably imperfect which made them all the more genuine.
As I’ve hinted, the plot was where this one truly came alive, however. With one of the best twists I’ve ever read, I naturally remembered it just a tiny bit from my first reading, but it caught me out nonetheless. I had, in fact, forgotten just enough that the complex truth behind it left me blinking and with my jaw-dropped. Even better, it wasn’t even remotely the only one, with another shocker proffered up right at the end. Before that, however, was also a truly top-notch climax. Both spellbinding and nerve-inducing, it had me ripping through the pages, eager to learn who—villain or victim—came out on top.
The subject matter itself was one part dark and disturbing and other part perfectly done. Focusing on child abuse and grooming, the mere idea behind some of the scenarios was a punch to the gut. At the same time, however, it was written almost delicately (this was no Karin Slaughter novel) with regards to its descriptions of the unholy agony that kids in the social services system sometimes experience. But, for obvious reasons, if you’ve lived through anything like this yourself, you probably will still want to avoid this book.
Yet again I’m left utterly blown away by how outstanding the entire premise behind this plot was. Even more astounding, however, was how brilliant Lodge’s writing was in order to disguise it all. Stuffed to the brim with painful pasts and terrible secrets, it was a total home run for me. After all, as thought-provoking and heart-wrenching as it was, it was also one heck of a fantastic cat-and-mouse game. Granted, perhaps a somewhat more low-keyed one than a traditional action-packed thriller, but just as thrilling nonetheless. Now I just can’t wait to dive into Lodge’s newest addition to this stellar series, A Killer in the Family, which is coming out on August 8th. Rating of 5+ stars.
Trigger warning: missing child, child care, child abuse, molestation, gaslighting, bullying, kidnapping, house fire, mention of: arson, harassment, grooming
May 6, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of Little Sister, the latest police procedural/ psychological thriller by Gytha Lodge. Having read all the previous books featuring DCI Jonah Sheens and his dedicated team, I have admired the details of the effort put forth in a solid police investigation: their interviews, the search for clues to determine the perpetrator and motivation, the boredom and the excitement of establishing proof, and the exhaustive work of a cooperative and determined police team.
DCI Jonah is relaxing at a bar while pondering his domestic problems. A young woman with blazing red hair stumbles out of the woods drenched with blood. She deliberately approaches the bar. Jonah is concerned, but she is not forthcoming in her answers. He learns that she is 16-year-old Keely Lennox and that she and her younger sister, Nina left an abusive care home five days earlier. She says she is alright, but the missing Nina should concern him. Whose blood is it? Is it Nina's? Did Keely injure or kill someone?
Keely presents an odd, cold affect, one lacking in emotional outbursts. She tells Jonah that she and her sister have been in a series of abusive care and foster homes since the death of their mother and were not believed when they complained to the police or caregivers. Jonah feels they must find Nina before time runs out, especially if she has been injured.
Keely seems to know where Nina is but tells Jonah that he must first listen to her long story relating to the sister's heartwrenching time in the Child Care system. She seems to have taken charge of the interview, and her story seems rehearsed. She appears to be playing games with Jonah and his team and behaves in an amused, condescending, disdainful manner towards them. Her speech resembles that of an older woman, not a teenager. She appears to take pleasure in manipulating the situation.
Her story, one of a series of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse while in foster care, is repellant and heartbreaking. It becomes evident that she is resentful of her sister. Jonah and his team are no closer to finding Nina's whereabouts, even if she is still alive. Is Keely stalling for time to keep them from rescuing her sister? She tells the detectives that she has inserted clues in her story to help them find Nina, if only they were clever enough to find and interpret them.
Her story is convoluted, and her motive for telling it is in question. Some team members are conflicted about the truth of her story. Maybe she is just playing games with them and enjoying the attention while giving herself a feeling of superiority. Others, like Jonah, are more inclined to believe her but fluctuate as to her reliability. She is bent on revenge on three men who abused them while in the system. Without proof, the girls were not believed when they reported this to authorities. The plot is straightforward except for Keely's puzzling and disturbing tale.
Eventually, Keely vanishes and may be in extreme danger. She leaves audio relating to the rest of her story and some more clues. Now Jonah and his team are in a frantic rush to locate both girls. They fear they have possibly been abducted by one of the men accused of abusing them. Will they rescue them before their time runs out?
This was a well-written, gripping story that centres on child abuse and the difficulty of bringing the accused to justice without substantial proof and ignoring the children's pleas to be placed in a safer home. It emphasizes the lasting emotional damage to such children. Recommended!
DCI Jonah is relaxing at a bar while pondering his domestic problems. A young woman with blazing red hair stumbles out of the woods drenched with blood. She deliberately approaches the bar. Jonah is concerned, but she is not forthcoming in her answers. He learns that she is 16-year-old Keely Lennox and that she and her younger sister, Nina left an abusive care home five days earlier. She says she is alright, but the missing Nina should concern him. Whose blood is it? Is it Nina's? Did Keely injure or kill someone?
Keely presents an odd, cold affect, one lacking in emotional outbursts. She tells Jonah that she and her sister have been in a series of abusive care and foster homes since the death of their mother and were not believed when they complained to the police or caregivers. Jonah feels they must find Nina before time runs out, especially if she has been injured.
Keely seems to know where Nina is but tells Jonah that he must first listen to her long story relating to the sister's heartwrenching time in the Child Care system. She seems to have taken charge of the interview, and her story seems rehearsed. She appears to be playing games with Jonah and his team and behaves in an amused, condescending, disdainful manner towards them. Her speech resembles that of an older woman, not a teenager. She appears to take pleasure in manipulating the situation.
Her story, one of a series of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse while in foster care, is repellant and heartbreaking. It becomes evident that she is resentful of her sister. Jonah and his team are no closer to finding Nina's whereabouts, even if she is still alive. Is Keely stalling for time to keep them from rescuing her sister? She tells the detectives that she has inserted clues in her story to help them find Nina, if only they were clever enough to find and interpret them.
Her story is convoluted, and her motive for telling it is in question. Some team members are conflicted about the truth of her story. Maybe she is just playing games with them and enjoying the attention while giving herself a feeling of superiority. Others, like Jonah, are more inclined to believe her but fluctuate as to her reliability. She is bent on revenge on three men who abused them while in the system. Without proof, the girls were not believed when they reported this to authorities. The plot is straightforward except for Keely's puzzling and disturbing tale.
Eventually, Keely vanishes and may be in extreme danger. She leaves audio relating to the rest of her story and some more clues. Now Jonah and his team are in a frantic rush to locate both girls. They fear they have possibly been abducted by one of the men accused of abusing them. Will they rescue them before their time runs out?
This was a well-written, gripping story that centres on child abuse and the difficulty of bringing the accused to justice without substantial proof and ignoring the children's pleas to be placed in a safer home. It emphasizes the lasting emotional damage to such children. Recommended!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2022
Little Sister by Gytha Lodge is a 2022 Michael Joseph publication.
A teenager covered in blood, emerges from the woods, just as Jonah was taking a small breather from work and his heavy home life. Jonah and his team quickly become involved, learning that the young woman’s name is Keely, and she has a sister, Nina, who is missing.
But instead of acting traumatized or desperate to locate her sister, Keely begins telling a story about how she and her sister were abused while in foster care, only dropping hints, and leaving clues as to where her sister might be or if she’s okay or not.
Jonah, Ben, and Juliette are all sent on wild goose chases, while they ponder Keely’s controlled narrative, and possible psychopathic tendencies, as she regales them with tales her life in foster care, and the abuse and neglect she was subjected to. As the team works to find Nina, Keely’s games leave Jonah fighting through a murky fog of possibilities-
Is Keely a victim? A Vigilante? Or a stone-cold killer?
This is my fourth book by Gytha Lodge and so far, we are four for four. I thought the plot here was imaginative. The story employs a sort of Scheherazade style format. Keely takes charge of the narrative, in segments, and Jonah tries to dissect the hints she drops, while the rest of his team is out in the field following up on Keely’s clues. It’s genius in a way and is absolutely riveting!
While Jonah is wrapped up in this case, working long hours, his thoughts are still conflicted about his feelings for Michelle, who is at home struggling through the first stages of motherhood alone.
This story is a dark portrait of abuse, power, control, manipulation, and deals with uncomfortable topics. But, the plot is wholly unique, which is very rare these days. This year's thriller's have been so tepid, which really makes this novel stand out, and is why I think it deserves the full five star treatment.
May 5, 2022
Little Sister, the fourth in the DCI Jonah Sheens series, is an eerie story, combining a psychological thriller with the standard police procedural. Jonah is out with his infant son when a young woman comes into the pub garden, covered in blood. She is one cool customer. He comes to find out she’s one of two sisters who have gone missing from their care home. But she refuses to say where her sister is. Instead, she insists on telling him her story on her own terms. She tells them there were three men that messed up her life.
The narrative alternates between Jonah, Juliette Hanson, a member of Jonah’s team and the young woman.
I was engaged in this story from the very beginning. Keely is manipulative, obviously very smart but chilling. It’s a match of personalities as Jonah tries the best way to suss out her sister Nina’s location and whether she is safe. The team isn’t sure whether to believe Keely, but are more open to her story than others have been. “If you’d been denied a voice, might you find a way of shouting?” I loved that Lodge has not just Jonah, but the reader vacillating back and forth trying to search out the truth.
Keely’s story includes body shaming, sexual grooming and manipulation. There are lots of twists and turns here and they are beautifully done. When I reached the “gotcha moment” it totally caught me off guard and I had to stop and think back through how everything had led up to that moment. Lately, I’ve been let down by too many thrillers but this one lives up to the hype.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book
The narrative alternates between Jonah, Juliette Hanson, a member of Jonah’s team and the young woman.
I was engaged in this story from the very beginning. Keely is manipulative, obviously very smart but chilling. It’s a match of personalities as Jonah tries the best way to suss out her sister Nina’s location and whether she is safe. The team isn’t sure whether to believe Keely, but are more open to her story than others have been. “If you’d been denied a voice, might you find a way of shouting?” I loved that Lodge has not just Jonah, but the reader vacillating back and forth trying to search out the truth.
Keely’s story includes body shaming, sexual grooming and manipulation. There are lots of twists and turns here and they are beautifully done. When I reached the “gotcha moment” it totally caught me off guard and I had to stop and think back through how everything had led up to that moment. Lately, I’ve been let down by too many thrillers but this one lives up to the hype.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book
September 4, 2022
Teenagers Keely and her younger sister Nina ran away from a children’s home a week ago. They have been in the foster care system since the accidental death of their mother. Now Keely has reappeared, covered in someone else’s blood, and she refuses to tell the police where Nina is. Keely insists on being allowed to tell the whole story of the sisters’ lives since the death of their mother. The book alternates chapters of police investigation with chapters of Keely’s obviously rehearsed tale, in which she sprinkles cryptic clues designed to lead the police to something. They hope that that something is Nina, but maybe not, since Keely seems to have ambiguous feelings about her sister. Although this police procedural is the fourth in the series, it can be read as a standalone unless you really want to follow all the personal dramas of the police officers. I have read all of the books in order, but I really don’t care about the cops.
According to Keely, the sisters were subjected to emotional, physical and sexual abuse in two foster homes and one group care facility. In each case, their claims were discredited, and the evidence points to Keely being a sociopath and pathological liar. Nina is the “good” sister and the police try to follow the frustrating clues to find the missing, and possibly injured child.
I almost stopped reading this book because I found the story so contrived. It really seemed like a plan that an author would come up with, not a 16 year old girl. I did finish the book, but I remain unconvinced about the credibility of the plot. 3,5 stars which I am rounding up because at least I haven’t read this plot before.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
According to Keely, the sisters were subjected to emotional, physical and sexual abuse in two foster homes and one group care facility. In each case, their claims were discredited, and the evidence points to Keely being a sociopath and pathological liar. Nina is the “good” sister and the police try to follow the frustrating clues to find the missing, and possibly injured child.
I almost stopped reading this book because I found the story so contrived. It really seemed like a plan that an author would come up with, not a 16 year old girl. I did finish the book, but I remain unconvinced about the credibility of the plot. 3,5 stars which I am rounding up because at least I haven’t read this plot before.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
August 1, 2022
Little Sister by Gytha Lodge is an excellent example of the British police procedural model. This is the fourth instalment of the Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens series but it reads well as a stand-alone, with the author updating the reader of any pertinent details from the previous novels. Two young girls are at the center of this mystery. One sister, Keely, shows up at DCI Sheens’ pub, with a jumbled tale, so intriguing that he can’t help but give her the benefit of the doubt. It appears that her younger sister, Nina, is missing. Both girls had been in care for several years, following the death of their mother. The mystery starts there and will lead the DCI and his detectives on a path of confusion and danger, while time is running out. Nothing is as it seems. The girls had gone from foster home to foster home, the last being worse than the previous. The DCI’s team are totally dedicated to getting to the bottom of Nina’s disappearance and that journey makes for a fascinating read. The characters are colourful and well-drawn. The plot captivates as the reader attempts to solve this mystery. Little Sister is well worth the read. This is my first Gytha Lodge book but I look forward to reading the others. Highly recommended. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 28, 2022
Jonah Sheens is at a local pub, enjoying an infrequent day off from the police force, when a young woman comes in, covered in blood. The young girl is taken to the station for a statement- is she hurt? Whose blood is on her? Is she safe? But now that the young girl, Keely, has the attention of police, she insists that her sister, who has been missing for a week, is in danger but she won’t give any more details until the police, Jonah and his partner, especially, listen to her story from the beginning. Is Keely a victim? Or is she a killer?
I was introduced to Gytha Lodge through the third instalment in the Jonah Sheens series, “Lie Beside Me”. I was instantly pulled into the gritty police procedural and the crime fighting team led by Jonah, and was beyond excited to receive the fourth instalment, “Little Sister”.
Both “Lie Beside Me” and “Little Sister” can be read as standalones (as is the case with most police procedurals), with previous novels in the series providing more details about character backgrounds and relationships (although I always recommend reading the entire series!). I am one of those who did not read the Jonah Sheens series from book one, and I had no problem following along with the characters and the interactions, and was able to keep up with the plot easily.
The story is told from the point of Jonah and a few of his colleagues, but we also hear from Keely, who tells a terrible story about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her foster carers. Through Lodge’s careful story crafting, we are led to believe that perhaps Keely is not at all what she seems, and there is enough suspicion with the young, troubled, Keely, that the story she tells could be completely fabricated. It is not until the final chapters when we discover the truth, and all of the plot lines are tied up in little bows, leaving no questions unanswered.
“Little Sister” pulled me in from the beginning, and I felt complete suspicion of Keely and complete compassion for Keely, all at once. There is no stopping Lodge once she’s started and “Sister” tugs on all the emotional heartstrings, while weaving a pulse-pounding, suspenseful tale. There was no putting this book down once I started, and each Jonah Sheens book is better than the last! (Now of course, I need to prove my theory and read the first two)!
Expected publication date: June 28, 2022
Jonah Sheens is at a local pub, enjoying an infrequent day off from the police force, when a young woman comes in, covered in blood. The young girl is taken to the station for a statement- is she hurt? Whose blood is on her? Is she safe? But now that the young girl, Keely, has the attention of police, she insists that her sister, who has been missing for a week, is in danger but she won’t give any more details until the police, Jonah and his partner, especially, listen to her story from the beginning. Is Keely a victim? Or is she a killer?
I was introduced to Gytha Lodge through the third instalment in the Jonah Sheens series, “Lie Beside Me”. I was instantly pulled into the gritty police procedural and the crime fighting team led by Jonah, and was beyond excited to receive the fourth instalment, “Little Sister”.
Both “Lie Beside Me” and “Little Sister” can be read as standalones (as is the case with most police procedurals), with previous novels in the series providing more details about character backgrounds and relationships (although I always recommend reading the entire series!). I am one of those who did not read the Jonah Sheens series from book one, and I had no problem following along with the characters and the interactions, and was able to keep up with the plot easily.
The story is told from the point of Jonah and a few of his colleagues, but we also hear from Keely, who tells a terrible story about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her foster carers. Through Lodge’s careful story crafting, we are led to believe that perhaps Keely is not at all what she seems, and there is enough suspicion with the young, troubled, Keely, that the story she tells could be completely fabricated. It is not until the final chapters when we discover the truth, and all of the plot lines are tied up in little bows, leaving no questions unanswered.
“Little Sister” pulled me in from the beginning, and I felt complete suspicion of Keely and complete compassion for Keely, all at once. There is no stopping Lodge once she’s started and “Sister” tugs on all the emotional heartstrings, while weaving a pulse-pounding, suspenseful tale. There was no putting this book down once I started, and each Jonah Sheens book is better than the last! (Now of course, I need to prove my theory and read the first two)!
May 5, 2022
“Little Sister” is the fourth in the Detective Jonah Sheens series and having myself read the previous instalments, I couldn’t wait to read this intriguing sounding novel.
- Two girls went into the woods. Only one came back. Detective Jonah Sheens is enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet, when a teenage girl wanders out of the wood. She’s striking, with flame-red hair and a pale complexion. She’s also covered in blood.
As soon as we start to hear Keely narrate her story from how she and her younger sister Nina became orphans, there’s an instant sense of foreboding. Chilling and haunting, her revelations sends the reader (and the police) down several rabbit holes, incorporating puzzles within her statements to help locate her sister.
If you really pay attention (a top tip to solving this mystery!) and with hindsight to the clues cleverly intertwined within the narration, you too could spot them and I was quite pleased with myself when I started to understand how Keely’s mind worked.
The Lennox sisters’ story is quite disturbing and I felt a lot of empathy for them and what they experienced. The fact the girls had to resort to the way the plot revealed itself was upsetting in itself and was a subject I commend the author for covering.
Easily read as a standalone but obviously with any series, you do benefit from following the characters as they develop and form working relationships but the author does recap any relevant back story as needed, so it does happily read on its own.
A fabulously intriguing and excellently plotted and executed psychological thriller that Gytha Lodge is well know for, her addictive and pacy writing style will keep any reader engrossed and I can’t wait to read future crimes for Jonah Sheens and his team to solve.
Gytha Lodge is a Sunday Times bestselling writer and multi-award winning playwright, living in Cambridge. Her debut novel ‘She Lies in Wait’ was a Richard and Judy Book Club Pick and Lodge has been acclaimed as a ‘gifted writer’ by Daily Mail.
#LittleSister - 5 stars
Many thanks to Jennifer Breslin, Kallie Townsend and Michael Joseph Books for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
- Two girls went into the woods. Only one came back. Detective Jonah Sheens is enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet, when a teenage girl wanders out of the wood. She’s striking, with flame-red hair and a pale complexion. She’s also covered in blood.
As soon as we start to hear Keely narrate her story from how she and her younger sister Nina became orphans, there’s an instant sense of foreboding. Chilling and haunting, her revelations sends the reader (and the police) down several rabbit holes, incorporating puzzles within her statements to help locate her sister.
If you really pay attention (a top tip to solving this mystery!) and with hindsight to the clues cleverly intertwined within the narration, you too could spot them and I was quite pleased with myself when I started to understand how Keely’s mind worked.
The Lennox sisters’ story is quite disturbing and I felt a lot of empathy for them and what they experienced. The fact the girls had to resort to the way the plot revealed itself was upsetting in itself and was a subject I commend the author for covering.
Easily read as a standalone but obviously with any series, you do benefit from following the characters as they develop and form working relationships but the author does recap any relevant back story as needed, so it does happily read on its own.
A fabulously intriguing and excellently plotted and executed psychological thriller that Gytha Lodge is well know for, her addictive and pacy writing style will keep any reader engrossed and I can’t wait to read future crimes for Jonah Sheens and his team to solve.
Gytha Lodge is a Sunday Times bestselling writer and multi-award winning playwright, living in Cambridge. Her debut novel ‘She Lies in Wait’ was a Richard and Judy Book Club Pick and Lodge has been acclaimed as a ‘gifted writer’ by Daily Mail.
#LittleSister - 5 stars
Many thanks to Jennifer Breslin, Kallie Townsend and Michael Joseph Books for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
July 14, 2022
Little Sister (DCI Jonah Sheens #4) by Gytha Lodge
Synopsis /
Jonah Sheens is enjoying a moment of peace in a pub garden on his day off when a teenage girl wanders out of the woods. She's striking, with flame-red hair and a pale complexion. She's also covered in blood.
When Jonah races to help, the girl insists she's fine. Then she smiles. It's her sister he needs to worry about. Keely and her sister, Nina, disappeared from a children's home a week ago. Now Keely is here--but Nina's still missing. Jonah is sure Keely knows where her sister is--but before she tells him anything, she insists, he has to listen to her story from the beginning.
Is she witness, victim, or killer? And if Jonah follows the trail of clues in her story, will they lead him to the missing girl--or distract him until it's too late?
My Thoughts /
⚠️ Trigger Warning: child abuse and grooming.
Little Sister is the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series written by Gytha Lodge.
This is a story where nothing and no-one can be trusted. This is a story which is all smoke and mirrors. This is a story full of manipulation and puzzles. And, this is a story which is wonderful!! To all you amateur or budding sleuths out there in reader land, this one is for you!
DCI Jonah Sheens has a complex love life. No, scratch that. DCI Jonah Sheens has a complex life! He lives with the mother of his child; yet loves someone else. He stays out of a sense of duty and the hope he can, in time, come to live with his decision.
The story begins with DCI Jonah Sheens enjoying the beautiful weather (and a drink) in the pub's beer garden with his baby daughter Milly, waiting for Jonah’s domestic partner, Michelle to arrive so they can do a child handover. In this rare moment of quiet enjoyment, a young teenage girl wanders onto the grounds and is heading in their direction. With striking features and flaming red hair, she's beautiful; but it's not those attributes which draws everyone's attention. The young teenage girl stumbling into the yard is covered in blood.
The girl's name is Keely Lennox. Keely insists she is fine; but DCI Sheens is concerned, as the amount of blood on Keely means, if not her, then 'someone' has sustained a serious injury. When Keely tells DCI Sheens that it's not her he should be worried about but her sister, Nina; Jonah is understandably anxious. This was not the finish to the afternoon Sheens was expecting. Now, after seeing Keely covered in blood; Sheens and his team find themselves in a race against time to locate the missing sister.
One of the first things Sheens finds out is that both Keely and her younger sister, Nina have been reported as missing. But what is of concern to him right now, is that Keely doesn't seem to exhibit any sense of urgency about finding her missing sister. Keely promises to tell all to Sheens and his team. She says it's imperative that he listen to her story as all the clues are there. What story? And why does Keely appear so calm and composed? What follows over the next 416 pages is the story of the entire investigation (from beginning to end) which takes place over a period of just two days.
The author has written a story which is a perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and great police investigative techniques. Keely's 'story' which, if true, details years of abuse of both Keely and her sister, Nina. It is written from two differing perspectives, Keely and Jonah. Keely offers us a first person look at her life and gives us her backstory while Jonah and his team are featured in the chapters written in third person omniscient which follows them as they do the work necessary to solve the case. It is the cohesive and collaboration of teamwork from Sheens and his team which ultimately solves this complex and at times perplexing mystery, which has at its heart some extremely sensitive topics and issues. The characters were well fleshed out and believable. If you enjoy a brilliantly written police procedural, or, enjoy your novels more character driven, have a look at this one; you will be thanking me by the end.
Synopsis /
Jonah Sheens is enjoying a moment of peace in a pub garden on his day off when a teenage girl wanders out of the woods. She's striking, with flame-red hair and a pale complexion. She's also covered in blood.
When Jonah races to help, the girl insists she's fine. Then she smiles. It's her sister he needs to worry about. Keely and her sister, Nina, disappeared from a children's home a week ago. Now Keely is here--but Nina's still missing. Jonah is sure Keely knows where her sister is--but before she tells him anything, she insists, he has to listen to her story from the beginning.
Is she witness, victim, or killer? And if Jonah follows the trail of clues in her story, will they lead him to the missing girl--or distract him until it's too late?
My Thoughts /
⚠️ Trigger Warning: child abuse and grooming.
Little Sister is the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series written by Gytha Lodge.
This is a story where nothing and no-one can be trusted. This is a story which is all smoke and mirrors. This is a story full of manipulation and puzzles. And, this is a story which is wonderful!! To all you amateur or budding sleuths out there in reader land, this one is for you!
DCI Jonah Sheens has a complex love life. No, scratch that. DCI Jonah Sheens has a complex life! He lives with the mother of his child; yet loves someone else. He stays out of a sense of duty and the hope he can, in time, come to live with his decision.
The story begins with DCI Jonah Sheens enjoying the beautiful weather (and a drink) in the pub's beer garden with his baby daughter Milly, waiting for Jonah’s domestic partner, Michelle to arrive so they can do a child handover. In this rare moment of quiet enjoyment, a young teenage girl wanders onto the grounds and is heading in their direction. With striking features and flaming red hair, she's beautiful; but it's not those attributes which draws everyone's attention. The young teenage girl stumbling into the yard is covered in blood.
The girl's name is Keely Lennox. Keely insists she is fine; but DCI Sheens is concerned, as the amount of blood on Keely means, if not her, then 'someone' has sustained a serious injury. When Keely tells DCI Sheens that it's not her he should be worried about but her sister, Nina; Jonah is understandably anxious. This was not the finish to the afternoon Sheens was expecting. Now, after seeing Keely covered in blood; Sheens and his team find themselves in a race against time to locate the missing sister.
One of the first things Sheens finds out is that both Keely and her younger sister, Nina have been reported as missing. But what is of concern to him right now, is that Keely doesn't seem to exhibit any sense of urgency about finding her missing sister. Keely promises to tell all to Sheens and his team. She says it's imperative that he listen to her story as all the clues are there. What story? And why does Keely appear so calm and composed? What follows over the next 416 pages is the story of the entire investigation (from beginning to end) which takes place over a period of just two days.
The author has written a story which is a perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and great police investigative techniques. Keely's 'story' which, if true, details years of abuse of both Keely and her sister, Nina. It is written from two differing perspectives, Keely and Jonah. Keely offers us a first person look at her life and gives us her backstory while Jonah and his team are featured in the chapters written in third person omniscient which follows them as they do the work necessary to solve the case. It is the cohesive and collaboration of teamwork from Sheens and his team which ultimately solves this complex and at times perplexing mystery, which has at its heart some extremely sensitive topics and issues. The characters were well fleshed out and believable. If you enjoy a brilliantly written police procedural, or, enjoy your novels more character driven, have a look at this one; you will be thanking me by the end.
March 6, 2022
Whoa! The twists. I loved this. I didn't realize this book was #4 in a series but it was fine. They mentioned things from the past but it was like making a friend who of course had a back story, not something that made you feel hopelessly lost. The story is told via several police officers and also in first person by the mysterious red haired sister who has turned up covered in blood and who says she won't say where her little sister is until they listen to her whole story.
This book had me guessing and wondering and theorizing. I liked many of the characters and it was just a very clever story. There's suspense, action, intrigue, etc.
So well done! I really enjoyed this one.
TW: child abuse, including sexual abuse
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
This book had me guessing and wondering and theorizing. I liked many of the characters and it was just a very clever story. There's suspense, action, intrigue, etc.
So well done! I really enjoyed this one.
TW: child abuse, including sexual abuse
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
May 26, 2022
This is the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens seres and I have to say each book gets better and more interesting. This one was a very complicated case with many characters and suspects. It is a chilling tale that is a police procedural, but also a psychological thriller. It was definitely a page turner for me from beginning to end.
It begins when DCI Jonah Sheens is at a local pub enjoying the afternoon and watching his infant daughter when a girl appears walking toward the pub. She's a 16-year-old red haired girl who is covered in blood. Turns out she is the oldest of two missing sisters, Keely. She refuses to tell where her 14-year-old sister Nina is and won't tell where the blood came from. At the police station, she begins a long story of things that have happened to these two girls who are missing from foster care, from the time they went into the system. She refuses to be hurried, but drops clues during the telling which the detectives are hurrying to try to figure out in order to save Nina before they are out of time.
Keely seems to be a manipulative, damaged child and, though trying to believe her, evidence doesn't support a great deal of her descriptions of several horrifying events the girls have supposedly endured.
There are many twists to this story and a lot of surprises. I loved following the drama play out. I wondered whether Keely even wanted to help find Nina or wanted her dead. The same characters on Jonah's team are back in this book and each of the team seems to be dealing with their own problems as well as trying their best to solve this case. My favorite characters in this series are Jonah and his co-worker DC Juliette Hanson. Great plot, and Keely is a terrific character!
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on June 28, 2022.
It begins when DCI Jonah Sheens is at a local pub enjoying the afternoon and watching his infant daughter when a girl appears walking toward the pub. She's a 16-year-old red haired girl who is covered in blood. Turns out she is the oldest of two missing sisters, Keely. She refuses to tell where her 14-year-old sister Nina is and won't tell where the blood came from. At the police station, she begins a long story of things that have happened to these two girls who are missing from foster care, from the time they went into the system. She refuses to be hurried, but drops clues during the telling which the detectives are hurrying to try to figure out in order to save Nina before they are out of time.
Keely seems to be a manipulative, damaged child and, though trying to believe her, evidence doesn't support a great deal of her descriptions of several horrifying events the girls have supposedly endured.
There are many twists to this story and a lot of surprises. I loved following the drama play out. I wondered whether Keely even wanted to help find Nina or wanted her dead. The same characters on Jonah's team are back in this book and each of the team seems to be dealing with their own problems as well as trying their best to solve this case. My favorite characters in this series are Jonah and his co-worker DC Juliette Hanson. Great plot, and Keely is a terrific character!
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on June 28, 2022.
July 1, 2022
Why would you harm your little sister?
Keely and her sister were in foster care since their mother died and both left the care home they were in without permission, but Keely is the only one who makes it into the public eye and tells the police her story.
Where is her sister Nina?
Keely won’t tell the police why Nina wasn’t with her, but seeing Keely covered in blood made DCI Jonah Sheens and his team know it is urgent to find her as soon as possible.
The team was definitely challenged as Keely was hinting at clues to her sister's whereabouts as she told her story about their days in foster homes and as the team tried to interpret and figure out the clues they knew Keely was weaving into the story.
Her story is chilling, and her personality is frightening.
She grins when she sees the team thinking they have figured out a clue, and she enjoys seeing that her tricks worked to lead them in the wrong direction.
Keely is a tough one...manipulative, angry, unlikeable, brilliant, and cruel.
The reader is frustrated along with the police team as they try to figure things out and figure out where her sister is before it is too late.
Those readers who “really” enjoy guessing will not want to miss this twisty, creative read.
Ms. Lodge brilliantly kept us at bay and created another amazing thriller. 5/5
**Be aware that child abuse is part of the story line**
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Keely and her sister were in foster care since their mother died and both left the care home they were in without permission, but Keely is the only one who makes it into the public eye and tells the police her story.
Where is her sister Nina?
Keely won’t tell the police why Nina wasn’t with her, but seeing Keely covered in blood made DCI Jonah Sheens and his team know it is urgent to find her as soon as possible.
The team was definitely challenged as Keely was hinting at clues to her sister's whereabouts as she told her story about their days in foster homes and as the team tried to interpret and figure out the clues they knew Keely was weaving into the story.
Her story is chilling, and her personality is frightening.
She grins when she sees the team thinking they have figured out a clue, and she enjoys seeing that her tricks worked to lead them in the wrong direction.
Keely is a tough one...manipulative, angry, unlikeable, brilliant, and cruel.
The reader is frustrated along with the police team as they try to figure things out and figure out where her sister is before it is too late.
Those readers who “really” enjoy guessing will not want to miss this twisty, creative read.
Ms. Lodge brilliantly kept us at bay and created another amazing thriller. 5/5
**Be aware that child abuse is part of the story line**
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
January 15, 2022
Easily my favourite so far of the brilliant novels by Gytha Lodge, featuring two unforgettable sisters and offering up a twisty, clever and devilish mystery for our team to solve.
It was hugely engaging throughout and you just don't want to put it down once you start reading. The characterisation is excellent, the plot taut and unpredictable and best of all you get real talent in the writing. It also has thought provoking elements about the care system and a lot of emotional resonance.
Overall really excellent. Well deserving of a 5* rating.
It was hugely engaging throughout and you just don't want to put it down once you start reading. The characterisation is excellent, the plot taut and unpredictable and best of all you get real talent in the writing. It also has thought provoking elements about the care system and a lot of emotional resonance.
Overall really excellent. Well deserving of a 5* rating.
September 15, 2023
Gytha Lodge just never disappoints! This was an adrenaline filled story with multiple twists and turns…. And you will never see this conclusion coming! Outstanding! 5 🌟
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the free e-book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the free e-book in exchange for my honest review.
October 2, 2022
I really liked the whole team but story line was super super boring. Also, I don't know how much I want to know about detectives' private lives. Probably won't read books by this author again
April 17, 2024
Riveting thriller about missing sisters
DCI Jonah Sheens is enjoying a day outside when a teen stumbles out of the woods, covered in blood. Keely tells him he needs to look for her younger sister, Nina. Jonah and his team discover that Keely and Nina went missing from their care home and have a tangled past in care. He brings in Keely to find out where Nina is, but she insists on starting from the beginning of their story.
This is a dark tale, told in a compelling narrative, alternating between Keely's story and Jonah and his team investigating on their own. This ratchets up the tension, as we slowly learn more from both sides, never sure exactly what it all means, or who to trust. The horrors of the foster care system are made abundantly clear, but Keely also comes across as cold and supremely manipulative. Is she telling the truth? As always, the dynamics around Jonah and his team are great. The result is a strong thriller that keeps you turning the pages.
DCI Jonah Sheens is enjoying a day outside when a teen stumbles out of the woods, covered in blood. Keely tells him he needs to look for her younger sister, Nina. Jonah and his team discover that Keely and Nina went missing from their care home and have a tangled past in care. He brings in Keely to find out where Nina is, but she insists on starting from the beginning of their story.
This is a dark tale, told in a compelling narrative, alternating between Keely's story and Jonah and his team investigating on their own. This ratchets up the tension, as we slowly learn more from both sides, never sure exactly what it all means, or who to trust. The horrors of the foster care system are made abundantly clear, but Keely also comes across as cold and supremely manipulative. Is she telling the truth? As always, the dynamics around Jonah and his team are great. The result is a strong thriller that keeps you turning the pages.
January 19, 2023
This is book 4 in a detective procedural series. You can probably read it as a stand alone, but I would suggest reading the other 3 books first. There are mild spoilers in this book that will ruin some surprises in the earlier books..
The case itself was slow to progress and I was kind of bored at first.
The other books grabbed my attention straight away, so I was surprised that this one wasn't.
I should have known better.
Gytha Lodge was fucking with me, she had a plan and was laying it all out so that my brain would get fried when the plot takes a turn.
Well done Ms. Lodge.
Much love to NetGalley, Random House, and Gytha Lodge for my ARC.
The case itself was slow to progress and I was kind of bored at first.
The other books grabbed my attention straight away, so I was surprised that this one wasn't.
I should have known better.
Gytha Lodge was fucking with me, she had a plan and was laying it all out so that my brain would get fried when the plot takes a turn.
Well done Ms. Lodge.
Much love to NetGalley, Random House, and Gytha Lodge for my ARC.
May 26, 2022
This mystery thriller was good. It grabbed my attention straight away. What happened to them? Where were they? And can someone please tell me the truth!
Lots of mystery with twists and turns. The plot really worked for me and I didn’t figure out the ending before the ending. I recommend if you enjoy a good mystery suspense.
Thanks Michael Joseph via NetGalley.
Lots of mystery with twists and turns. The plot really worked for me and I didn’t figure out the ending before the ending. I recommend if you enjoy a good mystery suspense.
Thanks Michael Joseph via NetGalley.
June 26, 2022
This is the fourth book in the Southampton set DCI Jonah Sheens series but can be read and easily followed as a stand-alone and has a hooky premise that really drew me in. When sixteen-year-old Keely Lennox wanders into the pub garden where an off-duty Jonah is relaxing she is covered in blood but strangely unmoved and insouciantly turns down his offer of police help, but says, “maybe Nina does.” Nina is Keely’s fourteen-year-old sister and the pair disappeared from the children’s home where they reside a week ago. On arrival at the station disdainful Keely makes it clear that she is calling the shots and has a story she wants listened to. It’s a story that begins when the middle-class sister’s mum died and they were taken into care and three men they came into contact with proceeded to destroy their lives. Keely also insists that she is telling Jonah and the team everything they needs to know in order to locate Nina, but her cold, manipulative manner screams sociopath to Jonah and leaves the team with a quandary. Even more concerning is the fact that the story which Keely relays has all been investigated and declared unfounded by the applicable authorities.
The narrative alternates between chapters that follow a standard police procedural format (featuring Jonah and his team trying to make headway with the investigation) and a clearly rehearsed monologue delivered in instalments by Keely. I found this disrupted the usually frenetic pace of a flat out investigation that is normally a key factor in why I enjoy police procedurals. It didn’t help that I had difficult swallowing the catalogue of revelations and the likelihood that the sister’s had been failed at each and every turn by the very institutions that had a legal duty of care to them. I also wasn’t convinced that a traumatised young women would be clear-headed enough to stoically deliver a scripted speech with a treasure hunt like trail of clues laced though it for the police to follow. It all felt overly contrived and unrealistically convoluted. I found the resolution anticlimactic and the jaunty interactions of the final chapter felt off given the profoundly disturbing story that Keely had recounted and the events of the Lennox sisters young lives. I also found it hard to keep track of the sister’s relationship at different periods throughout their time in care with Keely veering between trying to protect Nina and pushing her directly into the path of their abusers on so many occasion that I gave up trying to chart its course! Despite the aspects of this novel that didn’t completely work for me Little Sister was still a solid crime novel that kept me reading until the end and I enjoyed seeing DCI Jonah Sheens and his diverse team in action. In this case, particularly, I appreciated how each of the individuals in the police team had a different opinion on the veracity of Keely’s story and her ultimate intention in telling it.
The narrative alternates between chapters that follow a standard police procedural format (featuring Jonah and his team trying to make headway with the investigation) and a clearly rehearsed monologue delivered in instalments by Keely. I found this disrupted the usually frenetic pace of a flat out investigation that is normally a key factor in why I enjoy police procedurals. It didn’t help that I had difficult swallowing the catalogue of revelations and the likelihood that the sister’s had been failed at each and every turn by the very institutions that had a legal duty of care to them. I also wasn’t convinced that a traumatised young women would be clear-headed enough to stoically deliver a scripted speech with a treasure hunt like trail of clues laced though it for the police to follow. It all felt overly contrived and unrealistically convoluted. I found the resolution anticlimactic and the jaunty interactions of the final chapter felt off given the profoundly disturbing story that Keely had recounted and the events of the Lennox sisters young lives. I also found it hard to keep track of the sister’s relationship at different periods throughout their time in care with Keely veering between trying to protect Nina and pushing her directly into the path of their abusers on so many occasion that I gave up trying to chart its course! Despite the aspects of this novel that didn’t completely work for me Little Sister was still a solid crime novel that kept me reading until the end and I enjoyed seeing DCI Jonah Sheens and his diverse team in action. In this case, particularly, I appreciated how each of the individuals in the police team had a different opinion on the veracity of Keely’s story and her ultimate intention in telling it.
April 24, 2022
I enjoyed this book, as I have with the rest of the series. This one centers on 2 sisters who disappear from foster care- one of them approaches DCI Jonah Sheens but seems to want to play a game of cat and mouse in order for he and his team to find her sister.
There was a lot going on here and I enjoyed the detectives figuring out the clues (though some of them felt like a bit of a stretch). I enjoy a story with an unreliable narrator and you get this in Keely. I’ve seen others say that the twist was too confusing but I didn’t feel that way- I also didn’t see it coming at all, which is rare for me. There were a couple additional twists as well, and the entire story was fast paced from beginning to end.
I don’t read a lot of series because I generally think that delving into the main characters’ personal lives detracts from the story at hand, but I am invested in these characters and find them to be very real. The author strikes a perfect balance of letting the reader get to know them while still focusing on the main storyline. I can’t wait to see what happens next, as some hints were dropped as to what might be coming in the next book.
Overall, another winner by this author. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series. Note that there is a lot of child abuse in this book if that is a trigger for you; otherwise I’d strongly recommend this for those who like psychological thrillers and police procedurals. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There was a lot going on here and I enjoyed the detectives figuring out the clues (though some of them felt like a bit of a stretch). I enjoy a story with an unreliable narrator and you get this in Keely. I’ve seen others say that the twist was too confusing but I didn’t feel that way- I also didn’t see it coming at all, which is rare for me. There were a couple additional twists as well, and the entire story was fast paced from beginning to end.
I don’t read a lot of series because I generally think that delving into the main characters’ personal lives detracts from the story at hand, but I am invested in these characters and find them to be very real. The author strikes a perfect balance of letting the reader get to know them while still focusing on the main storyline. I can’t wait to see what happens next, as some hints were dropped as to what might be coming in the next book.
Overall, another winner by this author. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series. Note that there is a lot of child abuse in this book if that is a trigger for you; otherwise I’d strongly recommend this for those who like psychological thrillers and police procedurals. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2022
I’m not one for reading a book mid series, but the book description caught my eye, and I decided to read it anyway. I’m so glad I did as I loved this book! Little Sister is the fourth book in the Detective Jonah Sheens series, and although I feel I may have missed out on some character development and the back stories of the main characters, I believe this book can easily be read as a stand-alone.
Nina is one of two sisters who disappeared, but Keely turns up in a pub garden covered in blood. From the off there’s unsettling suggestions that’s something is amis. Is Keeley an innocent victim? Where’s Nina now? Why is keeley covered in blood? So many questions to hold the readers’ attention. What follows is a dark, riveting tale of resentment, jealousy, manipulation and control and revenge.
I loved the way the author retells the story through Keeley’s eyes, which is given in a series of police interviews with Sheens and his team. Her version of events that have led to this moment in time adds to the impending sense of dread that grows as her story unfolds. It’s a tough story to read as it explores the failings of a care system and the complexities of the relationship between the two sisters.
Keeley fascinated me. She has all the makings of a psychopath, the ability to manipulate others, lie, and she shows no signs of remorse. But as Lodge scratches away at the layers of this complex character, there’s a hint of vulnerability that allows the reader to feel a great deal of compassion for this troubled character. You feel she is very much in charge of the narration, which constantly throws doubt on her story. It felt like she was playing a game, taunting Sheen at every opportunity.
Another thing that I absolutely loved about this book is how nothing is as it first seems. The author misleads you at every given opportunity, which made Little Sister all the more exciting to read. There are so many well-placed twists and turns along the way that ensure the reader’s attention never waivers. Lodge has created a compulsive crime novel with a heartbreaking story that made for a gripping read. Highly recommended.
Nina is one of two sisters who disappeared, but Keely turns up in a pub garden covered in blood. From the off there’s unsettling suggestions that’s something is amis. Is Keeley an innocent victim? Where’s Nina now? Why is keeley covered in blood? So many questions to hold the readers’ attention. What follows is a dark, riveting tale of resentment, jealousy, manipulation and control and revenge.
I loved the way the author retells the story through Keeley’s eyes, which is given in a series of police interviews with Sheens and his team. Her version of events that have led to this moment in time adds to the impending sense of dread that grows as her story unfolds. It’s a tough story to read as it explores the failings of a care system and the complexities of the relationship between the two sisters.
Keeley fascinated me. She has all the makings of a psychopath, the ability to manipulate others, lie, and she shows no signs of remorse. But as Lodge scratches away at the layers of this complex character, there’s a hint of vulnerability that allows the reader to feel a great deal of compassion for this troubled character. You feel she is very much in charge of the narration, which constantly throws doubt on her story. It felt like she was playing a game, taunting Sheen at every opportunity.
Another thing that I absolutely loved about this book is how nothing is as it first seems. The author misleads you at every given opportunity, which made Little Sister all the more exciting to read. There are so many well-placed twists and turns along the way that ensure the reader’s attention never waivers. Lodge has created a compulsive crime novel with a heartbreaking story that made for a gripping read. Highly recommended.
May 24, 2022
Orphan Keely is picked up at a pub covered in blood. She is unwilling to tell the police where her also orphaned 14-year old sister Nina is as she has gone missing from foster care. So begins a complex and captivating page-turner.
Time is of the essence to find Nina, yet Keely sits calmly in the police station relating her story, using narrative clues instead of being forthright. So begins a race against the clock for the police to find Nina.
Keely’s character is brilliant, manipulative and wise beyond her years with a dark side. I was tempted to read ahead yet restrained myself. Glad I did as I would have missed out on so much along the way. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Time is of the essence to find Nina, yet Keely sits calmly in the police station relating her story, using narrative clues instead of being forthright. So begins a race against the clock for the police to find Nina.
Keely’s character is brilliant, manipulative and wise beyond her years with a dark side. I was tempted to read ahead yet restrained myself. Glad I did as I would have missed out on so much along the way. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 19, 2022
So, I have to admit that I was expecting more of a suspense thriller. It’s definitely more psychological suspense – no thrills, but a bit of a twisty and sharp horrific tale to be sure.
I can’t really say that I liked our characters, even after we really get to know them. I can say that I felt terribly sorry for most of them and definitely wanted some righteous vengeance against others.
Also, I’m happy to say that I was nicely surprised by some of the reveals in this book. I definitely didn’t have a clue where the author was going!
Well written, intelligent, and occasionally heart-breaking.
• ARC via Publisher
I can’t really say that I liked our characters, even after we really get to know them. I can say that I felt terribly sorry for most of them and definitely wanted some righteous vengeance against others.
Also, I’m happy to say that I was nicely surprised by some of the reveals in this book. I definitely didn’t have a clue where the author was going!
Well written, intelligent, and occasionally heart-breaking.
• ARC via Publisher
June 30, 2022
I was really excited about this book, but I just had such a hard time getting into it. I thought it would be a lot different than it was. The book was filled with interesting points, but there was almost no action until the end of the book. The book did get a bit confusing to me after the big twist towards the end of the book. It was hard differentiating what happened to who. The mystery involved in the story was interesting, but I just wasn't a fan of how everything was explained.
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