Losing Leah Halloway is the second book in the crime series that begins with Finding Claire Fletcher. I enjoyed both books and would recommend readers pick up Finding Claire Fletcher before reading this book. Gripping, well-paced writing with nice plot twists keep me reading. I'm hooked!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Losing Leah Holloway, the second novel in the Claire Fletcher and Detective Connor Parks series based in Sacramento.

Claire who was abducted and held for captive for 10 years is still, after 5 years, trying to get her life back together and to this end she enjoys fishing. She is out on the river with her sister when a car hurls down the cliff into the river. Claire manages to save the 5 children in the car but the driver commits suicide rather than be rescued. In the meantime Connor Parks, Claire's ex-boyfriend is part of the Soccer Mum Killer task force who are trying to capture a serial rapist/murderer.

This is the first novel I have read by Ms Regan so I have missed Claire's backstory but it doesn't matter as it is adequately explained in this novel. Otherwise it is a bit of a mixed bag. The re-kindled relationship between Claire and Connor is dreary, boring and not particularly believable. On the other hand the unraveling of Leah Holloway's life is fascinating. In the first half of the novel she is seen through the eyes of her husband and friends as a paragon of good living, even tempered, capable and moral with her children at the centre of her life although the police get a hint of something different. The second half is different as her secrets are slowly revealed through good investigation and her own thoughts and reasoning in flashback chapters. The structure of the novel is excellent with its slow burn approach and final twist.

Leah's death is a tragedy, brought about by her own poor judgement and decision making and her desire to appear perfect. I'm not saying it could happen to anyone but Ms Regan paints Leah in a sympathetic light, making it easy to understand why.

Apart from the unconvincing romance Losing Leah Holloway is a good read with plenty of twists and turns.

I read this book in one night because I couldn't stop and put it down. There are two plots intertwined in this novel. One is about a young woman who drives herself and her children over a bridge and into a river on purpose and the other is Detective Conner Parks trying to solve the "soccer mom serial killer" mystery. The books slowly weaves through the two plot lines urging you to keep reading to see how these two plot lines will come together. There are also the character of Conner and Claire from a previous book, Claire was kidnapped and held captive for many years by her stepdad and Claire is the person who saves the children from the sinking car.

Wow!! This book is fast paced, with some twists you never see coming! i enjoyed the ending when the bitter snobs get a little dose of their own medicine, and the good guys get a little fun in the sun! Loved it!

Claire Fletcher witnesses the unthinkable. A car plunges into a river and Claire jumps in to help, she saves the children, but their mother, Leah Holloway, wants to drown. Claire can’t figure it out. Leah was a successful, happy woman, why would she want to kill herself and endanger children’s lives and take her own? Claire’s ex, Connor, a cop, agrees with Claire. Something about this is off, way off. What Connor investigates he discovers an ugliness so dark behind Leah’s facade it points to serial murder. Sharp dialogue and memorable characters take center stage in Regan’s second Claire Fletcher mystery

Losing Leah Holloway is the second exciting book in the Claire Fletcher series written by author Lisa Regan. I really didn't believe it could equal the excellence of Finding Claire Fletcher, but it did. It's a very twisted mystery thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advance copy.

Losing Leah Holloway is continuation of Finding Claire Fletcher by Lisa Regan. Although it continues with Claire's life it is a stand alone story. Some back and forth in time, Losing Leah Holloway is immediately a page turner that at times has you on the edge of your seat. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I was given an early copy to review.