3 stars. This book was a good read that kept me guessing until the very end. The story was compelling and the twists and turns kept me coming back for more. There were several story lines that could be expanded for future novels.

See my review on goodreads.com

This murder mystery starts off with a bang. Human remains are found in the woods by a nine year old girl who is camping with her family. The remains belong to Aurora Jackson, a 14 year old girl that went missing 30 years ago. And so begins the story of DCI Jonah Sheens. The timeline alternates between current day and 1983, more specifically the night of that fateful camping trip, the one from which Aurora never returns.

I guess I’ll start off with the good. I was curious enough to finish the book to the end. I did want to know what happened to Aurora. Or maybe I should say, I wanted to know if my theories were correct. I figured out the cause of death almost right away and the killer about half way through or so. I couldn’t believe that I was right about the killer. When I figured it out I second guessed myself, thinking that it would be much too obvious.

I found the writing redundant and it got very tedious at times. For a crime/mystery series there was very little suspense and basically no tension. Again, the thing that kept me reading was basic curiosity. The characters really needed more fleshing out. I had no real connection with any of them, not even Jonah Sheens. This is the first in a series of DCI Jonah Sheens crime/mystery novels yet I have very little connection with this character. There was very little time spent on him and all of the others on his team. I can only assume the team will be present in future books in this series. I think, possibly, the mystery was too adventurous to start off with in the first book. There were so many things going on outside of the actual crime being investigated and I found them very distracting, they added very little to the story. The ending was disappointing, way too contrived.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel, I wish I had enjoyed it more.

Loved the book!! I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to find out what exactly happened to Aurora and who caused her death. I found the book very intriguing and kept me guessing until the end. I knew one or more of the friends had to be involved. They all seemed like they trying to hide something, plus she ended up being found right where they were camping. I would not have wanted any of them as friends, except maybe Jojo. None of them were very likable.

Six friends enter the woods to go camping, more like partying with drugs and alcohol. Topaz brought along her fourteen year old sister, Aurora. Aurora really didn't fit in with the group and wasn't their friend. The next morning no one can find Aurora. She seemed to completely vanish without a trace. None of the friends know what happened to her or so they claim and they all stick to their story. Thirty years later, bones are discovered and the secrets about Aurora's death are finally revealed.

Loved the story, writing style and characters. Loved DCI Jonah Sheens and the members of his team. Can't wait to find out more about Jonah Sheens. The same with Juliette Hanson and her ex-boyfriend issues. I wasn't sure who was behind Aurora's death. At times I thought all the friends killed Aurora and were covering it up. Topaz was the worst, especially since she was Aurora's sister. Not sure why she even brought Aurora with her to the party. I pretty much suspected Topaz from the beginning. I didn't know who to believe, they all lied. When the information about Aleksy is revealed it just adds to the mystery.

Definitely recommend the book. It kept me interested from the first page until the end, when everything is finally revealed. I look forward to reading more books by the author and can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and the author, Gytha Lodge, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

Seven teenagers go on a camping trip where there is drinking, drugs, sex and jealousy. During the night the youngest of the group goes missing. There is a massive search but Aurora Jackson is never found. Thirty years later her body is found by a family camping in the same area. The cold case is re-examined as the police investigate her death.

This is more of a police procedural rather than a psychological thriller and is relatively slow moving. Part of the story is told through flashbacks from Aurora’s perspective, which was an interesting twist but just didn’t generate enough tension to grab and hold your interest. On the whole, the book wasn’t bad but i didn’t find it engaging enough to be truly enjoyable.

This book was phenomenal. The story drew me in immediately, and I liked the back and forth from past to present. The characters were developed well, and I liked the 'diversions' inserted to detract from who the real killer was. I would highly recommend this book.

Yikes. I'm sorry guys, but this one was a long ride on the struggle bus for me. As other reviewers have mentioned, it felt like a rip off of both of Riley Sager's published novels (Final Girls and The Last Time She Lied), and he did it in a much more cohesive way. It was an easy solve (I can see most readers guessing in the first 25-30%), and there just wasn't a single aspect of this book that stood out as unique or memorable for me. :( I hate giving poor reviews of books, but this is one case where I felt it necessary to be bluntly honest. I wish the author all the best in the continuation of her series featuring Jonah Sheens, and sincerely hope the right readers connect with her novels.

Six friends. One killer. Who do you trust? A teen girl goes missing after a night of partying; thirty years later, the discovery of her body reopens a cold case in a gripping thriller for readers of Tana French, The Woman in Cabin 10, and the Lynley series.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. However, there are so many characters that are introduced, laid out, and then either forgotten about or hard to follow with. They were confusing, slow, and I couldn’t keep track of the characters.

The police investigation took over. I’m much more interested in the psychological, sociological, and social consequences from this kind of storyline that are introduced in other novels successfully.

This is politely, an amped up police procedural. I would have liked to see more from people, less characters, better plotting, and better pacing.

Maybe this book is for some people, not for me. Disappointing thriller. I would have liked more from this book.

She Lies in Wait is jam packed with the thrills and I really enjoyed reading it. If you are a fan of books like The Final Girls then this one is right up your alley!

#SheLiesInWait#NetGalley# by: Gytha Lodge. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the oportunity to read this advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Review by: -I Love To Read/Librarian
She Lies In Wait is a well drawn police procedural written as a time-slip mystery. Set in contemporary time and thirty years in the past in the victims' voice kept me reading. The victim, fourteen year old Aurora Jackson, tags along with her older sister and her sister's older friends on a drinking, drug using, and sexual camping trip.
Aurora isn't into these activities and is uncomfortable and out of place. The campers have a degree of concern about the younger girl though none take responsibility for her. Aurora disappears during the night. Her body is never found except by accident thirty years later.
DCI Sheen has his hands full investigating this cold case. The book was easy to read. Clear writing style with believable characters. Somewhat slow moving with all the detailed police work.

A nice change of pace from some of the other thrillers I have been reading. Not nearly as predictable as you would imagine. Wonderful character development. The story follows the tale of Aurora, who disappeared in the early 80s while on a camping trip with 6 friends. DCI Sheens is the investigator and is somewhat entangled in the story as he went to school with most of the suspects. Reminiscent at points of the crime drama Shetland, this book was creepy enough and had just enough twists and turns to keep me interested but not to the point of distraction (which can be a good thing). A nice fall-like vibe permeated the whole novel as well.

I enjoyed She Lies in Wait but feel like, based on the plot, it could've been more gripping. Teenager Aurora Jackson goes missing after an alcohol-fueled camping trip with her older sister's friends. The case is cold for 30 years before a new development reopens it. I did enjoy the book and am glad I took the time to read it, but I had a few problems with it. 1) There are too many characters (too many "B" names), so I found it hard to keep everyone straight. 2) Once the book divulged "who dun it," I didn't really care anymore. 3) This is the first book in a series, evidently, and I wish it had taken more time to go into the background of the main investigator, Jonah Sheens. However, I suppose that's the point of a series--to unfold more and more information with each book. I'm just not sure that I feel motivated enough to stick with it.

Really enjoyed this book! It switches back and forth between past (the night of Aurora’s disappearance) and present (the police investigation after her body is found 30 years later). Everyone she was with that night is a suspect and it’s very interesting to see how it all plays out. DCI Sheens is the main detective and he’s interesting. The character development for the detectives was a little odd - random bits and details that never went anywhere. But overall a very good read. Page turner!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge
384pgs
3.5 Stars

My first impression of this book was that it reminded me of In the Woods by Tana French. This book alternates POVs between the detectives following the 30 year old murder case, the activities of the teenagers on the night it happened, and the teenagers, now adults, in present day. As in In the Woods, the lead investigator DCI Sheens, knew the victim and the group of teenagers that are all suspects in the murder.

This book started off pretty slow. There weren't any major twists or surprises that made me want to continue reading. It was well written in typical detective/mystery fashion. It started to get interesting a little over half way through. There were some interesting revelations and action scenes that appeared, making me want to continue the story, eager to find out what will happen next.

Overall, I gave it a 3.5 because I might have DNF if hadn't been an ARC. It was interesting enough that I may have picked it up for another day, but I didn't feel engrossed by the story until the latter half of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystery and detective novels.

This was a mystery waiting to be solved for many years. When six young people discover that a sister of one is missing while on a camping trip with them, the search is on. Sadly, no one can find her. Years later a cold case search in on again. I enjoyed the two perspectives shown, before and after. Well plotted mystery.

DCI Sheens is enjoying a rare day off when he receives a call that a body has been found near a campsite that he knows of. He is immediately sure that the body is that of Aurora Jackson who went missing 30 years ago. Aurora, only 14 at the time she went missing was camping with five other friends, including her sister. When they woke in the morning Aurora was gone. The story is told in two timelines, the present day and 30 years ago, from Aurora’s point of view. It was beautifully done, no confusion at all. It was tense, there were no lulls in the story and the build-up to the conclusion was amazing.

She Lies In Wait – Gytha Lodge

I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

On a sunny afternoon, a young girl is running through the woods to avoid her father and settles into a small hollowed area she finds near a tree. A stick digs into her side and as she goes to remove the offending object, she realizes it’s a skeletonized finger…

DCI Jonas Sheens is cycling when he receives the call for a homicide. As he listens to the details, he realizes that the remains may very well be those of Aurora Jackson, a young teenaged girl who disappeared after a party, over thirty years ago.

Assisted by DC Juliette Hanson, Jonas revisits the past and reopens a long cold investigation. When Aurora disappeared, she was in the woods, camping with her older sister, and several teenaged friends. As the interviews begin, those same teens, now adults, begin to tell subtly different stories, yet all of them continue to dent knowing what had happened to Aurora that night. A teacher with a fondness for his students was also in the area that night – could he be the suspect they’ve been seeking? Or is there a killer in the group of teens from 30 years ago? As Jonas and Juliette fight to bring Aurora’s killer to justice, a killer will do anything to keep his secret… Jonas learns the answer to a long-ago question of his own, as well…

I very much enjoyed this English mystery! Told from the past and present, you experience Aurora’s last night in increments, as Jonas and Juliette unravel the mystery here in the present. A great read, with many side plots that will keep you guessing until the end…

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this pre-pub copy in exchange for my honest review.

30 years ago, Aurora Jackson, a timid and bright fourteen year-old, tagged along with her older sister Topaz and Topaz’s popular group of friends to a night of camping. The next morning, after a long night of partying, drugs, drinking, and sex that Aurora tried to refrain from, no one can find her. Today, Detective Chief Inspector returns to the same woods where he was merely a rookie police officer of two years experience, and part of the search for Autora Jackson. However, today’s discovery is Aurora’s deceased body, found underground in a hideaway that no one knew about except the group of friends from that night.

Written in alternating time periods between the present-day investigation and of Aurora’s experiences that night long ago, we are taken step by step in a maze of discoveries that may or may not lead to the truth of what happened to Aurora.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that not only do we follow DCI Sheen’s point of view as the leading detective on the case, but we also experience the three on his team that are digging for answers. These characters are very well developed and intriguing to read.

There is no way to suspect which, if any, of the group was involved in Aurora’s disappearance until the very end. Everyone has secrets, and it is the investigative police work that really moves the plot along as they try to crack each suspect.

The few things I disliked about the book:
1) There are initially so many characters laid out and the first few chapters don’t really help to understand who is who. I found myself going back to make sure I was picturing the right character to the initial description. Not only that, but it very frequently changes between a first and last name basis that, personally, took me a bit to get used to and nail down to each character. 2) As the newest team-member Detective Juliette Hanson has a large part in the plot and much attention on her, we are brought into a huge part of her background and the baggage she had in her private life. However, there is no satisfying ending to this point. We are introduced to something that seems will be explained and developed as the book goes on, but there is no definite ending to that particular situation. Assuming that this is the debut of a series that will follow DCI Sheens and his team, I am not sure if that was done intentionally or if that was the last of it, but I found that detail slightly disappointing.

Overall, this was an extremely fascinating thriller that kept moving and never felt dull or slow. Again, given that it focused on the police investigation, there was always a new discovery, a new lead, or possibly a dead end.

Would definitely recommend.

Thanks for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, and it kind of made me think of The Secret History. I mean everyone had a part in what happened in the end. I liked how the author went back and forth with past and Aurora telling her part of the events that led up to what happened and the present about hoe they are all brought back together to find out what happened. I really had it pegged as someone else in the book and maybe that was just because I didn't care for him. I also started out not liking Topaz but as the story progressed I grew to like her. This was a great book and cant wait to hear more from the author!

I received a free e-copy of She Lies in Wait (DCI Jonah Sheens, #1) by Gytha Lodge from NetGalley for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turning mystery. It started off a little slow but it quickly picked up and I stayed up through the night to finish it.

In 1983 seven teenagers go camping in the woods. When everyone wakes up the next morning, they realize that Aurora is missing. There is an investigation but nothing is found.

Thirty years later, Aurora’s bones are found in a place that only the other six knew about. Who is the killer? The cold case is re-opened but it seems everyone is lying. Are the friends behind the murder? Are the detectives covering for the girls or are they involved somehow?

I really enjoyed the switching of times between Aurora and the night she goes missing and then the re-opened investigation thirty years later. It seemed like every chapter convinced you that a different person was somehow responsible for what happened that night. You might think you have this figured out but you will quickly change your mind again and again.

Amazing novel!! These suspense books are written wonderfully. From the beginning of the story to the end, I was intrigued. I have not read anything else by Gytha Lodge but I am so glad that now I have!