I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Lost Souls, the third novel to feature DI Dan Lockhart of The Met and psychologist Dr Lexi Green.

When the body of 12 year old Donovan Blair is found posed in a quiet church Dan knows that he needs Lexi’s help in figuring out the killer’s identity and motive. It is Lexi who quickly realises that Donovan will not be the only victim and this soon confirmed when Charley’s body is found in similar circumstances. If this wasn’t enough Dan is still searching for his missing wife, Jess, and has made a breakthrough but doesn’t have the time to investigate.

I enjoyed Lost Souls which is an interesting read, full of twists and turns. Sadly it deals with at risk children and the support they need but don’t always get. This is not unfamiliar to most people in the UK, but the author manages to make it more meaningful and impactful with his characters, individual stories and statistics.

The novel is told from various points of view, mostly Dan and Lexi, but there are glimpses of the victims and a gradual unfolding of the unnamed killer’s backstory, which is heartbreaking in itself. I didn’t guess the killer’s identity, mostly because I was spoilt for choice - there are at least five candidates who fit the profile and I couldn’t make up my mind. Still, it was absorbing to watch the team jump from one to another as new information came to light. I think the novel is well put together with the team following all avenues until a chance remark from Lexi puts them on the right trail. 

There is a subplot of the civilian analyst Lucy Berry looking into information compiled by a graduate student’s algorithm. I still don’t understand the science but it seems to work and finally uncovers a long standing criminal enterprise.

Dan is still searching for Jess who disappeared 7 years ago. Her family wants her declared dead and he refuses to give up. There are some indications from the cliffhanger at the end that he might be getting to the heart of it and I’ll be glad if this plot line reaches a conclusion. I’m not a big fan of ongoing plots as it makes the novels harder to read as stand-alones and taxes my memory for what’s gone before. Just get it done and let him move on to the future rather than living in the past. Perhaps then he can start the relationship with Lexi that the two of them constantly skirt around.

As an aside it was interesting to see that the author assumed life would be back to more or less normal In January 2021. You know what they say about assumptions. At least he didn’t ignore it completely.

Lost Souls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Another awesome book in this series.
Someone is targeting young teens with a troubled life.  The killer is luring them in, killing them, and then posing their bodies in a church hoping that the kids find redemption as angels.  Det. Lockhart, along with his team, is desperate to stop the killer.  He looks to his psychologist friend, Lexi, to help profile the killer. Her suggestions lead to multiple suspects, one of which is her current boyfriend.  Meanwhile, Lockhart is also following up on leads to his missing wife, Jess.  Can he find answers to Jess's disappearance and stop the killer before someone else is hurt?  How will Lexi react to the news that her boyfriend is a suspect?
As always, Chris Merritt writes a story with a captivating plot, characters that are easy to relate to, and a story with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.  Looking forward to the next book. 
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Lost Souls by Chris Merritt is the third in the Detectives Lockhart & Green series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


 Series Background:  (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)

DI Dan Lockhart is a detective in the Major Investigation Team (the Murder Squad).  He doesn't always play by the rules.  He is still trying to come to terms with his wife's disappearance 11 years ago.   Psychologist Dr. Lexi Green,  had tried to help him with this and his flashbacks, but now she helps him when a difficult case needs solving.   She is still trying to get over the loss of her brother.  Although Lexi has feelings for Dan, she has set them aside, because Dan is obsessed with his missing wife Jess.



My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

A young boy is found dead, posed beneath the altar at St. Mary's Church, hands clasped in prayer, and tied with a white ribbon, a bible verse nearby.   Young Donovan had a rough life, and now it is over.

As Dan consults with Lexi, she is sure that this killer is not done.  Unfortunately, she is right, as a young girl's body is found in a different church, but with identical characteristics.  They will have to link the two and hope there is not a third body before they figure out is is killing these vulnerable children.

Dan is reporting directly to DSI Paula Burrows, since the DCI post that Porter left when he was promoted to Media Relations has not yet been filled.  She is a stickler for going by the book.  Dan will have to tread carefully.  He is also still searching for Jess, but he has to put that on the back burner until this killer is found.

Meanwhile, Lexi is dating Tim, and although it is going well, something is holding her back.  When she finds out that Tim worked at the same school attended by both victims, things get a little tense between Dan and Lexi.


My Opinions:  

This book picked up speed for me, where I had though the first two books seemed long, this one moved much faster.  I really enjoyed it.  It may be that I am starting to like the characters a little more, and now have an interest as to where they are headed.

The pace was good, and the suspects were many.  The identity of the actual perpetrator came as a surprise to me, which was good (although to be honest I was hoping it was someone else).

The plot was quite good, if a little dark, as it dealt with vulnerable, missing children.   It is a little scary that a lot of this was based on actual cases, and that the number of actual missing children is so high.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!

Lockhart and Green reunite in this fast paced thriller. Donovan Blair is found dead in a church positioned by the killer in a prayer pose. Lockhart, still tormented by the disappearance of his wife has to find the killer before he/she strikes again and calls in Green to assist with profiling. Donovan was known to social care services and other agencies helping children rebuild their lives. Lots of suspects soon start to appear. 
I really enjoyed this book. Received this book from Netgalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review

Lost Souls is another gripping thriller from Chris Miller and the third In the Dan Lockhart and Lexi Green series. The series just gets better and better.
After a proposed sighting of Dan Lockhart’s wife Jess in nearby Whitstable. Lockhart has been trawling Kent to find her for several months While on a stakeout he recognises his brother in laws car. The brother that says he hasn’t seen her and wants to pronounce her dead.
He suddenly gets a call of about a murder of 12-year-old Donovan Blair found dead in a London church with his hands tied together by a white ribbon kneeling as if he was praying and a verse in the bible highlighted. Donovan a troubled kid. Who is in foster care, is an abused child and parents that are drugs addicts? Instinct tells Lockhart and with Green’s guidance know that this is not going to be a solitary incident and a few days later another child’s body turns up. 
This is another brilliant episode in the series. I found it to be fast-paced chilling thriller and this episode was so realistic to today’s society as the author did mention not only the COVID-19 pandemic. But the pro’s and cons of police work. But also, how frequent children go missing when they have problems in their lives and how many children get lost in the system. Five stars from me.

This story is set 8 months after the previous book and the world is in the grip of the Covid pandemic.

After a supposed sighting of his wife (who disappeared 11 years ago when he was on a tour in Afghanistan), Dan keeps searching for her. He suspects that her brother may have something to do with the matter. Her family wants to declare her deceased and that would mean that he’d lose his house because the family covets their part of the inheritance. He feels attracted to dr. Lexi Green but remains faithful and loyal to his wife.

Lexi thinks she’s over the feelings she has for him and is dating a teacher. She and Sarah have a new housemate, DC Khan who moved away from his family’s attempts for an arranged marriage.

At the start of this book, we meet a man with some peculiar, twisted ideas. “They have to understand that you couldn’t go after the predators; there were simply too many of them. Instead, the way to make a difference was to remove their prey, to send those little ones somewhere they’d be safe and happy. It was up to him to continue that important task. He even had a special name for it. Making angels”.

DC Dan Lockhart is called to a crime scene inside a church. A young boy is strangled and posed kneeling with his hands tied together with a white ribbon. The 12-year-old was in foster care but ran away a month earlier. A biblical text is highlighted on the altar. Dan calls on Lexi to help him with this mysterious case. She feels that the killer will kill again.

Lucy Berry, the civil analyst comes into the footlight in this story. She’s someone who’s easy to like.

While they search for the murderer, we meet several young men who could be the perpetrator. We also follow the unnamed killer who’s closing in on his next victim; Charley, a 13-year-old girl who's far too trusting.


Finally, the first book that mentions Covid and its consequences as lockdowns and changed behavioural patterns. It may date the book but I prefer a serious level of reality in my police procedurals. Another thing that sounds very realistic is that Dan has to choose which resources he can use in what circumstances. It’s not like CSI or other TV shows where they throw the big guns at every possible crime scene.

The story of the investigation is interrupted by the story of the murderer. I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for what he went through but his reasoning and justification for his crimes are absolutely out of order. Unfortunately, some of what he says is true. For every perverted child molester you take out of circulation there are 2 that take his place. But that doesn’t justify his actions, those are just twisted. By making the children into angels, he protects them from worse experiences. Well, there’s not much that’s worse than death?

The author created a long list of possible suspects that are sprinkled throughout the narrative. Even Lexi‘s boyfriend fits several criteria. All those men behave suspiciously in one way or another and it increases the suspense to almost unbearable levels. For some of them, I was really happy that they weren’t guilty in the end.

This author is very crafty in creating his lively and credible characters, not just the protagonists and recuring team members, but even the minor characters who’re destined to die. I really rooted for them. I know they’re only fictional but I so wanted Charley to escape the creepy bastard. Most people in this story are likeable characters. That’s a relief after a couple of reads with less agreeable main characters.

I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest, unbiased review of it.

What a fab police procedural with a disturbed and intriguing killer! ‘Lost Souls’ is also such an apt title. As I saw it, there were many lost souls in this book, all of them equally relevant to the plot. 

From start to end, there was a liveliness about the police team. I felt like I was in the hub of an incident room when they were all together, working through the clues. I enjoyed the complexity of Dan Lockhart’s character too. His military past and the way he dealt with everything in his present made him such a well rounded character, and his personal story was so compelling. The subplot of Dan’s missing wife also gave me a huge reason to fly through this book. 

Tension gripped me throughout as the killer lured his victims. I literally had shivers down my spine.

My guesses at who the killer was were all over the place. Then when that ending came, it was phenomenal and exciting! ‘Lost Souls’ is an action filled, fear fest of a crime read. It’s gritty, tense and will have you biting your nails as the answers spill out!

Another good book by this author. The positives are the plot, backstory of the characters, inclusion of the pandemic in stride without standing out. The negatives are too many characters without distinguishing their names properly, repetition of domestic status of the civilian in every chapter, too much of ruminating to the extent of boring. Though I would like to give 3 stars, I am making it 4 because of the issues concerning homeless children and their plight. It’s heartbreaking that nobody cares about them or their welfare.

Thank you #Netgalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to read an arc of Lost Souls by Chris Merritt. I had not read the first two books in the series, and I think that was a mistake. I do this all the time, and usually have no problem, but in this book I could not keep the characters (and the suspects) straight. I’m not sure if it’s because they were new to me, or there were too many, or the usage of first name only, last name only, sometimes on the same page was confusing. The result was sometimes I had no idea who anyone was and what their ‘story’ was.
However, the story was good, and I liked the chapters from the killer’s POV. And, even though I was confused about the characters, the ending of the book was amazingly good. I think if you have read the first two books you will like this one. I might have to find the first two books myself now.
This is the first book I have read that mentioned Covid and I thought it was done seamlessly, so kudos for that.

This was an excellent novel from beginning to end. Police detective Dan’s quest to find out what happened to his missing wife leads us to the tragic murder of a young teenager.  This complex murder  mystery becomes heartbreaking at times when we learn what happened to these  tragic young people and reaches a major turning point for Dan to solve just as he learns what actually happened to his wife.

Another gripping instalment in this well established series with a twisted plot, fast pace and enough red herrings to keep you guessing.I can't wait for the next book!

A chilling and distrubing read from the very first chapter.  I read this within 24 hours it was that outstanding.

Yet again, Book 3, is an outstanding police procedural that is fast paced and edgy.  Lockhart searches for a child killer whilst continuing to find answers to his long missing wife. The intricate details and the realistic in depth descriptions of trying to solve this distrubing case and the process that Lockhart and team go through is amazing.  Whilst this is a new case, Merritt still continues elements from the previous two books making each character well rounded and intriguing. 

With a strong subject matter linked with the foster care system and children, book 3 packs a punch as it's terrifying yet very true, in some regards to the way the care system is.  Working in the foster care system, the attitudes and approaches of characters like Griffin is understandable and realistic.

Fast chapters where each one makes you want to keep reading and not let you go meant I read this on such a short time.  It is deeply dark, distrubing, graphic and a chilling police procedural that is an astonishing page turner. 

Having read the previous two, the third installment doesn't disappoint.

Characters are so well developed, you feel as if there real.  You feel there pressures and stress as they race against time to find a killer.

The only query - What happened to Meade? What happens next in the search for Jess? 

Eagerly awaiting book 4.

Donovan Blair was twelve when he was found in a local church, his body posed to look as if he was quietly praying. A boy with a troubled history but a talent for football he was known to a few of the local groups designed to help youngsters in the care system in Wandsworth. 

Shocked by what he sees Detective Dan Lockhart calls on his friend and sometime therapist Dr Lexi Green for assistance. Trying to draw up a profile and break alibies while their private lives and official protocols cause them to keep secrets they try to find anything, however small, which will prove decisive but then another child is found. 

Once again Chris Merritt has written a thriller you need to finish almost as soon as you begin. Having the killer’s thoughts included throughout doesn't always work as it can lessen the impact of their crimes but not here! Knowing why is chilling and although their reasoning is flawed it is also perfectly logical when read about from their perspective. 

Dan's hunt for his missing wife also takes centre stage on occasion, his pain and desperation still raw and the steps he takes understandable in the circumstances. 
Lexi is stronger this time, still needing to help but far more on her own terms which made her more rounded and enjoyable to read about. 

All the regular members of the team are present and once again the author realistically includes problems for both Dan and Lexi which signpost trouble in the future and hopefully means there will be a few more adventures for the pair to come. He also shows how one major investigation can result in success in other areas which made this so much more than just the highlighted cases which I loved. 

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is highly recommended as are other two books in this series so far.

About four months ago I read the previous part in the Lockhart and Green series. That’s not a lot, but it feels like a lifetime when you are counting the days. 😊
Now that I finally had a new book in my hands, it was a case of ‘don’t call me, I’ll call you’ as soon as I finish the story of course. 😉 So goodbye world, hello Detective Lockhart.
The thing with a good book is that you know when you start, but you don’t know when you will be able to stop. You just don’t want to. The short chapters seduce you time and time again to read one more and when you finally decide to call it a day, there is that teaser at the and of the chapter and off you go again.
Dan and his team have a lot to deal with and not much to go on. The author gives us a whole bucketload of possible culprits to chose from and honestly I did not have a clue who to pick. The profile Dr Green made fitted them all.
Suddenly an important clue is found and you think YES, now it’s all going to be crystal clear until you realize that the author was one step ahead again and I still did not come one tiny bit closer. It made me smile, because it’s when the penny drops and I never noticed it. Clever idea 😊
Who is finally cracking the case wide open and is responsible for a race against the clock? And more important, who will be the winner? To get the answers, you will have to read this incredible book.
Dan is not ready to slow down though. He has some personal matters he has to take care of. He had to postpone them because his job happened, but now it’s time to go and get some answers.
I was very pleased to see a little bit of Belgium in the story. Lovely. 
Another amazingly good book.  5 stars.

Thank you, Chris Merritt and Bookouture

Detective Lockhart and Dr Green are back and better than ever. 

Chris Merrit grabbed my attention again almost immediately and I dove in this book and only managed to stop once I finished reading it.

Another gripping and twisty book with a lot of disturbing, creepy and thrilling twists. 

This book is fast paced and the tension is palpable from the first chapters. I keep thinking the last boom is my favourite book and then another book comes out and I like it even better. 

I am really looking forward to further books and would highly recommend all this series to anyone who enjoys reading mystery, thriller, crime books. 

I would like to thank Netgalley and  Bookouture for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review