Two sisters in the foster care system disappear. One shows up, covered in blood, with a story to tell. It's a compelling premise and an engaging thriller. There were parts that strained belief, but overall this was an intriguing read. .Lots of surprising twists and turns and in the end, quite satisfying.

"Little Sister" is a psychological thriller with more twists and turns than Deals Gap. It is the fourth book in the series, but having never read the previous books, it was able to stand on its own. The story follows the Lennox sisters, and the mysterious disappearance of the younger one Nina.

Although the story itself is good, this book just wasn't for me. I found much of the plot to be unbelievable and had difficulty connecting with any of the characters. I did enjoy that it was told from different POVs and the twist at the end. I also appreciate the fact that the book itself shines a light on the flawed foster care system.

A huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the chance to review this book before it comes out on June 28, 2022.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Little Sister by Gytha Lodge.

This is the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series, and I am here for the RIDE. All I have to say is that Gytha better be furiously typing up her next one because I'm ready Lodge! Each book just keeps getting better and I'm constantly blown away that these stories come from someone's brain.

DCI Jonah Sheens is enjoying a rare and quiet moment in the pub when a young red head covered in blood approaches him. Her name is Keely and she is cool, calm, and collected. Keely informs Sheen that he needs to find her sister, but before he can do that, she has some things that she has to tell them. Is Keely a victim, a villain, or a little of both? And what has happened to her sister Nina.

This is told both from the perspective of the police and of Keely, and slowly we're told a story about two girls and their experience in the foster system and how one of them goes missing. And there is a lot to untangle.

Like I said, I LOVE THESE BOOKS. I especially love how invested I now am in the officers and their own stories and relationships. But these mysteries are just chef's kiss and I can't wait for the next one.

Little Sister is the fourth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series. Other important members on his team of detectives are DC Juliette Hanson, DS Ben Lightman, and DS Domnall O'Malley. The way this team works together and supports each other both on and off the job is my favorite part of the book and the whole series. The series excels in combining details of a police procedural with the suspense of a thriller. The chapters alternate between the points-of-view of the investigators and a young woman who is brought into the station who might be a victim or a killer. The book works well as a standalone, but those following the series will appreciate the things related to the personal lives of Jonah, Juliette, and Ben.

The book begins with a young woman running into DCI Sheens at a pub on his day off. She is covered in blood and says she's fine, but won't say where her younger sister is. The story is told in an unusual way. Keely's point-of-view is given through a long story she tells to the detectives. She insists they hear her story before she directly gives them any information about her younger sister, Nina. The way she tells her story, it's hard for the detectives (and the reader) to know if she is a victim worthy of sympathy or if she is a dangerous sociopath! When Keely insists the police already have what they need to find Nina, they realize she is giving clues in the way she is wording parts of her narrative.

The procedural part of the book describes the investigation into Keely's background and Nina's whereabouts. The team is afraid Nina could be injured and in danger, so there is tension as they fear time is running out for the teenager. The procedural chapters are my favorites of the book. Keely's story is more like a psychological suspense/thriller novel. Even though you don't know when or if she's lying, she describes several instances of child abuse and grooming, so it is disturbing and often hard to read. I was surprised by the direction the story takes and didn't see the unexpected plot twists coming. The book is clever, but I still enjoyed the prior books a bit more. Overall, I recommend the series and also this book, as long as reading about child abuse isn't a trigger for you.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Random House. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Little Sister by Gytha Lodge is a very highly recommended police procedural and psychological thriller. This is the fourth book in the series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens and his team of the Southampton PD.

Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens is with his infant daughter in a pub garden when a red headed teenager with her hands covered in blood wanders out of the woods and toward the pub. He asks the girl, Keely Lennox, 16, if she needs help to which she replies she doesn't but her sister Nina, 14, does. The two sisters disappeared from a children's home a week earlier. When questioning her about Nina's location, Keely says that they must listen to her whole story from the beginning to the end in order to learn where Nina is located.

Once at the police station, Keely makes it clear that their story involves three men who have been abusers. She then proceeds to tell her story while displaying an emotionless flat affect. It is clear to Jonah that Keely is very clever, but is she also a sociopath? Keely will answer no direct questions and will only tell her story, insisting that the clues are all there for them to find Nina. Jonah and his team of DS Ben Lightman, DS Domnall O'Malley, and DC Juliette Hanson, are all scrambling to find the hidden clues in her story and investigate the lives of the girls in a frantic effort to find Nina.

For anyone who enjoys procedurals, Little Sister is a perfect choice. Although it is the third in the series, following She Lies in Wait, Watching from the Dark, and Lie Beside Me, I felt that it could be read as a stand alone. You're going to miss some character background information, but the suspense and intrigue in this case will eclipse any questions concerning character development. This is really the strongest novel in the series and an excellent police procedural and psychological thriller.

The writing is exceptional, with an intricate and clever plot that keeps a fast pace throughout. The team has to use all their skills and wit to discover the clues Keely is leaving and uncover the dark deeds she wants them to investigate while listening to her tale. And the things she wants them to discover are sinister. There are several big twists in the course of the investigation, and several of these will change your entire outlook on the case. You won't be able to predict where this novel is heading but you will be glued to the pages while trying to get there.

After reading other novels in the series, these are well established characters for me, but I really do think you can read this one without the previous three novels. The narrative alternates between the point-of-view of Jonah, Keely, and Juliette Hanson. The focus of the plot is Keely's story and the intense investigation rather than the character's lives, which makes it easy to jump right into the story without much background information on the team members.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

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!)

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Little Sister by Gytha Lodge is a very intense book. Anyone who knows me knows I am a die-hard Yankee fan and watch every baseball game. But I couldn’t watch tonight until I finished this book because it was an insanely plotted and twisted story with wild turns, shocking secrets, and red herrings, and you name it - This. Book. Has. It. It’s also a police procedural novel with DCI Jonah Sheens investigating two runaway teenage sisters when only one, Keely, walks out of the woods soaked in blood. Keely’s sister, Nina, is still in danger. I can’t say much about the plot other than it revolves around Keely telling the girls’ story about life in the foster care system following the death of their mother. Part of the book’s intrigue is to figure out who’s telling the truth. In the end, I think what stood out the most is that people are willing to assume the worst…even the police. I’ll give you a warning that this involves child abuse. So if you’re going to read it, and it’s a good book, read it with your eyes open. #sisters #fostercare #missinggirls #policeprocedural #possiblemurder #childabuse #investigation #interogation #littlesister @randomhouse @netgalley @gythalodge
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, and Random House for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: June 28, 2022.

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3.5 stars
Thanks for NetGalley & Random house for an e-arc of this book!
This book is part of a series but can easily be read as a stand alone.
This story is dark (abuse warning) and full of twists and turns some I didn’t see coming; some parts can be confusing but I enjoyed it.
I liked the characters and the writing.
The plot is addictive and makes you want to read more to know what happens.
I will post this review to my Goodreads

Thanks for NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!
I wanna start by saying that I didn't know this was part of a serie and was a little bit confused at first but this can be read very well even without the other books. I loved how fast paced this book was and that the story starts right at the beginning! This story is dark and full of twist you don't see coming ( even if usually you are good at seing them )
I did not particularly felt attached to the characters but the writting and the story is very addictive and makes you want to read more to know what happens.

This story had twists and turns and suspense. In this story, we meet Keely who's sister Nina appears to be missing and now the mystery has been dropped in the hands of police . They are taken on a journey of the adventures that the two sisters experienced throughout their young lives and decisions and choices they make. all through the eyes of Keely . We are kept in suspense throughout the tale and the clock is ticking to find Nina. I found the story unique and different and a definite must read !

Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Three children that spent most of their childhood in foster care spin a tale that might be true or might be fiction. What they really want out of their interaction with the police department might be attention, or it could be justice. Basically, they want to be heard, listened to, and believed.

Keely Lennox shows up after she and her sister have gone missing from their care facility. She is covered in blood and the police are desperate to locate her younger sister, Nina. Keely begins to tell the police a long involved story that includes clues to where Nina is. The story seems to involve Collum, a brother they met in one of their foster care locations.

This novel has many plot twists. I found that some were hard to follow. It was almost too twisty for my taste. If you like trying to solve a mystery before the end of the book, have a go at this one!

Little Sister has big ambitions, and it succeeds in meeting them. Although Little Sister is part of a series it can be read as a "stand alone" story-some of the interpersonal relationships among the officers investigating the disappearance of Nina are hard to follow if you haven't read the previous novels, but the plot itself is independent. And it's a barn burner-Nina and her elder sister Keely run away from a "children's home," but only Keely returns. Keely gives clues to what happened to Nina slowly and methodically-as Keely tells the officers you really have to pay attention to her words to unravel the truth. Keely is the key to Little Sister-she's either emotionally wrecked from abuse at the hands of her foster families and case workers, or she's the most captivatingly manipulative teenager out there. Little Sister keeps you guessing until the end-even though Nina's fate is literally within Keely's grasp. The writing is crisp and efficient, and the mystery unfolds in layers. Gytha Lodge excells at keeping the suspense going even when the story lags a little. The chapters dealing with Keely's abuse claims are disturbing-although they are central to the story. Little Sister is a quick read, and that's a good thing as you want to find out what really happened to Nina as soon as possible!

Loved it! I read the first book in the series and now I need to read the second and third. This book definitely didn't disappoint. There were so many twists and turns, I kept asking myself what is going on. Is Keely telling the truth? Jonah had the patience of a saint trying to interview Keely. She made everything difficult. At times the story got a bit confusing with what actually happened to each girl and who was who. The Lennox girls had horrible luck with each foster home that they were placed in. The energy and thought that went into all the clues and revenge was astounding.
There was something wrong with the Murray-Watts. I never guessed who was behind all the punishments. They terrorized the children and no one believed them. It's no wonder Callum, Nina and Keely were traumatized. Loved the ending and how the truth was finally revealed about all the individuals involved. Jonah and his detectives have a great dynamic together. Hanson easily figured out Keely's clues. She's one smart detective, because I would probably still be sitting there watching the hours of videos trying to solve the puzzle.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. The book can be read as a stand alone, although I definitely want to read the previous two books. Love the cover.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Random House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

DCI Jonah Sheens is back with a new mystery and this series gets better with each installment. Jonah meets a teenage girl wandering out from the woods with a terrible tale of her missing sister, Nina. Then she stops giving any information about her disappearance. As the police interview Keely, they learn about the terrible treatment the two sisters have faced in the foster care system but also uncover a family relationship riddled with dysfunction. Jonah races to save (or find) Nina and put together the pieces of Keely's involvement with what happened in the woods.

This books took so many unexpected twists and turns, you can't help but fly through it to find out the truth. I appreciated the ending and it felt resolved in a satisfying way. You can definitely read this book without having read the others in the series but the backstory on Jonah was nice to know.

Thank you to Gytha Lodge, Random House, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jonah is shocked when a bloody girl stumbles out of the forest when he's in a garden the girl insists she's fine, it's her little sister that needs help. Both girls disappeared a week ago, and Jonah is only allowed to help after listening to the girl's story. But what is the truth?

Keely is described constantly as cold and calculating, stressing that others should have found Nina if they only listened to the clues in her story. Rather than tell the police directly, she tells a story of several abusive households and the dismissive way she was treated by social workers, peers, carers, and the foster families that took her in. The subtle emotional abuse taught her how to manipulate expectations if her story is to be believed so that by sixteen she can manipulate the emotions of the police officers scrambling to check what she's saying or delve into her records. It's fascinating and drew me in immediately.

Whatever you think you know about Keely and Nina is often inverted and upended as more information is revealed, slowly but surely. It's cleverly done and kept me raptly continuing until the end of the book. This is the fourth Jonah Sheens novel, but I hadn't read the previous novels and don't feel like I missed much at all. The mystery is fascinating, and will definitely keep you reading.

Another compelling masterpiece by Gytha Lodge!! “Two girls went into the woods. Only one came back.”, the opening line of the description is just the start of the latest case in the DCI Jonah Sheens series. What a case it is! Keely, the sister who comes out of the woods has quite the story to tell the detectives. There is so much to unpack from what she shares with them. I loved the way this was written. When reading the chapters of Keely’s storytelling, you are pulled in to her life. Her history. Then you have the other chapters of the team unraveling this mystery and following the clues. And just when you think you have figured it out be prepared to be wrong! I also love the moments of the detectives’ personal lives being brought in. I’m fully invested in these characters and always look forward to what is happening to them. With each book in this series you get more and more. And with every ending of these books I am also sad it’s over and have to wait for the next one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the ARC!!!

Overall I liked this one . It was fast paced and I thought the story drew you in well and Mel you engaged . It was a sold good read.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me the ARC! I loved it! It reeled me in straight from the start. I experienced all sorts of emotions. It was a quick read. I rate it a 4.1!

To be perfectly honest, I requested this book by mistake, having not realized that it was part of a detective series. I considered declining the review instead, bc I hate starting a series in the middle. I figured I could probably be ok, given that each case is it’s own story.

Well, I am glad I decided to give it a shot. I’m surprised the series hasn’t been on my radar before. I guess there’s a lot more UK detective series out there (why are they always so much better than American ones?). I enjoyed the puzzle of main story, it was interesting and complex, and kept me hooked. But I also really enjoyed the dynamic of the team. I do feel like I have missed some stuff there but not enough that I felt lost. Their personal lives weren’t central to the story. However, they do make me want to go back and read the three stories that preceded it. I hope they are just as intricately plotted.

I will say that I usually don’t like not having a central narrator. Jonah is supposed to be the main character but it gives third person perspective to the others. Usually that bugs me but the story gives enough of itself to each of them that it didn’t take anything away.

I’m so happy this series is on my radar now, even by mistake. Looking forward to catching up to this one and keeping an eye out for future stories.

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.