I feel like I’m starting my summer off on a good foot, here. What a fun little thriller!

Before I go into anything else, can I just say, wow! the setting! I think the setting drew me in the quickest, and then Jane Renshaw’s fast-paced writing did the rest.

Our protagonist, Anne, lives and runs a B&B on a secluded, private island on the rugged Scottish coast, and I, truly, envy her. It was so easy to picture the grey skies, the slate sea, the windswept island, the craggy coast. It is damp and mysterious and, honestly, cozy. What a perfect place to enjoy a thriller (so to speak).

We get to the island at the same time as the Clarks, a family of four - father Ron, mother Penny, and two wild boys, Friddie (10), Alfie (6). Anne invited them for a visit because Ron loves birds. Penny doesn’t, but she comes along because of the incident that happened a couple of years ago that left Ron depressed and listless. And we’re off from there.

I won’t go into the plot too far because there are plenty of summaries and other reviews that cover it. I will just say, however, it’s always a good sign when I start reading a book at 11PM and can hardly put it down by 1:30AM and am only forced to because of work the next day (work always ruins everything, doesn’t it?). There is something so clever, and quick, and charming about Renshaw’s writing. She paints her characters with ease through dialogue and interactions with one another. There was also a good amount of humour, especially at the beginning, to balance out the somber plot (and setting) of the thriller. It was just fun to read.

A thriller can’t be a thriller without being thrilling, right? And, well, as to that I would say that’s the only place that the novel loses for me. Everything is basically revealed by the middle of the book, and after that just followed predictable actions and predictable resolutions, none of which made my heart flutter. Did I still like all of it? Yes. Would I say it’s a great way to spend a wet, early spring afternoon? Absolutely. But is this the best thriller I’ve ever read? Far from it.

I think it would also make a good movie, which says something about its structure and quick pace. I’d watch it.

tl:dr this little thriller is worth your time. It’s fun, it’s moody in parts and somewhat bloody in others. It is charming, quick-paced, and definitely memorable

While reading this book, I was ready to believe the implication that Anna was a psychopath. This implication went on for about two-thirds of the book. Then as things begin to turn for the worse, the reader discovers the reasons behind Anna’s actions. And unlike Penny, Anna is a decent person because she has remorse for her actions. Several more tragedies occur and it becomes a contest between the two women who can best the other. Read this book for the thrilling conclusion and experience some jaw dropping moments.

The Lost Boy by Jane Renshaw was a thoroughly enjoyable page-turner. An idyllic setting, well developed characters and a revealing storyline grabbed my interest and kept me reading late into the night. Clever twists and turns made for an interesting read. I loved how my perspective changed as insights were revealed. Themes of greed, deception, evilness and loss were skillfully interwoven. Five stars for this book!

What will you do when a complete stranger offers you and your family a week-long, all-expenses paid holiday to a remote island? I don’t know about you but the Clarkes would take it. In fact, this is exactly what they did.

Anna MacLean extends a generous invite to the Clarkes to come stay at a luxury accommodation in Faida, a remote island in Scotland that is owned by her family. This is how Rod and Penny Clarke - and their boys - are lured into a sinister plot that Anna is hatching. Right off the bat, we know that Anna is planning to kill one of the Clarke boys. But we don’t know why.

Additionally, this is what we know at the start:

- Rod Clarke is an avid bird-watcher, and Penny Clarke is trying to juggle both her family life and their business
- The Clarke boys seem spoilt, as shown by their rude or ill-behaved behaviour in many of the scenes
- Penny finds their hostess suspicious and “weird”, as she always seems to have a plastered smile, among other things

The story alternates between Anna and Penny’s third person POVs, allowing us to see some of their internal struggles and motivations, and just about how far they are willing to go. Even though we don’t get a POV of Rod and the boys, there is enough detail to show us their character development. It was quite good, actually.

The plot hooked me right from the start, especially since there is the blatant question of why Anna is even considering killing an innocent child? Even after I got my answer, the novel still managed to surprise me with its twists and turns.

5 stars for this satisfying read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for giving me access to an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a dark thriller with beautifully written descriptions of the fictional island of Faida. The author translates the Gaelic and Scottish words (e.g., Traigh Bheag - the small beach). It was interesting to read about the different landscapes and birds of the island.

Anna was a little strange from the get-go, with her crazy smile and constant contact with her houseguests. Her husband and son were away, and the rest of the guest cottages were closed for renovation, so the Clarke family had the run of the island. Which probably isn't a good thing when you have two willful and adventurous boys.

Soon enough, one of the boys takes his exploration a little too far and winds up in trouble. While his dad, Rod, is very concerned, mom Penny seems content to camouflage her worry with work and wine. Anna starts to see the disconnect between husband and wife, and soon has Rod telling her confidences.

I love how the author had us sympathizing with the Clarkes but agreeing with Anna that the boys were just spoiled beyond reason. By the end, my heart and mind had shifted completely.

Thanks to NetGalley, Inkubator and Booksprout for an advanced reader's copy.

After the first chapter it lost a lot of it's momentum but I am so glad I persevered. The Clarke family have been invited for a free holiday on a remote island in the far north of Scotland but the owner has her own adgenda. Penny hates it, Rod a twitcher is in his element and their two young boys are completely out of control. Penny and Rod have a dark secret which the owner of the island knows about. One of these three will do anything to protect that secret. This book was definitely not what I was expecting it was so much more. Plenty of heart in your mouth moments, and packed to the rafters with tension and suspense and an explosive ending. A very happy reader.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I thought the characters were well developed and the story was unique. It was atmospheric in a way that was reminiscent of Ruth Ware in how the setting of the book played a part in the story. I also didn't anticipate the twist in the middle of the book. At times I felt as if the pacing was a little bit slow, but despite that throughout the entire book I found myself needing to know what happens next. The chapters were short which made it easy to keep reading. Overall the book was very well done and I'm convinced to read more by this author.

Oh wow! What a cracking thriller! The only positive about being stuck in A&E for nearly 4 hours was that I got to finish this gem of a book, I actually had to stop myself from gasping out loud at various points, I was thoroughly gripped! And what a really satisfying ending. I’m excited for the next one already.

Rod Clark is an avid birdwatcher. Another bird enthusiast, Anna, from his online birding group, offers him a free one-week vacation on her island/nature preserve off the Scottish coast. Rod is over the moon with excitement. His wife, Penny, not so much. Her concern is saving their failing transportation business. A week away is the last thing she wants.

Penny reluctantly packs up their two boys and heads off with Rod. While he treks off into the woods and along the rocky shoreline, Penny struggles to keep their two hyperactive boys in line while working remotely. Anna appears to be a very understanding hostess. She puts up with the boys’ rather destructive antics while harboring unstable thoughts. But after the older boy goes missing, it becomes obvious that someone besides Anna is keeping dangerous secrets.

The Lost Boy is a captivating thriller of revenge and suspense. I pretty much figured out the twist about a third of the way through the book, but I didn’t lose interest. I love the remote island setting and the way the characters are portrayed. The narration is omniscient, so you get to hear the inner thoughts of several people. This makes the book quite effective despite a fairly transparent plot line.

If you like the suspense and thriller genres, you may enjoy The Lost Boy. But I’d recommend not reading it on vacation in a remote area!

My Rating 4 stars, Grade B

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my review.

The Clarke family travel to a remote island in Scotland, for a free getaway offered by Anna who has holiday cottages. Rod met Anna on a bird watching site and is keen to see the rare birdlife on the island.

The family land, and the two children run riot, which Anna takes into her stride. She is keen for the family to meet her son, Broc and her husband Tam before they leave.

Penny does not trust Anna with her ready smile and feels that something is 'off'.

Freddie, the elder of the children disappears and the police and searchers from the mainland are called in to look for him.

The family have been lured to the island so that Anna can get her revenge on them.... and things go awry.

I did enjoy this book, I raced through it to see what would happen next. I did not really like any of the characters, Anna, who I knew was planning a murder, the children who were spoiled and undisciplined, Penny who I sensed was heartless and cold, and Rod who was a weak man, but at least he loved his children.

In the end, I found that I was wrong about Anna... she was not the cold blooded murderess that got her revenge on an innocent child.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review and honest opinion.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review…secrets…mystery and mayhem…family and friends…children who also have secrets…what will happen next? Who is guilty? What is going on with the protagonist… Is she a murderer or not? Questions this talented and gifted author answers readily in this novel. This is an absolutely cannot put down book…it is frightening at times…it is a book that causes the reader to ask questions…this author has captured my attention.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
A terrific book that I couldn't put down, what a spellbinding read!
The Clarke family have been invited to a wild island in the far north of Scotland, a week's free vacation with birding for Rod, the husband, but he wife, Penny, hates it. She dislikes the owner of the resort, Anna, and has a terrible time reigning in her two young sons who are out of control. I couldn't stand the little brats!
But all is not as it seems: Anna's husband and son are suposedly on the main land, her dislike of the visitors is puzzling at first, Penny and Rod are at odds with each other and the whole atmosphere is uncomfortable to say the least. Plus, one of the characters is a sociopath. As things become clear, it's impossible to put the book down. And what a great ending!
Highly recommended!

This book had many unexpected twists that kept me engaged! It was also a fast read and had a plot that kept the story moving nicely!

Thank you NetGalley, Inkubator Books and Jane Renshaw for letting me read “The Lost Boy” in exchange for an honest review.

The Cover
The cover drew me in right away. It’s dark, looming and moody with a touch of colour, a boy looking over a shore. It looks like a thunderstorm is nearing.
It was a bit confusing at first. I searched for the book on Goodreads. I thought I found it, but soon realised it was not. Same title, almost similar cover, but different author, published in 2020. Very similar boy in the yellow clothes.

The Plot

The Clarke family is invited by Anna, to spent a week on a remote island in Scotland. For free, that is not suspicious at all, is it? Pack up your wife and two kids and go to see a virtual stranger in the middle of bloody nowhere? Heh. Now that makes a great story. Anna is supposed to live on the island with her husband and son, but Penny and Rod Clarke never get to see them. On top, Anna is soon behaving suspiciously and Penny grows uneasy. Why? The reader soon will get to know on the first pages, that Anna plans to kill one of their two young boys. Why did she lure the family to the island? Will the family be able to escape the island and at what cost?

The narrating switches between Penny and Anna, written in third persons POV.

My opinion

It becomes clear very soon, that the boys are spoiled rotten. It’s hard to like them. I’ve gotten grey hairs from reading alone. 😂The father only cares for his birds and Penny seems to be the one who keeps them together. At least she has an image to keep up. I got hooked on the story fairly quickly, as I needed to figure out what on earth was wrong with Anna. I throughly enjoyed this book, it was just that good!

At times the whole bird/nature lingo got a bit too much. I felt as bored with that as Penny did 😂

As said, the story was very fluent and thought out. The suspense was gradually building up. I did like the ending a lot. It did not go at all how I thought it would go.