1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for an advanced copy of The Lollipop Man.

In the 1980s a man was abducting children and they named him the lollipop man. He abducted four children but one was able to escape. Flash forward to 1994 and another young child is abducted with a lot of the same similarities to the lollipop man abductions. Has he really resurfaced after all this time?

This book had so much potential but was way too confusing. Too many characters were introduced and it was hard to keep their storylines straight. There was also a lot of repetition throughout the story. There was a lot of build up to a pretty lackluster reveal. I was not a fan at all.

Firstly I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book, it was brilliant. It drew me in from the first page and there were so many twists and turns it kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is the first book I have read by this author and, on the back of it, it won't be the last! Set back in the mid 90s - how refreshing - we follow 18 year old Adrian who is an intern at a local newspaper. His main job is to ferry the reporter around, driving him as he lost his license. One day, they are called to the scene of a kidnap. A young girl has been snatched. They soon learn that this abduction matches that of an old cold case. One that Adrian is personally connected to. The Lollipop man abducted several children, including 10 year old Adrian, who managed to escape. Adrian has mixed memories of that day but has tried hard to put to in the past. Changing his name helped. But his past is about to become his present...
As well as Adrian we also follow media darling Sheila Hargreaves who has her own demons surrounding the Lollipop man case. She needs him brought to justice for her own atonement.
I said how refreshing to have a book set in the 90s. Before all the technology we have got used to. Phone boxes play their parts herein for example, early mobiles being huge. We also have ceefax (loved that). But along with that, we also have the prejudices that go along with that time, attitudes towards women, homophobia, and the AIDS crisis, all of which are handled very well indeed, and kept within context.
In Adrian and Sheila, the author has created two very rich characters. I took to the both of them right from the off. Other characters were just as well drawn and all played their parts very well. There were rather a lot of them and I can't help feeling that maybe whittling them down, combining roles might have helped the book to flow better.
The story was great, with all the necessary twists and turns, secrets and lies, dysfunctional behaviour, obfuscation, etc that you would expect from a book of this genre. I especially loved Adrian's interactions with his family and best friend. I also took to DCI Struthers, eventually, as he took a bit of getting used to!
And the ending, when it came, was perfect... Apart from me having to say goodbye to a few of the characters that I had bonded with. Maybe, hopefully, we will see them again in the future... In the meantime, I'm off to stuff my tbr with his back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

First in a new series from this author takes the reader down to Yorkshire this time and focuses on the disappearance of young girls from 1994 which is occurring again 8 years later. I liked how one of the children who had escaped back then, is now trying to find out who the abductor was/is as they were never caught. Lots of twists and turns until we find out what has been going on and with a great ending too. Look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

A story by a Yorkshire writer about murders in West Yorkshire. How could I not read it!

Daniel Sellers is a new author for me. I'll definitely read more of his fiction.

The Lollipop Man is back. A series of disappearances 8 years before was never solved and the girls who were snatched were never found. 10 year old Matthew Spivey was snatched but returned. Then the trail went cold and the town breathed a sigh of relief.

But in 1994 the disappearances begin again and they are frighteningly similar to the previous ones. Matthew (now Adrian Brown) is working at a local paper. He remembers little of his terrifying ordeal but he's determined to stop The Lollipop Man this time.

Along with a beloved tv presenter and his friends Adrian will stop at nothing including Police warnings to stop the monster before he takes more little girls.

Daniel Sellers has produced a fast paced, thrilling story that kept me hooked to the end. Some parts of the finale did stretch the imagination a touch but the twists are all surprising and will keep you guessing. The characters are all interesting and Adrian was very likeable.

I may not have read Mr Sellers work before but he's on the radar now.

Highly recommended.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the advance review copy.

Thank you Netgalley & Alloson & Busby for an eARC ♥️

The story is about Adrian, a young journalist who was kidnapped as a child by a serial predator known as the Lollipop Man. The fact that Adrian escaped is a miracle, but the trauma of that experience has stayed with him.
When another child goes missing in the same town, Adrian is forced to confront his past all over again. I can only imagine how hard it must be for him to relive those memories. The police are stumped, and the media is having a field day, which only adds to Adrian's anxiety.
As Adrian delves deeper into the investigation, he's joined by Sheila, a journalist who covered the original case. Together, they start to unravel some disturbing secrets. I won't lie, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, wondering what would happen next.
What really got to me was the way the author explored the aftermath of trauma. Adrian's story is heartbreaking, and his struggles to come to terms with his past are so relatable.
This book is a gripping thriller, but it's also a thoughtful exploration of trauma and recovery.
I'm so impressed with Daniel Sellers’ writing that I'll definitely be reading more of his books. His ability to craft a compelling story that's both thrilling and thought-provoking has won me over.

My thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Lollipop Man’ written by Daniel Sellers in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Matthew Spivey aged ten was the only one of The Lollipop Man’s victims to be released. He’s now eighteen, has changed his name to Adrian Brown and has a junior position at the local newspaper when Sarah Bartlett is abducted. Everyone is saying that it’s The Lollipop Man again but he’s been silent for over seven years so has he made a comeback or has someone else taken over?

‘The Lollipop Man’ is an atmospheric thriller that keeps the reader guessing although initially it’s slow to start and there are so many characters it’s easy to get confused. I’ve enjoyed reading about Adrian, and his relationship with his family and friends has been nicely described. I also liked journalist Sheila Hargreaves, the anchor of ‘Yorkshire Tonight’, who’s offered DCI Malcolm Struthers her assistance in catching The Lollipop Man.

The Lollipop Man was my first Daniel Sellers book, but it won't be my last!

Although I've read and listened to quite a few books already this year, I've struggled to find something that truly caught my attention. A book that had me whispering the age-old adage, "just one more chapter" and that I struggled to put down.

The Lollipop Man was just that book.

I found myself immersed in it and instead of it being a struggle to read, I felt like it was a team effort between me and the book. (Or the author if you prefer!)

I did find the ending a little rushed, and unnecessarily complicated, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book overall.

Well this kept me guessing all the way through, and although I suspected the killer (as did the main characters), there was plenty in this that I did not expect, not least where the bodies were! I'm trying hard not to put any spoilers in so sorry if this all feels a bit cryptic but the premise is that young girls are being snatched and not returned, so not a huge leap to know there are bodies.

The novel is set in the 1990's so a bit of a nostalgic feel to it. All the characters in this are well rounded and believable and it was easy to become invested in this story. Another page turner of a well written book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Very much recommend!

This book had me hooked immediately and drawn in to the mystery right away. It was a suspenseful read overall.

The Lollipop Man lived in a Yorkshire village where he kidnapped three young girls in 1986. Ten-year-old Matthew escaped. Now, eight years later, a child goes missing, has the Lollipop Man returned? Matthew changed his name to Adrian Brown after his escape from the Lollipop Man. and works as admin at the local newspaper. He is determined to stop the Lollipop Man this time.

Adrian has a strained relationship with his parents even though he still lives at hoe. There was just the right amount of intrigue and mystery to keep you invested. The pace is fast and it's been descriptively written. I liked Adrian and his best friend Gav. There were quite lot of characters to keep track of.

Published 20th February 2026

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AllisonandBusby and the author #DanielSellers for my ARC of #TheLollipopMan in exchange for an honest review.

Adrian was the one who got away. Now. though, it seems the Lollipop Man is back and Adrian along with his pal Gav and Sheila, who reported on the original abductions, is looking for answers. This is a slow burn and it's twisty. Sellers makes good use of his 90s timeframe (how different life was without cell phones). No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Good storytelling makes for a good read.

This story offers a suspenseful and atmospheric mystery, though I struggled with pacing and an overwhelming number of characters. While the slow start builds intrigue and keeps you guessing, the eventual reveal of the killer feels underwhelming. The journey of uncovering clues is gripping, but the killer lacks the depth expected from such a prolonged investigation.

The large cast can be confusing, and the writing occasionally hard to follow, detracting from the experience. The ending also feels rushed, missing the emotional resolution the buildup promised. Despite its flaws, this book will satisfy fans of suspenseful thrillers, though the payoff doesn’t quite match the tension built throughout.

Slow to begin with and difficult to sympathise with any of the characters. Still it does eventually perk up and provide a satisfactory conclusion but I think I’ll pass next time.

I found the beginning a little difficult to follow due to the abundance of information. However, once the story picked up and the tense atmosphere was established, I was consumed with piecing together the mystery. Although the reveal was not a huge surprise to me and somewhat convoluted, overall, it was still and worth the read.

This was a twisty thriller set in the nineties in West Yorkshire.

In the eighties a serial killer, known as 'the Lollipop Man' had previously abducted and murdered three children. After a failed attempt to kidnap a fourth child the Lollipop Man mysteriously vanished and the abductions stopped.
Ten years later, another young girl, Sarah, has been abducted, and it seems possible the Lollipop Man is back and is the person behind her disappearance.
The story is narrated by Adrian who works at a local newspaper. He was also the fourth child the Lollipop man attempted to take but has since changed his name to hide his identity. Alongside another journalist, Sheila, they both seek to uncover the truth.
The book did take me a little while to get into as there were quite a lot of characters. I enjoyed the nostalgic trip back to the nineties, which was well written!
I raced through the second half of the book, which had more twists, tension, and suspense and was a lot harder to put down. I didn't guess the perpetrator but found it a satisfying ending to the book. Overall, this was a dark, enjoyable, crime thriller, and I'd be interested to read more by this author.

Sorry but this book did not live up to my expectations.. Slow burner. Too many characters views to keep up with.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This is a fantastic read, it is one of those books that you don’t want to put down.

I liked Adrian’s character, he was complex, but likeable. Sheila is one of those people who doesn’t let anything go, determined to have her way, but struggles a bit with her behaviour in the past.

A well-written and enjoyable story, that left me feeling tense and nervous as the story drew to a close. I did not expect the ending, the twists in the story were well-thought-out.

This is a new author to me, and I’m looking forward to reading more from him.

I was able to read The Lollipop Man through NetGalley. Much thanks to them and the publisher.

Here is my honest review of the book.
It’s not often I regret or hate a book. With that being said, I didn’t hate it or regret it. I am glad I had a chance to read this. I will certainly like to give other books from this author a read.

However, I do feel like there was a lot going on. Maybe a little too much, especially with the amount of characters. I found a few parts hard to follow. I almost stopped reading it, not wanting to continue it but I wanted to give it a try so I continued reading.

I enjoyed the time this book took place, early 90s. The book really put things in perspective during a time that cellphones and the internet weren’t at our fingertips. The friendship between Adrian and Gav reminded me of my friends when I was younger and getting ourselves into trouble and always being there for each other and trying to bail each other out (although not in the same extreme circumstances like Adrian and Gav). Gav was my favorite character.

With that being said, the book got much better toward the end and I found it hard to stop reading. I was not expecting it to end the way it did.

I believe in giving books and authors a chance. Therefore, I would recommend anyone to give it a try, don’t stop and finish it. It’s worth it.

My star rating: 3.5 stars

The lollipop man was believed to be responsible for the disappearance of three children and the attempted abduction of a forth in 1986. Eight years on its feared he is back when another little girl goes missing in similar circumstances.

18 year-old Adrian was the one who got away and he is determined to find and stop the lollipop man, working with his friend Gav and TV presenter Shelia Hargreaves.

I loved the book and the character of Adrian. I really liked his friendship with Gav and the one that builds between him and Shelia as the novel progresses. I am really hoping it’s the start of a series as I would love to see what happens to the characters after the events of this book.

The setting of the 90’s worked really well and I felt nostalgic whilst reading it. I enjoyed the true crime references to the Yorkshire ripper and the moors murderers which were weaved through the plot.

Overall an enjoyable read which kept me gripped.