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.

Wow! I don’t give out five stars very often, but this book literally blew me away! I would rate it even higher than five stars if I could. This was definitely a memorable read for me, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

This book is a twisty, nail-biting thriller which is set in West Yorkshire in a small town. It follows the crimes of a serial killer who targeted children in the 1980’s. After attempting to kill a fourth child, who managed to escape, the killer goes off grid for a few years, but now in 1994, it seems like he’s back when another child goes missing… or is it a copycat killer? We mainly follow the perspective of a young man called Adrian, who works for his local newspaper. He also happens to be the infamous Lollipop Man’s attempted fourth victim- the one who got away. I absolutely adored Adrian’s character, and I was rooting for him the whole way through.

I also really loved that this book tackled a lot of sensitive topics that were prevalent in the 90’s, like homophobia, misogyny, and the AIDS crisis. The sensitive subjects definitely added to the atmosphere of the time, and there were definitely some emotional moments.

Overall, this was a really great thriller and I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an exciting, twisty new thriller!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yorkshire, 1994. Eighteen-year-old Adrian Brown spends his days working at the local newspaper, and his evenings in his local pub. But under this ordinary surface lies a haunting story. Aged ten, Adrian was kidnapped by a shadowy figure known as The Lollipop Man, who had abducted three children before. Adrian was the only one to escape.

The Lollipop Man might well have returned when another missing child whips up a media frenzy. Journalist Sheila Hargreaves, troubled with memories of her own involvement in the reporting of the previous abductions, is determined to dig deeper, atone for what she did nearly a decade ago and bring the Lollipop Man to justice.

Without getting too spoiler-y, I really enjoyed this. I enjoyed the characters and the plotline. It was fun to go back to the days (90s) when I was a teenager - the author did a good job conveying that time period. Typical good popcorn thriller! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Set in 1994 Yorkshire, The Lollipop Man (2025) by Daniel Sellers is a historic crime mystery. Adrian is eighteen years of age and works at the Calder Valley Advertiser, a small local newspaper. He is required to chauffeur the paper’s photographer around the local events and take notes, so the journalist can write the articles. Adrian was also the only child survivor of The Lollipop Man, who abducted and killed three children in 1986. When the body of a young girl is discovered in the reeds by the river, locals fear the return of the serial killer. Police are less certain, despite similarities to The Lollipop Man case. An interesting murder mystery with lots of characters and their complicated backgrounds makes for an enjoyable three and a half star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Allison & Busby and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

DNF-ed at 22% - just wasn't engaged enough to care. Some parts were kind of interesting but I felt like there was so much repeating. Like when you're watching a show and it has that "after the break" segment and when after the break the "before the break" segment where it recaps stuff that literally already watched. Well that's how this writing feels. Bit too spoonfed for me.

Synopsis from what I read:
The lollipop man is a crossing guard who stole 4 children. 3 of which were never seen again and the last, and the only boy was released after a shower amount of time. He grew up and changed his name and then boom - the lollipop man is back, or so it seems. Strange things start happening to the now young man who was once captured by the notorious killer.

In *The Lollipop Man*, a chilling mystery unfolds as eerie parallels emerge between a recent child abduction and a string of unsolved cases from years earlier. Adrian Brown, now an eighteen-year-old journalist, was once a victim of the notorious "Lollipop Man," who abducted several children before Adrian managed to escape. As another child goes missing, Adrian’s past resurfaces, and journalist Sheila Hargreaves, haunted by her own role in the earlier cases, becomes determined to uncover the truth.

With atmospheric tension and a compelling mix of suspense and psychological drama, this gripping thriller delves deep into the lingering trauma of past crimes and the dark secrets people are trying to bury. A must-read for fans of crime thrillers that keep you guessing until the very last page.

The Lollipop Man is the story of 18 year old Adrian, working his first job in a newspaper office in 1994 West Yorkshire. Adrian has a secret in his past - he was abducted as a child by a serial killer known as the Lollipop Man but was let go. But now another child has been abducted in similar circumstances: is the serial killer back and does Adrian hold the key to his identity?

An enjoyable and engaging story that took me right back to my teenage years in the 1990's. Recommended for lovers of crime fiction.

A bit of a slow starter, it took me a while to become familiar with the characters. However after after getting over the first part, I was really hooked. It's a good star for a new author, an enjoyable thriller.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A young girl goes missing in West Yorkshire and an 18-year-old Adrian who si working at a local newspaper, is dragged into the story. He was abducted as a 10 year old but survived and people think the same perpetrator is back. Three young girls had previously disappeared by a name nicknamed the Lollipop Man and they have never been found. The novel is set in the 1990s and captures the mood well with the Yorkshire Ripper and police misogyny. Adrian has other demons as he struggles with dealing with his homosexuality and worries about what people will think. Xxx captures the 18 year old male brain well along with the guilty conscience of local journalist Sheila Hargreaves who was involved in the original disappearances and is guilty about her behaviour at that time.
A clever read.

An interesting if a bit heavy going read. The plot was good but I did find myself a bit confused with the number of characters present. I enjoyed the 90s setting, looking back to a time with minimal mobile phones, social media etc.

A new author for me, but will definately add to my must read list. Set mostly in 1994, in West Yorkshire, the book is told from 2 different viewpoints, Adrian, a young man currently working at a local paper before he goes on to university and Sheila, a reporter on a local tv. It was difficult to find the connections between the two at first and to sort out who the many characters were. Adrian has had a troubled past and although he is Gay, is not out to his parents or in his local area. Young girls have disappeared, in the past and as the book starts, Sarah is also kidnapped. Rather than the plot being told by the investigating team or the victim's point of view, Sheila and Adrian (and Gav) are reporters, interested parties. In the first few chapters, both gain information and follow clues but the book really came into its own once they had decided to work together.
I liked the descriptions which gave a good sense of place, a smallish West Yorkshire town and an almost deserted hamlet, the locals and life in the 90s when mobile phones were new and fairly unreliable. The attitudes to the events in the 80s and 90s also rang true. Were people seen as poor parents because their children were taken? Plenty of food for thought about this, as well as the social attitudes to homosexuality and child abuse in the past.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher Allison and Busby for a great read. Not an easy book to get into, but once I had it was an excellent read.

I do love discovering new (to me) authors, so when invited to read this book by the publisher, I didn't hesitate. The plot sounded intriguing and right up my street. Begrudgingly, I acknowledge that this is (technically) historical fiction, but for anyone old enough to remember the 90s (I am, I do, and I am also - sadly - older than protagonist Adrian), then this really does feel like a bit of a blast from the past. When mobile phones were somewhat of a novelty, social media was a concept of only science fiction, and the internet was, at best, something that could only be accessed via use of a compact disk and a dial up connection. Remember those days?

Those of us who are nostalgic (i.e. old) remember the 90s as simpler times. Not so for this book's protagonist, Adrian Brown, a young man who is working for a newspaper as somewhat of a gopher, whilst trying to achieve the grades he needs in college to get to University. Now this should be a relatively trouble and worry free time for any eighteen year old, but Adrian has a bit of a past, and more reason than most to be anxious about the latest crime to demand the attention of the media. A young girl has been abducted in a manner that is scarily, reminiscent of a long silent presumed killer, the eponymous Lollipop Man. As one of the mystery abductors previous near victims, could Adrian hold the key to this latest investigation?

I actually found this to be quite a quick read, finishing the book in a couple of days. Daniel Sellers sets the story up really well, creating a fair amount of intrigue and making me wonder just why Adrian should feel so much dread when he hears about the scene he is being asked to drive the paper's photographer to. It's clear it has some meaning to him, and the sense of mystery only builds from there. As reluctant as Adrian is to get involved, it is clear from the start that this is inevitable. As the author pulls us further into the story, and more of Adrian's history, and that of the Lollipop Man is revealed, the faster I found myself turning the pages, curious to see just how Adrian's past and present intersected. There is an undercurrent of threat that you can feel pulsing around Adrian, and although the author manages to make his fear clear, you also get the understanding that beneath it all is a courageous young man who will do what is right, regardless of how much he is told to stay away, or how much danger he might be in.

The pacing of the book is actually pretty quick, driven by a the dialogue which helps to create a real feeling of the time in which the book is set. I did get a sense of the setting too, the descriptions of the Yorkshire towns and countryside coming through clearly in the narrative. Because this book is set in the 90s, there is a fair amount of prejudice and homophobia that comes through in the book, particularly from certain characters, but this is very reflective of the time, and only really from specific characters. It lends itself to the story, and one of the reasons that Adrian is perhaps less than transparent about some if the things he is a party to. It also leads to him making a few questionable decisions which put him in a very difficult position, and add conflict to the already growing tension.

I liked the character of Adrian, and his best friend, Gav. He doesn't always make the best decisions, but his heart is in the right place. Sheila was perhaps a bit harder to warm to, and I wasn't initially sure if she was just after a scoop, or if solving the case was going to be a kind of cathartic moment for her too. She came good in the end though, with an unlikely friendship between her and Adrian offering them both the clues they need to uncover a killer. Speaking of which, their identity remains a well hidden secret until nearly the end of the book, the author using plenty of red herrings to steer our attention in other directions. There are clues a plenty, but only of use when you understand their context, and it is a real team effort to get to the bottom of what is really going on.

Whether Adrian and Sheila catch their Lollipop Man you'll have to read the book to find out, but I really enjoyed my foray into their. An entertaining and engrossing read, perfectly plotted and executed to keep the suspense and mystery going right to the very end.

A bit of a slow starter.
Adrian is a newspaper reporter and when a child goes missing it brings back memories of years ago when three children go missing but only one turns up alive and that`s Adrian.
When another child goes missing the police think it`s the same man as years ago.Sheila was a journalist when the first three children went missing and so is now determined to find out who the killer is.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.