Lost Souls

A Rick Bentz/Reuben Montoya Novel, Book 5

By: Lisa Jackson

Narrated by: Joyce Bean

Twenty-seven-year-old Kristi Bentz is lucky to be alive. Not many people her age have nearly died twice at the hands of a serial killer and lived to tell about it. Her dad, New Orleans detective Rick Bentz, wants Kristi to stay in New Orleans and out of danger. But if anything, Kristi's experiences have made her even more fascinated by the mind of the serial killer. She hasn't given up her dream of being a true-crime writer - of exploring the darkest recesses of evil - and now she just may get her chance.

Four girls have disappeared at All Saints College in less than two years. All four were "lost souls" - troubled, vulnerable girls with no one to care about them, no one to come looking if they disappeared. The police think they're runaways, but Kristi senses there's something that links them, something terrifying. She decides to enroll, following their same steps.

All Saints has changed a lot since Kristi was an undergraduate. The stodgy Catholic college has lured edgy new professors to its campus and gained a reputation for envelope-pushing, with classes like the very popular "The Influence of Vampirism in Modern Culture and Literature" and elaborately staged morality plays that feel more like the titillating entertainment of some underground club than religious spectacles. And there are whispers of a dark cult on campus whose members wear vials of blood around their necks and meet in secret chambers - rituals to which only the elite have access.

To find the truth, Kristi will need to become part of the cult's inner circle, to learn their secrets, and play the part of lost soul without losing herself in the process. It's a dangerous path, and Kristi is skating on its knife-thin edge.

©2008 Susan Lisa Jackson (P)2008 Brilliance Audio

Just can’t stop

The series just keeps getting better !
I can’t just seem to stop once I’ve started! Ready for the next book.

Excellent LIsten

I suggest you listen to "Absolute Fear" before Lost Souls. Absolute Fear introduces you to Rick Bentz and his daughter Kristi, to Eve (Kristi's half sister) and Cole Dennis and to a seriel killer. Both are great they have so many twist and turns, they keep you wanting to not turn your ipod off

Haunting

I am such a fan of Ms. Jackson's writing that I am slowly but surely purchasing everything she comes out with. This book was so intense I could not stop listening to it!

Love it

I love the lady voice that is reading this story. She really pulled me into the story made me feel like a was a character in the book.

WOW

This is the best book i've read in awhile. This is not my normal type of book but if you like the paranormal. Couldn't hardly wait till the end, but really didn't want it to. The closer I got to the end the more I started guessing about who did it. BOY was I surprised I was no where close.

Story line

Not enough about the detective, too much about the daughter.

A good follow up

I really liked this follow up in the New Orleans series. It was interested in seeing the story be about Kristy instead of her father Rick. I like the romance angle between Kristy and Jay, not as played out as some of her other novels but still good nonetheless. And I will say the whole vampire plot was certainly different from any Lisa Jackson story I’ve read or rather, listened to.

Definitely like continuation and I’m excited to listen to the next book in the series. As of right now I still feel that cold blooded is the best in the series though, Hot blooded was also good. I know there’s a few more books left in the series and I’m excited to get into them especially the next one I won’t spoil but the cliffhanger at the end is really interesting.

This is a definite read for those who have read the previous three novels in the series.

If you’re just starting with this book I recommend going back and listening to the first three novels just to kind of give some backstory on some of the characters as well as previous things that happened.

I would give this a solid: 7/10

it was a good continuation but not as good as the previous novels for me but I’m really excited to see where the story goes from here.

There are a few criticisms however:

1. I did enjoy all the characters in this however I feel that Kristys Character at some point just seems pretty stupid especially with decisions she made. Like especially talking to Dr. Groto after hearing his arguement and getting information that way but then only to interview him and ask a bunch of questions that would make him really suspicious especially after what she just heard and say about her. I enjoyed Her character but at times her stubbornness was pretty annoying especially when the obvious thing to do would be going to the police but for just no reason being so stubborn just didn’t make any sense to me.

2. So ill address the elephant in the room With the vampire thing, Like I said it was really different from previous stories were most were just about a psychotic killer and each killer was just one person that did things in their own way with their own sick twisted ways that they would get off. However, This was interesting with two killers so the vampire thing is kind of silly it does work and at times is pretty entertaining but there are also times that it really just seems kind of lame I was like kind of a way to try to change it up from the normal. There was times I enjoyed it but then there were times about the vampire stuff that was just really long and drawn out and it was kind of just like all right like I understand what’s going on but can we kind of just get to the point.

3. Not much other criticism really just at some parts of the story it just felt like somethings were taking a little long to progress or there were some points like where Kristy hears Dr. grotos argument and then she plans on telling Jay about it but then we never hear her tell Jay about it and that just kind of disappointed me a little bit.

In conclusion I really did enjoy the story there were some criticisms but overall it was a good continuation that’s why I gave it a seven out of 10 because I felt like it was good as a continuation but not as good as the previous novels hopefully the future novels will improve on it which I’m looking forward to

Very well written

I enjoyed the entire book from beginning to ending. I love anything written by Lisa Jackson.

Vampire Tactics Used to Kill

Christie had been staying with her father, Rick Bence, a police officer and her stepmother, Olivia, while she recuperated from being attacked twice. Her attacker had never been identified. She felt it was time to move on and be on her own once again. They all were aware that there had been unsolved murders at All Saint's College. Christie had once been enrolled at the college but did not finish.

Christie left for All Saint's College, located in Baton Rouge, La. She wanted to be a crime writer. She had her stories published in other arenas but had never written a book. Christie was registered in a class that would be taught by a past boyfriend. He saw her name on his list of students who would be in the class that he would be teaching. Teaching was not his full time job. He was to teach a course about crime.

There is a killer on campus who selects girls who are loners. These young women don't have boyfriends. They are insecure, have a lack of self esteem and stand out as easy prey for the killer.

The killer taught at the college. He would select his next victim before he would strike. The student would know who he was and considered him to be an okay person. I've heard it said that the victim usually knows their murderer.

The book was an easy mystery to listen to. I've heard Joyce Bean narrate before and I was pleased with her narration. I've read other books by Lisa Jackson but did not find Lost Souls to be as enjoyable as Left to Die, another book by her that I have just finished. Lost Souls is the first novel I've read with a vampire as the protagonist and I've learned what I have thought about vampires, not my kind of book. I don't want to deter other reader's from reading this novel, especially if they enjoy vampire novels. I had to finish the book and hear the end.

Good Not Great

Would you consider the audio edition of Lost Souls to be better than the print version?

Didn't read print

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Once I got about halfway through it. Started building too slow

Have you listened to any of Joyce Bean’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Probably but don't remember

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Christy let her guard down and admitted to herself that she loved Jay