The Lost Boy

The Fjällbacka Series, Book 7

By: Camilla Läckberg

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

From internationally best-selling Swedish crime sensation Camilla Läckberg comes a new psychological thriller - irresistible for fans of Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbø.

Mats Sverin was Fjällbacka's financial director on a regeneration project worth millions. When he's found dead, detective Patrik Hedström must find answers.

It seems Mats was a man who everybody liked yet nobody really knew - a man with something to hide. Is it just a coincidence that his high school sweetheart, Nathalie, has returned to the area? Does she know who Mats really was?

Nathalie has her own secret. Something has forced her and her five-year-old son to flee to their remote family home on the Ghost Isle, where she'll shield her son from the evils of the world.

But as the murder investigation draws a blank, the police have to dig deeper - and before long, everyone's lives will be dragged into the light.

©2016 Camilla Läckberg (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Really 3.5 rating

If I could have given this a 3.5 rating, I would have. It takes quite a while to sort out all the characters, especially since they all (except for the evil ones) seem to be gaga about children and kind of boring; however, the story line, once it develops, is pretty interesting. Simon Vance is a good reader, but he may be overdoing the Swedish accent. At times it seemed almost parodic (like the two Brit television comedians who used to do "Swedish.") I'm not sure I'll get another of Lackberg's novels.

Very good mystery

I couldn't stop listening to this one! The plot twists were surprisingly and unexpected.

I like this author….

I do enjoy this writer, but I struggled with this book. Each chapter is very short - and we read about different characters in each chapter - but they aren’t very “developed” and I kept thinking at the beginning of each chapter … “OK who is this now?”.

I think it was 10-12 times that I was tempted to just give up and not finish - took days to finish, I found myself going back to re-listen to understand who the new character was. Torture.

But, glad I didn’t give up. Had the Island situation figured out very very early on…but all in all it was OK. Narration was very well done!!!

A Real Thriller

One of Camilla Lackberg’s finest. Once I started listening, I had to keep on. Camilla interplay’s characters and subplots effortlessly, and almost has you gripping the edge of your seat !

I like this author

This book doesn't seem to have the same glue (as in glued to it) as several oh her earlier mysteries. I was glad to pick up with the interesting characters who people these books. (Each book does stand alone.) It was worth the price.

Terrible narration

I rated the story only because I had to in order to write a review. The narration is so strange and inappropriate that I can't listen to it and will return it. And make a note to myself not to get a book with this narrator.

Excellent in every regard

Simon Vance is remarkable. He does an excellent job bringing Ms. Lackberg's story to life. Great series!

Better Than Most

Though still just a predictable thriller, this book was a cut above most of the genre. The writing was decent and the plot was well paced without manipulative red herrings. Great for a road trip listen.
The narrator was excellent.

Best yet!

My favorite book yet of this series- love all characters n enjoy ther complexity as they become more n more layered …. Yet this story was most interesting to me- especially with the intrigue of past n present on “ghost island “🥰

Skip this one- *Spoilers*

Simon Vance is a stunning narrator as usual but was really disappointed in the book and I have been addicted to the entire Ice Princess series.

It isn’t realistic that Erica would not suffer any trauma after a head on collision where her sister lost her child. Dumping more bad luck on Anna while Erica becomes a dull housewife who seems to be completely fine after such an event bothered me. I loved Erica the writer, the crime writer coupled with her husband solving the crimes- that was a fantastic concept. However she is becoming boring and a little annoying. I hope in the next few novels we see her take a break from making children and get back to her and Patrick’s intimate and close relationship. The reader didn’t get much of that as they were already pregnant after the first book. Now she just sits at home and her mystique is gone. Mystery novels are supposed to be an exciting escape! Not a dreary reminder of a bored housewife constantly poking around in her husbands job because she has no life of her own. Even Anna is more complex. Go back to character development and work on giving Erica her own individual charm that allowed us to fall in love with her in the Ice Princess.
*fingers crossed*