The Stolen Girls

Detective Lottie Parker, Book 2

By: Patricia Gibney

Narrated by: Michele Moran

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

The young woman standing on Lottie's step was a stranger. She was clutching the hand of a young boy. "Help me," she said to Lottie. "Please help me."

One Monday morning, the body of a young pregnant woman is found. The same day, a mother and her son visit the house of Detective Lottie Parker, begging for help to find a lost friend.

Could this be the same girl?

When a second victim is discovered by the same man, with the murder bearing all the same hallmarks as the first, Lottie needs to work fast to discover how else the two were linked. Then two more girls go missing.

Detective Lottie Parker is a woman on the edge, haunted by her tragic past and struggling to keep her family together through difficult times. Can she fight her own demons and catch the killer before he claims another victim?

The Stolen Girls is a gripping thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter, and Robert Dugoni.

©2017 Patricia Gibney (P)2023 Bookouture

Great Story concept... bad execution

I like this series, and the dynamics of these characters. but i have a couple areas that really had me irritated while listening to this second book:
1. while we may say this depicts real life scenarios of troubled home life....i can't help but think; I know you need money, but seriously, your home is all but destroyed, all 3 children are truly messed up (psychologically)... how in the world can you possibly be a detective saving others lives while your own is SO MESSED UP. not just a little, but WAY OVER THE TOP. AND SHE'S hooked on meds herself. what human being could truly withstand her story, loss of spouse, everything from book one that messed up her kids, she's a recovering alcoholic on meds. I would seriously bench her to a desk job until she got herself squared away. it's not safe for any of them? 2. for them being detectives and studying clues, I knew much of what was coming...and found myself talking back to the book saying saying "seriously... you are going there, saying that, overlooking that...wth? wake up" going back to point #1... she's way too distracted for her job. Detrimentally so. have the character go on medical leave for a year, her her family and head back in the game, clearly 4 months did nothing for any of them?
3. maybe it's just me, but the relationship with Boyd seems good for her, though she's the boss or they are colleauges, so they shouldn't be involved...but i don't like how she's always telling him to F....-off! in a serious tone or manner. when he's telling her something she doesn't like. That's not playing, flirting or hard to get... that's just disrespectful to a human being.
overall, not a bad story, but seriously, the author needs to help her characters out a little. it's hard to worry about the facts of the case, when you're thinking about the main character just needing a major overhaul in her OWN life, but too busy trying to Save the world one lost child at a time OTHER THAN HER OWN. Why don't you start there Lottie!

When Editors Fall Asleep on the Job

This is an open letter to the author, editors, and publishers. There are myriad continuity issues and missing links in this novel and those
responsible for its publication "as is" should be ashamed of themselves. It's as if no one bothered to read through this novel
before it was published. In other words, if you're looking to read a review as you consider purchasing this book, there may be spoilers
ahead and no, I would not recommend it for your reading pleasure. I'll try to mask names as much as possible below in case you read this
review and still buy the book.

Continuity Issues:

(1) In one scene, Lottie describes an event to her team involving one of the peripheral, criminal characters absconding with a blue dress. I remember thinking “when did that happen?” It was answered for me a
couple of chapters later when a missing girl’s mother describes the incident for the first time. Say what? Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy!

(2) In one scene, a character has coffee spilled on his shirt and says “that was my last shirt". Later that night, a female character comes
by his home and puts on one of his shirts. (Did she pull it from his dirty clothes?) Then, the next morning the character puts on one of
his shirts. (Maybe in the middle of this serial killer investigation he stopped by the dry cleaners? Hmmmm). And to make matters more bizarre. He then goes to take a shower before work (but he's already dressed). Perplexing.

(3) Lottie says to a character "we think she’s been abducted in conjunction with your business, not run off with a boyfriend as you
would have us believe“. Actually, it was the other ways around. Lottie thought the daughter might have run off and the character to whom
she's speaking (for the first time) has advised her his daughter has been abducted in conjunction with his business. Seriously, did anyone even attempt to edit this book?

(4) My favorite! Lottie is surrounded by a very thick fog, so thick she can't see even a hint of the streetlamps. About a paragraph later,
the predator sees "the detective through the fog". Is Lottie going blind or does the predator have some kind of bionic seeing that cuts
through fog?!

Missing Links or Elements that Make No Sense

(1) There is suddenly a van that contains evidence. I went back to relisten to ensure I didn't miss something, but it really came out of
nowhere and I have no idea how they came across it.

(2) Lottie and Boyd go looking for the killer. They're driving quickly when Lottie tells Boyd to stop so she can get out of the car. There's
no context for why they're heading in that direction or why they stopped there. Did Eamon get a text back from the killer? Was this
implied? Did I somehow miss it?

(3) Why did this merciless psychopath let the two children go? Confused.

(4) Why didn't an early suspect not recognize his girlfriend's writing? I'm not going to go back and relisten but I even think they might have shown him her picture. Weird.

(5) Why does the reader read every foreign name so precisely? (This is now the fault of the producers and not the publisher) Or is this
reflective of some kind of Irish Police sensitivity training where you must speak every immigrant's name exactly as intended in their
dialect. Whatever the case, it came across as inauthentic.

Very Spoilerish

What’s the redemption theme about? Generally in novels like these, there would a character who had some sort or psychoerotic, religious
pathology. This made absolutely no sense here. He was going to free them or was he getting revenge for his father? Did any thought go into this character's development at all? Even a little bit?

The whole novel, while there was potential, was simply put...a hot mess. This was my second shot at Gibney's work, I will not make that
mistake a third time.

Quickly becoming a fave series

First the negative. The narrator is SLOW, but on 1.25 works great. Also, I'm not sure how tired I am with cases (not just in this series but in others) involving the lead's family/friend/lover but I'm close to being over it. Why can't a lead just have family/friends/lovers that just exist and not be haunted by the plot line.

That said I really like Lottie Parker and her gang. It's filled with suspense, complicated relationships, police procedural, and action - I say it's a perfect mix. I can't wait to read the next one.

Another chilling novel

A suspenseful take with many twists and turns. There is investigation of horrific murders of young women found in town construction sites.
Lottie has just returned to work and her family is still dealing with the post traumatic stress from book one. One character Andre is a young man from Kosovo who witnessed and experienced firsthand unimaginable war crimes. He keeps finding the bodies of women who were stolen for the sex trade. The victims also had a kidney surgically removed presumably to be sold on the black market for organ transplants.
We learn more about her husband Adam who was involved in peace keeping missions in Kosovo before he died of cancer. And we experience some of the heartache her children are having after the events of book one.
Boyd's not yet ex Jackie has returned to town with her surly criminal boyfriend. It's complicated...and the narrator is amazing.

she's a terrible mother!

I like the plot lines of these books but she's an awful person and treats people badly. it almost makes it intolerable to listen to

Loved book ll

I enjoyed the storyline as well as the narrator. I especially like that the author keeps every one on the same page. No pun intended. There isn't a single twist in the story that isn't explained. I enjoyed it very much.

Got through ok...

Some improvement over the first... will probably try next In Series simply because I do feel that the characters can be redeemed, they can grow, they CAN be better!!! I wouldn’t say don’t give the series a try, but I can not RAVE about it any way.
Lottie doesn’t seem to have found awareness (yet) of her own place I. Her own life— or those of her children... I do not think any mother would be this way— no matter how “hardcore” and driven a detective she is. It’s like she is talking the talk, but not walking the walk. She adores them, but leaves them to fend for themselves ( despite being told by them, her mother, her Sargent... she can’t get out of her own way—- but to make this interesting, we have to at least, see her TRY. Haven’t seen that yet...

Long time to develop

It just repeats over and over. She is a bad mom and bad detective. Also, the fact that her partner saved her life and they were romantically connected seems to be forgotten by the author. Very Disappointing.

Good story and performance

However, the investigators are either totally blind to obvious clues or so emotionally reactive they can’t see the clues. Kept waiting for some character development but they just stayed the same. Too bad. Great potential.

Good story but Characters lack autenticity

I struggled to finish this one. Lottie is a mess, Boyd is an idiot who never thinks an obvious clue is anything to follow up, and the superintendent doesn't care at all about solving crime, only yelling anything anyone who does. I lf these characters worked in a real police station the criminals would love it!

A fabulously intricate story, and great narration

Loved the first book, adored the second. Ms Gibney is proper good at this story weaving malarkey. Great characters with depth and flaws. Plenty of 'he's behind you' pantomime type moments to keep you shouting randomly in the street with your headphones on. Also thank you for a wonderful performance Ms Moran. Could listen to you read the phone book!

Fantastic listening

Great! Totally gripping. Great story line had me guessing all the way with a great twist at the end.

Brilliant

Second book from this author. Both brilliant, great reader. Recommend. Lottie Parker and Boyd's chemistry make it even better.

a brilliant book

this book kept me hook all the way .a real twister of a story but easy to follow.the narration was good too ,a voice so easy too sit and listen to .I have to say I enjoyed this story more than book 1 but both were worth a read

Gritty murder mystery

What made the experience of listening to The Stolen Girls the most enjoyable?

The characters who we got to know in book1. The story is great. It has all the hallmarks of a great book. Very well researched . Very real drama .

What did you like best about this story?

All of it. Great story . Great momentum. Great narrator.

Have you listened to any of Michele Moran’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Always excellent .

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Without a doubt I want to listen to end. Wanted to get to end but when I did I was disappointed because I now have to wait until next book.

Any additional comments?

I love this series . Lottie Parker and her family are great family with all the dramas that happen in real life. I love the way the author has made all the characters so real for me. Long Live Lottie Parker

Loved this just as much as the first

I’m addicted to the D.I Lottie Parker audio books. Patricia is such a brilliant author keeping you on your toes and guessing the next twist. Read exceptionally well by Michele Moran. Just fantastic

Excellent

Excellent. Brilliant narration which brings the book alive. Can't wait for the next Lottie Parker adventure!

yet another griping addictive story

a well told story with lots of twists and turns. I would highly recommend it.

Gripping Crime Fiction

I have just finished the second book by Patricia Gibney and can't wait for the third! Some of the best crime fiction I have read in some time. Up there with Anne Cleaves and Peter May. Brilliant!

Wow

These characters are so engaging. I'm really looking forward to no.3. There were times where I just couldn't stop listening, even when I was tired. I've barely seen any tv over the last few days. The promise of the debut has been built on. I love a gripping, tense, psychological thriller and Patricia Gibney delivers - but she's made her own stamp on the genre.