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.

I really enjoyed this book it was paced really well, the tension and suspense worked really and it was so atmospheric. I also thought the idea of the lollipop man was great and I haven't anything like that before

The Lollipop Man by Daniel Sellers is an atmospheric novel set in Yorkshire in the early 90's and late 70's/80's, it is a story of child abduction and who might be carrying out this heinous crime, the only thing anyone knows is a man dressed as a lollipop man is luring little girls away, sadly they are never found. As to the overall story it does highlight some of the predjudices of the time and there are a lot of characters to keep track of which does distract from the thread of the story, but its not a bad read.

"The Lollipop Man" by Daniel Sellers is a gripping and twisty crime mystery that transports the reader to a Yorkshire village community, home of the Lollipop Man who kidnapped and killed three children in 1986 before a ten-year-old boy named Matthew escaped. Seven years later, another child goes missing, the community fears that the Lollipop Man has returned.

Adrian Brown discovers the body of the missing child and reports it anonymously to protect his identity. As a child Adrian's parents changed his after his escape from the killer. Sheila Hargreaves, troubled by her involvement in the reporting of the previous abductions is determined to atone for her mistakes by finally bringing the Lollipop Man to justice.

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.

Thank you Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a solid read with a very confusing storyline but it is still an interesting read. There is a host of characters to get to grips with, which I found difficult, and the plotting centres around the disappearance of an 11 year old girl. I really felt sorry for 18 year old Adrian, the main character, and his friend Gav, as he struggles with the investigation. The media circus is very of it's time in 1974 and is well described, as is the Yorkshire setting but the book just failed to work for me. There are a few twists along the way to what felt like a rushed ending. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This was one creepy and emotional thriller that I did not want it to finish. I was completely hooked during this fantastic ride of a great story.
There are many aspects to this book which are intertwined very well, the previous kidnapping of young girls but ne boy let go unharmed, the modern kidnappings and the constant reminders hanging over the village of the Moors murders and the Yorkshire Ripper murders. The plot was extremely well executed with indepth character descriptions that kept me on the seat of my chair trying to evaluate who was responsible and with every new clue I kept changing my mind. I did feel sorry for Adrian who was depicted as an insipid male who did not know why his father hated him so much and could not work out why he was taken by the murderer and then released without being harmed.
It is a very well written story by an author that I have not read before but I will certainly be on the look out for more by him.

A dark and twisted crime mystery set in 1994 following the disappearance of a young girl and echoing a similar case from a decade earlier. This is a multi layered story, set in a community still haunted by the terrible Moors Murders and Yorkshire Ripper. I was disturbed and enthralled.

When young Sarah is taken, the locals feel it’s by the Lollipop Man who terrorised their town over ten years ago. Three children were taken and killed, with another that was lucky enough to escape. Several saw a Road crossing, Lollipop Man at the time of the abductions. Adrian is working for a local paper and starts to investigate Sarah’s disappearance, unbeknown to anyone else, Adrian has a insider’s knowledge of the previous abductions and is desperate to seek out the truth and Sarah’s whereabouts.
There are multiple layers to the plot and a twist that keeps you hooked. As a new author to me, this book will you leave you wanting to read more. An excellently executed thriller with first class writing.

I did find this a bit confusing to start with as there were so many characters being introduced but with a fairly thin storyline so it was hard to remember who was who. Thankfully it got much better and ended up having plenty of twists and turns which leads you to race towards the end so that you can find what actually happened and who did it.

Sadly this book was not for me I gave up at 50% it held so much promise but unfortunately for me it did not deliver. It was so slow and with so many pov it was confusing at times read. As I didn’t finish I’ll not review publicly.

Not sure about this book personally, I found it didn't really hold my attention in the storyline.

For me it was different to what I was expecting, a bit too slow in parts and not an edge of seater for me unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley and Allison and Busby for this ARC, just wish I had enjoyed it more.

The Lollipop Man by Daniel Sellers is a chilling, atmospheric thriller that expertly blends past and present to unravel a gripping mystery. Set in West Yorkshire in 1994, the story follows Adrian Brown, an eighteen-year-old who works at a local newspaper. Beneath his seemingly ordinary life, however, lies a traumatic past: as a child, Adrian was kidnapped by a figure known as "The Lollipop Man," who had previously abducted three other children. Adrian was the only one to escape.

When another child goes missing, mirroring the previous cases, speculation grows that the Lollipop Man has returned. Sheila Hargreaves, a journalist who was involved in the initial media coverage, is determined to atone for her role and uncover the truth. The investigation pulls Adrian into its grip when he stumbles upon a body, pushing him to confront his haunting past and take on the dark mystery that surrounds the abductions.

Sellers crafts a fast-paced, suspenseful narrative, filled with tension and emotional depth. The parallel storylines of Adrian’s past and the present-day investigation are skillfully woven, keeping readers captivated from start to finish. With its eerie atmosphere, complex characters, and a plot full of twists, The Lollipop Man is a brilliant read that delivers both intrigue and emotional impact.

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This book seemed promising at the start. I liked the fact that it was "told" by journalists rather than police or investigators. but it just seemed to loose my attention after so many being involved and slow progression into the story. I found myself skipping some of the pages that seemed to ramble.

I was very interested in the premise of this book, and happy to receive an ARC. It was intriguing and gripping, culminating in me reading it in a couple of days.

A recommended author and novel.

The novel is a gripping thriller full of unexpected twists and relentless suspense. Its fast-paced plot keeps you hooked as secrets unravel and danger closes in. While some twists may be predictable, the tension and high stakes make for a great read.

Another decent read from an equally decent author. Perhaps doesn’t grip you like some, but I found it enjoyable enough.

I enjoyed this one.
A different angle, not coming from the police this time and it really worked.
Solid plot, well executed.
Many thanks.

This is my first read by Daniel Sellers which I enjoyed. I felt that the book started off quite slowly and it took me a while to become familiar with the characters and how they fit into the story. There are characters I liked and loathed. The story is set in the 1990s and focuses around a missing girl, and is told through different characters. Initially I found this hard to follow at first, and, for me, having the characters name at the beginning of the chapter would have made this an easier book to read. I think the writing is good and the story really begins to pick up pace over half way through. The plot is intricate, multi layered and goes off in ways I didn't expect and towards the end I was hooked and needed to know what was coming next and who was behind the abduction(s). Overall a good, enjoyable read but one which didn't really wow me. I'd recommend this if you like crime mystery books.

3 stars

I'm on a roll of choosing books that have a few too many characters, making them hard to follow at times. This book falls into that category and it sort of took me out of the story.

That being said, this kind of book works for many people. So, if you read the blurb and you're intrigued by The Lollipop Man, read it! The premise is rather interesting and some of the main characters are rather compelling.