The Lost Hours

#TheLostHours #NetGalley
A phenomenal psychological thriller.
Annie and David Crayce have it all. A loving marriage, three beautiful children and a thriving family business. Life couldn’t be better. Until the unthinkable happens…
A perfect crime? A piece of damning DNA evidence has arisen, placing David as the prime suspect of a murder committed twenty-years ago. Annie is sure her David is innocent. But if he isn’t guilty, then either his father or brother must be.
As the police investigate the cold case, so does Annie.
I loved it very much. I would recommend this to everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advanced copy.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction, for the ARC.

WOW! I feel as if I've just binge-read/watched a fabulous TV series. I didn't want to put it down at all, but this certainly is a very long read - not, I hasten to add, that it was unnecessarily padded-out - it wasn't, the writing is excellent and, although the main characters, especially Annie do a lot of thinking, this purposefully feeds into the plot.

It's December 2019 and the reader is taken into the heart of the Crayce family on Hanley Court Estate, high on Exmoor. Annie and David, together with their three children, have a thriving shooting school and entertainment facility. David's widowed father Dickie lives in the gatehouse cottage and David's brother Henry and wife Julia live further over the moor. with Henry and Dickie working with the shooting school and organised moorland shoots across the country and Julia running stables and a donkey sanctuary and helping Annie with the business administration. Annie's parents live not far away, as do Julia's mother and aunt (I'm deliberately describing this family because there are a lot of characters to get to grips with as central to this complex plot).
This is a very close and loving family on the surface but gradually insecurities within relationships begin to surface, so perhaps all is not what it seems.
Their world is blown apart by a familial DNA match being made by the police between the unsolved murder of Karen Lomax, a promiscuous 17yr-old whose body was found 20 years previously, and one of the Crayce men. David is subsequently dramatically arrested but, until individual DNA swab results are returned in a period of 2 weeks - well, was it Dickie, Henry or David?
Amidst the inevitable questioning and recriminations within the family Annie is determined to find proof that David couldn't be responsible, whilst DS Natalie Rundle is equally determined to prove that he was. Can they remember what they were all doing 20 years previously when Karen disappeared? David has problems with that stemming from his days in the Army and realises there would be no way to prove his innocence. How can Annie help him? Why can he not explain himself?

I loved the way the characters are brought to life; the frenetic business and family life - even the dog, Cassie. DS Natalie Rundle has her own insecurities to confront, as well as an attraction to her boss DCI Gould. She's a no-nonsense go-getter, but she's got a heart.
Now, I know some may say that, following the conclusion of this explosive story with all it's twists and sensational revelations, the final chapters may not be necessary - oh, but they are, because this is what Susan Lewis does so well - there are no loose ends, everything is physically and emotionally tidied away.

This book is an emotionally-exhausting roller-coaster ride of a thriller.
A-maze-ing!

I love Susan Lewis and her books and wait eagerly for the next one to be published.

This one starts with a cold case from 20 years ago being reopened after DNA is taken from the teenaged daughter of a local businessman after a “prank” goes wrong. When her DNA enters the police system it is found to have a familial match with a crime from a generation ago, when a 17 year old was found murdered. This link puts the businessman, his brother and father all firmly in the spotlight as the murderer...leaving an extended family distraught and at loggerheads whilst they try to get their heads around this news.

I couldn’t put this book down and even when 3/4 of the way through I couldn’t see how it would be resolved - but Susan does it again and wraps up the book in style. Would recommend.

The Crace family are a close-knit tribe. David, Henry and Julia run a hunting and shooting business on their Exmoor estate, while their parents live nearby. One day, a policewoman knocks on the door and David is led away under armed guard, accused of the historic murder of a local barmaid, Karen. Then a childhood friend, Chrissie, arrives on the scene, claiming to have been a witness.. Strong characters, a twisty plot and the lovely descriptions of Exmoor scenery make this a great read.

Great writer great book,

A whodunit that keeps you guessing only it doesn't because you think well it obvious but is it thats mainly but the detectives a bit as well but mainly Annie's. What kept me hooked was if they did it how and why. David his Brother or Dads DNA is identified as being on the clothes of Karen a 17 year old girl or lady (depends how you look at it), who was murdered and her body was dumped 20 years before our story starts. The story is told from Annie's view she is Davids hard working wife with a comfortable life or it was. They have three children and a close family both the 5 of them and the wider family with all the living parents loving each other as well as the rest if them you get the picture. There is also a big gun lawyer that's on the family's side and very good at his job who happens to be a family friend. Can I say it doesn't come across as sickly sweet probably because of the ordeal facing them and the skills of the author Susan Lewis whose books are always with reading.

Why did I like this book? Why i did i give it 5 stars 🌟 because it genuinely had my attention i didn't want to put it down and I felt for the main characters, i was able to escape into their world and forget about mine. I don't have a bad life but it's good to wander without hurting any others and good books or rather writers let you do that. This is one of those so I really recommend it and hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

This is a captivating and intriguing read, you won't want to put it down. I love how the story wove itself around each chapter, at the end of the chapter it leaves you hanging, so I felt as though I had to read on. The storyline is a good one where you never really know what is going to happen and is full of mystery. David is suspected as the prime suspect of a murder that happened several years back, DNA evidence shows it, his wife can't believe her husband did it? but is David guilty or is someone else from his family guilty? webs of lies and betrayals surface to make one hell of a ride to find out who the murderer is. Will it be David? I think this is my most favourite of Susan's books yet. Though all of her books are brilliant.

Another hit for Susan Lewis!
David and Annie Crayce seem to have it all. Three children, a beautiful home, a successful shooting business and an enviable lifestyle. Following a police incident involving daughter Sienna, DNA is taken which links David to the murder of 17 year old Karen Lomax 20 years earlier. As police investigate the cold case Annie doesn’t doubt her husband’s innocence but her belief in him doesn’t stop the occasional fleeting thought of ‘could he have done it’. Familial DNA also means either David, his brother or his father are guilty which inevitably causes tension and friction within the wider family. Annie finds her diary from that year to try to find answers but a few hours are unaccounted for.
After a few chapters I thought I’d figured out ‘whodunnit’. I should have known better with a Susan Lewis read. Many twists and turns meant I was wrong. The mystery isn’t solved till the last chapter meaning I just couldn’t put it down!
Many thanks to Rachel Quin, HarperCollins and netgalley for the opportunity to read this fabulous book. I so enjoyed it

Well she's done it again! Another absolutely fantastic read which has pulled me into the pages and completely consumed me until I had read every last page.

I adore Susan's books, I know they will never disappoint and contain a gritty drama for me to figure out. I have loved this one, it has been unlike anything I've read previously. I thought I had it figured out but have been completely wrong.

Susan has built up each character in this book. They are unique, full of individual personality and relatable. I adore that we get to know them do well in this one.

This is so well written I feel as though I have been watching the events play out in front of me. I have loved everything about this book and cannot say anything negative. This might be my new favourite of Susan's books.

This has been completely different to anything I've read previously and I love how unique this book has been. This is definitely a book that will capture your attention and keep you wanting more.

This is a definite five star read, I have loved absolutely everything about this book. I'm so excited that I only need to wait until Autumn for Susan's next book. This is a must read and I'm sure will be a popular seller.

Wow! What can I say! I was invited to read this book but became hospitalised with covid for 10 days and couldn’t read or concentrate! As soon as I was home I started the lost hours as I’ve always been such a huge fan of Susan’s books and this one surpassed them all! A beautiful moorland setting,an extended generational family living and working in an establishment together that outwardly looks idyllic. Suddenly plunged into the worst nightmare imaginable from an incident that occurred over 20 years ago! Familiar DNA and all the repercussions that are associated with it turned the families lives into an unimaginable nightmare, the police procedures, reopening old cases and being reacquainted with familiar faces such as andee Lawrence makes for a fantastic, enthralling read that will grip you from start to finish! Would highly recommend to all!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

A warm and loving family, what could possibly go wrong?
Susan Lewis is a master at taking you through a whole range of emotions and twists and turns. Who could of guessed at the ending, I certainly didn’t!
My only constructive criticism is that too many characters were introduced in the beginning, which I found confusing.
I enjoyed reading about this part of the country and catching up with Andee again.
I only live a couple of miles away from the Lady’s Wood Shooting School which was the inspiration for Hanley Combe, it was exciting to read that in the acknowledgments.
All in all, I highly recommend reading this book.

Susan Lewis has done it again. Couldn't put it down. Gripping from start to finish.
David, Annie and their 3 kids, davids brother and wife and their dad are about to have their world collapse. A 20 Yr old murder is now being investigated again after a recent finding of a DNA match. Familial DNA. Can only belong to David, his brother Henry or their dad. David seems to be prime suspect. All 3 know that for them to be eliminated it means one they love is guilty.
Really enjoyed this read and wow!! The twist!!!! Excellent.
Thanks to netgalley and publishes for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another of Susan's books that had me gripped from the start. Life is good for the Crayce family until daughter Sienna is involved in a teenage prank. From there everything unravels until I had no idea how it could all be explained.. This is a great family drama involving police procedures following familial DNA evidence. I didn't want it to end , but it was a good ending.
Well done Susan for another great story. Highly recommended

Having read previous novels by Susan Lewis, I knew that I was in for a good read and wasn’t disappointed.
The plot involves DNA evidence being discovered which is connected to a brutal murder committed 20 years ago. The police decide to investigate successful businessman, David Crayce and his family.
David and his wife Annie are a happy charismatic couple with three children, living close to their relatives in a beautiful moorlands setting. The characters involved in the plot are superbly and empathetically described by Susan Lewis you feel you know and like them, though several are more complex. The first chapters are spent introducing the characters before the police visit the family and begin questioning David, his brother and father.
I like the way the detective in charge of the investigation DS Natalie Rundle , has a past, which is hinted at and how her own past bitter experience could influence her intuition. Dialogue is crisp and clear, and the book is well plotted, with twists and turns along the way. Several chapters are told by other characters, which gives a more in-depth rounded picture.
The story evolves at a brisk, steady pace, keeping you interested in the developing plot, with an unexpected ending. Susan Lewis is becoming one of my favourite authors, and can’t wait for her next book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy of this outstanding thriller. The whole Crayce family are successful and well liked. When teenager Sienna gets caught up in a shop lifting incident her DNA shows a family connection to a 20 year old murder of a teenage girl. The Police open up a cold case with Dad and both sons as prime suspects. When the DNA results come back they make a arrest but have they got the right person? Slowly the case unfolds with twists and turns. Then the shocking truth is revealed. A gripping page turner I highly recommend.

Fabulous which I knew it would be all her books are it’s about a murder 20 years ago which becomes a living nightmare for the Crayce Family who live a privileged life and have everything so perfect when a teddy bear comes to light with DNA on it I hadn’t a clue who had done it there was so many twists so great surprise when all was revealed. I definitely recommend this gripping book and thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy.

It's been a while since I read a Susan Lewis book and I'd forgotten how much I love the tangled web she weaves.

The premise of this is that things that happen in the past never really go away and often come back to haunt us in the most unexpected ways.

It starts with a stolen teddy bear and the arrest of a sixteen year old, well it starts before that, the murder of a teenage girl over 20 years ago - but what connects the girl who stole the teddy to the murderer? DNA, that's what.

We are then given a trio of suspect as the police try to solve this cold case.

Really enjoyed this twisty tale, weird having the occasional reference to a virus on the horizon (the book is set in early 2020) and how oblivious the characters are -certainly felt true to life!

My only niggle in this book is the phrase 'cocktail me up', it just jarred slightly.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion

I do enjoy a cold case, and this novel has an ingenious, shocking plot. With the advances in Scientific research in DNA, an unresolved murder is revisited. It’s a complex situation of familial DNA with three Crayke family suspects in the equation. The family members and the police consider someone is disingenuous. There is only the compromising DNA sample, no other clues or red herrings, so you are on your own figuring out the perpetrator. There are some compelling sub-themes on class distinction, the military and the side-effects of PTSD; a sharp, daunting insight. Trust issues come to the fore when the bombshell hits the family. How strangely forgiving, accepting, and selfless the wives are about their spouses’ past and present indiscretions. Infidelity usually points to weakness and flaws in the character, yet they seemed to be dismissed as “acceptable.” Class distinction? The inter-relationships of the extended family set-up fascinated me and was heavily thought-provoking. I wasn’t always convinced they were as genuine as they appeared on the surface with all the simmering undercurrents. That was brought out so skilfully. Can the detectives get a handle on this case and solve it? There are a heap of unanswered questions left to the readers' imaginations. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an excellent read. I can confidently recommend this novel.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for this amazing book

a childish prank results in an arrest of a teenager
a familiar dna match occurs on an old cold case from 20 years ago

3 men from the same family are suspects

its not going to end well

oh my word right from the first page i couldnt put this book down...so many red herrings but this author can spin a brilliant book

cant wait for the next one from this author who is fast becoming a favourite

Another fantastic read from Susan. This is a nail biting story that totally bamboozled me as I tried to work out whodunnit! I was surprised by the finale. Very clever and well written this should be a must read.

Another masterpiece from Susan Lewis. It would make an excellent plot for the series Unforgotten. An unsolved crime from many years previously is suddenly brought to the police’s attention when familial DNA is found that matches DNA from the case involving a murdered teenager.
I love how the story gradually unfolded and the players in the crime from all those years ago - gradually drawn together.
It’s pacy and captivating. I was sure I knew what the outcome would be - actually, didn’t see that coming!
As always with Ms Lewis’ books, unputdownable and you just get drawn into the scenario of ‘just another page’ which turns into ‘just another chapter’.
Loved it. A real must read. Can’t wait for her next book to come out.

When I started reading the book, having reminded myself of the synopsis before reading, it was like what is this I am reading... Then you get to chapter 4 and the book (to me) really begins there and wow, what a captivating book it is from then onwards. An interesting storyline and took a while for things to piece together but the more you read on, the more captivating you got with the book. Definitely one to recommend - apart from those opening 3 chapters, the storyline is excellent and the characters you immediately take to.

A detective crime story/family drama - Susan Lewis at her best! When Sienna Crayce’s teenage prank leads to her arrest and DNA profiling, it looks like a 20-year-old murder case might be about to be solved. For Sienna’s DNA provides a family link to the murder of 17-year-old Karen Lomax. Sienna’s father David is arrested for the crime, and suddenly the Crayces' happy family life is turned upside down. Wife Annie can’t believe he is guilty, but how can she help clear his name, when he can’t remember anything about the night of the murder?
With a cold case murder to be solved, and the continual hint of severe trauma in David's past, this story takes us to some very dark places, but it is essentially a family drama with Annie at its core. The extended Crayce family are rich, successful and even a tiny bit smug, but gradually they grow on you until you are as desperate as Annie for some miracle to clear David's name. As it's set in Kesterley. recurring Susan Lewis character Andee Lawrence puts in an appearance - she's always welcome but really not necessary this time, as there's another strong, sympathetic female lead in DS Natalie Rundle, who is so determined to get her man that she seems to overstep the mark on occasion. Has she got it right this time? The murder-mystery alone makes this a suspenseful and dramatic read, but add in the emotion of a family torn apart by suspicion, and you really won't be able to put it down.

Annie and David appear to have the perfect life, bringing up their three children and running their family business.

Sienna their sixteen year old daughter is arrested after her friends stole a teddy bear. The police take her DNA and she hopes that is as far as it goes as no further charges are made.

Twenty years ago teenager Karen Lomax had gone missing, and her body was discovered in a railway hut. The police have used Sienna’s DNA as it is familiar to the DNA left on Karen’s body, meaning it could have come from any male in her family.

The family are horrified when David is arrested for the murder of Karen. Does Annie really know her husband? The perfect family starts to crumble as everyone looks at all the males with suspicion. Are they covering up what David did? Why are they so secretive about the night Karen died?

This was such a gripping read. I love how Susan Lewis drops a family into their worst nightmares as we casually sit back and observe what secrets and how far they will go to protect their family.

I was completely hooked as I tried to work out who had murdered Karen.

A must read book!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot (plenty of reviews like that out there if that's what you are looking for!)

I've read several other books by Susan Lewis, so was delighted to be invited to read this latest novel!

Essentially a teenage girl's "moment of madness" leads to the reopening of cold case that blows apart the lives of several generations of her family, and many other people. The truth will out...

Without giving anything away, there are many twists and turns, and a few red herrings to keep the little grey cells working! The characters and their interactions are well written and believable. You find yourself drawn in to their world - now and in the past.

As usual I was gripped from the start, read the book in one go, and stayed up very late late to finish it...and as usual I wish I had more patience - as now I have to wait ages until Susan's next novel is published!

If you haven't read any of Susan Lewis's books before, this is a great one to start with.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

When Annie Crayce’s daughter gets arrested by the police for a silly prank with her friends, no-one can predict the chain of events that is set in motion. The dna sample taken by the police brings back a familial link to evidence discovered with the body of a local girl 20 years before. As suspicion falls on all the men in the family, Annie has to fight to hold it all together

Susan Lewis has the ability to get right to the heart of a family, her characters are always believable (if not always likeable) and while the events portrayed don’t happen to everyone they could. A total page Turner. I loved it

The plot is set in a small town where everyone knows everyone, adding to the mystery and intrigue.
With well drawn characters, whose lives are entangled with family connections, this will definitely keep you guessing to the end.
A complicated tale, with a dark back story and lots of twists, this book draws you in from the beginning
A brilliantly written mystery with an ending you'll never see coming

The Lost Hours by Susan Lewis is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It’s billed as the emotional, gripping fiction novel of 2021 and I couldn’t agree more.

Annie and David Crayce have it all. A happy marriage, three gorgeous children and a successful business. Life is pretty perfect until the unthinkable happens. Due to an unfortunate incident a piece of DNA evidence is linked to a murder from twenty years earlier, placing David as the prime suspect. Annie is sure he’s innocent but does that then point the finger at David’s brother or father? Will this totally rock Annie’s happy existence?

From page one I was hooked and taken on a total rollercoaster. I enjoyed the whole dynamic of the book and found myself questioning who had actually done it changing my mind with each chapter. The whole plot flowed at a constant steady pace and I found myself thinking I’ll just read one more chapter unable to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the chance to review.

I love this author and I was only few pages in and was gripped.

The story with Annie, David and family is fantastic.

This is one of the best Susan Lewis books I have read I thoroughly enjoyed it. Would highly recommend this to anyone.

One of the best Susan Lewis books I have read.
An almost perfect family have their world turned upside down, the story was great a bit gritty in places, and the fact that they mention that they cancel the holiday In Italy because of a virus makes it so real!
Looking forward to reading the next susan Lewis book.
Thank you NetGalley

From one small adolescent incident, a massive chain of events begins with love, loyalty and trust sorely tested within what everyone wanted to believe was a close knit family. Acutely written to the point that even the reader feels betrayed as the ending unravels.

Once again Susan Lewis has kept me awake at night whilst I desperately tried to find out who did it! Annie thinks she has the perfect life a loving husband -David ,three children, a thriving business with a gorgeous home out in the wilds of Exmoor and extended family close by.. Until that is a piece of familial DNA turns out to be linked to a crime unsolved from 20 years ago. There can only be 3 people who may have committed murder David,his brother or his father.
Susan Lewis shows what happens when a close loving family gets torn apart by suspicion, lies and deceit. In the end it appears to boil down to a few lost hours -or does it. Once again you are left guessing and then completely blindsided by the ending. This may be may favourite story yet.

Dangerous secrets may lurk behind the facade of a perfect marriage - this is what I learned having read this amazing novel by Susan Lewis. An absolute treat of a book!

Another fabulous read.
I loved all the characters and the details of when David was in service was interesting and thought provoking.
I was surprised at who it turned out to be as at different points I had each one of the family being guilty
I love the way Susan puts so much reality into the story and I look forward to Susan’s next book.

Absolutely riveting!

Author Susan Lewis, is adept at taking a normal, everyday family, and placing them in EXTRAordinary situations, and in the case of Annie and David Crayce, and their extended family, it’s an absolute nightmare!

The unsolved murder of teenager, Karen Lomax, some twenty years earlier, has been all but forgotten, except for her devastated parents and friends, but when the police turn up at the Crayce’s door claiming to have found David’s DNA, linking him to Karen’s murder, secrets, suspicions and accusations are raised at three members of the extended family.

The new evidence came about, after Annie and David’s daughter, Sienna, had a minor brush with the law - resulting in her DNA being routinely run through police computer systems, linking it to the unsolved murder. And so, the nightmare begins!

OMG, what devastation for the whole family, it certainly keeps the reader hooked, trying to work out whodunnit. This is a well respected ( though not always likeable) family, and because we get to know them all intimately, it’s impossible to decide who the guilty party actually is. I certainly couldn’t decide! Don’t miss this one!

I found this to be gripping and I'm sorry I've finished it. There's a twist towards the end which I never expected. My only criticism is I found David exasperating, but that's just how the character was. A great read, five stars from me, hope that says it all. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now, that was a psychological thriller and a half!
The disappearance and subsequent uncovering of the body of seventeen-year-old Karen Lomax, over twenty years ago has been forgotten by most. Unable to trace the murderer, or the events that led to her death, the case is closed.
Fast forward to the present day.
Annie and David Crayce seem to have it all. A wonderful marriage, three beautiful children, a hugely successful business, and a supportive family behind them.
Who knew that the chance arrest of their daughter, as someone just around when a crime was committed, could lead them to the turmoil of being in the middle of a reopened murder case?
Wow. Just Wow.
Susan Lewis, you have done it again, haven''t you? You reeled me in, and kept me hanging right til the very end! There were so many moments where I questioned my self as to who might have actually been responsible for the death of a poor teen, but the way the PTSD of war years was woven into it, as well as the thoughts and actions of the police involved, I was kept on tenterhooks.
And, yes, had it not been past 1 am last night I would have carried on reading to get to the end, but I had to put the book down.
Fantastic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Hours is yet another sensational read by Susan Lewis. I always try and delay starting a new novel by this author as I know once I start, I cannot put it down until I’ve completed it. This new novel did not disappoint. Annabelle Crayce, Annie to her friends and family, has everything she ever desired. A husband who loves her as much as she loves him, three beautiful children, a family business that she helped set up and a home built for them on the beautiful moors. Nothing could be more perfect, that is until daughter Sienna’s little brush with the law opens up the cold case murder of Karen Lomax. This seventeen year old girl goes missing in the August of 1999 to be later found raped, murdered and abandoned in a railway hut. Suddenly David, Annie’s husband is arrested and everything is turned upside down. Who killed Karen Lomax? Could Annie really be sure David wasn’t the rapist, killer? And,, if it wasn’t David, could it have been his brother Henry or father Dickie?

This is a thrilling read from start to finish. Susan Lewis writes characters with such depth that they feel like old friends. The plot so beautifully weaved that even when all is revealed, I felt as shocked as the characters on the page. During a global pandemic to read a novel that can take you away from the outside world, even for a short time, is definitely not to be missed.

Crikey, can Susan Lewis get any better??!! What a marvellous original story!! It had me engrossed so much, I had no idea what was going on around me when I was reading it!! I really didn't want to put it down, but obviously I had to!!
There was only one person I disliked right from the beginning and that was Natalie!! Her attitude was really irritating, and annoying!! She was hell bent on one person only, and to try and say she wasn't biased, because of her past, was obviously exactly what she was!! But then again, in a way, who could blame her? I even disliked her, more than the murderer, that's how much I disliked her!! But that's what makes a great story isn't it?
From a hard working family with a successful business, well liked in their community, to an utter nightmare!!
Absolutely fabulous, I thoroughly enjoyed it!! Thank you!!

A brilliant "who did it"! Excellent read that kept me guessing right to the very end. Characters that you immediately connected with. Reccomend highly !

Annie Crayce has it all the perfect family and the perfect life until the police come knocking after her husband David claiming they have DNA evidence linking him to a murder dated back to 1999.

Does Annie really know her husband?

Well this had me gripped I haven't read a book in a few hours for a good while.

The characters and storyline has so much depth to it you just didn't know what way this was going to go.

I really enjoyed this and is a real page turner.

Many thanks to Rachel at Harper Collins for sending the invite to read this gripping novel.

Another fantastic book from Susan. Yet again pulled in from the very first page and kept me hooked to the very last.

What can i say. Another fab read by susan lewis. This book had me gripped from the off. Although the lay out threw me a bit with the dates etc i thoroughly enjoyed this book and did not see the end at all. would highly recommend as i would most of susan lewis books but this one for me was up there with my favourite reads from susan lewis.

As always with a Susan Lewis novel this was excellent. Well written, multi layered characters and a plot line that you have no hope of working out before it lands in your lap.

Well that was a highly enjoyable way to spend a chilly frosty day! Snuggled in my armchair with a tale that slowly unravells, each step and reveal gives you snippets, outright lies, subterfuge and just when you thought you knew who had done it, you realise you know nothing! Brilliant

As usual Susan Lewis created another brilliant read. Loved this book, fantastic style of writing. It kept me guessing the whole way through. I was convinced Harry was the culprit so was shocked at the outcome. Highly recommend.

Really enjoyed this book.
Great storyline, real page Turner. Kept my attention throughout. Really felt for all the characters and could see all views. Well written

Another brilliant book by Susan Lewis, working in the area of criminal justice I found the decisions made in the story interesting! Well written as usual and there was an unexpected twist I was not expecting. Highly recommend this book to relax with, you won’t want to put it down.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another great book from Susan.

When David and Annie’s daughter Sienna gets caught stealing a teddy bear with her friends her DNA is taken. Little does she know it will be a familial match from DNA taken from a murder scene 20 years. Her dad, uncle and grandad are all put in the frame but will it reveal who was the murderer. Just when you think you know who did it another twist is discovered and it’s not all as it seems.

I enjoyed this book very much, I haven’t read vey many of Susan Lewis’s books and I’m glad I read this one. It had me gripped all the way through and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened in the end. I will definitely read more of her books I the future if they are anytime this one!! My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Annie and her husband David have built a wonderful life with their three children and surrounded by family. Until a DNA sample gives a lead to a murder committed 20 years ago . David and his brother and father are all under suspicion. Whoever the culprit life will never be the same.
#Susan Lewis. #The Lost Hours #netgalley.

The Crayce family are placed under suspicion when their DNA is linked to an unresolved murder dating back twenty years. As the story unfolds and you get to know them it is impossible to work out who is guilty. A gripping read.

I found The Lost Hours a very interesting and enjoyable read about an unsolved case from years ago and a chance DNA match from the present day. I find this sort of thing fascinating and loved the way the author portrayed this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

The Lost Hours is Susan Lewis at the top of her game, a seductive, slow-burn of a mystery that teases tantalizingly, like a lover’s touch, before exploding into a riveting, exhilarating thriller. I couldn’t put it down.

Annie and David Crayce have it all. A happy marriage, three great kids, a beautiful Dartmoor home and a thriving family business. Then out of the blue, a wrecking ball comes crashing through their lives. Familial DNA is matched to the unsolved, 20 year-old murder of a teenage girl. And it belongs to either David, his brother Henry, or father Dickie.

What a bombshell! And one made all the more devastating for landing on this picture-perfect, close-knit, extended family.

The narrative that follows is exquisitely plotted. Intense and feverish, it splits into two points of view: that of the police investigation and that of the family, as both sides endure the agonizing two-week wait for a definitive DNA result.

Among the Crayces, initial disbelief quickly morphs into suspicion, anger and barely contained hostility. Distant memories are dragged up, picked over and questioned. Secrets, lies, obfuscation—they’re all there in the mix. And it all distills down to a handful of hours on one fateful night, two decades ago.

When we finally get to the truth, it’s a beautifully disguised, sucker punch of a twist. A wholly convincing and satisfactory ending to an absorbing, dramatic tale.

BUT, sit tight! This is not a book that ends with the last page. This is a book that leaves some big, scary questions tossing about in the brisk Dartmoor wind. Questions about mental health, about love and trust, about obsession and jealousy. And the real biggie: about how completely we can ever truly know our nearest and dearest. For don’t we all have parts of ourselves that we keep private and hidden?

My thanks to HarperCollins via NetGalley for the digital ARC of this title.

Another fantastic story from Susan Lewis! She is certainly a well-respected master when it comes to writing suspenseful family drama - although in the case of The Lost Hours, it was more like a family’s worst nightmare.

This was a real ‘whodunnit’ with so many twists and turns in the plot. A good pace and a complex storyline which clearly portrays the author’s skilful research and writing.

Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins for an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

David Cracye has the perfect marriage to his wife Annie . Along with his three children and a succeesful business they have it all.
Then one day his 16 year old daughter Sienna gets arrested after being silly and caught stealing a teddy bear.
When she is taken to the police station her DNA shows up to that of a young girl who was murdered 20 years ago. This blows the family apart.
This book keeps you guessing right the way through it is a great, gripping thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. xx

The book begins with a murder.

The drama, palpable from the get go.

Karen Lomax, who is teenage girl, went missing and has now been found murdered. The police have their suspicions but struggle to find the evidence needed to convict anyone for the crime.

Fast forward a twenty years and we are introduced to the Crayce's and their extended family. All seem normal, like the perfect family really. That is until Annie and David's daughter Sienna makes an unfortunate mistake of bowing to peer pressure and getting herself in trouble with the law.

The police take her DNA and she hopes that is as far as it goes as no further charges are made. But sadly for her, the DNA is the start of the re-opening of Karen Lomax's case when a familiar DNA matches the one that was found in her underwear when her body was discovered.

That means that the murderer could be Sienna's dad (David), her Uncle Henry or her Grandad Dickie (Henry and David's dad).

As things start to crumble around this once tight knit family, more than one secret is revealed.

I was invested from start to finish. And just when I thought I had it all worked it, everything changed. All I can say is that it is surprising/shocking just how far people will go to get the lives they've always dreamed of.

The Lost Hours is a brilliantly in-depth crime novel that is devastatingly dark and gritty. Showing that one small mistake can have disastrous knock on effects.

Once you start this book, you will not want to put it down.

Another enjoyable read from Susan Lewis. Always a reliable author for a cracking good story.
Very readable as a strong family story. I did find that one or two of the characters were a little on the pretentious side, especially the children. I felt that their characters were not really typical of their age group.
However apart from that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you

Susan lewis is a master story-teller!

Given recent events the beginning of this book is hard to read. A young woman abused and murdered if tough going at the best of times.

The book is slightly slow to begin with, although the characterisation is brilliant and the building of the plot all becomes clear in the second half which is gripping.

A complex web of trauma, human emotion, relationships and loneliness. A brilliant read with a great cameo by Andee Lawrence.

I also liked the subtle inclusion of covid, it’s hard to write current stories without mentioning, but I liked that this wasn’t dominated by it.