5-STAR REVIEW: THE LOST ONES by Dana Perry

Detective Nikki Cassidy Series: Book 3
Publication Date: April 2, 2024

As dawn breaks over a small gas station on the outskirts of Groveton, Ohio, the body of a teenage girl lies totally still. Long blonde hair covers her face, and a length of frayed rope hangs loosely around her neck. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds her, just like her killer intended…

When FBI agent Nikki Cassidy receives a call from Groveton’s Chief of Police, her heart pounds. A young girl just knocked on the door of Nikki’s old family home, claiming to be Nikki’s kid sister, Caitlin. But Caitlin was murdered fifteen years ago. Who is the girl and what does she want?

Nikki thinks the impersonator could finally lead her to her sister’s twisted killer. But her hope is shattered when the girl’s lifeless body is found strangled at a local service stop. If the girl knew about Caitlin, could she have known the identity of the killer? Was she murdered before she could unmask them?

Going against her boss’s orders to stay away, Nikki traces the girl’s last known steps to her best friend, Shirley. Nikki learns that the girl was last seen meeting with a stranger at the mall. Could it have been her killer?

Closer than ever to uncovering the truth, Nikki can’t give up now. But when Shirley’s body is found at another service station, a length of rope wound around her neck, her heart shatters. Another young life has been lost. Nikki vows that this will be the last.

When an intruder breaks into her old home, Nikki knows it’s the killer sending her a sign. As she walks into the familiar old house in the dead of night, will she finally get justice and catch her sister’s killer, or did she just walk into a deadly trap?

If you enjoy Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot, you will absolutely love this gripping and totally unputdownable crime thriller.

FBI agent Nikki Cassidy specializes in solving cases against children. Her latest investigation takes a personal twist, leading to her most challenging case yet.

Another Dana Perry delivers the third installment of the series in The Lost Ones. Readers new to the series will find ample backstory details, so this book can easily be read as a standalone.

Nikki’s vulnerability is put on display, enhancing the human element rather than her detective skills. Not only does she carry guilt surrounding her little sister’s murder, but she also has challenges with relationships. Her growth as a character is evident in this installment.

This time, her adversary is leaving a trail of bodies, taunting Nikki along the way. Her sister’s name, Caitlin, keeps popping up, ramping up the psychological tension. Is Caitlin really alive?

Familiar characters make an appearance along with new faces. The cliffhanger hits hard but provides an effective incentive to check out the next installment.

The Lost Ones delivers another edge-of-your-seat thriller featuring a flawed main character determined to find answers.

I am a New York City author who writes mystery thrillers under the pen name ofcDana Perry – and also as R.G. Belsky.