I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Kara Thomas is 1 of my favorite YA mystery writers, and I believe this is her 2nd adult mystery. I loved her last one, and this book is more of a crime fiction book.

Natalee Ellerin is a journalist turned private investigator. She got fired and canceled 5 years ago, when she accused the wrong rich dude of killing a young woman named Jenna. Now, she's working for a local Long Island lawyer for workman's comp type claims. Natalee goes by Lee because of a creepy murderer who called and taunted her after her fall from grace. Natalee receives a call from a woman named Carol, who is Amanda Hartley's mother. Amanda is in a coma and is 6 months pregnant after a possible suicide attempt. Carol wants Lee to find the father of her daughter's baby and had her name written down in her daughter's handwriting.

Lee gets further in her investigating by connecting Amanda to Jenna and interviewing key people in Jenna's life, as well as a former cop turned FBI agent Chase Sullivan and retired cop Nelson Malave, and the looming presence of chief of police Mike Molineaux. For Long Island, racism and corruption go hand in hand.

There are parts in which I could hardly put the book down as we got Amanda's point of view in flashbacks. I very much felt this could have been an SVU or OC episode or story ARC. While Lee's a gifted writer, she shoes herself an accomplished investigator. If you are a fan of female PI's, you will like this book.

TW for mentions of rape in the past, grooming, drugs. The book is available 4/16/24. 4 25/5☆

As you can tell from the synopsis, this is a fresh and captivating premise. My heart was already aching before I even began reading. Lee has been disgraced. A young student is in a coma. How are the two connected? There are multiple mysteries within this story; it truly is a complex dynamic with lots of layering.

I really enjoyed how well the characters were explored. I felt like I knew them, and there were a number of them to keep straight. Lee pursuing to solve the murder that disgraced her career had me completely invested. Lost to Dune Road moves at a quick pace, and I found Lost to Dune Road compelling and crafty.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

This book made me stay up way too late reading until the end! Sharp writing along with an emotional and thrilling plot that never stops surprising!!

This would have been a 4, BUT it was too “ripped from the headlines” for me. I’ve followed the LISK case closely and a few others that this seemed to have pulled from, so I felt like I knew everything that was going to happen.

If you don’t follow true crime too closely, or if you do, and would like to read a fictionalized version, the book is enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!
This is my first read by Kara Thomas and will most certainly not be my last!
This investigative thriller kept me on the edge of seat from start to finish! I truly have zero complaints to share about this book, and the ending just really solidified it being a 5 ⭐️ read for me.
It is my understanding this book will be on Kindle Unlimited, and its publish date is 04/16/24!

hmm... 3 stars? maybe 3.25? ⭐

i really liked the premise of this book—a disgraced reporter trying to redeem herself after botching an old case. even more intriguing, the current case she's investigating bears suspicious ties to the very mystery that derailed her career all those years ago. it made for a compelling plot, and once i started reading, i didn't want to stop.

however, this novel was extremely dense, especially for a book that was only around 320 pages. there was a ton of information to keep track of, not to mention dozens of character names to remember. thank god i read this on my kindle, where i had quick access to the x-ray feature. if i'd purchased a physical copy, i would've been constantly flipping back and forth between the pages, trying to recall who was who and who did what. it was just... a lot.

the ending also felt kind of rushed (and a bit anticlimactic, if i'm being honest). the entire climax unfolded and wrapped up within the span of a few pages. i wanted more, especially because we'd been building up to this reveal from the very beginning. i will say, though, i was shocked by the identity of the culprit. gotta give credit where credit is due!

also—and i know this might sound insane coming from me, a romance afficionado—i didn't really love the romantic subplot included in the story. in fact, this is one of those rare cases where i think the book would've been better off without it. i just wasn't buying the connection between the characters, and their relationship wasn't developed enough to make me root for them.

with all that being said, though, i did still enjoy this novel; it was a nice change of pace!