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A huge shout to damppebbles Blog Tours for this opportunity to read and review Forgotten Lives by Ray Britain. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

Book #2 in the DCI Doug Stirling Series, Forgotten Lives is a thriller that has its focus on a variety of topics. Ranging from drugs to human trafficking the author Ray Britain has spaced out his thriller not just in UK but even taking it across the borders to France.

DCI Doug Stirling is roped in as a SIO of a crime investigation that at first glance offers no motive. Stirling’s team is soon roped in to understand a murder that has no rhyme or reason except for a small badge left on the scene. As the enquiries begin, bodies begin piling up and the pressure of the investigation that holds political ramifications takes a toll on the lives of each and every police officer involved.

This is not a thriller that grabs you by the throat from the first page, in fact for a thriller Forgotten Lives is quite sedate in its pace. The author gives a detailed picture of every step of the investigation as a vigilante killer begins to target sex offenders. DCI Stirling is a character that grows on a reader as we are given accounts of the sacrifices in his personal life too. The impeccable research by the author is clearly evident as there’s enough information about the cross-agency data collection and the sharing of the particulars among the different police forces that streamlines an enquiry.

Forgotten Lives needs to be given time to savour the minuscule titbits that has been intricately plotted into the story line that has no chapter titles. In fact, the separation of the story using TIME as marker accelerates the thrilling element leading to a stirring conclusion. My only wish was that there was a different epilogue scene than that was given coz the coldness of the female character was quite unappealing for me.

A solid 5 star read that can be read as stand-alone as I didn’t feel like missing out anything for not having read the first one in the series. Extremely well-written that feels as authentic as it can be, Doug Stirling is also a man coveted by most females in his vicinity a la James Bond style. In fact, most scenes in the book are perfect for a TV adaption as the scenes are etched crystal clear for the reader.

A man is murdered with quiet efficiency on his doorstep. A strange emblem left behind suggests a gang killing but when more bodies are found with the same emblem, and one of them a cop, DCI Doug Stirling’s investigation takes a sinister turn. But what linked the victims in life, and now in death?
When more deaths are uncovered, miles away and years ago, all with the same emblem left behind, pressure mounts on Stirling. Is it the work of the same person? If so, why are they killing again, and why here? One thing is clear, the killer is highly skilled, ruthless, and always one step ahead of the investigation. Is someone feeding information to them?
Working in a crippling heatwave with too few investigators, too many questions and not enough answers, when wild media speculation of a vigilante at work sparks copycat attacks, demonstrations for justice and with politicians fearing riots, Stirling needs a result – fast!
Meanwhile, Stirling’s private life is falling apart, not helped when Lena Novak of the National Crime Agency is assigned to his team. But is she all that she seems?
Things could not get worse. Stirling takes a call from a retired cop. Things just got worse!
When Stirling closes in on the killer he finds the killer’s trademark inside his home. – he is being targeted.

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