This is really something for a first novelist. Critchlow has made a spectacular debut with a story rooted in the dark trajectories of human behaviour. I'm not usually a crime genre reader but this one converted me. Unputdownable, a superb piece of escapism and a fascinating insight into the world of podcasting set against beautiful landscapes that draw you to a far off place. I'm primed for the next one in the series. Can't recommend highly enough.

Cal Lovett Files #1 In 1986 Layla Mackie goes for a wild ride on Ruby deep into the Aberdeenshire countryside anxious to leave it all behind. Darkness falls, a panicked horse returns but where is Layla? Fast forward to the present day to the West Midlands and true crime podcaster Cal Lovett has more reason than most to invest in helping others in his investigations. His much older sister Margot vanishes without a trace when he’s nine years old. Against the wishes of his wife he goes to Broadmoor to interview Marc Dubois, the Woodland Killer who seems to hint at knowing something but is this ‘face of evil’ playing with him? When Cal gets a call from Layla’s mother begging for his help to find answers he heads north to Aberdeenshire. Can Cal find answers for this desperate family? Can he lay his own ghosts to rest? The novel starts really strongly in 1986 and later with the chilling Dubois interview which makes you recoil in revulsion as he aims destructive barbs at Cal. The impact of the ‘disappeared’ on the families is done well as they try to live with a lack of answers and the void left by their loved ones making you feel empathy for them. Cal as a central character is immensely likeable, he’s a caring father to his struggling daughter but his sadness and frustration over Margot and a mounting crisis in his personal life do weigh him down. His daughter Chrissie is a lovely teenager and Shona, a forensic anthropologist Cal meets in Scotland livens the pages. This is a well written, easy to read novel with the past and present fusing well so the storyline flows. The plot is constantly changing, it’s very intriguing and packed with emotion. There’s unease, some unravelling, the suspense builds, there’s tension, plenty of plot twists, the pace is good and I like the end where a shape shifter is unmasked. There’s guilt as well as relief but also optimism and I like that it ends on a good note. Overall, a breeze through entertaining read and I’m already looking forward to number 2 and seeing what happens next to these characters.

Unsolved by Heather Critchlow is intriguing first book in the Cal Lovett series. Cal Lovett is a true crime pod caster who is trying to find the truth about ‘Layla’ who disappeared 35 years ago after riding in to the woods and only her horse Ruby came back. People say that after all this time why bother? But her parents Jean and Tam always wondered what happened to her. Cal is determined to find the truth about Layla as he has his own personal experience. His sister Margot disappeared when he was a young boy and she was never found and the only one that happens to know anything about her disappearance is Matt Dubois but he is in prison for his crimes. After Cal’s visit to Matt Dubois. He dies suddenly. Cal is distraught. He wonders if her will ever find out the truth about Margot. Thank you, Canelo, for a copy of Unsolved. Although I found the start of the story to be a bit slow. I found then this to be a gripping read and I virtually read in one sitting with a great twist at the end. I will be very interested to see how this series develops. 4 stars from me.

So Unsolved is a debut crime fiction novel by Heather Critchlow. I was totally drawn to the book from the opening chapter. I loved the story of Cal Lovett, who is a true crime podcaster whose own sister went missing many years ago and was never found. This has driven him to host Finding Justice, a podcast that tries to give the victims of crime a voice. I loved Cal’s character, really cleverly written as someone who wants to help other families with missing relatives but also all the while struggling mentally with his own devasting past. In Unsolved we see him head up to Scotland to help the family of Layla, who has asked Cal to find their daughter’s presumed killer ( they don’t have a body). In amongst so family challenges of his own, Cal takes his daughter Chrissie with him as she has been the victim of cyberbullying and needs to get away from her school. I loved Unsolved, it was a very quick and easy read. The characters are really marvellous and I instantly wanted to read more about Cal and his daughter Chrissie, I suspect they will become a duo in future novels. The plot was also very well written, and in particular, I love that the victims of crime are heavily at the forefront of Unso0lved, as sometimes they get forgotten especially with serial killers. I have to admit I did guess who the perp was, but I did not work out how Unsolved would get to that point, so the ending was a great crescendo and a surprise to me!. An all-round excellent debut novel from an author who I look forward to reading the next book. And a really enjoyable readalong with the group too. A 4-star rating from me.

I read Unsolved by Heather Critchlow on the Pigeonhole app with fellow readers worldwide. It’s so different with the protagonist cast as a podcaster, a totally fresh perspective of investigation. Very good descriptive language, pace meets the tension, cliffhangers, so many times I got it wrong. An interesting perspective on narration. Very good storyline, great characters and a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading.