Lost Souls by
Michael Collins
hbk out September 04
Published by Weidenfeld
at £12.99
In small town America, on Hallowe'en night, local policeman Lawrence receives a
report of a missing child. The girl is only three years old and Lawrence soon finds her
body, dressed in an angel costume, in a pile of autumn leaves at the roadside. Is she
the victim of a hit and run? Why was a 3 year old out alone? When the prime suspect
turns out to be the town's rising American football star, Lawrence finds himself
drawn into a subtle conspiracy of silence. The insidious grip of secrets and lies works
its dark magic on all involved and further tragedies ensue. Lawrence is a man steeped
in grief, mourning the loss of his marriage and missing his young son. His life is a
mess and his moral weaknesses add to our interest in his plight. This is a compelling
and edgy story which is also intensely moving. Collins' prose is lucid and precise.
The claustrophobic atmosphere of a town where corruption festers beneath the social
veneer is very well drawn. The characters surprise us at times, defying stereotypes, so
we feel compassion for them and some understanding of their despair. Lost Souls is the fifth novel from Irish born Collins who now lives in the USA. His
novel The Keepers Of Truth was short listed for the Booker prize and his other titles
have won awards. Lost Souls deserves to be another winner.
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries and the series creator of TV Blue Murder)
Lost Souls by
Michael Collins
