Review: Little Boy Lost

Little Boy Lost by J.D. Trafford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book blurbs are extremely difficult to write. They need to pull the reader in without giving away too much of the story. They make or break books. Whilst the blurb for Little Boy Lost pulls you in, I feel as though it does not do the book real justice. Little Boy Lost is so much more than the blurb had me expecting, it is much more than a riveting legal thriller. It is a story of a community in pain, of a legal system that does not work. It is a highly emotive read based around a timely and important issue. Those labelling this book as a simple thriller are overlooking so many of the important elements of this story. There are crime thriller elements, legal thriller elements, but there is also so much more. Family matters, community matters, life issues, and so many other elements of life.

The bulk of the story is set up around the missing teenagers, but in many ways this is just a backdrop to a much deeper story. Missing teenager stories happen often in the thriller genre, I will admit to having read many in the past, but none has ever read like this one. Whilst we’re constantly wondering what has happened, we deal with so much more in this story than simply dealing with the missing teenagers. We get an insight into the life of our main character, into the world of law, into his family life, and into the issues faced by the community. It is a multifaceted story in so many ways. Each individual storyline – the crime, the family issues, the coming of age elements of one of the characters, the political choices, and the current events that make you stop and think – would have worked perfectly fine as a standalone novel. In fact, multiple individual books could have been made from this one story. It almost makes it sound as though this book is attempting too much, as though it’s one of those strange combinations of too many genres, yet such is not the case. Each individual element is interwoven into the story in a wonderful fashion. Every element plays a part. Everything that happens is important. We’re pulled into all of the different facets of the story.

If I’m being completely honest, I was somewhat tentative at the start of the story. I love high impact thrillers. The kind of story where there is action on every pages. Where your heart is pumping double time throughout the read, the adrenaline pumping. Whilst there was curiosity throughout, this story was much lighter than my usual thriller reads. The pace is slower as there are so many multiple elements to the story, many that are not directly related to the crime aspect I was so interested in seeing come together. However, it didn’t take long before I was thoroughly gripped by the story. The different elements suck you into the story in a large variety of ways. You become invested in every element of the story. The characters, the community, and the events all wrap around your heart, leaving you addicted to the story and unable to put it down. It quickly becomes a single sitting read, one you do not want to put down.

Even when you work out where certain elements of the story are heading – for example, I worked out who was behind the crime well before the reveal – you cannot put the book down. There are so many aspects of the story gripping you tight that you cannot stop reading. You’ll work out one aspects, only to be left curious about how another part of the story will play out. You want to know how everything comes together; you want to see the story reach the point where things will be moving forward in a more normal manner, in a way that does not leave you questioning whether or not there is good to be found in the future.

Without a doubt, this is an extremely relevant read. There is so much going on in the world, and this story makes you stop and think about so many different elements. As I said, those labelling it as a mere thriller really aren’t selling the book in the way it needs to be sold. It’s a true powerhouse of a novel, on that touches upon so many aspects of society.

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