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Book Jacket

Valley of the Lost
by Vicki Delany

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication date: 02/10/2009.
Mysteries, 300 pp.

Number of reader reviews: 17
Readers' Consensus: 3.5
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First Impressions: Page 1 of 3
Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Marcia (Batavia IL)

Valley Of The Lost
Even though I did not read the first book in this "traditional mystery series", I was never at a loss as to who or what was going on. This is a fast paced mystery, not at all predictable with a complex story line. There is a cast of very likable characters from the townsfolk to the police. There are, however,several facts disclosed in the first book which were not explained in this book which makes one curious in order for the story line to be more complete (thus, I will now go back and read book one). This did not hinder the story line one bit. This book will be enjoyed by mystery lovers and those who are not - it is a great read. I am very much looking forward to her third book as I am very anxious to learn the future of several characters.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Emily (Portand OR)

Valley of the Lost
A colorful setting in the southeastern corner of British Columbia, strong, realistic characters, and a suspenseful gripping plot make this mystery novel a fascinating read. It is the second novel (do read the first) in a series featuring young Constable Molly Smith of the Trafalgar Police,along with her sergeant, her family, friends and foes and a mysterious baby found in the woods by Molly's mother. The action is fast-paced and the many unexpected turns in the plot keep the reader's attention looking toward the solution. For someone brought up on stories of British Columbia this was an especially enjoyable reading experience.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Zoe, Naperville Public Library, IL (Naperville IL)

Heroin, Hippies and Even Mounties
A fun, fast-paced mystery set in a small mountain town in British Columbia. Smith and Winters, the police team who are the mainstays on the case, both come with backgrounds and baggage that makes us want to know more about their histories, which we hope the author will provide through additional books in the series. Written with a great sense of place and character development.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Priscilla (Marietta GA)

Valley of the Lost
Vicki Delany has written a mystery you can curl up with on a rainy afternoon. The characters are not overdrawn and distracting to the plot. But they do shine through, and you realize they have real potential as new “book” friends. It is a comfortable novel with a plausible plot. I look forward to the next book in this series. If you enjoy the Sue Grafton or Patricia Sprinkle type mysteries, you should enjoy this book too.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by BETH (Bloomfield Hills MI)

Good Read!!
This is the first book I've read by Vicki Delany. I did enjoy the story line and it's many twists and characters. The plot kept me reading and it was a good ending. This book will appeal to mystery buffs.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Sue (Richardson TX)

Another Good One From Vicki Delany
This is a sequel to Vicki Delany's first book, In The Shadow of the Glacier - and a good one, too. My only negative comment is that if one has not read the first book, it's easy to get confused, as some things that occurred in the first book are not recapped in the second. Otherwise, the characters are engaging and likable, the mystery is fast-paced and intriguing, with a neat twist and a satisfactory ending. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Vivian (New Holland PA)

Valley of the Lost
One realizes quickly that the drug problem is not endemic to the US and British Columbia has problems with marijuana being used frequently as well as hard drugs. Sgt. Winters calls on Constable Molly Smith to assist on interviewing local residents since he's new to the area. He's comfortable working with the RCMP - a view contrary to feelings of police in other books. The different names of the characters was confusing. (Molly is Moonlight Legolas and her mother refers to her as Moonlight.) Thought the ongoing references to the parents as "flowerchildren" was off-putting and not integral to the plot. Molly is likable, however, not enough to want to read future books. Would not suggest it for our mystery book discussion group.

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