Innocence Lost

✍ Scribed by Craig L. Vaughan

• Year: 2012
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 154 KB
• Category: Fiction

✦ Synopsis

Kim Pettigrew is a twenty six year old workaholic whose best years are passing her by. She desperately needs a man in her life and her new neighbour, ruggedly handsome Leon Pritchard, appears to fit the bill. He seems intent on sweeping Kim off her feet, but is he the catch that she believes him to be?

When a shocking childhood secret is revealed, the consequences are devastating. Kim's life descends into chaos and she begins to doubt her own sanity. In her darkest hour she finds salvation in tenacious young detective Tasha Lines who pursues the truth with single-minded determination. As the investigation twists out of control and lives are scarred forever, no one is prepared for the final startling revelation of innocence lost.

Craig L Vaughan has written extensively for numerous national computer magazines for the past decade, but Innocence Lost is his first novel.

"It's a story that's been with me for years, though Ive been slow committing it to paper. My aim was to create a punchy page turner that was part romance, part thriller and part police procedural. Theres a hint of mystery and a nod to the Internet age that we live in too. The story introduces DC Tasha Lines, a character readers will hear more from in future. It's not really her story that's told, though. It's Kim who is in jeopardy and the novel centres on her struggle to deal with her life falling apart when things go wrong for her. If there's a truth here it's that love is complicated and things are rarely black and white when emotions are involved. Every time I re-read the book I feel guilty about what I put Kim through, but at the same time I marvel at her strength of character and how she deals with the trials that she faces. I tried to make Innocence Lost the type of story that I would enjoy reading. Its not high brow and it wont win the Booker prize, but if readers are looking for a novel that will grip them and wont let go, Innocence Lost fits the bill. The format is a change from what readers may be used to. Essentially, the initial chapters alternate between stories set in 1999 and present day. Before long the two seemingly unrelated tales collide with tragic results. I do hope people get as much enjoyment from reading Kim's story as I did from writing it - it's a real rollercoaster with more than one twist". Craig L Vaughan

Innocence Lost is a full length crime fiction novel set in England during 1999 and 2010. Despite the author being an animal loving pacifist, the story explores adult themes and contains swearing, violence, sexual assault and animal cruelty. The occasional dark tone of the book reflects the author's operational experience as a frontline police officer for over two decades.

If you read the book and enjoy it or feel it falls short for any reason, please leave a review.