Another excellent Allen Eskens book.
This book focuses on a serial killer and Lila Nash- Joe Talbert’s girlfriend the primary character of this book series.
It turns out Lila has a connection to the serial killer, which makes this story even more interesting.
Great book. ( )

I could not stop reading this, even though I really needed to get to sleep. I think this may be my new favorite author, at least for now. I plan to read more of his books to see how they hold up, and I'm hoping for more in this series.

This one features Joe's girlfriend, Lila, with Joe only in the background. But her story was great, and very satisfying in the end. We learn a lot more about her "incident", as her mother liked to call it. We also get to see her grow emotionally and take charge of her life rather than running away from problems.

And we get a lesson on not judging a person by what others think about them. I think this also applies to organizations and companies. Some people just don't get along or don't handle problems, so they blame the other party. If you expect the worst from others, you'll probably get it. ( )

As I listened to The Stolen Hours unfold, I was blown away by Allen Eskens' meticulous precision in putting this story together. The excellent misdirection he employed to lead me straight down the garden path to the compost pile. The shifting points of view that gave me so much insight into each character. The way Gavin Spencer saying, "All you had to do was be nice!" made my blood run cold. The way Eskens made me wonder how Lila Nash was going to succeed despite her awful boss.

Allen Eskens has never ever disappointed me with any of his books that I've read. He has an incredible gift for the one-two punch: a fantastic story paired with characters with whom I become emotionally invested. The Stolen Hours is no exception. I wanted Gavin Spencer to learn that he wasn't as smart as he thought he was-- and I wanted Lila Nash to be the person to prove it to him. This book, about victims and the long road to healing and forgiveness that they must travel, is an intellectual and emotional banquet. ( )

The Stolen Hours is a new venture for bestselling author Allen Eskens because it features a female protagonist. Although the story is related via a third-person narrative, it is told from the perspective of Lila Nash. To prepare, Eskens listened to audio books written by female authors for more than a year in order to develop Lila's voice and characteristics. He confesses that it "was a little nerve-wracking. . . . I wanted to really nail it as best I can as a male."

That consternation arises, in part, from the way Eskens views his writing. He describes his books as "literary mysteries" that are "very character-driven." Each book is comprised of two distinct parts. The plot, including numerous twists and turns, of course. But he says that "on the other side is the character arc -- the crucible that the character will go through" over the course of the story. And he seeks to inject some "elevated prose." His goal is for "the plot to pull readers forward really fast," but he also wants "the character side to pull them in deep so that they feel emotion by the end of the novel." To accomplish that, he outlines every book thoroughly so that he understands the story he will be telling "from beginning to end" before he starts writing. That way, he notes, he can make mistakes in plotting the tale before he has spent a great deal of time writing only to discover that the story is not workable and must be significantly revised. He also constructs detailed character profiles. "I come to writing as a daydreamer." So, for instance, with The Stolen Hours, he asked himself, "Who is Gavin? What made him who he is? I really enjoy sinking into that."

And readers will really enjoy sinking into The Stolen Hours, a riveting and deeply emotional story at the center of which is Lila, a budding criminal prosecutor whose career may derail before it gets started. Lila is in a happy relationship with Joe Talbert, but there are aspects of her past she has never shared with him. Eight years ago, Lila was brutally assaulted, but because of her past behavior, the police did not make finding her attackers a priority and they have never been brought to justice. She survived and completed her education, but she has "not healed, and deep down" she knows it. She is still dealing with the effects, including obsessive-compulsive behaviors such as counting the number of steps between locations in order to calm her nerves and bolster her confidence, and contemplates seeking further treatment. But her therapist enraged her when he counseled her that healing requires both patience and forgiveness. Instead, Lila fantasizes about finding and prosecuting the men who changed her on that fateful night.

Lila is bright and capable, and demonstrated her prowess when she assisted with a trial. But the managing attorney was the opposing counsel in that matter, and he is still stinging from that defeat. And determined to retaliate against Lila. He is unscrupulous and unethical, but powerful, and Lila must find a way to outwit him in order to be admitted to the Minnesota Bar and keep the job she loves. He has assigned her to a new supervisor, the demanding Andi Fitch, in order to build a paper trail that will justify terminating her employment.

Meanwhile, Gavin Spencer, a local photographer who lives comfortably on the six figure "allowance" he receives annually from his mother, is also clever and resourceful. Gavin has a pronounced speech impediment that makes his words sound "thick and damp like air seeping from a wet tire. A squishy lisp from a squishy man." Like Lila's boss, he holds grudges. And repays even small slights with deadly precision, deftly destroying even the most minuscule bits of evidence that might point back to him. He targets his victims and plans his revenge methodically. At the outset, a bridesmaid at the wedding Gavin is photographing has unwittingly become Gavin's fifth victim. But no criminal is infallible and Gavin will make one mistake. It may prove sufficient to tie him back to the crime.

"Literary mystery" is an apt description of The Stolen Hours. Eskens credibly and compassionately explores the emotional scars that Lila carries, as well as her determination and commitment to her chosen profession, contemporaneously revealing a tautly-crafted plot. Gavin is an equally fascinating, fully-developed character. Eskens answers the question, "Who is Gavin?" and explains how he became the despicable man he is, as well as what motivates him. He stymies police and prosecutors with his precision, and although they are convinced he is the perpetrator of several heinous crimes, they are also sure they have not amassed sufficient evidence to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Can they marshal enough evidence to convict Gavin, ensuring that he serves a life sentence and can never victimize another young woman?

When Lila first encounters Gavin she recognizes that there is something familiar about his voice but her memories of the night she was attacked are elusive and fragmented. Yet they may lead to the evidence that assures Gavin's conviction. Eskens believably portrays Lila's journey toward healing. She strives to remember details about the most horrific night of her life, confronts her own mother about the way she reacted to what happened to Lila, and finally considers her therapist's views on forgiveness.

Equally compelling and fast-paced is the search for a killer who believes that his machinations are fool-proof. Eskens' background as a criminal defense attorney ensures that he gets the legal nuances right and his careful outlining pays off when Eskens pulls all the shocking pieces of the puzzle together, revealing the whole truth.

Indeed, The Stolen Hours features that "elevated prose" that Eskens referenced. His fast-paced narrative never veers off-course or includes surplusage, and is frequently witty, as well as moving.

Once again, Eskens demonstrates that he is a premiere storyteller. The Stolen Hours is gripping, full of surprising developments, and emotionally satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book. ( )

In Damn first in this series, [book:The Life We Bury|20758175], we first met Joe and Lila. Very likable and relatable characters. In the second book, we learned more about Joe and his backstory. In this, the third, the attention turns to Lila, and her past and current challenges.

While waiting for the results of the bar exam, she is working as a prosecuted, though under supervision. A case that is brought to them, a drugging, rape and attempted murder, the accused is challenging but also something more. In order to prevail, Lila must come to terms with a horrific event from her last and conquer her own ghosts.

Some of the events are a tad far fetched but I love books that feature women overcoming and finding new strengths. ( )