Title:	Lost Hours
	Author:	Paige Shelton
	Published:	December 5, 2023, Minotaur Books
	No. of Pages:	288
	Cover Price:	$28.00, $14.95 Kindle

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Fans of Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild series will welcome the fifth installment of the series, Lost Hours, where Beth Rivers, the protagonist, who is a writer hiding (sort of) in Benedict, Alaska after being kidnapped previously and waiting for her kidnapper’s trial. She is on schedule with her latest thriller, and ventures on a boat to see the glaciers when they see a blood covered woman on the nearby island who says she was kidnapped and a bear got her kidnapper. Because Beth and the woman, who is named Sadie, have much in common, they bond, and Beth is instrumental in getting information that will lead to finding the body of Sadie’s kidnapper and clues as to answering the questions as to why Sadie was kidnapped and why she is in the WITSEC program with the government. Things are not as they appear, and when Beth accompanies her father on a fishing tour with the DuPont family and their daughter disappears, law enforcement and others rely on Beth’s help.

Anyone familiar with the series knows that Shelton does an excellent job of developing the characters; Beth’s character is likeable, as are the sub characters, Viola, Gril, Donner, Eddy, Tex, and Gus (everyone’s favorite character). She does a good job with the new supporting characters: the DuPont’s and Sadie, as well as others who help move the story along and solve the mystery.

Shelton is a seasoned storyteller and the story flows easily with ups and downs and building suspense throughout. Readers will get a sense of the Alaskan culture, and will be tempted to visit. The ending is unexpected, as in her previous books.

Readers who enjoy this novel will definitely want to read the previous books in the series, although this one can be read as a standalone since the author gives enough information through the book to make it understandable to anyone.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.