The Lost Boy

Nick Vada, Book 9

When 11-year-old Matty Blackwood vanishes during the Gabinda Rodeo, the sleepy rural town is thrust into a storm of fear and speculation. Detective Joanna Gray, visiting Gabinda to reconnect with her estranged brother, is reluctantly pulled into the desperate search for the missing boy.

But Joanna is grappling with her own demons. Her long-time partner, Detective Sergeant Nick Vada, lies in a coma at the other end of the state, leaving her to face the case and pressure alone. As the days tick by, Joanna uncovers a web of secrets hidden beneath Gabinda's small-town charm. With tensions rising and the boy's fate hanging in the balance, Joanna must confront her own self-doubt and fears while navigating a community on the brink of unraveling.

In a race against time, Joanna must find Matty before it's too late. But will solving the case come at the cost of losing herself, and possibly Nick, forever?

©2026 Jason Summers (P)2026 Bolinda Publishing