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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Lost Graces by Helen Montague Foster is a psychological thriller set in the late 1990s in Richmond, Virginia. The novel follows psychiatrist Dr. Nancy Thomas, who becomes entangled in a web of fear and uncertainty after a colleague is shot. As she delves deeper into her patients' disturbing secrets, Nancy must confront her past, all while grappling with rising anxieties and a potential serial killer on the loose. The story touches on the complexities of mental health care and the impact of shifting healthcare policies, inspired by real-life events like the Southside Strangler and the Beltway Snipers.
Author Helen Montague Foster does a brilliant job of capturing the intricacies of Dr. Nancy Thomas’ internal struggles, balancing her professional responsibilities with her vulnerabilities and personal viewpoints on the nature of change in the healthcare world. These intellectual themes form the bedrock of the novel, but they never overtake the action so it always feels like a gripping drama with a deeper meaning slowly building underneath. Foster also excels in creating an atmosphere of psychological suspense, pinpointing moments of tension with some very real-world fears. There is a great pace to the protagonist’s escalating personal and professional crises as the plotlines all converge and the inevitable crash gets closer and closer. I also loved the fact that the author draws from true events to ground her fictional narrative in reality. This amplifies the story’s stakes and offers a nuanced critique of the mental health care system, illustrating its complexities and the direct impact that has on staff and patients. Overall, Lost Graces is a beautifully penned, complex, and gripping medical thriller with a lot to offer fans of the genre, and I’d definitely recommend it.
