“Stolen Souls” by Stuart Neville follows Galya Petrova, a Ukrainian teenager brought to Belfast, Ireland under false pretenses and made to work as a call girl after working on a mushroom farm, as she murders her very first client—Tomas Strazdas, the brother of the man who runs the whole ring—and escapes from the two thugs assigned to guard her, before getting herself into yet more trouble. Parallel to Galya’s escape, we follow the story of Detective Inspector Jack Lennon, as he is assigned to investigate the murder of Tomas and the two thugs who chased after Galya, while living with his own demons. Lennon’s wife Marie was killed in a house fire, and he is a single dad to little Ellen. As Lennon tries to solve Galya’s case, he develops an interesting relationship with his neighbor Susan, though he hesitates to make it romantic. Meanwhile, Galya contacts a man who claims he can help her—a mysterious man who calls himself Billy Crawford. As he drives Galya to his house, Galya starts to question herself for trusting him. Before long, she finds herself in an impossible situation. My thoughts: Neville is an Irish author, and the writing reflects that. You feel like you’re in Ireland. Jack Lennon, the lead character (alongside Galya), is a very multi-layered character. He is against human trafficking, yet had experience with call girls himself. He is lonely after becoming a widower, yet refuses the company offered to him by a woman who he admires. He wants to be a good father, yet frequently puts his safety on the line. Galya, the other lead character, is young, yet—considering her life experience—interestingly naïve. She listens to a man who lies—promising to hire her as a family nanny to teach English to little kids—only to wind up as a call girl. She barely escapes, only to fling herself into the arms of yet another man—one whom she knows equally little of—and proceeds to trust yet again. Between the two lead characters—each with his own faults—Neville plots an elaborate tale of lies, betrayal, and murder. Published by Soho Crime. October 4, 2011. 354 pages. List price $25.00
