The two little boys clutched each other's hands, shivering. The wind whistled through the cracks in the window frames of the children's home they lived in. Outside their room, they could hear footsteps coming closer. 'I don't want to go,' the small boy whimpered to his friend, 'don't let them take me.'

On a crisp winter evening, Detective Nikki Gill is taking a peaceful stroll through New College Oxford grounds before starting her new job at Kidlington Criminal Investigations unit the following day. But when she hears a blood-curdling scream coming from one of the buildings, she discovers the lifeless body of Professor Brian Allerton in his office and his wife kneeling by his side.

With her first case already underway before she's officially begun her new role, Nikki is feeling the pressure. Recently divorced, Nikki's return to her hometown of Oxford after years away has also brought the memory of her traumatic childhood to the surface… the tragic loss of her brother Tommy, who spent time in a children's home before his fatal accident.

As Nikki and her new team start to investigate, they dig deeper into Brian's life and uncover an unsettling connection to Dunston Hill, the very same children's home where Nikki's brother lived.

But just when Nikki thinks she has made a breakthrough in the case, the body of another professor is found.

With the investigation becoming more personal by the minute, Nikki must confront painful memories and old wounds. Can she overcome her past to solve the murder and bring justice to the victims before the killer strikes again?

An captivating crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With suspenseful twists and turns, Stolen Souls is the first in the gripping Detective Nikki Gill series from the bestselling author of the Arla Baker series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Simon McCleave and Robert Dugoni.