Lost lad london vol 2 by Shinya Shima

Al is now living with Detective Ellis since there's a killer on the loose and he's most likely going to come after Al next. The detective continues to search for clues while Al dives a bit more into his past. The politics of the police station also play a huge role in this volume as Ellis has to navigate the suspicions of another investigator who is certain Al is the prime suspect. Al also tries to go about his life as normal in going to his job, but the two aren't sure about how he's going to resume going to classes with the new semester starts. 

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This volume does a lot of building, with lots of character building, and relationship building between Ellis and Al. It also introduces racial profiling in policing as Al is targeted not just for the coincidences of being around the Mayor on his final day. There are many wordless panels where Al is going about his day or shopping for food. Using this style within a mystery novel creates a sense of tension, as if the audience perspective is really the killer's, and he's following Al through his daily life. The art continues to be a high point of this story with its blend of traditional manga style and western illustrations. This is a great investment for established manga fans, and murder-mystery fans looking for an entry-point to manga. 

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 10-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1

Publisher: Yen Press
Publication Date: August 30, 2022
ISBN: 9781975341619 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 10/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Suspense, ​Yen Press