4.5 stars for I Know Where She Is by SB Caves.

I hate to think how I would have coped had one of my children been abducted. In the beginning I was judgmental of Francine, whose daughter Autumn was abducted some 10 years prior to the start of this book. Francine coped by becoming a functioning alcoholic who regularly consults psychics. Her husband Will coped by turning his daughter's disappearance into an industry.

Fast forward, and Francine receives a hand delivered note with only the words 'I KNOW WHERE SHE IS '.

And so begins an unpredictable, and at times improbable and unbelievable, but utterly riveting roller coaster ride as Francine follows her gut instinct to try to save her daughter. Is the note a cruel hoax, or does someone really know where her daughter is?

I Know Where She Is deserves to be made into a movie. I could see it all unfolding before me as I read.

Caves leaves me in no doubt that she is an author to be watched. Her writing is dynamic. Her characters are flawed, unpredictable and all too human; her descriptions of the settings so realistic I could picture myself there.

Don't be surprised if there is a sequel; the door has been left wide open for this to happen.

Thank you to Canelo via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of I Know Where She Is by SB Caves for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I just love this book! Although the beginning takes some time to take off, the rest of the book just fly through without you noticing. The time line is actually quite short, but the writer manages to pack it with loads of excitement. It's a tense, and gripping book. A compulsive read that has wonderful plot twists that leaves you breathless. There were times where I have to stop, as it gets too intense.
I would definitely recommend this book!

I had to stop reading. Too many trigger warnings that should be at least hinted in advance... I don't have the stomach right now for reading ugly things which are portrayed in a not so sensitive way. I don't know, this book is not for me.

As the first story I requested and in turn was sent from NetGalley, I didn't really know what to expect. If anything I was worried I might be stuck with a stinker, but I needn't have fretted at all. I Know Where She Is was a rip-roaring success from cover to cover.

SB Caves manages to keep you gripped from the very first page right through to the last, which in itself is no easy task. Too many thrillers lose steam somewhere around the middle, or take too long to pick up the pace and never really get going in the end, filling your head with unnecessary back story or flowery dialogue that just doesn't get your heart racing. I Know Where She Is doesn't fall into any of these traps and it's no wonder I finished the book in just under a day. I needed to know what happened next.

Francine, as dysfunctional as she is, is a likeable and strangely warm character. You can't help but feel sympathy for her plight, she's facing every parent's worst nightmare after all. But she weathers it well, unlike ex-husband Will who dismisses Francine's hope at every given opportunity. It's Will's condescension that pushes us firmly in Francine's corner, egging her on until the very end.

Lena and Melody are the books other two 'goodies', each as damaged as the other and with very good reason. Their stories are harrowing and not easily read, but SB Caves manages to pull you back in just as soon as you think things are getting a bit too heavy. Their plight is not unlike the stories we're bombarded by in the papers on a regular basis and Caves handles the subject marvellously.

The women in this book, bar one or two, are magnificent examples of strength, courage and perseverance in the face of cruelty. The men in their lives are cold, controlling and everything that's wrong with the world. I'm not sure SB Caves set out to write such a feminist story of empowerment, but I Know Where She Is definitely screams girl power.

My only criticism? He doesn't have another novel waiting for me to indulge in right this second.