Now You See Her is not a novel for those with a dodgy heart.  Mine thudded away with every page that I read.  Charlotte takes her eyes off the kids for 2 seconds, but that is enough time for her friends daughter to disappear.  Was she taken?  Is she dead?  Read on to find out.  4 whopping stars

What could be worse than losing your child while visiting the local school fete? Losing someone else’s!

Charlotte and Harriett are best friends and when Harriett finally builds up the nerve to leave her four year old little girl Alice with someone else for the day, Charlotte a mother of three herself, seems the obvious, if not only, choice. That is a decision that they both will live to regret as Alice goes missing while waiting to go on a bouncy castle with Charlotte’s two older children. Despite the crowds of people present Alice seems to have disappeared into thin air.

Harriett, devastated by the loss of her little girl, finds it impossible to face Charlotte in the aftermath and Charlotte finds herself under suspicion and losing trust from those around her. Many lives are turned upside down by the little one’s disappearance but the priority is to find her – hopefully alive. Who has taken Alice? And why?

This book swallowed me up from the first page and whenever I attempted to put it down it demanded that it not be for long! The sense of intrigue from the start had me devouring chapter upon chapter without any sense of time – I suffered a full on book hangover with this novel! 

The characters are well written, particularly the leading ladies Charlotte and Harriett. They have cultivated a relationship over a period of around five years and despite their huge differences in character and Harriett nor being particularly popular with others, they have become firm friends. They are very real as are many of the supporting characters in the book and the  normality of the people within and the utter horror of what they are facing makes the book even more compelling to read. 

I was taken on an emotional rollercoaster which built and built as the story progressed and since finishing it I am still thinking about the characters almost as though they are people I know. I think that’s always a sign of an excellent novel.

Needless to say, I thoroughly recommend this book. It would be a great one to take on holiday as is easily consumed in just a few sessions (if not all in one).

My thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for a copy of #NowYouSeeHer in return for an honest review.

Oh wow! I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoilers, but when Harriet leaves her only daughter with her only friend Charlotte, who is taking her to a school fete whilst she does a course, the whole town gets involved when the daughter disappears and everyone is looking at Charlotte aghast as she was checking Facebook when the little girl went missing. 

A fabulous book that will have you guessing until the end.

A gripping mystery which will resonate with every mum out there. Distinct voices and strong female characters, unexpected plot twists and an ending that didn't take the easy option.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping book

my first heidi perks book but it wont be the last, a gripping story that had me hooked from the first time i started to read it

an happily married couple that have a child...and then the wife starts to do some crazy things...or is she...

and then the daughter goes missing...who could have taken her

and slowly the story unfolds....gripping stuff

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, what an utterly gripping, chilling and thought provoking read this was!!
As a parent of young children myself, having read the synopsis, I knew this book would be a "must read" for me. 
I was drawn in right from the word go. The narratives were clear and easy to read, but not being a fan of "thens and nows", I found the jumping about a little annoying and had to double check what I was reading occasionally.
After the half way point, this book was totally unputdownable. This isn't a word I use lightly, as I usually only read a few chapters a day and books usually last me a week. I fell asleep gone midnight reading this one and woke at 4am to continue and read until it was finished this morning!
The final segments of the story were very chilling, and I could picture the whole situation playing out. The ending was the best possible outcome although nonetheless thought provoking and sad.

Wow, what a book this was.  It was absolutely brimming with tension and full of so many unexpected twists and turns that I felt dizzy.

This book covers one of my worst fears, losing one of the kids in a public place and not being able to find them.  Having lost Douglas for five terrifying minutes in Matalan once (I say lost but he’d actually decided to hide behind some coats) I know how scary it is and the author’s fabulous descriptions really brought the incident back to me as it was very true to what I remember.

The story goes back and forth between then (when Alice disappeared to the present day.  This definitely intigued me as the present day thread seemed to hint that a lot had happened since the fete where Alice disappeared and that something dodgy had happened.  As the two threads continue and start to merge together secrets start to be revealed.  I found myself reading faster and faster as I desperately wanted to get to the bottom of things.

I felt very sorry for the two main female characters in the book.  The guilt that Charlotte felt about losing Alice was almost tangible and I hated seeing her tearing herself up over what happened, especially when it comes to light that she was having a sneaky look at Facebook when Alice went missing (how many of us do that).  The abuse she receives on the internet about it was hard to read and I felt that the police should perhaps have done more to protect her.  Harriet’s grief over Alice was heartbreaking as the little girl was obviously her world.  I really felt for her as such a situation must be truly terrifying.

I really didn’t like Ben, Alice’s father however.  From the moment you meet him he comes across as quite a dislikeable, controlling bully who I couldn’t feel sorry for.  His absolute determination to blame Charlotte for Alice’s disappearance and his behaviour towards her was shocking and made me wonder what he was hiding.  At the beginning I passed it off as grief but as things get murkier and his behaviour worsens I got more angry towards him and more suspicious.

The ending was brilliant and one that I didn’t guess was coming.  A fantastic way to finish this fabulous book!

This is the author’s second book and I’m very excited to read any future books by her.  I will be be recommending this book to everyone as it’s a real must read.  Just make sure that you have lots of time to finish the book, as once you’ve started its its  to put down.

Huge thanks to Arrow Publishing for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Rachel Kennedy for inviting me onto the blog tour.

I flew through this book, reading it in a few hours over a few days.

Charlotte promises Harriet that her daughter Alice will be safe with her at the school fete.  Harriet’s never left Alice with anyone before, but she trusts her friend.  Charlotte is distracted by her phone for a few moments and in that time Alice vanishes.

How do you tell your friend that you lost her daughter and what would you do to make it right?

The book is told in the present and the two weeks since Alice’s disappearance.  The characters are realistic and the premise is relevant and you could imagine it happening.

I did guess the ending but it didn’t spoil it for me.

Now You See Her by Heidi Perks

Harriet is a very protective mother. She can’t bear to let her daughter Alice out of her sight. But then one day Harriet gets the chance to go on a course that could potentially transform her future, giving her a life outside the home. And so, with great reluctance, she agrees that her best friend Charlotte can babysit for the day, taking Alice along with her own children to the school fete. Charlotte swears she only took her eyes off the children for a moment and now she must tell Harriet that little Alice is missing. Both Harriet and Charlotte are devastated and Harriet swears she will never speak to Charlotte again for losing her child and not one of her own. But two weeks later both women are being questioned by the police. The truth will not stay buried.

The lost or stolen child is a familiar theme in psychological thrillers but there is something about the way that Heidi Perks treats the theme in Now You See Her that particularly appeals. And I think that this has a great deal to do with Harriet and Charlotte. Each is such an interesting character and the development of their friendship over the previous few years is portrayed with real feeling. Harriet is not an easy woman to warm to, she’s an outsider, and the mums that gather outside the school gates to collect their young can be every bit as unkind as their offspring. Charlotte won’t stand for it. Their friendship is fragile and they have very little in common except their children but it feels very genuine. I warmed to these two, especially Charlotte.

The police investigation, the stories of Charlotte and Harriet, Harriet’s relationship with her husband, the role of the media and society in forming opinions – these all work together to form a psychological thriller that is more original and realistic than most.

There are tantalising hints throughout the novel from the very beginning, in the form of snippets from police interviews, so we know that something serious lies ahead, perhaps even more so than the disappearance of four-year-old Alice, and this keeps the reader on tenterhooks. The narrative also shifts to and fro in time and moves between the stories of Charlotte and Harriet. The structure works well and keeps the pace moving.

I realised quite early on in which way the novel would go and so this did take the edge off it a little for me. Nevertheless, Now You See Her gives us something different in what is a rather crowded shelf. It is well-written and the pace is maintained throughout, driven by the memorable and appealing characters of Harriet and Charlotte whose friendship is here put to the biggest test.

Now You See Her by Heidi Parks explores a scarily realistic premise. What if you were to lose someone else’s child whilst they are in your care? It is a scenario that must run through the minds of many whenever they’re responsible for a friend’s child; this is what happens to Charlotte when she takes Harriet’s daughter, Alice to the school fete. One moment Alice is playing quite happily with her children, but the moment she is out of sight, Alice disappears. And what is even more chilling is that another young boy disappeared several months previously and the boy was never found. Has the same person struck again? 

This book was a compulsive page turner. Once I started reading I really couldn’t stop and I just had to know what had happened to Alice. The story is told from the viewpoints of both Harriet and Charlotte, both before and in the aftermath of Alice’s disappearance. What was really striking for me was, even though Alice wasn’t Charlotte’s child, she seems more affected by the disappearance than Harriet is. Harriet is of course devastated but Charlotte has to carry the burden that she was in charge of Alice the day she went missing and she will be thinking about this for the rest of her life.

The police investigation into Alice’s disappearance does take more of a back seat as the plot unfolds but it is the psychological insight into the two women at the heart of the novel that carries it forward. 

Heidi Parks writing is sharp and there is tension on every page as Charlotte and Harriet both try to work out what happened. I think I did connect more with Charlotte than I did with Harriet, but perhaps this was because she was the one in charge of Alice when she went missing. I really felt for her as I knew that the disappearance wasn’t her fault but she and others seemed to blame her for it. This was a pacy, character driven psychological thriller that had me gripped from the opening page. I can’t wait to read more from Heidi Parks.

This was an absolutely superb psychological thriller!!

As soon as I stared reading this book I knew I was going to have to red it in one sitting and I stayed up late in to the early hours to get to the thrilling ending - this has to be one of the best books I have read this year!!

I loved everything about this book, including that brilliant cover!!  It has some fascinating characters and I loved their development as the story progressed and we got to find out more of their hidden secrets.  Love a book like this that keeps me entertained and guessing!

Five stars from me - very, very highly recommended - I don't want to say much more other than get a copy now!!

A solid 5 star read. So many questions - a child you are looking after goes missing - how do you tell her mother? Do you wish it had been one of your own children instead? Can you live with yourself? Will your friends ever trust you again with their children? And that is just the start of this book. From there the book takes so many twists and turns which leaves you spinning.
Not only is this book an original plot which keeps you reading and amazed but it is so well written with the characters so well drawn and believable. I really cared about Harriet and Charlotte.
So pleased the blurb was vague enough to attract readers but not explicit enough to spoil the rollercoaster ride the reader would take.
Not only will I be finding a copy of her debut novel Beneath the Surface but I also can't wait for her next novel to be published next year!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Heidi Perks/Random House for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oooohh, that was creepy. Creepy good, though. Where do abuse begins and what do you do if there are no bruises or scars to show. Who will believe you? What are you willing to do to make things better for you and your family? Is there something you can do?
I loved the story and couldn’t stop reading, wanting to find out more. I didn’t see any of it coming and it was an intense ride from the start ‘til the very end.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK!

This is the first Heidi Perks book I have read and it won't be the last. I literally couldn't put this book down. It shows we never really know someone, there's always going to be something they keep hidden. Brilliantly written I highly recommend this book.

As a parent of young children I do find that stories about missing kids will raise my anxiety levels. Therefore reading Now You See Her caused some discomfort as I shared the anguish of a family learning that their daughter has disappeared from the school fete.

The subsequent police investigation into events leading up to the incident and the story of the two families at the heart of the book is skillfully crafted by Heidi Perks to put the reader through emotional turmoil.

Using a then/now narrative the reader is taken into the homes of Harriet and Charlotte and the curtain is lifted on their lives so we can all see the unspoken truths which have been kept off radar.

The tricky part of reviewing this book is that to discuss or reveal too much of his the story unfolds just means a review becomes a spoiler. That’s not happening here.  Suffice to say that Now You See Her is a slick domestic thriller, part police investigation, which will delight fans of unsettling family dramas.

This is my first novel from Heidi Perks and it was an easy one to relax into, exactly what I needed at the time. I've already downloaded "Beneath the Surface" to cure my insomnia this evening as I await another release from her in the not-so-distant future. There have been a lot of books with the same premise out recently - a child that goes missing and the ensuing chaos and impending doom that follows.

Charlotte is looking after her best friend Harriet's daughter Alice. She had taken Alice along to a fete alongside her own children. She looks down at her phone and pulls up Facebook - the next time she lifts her head to check on the kids and Alice has vanished. "Now You See Me" then follows Charlotte and Harriet as they are questioned separately by the police and there is nothing anyone can do now... as secrets begin to surface.

This is a well-written and chilling read - I am sure that every parent can appreciate how it would feel to lose your own child, let alone the daughter of your best friend. A truly terrifying situation for all involved. This is a book that centres around a few key themes - lies, secrets, deceit, friendship and manipulation. It grabbed me from the first chapter and slowly increased its grasp throughout. Only when I reached the climax did I feel I could breathe once again.

Many thanks to Random House - Cornerstone/Century for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A wonderfully gripping story which I could not put down!

Perks did an awesome job of ensuring that I kept my kindle clutched firmly, until I had finished!

This is the first novel I’ve read by Heidi Perks and hopefully it won’t be the last. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this excellent book.
The heartbreak of loosing a precious child must be unbearable, but when she is in the care of your best friend it makes it even worse for both mothers.  The story of Harriett and Charlotte takes many twists and turns along the way, with Brian initially being a caring husband to Harriett and loving father to Alice, we are kept guessing as to his true personality. Although Jumping forward a year to the final chapter left a lot of gaps, I still really enjoyed reading this gripping thriller.

WOW! This is going to be a massive bestseller I can tell you that now. A must buy, a must read, a must have. Do not miss this book or the hype! This was bloody brilliant. Outstanding. I LOVED IT. Now You See Her is going straight into my top 20 of 2018.

I devoured this story within a day I literally could not put it down. I even read it while cooking tea! Unputterdownable. I cannot praise this book enough. A new author to myself but she sure knows how to write a belter of a book. I love books that just grab you and will not let you go at all. Immersed.

As a mother this story did shake me up a little, its my worse nightmare is a child going missing or being taken, I could never imagine how I would feel. It makes me hug my kids a little tighter and makes me feel lucky. Every mother knows they know best and leaving your child for the first time or anytime at that has you a little worried and on edge till your reunited. I really felt for Harriet to begin with and for poor Charlotte as it wasn’t her fault… Within a second anything can happen.

THEN YOU GET HIT WITH THAT OUTCOME.

Jaw dropper. A real page turner, sleep stealer, a brilliant upcoming bestseller of 2018. I am so glad, honoured and lucky that I got the chance and time to read this. A well deserved five stars, highly recommend. If I can’t convince you to go buy this book then I give up! You are bound to throughally enjoy it. You will not be disappointed.

Now You See Her follows the lives of best friends Harriet and Charlotte.  Harriet is looking to return to work so she signs herself up for a bookkeeping course, having never left Alice with anyone before, who does she trust enough to look after her little girl?  She decides to ask Charlotte, who has 3 children of her own, surely Alice will be safe with her?? 

Charlotte decides to take them all to the fete at the local park and Charlotte settles herself with her phone on the bench while Jack, Molly and Alice go on the Jungle Run, 3 children go on that activity but only 2 come off at the other end.......  ALICE HAS DISAPPEARED!!

This story shows what can happen when you turn your back for a second, because that's all Charlotte did and now she's lost her best friends child, where did she go?  As the story is told, between then and now, it quickly becomes clear that things aren't as they appear, who snatched Alice and where is she now, what really happened at the park that day? 

This book shows the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their child even though it could end badly, the author kept me hooked throughout, but nothing prepared me for the outcome of this one.  It's the first book I've read by this author but it certainly won't be the last and I finished it in less than 24 hours.  

I would like to thank Random House UK Cornerstone for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.