Imagine you have a 9 year old daughter ( Grace ) and you agree to let her walk home from a neighbours house, after a trip to Alton Towers, you and Grace’s friends parents are watching but a chain of small events mean as she turns the bend In the road no one can actually see her, just for a minute....then shes gone...disappeared....into seemingly thin air...
Distraught parents ( Lucie and Blake ) then have to face this realisation and find out why she has gone
The first part of the book gives nothing away, there are hints and clues and you KNOW things are not as they seem, I felt a tense foreboding, it was palpable, I was almost anxious as little by little you realised there was more and more going to be discovered....cleverly woven together via the past past, the recent past and the present
As the book progressed you found out more and more and ( as an avid reader, been there, seen that 😃 ) cockily I thought I had it worked out...quite a few times, I hadnt!!....then the terrifying conclusion which again led me down one path to abruptly stop and turn 360^ as once again the author cleverly added more ‘twists’ to the tale
K.L.Slater writes books at an amazing rate, this being her 8th psychological thriller but the standard never slips and in fact I think this is one of my favourites
I have to mention 2 wonderful characters Nadine ( Lucies MIL) who I pictured kinda Joan Collinsey and was wonderful in her ( unwarranted ) cutting remarks and Barbara Charterhouse ( a local resident who actually plays a vital role in the end ) who was equally awesome in her twin tweeds and brusque manner!
A very easy to read and enjoy book which I read in 2 sittings and was unflawed in its suspense, story and characters
Brilliant
10/10 5 Stars

Another hit for K. L. Slater!

Grace is 9 years old - after nagging her parents, she is allowed to walk home, alone, from her friend (Olivia's) house. It is just down the street but there is a curve that in the street on the way. Her best friend's dad, Mike, and her father, Blake, are able to watch her almost the entire time. Things happen and Grace disappears.

The story switches back and forth from Grace's mom's earlier days to the present. KL Slater does a marvelous job of creating a building tension throughout the book by intertwining the past and present.

I was on the edge of my seat. What would be the outcome of all of the characters? Although I do not condone Grace's mom's (Lucie's) actions a lot of the time, her character is well put together and assimilated throughout the story - as are the other characters.

A brilliant read you do not want to miss!

Again, many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a great read!

You could be forgiven for thinking that with the speed Kim writes, the quality would suffer but you’d be wrong!! I love her work, her narrative flows well and is solid, without relying on heavy cliche and hyperbole. Her characters are believable and her plots have many original features. This novel is another stonker! I raced thorough it, like all her others and have to say each one gets better and better! I can’t wait for the next!

It’s the day after Grace Sullivan’s 9th birthday. She has been out for the day with her best friend, and Lucie and Blake Sullivan, Grace’s parents, have agreed for Grace to walk the short 4 minute journey home from her friend’s house to theirs. On the way though, Grace disappears. Lucie and Blake are obviously overcome with worry as to what has happened to their daughter, but when Lucie receives a message from her past, she realises she needs to reveal the secret she has been keeping all these years.

I was so excited to hear this author’s new book! I’ve read I think all of her books and have loved every single one of them! When I was given the opportunity to read this one, the decision to move it right to the top of the To Be Read pile was an easy one. I’d also just finished reading another book, so the timing was perfect. At the time, I was not well, and having completely lost my voice I was able to use the opportunity of not having to talk to anyone and to crack on and get through this book, which I read in just under a day!

I do love this author’s books. Her writing is spot on, not just in how well it’s written but also in how up to date the story was….I mean, even Fortnite gets a mention! The storyline features every parent’s nightmare – your child going missing after walking home on their own. In the book, Grace, whilst still only 9 years old, wants to become more ‘grown-up’ and independent. Her mum is not so keen, and who can blame her! But, unfortunately we do have to cut the apron strings at some point and begin to let our children do these things. My son will be 12 this year and is now at secondary school, yet I still pace up and down in the kitchen like a caged tiger when I’m waiting for him to get home.

The author manages to get the emotions just right throughout the story. It switches from worried to scared to untrusting to accusing with a load of other different emotions thrown in the middle of those as well! I had a feeling of unease throughout the book, and my maternal side obviously kicked in and had such an empathy for Lucie. The chapters mainly alternate between present day and 16 years before giving the viewpoint of Lucie during her university years. I did initially wonder how this all fitted in, but all became evidently clear as the story moved on. The other characters were all great and I had trouble determining which ones of them could be trusted and which couldn’t. Needless to say, as per normal, my guesses were wrong!

You don’t get to find out what has happened to Grace until very near the end, leaving you on tenterhooks throughout the whole book. The tension and suspense builds at a fast pace and by the end you feel like you have been put through an emotional washing machine…..on the fast spin!! I didn’t guess what had happened to Grace until the reveal, and I certainly didn’t guess who was involved. I did though have an early inkling as to what was discussed between Grace’s parents at the end of the book, but the ending rounded off a very high tension and thrilling book perfectly!

It was a fantastic story of lies and mistrust, with a ‘slap in the face’ reminder that secrets never stay secret and that your past will always catch up with you. Highly highly recommended! Superb!!