A family leave their island home on very stormy night. Why leave in such conditions, in such a hurry? An event causes the youngest sibling to return to the island 25 years later. Deep family and community secrets are steadily unraveled.

An atmospheric page turning mystery. I found Stella, the main character to be well drawn and sympathetic, her elder sister Bonnie deeply unsympathetic.

Another gripping read from Heidi Perks - I wanted to read it in one go, and was most put out when I was interrupted .

As usual with my reviews, I will not reiterate any of the plot line (plenty of that type of review around if that's what you're looking for!) but will just record my own opinions and feelings.

This is essentially something of a time-shift novel, switching between the island childhood and mainland present day lives of three siblings and their family, and exploring the backstory behind the gruesome discovery of a body near their former home.

There are some likeable characters, some less so - but all are well-drawn. Nothing is quite as it seems at first, and we eventually uncover the truth. I have to admit that I guessed the twist, but that's probably because I've read so many books in this genre.

Looking forward to the next novel from Heidi Perks.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

The book begins on a stormy night when Stella the child tells us about leaving the island; the rush, the secrecy, the feeling of dread, of uncertainty. And from then on flips between Stella’s childhood and now. It’s a little bit of a mystery a little bit crime and a little bit family saga. The family dynamic unfolds throughout the book as Stella searches for the truth after a body was found on the island they left 25 years ago

An enjoyable read

The beginning of this book throws the reader immediately into a situation of crisis. Parents with three young children are on a perilous mission to escape their island home by boat during a raging storm. It would appear that undisclosed recent events forced the expediency of speed to overrule all health and safety concerns. The remote island, Evergreen, much loved birth home of our protagonist Stella aged eleven,, is intrinsic to both the family and the storyline which then takes us forward 25 years. A largely tragic and dysfunctional family, never fully understanding or overcoming the mystery of their childhood now discover through the media that a body has been discovered adjacent to the garden of their old island home. The book is written in alternate chapters, present day through the thoughts and actions of Stella, the much loved younger daughter and twenty five years earlier through the perspective of her mother, intent on protecting her children and salvaging an outward facade of respectability no matter how dark the secrets that surround the inhabitants of their seemingly idyllic island. The book, largely of the mystery genre now moves into nerve racking thriller where nothing is as it seems and no one is free of hidden secrets and actions. To resolve the mystery the story takes the reader on a nail biting journey into the early marriage of the parents in Birmingham, decisions taken without due diligence on the long term results for all concerned, and then ultimately back to Evergreen where all is revealed and a battle of life and death ensues to prevent the disclosure which will ultimately ruin lives. A cliff hanger five star read that I voraciously enjoyed in two sittings. Grateful to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this hugely well written and complex story resulting in a first class book.

Set across two timelines, the present and in 1993, we learn of a body found in (or not in, as we are repeatedly told) a garden of a house formerly belonging to the Harvey family on a secluded island. The story pings back and forth as we find out who was responsible and why.

I didn’t find myself really “liking” Stella and felt that parts of the story were missing and parts were padding out the book when they seemed to have no relevance.

OK read. The first half of the book seemed to drag on and on. The second half felt rushed and didn’t tie up all the loose ends. There seemed to be a lot of surface storyline but not much depth that allowed me to become invested and by the end I was like “OK what do I read next” instead of strong feelings either way. It passed the time but will be easily forgotten.

Also, one note for the author, Iona apparently googled the family back in 1993... this wouldn’t have been possible.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fairly quick and easy read with many twists and turns. On the whole a good story although I didn't really take to the main character towards the end finding her beginning to irritate. Somewhat unlikely plot, yet parts very believable. Many unexpected secrets in a tight community plus others that rippled beneath the surface but never materialised.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, well drawn-characters and a great psychological thriller with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Highly recommended.

Come back for me, was quite a slow read for me but I felt I needed to persevere to find out what happened in the end. I think the main issue for me is that I didn't connect with Stella the main protagonist. Island life sounded idilic but not with those living on the island.

One stormy night, aged only 11, Stella is devastated when her family leave their home and small close-knit community on Evergreen Island, off the Dorset Coast, with a haste that her parents can’t seem to justify. Now an adult, Stella has never returned to the island, nor has she ever heard again from her best friend from her childhood on Evergreen. She has lost touch with her brother Danny, who behaved strangely at the best of times, and her sister Bonnie hated the island and wants nothing to rekindle memories of those days. But then she catches a news story on the television: a body has been found on the island – and not just on the island, but at the end of what was Stella’s family’s garden!

An emotional roller coaster of a ride begins as the author shifts between past and present and it seems not only is there a buried body but many many buried secrets that touch on Stella and her family and everything she has believed was true about them and other once-beloved people on the island. We get insights into the joys-but-sometimes-claustrophobia of living in a small tight-knit community, an atmosphere artfully conjured up by author Heidi Perks, and as Stella finally decides to return there to find the truth for herself, we are on the edge of our seats, fearing for Stella’s own safety. What happened to her childhood friend? Who has been buried in their garden? Why were they killed and who is the killer? Who can she trust, even in her own family?

Superb psychological thriller and family drama.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK, Cornerstone for the ARC.

I thought this to be an 'OK', but for the most part, a rather pedestrian read, with a convoluted and unlikely plot-line.
Evergreen Island off the Dorset coast is where Stella Harvey was born, but 11 yrs later her family are fleeing the island during a storm and she has no idea why.
Twenty-five years on she catches a news bulletin about a body being found on the edge of their previous home on the island.
Stella lives not far from her elder sister Bonnie - their brother Danny having left the family's new home in Winchester 18 yrs previously. Her mother, Marie died some years ago after her father David had left her for Olivier. David now has Alzheimer's.
Told between 2 periods - 1993 from Marie's recollections, and present day by Stella, the lead-up to their sudden departure to the mainland is gradually revealed. However, Stella presently just has to find out whose body they had found and gradually, also, her experiences of her family and the island are also revealed.
The story does come together albeit rather frenetically at the end after Stella insists on returning to the community she once adored - only to find she is not universally welcomed..
When you have secrets to what lengths will you go to protect your family?

A strong 4 star thriller with a pacey plot and enough intrigue to keep you guessing.

This is the second book I've read by Perks and I look forward to her next.

Thanks to NetGalley, Heidi Perks and Random House for my ARC in exchange for a review.

Quite an interesting plot but found it slightly hard going towards the end. Perhaps not quite my cup of tea.

I’d like to thank Random House UK/Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Come Back For Me’ by Heidi Perks in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

On a stormy night Stella Harvey’s family pack up and leave Evergreen Island in a hurry, and twenty-five years later a body is discovered buried at the edge of the garden once owned by them. Stella’s estranged brother Danny goes to the police to claim responsibility but Stella doesn’t believe him. She returns to Evergreen Island to find out whose body it is and to meet her childhood friends again, especially Jill to whom she wrote several letters but who never replied.

‘Come Back For Me’ is an intriguing thriller telling the events that happened from 1993 to the present time. It has an exciting and well-written plot with twists and turns and interesting characters, although I did become a little confused at times trying to remember who they all were and where they fitted in. The manner in which the story is written made me think that Evergreen Island is an actual place and as I live in the Bournemouth area I googled it to find out if it actually exists so that I can visit it, which to me is proof of Heidi Perks’ considerable ability to write a believable story. This is an enjoyable read that I can definitely recommend.

great thriller, gripping until the end!
the story is nicely building up, could not put it down!
family secrets are the best.

Great book based on a family drama going between past and present. Plenty of twists and turns and an ending that i never saw coming. Really enjoyed this book and will be keeping an eye our for further heidi perks books.

Every family has secrets. But is what we think is the need for the truth really better than keeping it hidden? This family drama is an excellent portrayal of how a simple island lifestyle is anything but with so many implicit in serious crimes committed with the best of intent but resulting in huge moral dilemmas and devastating personal impact.

Really atmospheric start when 11 year old Stella's family are leaving by boat in a storm the small island where they live. Then fast forward many years. Stella is now a family counsellor and is watching TV at home and sees that a body has been discovered near her former home. After that the story goes back in time so we find out what happened prior to them leaving. The whole book rests on the fact should you be careful searching for answers you may not really want to know the answers to because once you know something you can't "unknow" it. I really enjoyed this book my second by Heidi Perks

Loved this book. The story revolves around a girl who once lived on a small island but left in a hurry never understanding why. The story is written in the present and the past weaving between the two. Believable characters and a satisfying conclusion. Great read.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded fascinating, and it was written well, but it was just all a little too much. There was a lot going on, a lot of threads to the story that weren’t wrapped up as neatly as I wanted and a lot of it felt a little bit far-fetched. I loved the relationship between Stella and Bonnie, and that was the storyline that kept me reading. I’d have liked more descriptions about the island, it sounds like such a fascinating place and yet there was very little detail about it.

This story has many interesting and well drawn characters. It is also set in a small island community which is suffocating given that everybody knows too much about everybody else. Some residents escaped its pressures early on but their earlier life keeps calling them back. The story has many twists and turns and who murdered the discovered body is not easy to guess. It is very well written and the ending is a surprise. It is a demanding read. So many of the cast have background issues the reader would never guess.