I'm quite a fan of C.J. Tudor who likes to interweave criminality with the supernatural. Here we have the proverbial fast paced twisting thriller which was certainly for me anyway (I finished the book in a day) a page turner. After about a tenth of the way through I was utterly confused to what was going on but eventually layer by layer all is revealed. This is certainly well plotted as we get closer to what is behind and the cause of the terrifying events.

The story concerns Gabe who while driving home on the motorway to be with his wife and daughter spots the said daughter in the back of a stranger's car. He later discovers that prior to this sighting his wife and daughter were in fact brutally murdered at their home. His sighting therefore simply makes no sense but he is convinced that he really did see his daughter and she is alive. Now three years later he drives up and down the motorway in an old camper van searching for the truth. With its short chapters and dramatic chapter endings this is a perfect read for the bus or the train. I'm sure this will appeal to readers who like thrillers where you are always trying to guess the ending and place the pieces together.

Very clever - possibly too clever - thriller/horror. As seemingly separate stories start coming together, it's like a net being slowly tightened, with the intensity always ramping up. Even though I saw some of the twists coming, I had to read to to the end. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

I first came across this author when I was fascinated about the description of her first novel 'The Chalk Man', I loved it and have since enjoyed 'The Hiding Place' which was probably even better and enjoyed 'The Taking of Annie Thorne', so I was always going to read this new book.
This book is about three stories that you just know are going to become one. Gabe's wife and daughter were murdered three years ago and he now spends his time living in a camper van travelling along the motorway hoping to find his daughter. On the day of her murder he is convinced that he saw her in another car as he was travelling home. Against all the evidence he is convinced that she is still alive and the dead body identified by his father in law is another girl.
The second story is from Katie's point of view, she is a single mother who works at a service station frequented by Gabe. She is aware of Gabe and wonders what is story is because of his sad demeanour but doesn't speak to him. The third point of view is from Fran, who is scared and running away with her young daughter Alice from something or someone. Fran knows the truth about Gabe's daughter and who is responsible but is afraid that they will catch her and Alice.
This is another excellent read that I ended up finishing in one sitting such was the desire to know the truth. Great characters and a well thought out plot that is expertly paced for maximum enjoyment.
CJ Tudor is really making a name for herself among thriller writers.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Clickety click
This book is sick ...... in a good way, obviously!!!

It’s the 11th April 2016 and Gabe Forman is driving home on the M1 when he sees a rust bucket driving erratically, it’s bumper covered in stickers. To his horror he sees his 6 year old daughter Izzy in the back of this car and she’s mouthing ‘Daddy’ through its back window. How can this be? Gabe knows she’s at home with his wife Jenny. He gives chase for a while, unable to check with his wife that his eyes haven’t deceived him as he his phone is out of charge. Then he takes the decision to pull off at the next service station to ring Jenny from a pay phone - a decision he will live to bitterly regret. What unfolds is a gripping, twisty story where you feel every emotion as Gabe attempts to find his daughter who everyone else believes to be dead.

This is a well written creepy and mysterious story with excellent and very original supernatural elements which keep the intrigue from start to finish. The tale involves the dark web and a psychotic and faceless organisation who grant vengeful wishes in return for a favour at some point in the future. Gabe finds so many puzzling coincidences as he journeys around the M1 area where he last saw Izzy, meeting some strange characters along the way. One of these is The Samaritan who is very intriguing. At a service station he also meets Kate who helps him when he desperately needs it but it brings danger into her life too. Interspersed with Gabe’s story are some super creepy scenes which I think are some of the best parts of the novel. When the truth finally emerges it’s surprising and you don’t see it coming.

Overall, a terrific read and I have absolutely no doubt this is going to be a best seller. The story is very powerful and emotional with jaw droppingly good supernatural scenes. This is a real page turner with secrets and lies, guilt and revenge, murder and survival, sadness and despair and finally hope. The revenge is of the ‘eye for an eye’ kind with perhaps one of the morals of the tale being ‘be careful what you wish for’ as you might get more than you bargain for. I loved it!

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the privilege of this ARC.

A real spell binding novel, so much so I couldn’t put it down. I found the storyline very different and enjoyed it, but felt some of the story lines could have been answered more at the end.