S.E. Lynes is one of my auto-buy/request authors. I have read and enjoyed all her books. I like how she writes twisty, suspenseful reads which are not just entertaining but also thought-provoking.

This story is mainly narrated by Rachel. She is a middle-aged woman who nobody sees. No, this isn’t a supernatural tale but quite a realistic one that I am certain many (especially women) can relate to. At one point, the author compares Rachel to a kettle. You hardly take note of a kettle until it stops working. You don’t usually walk into the kitchen and think about the kettle or even look at it. Sadly, a number of people can relate to feeling invisible. I know I have felt like that at some point at work or at home. I loved Rachel. I wanted to reach into the story and hug her. At the same time, I was curious and worried about the lengths that she would go to be seen.

Through interviews by Rachel’s husband, daughter, best-friend and neighbor, a suspenseful tale unfolds. I kept wondering who was telling the truth. I had a feeling that there were some unreliable narrator(s) but I couldn’t guess exactly who and so I turned the pages frantically to find out the real story. The suspense was palpable.

This was an entertaining read that will also make you think. As I mentioned, I could identify with some of Rachel’s feelings and thoughts. At the same time, it made me think about the people in my life and whether I have truly been seeing them.

I also loved the unpredictability that had me guessing and changing my guesses all the way to the last page. In addition, the epilogue almost knocked me off my feet.

If you are yet to read any books by S. E. Lynes, you are truly missing out on some very good writing. Emotional, enthralling, relatable and quite entertaining, I can’t recommend this book enough.

I love S.E. Lynes! Can You See her is slow burn of a thriller which I love. S.E. really takes her time setting up everything in this book and I was really able to slow my pace and really enjoy this book! But once the slow burn ignited into a huge boom I devoured the rest and OMG that ending!

This is-a very clever and fascinating read. To say it’s a psychological thriller doesn’t quite cover it but I don’t know how else you could categorise it. The whole book is dialogue and my one complaint would be that for the first quarter of the book I kept trying to follow the quotation marks so i could work out where the conversation was directed but once I got over this it flowed better.
I was drawn to Rachel who is the main character. The details of her feelings laid bare exquisitely by the author
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of Can You See Her? in exchange for an honest review.

Can You See Her by S.E. Lynes is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Rachel is feeling lost, neglected, depressed, and angry.  She feels unappreciated.  She cooks and cleans, and does all the household chores when she isn't waitressing in a pub.  She isn't sure her husband or daughter would even notice her absence unless they didn't have clean clothes or food on the table.  Rachel is going through menopause, and that isn't helping her spirits.  She feels invisible.

Rachel is also concerned with all the knife-crimes in the area, and is keeping a file of newspaper clippings to take to her MP.  It is becoming a bit of an obsession.

But more than anything, Rachel is worried.  She is afraid she may have crossed the line and done something that would really get her noticed.  Invisibility is one thing, but she may not want to jump into the limelight either.



 My Opinions:  

This author never fails to deliver.  The plot, the characters, the twists, the pace, the prose. A rather dark book, but with bits of humour thrown in.  Everything worked.

The book is about loss, about loneliness, about depression, about empathy.  It is about a woman who is dealing with menopause, but also with so much more.  She is feeling invisible to the world, alone in her misery.  It is about mental illness.  It is about anger, and hate, and mis-directed revenge. It is about grief, and loss, and heartache.  Needless to say, it is an emotional read.

I loved how the story was told from different perspectives, and you weren't sure who to believe.  I found myself questioning everyone!

I absolutely loved Rachel.  I can't expand on that.

Okay, to say this one got to me, would be an understatement.  I loved the menopause angle, and perhaps I learned a little about myself.  Thank you Susie for that!

It is a rather complex book, an emotional read, a wonderful and heart-warming story.  I loved it.

Another great book from Susie Lynes. Revolving a middle aged menopausal woman, the book explores all sorts of issues. From the get go I really liked the main character Rachel and felt for her I. So many ways. The book is not a hugely fast paced thriller but more of a slow burner that grows into an epic crescendo. Thought I had it all worked out and then got to the end of the book. The fifth star is absolutely for that last paragraph.

Up until the 50-60% mark this was looking like a three star book. Let’s not beat around the bush. It started very slowly. It didn’t have much action. But what it did have was a beautifully exquisite portrayal of a woman on the edge. Rachel is middle aged, has been married for over 20 years, has one son at university and a daughter having a gap year to explore her options in the beauty industry. Her husband doesn’t seem to notice her anymore, they don’t talk, they don’t cuddle and the family seems to take her for granted. She feels invisible. As an older woman myself I could really relate to this portrayal and I know what it means to feel invisible. Not so much now but a while ago. The point I’m making is that Rachel was pitch perfect.

The narrative takes the form of interviews with a forensic psychiatrist interspersed with transcriptions of interviews with Rachel’s husband Mark, her daughter Katie, best friend Lisa and newish neighbour, Ingrid. Apart from feeling invisible, Rachel is going through menopause and feels the weight of the world on her shoulders. She takes to walking late at night with the dog to calm her feelings of loneliness and rage. She has so much rage. She talks to complete strangers and invents stories about their lives. She thinks they all have their own personal despair. For these people she feels so much love. Her emotions and hormones are raging. When she hears on the news one morning that a young lady she had been speaking was brutally attacked with knife the night before Rachel is beside herself. She wonders if she could have done this. This happens again and again until Rachel breaks and, convinced she is a murderer, She confesses to the police. Enter the forensic psychiatrist. And that is where I must leave my review.

It is rare that such a story keeps me engaged but I was totally transfixed with Rachel’s story and her journey and how she dealt with the many issues (some you only learn about much later) that life threw at her. This is the first S.E. Lynes book I have read but this author is a class act and I will be reading more.

A very addictive read! I could not put th1is down! I just had to keep reading to see how it all turned out.

It is one of those books that makes you question everything that happens. Did she do it? Is she innocent? Is she crazy? I didn't know what to think. Eventually I had my suspicions but there is one massive twist I never saw coming!

I really liked the way this book is written. Rachel is speaking to her psychiatrist after the events have already happened. As the story unfolds and we try to figure out what really happened, Rachel is trying to peice it all together too.
Some of the chapters are the police interviews with her friends and family. I loved these chapters. It makes it more interesting when you hear the same story from others perspectives.

This is a fantastic read and fully deserves the five stars!

This really wasn’t for me.
I am often torn between SE Lynes - either really loving or not so much! This was a not so much. Very slow burner with little to keep me interested.
Will always request books by Lynes as I have enjoyed some - but not this one.

I thought the book started off slow and was a bit confusing to start with, but picked up pace halfway through.
The main character is Rachel who has confessed to a few murders and is now telling her story to the forensic phycologist Amanda. The books alternates between Rachel’s story as she tells it to Amanda, and the police transcripts, as they interview possible suspects. I really struggled to read Rachel’s part which I found very long and winding. Maybe it was the authors way of conveying Rachel’s erratic mind, and she succeeded fully in doing that. I skipped through a few bits and pieces of Rachel’s story and found that the book did become more and more interesting. The ending was also pretty good.
However I don’t think this was one of the best mystery and suspense books that I have read, so am giving it 3 stars. But I would definitely like to try out other books by this author.

Thank you Bookouture for an advanced copy of this ebook and giving me a chance to review this book!

Can you See Her? was a slow-burner for me. It was a struggle to push forward and there were many times I just wanted to put the book down. I must be in a reading slump since I had a hard time getting into the previous book I was reading and I actually did put the book down. Reviews from others also mentioned the beginning was slow but the story picked up halfway through and the ending was worth it. Well, the story did get more intriguing later on but I actually figured out most of the ending.

Some confusing terms:
boyf = boyfriend
tea = eat

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and S.E. Lynes for a copy of "Can You See Her?" in exchange for an honest review.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The whole premise of the book - feeling invisible - is something I think every woman can relate to (and perhaps some men!). So even though it was possible that Rachel was a murderer, I still felt a lot of empathy for her. Her struggle was incredibly real and relatable, and she truly was an amazingly-written character throughout.
The story radiates emotion, heartbreak, obsession and above all, loneliness and hope. S.E Lynes really does have a way with words, and has crafted a cleverly-written story that was insightful, deeply emotional and compellingly fascinating.
It may of been a bit of a slow burner, but it is definitely a must-read!
Can't wait for her next!

Can You See Her is a suspenseful thriller that unfolds brilliantly throughout the book.
Rachel Ryder has been married to Mark for twenty seven years, in that time she has had two children, suffered depression after her youngest was born and is working at a bar. She feels invisible, her husband only notices her when washing isn’t done or teas not on the table and her daughter is on a gap year before going to university but is more interested in doing make-up tutorials for Instagram then speaking to her. Rachel also has an obsession with knife crime in the area and has built a folder detailing the crimes. Feeling invisible she goes out every night, meets strangers and the next morning they are dead, as she is having lapses in her memory she can’t remember much but clues she finds in her handbag give her flashbacks and she eventually goes to the police and confessed to the murders.
This was a well thought out plot line. I liked Rachel and could relate to her at times. I enjoyed the police interview sections as this gave more depth to the story.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this book took some getting used to, as the “ramblings” of the main character did not make a lot of sense. However, it quickly became apparent that there was a lot more going on than just Rachel relating past incidents in a stream of consciousness manner. Rachel’s feelings of invisibility were relatable. What I liked most was that I was kept off-balance, and my theories kept changing throughout the book. This is one you don’t want to miss. For more thoughts, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

After reading my first ever book by the author only a couple of months ago, I loved it that much I jumped at the chance to read this book. Once again S.E. Lynes doesn’t disappoint with this addictive, harrowing read.

Can You See Her is one hell of a psychological thriller. It is a story that will certainly play with your mind. When we meet Rachel who doesn’t remember her life before.

The author draws you in straight from the start and doesn’t let you go until the very end. OMG what a story, I cannot begin to tell you how intriguing and addictive this story is.

Told in alternating chapters between the characters. Each chapter leaves you wanting more. Can You See Her is a very clever story, be prepared to be taken on a roller coaster ride. Has the author builds the story up in layers drip feeding you parts of the puzzle has you try to work out what has happened and what is going on. Talk about keeping you guessing until the end.

This is one of those story’s that you need to read for yourself to see what I am taking about. It is a truly brilliant read that will blow your mind. That I cannot recommend enough.

Thank you to Sarah Hardy and Bookouture for a copy and for the blog tour invite.

Woah! This book totally hooked me in and spat me out again. I really enjoyed the book being mainly from the perspective of Rachel although it took me a while to remember who was who when the other key characters chimed in with their bits of the story. I would like to read this again in a little while to see what I missed during the first read through as I think it's one of those books that lays breadcrumbs carefully throughout the beginning segment of the story that you only notice and appreciate on a second read through. Recommended.

"That's all any of us want, isn't it? To be seen, to be listened to with compassion and attention while we unload our troubled hearts."

Rachel Edwards feels invisible. Going through menopause is indeed rough, but this is something else. As she tells her story to the forensic psychiatrist, Rachel hopes to achieve some clarity about events over the past year. Lately, Rachel has come to believe that she has committed murder and she contacts the police and turns herself in. NO SPOILERS.

This psychological drama was quite unusual. The narrative alternates between Rachel's point of view and transcriptions of excerpts of police interviews with the main characters. The police speak with Rachel's husband, her daughter, her best friend, and her neighbor. All could see that Rachel was struggling -- but so were they. The themes of mental illness, grief, stress, and strong emotions are examined. Menopausal psychosis is not a familiar subject so I had to go do some reading about psychiatric conditions that occur because of, or during, menopause. Definitely the social and life changes such as having an "empty nest" and a flagging marriage can exacerbate
pre-existing depressive symptoms. Rachel's negative self-image with regard to her aging appearance likely also had an effect on her thoughts and behavior. Although not fast-paced or thrilling, it was an absorbing story and it really was rather sad after all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

"Get on with it, woman."

Seriously, I couldn't connect with the narrator. The plot was so simple. The author goes on prattling about the "incidents".

If not for the chapters with Ian Banks and the Epilogue I would have hated the book.

I'm having a lot of trouble finishing this book. I keep coming back to it but it's not capturing my attention. My goal is to finish it in the next few weeks, so I hope to provide better feedback at that time. So far though it is taking too long getting to the meat of the story, and hopefully once I get there it will be more attention grabbing than it currently is.

Like every book by the author, this one is another great gripping story that tackles a few topics that we can relate in real life at any point.
When time passes and everyone live their own life and you’re slowly feeding like you’re not needed anymore because you don’t receive the same attention as ten or twenty years ago, you have to fight for your place in the world that you created again. And this is the part that I loved so much in the story.
Rachel is planning to change her life around but at what cost?
After the first half part of the book, the pieces of this puzzle starts to be turned around and you can see the bigger image better and that’s the unique way of the author to create a great compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.
Give it a try and you’ll see for yourself.

What is wrong with these characters? They are so awful. I feel so bad for Rachel on how everyone walks all over her. You really feel for her and understand how she feels invisible since she has been married for so long and her children are moving away.

Rachel is middle aged mother of two who is no longer in her prime, thus no one pays any attention to her. She is depressed and struggling with her family, friend and new neighbor. She all of a sudden starts to realize the new people she meets, wind up dead. She believes she is the culprit and turns herself in. She also believes her husband is sleeping with someone else.

This book gets a little frustrating for me since Rachel has no back bone to stand up to anyone. Also, a lot of the book feels like it is about her husband possibly cheating on her and treating her like crap. I do love the twists in this books since I didn't fully see them coming.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for my eARC for my honest review!