Can You See Her? is the first novel by S.E. Lynes that I have read and it is outstanding! It had me hooked from the first page, and by the end, it had left me reeling, it’s not often that books have such a big impact on me. The writing is powerful and totally absorbing. You can definitely label me a big fan, and I’ll be catching up on her previous work!

What I thought was so clever is the how S.E. Lynes took us into the minds of her characters. This is a slow-burner, so if you’re looking for a fast-paced read then you won’t find it here, but what is done so well is the S.E. Lynes takes a close look at the psychological impact of a crime. This is what interests me the most and what I find all the more compelling in crime fiction novels. This book needs to be added to your TBR pile.

We first meet Rachel when she is sitting in a room with her psychologist. Most of the story takes place here as Rachel peers back into her past. Rachel is convinced that she has done something terrible, but we don’t know much more about it. It is only as her psychologist peels away the layers of the last few days do we get to see the big picture. As I delved further into Rachel’s mind, I wanted to understand what had happened, and how she came to be sitting in that room in the predicament that she now finds herself in. As more details were revealed, I could never be sure what the true story was. I had one idea forming in my mind as I got to know Rachel a little better, but I was completely surprised by S.E. Lynes final twist.

This book is also quite topical as S.E. Lynes tackles the topic of knife crime which has been hitting the headlines for the past few years.

What I thought also made this book really intriguing is that some chapters are written in the form of a police transcript, from when they have interviewed a suspect. In these sections, we get to see what people think about Rachel, and I began to form my own opinions of what had happened as I read these scenes. This is also what makes the pace of the book pick up.

I really connected with Rachel. I felt exasperated for her as it seemed that she was totally on her own. Even her own family seemed to be distancing themselves from her. You can see how much of an effect this is having on her, especially on her well-being; it was here that I began to wonder what really was going on in her own private world.

S.E. Lyne’s description is brilliant, as well. She painted the scenes in vivid detail, and I felt as though I was transported to that moment. She is a really talented writer.

I think the only way how I can sum up this review is that you need to read this book! I couldn’t stop turning those final pages as S.E. Lynes kept me glued to her words. Can You See Her is a heart-breaking and powerful read.

This was an incredible novel that drew me in and never let go. I felt emotionally invested in the characters’ lives and couldn’t stop reading.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of Can You See Her.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it though this book. There were some really good reviews so I was excited to start but it just fell a little flat. 22% in and I just wasn’t excited to read. This is the second SE Lynes book I’ve had to put down so maybe her writing just isn’t my cup of tea!

I have read all of S E Lynes books which all have their uniqueness but equally as well written and addictive. I was hooked form the very start as we follow Rachel on her journey of story telling , loss of identity and remembering. I was sobbing by the end near to the end of the book and had to take a break before I could finish it. It resonated with me on so many levels. A heartbreakingly beautiful story.

I usually pick one quote that jumps out to me and sums up the book, but there were so many that touched me. I couldn't decide between these two, so picked them both!

"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"

"I'm thinking that hate is going to eat this world up if we're not careful. And what we need is love"

I found this book very slow and hard going. It struggled to keep my attention but I did enjoy the ending

This book had so many things going for it. The topics were ever so relevant and the descriptions that were given made the reader realize many things, first and foremost being that you are not alone in your feelings.

How many of us have at one time or another felt invisible? Perhaps you were ignored by a sales clerk, or wait staff, or a husband/wife, or your children? You know the feeling, as if you are not there and the resentment and awareness of being less than a human being builds. Perhaps you think it's an age thing.? Am I not young enough, skinny enough, pretty enough, desirable enough to be noticed? Is life passing me by at breakneck speed and I just can't seem to cope? Have I lost that something I thought I never would?

Rachel Edwards, our invisible women, has been married to her husband Mark for many years. She has two older children, and she feels that no one in her circle of life sees her anymore. Has she outlasted her usefulness?

As Rachel descends further and further into a world where awful things have happened, she finds she needs to come to terms with what life is. Rachel is in the throes of shifts in her hormonal level due to menopause, and her heightened awareness of the extremely troubling rise in knife attacks in Britain have raised her sense of the awful and the horrible to new heights. Rachel is perceptive, empathetic and it seems she takes on the ills of her village as her very own.

However, as her empathy grows, she embroils herself in the deaths of the area, becoming more and more cognizant of the role of hatred and anger and its detrimental effect on our world. As Rachel immerses herself into tragedy, she takes on the role of being the cause of it, and buries herself in a world of nightmare and tragedy of which she might not be a part of.

The topics that are covered so well in this book by this author are known to us all. She creates a most touching, far reaching story that hits its mark on so many levels. I definitely recommend this story for its mindful and perceptive look at how this world can and does manipulate us and force many of us to withdraw into a world of further nightmares and deceit.

Thank you to S.E. Lynes, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out April 22,2020

Oh my goodness where do I even start. Such a beautifully written book about love, loss and loneliness. I fell in love with the main character Rachael straight from the off. S E Lynes managed to create a character that got straight to my emotions and held onto them throughout the whole story. At times I didn't want to keep reading just incase something happened for me to take a disliking to Rachael and at other times I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know everything so I didn't have to keep guessing . I'm already having a massive book hangover and miss the characters already.

A unique, thrilling, emotionally charged read that once you start you won't want to put down. Rachael has no idea how she has come to be in such a horrendous situation where she is sat in a police station being asked questions about murders that have occurred in her neighbourhood. She has had mental health issues when she was younger caused by postpartum depression although she has been fine for a number of years the black cloud seems to be descending as she reaches the menopause. She feels sad and invisible and doesn't connect with her family or friends anymore. Her husband, daughter and friends all put forward their views on Rachael which all adds to the tension in the book. I can't recommend this book highly enough, it is absolutely brilliant.

“There are things I don’t know. But I know people are dead, I know I killed them and I know it all started the day I realised I was invisible.”

Can You See Her by SE Lynes is a psychological thriller about what you would- and could do- if no one was watching. If you wanted to make people see you. Told through the perspective of an unreliable narrator, and several interviews with supporting characters, Lynes takes you on a journey unraveling events that led to murder.

OH THE TWIST! I knew from other reviewers (and just based on the genre in general) that there would be a crazy twist at the end and I spent the whole book trying to figure it out. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I would learn something new and feel completely unsure. It was SO perfect! Lynes makes you question everything. Makes you see how easily anyone can unravel. And how unraveling can lead you to do things you never thought you were capable of.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this advanced reader copy. I could NOT put this one down. Can You See Her? by SE Lynes comes out April 22, 2020. Make sure to preorder today so you can read this 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thriller!

Well!!!
A gripping read which left me sobbing. An amazingly good read about Rachel, who went from turning heads when she entered a room to feeling completely invisible. I loved the Warrington references in the book, that's where I come from. They made it all the more gripping for me. Looking forward to more..

Can You See Her by author S.E. Lynes is a creatively written suspenseful drama. Have you ever felt as if your family looks through you as you speak? This happens to Rachel Edwards as she is experiencing the discomforts of menopause. Rachel has a history of post-partum psychosis after her first child was born almost twenty years ago. She is experiencing realistic daydreams or fugue states at unexpected times. Rachel has become obsessed with fatal stabbing incidents and collects clippings of these events in a file. As Rachel feels more ignored by her family, she begins to wonder, "What would it take or what could I do for you to see me?" Could Rachel get away with murder?! Soon Rachel realizes attacks and fatal stabbings are happening to people she has recently talked with or seen. Rachel's memory is trying to recall the feel, smell, and emotions of having used her husband's folding knife, so she goes to the police and tells them she is guilty of murder!
"Anger gets trapped inside us, becomes hate. If we're not careful, hate becomes a force often too hard to control and which solves nothing."
I enjoy all of S.E.Lyne's books, especially The Pact, The Women, and The Proposal. I did not enjoy this book as much. The rambling thoughts of Rachel became tedious for me as I read those passages. The creativity of the plot of the book is very good.
Publication date: April 22, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rachel is a wife and mom of 2 grown children. She's began to feel as though no one can see her anymore. That's she's become invisible to the world around her. Until she's being questioned if she's murdered someone. What follows is a very interesting story that you will need to get to the end to truly understand. I really enjoyed this story. It was pretty slow for the first half but after that it took off and I needed to know what happened! I'm glad I picked it up. It's got everything that it needs to make a great thriller. Lots of mystery and twists. I recommend Can You See Her? By S. E. Lynes to any one who enjoys thrillers or mysteries. It's my first read by her and I'm sure I will be reading more of their books in the future!
Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Release Date: April 22 2020
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#canyouseeher

"If no one can see you, you can do anything you want, can’t you? You can get away with murder."

This was a fun, easy read about a woman, Rachel, who feels "invisible" to her family and who's turned herself in before being interviewed by a psychiatrist regarding a murder. There's a little bit of humor within the story, some interesting insights on trauma and the fascinating side of the human mind, in addition to some surprising twists, especially towards the end. Is Rachel capable of murder?

Another well written story from this excellent author.

Rachel is a wife and mother who suffers from significant menopause symptoms and who, to all intents and purposes, feels she has 'disappeared' from her life and family.
The book begins with Rachel being interviewed by a psychiatrist following a murder, but, we are told nothing of who is dead or why?
What follows takes the reader on a journey of twists and turns, suspicion and depression, with some black humour throughout.

I found it slow at times but overall a 3* Good Read.

Thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview.

My second time reading one of this author's books and it's completely different from The Lies We Hide but just as compelling a read. Rachel feels invisible to not just her family but to the outside world too and tries to reach out by talking to complete strangers. I guessed at one part of the story and right to the end was convinced that i knew who was responsible and got that completely wrong. I got this as an ARC to read and would like to thank the publishers and netgalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own views and are completely unbiased.

A haunting depiction of what it’s like to grow old in a media-filled world full of beautiful people and a warning of what might happen as a result if things aren’t allowed to change. I felt this was a bit of a shift of Susie, I’ve read a couple of her previous books but, that said. I loved it. This had the edge but for the life of me I can’t put that into words. IMHO her best yet

Can You See Her is a quick and fast paced thriller. It has everything you’ll need to get through without dreading it!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If no one can see you, you can get away with murder...

I’ve become a big fan of S.E. Lynes’ books - they’re quite diverse in style and content, but invariably very good indeed. Can You See Her may just be the best yet - it’s brilliant, thought-provoking, emotional and a bit of a rollercoaster ride at times. It’s hard to know what else to say without giving away too much - this
is a book you’re really best to dive into knowing little or nothing about it. Main character Rachel, who tells her story to a questioner (interspersed with excerpts from police interviews with various people) feels she has become invisible to those around her. Her husband Mark and daughter Katie only seem to notice her when something hasn’t been done. Taking long walks with the dog, she strikes up conversations with strangers, but things take a frightening turn when people begin to turn up dead. What did Rachel do, that she can’t quite remember?

While it’s harrowing at times, Rachel’s voice is hugely engaging and often very funny. It’s certainly possible to relate to the feeling of invisibility that comes with being a middle aged woman (as she comments, it’s less #MeToo, more #NotMe - though personally, I find that quite refreshing).

This book was a winner on every level for me. It’s very well written and plotted, with a real emotional depth and sensitivity in the portrayal of Rachel in particular. I was rooting for her all the way... and when the truth comes out, it’s devastating. The only thing I wasn’t entirely sure about was a final twist, which felt a little unnecessary.

A brilliant read, highly recommended.

Rachel and Mark Edwards have been married for 27 years and have 2 children. Kieron is at uni studying art and Katie is on a gap year.
Rachel feels invisible to everyone and put upon by her family, She has times where she has no idea of what she has done or where she has been. She hands herself in to the police as she believes she has been committing murders but can’t remember the full details. The story is mainly about Rachel as well as the interviews about the murders and her feelings.

This is the first book I have read by the author and it is beautifully written. The story is heartfelt and written with such compassion, there were moments where all I could do was sit and cry. Rachel could be any one of us and this is what makes the story so good. The book had me gripped from the very first page to the last and there were some great twists and shocks along the way. This is a book that is going to be with me for a while yet.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

So here I go again, worrying myself silly about how on earth I can do justice to the work of SE Lynes in a review. The truth is I can’t, there are no words to describe how this author’s books impact on me, a narrative bathed in perfection; exquisite story lines and sublime and powerful messages are all things that her books achieve and achieve in bucketfuls. Add to the mix some of the deepest characters and the recipe for fictional perfection is complete.
“Can You See Her?” opens with five lines which are beautifully simple yet so powerful, the killer hook that drags me in! Taking me and placing me immediately inside Rachel’s head, it was an all too familiar setting; the observations and worries of a woman, I’m imagining to be the same age as me, they could be humorous in another genre, but in this genre and in this authors work I immediately know it’s not funny, it’s relatable yes, but it is also raw, painful and dark, as she begins to describe the moment Rachel became invisible.
Talk about an emotional gut punch! The author describes the psychological impact of the menopause to a T. It resonated on every level. But this isn’t a navel gazing, self-indulgent journey into the mind of a menopausal 50-something woman, no, it’s much deeper and much darker but adding this theme to the novel makes it totally and utterly authentic and relatable.
The dynamics between Rachel, her husband Mark and daughter Katie are layered in sheets of love, apathy, toxicity and rejection. It was hard not to feel for Rachel as those around her reduced her to nothing; especially powerful, for me, were the descriptions of malfunctioning appliances, nobody ever pays them much attention until they stop working and this is exactly how Rachel felt, it was heart-breaking to watch her disintegration.
Interspersed with extracts from police interviews the story slowly unfolds and the truth is uncovered. Life is laid bare and in terms of the plot, I honestly was kept on tenterhooks all the way through. Every time I thought I had worked something out, then the rug was pulled from under my feet.
An exquisitely painful narrative immersed me fully into Rachel’s life; I felt her pain, her invisibility and the burdens she carried. When reading the book I felt as though I were sitting on a stage with Rachel lit by spotlight telling her story.
Little snippets throughout the book made me stop and ponder a few times, it’s like Susie Lynes captures all the little nuances of life and weaves them through her writing; I particularly loved her references to storytelling and how we construct stories about our lives in order to help us process our lives.
Every single time she writes a book, Susie Lynes does this to me, she tears all the emotions from me, she brings her characters to life and I never quite know if they are stepping out of the pages or if I’m being pulled into them, but no matter what I drown in every one of her books and it is a wonderful feeling.
I’m not sure I’ve even reviewed this book, never mind done it justice, but it tore me apart and laid me out to dry.
Susie Lynes, you are genius hen. Pure genius!
You need a section for infinity stars as five just doesn't cut it!
My review will be on my blog as part of the blog tour