Cover Image: Can You See Me Now?

Can You See Me Now?

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Member Reviews

This is really well written. The characters were well developed
At the end there is a big twist.
An excellent thrilling read

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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Dark thriller that had you hooked from the off. The book was very well written. Great plot. Very exciting. Fast paced to get your heart racing. Loved this book

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๐˜พ๐™–๐™ฃ ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™จ๐™š๐™š ๐™ข๐™š ๐™ฃ๐™ค๐™ฌ? ๐™—๐™ฎ ๐™๐™ง๐™ž๐™จ๐™๐™– ๐™Ž๐™–๐™ ๐™๐™ก๐™š๐™˜๐™๐™–

After really enjoying Sakhlechaโ€™s YOUR TRUTH OR MINE? at the start of the year, I was really excited when I saw this on netgalley. At the start I was a bit unsure as thereโ€™s a lot of โ€˜governmentโ€™ talk but I got drawn into the story quickly and found myself unable to put it down.

We follow multiple timelines, between Alia and Sabah in the present and the girls fifteen years ago at school- this makes following the mystery as it unfolds easy and I felt like I went through the character development with them. I honestly had no idea where this story was going- Sakhlecha leads you down one path and the twist spins you in an absolute U-turn. WHAT. A. TWIST. I was absolutely not expecting that. I have to say when I realised what was happening, I didnโ€™t think it would be able to be pulled off well but it all wrapped up in the end and I thought it very clever.

A very specific trigger warning for this book is bullying. Unfortunately it was all to easy for me to imagine the situation Noor was in at school and I did find it very upsetting to be taken back to a dark time of my life but that is a very personal perspective so donโ€™t let that put you off the book- I thought it worth mentioning, to go into the book prepared. Another tiny thing- Iโ€™d have loved some footnotes explaining the Indian words as I loved getting an insight into the culture and researching what each word meant. Overall would definitely recommend both this and YOUR TRUTH OR MINE.

๐—ฅ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด: โ˜… โ˜… โ˜… โ˜… โ˜† (4/5)

๐“๐ก๐š๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐›๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐›๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ž๐ซ + ๐š๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ž๐€๐‘๐‚!

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I so wanted to like this book but just couldn't get into it. It didn't help that there was lots of Indian words but no translation. I didn't finish this book so that is why it is only 2 stars

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I was transfixed from the first page. The story was well constructed and the characters were written in such a way that at times you sympathised with them but at times you couldnโ€™t help but not like them. This was a book that gave me Mean Girls and Pretty Little Liars vibes from the outset.
The ending was shocking with an unexpected twist I wasnโ€™t expecting or see coming. If you like psychological thrillers based around school friends and exclusive prep schools then Iโ€™d highly recommend this.

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A story about a private school in India and how events can lead to the future. It also covers feminism in India and politics too. I LOVED IT! Very well written, the story flows and kept me gripped. A very strong 5/5.

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Can you see me now is an extremely clever and entertaining book by Trisha Sakhlecha about three young woman who all attend the Wescott, an exclusive private school in India. Two girls Noor and Sabah are best friends and the most popular girls in the school. Alia is a new arrival from England and is desperate to be part of the other girls friendship group. It all changes by the end of that school year and fifteen years later Alia is a minister in the Indian cabinet and an election is imminent.
An interesting storyline of jealousy, friendship, families, love and neglect and how eventually the truth will be told and lives changed.
Highly recommended

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After reading Trishaโ€™s debut Your Truth Or Mine? I had been eagerly awaiting her next book, and I can safely say that it was certainly worth the wait!

Can You See Me Now? is set in Delhi, India, and this is where we meet Alia โ€“ our 31 year old protagonist who is currently running for election as an MP. The political party in which Alia is a part of was originally started by Javed Qureshi, a man who has not only been her mentor over the years, but was also the father of one of Aliaโ€™s best friends Noor who killed herself at the age of sixteen. Following Javedโ€™s recent death, Alia is more determined than ever to prove herself. When Alia makes the decision to support a woman who was murdered following gang rape, by one of the most elite men in Delhi, she quickly becomes a target, and her chances of winning the election are put at risk, along with her life โ€“ and the awful risk of a secret she has kept for many years being brought to light could cost her everything.

Then we meet Sabah, who completed the trio of best friends including Alia and Noor. Sabah is now a documentary maker who explores cold cases, and has found herself in the rather unfortunate position of being broke whilst starting a new life for herself in London, desperately hoping to escape her troubled past. When Sabah receives an email from an unknown address, she is left questioning whether there was more to Noorโ€™s suicide than they first thought.

This book was completely captivating from the start. The way in which the story was told through a dual timeline, alternating between the past and present tense, really added so much depth to this incredible story. The characters were well developed and each of them were given their own unique voice. The plot was perfectly structured, with the perfect amount of tension and suspense building up as the story began to unfold. The storyline was well driven throughout and had so much attention to detail, you could picture the scenes playing out vividly in your mind. This author really does have the most marvellous writing style and really makes the reader feel fully immersed in not only the story but the characters lives throughout.

Chilling, and utterly captivating, this is undoubtedly one of the must read books of 2021

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Totally binge-worthy thriller fiction!One of the risk factors of being both a crime, thriller and suspense fiction fan and an editor of said drama is that I spend all day reading the same material as that I read to switch off at night. So, at times, I can be quite a hard reader to shock with a twist. However, Trisha Sakhlecha's new novel, CAN YOU SEE ME NOW? certainly delivers on the twist department.

Set at a exclusive high-school in Dehli, the usual teenage dramas are escalated to a fatal level, and fifteen years later, those involved try to unpick what really happened in those dark years. The writing is awash with strong characters and vivid description, and although there is a lot going on in the manuscript, Sakhlecha never fails to keep you hooked with elegantly timed reveals and twists. This is a fantastic thriller that will have you reading to the early hours as it twists and turns, and at times is deliciously dark. I'd recommend this for ardent pyschological and crime thriller readers, but also fans of true-crime documentaries such as Making a Murder (or even Tiger King), because the narrative is just as compellingly addictive, you'll want to binge-read this too!

Thank you to the author, publisher and @annecater14 for the #gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Fifteen years ago, three sixteen-year-old girls meet at Wescott, an exclusive private school in India.

Two, Sabah and Noor, are the most popular girls in their year. One, Alia, is a new arrival from England, who feels her happiness depends on their acceptance.

Before she knows it, Sabah and Noorโ€™s intoxicating world of privilege and intimacy opens up to Alia and, for the first time, after years of neglect from her parents, she feels she is exactly where, and with whom, she belongs.

But with intimacy comes jealousy, and with privilege, resentment, and Alia finds that it only takes one night for her bright new world to shatter around her.

Now Alia, a cabinet minister in the Indian government, is about to find her secrets have no intention of staying buried . . .

This is a really well written plot. The atmosphere for the entire book is set from the first page and it is maintained right till the end.

The description and the development of each of the characters was so good. There is a suspense or a hidden agenda in almost each and every event that takes place in the lives of all the three main characters. The inclusion of some of the serious topics and issues prevalent in the Indian political system added the additional element.

Everything ties up together to make for a shocking and spectacular twist at the end. All in all, the secrets, lies, struggle for power and twists are what make this book an excellent and thrilling read.

Thank You NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC!

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This is a well told story of secrets and lies and it follows the life of a young Indian girl who grows up to achieve a position of influence in politics, but, is haunted by a childhood secret. Itโ€™s well constructed with strong characters, itโ€™s told from different perspectives whilst also moving from current time to the past, when the lead character was at an elite school.

Itโ€™s a cracking political thriller, with the unusual backdrop of India and the cultural challenges for women are woven throughout.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

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Can You See Me Now? - Trisha Sakhlecha

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley.

From Trisha Sakhlecha, Can You See Me Now? is a gripping psychological suspense thriller about a young Indian woman, now a government minister, whose past secrets are about to reverberate into the present and shatter her life. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Erin Kelly.

Fifteen years ago, three sixteen-year-old girls meet at Wescott, an exclusive private school in India.
Two, Sabah and Noor, are the most popular girls in their year. One, Alia, is a new arrival from England, who feels her happiness depends on their acceptance.

Set in New Delhi with multiple timelines to follow; Sabah and Alia in the current time and Alia, Sabah and Noor 15 years previously whilst they were all students at Wescott.

Whilst I found this to be a well-written novel, with easy to follow perspective changes and many twists, I struggled to connect with the book.

Rating 3/5

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I loved it! Full of tension and intrigue that will keep you turning the pages right to the very end. The setting draws you into a world of teenage girls, women and secrets, lies and power. My heart didnโ€™t stop racing.

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This is a book and a half! It consumed me the whole time I was reading.

Alia joins Westcott school in India late in the day; friendships are already formed and she is desperate to fit in. Managing to get in with the 'it' crowd of Sabah and Noor, Alia finds herself in a world of privilege so far unknown to her, but the rich don't always play within the rules. Fast forward fifteen years and Alia is a government minister hoping to advance her career - but will the past come back to haunt her?

In the beginning I thought this was a coming-of age story, but that was just the beginning of this intriguing tale. There is so much packed into these pages and each one drew me in further. Before long I realised that there was an unsolved mystery in the midst of all the teenage angst and adult reflections. Several times I considered I had it all worked out, but I was so wrong! The surprises just kept on coming and trying to sort it all out in my head didn't help. When the answers came, I was blown away! This is such a great read; skilfully created, expertly planned and I recommend it to all lovers of a bloomin' good thriller! Trisha Sakhlecha is most definitely an author to watch. Highly recommended and so worth a full house of stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

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I really enjoyed this book. I found myself completely gripped by the story until the very last word. Wonderfully written from start to finish. Would definitely recommend.

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Another great book filled with twists and turns by Trisha Sakhlecha.

Set in Delhi and covering two time frames, I loved how the story was so atmospheric and narrated in such a fantastic way that it felt I was there.

I really enjoyed to read the development of the characters and couldnโ€™t stop reading so I could find out what would happen to Alia. Reading about Noor brought me some not so good memories and I have to confess it was the parts that were most difficult for me to read.

I felt it was quite fast paced and loved how it dipped into the Indian culture. Overall, another great book by the author and cannot wait to see more of her future work


I would like to thank Netgalley and PanMacmillan for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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This is perhaps one of the most compelling and gripping psychological thrillers I have read in a long, long time. Once I started, I absolutely could not put it down. There is a strong undercurrent of unease from the very first page and the sense of impending doom only grows stronger as we learn more about Alia, Sabah and Noor and the toxic, obsessive friendship they shared as teenagers. The writing is gorgeous but itโ€™s the psychological depth and insight into the girls' relationship that makes it all feel real and urgent. I found myself having quite a visceral reaction to some of the things they do to and for each other. There were times I wanted to scream at them for their recklessness and times when their intimacy and closeness melted my heart. A complex relationship yet, for anyone who has had a teenage BFF (or two!), one that was easy to identify with.

The present-day chapters were tense and hard-hitting, dealing with a number of difficult subjects โ€“ rape culture, victim shaming, the rise of religious & political extremism in India and the consequences of privilege and entitlement โ€“ and yet Trisha Sakhlecha writes with a light touch and the book never felt prescriptive. The Indian setting is authentic & beautifully evoked, the prose fresh and there is something recognisable in each character, an aspect of female experience that is relatable, complex and ever so grey.

The plot itself was immensely satisfying with plenty of twists and turns and a shocker of an ending. WHAT A TWIST!!! I wanted to go back to the first page and start over as soon as I read the last line. Without doubt one of the best books I have read this year.

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A true page turner with lots of twists... some you see coming others you donโ€™t! I read this book in one sitting as I just needed to know the ending, and it did not disappoint!

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The past always comes back, welcomed or not. This story is about a strong character who is a cabinet minster for the Indian government, she has fought for her place, as a woman, to be accepted on her own merit. But is everything she stands for a lie? This book is set over two time stamps, the past and the present. Totally gripping and the twist you really donโ€™t see coming.

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