I loved the plot behind this book, twisty and dark. The action started straightaway and I was keen to see where the story went.

The themes underlying were relatable and very sad, child death, drug addiction and post natal depression, dealt with sensitively, however it still felt a bit far-fetched.

Sadly I felt that the next part of the book was too drawn out, a repetitive and too slow process to find out the background to current situation. If this was edited down then, for me, the book would have been better paced and a more gripping read.

The characters made extreme and frustrating decisions that were mostly difficult to believe in, although in the circumstances given, maybe not.
The main character, Naomi, has a nagging voice of conscience, reflecting her worries and mental health. The husband was a really despicable character, well depicted I felt.

For me, this read dragged a bit too much.

This story is told from dual timelines
It is written very well and I liked the characters
It is full of twists and turns making this a page turner

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

A really good read with some cracking twists and turns. I'm really looking forward to reading more from the author based on this.

Woah! This had me gripped from the very start and I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. I really felt for Naomi, her panic and actions were understandable as we learn more about her throughout the book. When the twist came it was the last thing I expected.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

This was one of those books where I struggled to make my mind up. On one hand, the plot was brilliant. It was engaging and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. There were many twists and turns, keeping me guessing. However, I struggled to connect to any of the characters and I just didn’t like them very much. If the plot hadn’t of been so addictive, I’d have given up on this book. So mixed feelings, but definitely don’t regret picking it up. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for a chance to read and review this book.

It seems like I'm in the minority when it comes to this one ahha!

Whilst the first chapter was gripping I found myself unable to really get into the book after that. I sadly found myself struggling to stay interested in the story for some reason and ended up not finishing it.

Maybe it's just a 'me' thing?

When They Find Her is so incredibly well written. Lia captures Naomi’s character and mental state so well within the pages of this book….that you can’t help but be concerned for her….and dare I say, feel empathy for Naomi? The writing had me going: one more chapter, one more chapter….and in the end I had inhaled the whole book within a day.

The plot was so gripping and intense….and even though it was a bit slower in pace, I didn’t mind. I did wonder: “what the heck is the 2nd half of this book going to be about?”, but this was a well thought out and plotted book in my opinion, and it all came together beautifully. There are plot twists galore, there is heartbreak….so much heartbreak, and would you believe it, even some joy.

Addictive, ✅
Fast paced, ✅
Twists upon twists, ✅
Gripping domestic thriller, ✅
Emotional, ✅

Wow what a read!
I flew through this and loved every minute!
This is exactly what I love in a thriller, my favourites are centred around families or couples, and this just ticked all my boxes.

First off the story kicks off quickly and got me invested from the get go, I loved the whole unreliable narrator angle which I always do enjoy, I loved the pace of the story it was always exciting and had me wondering what the hell was coming next. I also enjoyed the flash back in time sections, another element I always like to see.

This just had it all for me and I thought it was an incredibly enjoyable, addictive page turner that I read in 3 sittings. I’m excited that this is a debut because I can’t wait to read what’s next! As with the ones I enjoy the most I would love to see this on screen! It has all those elements that would make such a brilliant tv drama! And man do I love a tv drama ha.

If you are after a domestic thriller that will keep you gripped until the very end then I 100% would recommend this one!

This was a 5 ⭐️ read for me, couldn’t put it down and it fully ticked all my boxes.

Very gripping read.

The perspective makes it stand out because it’s from the mind of a very troubled individual and it really makes you feel part of the book.

Very tense and enjoyable read.

It's been 3 years since Naomi's husband left her, taking their daughter with him. But now, finally, Freya is coming to stay for the night, and Naomi is determined everything will be perfect. But by the time morning comes, something terrible has happened, and Naomi tells a lie that she can never take back...

So first of all, I feel like I need to warn people that this is incredibly dark. Like seriously, seriously dark. Way more than I expected. I mean the terrible event that happens just a few chapters in is totally shocking, and I didn't see it coming at all. How Naomi acts afterwards... Well let's just say that while I would like to think I wouldn't have done the same, the writing was good enough that I could understand and empathise with her actions. And that final twist! It left my jaw on the floor. Honestly, while this is hard to read at times (my heart was nearly beating out of my chest with anxiety at one point!), it's an incredible debut, and really shows off Middleton's talent. Definitely an author I'll look out for in future.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

A very well written story,at times a slow burner but full of emotion and a very good ending and kept my interest throughout

An easy five stars. When Naomi wakes from a heavy sleep to find her young daughter lying dead at the bottom of the stairs, she panics and hides the body in a disused underground bomb shelter, which is covered with leaves and then snow. It is the first night she has had her daughter stay the night since her ex-husband took her away to keep her safe. The book is about the police hunt and Naomi’s knowledge that the truth will eventually come out.
I loved this book. The tiredness of being a new mother complete with hallucinations at the point of sheer exhaustion, is well explained. It was so easy to see how Naomi panicked and then couldn’t tell the truth, despite knowing if she’d been honest to start with she would have seemed less guilty. A highly recommended read.

Naomi always wanted to be a mum. But three years ago, her husband left, taking their daughter with him.

Now, her daughter has come to stay, and Naomi knows it's her chance to re-build her family.

But the night ends in a terrible accident. And Naomi has no memory of what happened.

Panicking, desperate, Naomi finds herself telling a lie: 'My daughter is missing.'

From the outset, 'When They Find Her' had me gripped. This confidently-written debut grabbed me with its utterly unthinkable opening and kept me emotionally invested until the final page. Lia Middleton's writing is so visceral that, at first, I wasn't sure I could continue to read this book as it felt too uncomfortably close to home for me (as someone with a young child). However, I couldn't leave it alone - I HAD to know how it would end. I was completely swept up in Naomi's nightmare and her split second choice with catastrophic consequences.

'When They Find Her' is perfectly-plotted and intelligently written on a subject which continues to remain taboo: mental health, more specifically the mental health of new mothers. This novel is dark and, at times, uncomfortable to read - this is not, however, a criticism but a testament to Middleton's skill as a writer. She captures the terror of being a new mum and puts it to chilling use. I absolutely identified with Naomi, her fears and how those fears affected her and her family.

An absolutely stellar debut.

This is a very promising debut from Lia Middleton. This genre of crime fiction, in which a person's life is devastated by a single unexpected occurrence and hidden secrets are gradually revealed, is a somewhat overpopulated market, but Ms Middleton writes crisply and involves the reader from the start. When Naomi wakes up late to find her daughter Freya dead at the bottom of the stairs, she acts irrationally and finds herself embroiled in a series of events from which she cannot extract herself. Written from Naomi's point of view, this is an intriguing and satisfying narrative and I look forward to future novels from this writer.

It’s a brave move to tell the reader right from the start who covered up the tragic death at the start of the story, but When They Find Her manages to keep the story engaging and still deliver a reveal which pays off.

Naomi is delighted to have her four-year-old daughter staying with her overnight for the first time in years. A mistake meant she’d lost custody and she’s been desperate to prove to her ex-husband that he can trust her with their daughter. But, when the night ends in tragedy Naomi doesn’t know how to face reality and admit that her ex might have been right all along. So, she tells a lie and reports her daughter missing.

The tension comes as the pressure mounts. With police involvement and media attention someone is going to discover the truth eventually. Can Naomi remember what really happened before they find her?

The opening chapters of this book delivers a dark story very well. Everything we know about what happens and what led to Naomi losing custody is from Naomi’s perspective, and she is quickly established to be an unreliable narrator. It shows the skill of the author that I had a great deal of sympathy for Naomi even as she compounded bad decisions with more lies.

The whole truth, when it emerges, had me rethinking much of the early discoveries and it all stood up well. An excellent thriller which I started and finished in one night.

This is a gripping debut thriller, that has an incredibly shocking beginning.

Naomi and her husband have obviously had issues and he's bringing their daughter to stay with her mother for the evening - it appears that this is the first time in a long time. Then there is a tragedy and Naomi unravels.

It's a slow burning tale and there were times I struggled to remain focus and interest, but, it's a well constructed shocker with a good ending.

Overall a solid 3* Good Read and an excellent debut and I'd definitely read more from this author.

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

When They Find Her was a slow burner to begin with but once it got going I found it difficult to put down - I wanted to know how it would end and I wasn't disappointed - I loved the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

When They Find Her by Lia Middleton
Pub Date 13/5/21
NAOMI ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A MOTHER.
But three years ago, her husband left, taking their child with him.
Now, her daughter has come to stay, and Naomi knows it's her one chance to re-build her family.
But the night ends in a terrible accident.
And Naomi has no memory of what happened.
Panicking, desperate, Naomi finds herself telling a lie:
'My daughter is missing.'
NOW SHE CAN NEVER TAKE IT BACK...
Wow, I cannot believe that I have just read a debut novel; Lia Middleton's writing is compelling and impressive.
One small lie intensifies into a deluge of allegations, misdirection and arrests.
After the divorce, Naomi lives alone in the family's farmhouse.
Naomi is looking forward to a long-awaited overnight visit from her daughter Freya; Naomi puts Freya to bed after a happy time together. In the morning, things take a dramatic change.
When They Find Her is a gripping story, a heartbreaking and tense domestic suspense thriller with many twists and turns that just gets better with each chapter until it reaches its breathtaking climax.
With addiction, postnatal depression, and bereavement, this is a story that does not shy away from these complex subjects.
A highly recommended read. I can't wait to see what Lia has in store for us next.
I want to thank NetGalley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK and author Lia Middleton for a pre-publication copy to review.

When They Find Her is a great debut by Lia Middleton and makes for a fast page turning read.
Naomi wanted a child badly, married to Aidan they are cherished with Freya but things start to change for the family as Naomi can’t sleep for fear of waking up and finding her baby dead. Fast forward four years and Naomi finds herself a single mother with Aidan being the main carer for her child. When Freya stays with Naomi overnight for the first time she goes missing and here a web of deceit is spun as Naomi try’s to keep herself from being blamed.
This story was told over a week and because of this it added to the tense and tightly knitted storyline. I’m not sure I liked any of the characters but that didn’t inhibit my enjoyment of the book. I look forward to the next by this author as I would recommend this without a doubt.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.