Nobody Saw Him by Liz Lawler is an interesting, twisty read that keeps you guessing. The plot moved a little slow for me, It's intense initially, however, I didn't feel connected to the characters. Still, the characters are layered and flawed in a real way. It’s dark, emotional, and almost held my attention until the end.. Perfect if you like thrillers that mess with your head a little. A good read if you like a slower pace with a ton of detail and tea.

My first book from this author and it was an excellent read. Great story, good pacing, and kept me engaged throughout. Jo is visiting a swimming pool with her son Sam when he goes missing. Frantically as she searches she begins to doubt herself. Because Jo has a history with a child in her care. But her new employers stand by her and help her & her husband as they navigate this nightmare. But what is her husband hiding? What are her employers hiding? A great insight into the work of FLO’s within the police force too. Highly recommended

Brilliant thriller. I absolutely loved this book and it had me guessing all along and changing my mind every chapter! I felt for Jo whilst suspecting her at the same time! Hated Pete. Moraine is brilliant she should def have her own series!

I haven't read a novel from Liz before, but I'll be sure to check out her others because this book was amazing.

Jo's son goes missing from a swimming pool in a nearby town. Video footage doesn't show Sam anywhere with Jo for the duration of the time they were there. Was he ever with her? What happened to him?

Jo is accused of doing something to him when the shirt he may have been wearing appears in her house. The couple she works for and allowed them to live in the guest house, step in and get her an attorney. The kindness of the couple is astounding and Jo cant believe it.

Jo and her husband have been on the rocks. His secrets come to light during the investigation and he becomes a suspect. Did he take Sam to make Jo look bad?

I appreciate the opportunity for this ARC and I highly recommend to everyone who likes a good who did it.

This was an incredibly tense read that was also a nightmare for any parent. The story was written so well that it could've been a true crime book. This book will keep you up at night if you're a parent! Excellent writing.

Nobody Saw Him by Liz Lawler opens with a gripping and chilling premise—a mother loses sight of her child at the pool, only to be told no one saw him at all… not even on CCTV. The tension is immediate and the twists come fast. While the setup is solid and the psychological elements intriguing, it ultimately fell a bit flat for me. Still, it's a quick, page-turning read perfect for fans of twisty domestic thrillers.

you turned your back for a minute and your young boy is gone. nope no no! this has got to be the most terrible feeling for a mother to experience ever. so i was already tense just from the blurb. and Liz does yet again a fantastic job of bringing that seem in your gut unease feelings throughout the whole book. even in the down moments you were still waiting, waiting knowing something was coming# or fearing what would.
the characters seemed all a bit shady and i couldnt quite believe Jo a few times either but then i wondered whether i myself was being gaslit! and most of the time i just felt for her. her fear and absolute mess in her head of what was happening just rippled from the pages.
the other characters had me squinting my eyes at them trying to figure out just what was going on. the husband had me wanting to be really mean in some parts. whats with him?
this book was top notch. the story is told with just the right pace that builds the story and sense of "oh no" all the way through with some added twist and shock moments too. i enjoyed this book so much. truly Liz Lawler knows her genre and she knows it sooooo well.

This was a tense, twisty read that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Liz Lawler taps into every parent’s worst fear with a chilling premise: a child disappears in a public place, and somehow no one remembers seeing him at all. From the very first chapter, I was hooked.

Jo’s character really stood out. Her fear, confusion, and isolation were written in a way that felt incredibly real. The story builds steadily, layering in doubt, mistrust, and buried secrets that kept me guessing. I appreciated how nearly every character felt suspicious at some point, which added to the tension.

There was a slight dip in pacing during the middle, but the ending made up for it. I didn’t see the final twist coming, and I love when a thriller can still surprise me like that.

If you enjoy psychological suspense with emotional weight and an unpredictable edge, this is definitely one to add to your list.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Liz Lawler for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I have been a fan of Liz Lawler for some time, on the basis of some fantastically gripping previous novels. Im delighted that this novel lived up to my hopes, delivering a very twisty tale of secrets and deceptions.

The story is every parents worst nightmare - the abduction of their child. For mum, Jo, whose son, Sam, disappears from a changing room at the swimming pool, events get even worse when police find no evidence to corroborate her insistence that Sam was even with her on the day in question. With an unhappy marriage, Jo receives little support from her husband as the search for Sam progresses, but her neighbours (who employ Jo as their childminder) become very involved, preoccupied and troubled by Jo's situation.

As the novel progresses we learn that many of the central characters have secrets and the unveiling of these plays out in quite spectacular fashion!

This a great read with an ending I did not see coming!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

This thriller starts with a haunting premise—a missing child, vanished without a trace, and a mother left to question everything she knows. The opening chapters are gripping, pulling the reader straight into the emotional turmoil and panic. The author does a solid job of creating atmosphere and urgency, especially in the early scenes.

However, while the concept is compelling, the writing can sometimes feel overly dramatic or repetitive, and certain plot developments feel a bit rushed. There are strong moments of suspense, but they’re occasionally undercut by uneven pacing. Still, the mystery of what happened to Sam and the hints at a dark past keep the pages turning.

Fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy fast-paced plots with emotional stakes may find this a satisfying, if slightly uneven, read.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC read.

This book was a struggle for me. I kept losing interest and had to reread pages over and over again. The story felt very drawn out and could have been wrapped up much sooner.

I have this 2 stars because the ending was a shock to me, but overall this was a bore.

Sam was taken from the changing room
His mother was called Jo
He was only 5 years old
The police didn’t believe it
I had an ARC

Well paced and full of twists that kept me guessing until the end and left me not knowing what to think or who to believe while I was read it. I was on the edge of my seat nearly the whole time

A rollercoaster ride. Everybody has secrets but where is Sam and is there any connection with a boy who vanished several years ago and was never found. The family liaison officer is confused first she suspects the husband then the mother. The reader is also cleverly kept in the dark with no certainties until the final chapter. very enjoyable.

3.5!

this was my first time reading anything by this author, and i was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed it since thrillers are usually a hit or miss for me. the writing style was immersive and atmospheric, it really roped me in. the beginning was a bit slow for my taste, but once the plot picked up, i was hooked and binged it in a day.

the pacing wasn’t always flowing nicely, plus all the info dumping and inner monologues made things really confusing at times. even with all that, the characters were incredibly well developed, each with their own perspectives and nuances that really brought the story to life.

it's an engaging and well written thriller that i’d definitely recommend to anyone who likes the genre.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC — opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The book starts off with a missing child who seems to have almost vanished into thin air, with his parents as the main suspects. The rest of the book was a bit of slow burn for me, but I’ll admit I didn’t fully guess the twist! A fascinating thriller and every mother’s worst nightmare, a definite must read!

3,75 ⭐️ || Thank you Bookouture for the ARC!!
So, This book was a ride. I was hooked from the very beginning to that point where I just wasn’t able to put it down because I NEEDED to know what is going to happen. It’s also fast paced! I have to say tho, the book kinda lost me at the 50% mark. The plot point that had happened slowed the book down for me. Which isn’t a critic because it made sense for that to happen. After that, I was still entertained and wanted to know how they’ll find the person. I just wasn’t that hooked anymore as I was before.
All in all I enjoyed reading this and I really recommend it if you want a good thriller to read.

Great book! Thank you for letting me read in advance. Could not put it down all weekend. Looking up more from this author now.

A fast paced thriller of a read with plenty of twists, I always enjoy this author and this was no exception.

I got involved in the storyline and reading about the characters and I can thoroughly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

GREAT thriller.
Intensely suspenseful with deep character definitions and a riveting story.
No takes her son Sam swimming in a local pool, only to gave him disappear while she is using the bathroom and he is sitting right outside her cubicle on the bench.
When she reports him missing and the police search/investigation begins, little Sam dies not appear on any of the
local CCTV; only Jo does.
So suspicious immediately lands on her.
The story takes off from there and never slows down.
Everyone has secrets: her husband as well as her neighbor and employer.
All of a sudden, no one is as they seem above as the search for the missing boy ramps up, the lies and
subterfuge ramps up equally.
Top of the shelf mystery.