CWA Dagger Award - Call Me Evie

What a gripping read. The readers emotions and allegiances are cleverly switched as the story keeps flipping between before and after the event that drove the characters to New Zealand. Throughout I was unsure who was victim or villain, carer or captor, but I did know I needed to keep reading to put together more pieces of the psychological puzzle. As well as writing convincing characters the author provided good descriptions of the rural NZ setting which added to the sense of claustrophobia generated by the tale. A very satisfying ending finished off an excellent debut. I will be keen to read the authors next novel. Thank you to the publisher ,Sphere, for providing me with an advance reading copy.

WOW! What a book! Honestly it will have your head spinning and make you wonder what exactly is happening and whose involved and who is not! I highly recommend to anyone who needs a little psychological mess up of their brain. It's intense, chilling, thrilling, and will twist, turn your brain into so many different places.
Will be using in a challenge and highly recommending to the members of Chapter Chatter Pub!

Call Me Evie is the very assured debut psychological thriller by J.P.Pomare. and it's a seriously involving read. .
17 year-old Australian girl Evie and what appears to be her captor ,a middle-ages man called Jim, are in hiding in a remote part of New Zealand's North Island. Evie is being medicated and can't remember who Jim is or why she appears to be held captive, not least in another country.
That's the basis of a tale that unfolds almost painfully slowly at first but once it gets into it's stride it becomes a roller-coaster ride as Jim becomes more and controlling while Evie fights back and tries to escape.
That's barely scraping the surface of the story,to say more would spoil the book but the plot grows from that simple premise and branches out into other areas and addresses contemporary issues. As Evie plans her escape we're also drip-fed her back story and all becomes clear.....or clear-ish as the author skilfully throws in some very clever twists.
An excellent book and it's hard to believe this is a debut novel,I'm sure we'll hear a lot more of J.P.Pomare.

Big thanks to J.P.Pomare, Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the advance copy in return for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own,others are available.

In CALL ME EVIE, we're instantly plunged into a realm of domestic suspense. You read page One, and you go, 'Oh God, I can't let go of this book. I need to know what's going on!' It pulls you in immediately. But you can progressively begin to acknowledge that you're on the brink of seeing the clear image of what you're getting yourself into.

And boy, doesn't J. P. Pomare have such a vision for characters! You can practically see them move and act in front of you as if they're real, because you come to terms with the dauntingly exciting fact that they're forever thrusted into your brain.

We understand that there's this man in Evie's life, and he's trying to make her believe she did something really bad.
But who is he? Is he trying to protect her or lie to her about what happened on that horrifying night?

3/4 through, the author sharply portrays our protagonist Evie's attempt at survival, in a way that makes your heart thump unstoppably all the way to the end, where, just when you think all has been revealed, one of the very last pages chills you with the most unbelievably heart-thudding, shocking twist!!

I love how the author takes his time to meticulously detail our protagonist Evie's unsettling childhood and the timeline featuring the various factors that provoked the main chilling event of the present day, as a way of saying, "This is what our character has been through; this is what the people in her life have done to her and this is why the book needs to end the way that it does." An ending that the reader will find completely satisfying in my opinion.

This read is full of gasp-worthy moments.
A brilliant hybrid between Behind Closed Doors and Before I Go To Sleep.

I also realized that this book isn't just a suspense novel, but also a work of art that is very meaningful, by touching on how a parent's history and sense of self can affect the psyche of the child, and most importantly giving us a lesson on the complexity of memory, which is such a powerful, complicated part of ourselves that is filled with an intricate sense of manipulation.

I'll be honest and say what initially drew me to this book was the fact that my name is in the title. However, I wasn't disappointed. Call Me Evie was a quick psychological thriller which kept me intrigued from start to finish.

This haunting suspense story begins with seventeen-year-old Kate waking up in an isolated cabin in New Zealand. The man holding her captive, Jim, concocts a story claiming he's her uncle and that she now must go by the name of 'Evie.' Although drug-induced and confused, Kate is certain he's not telling the truth.

The story thus follows Kate as she attempts to solve the puzzle of what her role truly was during the crime committed in Melbourne. She's left with nothing but nebulous memories and vague dreams from the incident. Sedated and locked up, she is determined to discover the truth.

With her hazy memory, Kate is an unreliable narrator who left me second guessing various incidents throughout the plot. There are a plethora of well-developed characters in this small bleak New Zealand town, and like Kate, I didn't know who to trust. Is Kate being held captive or protected? Who can I trust? Moreover, who is Jim and what are his true motives? These questions kept me turning the pages as I itched for answers.

Although predictable at parts, Call Me Evie was drenched with satisfying twists which kept me hooked from the first page. 2019 is already looking to be another incredible year for new releases, this is perfect for thrill seekers.

A gripping and shocking read which draws you in from the first chapter. Really enjoyed this book with twists and turns a plenty

What a fantastic debut novel. I read this in two sittings and when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it. This is sure to be one of the bestselling psychological thrillers of 2019! I had no idea what direction this story was going to go in and I wasn’t disappointed.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group, Netgalley and J. P. Pomare for the chance to read and review this novel.

I had seen a lot of buzz on bookstagram about this novel so I was excited to be approved for an arc copy and eager to read the book for myself.

The book is narrated by Evie and is split into “before” and “after” the night that she did something terrible. We have no idea what she did, or in fact if she actually did it, and that made the book very confusing for me at first. I found it hard to follow what was happening and it was hindering my enjoyment, but I never give up on a book before I’m a quarter of the way through and I was intrigued by the plot. But it wasn’t too long before the story began to flow more smoothly and I was completely hooked.

“He’s trapped me in the nineties.”

The book starts with Kate, who is now going by Evie to hide her identity, having her head shaved by a man she says she once loved. She’d tried to run from the house in the secluded beach town that he’s brought her to but he found her and reminds her that “they” are looking for her and she isn’t safe. She’s skinny and he gives her juices with a powder he tells her will help her gain weight. He also takes her to the doctor and she’s prescribed antidepressants but the man, who she decides to call Jim, refuses the doctor’s suggestion that she see a psychologist. He tells her he’s helping her heal mentally and she doesn’t need to see anyone else.

When Evie begins to tell us the story of before the incident she tells us her first memory: at five years old her Nanny left her alone in the bath for a few moments and she poured scalding water onto herself, scarring her for life. Not long after her mother died and her father retired from his professional rugby career to work in finance and raise her himself.

Back in the present Evie is starting to remember little bits about that night: drinking, the mysterious ‘him’ lying face down with blood spreading under his head and herself in the car. She’s afraid to remember more even though she is sure she didn’t do anything bad, that it had to be Jim and he’s lying to her. She write letters that Jim sends back to Melbourne which are full of confusion and fear as Evie talks vaguely about what happened and tries to grapple with what the truth is of that inauspicious night. She is determined to escape as she becomes increasingly sure that Jim is lying to her and holding her captive rather than protecting her. But who can she trust? And when she sees what’s being written about her online she is once again unsure where to turn and what’s real.

As the book goes on we learn more about Evie’s life back in Melbourne, her relationship with her dad, friendships and blossoming relationship with a boy named Thom. But we still don’t know much about that night or who Jim really is. I had my suspicions but they went back and forth as more of the story was told.

"Sometimes if you bite into a joke you find a stone of truth at the centre."

This was a strange book at times but highly addictive and I devoured it in one sitting. I needed to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, to know what she supposedly did, if she did it, if I’m right about who Jim is and if people really are after her. I wasn’t prepared for the shocking twists in this story and how even the one I had guessed correctly would play out. The complex plot and multifaceted characters are cleverly written and you are kept guessing until the final sentence. Call Me Evie is a story about love, anger, fear, truth and lies. It makes you question the truth of your own memories and what reality is. A spectacular debut that I can see making a great movie. This book is a must read for anyone who loves mystery and thrillers.

I have heard so much about Call Me Evie by JP Pomare and going into I had reservations that it would live up to the hype. I needn't have though as this book is everything you have heard and so much more. Still reeling over this story that I finished earlier today. Can't believe that this is a debut novel. Really looking forward to seeing what comes next for this writer. I love books that are set in Australia and this one certainly had me hooked from the very beginning.

Evie is 17 and has fled her home in Melbourne with her Uncle Jim to the isolated town of Maketu in New Zealand. She has been lead to believe that she has done something terrible and that the police are after her. She has no memory of the incident and is scared. As her memory starts to return she starts to wonder if she is in fact being held prisoner by Jim, who is not really her uncle. Trying to put all the pieces together we hear the story of Evie now and before. Is Jim protecting her or himself and will she ever get home to Melbourne?

Thanks to Little Brown Book Group UK Sphere and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

I realky enjoyed reading this book, it keeps you guessing and is split into ‘before’ and ‘after’ chapters. Highly recommend this book. Psychological thriller and suspense.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

JP Pomare debut is a chillingly oppressive psychological thriller that is incredibly well constructed and so well written. In a remote and isolated cabin in the coastal town of Maketu in New Zealand, 17 year old Aussie Kate Bennet is Evie. The novel opens with her hair being chopped off, but Evie is clueless about herself, her memories are shot to pieces, and she is being cared for by 'Uncle Jim', a man determined to protect her from horrific events that occurred in Melbourne, Australia. A drugged and bewildered Evie is not sure that she can believe Jim, she feels more prisoner that someone being protected. She plots her escape from a beautiful place but where the locals are rather strange and odd. In a story that pieces together the mystery of Evie, the narrative goes back and forth in time with a focus on 'before' and 'after'.

Evie is your classic unreliable narrator that is central to the genre of psychological thrillers. Her background is slowly revealed, the bath incident that left her scarred as a child, the death of her mother, being raised by her sports father, her friendships, her boyfriend and more. It explains how her past resulted in shaping the Evie we now see, and how the events in Melbourne occurred. This is a novel of love, lies, secrets and contemporary teen life. This is a fast paced read, packed with twists in its slow reveals, that centres on a troubled and damaged young woman, such a compelling character. Pomare provides a great sense of location, and a story that is so well plotted that the reveals and twists have impact. I found this an entertaining and very engaging read that fans of psychological thrillers will most likely enjoy immensely. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

I don't think i can put into words how much i enjoyed the roller coaster ride this book took me on. It was epic and every chapter changed what i thought and felt. It was so real i felt i was watching a tv show. I loved Evie and it was like i was right there next to her every step of the way.

A girl, who is told to go by the name “Evie”, is held captive in a strange house in a strange town, by a man she calls Jim. Although she feels she is being held against her will, in actuality, she’s on the run from authorities due to something terrible that happened, which she can’t remember. Jim is keeping her locked up for her own good, trying to help her remember what happened that night and keep her away from the authorities. Only, is he actually trying to help her? One day Evie notices a note in her book, that advises her "do not trust him". The longer she’s kept locked up, the more Evie’s suspicions of Jim increase, and she begins to believe he’s got something to hide in all of this, and through his manipulation, he’s got her exactly where he wants her. What really happened that dreadful night, that Jim’s trying to cover up? And will “Evie” escape from the perilous prison she’s in?

I want to start my review by saying I think any prospective reader should use ratings only as a guide, rather than reading the actual reviews, because this book is worth reading without any insight or spoilers. I promise any reader who likes psychological thrillers like this, you'll enjoy it more if you just start reading it.

Call Me Evie is definitely intriguing, and is written with an atmosphere of obscurity to keep the reader engaged. We aren’t immediately made aware of what’s happened to put Evie in the position she’s in, but rather, it unfolds through alternating timelines of “before” and “after” the incident. This ongoing mystery is prolonged due to Evie’s lack of memory, and by the time the story comes full circle, it not only becomes clear why, but it is satisfying.

Evie is portrayed as a victim and an unreliable narrator, which made me empathise with her, but also made me wary of her. At times I couldn't handle what was happening to Evie, and I felt like she was trustworthy, but Jim certainly attempted to make her sound crazy. The interactions between Evie and Jim go between loving but also threatening, as it appears they are pitted against each other. This creates a psychological thriller where every reader will need to choose whose narrative is more trustworthy.
On the whole, the characters were neither likeable nor not likeable. I wouldn't say this is a novel with much character development or exploration, except a little bit for Evie. Beyond Evie and Jim, there were secondary characters that contributed to the overall plot, but they weren’t focused on enough to be key characters – maybe with the exception for the victim!

By the middle of the book, I found the pace of the book a little frustrating because dialogue between Evie and Jim became repetitive. Chapter after chapter I repeatedly had to read about Evie having her suspicions, asking question after new question, and her being told "don't worry, it's nothing really." This was okay until a point, but it became irritating rather than creepy. Also, I didn't like how Evie was so casually dismissed by the secondary characters she met during her captivity, and I didn't like how Jim's actions weren't fully explained by the story's conclusion – Where did he go during his absences? Why did he do certain things?

This is the kind of book that makes the hairs on your arms stand on edge. Every instinct in my being was churning for Evie, because I felt how wrong the situation was. It felt so terribly wrong, which made the overall story extremely gripping. I had to know the outcome and was on the edge of my seat. This book turned my mind inside and out, the psychological undertones throughout were unnerving and gripping. Overall, I read this book within a day and I'm going to rate it 4 stars. I definitely recommend this to lovers of psychological thrillers :)
Thank you kindly to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of the book, in exchange for this honest review.

Call Me Evie is definitely one of my favourite psychological thrillers of the last couple of years – I devoured it, the sense of place is stunning, the whole thing descriptively beautiful and the central story utterly compelling.

It sounds like a tale you’ve read before and it does have a familiar central theme, especially if like me you read widely in this genre. However Call Me Evie stood out for me, not only because of it’s brilliantly insightful characterisation but because the plotting was taut and unpredictable with an edgy, ever growing sense of unease.

Exploring memory and trauma, the lies we tell ourselves and each other, the ties that bind family and friends, Call Me Evie is a taut, genuinely fascinating piece of storytelling that will linger long after you’ve turned the final page and the whole truth is revealed.

Highly Recommended.

This was an amazing psychological thriller.
This format is one of my favourites. We go back and forth between past and present, and the suspense is slowly killing you :)
Kate/Evie is our main character, and her boyfriend is murdered. So, we go along her journey before that unfortunate event and after.
She's suffering from a form of PTSD, she doesn't know who to trust. She's taken from her home, family to a safe house. And then the events follow like a rollercoaster. It's full of twists and turns. I couldn't put it down after I started, and I was looking forward to going back and learning what happened.
Totally recommended!

Thanks a lot to NetGalley and the publisher for this free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is going to be one of the books of the year.

Kate is living in isolation, with a man Jim who claims to be her uncle. Kate is suffering from amnesia and is pretty sure Jim is not her uncle, but apart from that her memory is hazy.

Something happened. And now she lives in an isolated house with her uncle. Her head is shaved, and he makes her call herself Evie; although her name is Kate. And he is not happy about her going out on her own.

Kate’s story unfolds in a dual timeline. Kate is a normal teenager, with best friends, parties and a boyfriend. What happened to her that she ended up out here?

She finds a hidden message in a novel – Don’t Trust Him. For her own sanity she must remember what happened to her.

This book is unputdownable. It starts slowly and builds up the pace. I read the last two chapters with my hand on my mouth.

For me this was an easy 5 stars.

This was seriously good!
It starts with a young girl and her guardian- apparently an older man, she prefers to call as Jim, starting to live in a remote part of NZ. Their relationship is weird, and although Evie / Kate seems like captive, it's not really feels like she is too!
I raced until the end to learn what happened and I think overall in this genre this was a 5 star read, delivering the suspense, thriller elements with ease and there hasn't been a single yawn moment! Highly recommended, for lovers of Before I Go to Sleep, Girl on the Train, etc.