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Andee Lawrence #2
The Girl Who Came Back: 5 by Susan Lewis
For readers of Diane Chamberlain and Heather Gudenkauf comes a gripping novel of suspense about a mother determined to avenge her daughter’s murder—no matter the cost to her husband, to her family, and to herself.
When Jules Bright hears a knock on the door, the last person she expects to find is a detective bringing her the news she’s feared for the last three years.
Amelia Quentin is being released from prison.
Jules’s life now is very different from the one she knew before Amelia shattered it completely. Knowing the girl is coming back, Jules must decide what to do. Friends and family gather around, fearing for Jules’s safety. They know that justice was never served; each of them wants to make the Quentin girl pay.
The question is: What will Jules do?
And which of them—she or Amelia—has the most to fear?
Praise for Susan Lewis
“Powerful.” —Fresh Fiction , on No Place to Hide
“A real page-turner.” —Kirkus Reviews , on Too Close to Home
“Emotionally charged.” —RT Book Reviews , on Behind Closed Doors
When Jules Bright hears a knock on the door, the last person she expects to find is a detective bringing her the news she’s feared for the last three years.
Amelia Quentin is being released from prison.
Jules’s life now is very different from the one she knew before Amelia shattered it completely. Knowing the girl is coming back, Jules must decide what to do. Friends and family gather around, fearing for Jules’s safety. They know that justice was never served; each of them wants to make the Quentin girl pay.
The question is: What will Jules do?
And which of them—she or Amelia—has the most to fear?
Praise for Susan Lewis
“Powerful.” —Fresh Fiction , on No Place to Hide
“A real page-turner.” —Kirkus Reviews , on Too Close to Home
“Emotionally charged.” —RT Book Reviews , on Behind Closed Doors
Hardcover
First published February 11, 2016
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About the author
Susan Lewis
67 books1,202 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
February 28, 2016
„In her heart she knew what Aileen was thinking, it was what she was thinking too, but neither of them was prepared to speak the words aloud in case fate overheard and turned them into an unthinkable reality.“
This is the story about family tragedy.
This is the story about shattered lives.
This is the story about injustice.
This is the story about the girl who came back.
Starting this novel with a prologue, Susan Lewis introduces Amelia to us as a nine year old girl, but even from those few pages we can see what kind of person she will be in her future (and what kind of peronality she already has).
This story follows a woman named Jules. The first chapter opens with her finding out about Amelia being released from the prison, in that she was sent after commiting a crame that shattered Jules' family apart.
As the story progress we follow two different times: present and the past (the past starting over 20 years ago, coming closer to the present with every chapter).
While doing my research for this review, I found out that the character called Aileen Lawrence also appears in another Susan Lewis' novel, Behind Closed Doors .
However, two novels are both standalons.
Going into this book, I expected for it to be a quick read.
Nevertheless, as I was reading, I noticed that wasn't the case.
The story demends you to take your time with it, to observe and take everything that it gives to you.
It took me over 50 pages to get used to Susan Lewis' writing style and over 100 pages to finally keep up with all the characters.
While reading, you can see that the author really knows her characters. She gives you the whole family tree, friends and friends' family, and it does take some time to place everyone in your head, as a reader (if I was smarter, I would place characters on paper to follow them better, but I managed to place everyone after some time).
I even bet that if you asked Lewis what were her characters' hobbies, favorite food and all those little things that weren't actually in the book, she would still have answers because she knew them that well.
She also did a lot of research for this book, and you can tell it.
At some parts, I tought about calling her out because I was sure something wouldn't go that way because of law, but few pages after she wrote exactly what I was thinking of.
The same case happened when I was thinking about one particular situation, how it would be illogical to develop in the way it did, but I was running before herd again – few pages after, the author explained perfectly why and how.
Although this is a story in which the story as itself is important, what has a bigger role in this piece are inner struggels and how one can deal with an injustice that's been done to him, how to deal with the tragedy that can make you lose yourself, to find the strenght when there's no hope and to overcome the demons that call you for revenge.
As you probably figured out by now, this isn't an easy read.
Anyway, it is still an enjoyable read.
There was only one time while reading that I felt like it was dragging, and it was closer to the end of the book.
There were three things I wasn't a fan of:
1. Magic realism element (if we can call it that (but there's a big chance that I just couldn't understand it)).
2. Towards the end one particular situation
3. I still can't, and never will understand Daisy's parents when it comes to Dean
Overall, this is a good read that will leave you with a feeling like you know more then you did before. It is a story that focusses more on the feelings then on the pace, although the pace is what activates those feelings.
If you decide to give this book a try, I suggest you to give yourself some time with it.
Also, it may take a while for you to get used to the writing style and to get to know the characters, but after you do it will be worth it.
This is the story about family tragedy.
This is the story about shattered lives.
This is the story about injustice.
This is the story about the girl who came back.
Starting this novel with a prologue, Susan Lewis introduces Amelia to us as a nine year old girl, but even from those few pages we can see what kind of person she will be in her future (and what kind of peronality she already has).
This story follows a woman named Jules. The first chapter opens with her finding out about Amelia being released from the prison, in that she was sent after commiting a crame that shattered Jules' family apart.
As the story progress we follow two different times: present and the past (the past starting over 20 years ago, coming closer to the present with every chapter).
While doing my research for this review, I found out that the character called Aileen Lawrence also appears in another Susan Lewis' novel, Behind Closed Doors .
However, two novels are both standalons.
Going into this book, I expected for it to be a quick read.
Nevertheless, as I was reading, I noticed that wasn't the case.
The story demends you to take your time with it, to observe and take everything that it gives to you.
It took me over 50 pages to get used to Susan Lewis' writing style and over 100 pages to finally keep up with all the characters.
While reading, you can see that the author really knows her characters. She gives you the whole family tree, friends and friends' family, and it does take some time to place everyone in your head, as a reader (if I was smarter, I would place characters on paper to follow them better, but I managed to place everyone after some time).
I even bet that if you asked Lewis what were her characters' hobbies, favorite food and all those little things that weren't actually in the book, she would still have answers because she knew them that well.
She also did a lot of research for this book, and you can tell it.
At some parts, I tought about calling her out because I was sure something wouldn't go that way because of law, but few pages after she wrote exactly what I was thinking of.
The same case happened when I was thinking about one particular situation, how it would be illogical to develop in the way it did, but I was running before herd again – few pages after, the author explained perfectly why and how.
Although this is a story in which the story as itself is important, what has a bigger role in this piece are inner struggels and how one can deal with an injustice that's been done to him, how to deal with the tragedy that can make you lose yourself, to find the strenght when there's no hope and to overcome the demons that call you for revenge.
As you probably figured out by now, this isn't an easy read.
Anyway, it is still an enjoyable read.
There was only one time while reading that I felt like it was dragging, and it was closer to the end of the book.
There were three things I wasn't a fan of:
1. Magic realism element (if we can call it that (but there's a big chance that I just couldn't understand it)).
2. Towards the end one particular situation
3. I still can't, and never will understand Daisy's parents when it comes to Dean
Overall, this is a good read that will leave you with a feeling like you know more then you did before. It is a story that focusses more on the feelings then on the pace, although the pace is what activates those feelings.
If you decide to give this book a try, I suggest you to give yourself some time with it.
Also, it may take a while for you to get used to the writing style and to get to know the characters, but after you do it will be worth it.
June 12, 2016
The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis is a 2016 Ballantine publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This remarkable story delves into the raw emotions a couple endures after their only child is murdered, but also paints a portrait of a cold, calculating sociopath in Amelia Quentin that will send chills down your spine, while examining the effects the crime has on an entire community, but also adds just a little touch of fantasy that warms the heart and provides a level of comfort in the midst of turbulent storms.
Jules and Kian were made for each other and were fortunate enough to stumble into a little good luck in the early days of their marriage, which provided them the opportunity to run a bar they always hoped to own. The only downside was the couple’s struggles with infertility. But, miracles never cease and they were finally blessed with a beautiful daughter they named Daisy.
Their marriage suffers a huge bump in the road at one time, but Daisy grew up to be a beautiful young lady who has met her soul mate in life and is about to embark on what promises to be a very bright future. But, her friendship with Amelia Quentin will put an abrupt end to all that, while effectively ruining the life of an innocent young man in the process.
Now, after only serving three years in prison, Amelia has been released and is returning to her hometown, meaning it’s only a matter of time before Jules will run into the woman who took her daughter’s life.
This is a very compelling story that raised my ire and squeezed my heart as I tried to imagine the agony of dealing with the death of your only child by the hands of a diabolical and cunning killer, who gets off with a slap on the wrist.
There are some areas in the story that I could have done without, such as Jules’ inexplicable actions that lead to the rift in her marriage. I’ve tried to imagine how the story might have progressed if this scenario never took place and have decided it was an unnecessary diversion that really didn’t have any bearing on the situation. I don’t know why authors feel compelled to throw in these types of complications, but they often do.
Other than that one complaint the story was well crafted, although some may have issues with the sudden shifts between past and present, which could be a little jarring at first. But, things eventually even out as the story begins to focus on the aftermath of Daisy’s death and the shocking developments surrounding her killer.
There are two elements of suspense at work at once with the fear Jules could be in danger or than she may snap and take justice into her own hands. I was warmed by the vast amount of support Jules received from family and friends and terrified by the possibility of a showdown between Amelia and Jules.
I suppose I can’t imagine coming face to face with my child’s killer, especially an unrepentant one who exudes shameless haughtiness, flaunting her money and freedom in my face. Who wouldn’t be tempted to wipe the smirk off her face once and for all?
But, I never could have anticipated the way things would turn out. If you believe in Karma then you will love the screwball turn of events that brings a community together and provides a golden opportunity to right wrongs and begin anew.
The slight paranormal element is a sweet addition to the story and I loved the way it was subtle, but powerful, as well, and is the one part of the story that choked me up.
Ultimately, this is an excellent psychological thriller, the mood of which is set at the very beginning, warning us of a sinister force we won’t be able to avoid, but it is also the story of a family coping with tragedy, of community, friends, and the power of love, which gives us strength to weather the most tumultuous events life throws at us.
4 stars
This remarkable story delves into the raw emotions a couple endures after their only child is murdered, but also paints a portrait of a cold, calculating sociopath in Amelia Quentin that will send chills down your spine, while examining the effects the crime has on an entire community, but also adds just a little touch of fantasy that warms the heart and provides a level of comfort in the midst of turbulent storms.
Jules and Kian were made for each other and were fortunate enough to stumble into a little good luck in the early days of their marriage, which provided them the opportunity to run a bar they always hoped to own. The only downside was the couple’s struggles with infertility. But, miracles never cease and they were finally blessed with a beautiful daughter they named Daisy.
Their marriage suffers a huge bump in the road at one time, but Daisy grew up to be a beautiful young lady who has met her soul mate in life and is about to embark on what promises to be a very bright future. But, her friendship with Amelia Quentin will put an abrupt end to all that, while effectively ruining the life of an innocent young man in the process.
Now, after only serving three years in prison, Amelia has been released and is returning to her hometown, meaning it’s only a matter of time before Jules will run into the woman who took her daughter’s life.
This is a very compelling story that raised my ire and squeezed my heart as I tried to imagine the agony of dealing with the death of your only child by the hands of a diabolical and cunning killer, who gets off with a slap on the wrist.
There are some areas in the story that I could have done without, such as Jules’ inexplicable actions that lead to the rift in her marriage. I’ve tried to imagine how the story might have progressed if this scenario never took place and have decided it was an unnecessary diversion that really didn’t have any bearing on the situation. I don’t know why authors feel compelled to throw in these types of complications, but they often do.
Other than that one complaint the story was well crafted, although some may have issues with the sudden shifts between past and present, which could be a little jarring at first. But, things eventually even out as the story begins to focus on the aftermath of Daisy’s death and the shocking developments surrounding her killer.
There are two elements of suspense at work at once with the fear Jules could be in danger or than she may snap and take justice into her own hands. I was warmed by the vast amount of support Jules received from family and friends and terrified by the possibility of a showdown between Amelia and Jules.
I suppose I can’t imagine coming face to face with my child’s killer, especially an unrepentant one who exudes shameless haughtiness, flaunting her money and freedom in my face. Who wouldn’t be tempted to wipe the smirk off her face once and for all?
But, I never could have anticipated the way things would turn out. If you believe in Karma then you will love the screwball turn of events that brings a community together and provides a golden opportunity to right wrongs and begin anew.
The slight paranormal element is a sweet addition to the story and I loved the way it was subtle, but powerful, as well, and is the one part of the story that choked me up.
Ultimately, this is an excellent psychological thriller, the mood of which is set at the very beginning, warning us of a sinister force we won’t be able to avoid, but it is also the story of a family coping with tragedy, of community, friends, and the power of love, which gives us strength to weather the most tumultuous events life throws at us.
4 stars
February 20, 2016
A friendship goes wrong leading to every parents worst nightmare. Jules is devastated to discover someone from her past is about to be released from jail. This story jumps from past to present so that you get to know its background and the friendship of Daisy & Amelia.
This is the 1st book I have read by the author and I will be reading more in the future.
I would like to thank net galley, random house uk cornerstone and the author Susan Lewis for my arc in exchange for an honest review
May 4, 2018
Two and a half stars.
Jules Bright is outraged to hear that the person who destroyed her family and marriage is being released from prison after serving only three years. It seems far too little for taking the life of her daughter Daisy in such a violent way. Not only is Amelia Quentin being released, she is coming back to the area. Amelia Quentin is a cold blooded killer and we learn this right from the first chapter when she was still a child. How can Jules possibly deal with having her daughter’s murderer back in the area? Will she seek revenge?
This is a hard book to review. While the premise was good, there were aspects of the story that to me never added up. First and foremost was the portrayal of Jules and Kian’s daughter Daisy as this perfect child. As the story goes back to her childhood and early teenage years, I got fed up with the constant harping about how perfect Daisy was and how much everyone loved her.
The book jumps around in time a lot from the present to incidents from the past and that often makes it confusing and gives a disjointed feel. Although this story had me still turning the pages it was easy to pick holes in the plot. Some of the decisions Jules makes border on ludicrous. One concerns Nicholas, the father of teenage Daisy’s boyfriend Joe and the other is behaviour of Jules after Amelia is released from jail. Her decisions make no sense. Choices are incomprehensible. She wasn’t the only one in the family to make strange choices. The further the story goes on, the more it stretches credibility till mine snapped. Yet at the same time I couldn’t quite put it aside without finishing the book. The ending feels both forced and rushed. As for Ruby the ghost who lives at The Mermaid, she was an unnecessary distraction that added nothing to the story.
In the end I found more things wrong with the story than I did reasons to like it. Even though I had to keep reading to the end, I was always aware that too much felt contrived. I have read and enjoyed other books by this author. But this one just didn’t work for me. However I am sure there will be others out there who will enjoy it more.
Jules Bright is outraged to hear that the person who destroyed her family and marriage is being released from prison after serving only three years. It seems far too little for taking the life of her daughter Daisy in such a violent way. Not only is Amelia Quentin being released, she is coming back to the area. Amelia Quentin is a cold blooded killer and we learn this right from the first chapter when she was still a child. How can Jules possibly deal with having her daughter’s murderer back in the area? Will she seek revenge?
This is a hard book to review. While the premise was good, there were aspects of the story that to me never added up. First and foremost was the portrayal of Jules and Kian’s daughter Daisy as this perfect child. As the story goes back to her childhood and early teenage years, I got fed up with the constant harping about how perfect Daisy was and how much everyone loved her.
The book jumps around in time a lot from the present to incidents from the past and that often makes it confusing and gives a disjointed feel. Although this story had me still turning the pages it was easy to pick holes in the plot. Some of the decisions Jules makes border on ludicrous. One concerns Nicholas, the father of teenage Daisy’s boyfriend Joe and the other is behaviour of Jules after Amelia is released from jail. Her decisions make no sense. Choices are incomprehensible. She wasn’t the only one in the family to make strange choices. The further the story goes on, the more it stretches credibility till mine snapped. Yet at the same time I couldn’t quite put it aside without finishing the book. The ending feels both forced and rushed. As for Ruby the ghost who lives at The Mermaid, she was an unnecessary distraction that added nothing to the story.
In the end I found more things wrong with the story than I did reasons to like it. Even though I had to keep reading to the end, I was always aware that too much felt contrived. I have read and enjoyed other books by this author. But this one just didn’t work for me. However I am sure there will be others out there who will enjoy it more.
February 21, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this read which although it is set in Kesterley and quite heavily features Andee Lawrence from Behind Closed Doors is a standalone novel. Amelia Quentin is being released from prison and is on her way back and that news is not welcome to Jules and the rest of the Bright family. But, the question is why? The story is told in dual time starting in the present when Jules receives the news, with flashbacks with trace the history of Jules’ marriage to Kian and their life over the last 20 years. By the time I found out what Amelia had actually done I felt I had really got to know Jules and her family well and was quite invested in them. I had laughed, loved and cried with them and was totally immersed in their story. It is a very easy read and one which just flowed as the family saga unfolded. I did guess part of what Amelia had done, but not all of what had happened and I have to say I was expecting the story to go even further than it did at one point!
I only really had one or two minor niggles about the book. Whilst the two time zones make good reading there isn’t really any clear demarcation between them, and this would help as it did get a little confusing now and again. When Jules and Andee come face to face at the start of the book, it soon becomes apparent that they already know each other although Jules had to rack her brain to put a name to the face and that never really sat easily with me. I am sure she would have known instantly.
On the whole though I have to say that this is a highly enjoyable read and one that I can enthusiastically recommend. I received a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a review.
I only really had one or two minor niggles about the book. Whilst the two time zones make good reading there isn’t really any clear demarcation between them, and this would help as it did get a little confusing now and again. When Jules and Andee come face to face at the start of the book, it soon becomes apparent that they already know each other although Jules had to rack her brain to put a name to the face and that never really sat easily with me. I am sure she would have known instantly.
On the whole though I have to say that this is a highly enjoyable read and one that I can enthusiastically recommend. I received a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a review.
July 29, 2024
I struggled with this book at the beginning.
Amelia and Daisy are just very extreme kind of personalities and I am not sure if people like Daisy exist in reality. If they do, I would say - Please save yourself, you are way too naive for this world. You are an accident waiting to happen.
Not sure about the ghost angle either.
Amelia and Daisy are just very extreme kind of personalities and I am not sure if people like Daisy exist in reality. If they do, I would say - Please save yourself, you are way too naive for this world. You are an accident waiting to happen.
Not sure about the ghost angle either.
March 31, 2016
I had to keep coming back to this book and for me it was just a difficult and frustrating read. I really wanted to like the story but it just got too complicated and by the end I simply didn't care what happened to any of the characters. The book jumps around in time with no obvious indication of which situation you are in until you have read through enough to place it in time.
Jules gets a knock on the door and it is an ex policeman informing her that her daughters murderer is being released from prison. Amelia Quentin was a disturbed and angry toddler and grew up to be a selfish and calculating murderer. The book skips between Jules in the present day preparing for Amelia's release and story of the Bright's relationship with the Quentin family and the impact that had on their lives.
With a ghost story as well the story just felt over blown and all a bit too much. Sorry but it just wasn't for me.
Supplied by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Jules gets a knock on the door and it is an ex policeman informing her that her daughters murderer is being released from prison. Amelia Quentin was a disturbed and angry toddler and grew up to be a selfish and calculating murderer. The book skips between Jules in the present day preparing for Amelia's release and story of the Bright's relationship with the Quentin family and the impact that had on their lives.
With a ghost story as well the story just felt over blown and all a bit too much. Sorry but it just wasn't for me.
Supplied by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2016
A special thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Susan Lewis returns following Too Close to Home (2015) with another gripping edge-of-your-seat psychological domestic suspense THE GIRL WHO CAME BACK—a family’s idyllic life, shattered in a million pieces. A mother’s desperate need for justice for her daughter, from a twisted evil monster, infiltrating their lives. MIND-BLOWING!
Prologue: As the book opens we meet Amelia briefly. A nine-year-old disturbed girl, who wasn’t like other children. She stared at people, never laughed or no excitement. Little seemed to amuse her and she always wanted what was not hers. Amelia did not speak much even to her mother, Olivia. She chatted away with her father, Anton, when he made the time. She was sullen and shy. She did not fit in with other kids. Then one day . . . the unspeakable. Murder.
Chapter One begins sixteen years later. Jules Bright answers the door—Detective, Andee Lawrence delivers a message. Amelia Quentin is being released from prison. The detective is every bit as appalled as Jules, when the wheels of justice had turned the way they had almost three years ago.
Now the murderer is returning to Crofton Park. Julies Bright could not believe she murderer could even consider stepping foot in this place again. Her sentence was an outrage. They had been cheated a proper trial. Jules' and her husband, Kian--their horrific tragedy and demise of a family at the hands of a lunatic, Amelia Quentin. She received parole and she has not even served three years!
A dark and disturbing mind a plot, a conspiracy-the unraveling begins, as the author takes us back to the crime three years earlier. We also meet Daisy, who lives at the Mermaid pub, a happy child and a lovable family. Befriends a girl her opposite, Amelia.
From past to present we meet a cast of characters from childhood to adulthood. It all started with a text, the arrest, and the trial. Revenge. The death of a beloved daughter, and a friend to many.
Hatred, resentment, and the need to hurt, even destroy, the girl continues to burn holes through Jules, the mother. Was Amelia even capable of remorse? Jules knows if she had been a part of any other family without the money, she would have had no privileges or early release, much less her big fake comeback.
Manipulative Amelia is trying to turn the tables, once again with her evil, twisted lies. What gave her the right to take her daughter’s life, and her family? She watches as she goes through the elegant iron gate, so perfect and tranquil and no one would have guessed that a killer was in the vicinity, hidden like a sick predator, or a poison in the air.
Jules: If anyone was going to avenge Daisy’s killing, it would be her. A mother torn apart by grief, crushed by the system that had robbed her of proper justice, traumatized by the proximity of her nemesis, besieged by Facebook posts and attempted visits to her old home. In the light of all she had been subjected to -would it come as a surprise to anyone that she’d lost all sense of reason? How could she be accountable for her actions? Maybe she’d be tried for voluntary manslaughter—with provocation. Who else wants revenge?
Amelia and Dean had been arrested at the scene of the crime and were later charged with joint-enterprise murder. Amelia had set up Daisy and Dean as part of her conspiracy. Sick and twisted. (now this is one complex story). Dean was remanded into custody and Amelia was released on bail--for murder. She had sent the text that had tricked Daisy into going to her house. Fifteen stab wounds had been inflicted by the same left hand. Amelia was left-handed. Dean was not. Rape? How did you set up such a sick plan?
Amelia’s father was connected in places that mattered, a lawyer. Amelia had tricked them all. Obsessed with another girl's life and family. Daisy was no longer with them, and unable to pursue her dreams and live her life. No one had the right to take that from her and yet Amelia had decided that she did. A calculating murdering lunatic.
Families ripped apart by this monster. How would they prove she killed her mom and Daisy? The most heartbreaking parts of leaving the Mermaid had been forcing herself to let go of Ruby. She had believed that Ruby was passing messages to Daisy to keep them connected. (magical realism here).
Their lives remained in pieces in so many ways, while Amelia Quentin was allowed to start hers all over again—to choose another generous-hearted girl to befriend and butcher. A mother’s vengeance. Justice for Daisy and Dean.
Will a broken family bond over their tragedy, or move further away from one another? However, there may be others who want justice just as much as the Bright family. Could there be a larger plan in motion—will fate step in and the nightmare finally be over?
WOW! Susan Lewis just keeps getting better and better. Not sure how anyone cranks out so many books—she has a special gift. Intense, dark, gritty, disturbing, and emotional, mixed with psychological twists and turns—leaving you holding your breath. I was still reading through the night, finishing at 4 am...racing to the end.
The strong love of parents, and one cold twisted gal--she could turn on a dime- your head will be spinning. A haunting and gripping tale, vivid settings and well-developed characters….and did I mention plot(s)? If you have not read Susan previously, definitely start.
Fans of Lisa Jewell, Diane Chamberlain and Heather Heather Gudenkauf will enjoy the complex multi-layered tale and domestic suspense. (my favorites). This may be Lewis' most intense yet! A cautionary tale for parents and teens, alike. Be careful who you befriend--it could prove deadly.
JDCMustReadBooks
Susan Lewis returns following Too Close to Home (2015) with another gripping edge-of-your-seat psychological domestic suspense THE GIRL WHO CAME BACK—a family’s idyllic life, shattered in a million pieces. A mother’s desperate need for justice for her daughter, from a twisted evil monster, infiltrating their lives. MIND-BLOWING!
Prologue: As the book opens we meet Amelia briefly. A nine-year-old disturbed girl, who wasn’t like other children. She stared at people, never laughed or no excitement. Little seemed to amuse her and she always wanted what was not hers. Amelia did not speak much even to her mother, Olivia. She chatted away with her father, Anton, when he made the time. She was sullen and shy. She did not fit in with other kids. Then one day . . . the unspeakable. Murder.
Chapter One begins sixteen years later. Jules Bright answers the door—Detective, Andee Lawrence delivers a message. Amelia Quentin is being released from prison. The detective is every bit as appalled as Jules, when the wheels of justice had turned the way they had almost three years ago.
Now the murderer is returning to Crofton Park. Julies Bright could not believe she murderer could even consider stepping foot in this place again. Her sentence was an outrage. They had been cheated a proper trial. Jules' and her husband, Kian--their horrific tragedy and demise of a family at the hands of a lunatic, Amelia Quentin. She received parole and she has not even served three years!
A dark and disturbing mind a plot, a conspiracy-the unraveling begins, as the author takes us back to the crime three years earlier. We also meet Daisy, who lives at the Mermaid pub, a happy child and a lovable family. Befriends a girl her opposite, Amelia.
From past to present we meet a cast of characters from childhood to adulthood. It all started with a text, the arrest, and the trial. Revenge. The death of a beloved daughter, and a friend to many.
Hatred, resentment, and the need to hurt, even destroy, the girl continues to burn holes through Jules, the mother. Was Amelia even capable of remorse? Jules knows if she had been a part of any other family without the money, she would have had no privileges or early release, much less her big fake comeback.
Manipulative Amelia is trying to turn the tables, once again with her evil, twisted lies. What gave her the right to take her daughter’s life, and her family? She watches as she goes through the elegant iron gate, so perfect and tranquil and no one would have guessed that a killer was in the vicinity, hidden like a sick predator, or a poison in the air.
Jules: If anyone was going to avenge Daisy’s killing, it would be her. A mother torn apart by grief, crushed by the system that had robbed her of proper justice, traumatized by the proximity of her nemesis, besieged by Facebook posts and attempted visits to her old home. In the light of all she had been subjected to -would it come as a surprise to anyone that she’d lost all sense of reason? How could she be accountable for her actions? Maybe she’d be tried for voluntary manslaughter—with provocation. Who else wants revenge?
Amelia and Dean had been arrested at the scene of the crime and were later charged with joint-enterprise murder. Amelia had set up Daisy and Dean as part of her conspiracy. Sick and twisted. (now this is one complex story). Dean was remanded into custody and Amelia was released on bail--for murder. She had sent the text that had tricked Daisy into going to her house. Fifteen stab wounds had been inflicted by the same left hand. Amelia was left-handed. Dean was not. Rape? How did you set up such a sick plan?
Amelia’s father was connected in places that mattered, a lawyer. Amelia had tricked them all. Obsessed with another girl's life and family. Daisy was no longer with them, and unable to pursue her dreams and live her life. No one had the right to take that from her and yet Amelia had decided that she did. A calculating murdering lunatic.
Families ripped apart by this monster. How would they prove she killed her mom and Daisy? The most heartbreaking parts of leaving the Mermaid had been forcing herself to let go of Ruby. She had believed that Ruby was passing messages to Daisy to keep them connected. (magical realism here).
Their lives remained in pieces in so many ways, while Amelia Quentin was allowed to start hers all over again—to choose another generous-hearted girl to befriend and butcher. A mother’s vengeance. Justice for Daisy and Dean.
Will a broken family bond over their tragedy, or move further away from one another? However, there may be others who want justice just as much as the Bright family. Could there be a larger plan in motion—will fate step in and the nightmare finally be over?
WOW! Susan Lewis just keeps getting better and better. Not sure how anyone cranks out so many books—she has a special gift. Intense, dark, gritty, disturbing, and emotional, mixed with psychological twists and turns—leaving you holding your breath. I was still reading through the night, finishing at 4 am...racing to the end.
The strong love of parents, and one cold twisted gal--she could turn on a dime- your head will be spinning. A haunting and gripping tale, vivid settings and well-developed characters….and did I mention plot(s)? If you have not read Susan previously, definitely start.
Fans of Lisa Jewell, Diane Chamberlain and Heather Heather Gudenkauf will enjoy the complex multi-layered tale and domestic suspense. (my favorites). This may be Lewis' most intense yet! A cautionary tale for parents and teens, alike. Be careful who you befriend--it could prove deadly.
JDCMustReadBooks
March 21, 2017
I have been reading Susan Lewis for years and my very first review on Amazon nearly 10 years ago was one of her books. I always enjoy them but every now and then one comes along that I struggle with and sadly this was one of them. In the beginning we see glimpses of Amelia and instantly it becomes apparent she is no ordinary child and if that continues she may well become a very disturbed individual. Jules then becomes the main focus of the story and we see her struggle to come to terms with the news she has just been told. Amelia Quentin will be released from prison following an event that had far reaching consequences for her family.
As the story continues we see both present and past explored but it was done in an easy to read way. There are many elements to this book that maybe wont sit right with some people (subject matter for a start wont be everybody's cup of tea), however the story flowed well and was easy to get into. However, there were one or two issues within the book I just felt had no added value, as well as the fact that certain elements within the story didn't seem authentic and to be honest this spoiled things a little for me.
I continued reading and finished the book, and although I enjoyed it there were too many things I didn't like or had niggles with so felt that the fairest rating would be the middle of the road. I certainly hope her next book is just as enthralling as the numerous others of hers I have read.
As the story continues we see both present and past explored but it was done in an easy to read way. There are many elements to this book that maybe wont sit right with some people (subject matter for a start wont be everybody's cup of tea), however the story flowed well and was easy to get into. However, there were one or two issues within the book I just felt had no added value, as well as the fact that certain elements within the story didn't seem authentic and to be honest this spoiled things a little for me.
I continued reading and finished the book, and although I enjoyed it there were too many things I didn't like or had niggles with so felt that the fairest rating would be the middle of the road. I certainly hope her next book is just as enthralling as the numerous others of hers I have read.
November 18, 2017
Jules learns that Amelia, the young woman who killed her daughter Daisy, is about to be let out of prison after two short years. With no shortage of people who want Amelia dead, both Jules and Amelia have something to fear.
THE GIRL WHO CAME BACK takes a wonderfully delicious plot and destroys it with one dimensional characters. Amelia has no redeeming qualities from toddlerhood while Daisy is the most perfect child to ever walk the planet. Susan Lewis bogs down the plot with useless backstory about Jules and her husband’s early years. The plot skips from present to past in confusing fashion.
I wish the execution of the premise had lived up to the blurb.
THE GIRL WHO CAME BACK takes a wonderfully delicious plot and destroys it with one dimensional characters. Amelia has no redeeming qualities from toddlerhood while Daisy is the most perfect child to ever walk the planet. Susan Lewis bogs down the plot with useless backstory about Jules and her husband’s early years. The plot skips from present to past in confusing fashion.
I wish the execution of the premise had lived up to the blurb.
March 8, 2017
Prior to reading The Girl Who Came Back my only experience of Susan Lewis was Behind Closed Doors which left a favourable impression and made me wonder how I had never picked up one of this authors books before. Sadly The Girl Who Came Back was a brutal reminder of why I typically avoid these schmaltzy and overly-sentimental novels aimed firmly at a female audience. Packed with a boatload of shiny, happy people loving their lives and positively bubbling over with enthusiasm and philanthropic generosity, nothing about the lives of Jules Bright and her family in Kesterly rang true. Either that, or there must be something in the water and I am steering well clear of the town. Whilst this was a perfectly readable tale and an easy diversion it was also heavily padded and slightly lazy writing, filled with twee and trivial observations which stretched a plot that could have been conveyed in two-hundred pages to over four-hundred. The positive is that the journey from start to finish rattles past and is undemanding.
After a brief prologue the novel proper opens with Jules Bright opening the front door to a face she just cannot place, only to quickly realise that she would rather not remember the harrowing nightmare of less than three years ago. The woman at the door is Andee Lawrence, formerly a detective, with the devastating news that the release of Amelia Quentin is imminent and she plans to return to Crofton Park, less than five miles from Jule's house. Jules is incandescent with rage, questioning how the girl can be released having served less than three years, swiftly envisaging the sentiment amongst the close-knit Bright clan. No longer a detective, Andee had wanted to break the news in person, before it becomes common knowledge locally. Believe it or not, it then takes the course of the next two-hundred pages until Susan Lewis drops the bombshell of Amelia's involvement in Jule's life and by then it isn't so much a bombshell as another unrealistic intervention in the lives of the Bright family. The process of recounting the story sees Jules drifting in and out of reveries and becoming caught up in her memories of the past. Although I personally did not find it difficult to follow the transition between Jules in the present and her memories of the past, there is no clear demarcation and if readers are dipping in and out of this book I expect it will prove a nuisance. The first half of this book is given over to Jules and husband Kian taking possession of the deeds as tenants for the quaint Mermaid's Inn pub and the larks of the early years with close friends, extended family and the upbringing of a long wished for child, Daisy. Throw in a lottery win, a radiant daughter, legions of charity ventures and a community centred around the cherished pub and the Bright family have it all. Far-fetched with comically bland dialogue it is hard to invest or care about a cast of such ridiculously glowing characters, many of whom were introduced yet served little function in the continuing narrative. Much as a loathed one sub-plot surrounding the pub ghost of Ruby, a twelve-year-old girl who died in a fire at the pub long ago and the frequent mentions of shifting objects and slamming doors, I was expecting it to prove a major component of what was to come, hence when it proved superfluous I was a little mystified.
It all begins to go horribly wrong when daughter, Daisy ("all things Bright and beautiful") comes into contact with Amelia Quentin, daughter of misogynistic and supercilious QC Anton Quentin. Daisy doesn't remember her first meeting with the precocious and spoiled Amelia, but everyone at the Mermaid Inn does. Pretty soon Amelia is inveigling herself amongst the Bright clan and manipulating and emotionally blackmailing Daisy. Whilst there is universal scepticism about the Quentin girl and her odious father, Daisy feels some obligation to befriend a girl whose father seems uninterested in her and has such difficulty forming friendships that last. A sucker for a sob story, Daisy's charmed life sees her expecting the best from everyone. Until one night out of the blue a text from Amelia tells Daisy that she has just found her mother, a woman who was supposed to have walked out twelve-years-ago. Asking Daisy to come to her aid, father Kian drops her at the gates of Crofton Park, only for her never to return home... what then follows is a synopsis of the ensuing trial and the influence and cronyism exerted by Amelia's father lofty position, hence Amelia is eventually released after the distended sum of 275 pages, leaving just over one-hundred pages to tackle the aftermath and mind games upon her release. Needless to say, a slightly over simplified view of the justice system regarding being so easily influenced and subject to counter-corrections in hindsight seems naive. Given that the stated premise of the novel is not even tackled until the second half of the book when readers are finally given the opportunity to see how Jules will cope with the release of Amelia and whether avenging her daughter's death will see her delivering her very own kind of justice.
After a brief prologue the novel proper opens with Jules Bright opening the front door to a face she just cannot place, only to quickly realise that she would rather not remember the harrowing nightmare of less than three years ago. The woman at the door is Andee Lawrence, formerly a detective, with the devastating news that the release of Amelia Quentin is imminent and she plans to return to Crofton Park, less than five miles from Jule's house. Jules is incandescent with rage, questioning how the girl can be released having served less than three years, swiftly envisaging the sentiment amongst the close-knit Bright clan. No longer a detective, Andee had wanted to break the news in person, before it becomes common knowledge locally. Believe it or not, it then takes the course of the next two-hundred pages until Susan Lewis drops the bombshell of Amelia's involvement in Jule's life and by then it isn't so much a bombshell as another unrealistic intervention in the lives of the Bright family. The process of recounting the story sees Jules drifting in and out of reveries and becoming caught up in her memories of the past. Although I personally did not find it difficult to follow the transition between Jules in the present and her memories of the past, there is no clear demarcation and if readers are dipping in and out of this book I expect it will prove a nuisance. The first half of this book is given over to Jules and husband Kian taking possession of the deeds as tenants for the quaint Mermaid's Inn pub and the larks of the early years with close friends, extended family and the upbringing of a long wished for child, Daisy. Throw in a lottery win, a radiant daughter, legions of charity ventures and a community centred around the cherished pub and the Bright family have it all. Far-fetched with comically bland dialogue it is hard to invest or care about a cast of such ridiculously glowing characters, many of whom were introduced yet served little function in the continuing narrative. Much as a loathed one sub-plot surrounding the pub ghost of Ruby, a twelve-year-old girl who died in a fire at the pub long ago and the frequent mentions of shifting objects and slamming doors, I was expecting it to prove a major component of what was to come, hence when it proved superfluous I was a little mystified.
It all begins to go horribly wrong when daughter, Daisy ("all things Bright and beautiful") comes into contact with Amelia Quentin, daughter of misogynistic and supercilious QC Anton Quentin. Daisy doesn't remember her first meeting with the precocious and spoiled Amelia, but everyone at the Mermaid Inn does. Pretty soon Amelia is inveigling herself amongst the Bright clan and manipulating and emotionally blackmailing Daisy. Whilst there is universal scepticism about the Quentin girl and her odious father, Daisy feels some obligation to befriend a girl whose father seems uninterested in her and has such difficulty forming friendships that last. A sucker for a sob story, Daisy's charmed life sees her expecting the best from everyone. Until one night out of the blue a text from Amelia tells Daisy that she has just found her mother, a woman who was supposed to have walked out twelve-years-ago. Asking Daisy to come to her aid, father Kian drops her at the gates of Crofton Park, only for her never to return home... what then follows is a synopsis of the ensuing trial and the influence and cronyism exerted by Amelia's father lofty position, hence Amelia is eventually released after the distended sum of 275 pages, leaving just over one-hundred pages to tackle the aftermath and mind games upon her release. Needless to say, a slightly over simplified view of the justice system regarding being so easily influenced and subject to counter-corrections in hindsight seems naive. Given that the stated premise of the novel is not even tackled until the second half of the book when readers are finally given the opportunity to see how Jules will cope with the release of Amelia and whether avenging her daughter's death will see her delivering her very own kind of justice.
August 16, 2017
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
This was a very well told story with a unique storyline. I have a tendency towards family dramas but this one did disappoint a bit. It was pretty suspenseful and kept you wanting to turn the pages, but there were plot holes and some of the characters were either unrealistic or unnecessary.
There were a few downsides, which is why I rounded down to 3 stars and not up to 4. The first was that there were entirely too many characters and they were all introduced right away that I quickly forgot who was who and was confused. The second was the flipping back and forth between past and present. Usually in this style of writing, the transition feels seamless, but for some reason, it took me a long time to get into the groove with this book.
A couple of the other downsides have to do with the story in and of itself and the characters. Without giving away any spoilers, I thought the whole Ruby element wasn't really necessary, it didn't add anything to the story and it was under developed. If there is going to be a magical element to the story, then make it so. Don't just mention it and not develop it.
The Jules / Nicholas story line. This felt so out of left field and again, it went no where. And what was truly the purpose? I never really understood Jules' actions why it was relevant to the story.
This leads me to Daisy and Joe. Seriously, the girl is a teenager and Jules and Kian just so readily accept that they will be "2gether 4ever"? I just couldn't believe that they would accept them sleeping in the same room / bed and traveling together. I mean, she was 14-15 years old, that seems entirely too young for parents to accept that type of behavior. And one more thing about Daisy, I felt that the author was doing what people do when someone dies and gave her that "hero" persona. Everything about Daisy was just so good and wonderful and lovely and she never made any mistakes or said a bad thing about anyone or even told a little white lie, she was just so, so perfect. Her character was just so unrealistic that I had a very hard time buying into her. And, it made me sympathize on why Amelia wanted to kill her.
Finally, the ending was just really far fetched. The Danny / Kian / Mr. Fogarty situation and then the whole situation coming to justice just didn't ring true for me. I get that there needed to be a wrap up somewhere and that we were all rooting for the downfall of Amelia, but it was just so, oh I don't know, flat. It felt like Lewis ran out of steam and the story just fizzled it's way to the end.
I know it may sound like I didn't enjoy the book, but it is actually the opposite. When I was reading, I was completely engrossed, but there were many times that I was physically rolling my eyes. It didn't detract from the story but reflecting upon the book, I realize that there are things that I would change.
3.5 stars
This was a very well told story with a unique storyline. I have a tendency towards family dramas but this one did disappoint a bit. It was pretty suspenseful and kept you wanting to turn the pages, but there were plot holes and some of the characters were either unrealistic or unnecessary.
There were a few downsides, which is why I rounded down to 3 stars and not up to 4. The first was that there were entirely too many characters and they were all introduced right away that I quickly forgot who was who and was confused. The second was the flipping back and forth between past and present. Usually in this style of writing, the transition feels seamless, but for some reason, it took me a long time to get into the groove with this book.
A couple of the other downsides have to do with the story in and of itself and the characters. Without giving away any spoilers, I thought the whole Ruby element wasn't really necessary, it didn't add anything to the story and it was under developed. If there is going to be a magical element to the story, then make it so. Don't just mention it and not develop it.
The Jules / Nicholas story line. This felt so out of left field and again, it went no where. And what was truly the purpose? I never really understood Jules' actions why it was relevant to the story.
This leads me to Daisy and Joe. Seriously, the girl is a teenager and Jules and Kian just so readily accept that they will be "2gether 4ever"? I just couldn't believe that they would accept them sleeping in the same room / bed and traveling together. I mean, she was 14-15 years old, that seems entirely too young for parents to accept that type of behavior. And one more thing about Daisy, I felt that the author was doing what people do when someone dies and gave her that "hero" persona. Everything about Daisy was just so good and wonderful and lovely and she never made any mistakes or said a bad thing about anyone or even told a little white lie, she was just so, so perfect. Her character was just so unrealistic that I had a very hard time buying into her. And, it made me sympathize on why Amelia wanted to kill her.
Finally, the ending was just really far fetched. The Danny / Kian / Mr. Fogarty situation and then the whole situation coming to justice just didn't ring true for me. I get that there needed to be a wrap up somewhere and that we were all rooting for the downfall of Amelia, but it was just so, oh I don't know, flat. It felt like Lewis ran out of steam and the story just fizzled it's way to the end.
I know it may sound like I didn't enjoy the book, but it is actually the opposite. When I was reading, I was completely engrossed, but there were many times that I was physically rolling my eyes. It didn't detract from the story but reflecting upon the book, I realize that there are things that I would change.
May 2, 2022
3.5 stars
Jules has had her life turned upside down. She finds herself alone after a big tragedy.
Then, a detective arrives at her door to tell her that Amelia, the girl who ruined her life, is being released from prison after only being incarcerated for 3 years. And she's moving right back to the town where Jules lives.
The book then starts telling little bits of Jules' past, leading up to the big tragedy. It was a riveting story that I flew through really quickly. Very hard hitting. I was maybe just expecting a little bit of something more hectic at the end, but I still really enjoyed this one, a very gripping thriller.
Jules has had her life turned upside down. She finds herself alone after a big tragedy.
Then, a detective arrives at her door to tell her that Amelia, the girl who ruined her life, is being released from prison after only being incarcerated for 3 years. And she's moving right back to the town where Jules lives.
The book then starts telling little bits of Jules' past, leading up to the big tragedy. It was a riveting story that I flew through really quickly. Very hard hitting. I was maybe just expecting a little bit of something more hectic at the end, but I still really enjoyed this one, a very gripping thriller.
December 12, 2018
To start with this book was difficult to get in to. I was very close to DNFing the book and in case you didn't know one of my pet peeves is having to dnf a book and so in most cases I try and see a book through.
This is the first ever susan lewis book I have read and I am so happy I carried on with this book and didn't put it down. I will admit it was a very slow read to start with but once I got past that and got into the story more I came to develop a really good liking to the story, characters, plot etc.
I hope if you read it too you will like it as much as I do. I don't love it but I definitely like it very much. :)
Thank you Susan Lewis and I look forward to reading more of your books in the future.
This is the first ever susan lewis book I have read and I am so happy I carried on with this book and didn't put it down. I will admit it was a very slow read to start with but once I got past that and got into the story more I came to develop a really good liking to the story, characters, plot etc.
I hope if you read it too you will like it as much as I do. I don't love it but I definitely like it very much. :)
Thank you Susan Lewis and I look forward to reading more of your books in the future.
February 25, 2016
I normally love Susan Lewis books but have to admit I really struggled with this one. The story of Jules and how one day a knock at the door brings back old fears when she finds out a girl from her past is being released from prison.
I nearly gave up at one point as I found it too confusing, too many characters and not sure whereabouts in time the narrative was. I know that fans will buy this and will hopefully enjoy it but for me it wasn't one of her best.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I nearly gave up at one point as I found it too confusing, too many characters and not sure whereabouts in time the narrative was. I know that fans will buy this and will hopefully enjoy it but for me it wasn't one of her best.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
September 17, 2016
Couldn't get on with this book. It feels contrived and the characters are too 2D for my liking with not enough background story. I find myself not caring about them or what happens to them.
Abandoned.
Life is too short to force myself to read something that I'm not enjoying.
Abandoned.
Life is too short to force myself to read something that I'm not enjoying.
April 9, 2016
I thought the characters really lacked depth and some of their reactions rang false, eg when Jules let Amelia in to talk to her. Just weird. The ending was rushed as other people have also mentioned in their reviews.
One of the most annoying things about the book was the trial which was very disjointed and unrealistic in terms of the way the prosecution ran the case. It just did not ring true at all especially the outcome for Dean. At this point I really felt the book was not great but I was too far into it not to finish reading. Why was the author in such a rush at the end? It felt like she was sick of her own overblown story and annoyingly shallow characters??!! I won't be reading any more of this author.
One of the most annoying things about the book was the trial which was very disjointed and unrealistic in terms of the way the prosecution ran the case. It just did not ring true at all especially the outcome for Dean. At this point I really felt the book was not great but I was too far into it not to finish reading. Why was the author in such a rush at the end? It felt like she was sick of her own overblown story and annoyingly shallow characters??!! I won't be reading any more of this author.
January 11, 2017
Liked the characters, enjoyed the story. Not sure about the ending.
April 7, 2016
This review was originally posted on [Between My Lines]It has been a few weeks since I read The Girl Who Come Back by Susan Lewis but now that I’m flicking through the book again to gather my thoughts for this review, all the feels are rushing back to me. I got attached to these characters and the pain they endured was palpable.
First Line of The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis
My Thoughts on The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis
This book is so emotionally charged and it’s crammed full of interesting characters. Both likeable ones and despicable ones. It is told pre crime and post crime as so many books seem to be nowadays however the format didn’t feel tired as I was just so attached to the characters and so heart sick about what must have happened.
We first met Amelia when she is a little girl and from the very start she is both an unlikeable and a sad child. I never warmed to her and as the book progressed I was very glad that I had never let her into my heart.
And then we meet Jules. We glimpse her busy vibrant life, as a loving wife and mother, managing a pub. And also her current life that is empty and lonely. I couldn’t wait to see why and I was also dreading it as Jules was such a lovely character and the foreshadowing was nail bitingly jarring.
I thought the relationships in the book were authentic and very relatable. There was romance but also realistic tension and letdowns. I laughed and hurt and felt cold fear trickle down my back as I read. There is also a whimsical storyline that softens out the harsher plot and I thought they meshed together well. There is a huge cast of characters and I thoroughly enjoyed all the sub plots.
The only down note for me was that it was a little confusing with the time hops and the transition from one timeline to another could have been marked more clearly. There is also a lot of description but it worked really for me as I felt it set the atmosphere. Still if you hate overly descriptive books, this might bug you.
Overall though I loved this one and it has reminded me that I need to read more of Susan Lewis’s back catalogue.
Who should read The Girl who Came Back by Susan Lewis?
I recommend this to you if you like family sagas, a book that explodes with emotion and well developed characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Century for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
First Line of The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis
“It wasn’t right to feel this way.”
My Thoughts on The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis
This book is so emotionally charged and it’s crammed full of interesting characters. Both likeable ones and despicable ones. It is told pre crime and post crime as so many books seem to be nowadays however the format didn’t feel tired as I was just so attached to the characters and so heart sick about what must have happened.
We first met Amelia when she is a little girl and from the very start she is both an unlikeable and a sad child. I never warmed to her and as the book progressed I was very glad that I had never let her into my heart.
“She didn’t look at people, she stared; she didn’t laugh, or when she did the sound was false, jarring, sadly humourless.”
And then we meet Jules. We glimpse her busy vibrant life, as a loving wife and mother, managing a pub. And also her current life that is empty and lonely. I couldn’t wait to see why and I was also dreading it as Jules was such a lovely character and the foreshadowing was nail bitingly jarring.
I thought the relationships in the book were authentic and very relatable. There was romance but also realistic tension and letdowns. I laughed and hurt and felt cold fear trickle down my back as I read. There is also a whimsical storyline that softens out the harsher plot and I thought they meshed together well. There is a huge cast of characters and I thoroughly enjoyed all the sub plots.
The only down note for me was that it was a little confusing with the time hops and the transition from one timeline to another could have been marked more clearly. There is also a lot of description but it worked really for me as I felt it set the atmosphere. Still if you hate overly descriptive books, this might bug you.
Overall though I loved this one and it has reminded me that I need to read more of Susan Lewis’s back catalogue.
Who should read The Girl who Came Back by Susan Lewis?
I recommend this to you if you like family sagas, a book that explodes with emotion and well developed characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Century for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
September 3, 2016
I have always been a big fan of Susan Lewis, I know her name doesn’t necessarily spring to mind when you think of a crime author, but The Girl Who Came Back certainly fits into this genre. As the book opens the reader gets the first glimpse of Amelia, and it also hints at the woman she will become. From the opening chapter I had goose pimples every time Amelia’s name was mentioned, as a child she is described as sullen and sly, but as she grows up and ingrains herself in Jules and her daughter Daisy’s life, she becomes much more. Amelia is Inherently evil, manipulative and calculating. This a story of jealousy, revenge, and shattered families, and what happens when you let evil into your life.
Although the story is a slow to start, the lead up to the events that changes Jules life for ever need to be explained, it’s also builds on the characters, making them very believable. Most of the characters are very likeable and you can’t help feeling emotionally attached to them, as they deal with loss and pain in their own individual way. At times I felt overwhelmed with sadness, I felt Jules pain and despair as her perfect family are ripped apart. As the plot progresses and Amelia entrenches herself in Jules’s family life, things take a horrifying turn, and glimpses of Amelia’s true personality begin to show. Throughout the story Amelia shows no remorse for what she has done, and in her own twisted logic blames everyone but herself.
Amelia’s obsession with Jules and her daughter Daisy, doesn’t become apparent until the second half of The Girl Who Came Back, and at that point it felt slightly rushed, and appeared out of no where. So for that reason I’ve dropped a star. Mostly The Girl Who Came Back is a well written story, the plot is believable and deals with the “unthinkable” in a sensitive manner. I felt so many emotions reading this book, and the ending left me in tears, it was that convincing! Well worth a read if you like a crime thriller, which mainly focuses on the family and friends, and the far reaching consequences of a heinous crime.
First posted on my blog http://thebookreviewcafe.com
Although the story is a slow to start, the lead up to the events that changes Jules life for ever need to be explained, it’s also builds on the characters, making them very believable. Most of the characters are very likeable and you can’t help feeling emotionally attached to them, as they deal with loss and pain in their own individual way. At times I felt overwhelmed with sadness, I felt Jules pain and despair as her perfect family are ripped apart. As the plot progresses and Amelia entrenches herself in Jules’s family life, things take a horrifying turn, and glimpses of Amelia’s true personality begin to show. Throughout the story Amelia shows no remorse for what she has done, and in her own twisted logic blames everyone but herself.
Amelia’s obsession with Jules and her daughter Daisy, doesn’t become apparent until the second half of The Girl Who Came Back, and at that point it felt slightly rushed, and appeared out of no where. So for that reason I’ve dropped a star. Mostly The Girl Who Came Back is a well written story, the plot is believable and deals with the “unthinkable” in a sensitive manner. I felt so many emotions reading this book, and the ending left me in tears, it was that convincing! Well worth a read if you like a crime thriller, which mainly focuses on the family and friends, and the far reaching consequences of a heinous crime.
First posted on my blog http://thebookreviewcafe.com
February 6, 2016
Review by www.ireadnovels.wordpress.com
Can you ever escape your past?
Nine year old Amelia very sadly had no sense of humour. She didn't speak much either at least not to her mother. Amelia was a dreadful child.
Young Daisy lived at the Mermaid pub that her parents had bought. Strange things start to happen in the Mermaid Inn, there is the ghost of Ruby a little girl who lost her life in a fire in the Mermaid public house. Jules found the news in the late-nineteenth-century edition of the Kesterly Chronicle.
Daisy knows how rude Amelia can be as she had been in the Mermaid to play with Daisy. But Daisy gets to hear from her friends, the most horrible stories about what kind of things Amelia Quentin got up to at one of the schools Amelia had been excluded from. Things take a drastic turn as Amelia Quentin is to be charged with murder. But who did she murder and why?
What I like about Susan Lewis is that she always brings something different to every book that she writes. Susan takes care to do research. What I like further more about Susan Lewis is that she is never afraid to tackle issues such as cyberbullying, child abuse, dementia or murder.
Can you ever escape your past?
Nine year old Amelia very sadly had no sense of humour. She didn't speak much either at least not to her mother. Amelia was a dreadful child.
Young Daisy lived at the Mermaid pub that her parents had bought. Strange things start to happen in the Mermaid Inn, there is the ghost of Ruby a little girl who lost her life in a fire in the Mermaid public house. Jules found the news in the late-nineteenth-century edition of the Kesterly Chronicle.
Daisy knows how rude Amelia can be as she had been in the Mermaid to play with Daisy. But Daisy gets to hear from her friends, the most horrible stories about what kind of things Amelia Quentin got up to at one of the schools Amelia had been excluded from. Things take a drastic turn as Amelia Quentin is to be charged with murder. But who did she murder and why?
What I like about Susan Lewis is that she always brings something different to every book that she writes. Susan takes care to do research. What I like further more about Susan Lewis is that she is never afraid to tackle issues such as cyberbullying, child abuse, dementia or murder.
November 8, 2017
A rollercoaster which stopped halfway
Yeah that was totally what i felt after reading
I kept on reading to find that closure to wrap things up. Guess i could not find it. Having said that, this book was really like an addictive drug. The plot kept me going on to find our where and what happened. Everything was thrilling except the starting and ending.
This book started off pretty confusing because there were just too many names and i was trying to get a hold of who was the bad person. I was confused... Then came the ending which was totally unexpected because i expected a climax. Feeling a tad disappointed :/
Yeah that was totally what i felt after reading
I kept on reading to find that closure to wrap things up. Guess i could not find it. Having said that, this book was really like an addictive drug. The plot kept me going on to find our where and what happened. Everything was thrilling except the starting and ending.
This book started off pretty confusing because there were just too many names and i was trying to get a hold of who was the bad person. I was confused... Then came the ending which was totally unexpected because i expected a climax. Feeling a tad disappointed :/
June 25, 2020
Amelia Quentin, how could such a person exist! Right from the prologue for this heart breaking story we know that Amelia Quentin is probably one of the nastiest types of people in existence.
Years later as a young woman and sociopath she causes the other main female protagonist and her family to suffer a devastating family tragedy, that shatters their lives for ever. Although overall it is a moving scenario, but I was not quite convinced with how it developed, finding the fantasy element quite unnecessary. I wanted Amelia to get her comeuppance and it passed a few hours but I was not really that enthralled, all a little too unnatural.
Prior to this one I have only ever read one other novel by this author and I admit I was expecting more of a psychological thriller.
Years later as a young woman and sociopath she causes the other main female protagonist and her family to suffer a devastating family tragedy, that shatters their lives for ever. Although overall it is a moving scenario, but I was not quite convinced with how it developed, finding the fantasy element quite unnecessary. I wanted Amelia to get her comeuppance and it passed a few hours but I was not really that enthralled, all a little too unnatural.
Prior to this one I have only ever read one other novel by this author and I admit I was expecting more of a psychological thriller.
May 8, 2025
A quick and exhilarating read. There is nothing fancy about the writing , just an emotionally wrought story told at a gripping pace. Concerning miscarriage of justice, insanity ( various) , much about love and friendship - heartache and grief … you can’t help but feel with / for the principal characters as they cope with what happened to Daisy ( the perfect daughter and friend, adored and murdered) .
Perhaps not realistic in its plot madnesses!
She paints a fantastic picture of the rich, spoilt, loveless psychotic Amelia . ( hope I never meet her) and naturally we expect , after the end of the novel that she gets her just desserts!
Perhaps not realistic in its plot madnesses!
She paints a fantastic picture of the rich, spoilt, loveless psychotic Amelia . ( hope I never meet her) and naturally we expect , after the end of the novel that she gets her just desserts!
May 3, 2018
I love Susan Lewis’s books and this one did not disappoint. It thoroughly held my attention, was easy to read and enjoyed her characters. It also had a few twists in the tale that were unexpected, well worth a read!!
March 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this, it was a great mix of light easy reading and dark tragedy.
August 7, 2021
Review to come—
December 5, 2018
Loved it! Got it as a gift and it was on my shelf for nearly 2 years till I picked it up on a trip and it sucked me in immediately! A few bits were a bit boring about their every day lives but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Funnily enough I found out this is a part of series.. somewhat. Started reading book 1 now, but I can already tell that this book was so much better.
Funnily enough I found out this is a part of series.. somewhat. Started reading book 1 now, but I can already tell that this book was so much better.
August 28, 2020
I had such high hopes for this book, I think that's why I've avoided reviewing. I was so excited to read this book as it was compared to books by some of my favorite authors. There was nothing that hooked me in this book, it jumped around left me frustrated. I'm sorry, I really, really wanted to like it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity.
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