She Says She's My Daughter

by Lauren North

‘I don’t know who you are or why you’ve come here,’ I say, jabbing my finger at her, shaking as much as my voice. ‘But you are not my daughter. You are not Abigail.’

Fourteen years ago , our family holiday ended in tragedy when my darling four-year-old girl was snatched from us on the beach. Not a day goes by when I don’t picture her wide brown eyes, and the freckles dusting her cheeks. I only looked away for a second, and I have never forgiven myself.

Today , a seventeen-year-old girl has walked into a police station near our house. She says she’s my daughter. Abigail is back. I can’t believe it. After years of grieving, my family is finally complete again.

This should be the happiest moment of my life, but something doesn’t feel quite right. As hard as I try, I don’t know the teenager in front of me. Then holes appear in Abigail’s story, her accent starts to slip, and I catch her faking tears for the journalists outside – and I’m more certain than ever that she is not my daughter. That she is a stranger. And that we cannot trust her…

But if this mysterious girl isn’t Abigail, then who is she – and what does she want with my family?

A totally unputdownable psychological thriller with a twist that will blow you away. If you are a fan of K.L. Slater, Shari Lapena or B.A. Paris, you will be hooked!

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Crime

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 24, 2023

About the author

Lauren writes psychological suspense novels that delve into the darker side of relationships and families. She has a lifelong passion for writing, reading, and all things books. Lauren’s love of psychological suspense has grown since childhood and her dark imagination of always wondering what’s the worst thing that could happen in every situation.

Lauren studied psychology before moving to London where she lived and worked for many years. She now lives with her family in the Suffolk countryside. Readers can follow Lauren on Twitter @Lauren_C_North and Facebook @LaurenNorthAuthor

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to request this book from netgalley after reading several positive review, and I’m very glad I did. This was an energy-fueled plot perfect for keeping you turning the pages. What’s not to like with a mysterious appearance of a daughter who was kidnapped 14 years ago? What really happened, and is it Abigail or is something more sinister going on? The book reminded me a bit about the second life by Ava Rivers, which I also loved. But although there are similarities there are different outcomes and twists. It’s hard to talk about the twists and ending without spoiling anything, but let me just say the twist made sense and it was quite emotional. Generally, the writing style of the author was to my liking. She treats words with respect and her love for writing is apparent. Also, North manages to describe and bring to life emotions like grief and hope convincingly. There are several POVs, and the alternations worked, there wasn’t too much detail or unnecessarily over-explaining. Masterfully, there was references towards someone wanting revenge, but you just got drips at a time and that kept up the fast pace.

This novel was clever and thrilling. I would absolutely recommend it to lovers of psychological thrillers.

Thanks so much Netgalley and bookatoure for the arc!

[Kaceey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want a book that will keep you up till the wee hours!?

A parent's worst nightmare! A missing child. It’s been 14 years since Sarah’s daughter Abigail went missing while on a family vacation. The family carried on…what choice did they have? But they remain forever broken.

So when someone claiming to be Abigail walks into a police station claiming to be the long lost child. Sarah and her family are floored with the shocking news. Is this really Abigail? Where has she been all these years?

Can I just say…Unputdownable!

I convinced myself I had it all figured out. Okay fine, more than once.💁‍♀️ I was eventually, I mean desperately pointing my finger at everyone. But credit the author's brilliant red herrings thrown my way to keep me off track! In the end I did guess correctly but still had a blast questioning my own decision.😜

Definitely my favorite to date from this very talented author! Luckily, I have one more of her books on my shelf! Can’t wait to start!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boukouture.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ July 24, 2023
Page Count ~ 346
Audio length ~ 9 hours 40 minutes
Narrator ~ Heather Long
POV ~ single 1st & 3rd
Featuring ~ dual timeline ~ now & then, flashbacks, abduction, infidelity, secrets, lies

Sarah's 4 year old daughter, Abigail, goes missing while the family is on holiday. Flash forward almost 14 years later and a girl named, Abi, shows up at the police station claiming she is Abigail.

Sarah narrates in the 1st and Abi in the 3rd, and we also have some chimes ins from someone unknown to the reader.

All along the way tiny breadcrumbs will be dropped and you'll follow them and think you know where you're headed. Psych! I had no clue where this was going. It was fast paced and twisty with quite a tense conclusion, just how I like my thrillers. That's all I'm saying about this one. I'll for sure read more of Lauren's work.

*Thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Kudos to Lauren North for putting an innovative and chilling new spin on a "same old, same old" premise.

This is NOT your "typical" cold-case child abduction book.

This book was intense, well-plotted, fast-paced, and unputdownable.

Characterizations were strong with a twisty plotline that featured more red herrings than a fish market.

The book's GOL (Gasp Out Loud) ending was unexpected and emotionally traumatizing.

I listened to the audiobook read by Heather Long.

Although Heather Long did a superb job with the narration, the book would have benefited from an additional narrator since it unfolded from two POVs.

I am a devoted Lauren North fan and have listened to all of her books.

IMHO, this is Lauren North's best book yet.

5 enthusiastic stars!

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!
Lauren North is quickly becoming an auto-buy author. I love missing person thrillers and this sounded right up my street! A family whose daughter/sister goes missing years earlier but then a woman turns up saying she is that girl surrounded by mystery? Absolutely stellar premise!
The execution lived up to it, too. The reader is given different POVs- the mother, and the reappeared daughter which was a brilliant way to keep me reading, looking for clues and enjoying the twists from all perspectives.
The ending is dramatic and very unexpected, and I would definitely recommend this book!

[Bec (becbingesbooks) - sorry, behind with lots of catching up to do · Rating 4 out of 5]

** HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY **

After 14 years of the Wick's missing their 4 year old girl, Abi, who was abducted, a girl named Abi turns up to the police station claiming to be the Wick's daughter.

Her mother, Sarah, doesn't believe her. Her father wants to.

I'm not going to dive into what I did and didn't like for this book too much because some of them will be spoilers. But I will say, this was a great thriller. Both psychological and crime. It has some absolutely unbelievable aspects but necessary for the story to work. It has some 'jaw-dropping' twists and some wholesome moments. There was about 10% of the book midway through where I was thinking 'just get on with it' aka I was getting bored, it was repetitive.

I will say my biggest gripe with this was the last few pages. It ruined the ending for me and hence a reduced star. However, maybe it's setting up for another book, which I'd definitely read.

Also, Janie sucks. If anyone ever thinks what she did was OK please rethink your friendships and I hope you find better ones 😊

Would recommend this to thriller readers but not if suspend disbelief doesn't work for you.

Anticipated publication date: 24 July 2023.

⚠️ Check TWs online ⚠️

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Bookouture for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

fourteen years ago, our family holiday ended in tragedy when my darling four-year-old girl was snatched from us on the beach. Not a day goes by when I don't picture her wide brown eyes, and the freckles dusting her cheeks. I only looked away for a second, and I have never forgiven myself. Today, a seventeen-year-old girl has walked into a police station near our house. She says she is my daughter. Abigail is back. I can't believe it. After years of grieving, my family is finally back.

Fourteen years ago, the Wick family was shattered when their four-year-old daughter went missing during a family holiday. Now, a girl has turned up at the police station claiming to be Abigail. The family welcome her back with open arms, but Sarah, the mother, is skeptical that this is her daughter.

I was quickly pulled into this story. I couldn't wait to see how the story was going to unfold. I wasn't disappointed. This is a heartbreaking read. The story is told from Sarah and Abigail's perspectives. The pace is fast. The timeline jumps between the present day and the past. We also get an anonymous third voice throughout the pages. The twist at the end was perfectly executed. This is another gripping and well written book by the author.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #LaurenNorth for my ARC of #SheSaysShesMyDaughter in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, frustratingly for a reviewer, one of those books where I can’t say a word outside of the synopsis. You will want to go into this fresh, and once you start, you are not going to want to put it down! The book begins on a normal day, until a teenage girl walks into a London police station and tells them that she’s Abigail Wick, a child who disappeared 14 years prior. Sarah and Michael are her parents, she has a brother and sister named Daniel and Rebecca, and she has a scar that nobody would know about but her parents.

Abigail was abducted and had been living in Columbia until the people she thought were her parents died, and she got the truth in the form of a letter telling her where to find her real family. When the police call with news that they think they’ve found Abigail, Michael is joyous but Sarah is not. Her daughter is dead; she had to come to terms with that years ago to move on. This girl can’t possibly be their daughter - could she? Only a DNA test can determine the truth, but it will take at least three days for expedited results. In the meantime, she’s not going to leave a teenage girl homeless, so she reluctantly agrees to letting Abigail stay with them.

At first, everyone is happy, except for Sarah. Her two other children have embraced Abi and are so excited that their sister is alive. Michael is over the moon; he doesn’t even need a DNA test to confirm that this is his child. Still, Sarah remains very skeptical. This girl can’t possibly be Abigail. Surely not…right? Soon, Sarah is questioning herself, but she can’t shake the idea that this is not Abigail.

I sat down to start this and read it in one sitting. I had to find out if this girl was really Abigail, I had to figure out why Sarah is so sure it’s not, and I had to figure out who a mysterious person whose thoughts are sprinkled throughout the book was. The whole time I’m thinking, “okay, so it has to be either A, B or C.” Then I got closer to the end and I was like “WOAH…okay we are going with X being the answer; I sure didn’t see that coming”. THEN I get to the end and it actually turned out Z was the answer, and more shocked I could not have been.

The ending was something I’d never even considered, and I consider just about everything when trying to solve a mystery/thriller. That, combined with an exciting story, good writing and being a page turner, has me giving this a 4.5 star rating, rounded up. What a twisty, complex and entertaining book!

(Thank you to Bookouture, Lauren North, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on July 24, 2023.)

[Cassandra Salvatoriello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unputdownable is one word to describe this book. Had me guessing almost entire read … is it really her back after 14 years or is it an imposter?! 🤔 Cleverly written and nerve wracking as well. I would not have figured this one out at all. 🙄

[The Book Review Café · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s nothing more likely to strike fear into a parent than a child going missing. Lauren North uses this fear to her advantage, creating a compelling and deliciously twisted tale. Fourteen years ago, Abi, a four-year-old girl, was snatched from the beach. Thirteen years later, she’s back! Where’s she been? Who took her? Sarah the mother of Abi, can’t shake the feeling that something is amiss. Doubts arise as inconsistencies emerge in Abi’s story.

The novel alternates between Sarah and Abi and peppered with chapters from an unknown voice. It’s these snippets that are chilling and hint at something far more sinister at play. I appreciated that Lauren North incorporated both POV. You get a sense that neither of them is telling the whole truth. Why is Sarah adamant that she is an imposter? I found myself questioning both parties, trying to look for inconsistencies in their narrative. Is Abi lying? What’s Sarah not telling us? Don’t you just love a book that keeps you constantly guessing?

The strength of this book is Lauren North’s ability to instil fear and paranoia in the reader through Sarah’s POV. Many of her family and friends seem to be guilty of hiding something! As the story progressed, I became suspicious of every character in this book. I thought the pace slowed a little in parts, but I appreciate the author uses this time to build on the tension and suspense. For a psychological thriller to work, there has to be that all-important element of surprise, and there are surprises alright! In fact, the final revelations are brilliant, dark and perfectly executed. She Says She’s My Daughter made for a cracking, addictive read and one I really enjoyed. Highly recommended.


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[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Repercussions*

I found this book to be quite engaging and I must admit the way the author set the scene that the final reveal was not what I expected but, lies have a habit of shaping us especially the ones that are allowed to fester.

The story is about a family whose daughter Abigail gets snatched when she is four years old whilst they were on holiday. That was fourteen years ago.

Fast forward to today when the family are still dealing with the aftermath. A shock arrival at a police station throws the family into a state of shock as a seventeen year old girl says she is Abigail.

This is music to everyone’s ears apart from Sarah. In order for her to move on and to be a parent, she closed the door on that part of her heart. She instantly feels this person is not her daughter.

She keeps on feeling a suspicion but there is a dna test, so Sarah even with doubts accepts the results.

Now, there is a storm brewing inside someone close and a buried secret manifests in a dangerous way, and escalates to a terrifying conclusion….

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. Other reviews suggested a bombshell last paragraph, but I found it predictable. The narrator didn’t distinguish any of the voices or make a gender difference when characters spoke except in the last paragraph.

I’m going to spoil the ending below.

Spoilers

Danny killed Abi by throwing a rock at her head when he was 6 and she 4. Dad covered up the “accident” but left mom in the dark. Dad fathered FakeAbi with a waitress. When Dan found out he urged FA to pretend she was RealAbi. Then Danny tried to kill his parents and FA. Dad’s part in the coverup got him arrested. Mom filed for divorce and took a remorseful FA in as the half-sibling of her kids. Last paragraph Danny says he meant to kill RA as a child and vows to fake his way out of the hospital to kill his family.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren North delivers another stellar domestic suspense. A family’s daughter Abigail is kidnapped and reappears 14 years later. Each family member reacts differently, causing mistrust and animosity. Not knowing whether Abigail is their real daughter and what happened on the the day she disappeared keeps this taut with suspense and will keep readers guessing right up to the final pages. For fans of B. A. Paris and Shari Lapena.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Lauren North for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Donna Mallery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was all set to give this book 5 stars. It is an interesting plot and a gripping read. I was quickly anxious to find out the mystery behind this girl claiming to be a family’s missing daughter/sister. And the reveal, while a tiny bit over the top, made it even more interesting. It was a surprise to me. The reason I gave it 3 stars is due to the ending. It almost ruined the whole book, and it irritates me to no end. So many authors feel the need to add that one last paragraph thinking it adds suspense. It doesn’t! Too many authors do it and just ruins the story. Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah and husband, Michael are happily married with son, Daniel and daughters, Rebecca and Abigail when Abigail suddenly disappears on their beach day, supposedly drowned in the big waves. But years go by and Sarah still. mourns, believing she is responsible as she wasn't watching the 4-year-old carefully enough. But of course, nothing is as it seems as everyone has secrets they must keep in order to protect themselves. So when the truth finally comes out, it's shocking but at least gives them all closure.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

14 years ago the worst thing happened to Sarah and Michael. Whilst on holiday their 4 year old daughter Abigail disappears and the family try to carry on with their lives not knowing what happened to their child.

14 years later a girl walks into a police station claiming to be the missing Abigail. Can she really have returned after all these years?

This book may as well have been literally glued to my hand as there was no way I was putting it down.

There were plenty of red herrings to keep me hooked and trying to guess how this fabulous story would end.

Already looking for another book from Lauren North!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎉Happy book birthday!🥳 7.24.23

Thank you to the author Lauren North, publishers Bookouture, and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of SHE SAYS SHE'S MY DAUGHTER.

I loved this great domestic thriller mystery, excellent debut from Lauren North!

Rating: 🧒🏽🧒🏽🧒🏽🧒🏽 / 5 missing toddlers
Recommend: Definitely!
Finished: July 17 2023
Format: Advance Digital Copy
Read this if you like:
🪢Twisty
🔪 Suspenseful
🔥 Slowburn
🧌 Dysfunctional families

REVIEW ON MY BLOG:

https://donasbooks.blogspot.com/2023/...

[Coffee&Cliffhangers · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Imagine your daughter being abducted and missing for almost 14 years, you finally begin to come to terms with the fact that she is gone when she walks into the police station and identifies herself as your daughter. Are you excited? skeptical? Do you think you would recognize her?

This book is from the Mother and Daughter’s point of view, and flips from past to present as it sheds light on this family’s personal experience from grief, to skepticism, to hope. Thought provoking, and terrifying, it left me wondering what I would be capable of.

Thank you netgalley for a copy for my honest review.

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second outing with an impressive new author. The title and burb got me thinking the story was going to go one way but instead went through so many twists and turns.
The story is told mainly from the pov of sarah who daighter was abducted 14 years ago and abi who turns up claiming to be her.
Once again i loved the way Lauren gave real emotion and depth to the characters. The gradual telling and development of the chatscgers via different timelines hooked me in. Although i guessed part of the truth about abi early on the red herrings and twists after twist kept me hooked. I really felt for both sarah and abi. I liked tge way the male characters were given just enough page time to generate the story. I loved the way my opinion of michael was developed by his interactions with others and his characyer was told mainly by sarah i really drew to hate him. However I did have an opinion about him that the ginal ted herring changed.
Thank you net gallery and publisher for my arc. This is a solid 5 🌟 highly recommended look firward to our next puting together Lauren North

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars This was one gripping read! A slow burn thriller that packed a whole lot of punch at the end! I was pleasantly surprised by the numerous unexpected reveals.

When a young girl shows up at the police station one day, claiming to be Abigail Wick, the girl who was abducted 14 years ago as a toddler, the Wick family can’t believe it. They didn’t think they would ever see Abi again. Their lives were shattered the day she disappeared. However, Sarah doesn’t believe this girl is her Abi. How can she be? After all of this time? Despite Michael, her husband, Daniel and Rebecca, her two other children, convinced that this is their Abi, Sarah is scared and suspicious.

The build-up of whether or not Abigail has really returned was phenomenal. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Sarah and Abi. As the plot develops and the tension builds, the reader is showered with several jaw-dropping twists and turns.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lavins · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars not rounded up

Lauren North the queen of talking a lot and saying absolutely nothing.

Allow me to give you an idea: it takes the alleged Abigail five chapters just to get into the police station and say three words. And that's with her being on the steps of the police stations till she makes it inside.

Of course, this is another book where pretty much nothing happens until the very end. And for this reason, I deducted three stars. My time is precious and I'm pretty tired of authors not respecting it.

And the final star was deducted for the closing of the book. Those last sentences. If they would have left it where it kind of landed, it would have been better in my opinion.

[Paulski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vielen Dank an den Bookouture Verlag und Netgalley für das kostenlose Rezensionsexemplar. Meine Meinung wurde dadurch nicht beeinflusst.

Lauren Norths Psychothriller “Sie sagt, sie ist meine Tochter” hat mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite gefesselt und ist ein Buch, das man kaum aus der Hand legen kann. Die Spannung baut sich kontinuierlich auf und bleibt bis zum Schluss erhalten – mit einem überraschenden Twist, der alles, was ich bis dahin vermutet hatte, völlig auf den Kopf stellt.
Anfangs hatte ich eine Idee, was im Hintergrund geschehen könnte, und glaubte sogar schon, das Puzzle ab der Hälfte der Geschichte lösen zu können. Doch North versteht es meisterhaft, den Leser in die Irre zu führen und dabei falsche Fährten zu legen. Bis zur letzten Seite war ich im Bann und wurde am Ende so getäuscht, dass ich nur staunen konnte.
Der Schreibstil von Lauren North ist leicht und flüssig; sie beschreibt Situationen und Gefühle der Charaktere so lebendig, dass man sich mitten im Geschehen fühlt. Vor allem die Emotionen und inneren Konflikte der Figuren sind beeindruckend gut nachvollziehbar. Jedes Detail und jede Interaktion scheint genau durchdacht und trägt zur intensiven Atmosphäre des Buches bei.
Einzig das Ende ließ mich ein wenig zwiegespalten zurück. Es fühlt sich fast so an, als ob da noch etwas fehlt – als würde die Geschichte noch eine Fortsetzung verdienen. Dieses unvollständige Gefühl hat aber meine Begeisterung für das Buch kaum geschmälert.
Alles in allem ist “Sie sagt, sie ist meine Tochter” ein absolut unvorhersehbarer Thriller, der süchtig macht und Spannung bis zum letzten Satz bietet. Ich kann es jedem Thriller-Fan empfehlen, der eine Geschichte mit überraschenden Wendungen und einer mitreißenden Handlung sucht.
5/5⭐️

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fourteen years ago Abigail Wick disappeared on a family holiday and suddenly after all of this time Abigail is back. Is this really Abigail and if she isn’t then who is she?

This was a well written mystery with an interesting plot. I was constantly trying to work out what was going on and did not predict what the outcome was. The characters were well written and the overall story was suspenseful. I did feel the story slowed in pace after the initial scenes and did not pick up again until quite further on on the book. This seems to just be personal opinion though as a lot of others loved it! Overall this is definitely a twisty thriller and an author who I will look out for in the future. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this early copy in return for an honest review.

[Diane 🌻 Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

4/5

Very well written family drama with excellent character development. Even though you know early on what’s “really” going on, you don’t find out what’s “REALLY” going on until the last couple of chapters.

The twists and turns are handled seamlessly and there are just enough red herrings to keep you on your toes.

Highly recommend for anyone interested in an emotional drama with an excellent mystery running through it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice red herring. Interesting plot. I guessed the twist earlier than the reveal, due to well placed clues. Will definitely check out more from this author. Listened to this audio in 24 hours.

[Kimmy Goldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
I almost DNF this one! It started off with a bang for the first 50 pages….and then DRAGGED until page 140. From then on, I couldn’t put it down. Very unique plot and I appreciated the constant suspense. I didn’t see the ending coming at all-which I absolutely loved!

I’d consider this a fairly well written thriller…my only complaint was for the 100 pages in the first 1/4-1/3 of the book that slowed it down. Also…a few aspects were a bit far-fetched and not really believable—just my opinion.
Overall, I found this to be an intriguing mystery. Can’t wait to check out more novels from North!

[Ange Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting thriller going through events of your worst nightmare losing a child to potentially have them come back 14 years later. So many questions, is this their daughter I was not sure.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lauren North has once again written a gripping story about family and the multiple layers that divide them whilst also cementing their relationships. This is a missing child mystery, one that could have come directly from the pages of any missing person website, full of anguish and anger. But when Sarah and Michaels prayers have been answered and their daughter returns home, it appears that the mystery deepens. Heartbreaking at times but always full of tension, this is an incredible book that completely captures the horror of losing a child and the devastation it heaps upon the family left behind. I loved the characters especially Sarah and Ryan but Abi totally stole my heart. A brilliantly twisty book that kept me on my toes, shocking me with some unexpected moments along the way! Loved it!

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need hard evidence that will prove you either right or wrong. Once you have that in your hands, you will accept the outcome. Did your instinct betray you or were alarm bells ringing for a reason?

People deal with devastating situations in their own way. Some have to move on even though they will never forget what has happened. Others will be stuck in the past dwelling in memories. When this happens to a couple, it tears apart the bond they have and all there is left is a sham.

I liked Sarah a lot. She realises she needs time to deal with the situation, but breaking down is not the answer because people in her care are counting on her.

I was wrecking in brain trying to figure out the why, how and who. I was utterly surprised by the outcome and I loved it. I was barely recovered from the shock when the earth moved again...

Great story. 5 stars

Thank you

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fourteen years ago, four year old Abigail disappeared from the garden of the holiday cottage she was staying at with her family. Now, a seventeen year old girl arrives and declares that she is the one and only Abigail Wick. Sarah Wick isn't convinced though. Is this girl the real Abigail? If so, where has she been all this time? And if not, what is going on?

Personally I felt that one of those mysteries was solved just that little bit too quickly, taking away much needed suspense for the rest of the story. Whether the girl is Abigail or not, she is filling a big hole that's been ripping the family apart for the last fourteen years. Each family member has their own way of dealing with the grief. Sarah made a very conscious decision to move on. After all, she still had two other children who needed their mother. Now though, Sarah struggles with a sliver of hope on the one hand, and extreme paranoia on the other hand. Why isn't her family seeing what she sees?

That's a part of the story I think Lauren North did really well. The various ways the remaining family members dealt with Abigail's disappearance. Her big brother who mostly hides away within himself, the younger sister who seems to think she always needs to be happy and cheerful to keep everyone else going, the mother who focuses on her career, and the father who, even after all this time, is clinging on to hope. That gradual accepting, somehow, that Abigail's face is no longer featured in the media; that nobody is looking for her anymore; that she won't be coming home with them from the holiday. It all felt quite real and believable.

In contrast, most of the rest of the story for me didn't. Obviously I can't give anything away, but I found it all became rather far-fetched and over the top. Yes, I know, it's fiction. And I quite happily take many leaps and bounds, and go on wild rollercoaster rides but sometimes there's that wee step too far. Which I feel is what happened here. I suppose, on the plus side, I didn't see any of it coming so there's that.

That said, 'She Says She's My Daughter' is a well-paced and addictive page-turner. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, and if you don't dig too deep or ask too many questions, it's a perfectly entertaining read. I think I just expected more from this author.