The One I Left Behind

by Jennifer McMahon

Bestselling author Jennifer McMahon is back with a gut-wrenching mystery about an architect whose troubled mother has been found 25 years after being kidnapped-by a killer who is still on the loose.

The summer of 1985 changed Reggie's life. Thirteen, awkward, and without a father, she finds herself mixed up with her school's outcasts-Charlie, the local detective's son, and Tara, a goth kid who has a mental hold over Reggie and harbors a dark secret. That same summer a serial killer called Neptune begins kidnapping women. He leaves their severed hands on the police department steps and, five days later, displays their bodies around town. Just when Reggie needs her mother Vera-an ex-model with many "boyfriends" and a thirst for gin-the most, Vera's hand is found on the steps. But after five days, there's no body and Neptune disappears.

Now a successful architect who left her hometown behind after that horrific summer, Reggie doesn't trust anyone and lives with few attachments. But when she gets a call from a homeless shelter saying that her mother has been found alive, Reggie must confront the ghosts of her past and find Neptune before he kills again.

With her signature style, Jennifer McMahon portrays the dark side of adolescent friendship and introduces characters who haunt the imagination, along with a disturbing web of secrets, betrayals, and murder.

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

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 2, 2013

About the author

I'm the author of nine suspense novels, including Promise Not to Telll, The Winter People, and my newest, The Drowning Kind. I live in central Vermont with my partner and daughter, in an old Victorian that some neighbors call The Addams Family house.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT: I can't believe all the 4 and 5 star reviews. Up to the last couple of chapters, I might have given this 3 stars because the plot was interesting, if at times mildly annoying (80s dialogue full of anachronisms,the main character is completely self-centered). But the ending was so bad, it ruined the rest of the book for me. A surprise ending that's still plausible is the hallmark of a skilled mystery writer, which I'm afraid, Ms. McMahon is not, unless her other books are much better. We're seriously supposed to believe that Vera, who did not seem like a stupid woman, stayed in an unlocked apartment for 25 years without once trying to escape or seek help? And Tara, after having her hand amputated by Neptune, is totally ok with it, as long as she can get funky prosthetic hands to go with all her outfits??? I would recommend that Ms. McMahon visit a veteran's nursing home sometime to see how real people who have lost a limb feel about their situation.

[Patricia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really good book by an author I have read before and will read again. This is a mystery about a missing woman who turned up at a homeless shelter many years later. The story goes back and forth in time between when the woman was kidnapped and presumed dead and when she was found very sick in homeless shelter. The daugher is the one trying to find out what happened and eventually she does figure it out but I never even guessed "who done it" untll she figured it out. Very good mystery. Definitely recommend.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fate has a funny way of intervening in my life, and if it wasn’t for fate, I probably wouldn’t have ended up with an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of THE ONE I LEFT BEHIND. I attended Bouchercon at the beginning of this month (October 2012), and on Friday, several authors were signing advanced copies of their latest novels, or copies of their just released novels. Out of curiosity more than anything else, since I’d never heard of Jennifer McMahon, I made my way to the hospitality suite, stood in line, had a brief conversation with the author, and walked out of the suite with the ARC in tow. Because I discovered a new author more than worthy of my attention, I have the signed copy in my possession, sitting on my bookshelf.

As for the author, I’d have to agree with the Los Angeles Times, who called her “One of the brightest new stars of literary suspense.” And I’d say she does a wonderful job at proving the only rule of writing that matters: With great writing, there are no rules. I’ve never read an author before that bounces between the past and present in alternating chapters, and from what I understand, this isn’t the only novel that takes advantage of this technique. Also, in a few cases, she picks up the action immediately in the next chapter of this alternating sequence. Many writers probably couldn’t get away with this, yet Ms. McMahon makes it work, and upon finishing this novel, I don’t think she could have structured the story any other way.

THE ONE I LEFT BEHIND is a suspense novel, but much more than that, it is a novel about character, friendships, embracing the past, place, and relationships. In other words, it’s a richly drawn novel that will leave you well satiated by the time you reach the end. It’s a novel I feel rather lucky to have discovered, yet it’s not a novel I probably would have consciously sought out. So I feel rather fortunate fate intervened and shoved this book in my lap, and practically screamed at me to pay attention. If not for fate, I would have missed out on a bright star in literary suspense, along with one beautifully written novel. As for future reading material, I already downloaded a special Kindle edition of Don't Breathe A Word, and I’ll keep my eye on her backlist.

I received this book for free at Bouchercon.

Cross-posted at Robert's Reads

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read another book by McMahon a couple of years ago and was unimpressed with the story. This time around I found a strong plot and story along with strong writing.

The point of view toggles between present day-ish Reggie and childhood Reggie. I believe the book begins with 39 year old Reggie getting the call that her mother had finally been found. This was news long overdue as her mother was abducted 25 years ago by a quirky serial killer. Except her mother is alive but dying of a cancer. She drops her successful life as an architect and leaves her somewhat promising long time boyfriend to attend to her mother who is disconnected and very ill.

The mystery of the identity of the killer/kidnapper is a driving point to the story but so is unraveling Regina. Reggie begins the timeline as a child, untouched by violence and disappointment beyond the fact that she doesn't know her father. She lives with her grandfather and spinster aunt until her grandfather dies and later her mother disappears. With the disappearance Reggie makes discoveries about her mother and the idealization she had of her own childhood. Her home is never safe which is an interesting parallel in the 39 year old Reggie who lives in an impossible house and works in an office accessible only by an impossible bridge. The reader gets the sense that Reggie is grappling with stability and the idea of home. She makes it her life's work as an architect.

Without revealing the plot or the discoveries made by Reggie, the book continues in two timelines. Reggie grows into adolescence and discovers ways to forget her sorrows. More than one way. There is also a tragedy in the past that is eventually discussed. One that occurred by accident and involved Charlie's cousin, Sid.

The mystery is well laid out. The clues are revealed in good time. Reggie's life on both timelines are gripping and realistic. The conclusion leaves the reader closing the book with a happy sigh as Reggie not only has the answer to her questions resolved but she also discovers a new aspect of her mother that she did not know nor appreciate. Lastly, she has a new definition of home.

I am impressed with Jennifer McMahon and her story telling abilities.

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a real great reviewer to begin with, but I feel I add some extra suckage to my reviews of thrillers. I’m always afraid if I say ANYTHING, it will end up being a clue that gives it all away.

The One I Left Behind is the story of Reggie, whose mother was taken by a serial killer 25 years ago. The assumption has always been that Reggie’s mother was dead and the body just wasn’t discovered. That is, until she shows up at a homeless shelter. Now Reggie must confront all of the ghosts of her past, including old friends left behind, secrets long buried and truths about her childhood.

FINALLY a new thriller that didn’t have the words “just like Gone Girl” printed on the cover. And guess what? I liked this one better than all of the others with that label. It kept me turning pages and I discovered I had read 100 when I thought I had maybe read 25. It had everything I like in a thriller: a decent sized cast of characters, quick pace, smooth dialogue, secrets revealed, climactic ending that didn’t drag on for a billion pages. It was a solid book in its genre and I would definitely recommend it to others.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 2013, this is the story of Regina, an architect who is called to her hometown by her Aunt Lorraine when it appears that Vera, Regina's mother the presumed last victim of the serial killer, Neptune is very much alive. As the story moves between 2010 and that complicated summer in 1985, one thing is for sure, Regina is a lot closer to the killer than she thinks.

Don't let the reading dates fool you, this book had me gripped when I started but the responsibilities of the school year had me putting my leisure reading aside until I could finish today. There were a lot of complicated characters in this one. Unlike her other books I have read, this one is more mystery and no paranormal elements whatsoever. I started to have an inkling who might be the killer but McMahon still threw in a few twists to make me deviate from the path every now and then. A very satisfying ending to a good story.


Goodreads review published 11/09/22

[Auđur · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5*

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out this review and others like it at BadAssBookReviews

3.5 Stars but I am rounding up. This book had me guessing and uncomfortable (in that delicious way only books can do to you) from the very beginning. The story of a serial killer's murders during the summer of 1985 creates a backdrop for this book. The One I Left Behind is told from “Reggie’s” (Regina)’s first person point of view. During the course of the story, the reader meets two Reggies: Reggie as a 13 year old girl in 1985 (by the way this Regina was also 13 in 1985) and through Reggie’s point of view 25 years later in 2010 as a 38 year old woman. Occasionally interspersed are very short chapters from a crime fiction novel that details key facts about the serial killer’s rampage in 1985. Rather than being disjointed, this method of storytelling effectively allows the reader to learn about the characters and what happened in 1985 first hand.

This story would make a great movie. Beautiful wannabe actress who is also a single mother, contentious relationship between sisters, small town setting, lots of secrets and painful pasts, a number of spurned men, terror at which woman is next and detailed descriptions of architecture.

At its core, this novel is a who-done-it but nestled around this core is a story of a young girl, growing up with an unconventional mother and absent father. She struggles as a teen to figure out who she is and as an adult to figure out who she should be. While the characters alternate between the young teen versions of the characters and the present adult characters, this is an adult novel. And bonus points for The One Left Behind – there may be some guessing at who the murderer may be there is no detailed recitation of crime scenes and there is no methodical ongoing search. The story simply unfolds.

The One Left Behind is entertaining and I could not put it down for the last 20%. Even better – I didn’t know who the killer was. If you enjoy mysteries with heavy emotional and character storylines and no police procedure then The One Left Behind may be the book for you.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1985. It is the year that Reggie will never forget. This is the time when Reggie should be enjoying being a teenager, hanging with her friends, and crushing on a boy. Instead, it is masked with a serial killer named Neptune. Neptune kidnaps women. He cuts off their hand and leaves it in a milk carton on the police steps. Five days later, he disposes of their body.

Reggie sees her mom get into a car and knows it will be the last time she will she her. Yep, Vera is Neptune’s last victim. Only this time is different. Her body is never found. That is until Reggie receives a telephone call. It has been two years but all of a sudden Reggie’s mother, Vera has reappeared in a homeless shelter. Reggie has a chance to finally close the books on what happened to her mother all these years ago.

Jennifer McMahon is a new to me author. After reading this book, I plan to check out some of her prior novels. Also, you can bet that she will now be added to my list of authors to keep an eye on.

I picked this book up as it sounded intriguing and maybe something that would get me out of my reading slump. Wow, did this book ever get me inspired again. Ms. McMahon drew me in with her writing and the characters. This book was not so much about trying to find out the identity of Neptune as much as it was about the story and my connection with Reggie, Tara, Charlie, and Reggie’s mother, Vera. While, I was intrigued to figure out who the killer was and I thought I had it all figured out. I was even proud of myself as I thought I had it solved before Reggie. However I was wrong and let me say that I was not disappointed when the true identity of Neptune was revealed. This book is a must read! It deserves a permanent spot on your bookshelves.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm, If I had been asked to rate this book halfway through, I think I would have given it 4 stars, and asked at the conclusion, maybe 2 or 3, so I settled on 3 stars since my first impressions had been so good. This novel is yet another to follow the dual, concurrent narrative style, which can work really well, and does here. One narrative is Regina Dufrane at 13 years old, facing her teenaged troubles of unrequited love, self-mutilation, her unusual family life and the kidnapping of her often absent mother. The second narrative takes place 25 years later when Regina's mother is mysteriously discovered, but now has cancer and mental health concerns, and her childhood best friend comes back into her life before also disappearing. These two stories run very well together and are well-done until the final quarter of the novel. Here I just found the fact that the characters don't want to cooperate with the police because they feel that they can solve the mystery better than them completely ridiculous. I was also unsure as to the point of a tragic accident in Regina's childhood that resulted in the injury of a peer--I think it was only to have Regina and her two best friends lose touch for the next 25 years so that they could reconnect in the second narrative. Regardless, it just didn't work for me and didn't add much to the story.

[☮Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was loving  this  book, couldn't put it down, up until the relationship between Reggie and Tara and some of their actions just got weird.  The big reveal of who the serial killer was and how that played out was unexpected but a bit disappointing.

The author said this is ultimately about family, which I guess is true, albeit some very dysfunctional families. 2.5 - 3 stars.

[Suzyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to give McMahon an "Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Characterization" prize for her architect character who thinks like an architect for the entire book. Lots of professional gambler main characters use poker metaphor for the first half then mysteriously stop. Reggie is an architect throughout, and one never doubts she's a good one.

Architecture's impact the way she thinks keeps being important throughout the book. That's one of many factors in the well-designed feel of this thoughtful thriller. McMahon's books often have a supernatural element, this one didn't and I didn't miss it. There are several story questions woven in throughout, some a little predictable, but overall this book delivered everything it promised.

I've read a LOT of "suburban person's past catches up to them" books and a LOT of "normal woman has strange connection to a serial killer" books and this one had me looking forward to the next page. It doesn't break any new ground, but for what it is, it is well-done. If it at all sounds like your sort of thing, I suggest you pick it up.

[Seda · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚Reggie tüm bunlardan bıkmıştı artık. İnsanların diğerleri hakkında bildiği (bildiğini düşündükleri) şeylerden... Belki de herkesin gizlediği şeyler vardı, sadece annesinin değil. Reggie insanların içini bir akvaryuma bakar gibi görebilmeyi diledi. Böylelikle ne daha fazla yalanla ne de türlü saçmalıkla uğraşması gerekirdi.

Polisiye ya da gerilim kitaplarının, son sayfaya kadar katil kim diye beni zorlamasına bayılıyorum. Bu kitapta onlardan biriydi. Bazı şeyleri tahmin etsem bile emin olamadım, hep bu mu acaba diye sorguladım. Kitaptaki hiçbir karakterden emin olunmuyordu, çünkü herkes dengesiz, herkes bir tuhaftı. Regina dahil herkesin garip huyları vardı. Doğruluğundan emin olamamakla birlikte, en güçlü tahminimde yanılmadım. Ama yazar katili tahmin etmeyi zorlaştırmak için elinden geleni yaptı, sürekli şaşırtmacalı ipuçları verdi.

Kitabın hem geçmiş hem günümüz şeklinde yazılması çok hoştu. 1985 yılında, Reggie 13 yaşındayken olan olaylar, işlenen cinayetler ve 25 yıl sonra kaçtığı kasabaya geri dönmesine ve orada kalmasına sebep olan olaylar. Bir de araya serpiştirilmiş, 1985 yılında bir gazeteci-yazarın cinayetleri anlattığı kitaptan alıntılar vardı. Bu geçişler çok hoşuma gitti, bölümler kısa kısa olduğu için de heyecanı hep canlı tuttu.

Reggie karakterini sevdim ama Tara’yı ve pervasızlığını hiç sevmedim. Sanırım bir tek tuhaflıklarını hoş görebileceğim Reggie’yi ve Len’i suçlu mu diye sorgulamadım. Bakış açısı olarak Reggie’nin tarafından anlatılsa da ben olayların 3. kişi ağzından değil, Reggie’nin ağzından anlatılmasını tercih ederdim, bakış açısıyla duygular tam yerine otururdu.

Ortalara doğru geçmiş ve günümüz karakterleri tamamen aynı olmaya başladığında biraz kafa karıştırıcı olsa da akıcılığından bir şey kaybetmedi benim için. Tek keşke dediğim şey, kitap 80-90 sayfa daha az olsaymış konu daha iyi toplanırmış. Arada meraklandırmak adına bazı bölümler uzatılırken, sonu çok aceleye gelmiş, katil açıklandığında kitap bitmiş gibi oldu.

Bu isim konuya uymuş olsa da ben orjinal adını daha çok sevdim, hikayeye yakıştırdım. Yazarın okuduğum 2. kitabıydı ve hep aynı tarz yazan yazarlardan farklı olarak, konularının hiçbir benzer yanı yoktu, ikisini de sevdim. Diğer kitaplarını da mutlaka okuyacağım.

📚”Bence biraz acınası,” dedi Tara, gözlerini devirerek.
“Kadının kızı o,” diye cevap verdi Charlie. “Ne yapacaktı yani?”
“Kadının böyle çıkıp konuşmasına izin vermemeleri gerektiğini düşünüyorum sadece. İşlerin daha da... Ne bileyim işte, daha da kontrolden çıkmış gibi görünmesine neden oluyorlar. Herkes polislerin elinde hiç ipucu olmadığını biliyor ve sanki katili yakalamanın son çaresi, adamın içinde kalan son insanlık parçacığına, yaşlı kadını yalvartarak seslenmekmiş gibi gösteriliyor. Çok şey... duruyor... Çaresiz.”

📚”Polislerin bunu çözebilmesine imkan yok. Nereden başlayacaklarını bile bilmiyorlar bence.”
“Ve sen biliyorsun, öyle mi?” dedi Charlie. “Neden o sert medyum haline bürünüp dışarı çıkarak katili yakalamıyorsun Tara?”
Tara ona kaşlarını çattı. “Bu geceki aptal ortaokul dansına seninle gelmeyi kabul etmedim diye kızgınsın sadece. Karanlıkta senin elini tutmayacağım, elbiseme iğrenç bir çiçek takmayacağım ya da başımı omzuna koyup dandik bir şarkıda seninle dans etmeyeceğim için hıyarın teki mi olacaksın yani? Bir kızın kalbini nasıl kazanacağını biliyorsun, Romeo.”

📚Yine başlıyordu işte... Charlie’nin dudaklarından ne zaman Tara’nın adı dökülse, Reggie’nin içindeki o kıskançlık ateşi tekrar alev alıyordu. Oysa bu duyguyu şu an hissetmesi aptalcaydı. Özellikle de ona bakıp aşk ya da romantizm gibi hislere kapılmadığı halde...

📚Reggie bu odada bulunmaya hakkı olmadığını fark etti. Ne bir dedektif ne de süper kahramandı. Oda ve içindeki her şey onu korkutuyordu, sadece odanın dağıtılmış olması değil, her şey... Annesini hiç tanımadığı gerçeğiyle yüzleşmesi canını acıtıyordu. Onu her daim süper bir kadın kahraman, mezuniyet balosu kraliçesi, köpekler tarafından parçalanacak olan küçük kızların kurtarıcısı olarak görmüştü. Ama şimdi, perde kalkınca, altından tamamen farklı biri ortaya çıkmıştı.

(❗️Bu alıntı spoiler içerebilir)
📚”El haritadır, Reggie. Çingeneler, Yunanlar, Çinliler, Mısırlılar ve İbraniler bunu biliyorlardı. Elleri hep onurlandırmış ve hastalıkları teşhis edip iyileştirmek için kullanmışlar. Sol el, onunla doğduğun eldir, sağ eli ise yaşadığın şeylerle sen yaratırsın. Kurbanlarımın sağ elini alarak, yaşadıkları iğrenç hayatları bu dünyadan silerek onları öteki tarafa saf bir şekilde yolladım.”

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0/5

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW , this was one of those books that you sit and read and when you have finished you are like OMG , it's over and I want more . The One I Left Behind was a WOWZA novel. The novel starts in 1985 with an excerpt of a murder case - a serial killer nicknamed Neptune. A serial killer who kidnapped women and cut off their right hands , sent them to the police and in four days they were strangled , set naked in a public place for the world to see them. Three women killed , the police etc are still stumped and then a fourth victim goes missing - a woman named Vera Dufrane. Her right hand cut and then the police wait expecting her body to turn up four days later - no body. Fast forward Twenty-Five years later , Vera's daughter Reggie is a world-renowed architect and moved away from home as soon as she could as she didn't want to be known forever as the daughter of the woman they never found. Living her life as planned until one day she gets a phone call , her aunt Lorraine tells her , her mother has just turned up to the Hospital alive and well. The novel then flips to Reggie taking her mother home to Brighton Falls and the house their father and Reggie's grandfather built Monique's Wish named after her Grandmother. Soon girls start disappearing and hands start turning up , has the Neptune Killer rose from the dead and has his return got to do with the re-appearance of Reggie's mother Vera ? .
The One I Left Behind is told in parts , one that includes flashbacks to the incident that happened in 1985 and Reggie's memories as she tries to search for her mother , excerpts from a book that was written about the Neptune Killer by crime novelist Martha Paquette and last but not least the present time 2010 in which Reggie and old friends Tara and Charlie try to discover who the Neptune Killer is .
Can the threesome work together to solve the tale of the Killer before more victims are taken and can they get to the bottom of why Reggie's mother Vera was spared ?
All this and more in the amazing novel by Jennifer McMahon "The One I Left Behind: A Novel".

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was really considering this a 3 star book, but the ending just got me so much that it turned into 4 for me. I was so sure I knew who it was and I was wrong.

The only thing I didn't love about this book was how much of Reggie's childhood is in it. I feel like McMahon could have cut back on that and made the book shorter/more concise without losing anything. I found myself skimming those sections quite a bit and they weren't very necessary for the ending of the book. Sure it's nice to have backstory, but let's make it more applicable to the ending.

Overall though I was shocked by the ending and still love this author as much as ever.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced, gripping thriller. One of those books you can read in a day or two. Decent character development for a mystery. And I liked that the author toggled back and forth between 1985 when the original murders took place and present day.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this book, which I am listening to on audible, is suspenseful and engaging. At the heart of it is Reggie, a woman whose mother was apparently thought to be the final victim of serial killer "Neptune" - except they never found her body, only her severed right hand, placed on the steps of the police station like the other women who had been taken and killed before her. Fast forward 25 years, and Reggie gets an amazing call: her mother has been found alive in a homeless shelter, but is now seriously mentally deficient and also in end-stage lung cancer (read: unreliable and almost out of time to give clues). Reggie heads back to her childhood home to find out what the heck happened. (This is about as far as I've gotten; to reveal anything that's happened since Reggie returns to her childhood home would be to spoil.)

The story is told in alternating time periods: the 13 year old Reggie and the grownup Reggie. I like neither of them. McMahon has written a character who is so malleable as to be nearly incapable of her own thoughts or feelings. I do not, in fact, have a good sense of who the grownup Reggie is, other than that she's annoying, she's stringing along a boyfriend she claims to have feelings for but in whom she cannot confide probably one of the most significant events of her life (her mother's return). I think this is supposed to portray Reggie as a stoic, walled-up person who never recovered from the traumatic events of her childhood, who "doesn't let people in" and "is too afraid of loss to love anyone," according to the stoner boyfriend. Maybe that was the case off-screen, before we actually see Reggie in action, but once she gets home, she's anything but, falling right back into being manipulated at every turn. Also, her reaction upon learning the news of her mother's miraculous resurrection and their first meeting after all these years was sorely unbelievable. No tears, no real emotion, just "Can't tell boyfriend" and "let's get you out of the hospital and home, Mom."

On the other hand, her mother is a very convincing character, fully-formed, and while deeply flawed as a human being, someone with whom the reader can actually interact.

I am very interested in the mystery, which is why I'm finishing this book in spite of disliking the characters so intensely. Was the mom actually a captive of Neptune? How did she finally get away? Where has she been all this time? Who is Neptune? (I have a theory; we will see if I am right.) At this point (chapter 18), I would recommend the book to others, based on the plot alone.

Edit: Really ready for this book to be over. The whole "sexy cutting" thing is no longer remotely interesting. We KNOW Tara is troubled. We KNOW Reggie doesn't have a single thought in her head that is her own. Scene after scene of orgasmic self-harm is dumb at this point.

Final edit: Did not guess the killer, but also did not find that person believable.

[Katerina Kondrenko · Rating 2 out of 5]

4 out of 10

ревью на русском/review in russian

Ugh, the author certainly does better nowadays, 'cause this mystery has so many plot holes and such a confusing wrapping-up. Also, this story is smth like Dark Places: dirty, with disgusting details. The characters are unlikable and it's hard to sympathize with them. Still, there's some originality and a solid atmosphere. Not badly bad, just not to my liking.

TW: self-harm, nymphomania, drugs.

My Reviews for Other McMahon's Books:
Dismantled
The Invited
Burntown
The Winter People
The Night Sister
Island of Lost Girls
Don't Breathe a Word
Promise Not to Tell

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy all of Ms. McMahon's books but this one was disappointing. I really didn't like any of the characters but that's okay and not reflected in my rating. The early part of the book was intriguing and drew me in. I was looking forward to a good story and it seemed to be delivering on that. Then is started to fall apart for me and by the end, I was shaking my head and mumbling WTF to myself.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mystery-thriller based on true events of unsolved slayings in Brighton Falls, Connecticut in 1985. I am not fond of books that switch back and forth every other chapter from past to present day, however, I would have rated it 3.5 stars if possible. Author provides excerpts of the true story throughout the book. (Did not guess the murderer)

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think if you read enough books by the same author, particularly within a reasonably short amount of time, you start to see a formula. McMahon certainly has one. She alternates timelines, secrets of the past come back to haunt the present, that sort of thing. She happens to be very good at it and the quality of her work is fairly consistent too. Mystery is not my favorite genre, but that's mostly because most mysteries tend to be cliched detective stories with tough macho guys or tough streetwise ladies solving crimes, endlessly, as in serially. The great thing about McMahon's books is that the crime solving is left up to real normal regular (whatever word one prefers) individuals. This makes it much more interesting. There are also all stand alones, which is terrific. Not just mysteries, the author writes literary mysteries, great stories with strong, flawed, well developed characters the reader really cares about and they just happen to be thrown into situations with murder and mayhem. Along with these awesome characters, there is a matter of an equally awesome pacing. Seriously, this woman knows how to write a page turner, she draws you in immediately and doesn't let up, her books are tough to put down and I tend to read them in a day or less. Not sure if I liked this one better than Dismantled (which may have been a bit more bold and audacious), but this is a really good story about a serial killer and is quite possibly the least predictable McMahon's book to date. Very fun read. Recommended.

[Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because the author is local (from CT where I live) . I have liked her later books always so I thought it was a good idea to check her earlier ones , but I can see clearly in this case as it always is , things get better with age. This book lacks purpose , you are never able to feel connected with the characters , so you don’t get a sense of urgency as you expect with a good thriller . There is a big spoiler at the begging of the book so that takes a lot of interest from the narrative and the first couple of pages seem to indicate that the main character is weak . There are good things about this book too many though, the minor characters are very intriguing in themselves and the suspicion of who is the murderer keeps the narrative somewhat interesting and flexible at the middle of the book. The ending is anticlimactic and is over in just 10-20 pages , you get the feeling this book should be a lot shorter than it was . Read this if you are a fan of the author , I have no other reasons to recommend it .

[Essi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars. I'm reviewing this as a thriller,hence only 3,5 stars. Because I was left wanting more. It wasn't thriller-y enough. I guess it's more a suspense novel,and mt expectations were wrong. But then again,I didn't feel that much suspense either until the very last part of the book. That's when it got exciting(maybe a wrong word to use when talking about a serial killer but,yeah).
The writing was great. McMahon knows how to write. My first book from her was The Winter People,and it's one of my favourite books ever. Maybe that's I expect that same thrill from her other books. So this might be a bit unfair. But! The book is great as what it is. A story about family&friendships. About character developement. It moves in two timelines,as did Winter People,and that works well. It is realistic,beliveable. And like I said,well written. I was just constantly waiting for something. For it to start feel like a thriller,a mystery. It was so much more about the relationships. I did care about the main character,Reggie. She was well fleshed out and reletable. The rest of the characters felt more distant.
I did guess the murderer before it was revealed,but not that much before. The ending felt a bit anti-climatic. I wanted more.
A perfectly good novel,just not what I was expecting for.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of McMahon’s for a few years now, and she never ceases impressing me. Her writing talents are unique in that each book she adds to her canon gets better and better. It makes waiting for the latest volume quite frustrating! Her latest is no exception - I read it in one sitting! It is literally impossible to put down!

While some of her other novels tend towards the more literary mystery, this book feels more like a thriller/mystery with a serial killer dubbed Neptune at the heart of the plot. There’s some sensationalism to the plot, and plenty of suspense as McMahon weaves her story in both the past and present (well, 2010, so present-ish). Each chapter alternates between 1985 and 2010, the tension increasing with each chapter. Really, it’s a riveting read with plenty of red herrings, backstories and a very efficient tidying of loose ends in the book’s conclusion.

All of the characters are well developed. Reggie (Regina) is quite likable - as both a thirteen year old and a thirty-eight year old. McMahon really does a wonderful job of realistically portraying these two different (but still similar) perspectives in the structure of the novel. It is masterfully handled and I am already looking forward to seeing what McMahon will publish next!

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I love how this author always writes such different novels, no two the same but all featuring a girl's face on the cover. This one is a combination of genres as most of hers are. This can be read as a coming of age story, a suspense/serial killer story and a novel about the friendships one makes when they are young and the effect they have on our lives. It also explores mother daughter relationships as well as the damage done by keeping secrets. This is a well done novel, alternating chapters from 1985 and 2010, and it works very well for this story. Another good read by this author.

[Mauoijenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa...



This has to be McMahon's best book YET!
It totally held me captive from the first page.
One of the best books I have ever read that went back and forth from present day to the past smoothly. I very much enjoyed this book. I hope to read more from McMahon like this. :)

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just not very good. I only kept reading to find out who the killer was. Badly written, terrible pacing and dialogue and the subplots were not good, either. Bummer.

1.5 stars. Waste of time and energy.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The One I Left Behind
By
Jennifer McMahon

My " in a nutshell" summary...

Serial killer...bodies without hands...a young girl's mother vanishes...her hand appears but not her body...then the killings suddenly stop for years...the mother returns and the killer seems to reappear.

My thoughts after reading this book...

This book starts out rather creepy...and alternates between the real story of this serial killer named Neptune and what happened 25 years ago...victims were taken and their hands were found...usually precisely wrapped and the bodies were found later except for one body that was never found. That body was Reggie's mom...Vera...who reappears...ill...homeless...with one hand missing...25 years later. I am not a huge fan of alternating time stories...I sometimes find them rather confusing...and that was the case with this book. I had to keep checking years and stories and I swear some of my ARC's pages were duplicates...but after awhile I was engrossed in the story and used to the dueling eras. It was still creepy. It seems that Reggie and her friends Tara and Charlie were involved in trying to find out what appended to Vera all those years ago. It didn't help that Vera drank...was a bit loose...kept a motel room that no one knew about...and stayed out late with men. Her disappearance was still a shock.

So...we are still alternating past and present stories...my ARC still has duplicate chapters...and within the present time...another woman disappears. Neptune is back most likely because he never left.

Whew!

There is a breathless fast paced quality to the last half of this book. Just know that it twists and turns and most likely you will suspect everyone the way I did and have no clue who Neptune is until the end. Which...by the way...is written in such a way that you can't stop reading until the very last words...oh...and that will be relatively breathlessly. This book is very creepy.

What I will remember about this book...

I was not fond of any of the characters. Some books are like this for me. Vera was not nice. Reggie...I guess she might be the most normal character...Aunt Lorraine...not very nice either. What I will remember most about this book is Neptune...and that in this book nothing is normal. Really.

Final thoughts...

This book was fast paced exciting scary absorbing well written...with a unique killer in the form of Neptune. It was just a bit too freaky scary for me. I sort of enjoyed reading it but I really want to forget about it. It's the stuff nightmares are made of...lol.

[Jessica McCann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick, entertaining read. Not overly gruesome, despite the fact that it centered on a serial killer. The book jacket described it as literary suspense, and I agree with that description, though I had never heard of the genre before this. While the story moves along at a brisk pace, the author also takes time for fairly detailed character development and layers in multiple literary/symbolic themes, which I appreciated. There were a few aspects I found hard to believe and characters' action I found implausible, but overall that did not detract from my enjoyment of the story and the writing style.