What We Saw

by Ryan Casey

Liam and Adam arrive at their grandparents’ caravan site like any pair of young cousins: mischievous and fascinated by mystery and adventure.

But when the disappearance of their dog leads to a terrifying discovery deep in the nearby woods, Liam and Adam are plunged into a very adult world of secrecy and suspicion. As the story twists and turns towards a shocking conclusion, the secrets of the seemingly sleepy community begin to unravel…

What We Saw is a touching and thrilling British mystery novel with elements of comedy, friendship, fear and loss. Told from the innocent perspective of a child, it poses the ultimate question: if you stumbled upon a shocking discovery as a child, how would you react?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Ebooks, Contemporary, Young Adult

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 4, 2012

About the author

Ryan Casey is the author of over a dozen novels and a highly successful serial. He writes gritty post-apocalyptic fiction, throwing normal people into devastating situations and exploring how they react and adapt. He has also written several detective mysteries and thrillers. Across all genres, Casey's work is renowned for its rapid pacing, unforgettably complex characters, and knockout twists.

Casey lives in the United Kingdom. He has a BA degree in English with Creative Writing from the University of Birmingham, and has been writing stories for as long as he can remember. In his spare time, he can be spotted walking his West Highland White Terrier, has a passion for cinema and television, and probably spends a little bit too much time in the pub.

For more information on Ryan's books, visit http://ryancaseybooks.com/

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Reviews

[Scot · Rating 1 out of 5]

I understand what the author is tryiong to do here, and I wish him well in the future as a writer. He is trying to communicate the internal struggles three young children go through dealing with some harsh realities of life, while playing together at solving "mysteries" by doing undercover investigative work. The setting is a trailer park in the UK. The time period appears to be early 2000s: there is a Coldplay song on the radio that a character disdains at one point. Curiously, cell phones are presented as exotic--but maybe that is due to so many retired folks living in the trailer park. The epilogue is "ten years later" and it appears to be the present, so I'm guessing, yes, we are supposed to believe these young folks (and, actually, all the characters) interact the way they do in the early 21st century.

I get the context, I follow the plot (seen from the kids' perspectives, most notably the main character Liam's). What I don't believe is the way the kids are portrayed. The two fellows are cousins, 10 and 12 years old, staying with their mutual grandparents. Their dialogues don't ring true. To be frank, nobody's does. The boys shift back and forth from naive to the point of simpletons to brave and sensitive heroes, challenging the unknown based on the moral guidance of their consciences. No one talks to each other in a realistic way and there is a lot of inconsequential and repetitive conversation.

This is a good starting point as far as storyline and plot ideas go, but it appears to me to be a first attempt at something that would have benefitted from more revisions, deeper editing, greater flushing out of distinctive character development. I see almost all of the reviews here are raving about how incredibly excellent this story is. I wonder who writes those reviews, why they write them, and what range of literary works they are comparing this to. I do not mean that as a condemnation of this writer, but rather I am wondering what has happened to quality checks in literature with the proliferation of self publishing.

No artist paints a masterpiece every time, and few paint a masterpiece the very first time they pick up a paintbrush. Sometimes, instead of telling those we care about everything they have done is superb, we might do them a greater service by pointing out some areas where, just perhaps, there is room for improvement.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two young cousins are spending the summer with their grandparents in a sort of RV park. The park is located near a wooded area and there is a beach nearby. Liam’s parents’ marriage may be ending. The arguments and discord between his parents have escalated to the point where they felt it would be better for Liam to spend some time with his grandparents while they decide whether or not to dissolve their marriage. Adam’s situation is even sadder as he is grieving the death of his parents under truly tragic circumstances. The elderly grandparents are loving caregivers who are also struggling through the grief of losing their daughter.


The boys entertain themselves by playing games and exploring. Their favorite pastime is solving the mysteries they discover around the RV Caravan. They enjoy being fearless detectives and write their observations and clues in notebooks they carry everywhere. However, when their grandparents’ dog runs off, they give chase. It’s on a foray into the forbidden area of the woods that they see something horrible. What follows tests the boys’ courage and forces them to face decisions for which they are unprepared. At times funny and then frightening, the author does a great job keeping the tension and suspense rolling. There is an innocence, and a delightful sense of camaraderie and (occasional) rivalry between Liam and Adam. I enjoyed the story and was surprised several times; especially at the ending. I loved that the grandparents and others within the small community had their own demons and secrets, as well. This was an easy read; beautifully written.


I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.


Reviewed by Laurie-J

[Mr David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very childish book. I wasn't interested in it. I wouldn't recommend it.

[Liz Terek · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘What We Saw’ is a tale of 2 young cousins. These boys, Adam & Liam, are spending a summer together that they’ll never forget.
Both children have less than perfect home lives with their parents. Adam is dealing with his parents’ double suicide. Liam’s parents are separated. Gran & Granddad are their summertime chaperones at their caravan community. While trying their best to parent the cousins, the elderly couple are trying to overcome their own grief.
Like most young boys, they’re inquisitive & energetic. Building a den to play in & palling around with a young lady are how they spend their days. Fancying themselves amateur detectives, they record unusual occurrences & evidence in their notebooks. Although they dream of achieving fame, they never really imagined that they’d come face to face with a real crime.
All that changes when the grandparents’ dog takes off. Although they have a few adults they could ask, they want to do this on their own. Having no one to help them, they start off into the woods to search for her themselves. Once inside, they happen upon a crime scene. Will Adam & Liam be able to put all the pieces together to stop a killer?
From page one, there was something about this novel that caught me. I felt for these 2 young men & all they’d been through. I loved that they were cousins & stuck together. They reminded me of my youngest son & nephew in all their escapades.
While enjoying the boys’ adventures, I had no clue where the story was going. What a great surprise twist! Our author did a fantastic job of blending the boys’ personal stories with the mystery. Fabulous writing and fabulous characters coupled with an awesome plot make for one amazing novel. He has made me a fan of his work & I look forward to reading more offerings from him. You can find this incredible novel at book retailers including Amazon & Goodreads.
I was blessed to receive 1 eBook copy to write my review. No further compensation was provided & all opinions are mine.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Ryan Casey's writing blog, and so I was excited to give his debut novel a try.

Liam and Adam are two boys who love solving mysteries - perhaps not always mysteries that are actually real, but mysteries nonetheless. They're both great characters and I enjoyed their banter; it reminded me of the way my brother and I used to chat when we were out adventuring in the woods in our youth (even though the boys here are cousins).

Of course, the boys soon discover something utterly real and very disturbing indeed ...

A great read for any mystery fan, well done Mr Casey!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

What We Saw was an exceptionally well written look into adult issues as understood by young people. The authors ability to become a 12 year old boy to tell the story was uncanny. This was a good, quick read that explored major issues from an often unexplored perspective.

[Matt Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent, but very different than his apocalyptic novels...

What We Saw is a story, written entirely from the perspective of a traumatized child, about a made up mystery that spirals out of hand, into something far darker. This book couldn't be much more different than his apocalyptic novels, but that doesn't mean its not good. Its got good characters, good writing, good plot and pacing. The dark content is harder to take from a child's initially innocent perspective. That's what this really is, a story of the loss of innocence. Readers who can appreciate the challenges that writing, convincingly, from a kid's standpoint and enjoy mystery novels, you'll enjoy What We Saw. 4/5 stars!

[Adriaan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving Story

This was a well written story about an unforgettable journey. All of the characters are believable and relatable. The story was predictable, but not obviously so. And I love the wrap up at the end.
I'm not sure who the target audience was, but I'm a grown woman who thoroughly enjoyed it. It's also suitable for 12 year olds. I guess 'universal' is the word I'm looking for.
Give it a try. You might be surprised.

[Paula Cyrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for pre-teens

It was well written with believable characters. The plot line was good enough to keep me reading even though the intended audience was pre-teens. The ending was unexpected. I never would of guessed the horrific act one character committed. The epilogue gives closure for the 3 main characters.

[Christine Casbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like the ending, should have been more elaborate on the details of what her life was like afterwords. And should explained what happened with father, Donald and mother. More details on how the boys coped.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

A great book that kept me reading. I don't normally like mysteries but this was great and kept me on the edge of my seat.

[Codi-Ann Rahman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, just not very easy to read.
I would recommend this to someone who didn’t need a book to be a a page turner.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very poor writing. Plot not good. Managed to get through it but not worth your time

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Casey’s debut novel What We Saw is a rare treat—one of those novels that refuses to be put down. I’m a fast reader to begin with and can average a novel or two a week, but when I can finish half a book in one sitting, I know I’ve got my hands on something special.
The story deals with these young friends as they get a little too deep into one of the mysteries they so like to solve. They’re in well over their head almost immediately, but believe they can handle it—and things go downhill from there. The stakes quickly escalate to the point where there’s no option but to go forward, and the reader is relentlessly carried along with them.
Casey’s other releases are tense, but this one is a nail biter. The story starts out innocuously enough, but hits you like a brick by the end of Chapter 7. I’ve said before that Casey is good at creating tension, and this book is an excellent example. It never lets up—but while the plot races along, Casey still makes the time to get to know his characters, something that’s easily overlooked in some thrillers. Liam, Adam and Emily are very well written, their dialogue and thought processes are spot on for their age, and it’s easy to care about them. This makes their story all the more powerful, especially in the last half of the book.
There is one section of the book I thought could have been done without; without spoiling the plot, I’ll say that Liam is taken away from the campsite where the novel takes place. While this episode gives some good background information about his parents and situation at home, I felt like it was simply an excuse to get Liam out of the campsite so an important plot point could take place. It does give an interesting bit of information on Liam’s father, but other than that, the plot point seemed circumstantial.
That’s a small speck of dirt, however, on an otherwise well polished book. The writing is mature, the characters feel real, and the book is peppered with just the right amount of levity to balance the tension. It’s a wonderful first novel, and a sign of things to come for Casey. Definitely a name to watch out for.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry; epics, plays, novels and short stories. I average between one and two regular novels a week, depending on how easily I 'slip' into a book.
I finished What We Saw in two days, but only because I started reading it late on day one. Most of the book was devoured in one sitting. This is the best indication I can give that a book is exceptional.

I read this expecting a mystery/suspense novel, a genre Casey has some obvious talent in writing. I found that, but was pleasantly surprised to find a coming of age novel too. Liam and Adam are the main characters, but Liam takes centre stage; his arc over the course of the book is well plotted and moves along at a solid pace. The innocence of this ten year old boy lends a nice tone to the novel; despite the very 'adult' goings-on, Casey manages to give the mystery a great adventurous flair. The boys are so caught up in the mystery that they don't see the gravity of the situation until it's almost too late--which only gives their shattered innocence that much more of an impact.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is great. It kept me guessing, and though the book gives you some clear antagonists, nothing is exactly what it seems. I found myself surprised by every turn--yet looking back on it, there were enough hints that nothing came out of left field. But the mystery takes a backseat, I think, to the coming of age story, and this is What We Saw's greatest strength. It takes the novel out of the realm of just another detective story and highlights it as an important read. More than a story where two investigative kids see something they shouldn't have, it becomes about a crucial turning point in their lives, and how one little incident can inform the person you're going to become as an adult.
Highly recommended.

[Stephanie (the nerdy princess) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two young cousins are spending the summer with their grandparents in a sort of RV park. The park is located near a wooded area and there is a beach nearby. Liam's parents' marriage may be ending. The arguments and discord between his parents have escalated to the point where they felt it would be better for Liam to spend some time with his grandparents while they decide whether or not to dissolve their marriage. Adam's situation is even sadder as he is grieving the death of his parents under truly tragic circumstances. The elderly grandparents are loving caregivers who are also struggling through the grief of losing their daughter.

The boys entertain themselves by playing games and exploring. Their favorite pastime is solving the mysteries they discover around the RV Caravan. They enjoy being fearless detectives and write their observations and clues in notebooks they carry everywhere. However, when their grandparents' dog runs off, they give chase. It's on a foray into the forbidden area of the woods that they see something horrible. What follows tests the boys' courage and forces them to face decisions for which they are unprepared. At times funny and then frightening, the author does a great job keeping the tension and suspense rolling. There is an innocence, and a delightful sense of camaraderie and (occasional) rivalry between Liam and Adam. I enjoyed the story and was surprised several times; especially at the ending. I loved that the grandparents and others within the small community had their own demons and secrets, as well.

[Patrick Dorsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ryan Casey's debut novel WHAT WE SAW is a good read.

It *is* slow to start, the story taking its time in establishing the characters and the setting. But once all the pieces are in place it becomes a solid mystery, with its two young protagonists battling the demons of their own lives (both the pains of adolesence/growing up and those life just drops on some people) while struggling to unravel a terrible mystery the two stumble across in the woods near their grandparents' home. Although the narrator's voice occasonally slips (at times more a 12 year old recounting his adventure but occasionally seeming more an adult looking back on his adventure as a 12 yeat old) the main characters consistently behave and respond as kids, never falling into the too-smart, too-competent, too-clever-talking cutouts that plague so many similar novels.

I've read Casey plans on a possible sequel. I'd definitely take a look when it happens.

[Will Overby · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this impressive debut novel, two young cousins witness a shocking scene in the woods and must decide whether to report what they have seen or try to solve the mystery themselves. But as they continue to keep their secret, they begin to realize they are in great danger and the enigma runs much deeper than they first thought.

Ryan Casey has created a solid world of believable characters and vivid settings. I have to admit to being tripped up by a few British colloquialisms, but they didn't detract from the story. The plot itself moves like the first hill of a roller coaster - slowly and deliberately at first, building anticipation but never boring, then rushing headlong to the conclusion at a breakneck pace. Like the reader above, I finished the last third of the book in one sitting, thinking I would read "just a few more pages" but I was unable to tear myself away.

While this is only Casey's first novel, I hope there will be many more to come. I can't wait to read more from this fresh new voice of suspense!

[Jaylyn Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery will instantly catch up on you! This book is beyond awesome as I can say, I read this in a matter of days and I was just blown away by the details and how great the writing of this book is. Obviously the author caught me off guard with his picturesque writing and detailed depiction of the story. I rarely read mystery books since it tends to bore me wanting to know what will happen next but this one is a straight on read. I didn't suffer from the what-will-happen-next syndrome, I was patiently waiting for the story to develop with the author established at the beginning. I commend Mr. Casey for writing this novel. The characters and mystery has a great mix of balance that you'll just want to read on, plus the fluid writing. I can't say much more, I just love the author could give little hints throughout the book. I was suddenly caught off guard after knowing what happened next!

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adam and Liam are spending the summer with their grandparents. They are both facing difficult family struggles. Adam and Liam think of themselves as detectives and spend much of their time solving mysteries. This inquisitiveness leads to a shocking discovery. Adam and Liam are determined to solve the shocking mystery on their own. Will their secrecy lead them to solving this mystery or down a disastrous end?

This story began slowly for me but it gradually increased momentum as the suspense was building. The boys have to grow up quickly and make adult decisions. It was difficult to know who to trust as it seemed everyone had a secret to keep. Casey weaves an elaborate tale that builds the relationship between Adam and Liam while allowing them to grow and come to terms with their situations.

[JenniferJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adam and Liam are cousins spending the summer with their grandparents and also individually going thru personal issues in their home life. Their grands live in an RV park and the boys being so young and adventurous get off to themselves a good bit and build a play den that becomes their private getaway and later a place to meet and solve mysteries that begin popping up around the park.

It started out a bit slow for me but after I dug my heels in the tale began to unravel rather quickly especially when they saw to their horror something happen in the woods and as much as I wanted to see what happened I hated for it to end! It took me back to my own youth as I remembered reading Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys and building "play houses" in the woods and having amazing adventures of my own but thank Gosh I never encountered what they did!

[Lesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting at times, but I had several issues with it. My biggest issue is that the two main characters were supposed to be 10- and 12-year-old boys, but they didn't act or speak true to character. I wonder if the author has ever known any 10-year-old boys? I had to keep reminding myself of their ages because they acted and spoke more like 14-16 year olds. I also felt that there were some unanswered questions at the end. Things I felt weren't fully explained. I won't mention them here bc of spoilers. Overall, I wasn't too into this book. The only reason I read it so quickly is because a book became available at my library and I wanted to be done with this one before I started that one.

[S. Wideman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. A bit slow at times, but it was interesting. The story follows Liam and Adam, cousins, during a summer in which they are drawn into a missing person/murder investigation. As two boys who want to solve mysteries, they don't know what to do when they witness someone they know and admire burying a body. They try to "solve" the case, but their own problems are creeping in and tearing them apart. Adam's parents died before the book starts, and he's full of rage, while Liam is working through his first crush and his own parents possibly divorcing. The ending was amazing. I admit, this one kept me guessing. Though, I had to remind myself sometimes that these were kids and not teenagers with the way they spoke.

[Ralph Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is listed as a thriller novel, but I just didn't feel it. In fact, I would add that I felt it was more of a Young Adult book. The story starts off wonderfully introducing the main characters and location. From that point, I felt bogged down with extra daily routine, that didn't seem to have anything to do with any one thing in particular. I found myself skipping pages at a time to see if anything interesting happened. I was not a bit surprised about the ending, and felt more let down than thrilled. The writing itself was well done and easily read, with descriptive passages where needed, just a bit mundane and boring with what I felt were unnecessary details.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2 1/2 stars. I got into the story and enjoyed the boys' love of mystery solving. This seemed like a young adult book to me, but I'm not sure it was marketed as such. The boys themselves seemed much older in some respects than they were supposed to be and none of the adults came across as very realistic. I suppose the latter could be due to an unreliable young narrator, but I had still had trouble picturing the boys as 10 and 12 years old. Donald's part in the story and the reasoning behind the boys staying silent after the things they had seen also didn't ring true, but the story still grabbed me and I hung on to the finish.

[Brandy Corona · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, the cover itself gave me goosebumps. I always get afraid when little children are involved in mystery stories, I don't know why I just get so fearful for them! Ryan took Liam and Adam and made them two of the bravest boys I've ever read.

I liked how nicely the book flow, there were not dull moments or lagging dialogue. This was a fast read and the conclusion really shocked me! The best part of Ryan's writing is how descriptive he is. His writing doesn't leave you second guessing what you're supposed to be seeing. This is a brilliantly written novel that I really enjoyed!

[Pierre Sr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it unlikely that young boys their age would not go to authorities after witnessing what they saw in this story, had it really happened in real life... Nonetheless, I really enjoyed reading it, because the relationship between the two cousins and their connection with their grandparents is interesting to learn from the point of view of a young boy. I especially liked Adam's way of standing up to face adversity, opposed to his older cousin who reacts a bit more conventionally. A cute story with an ending I would have preferred to be different.

[Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, to be totally honest, I just couldn't get into this book. I tried and tried but I just couldn't.
I thought and desperately wanted this to be super creepy and even scary but I never even got to any action.

Because What We Saw is written from a child's perspective, I couldn't relate to the characters.
And in some ways, they didn't act like children. If I remember correctly, one of the two kids says "shit" in the first 2% of the book.

[Joanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book took me nearly a week to read. It did not capture my attention at all. Boring is all i can say about it. There was nothing exciting about the book or the writing at all. I found the portrayal of the characters at their age very unrealistic. Were they 10? 11? Or 16? who the hell knew. At one point it said they were 10 but no 10 year olds i know talk like that, nor worry about a girlfriend/boyfriend and not to the extent this book portrayed. Definitely not a book i would recommend to anyone.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a British young adult novel, told from the perspective of 10- and 12-year-old cousins, staying with their grandparents over the summer. The author was only 19 or 20 when he wrote this book, which makes it even more impressive. I genuinely enjoyed the book, particularly at the end as the plot thickened and the pace picked up. The epilogue was especially satisfying after such an emotional journey with the main characters. This would make an excellent beach read.