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True Crime
A missing girl. An angry mother. A true crime documentary. Ten years ago, Katy, a promising young journalist, left her desk and was never seen again. Someone knows what happened to her… The controlling boyfriend? The inappropriate professor? The clingy colleague? When Katy went missing, it wasn’t just her devastated mother, Grace, whose life was ruined. Now, a new documentary delving into the missing person case threatens to open old wounds. As Grace gets closer to the truth, she discovers just how far people are willing to go to keep the past hidden.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2024
81 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Georgina Lees
5 books104 followersGeorgina studied creative writing and film at university and has since pursued a career in video-games journalism, covering some of the most popular games in the world. Her psychological thrillers are inspired by her surroundings, from the congested London streets to the raw English countryside. She can be found playing games, writing stories, and reading anything from fantasy to crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
February 2, 2024
EXCERPT: I stand there for what feels like a lifetime trying to process what he said to me, until I turn slowly and walk home.
It wasn't painful; it was the truth, and no one has ever told me the truth before. They told me I was a good mum, that Katy loved me, that we had a special bond.
But this is the truth: I couldn't look after her, I couldn't keep her safe.
ABOUT 'TRUE CRIME': A missing girl. An angry mother. A true crime documentary. Ten years ago, Katy, a promising young journalist, left her desk and was never seen again. Someone knows what happened to her… The controlling boyfriend? The inappropriate professor? The clingy colleague? When Katy went missing, it wasn’t just her devastated mother, Grace, whose life was ruined. Now, a new documentary delving into the missing person case threatens to open old wounds. As Grace gets closer to the truth, she discovers just how far people are willing to go to keep the past hidden.
MY THOUGHTS: True Crime is not your typical missing girl story. The ending took me by surprise, and I loved it, though I felt the epilogue to be a bit redundant.
Personally, I can't think of anything worse than having a child going missing, even if said child is an adult. Georgina Lees has done an awesome job of depicting the mother's emotions; a sickening mix of anger, fear, sadness, despair and determination. It may have been ten years, but Grace has never given up hope.
We don't ever get a clear picture of the relationship between mother and daughter. According to Grace they were very close, friends as well as mother and daughter, but other people paint a different picture. I found it hard to get a read on Katy's friend Jo and I wasn't entirely comfortable with her 'thoughts' on Katy's disappearance. Two of the three suspects seemed a little 'off' to me, and I didn't trust them either.
I like a good mystery where I am on the back foot.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#TrueCrimeNovel #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Georgina studied creative writing and film at university and has since pursued a career in video-games journalism, covering some of the most popular games in the world. Her psychological thrillers are inspired by her surroundings, from the congested London streets to the raw English countryside. She can be found playing games, writing stories, and reading anything from fantasy to crime fiction.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for providing a digital ARC of True Crime by Georgina Lees for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
It wasn't painful; it was the truth, and no one has ever told me the truth before. They told me I was a good mum, that Katy loved me, that we had a special bond.
But this is the truth: I couldn't look after her, I couldn't keep her safe.
ABOUT 'TRUE CRIME': A missing girl. An angry mother. A true crime documentary. Ten years ago, Katy, a promising young journalist, left her desk and was never seen again. Someone knows what happened to her… The controlling boyfriend? The inappropriate professor? The clingy colleague? When Katy went missing, it wasn’t just her devastated mother, Grace, whose life was ruined. Now, a new documentary delving into the missing person case threatens to open old wounds. As Grace gets closer to the truth, she discovers just how far people are willing to go to keep the past hidden.
MY THOUGHTS: True Crime is not your typical missing girl story. The ending took me by surprise, and I loved it, though I felt the epilogue to be a bit redundant.
Personally, I can't think of anything worse than having a child going missing, even if said child is an adult. Georgina Lees has done an awesome job of depicting the mother's emotions; a sickening mix of anger, fear, sadness, despair and determination. It may have been ten years, but Grace has never given up hope.
We don't ever get a clear picture of the relationship between mother and daughter. According to Grace they were very close, friends as well as mother and daughter, but other people paint a different picture. I found it hard to get a read on Katy's friend Jo and I wasn't entirely comfortable with her 'thoughts' on Katy's disappearance. Two of the three suspects seemed a little 'off' to me, and I didn't trust them either.
I like a good mystery where I am on the back foot.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#TrueCrimeNovel #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Georgina studied creative writing and film at university and has since pursued a career in video-games journalism, covering some of the most popular games in the world. Her psychological thrillers are inspired by her surroundings, from the congested London streets to the raw English countryside. She can be found playing games, writing stories, and reading anything from fantasy to crime fiction.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for providing a digital ARC of True Crime by Georgina Lees for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
January 10, 2024
I need to be honest here. The first 20% or so was a little rough for me. The story moved a little slowly and I’m starting to find books that use true crime documentaries or podcasts a little tired.
But I stuck with it and I’m glad I did – and all because of Grace. I adored Grace. She’s a smart and feisty bulldog of a mom who will not let go. I hope I’m the kind of mom Grace is in this book!
I was rooting for her every step of the way and she kept me reading until I found myself totally engaged in the story.
While the twisty bits weren’t quite so twisty as perhaps intended, they were very, very satisfying!
I ended up really enjoying this book and (thank you, Grace), I’m glad I read it!
• ARC via Publisher
But I stuck with it and I’m glad I did – and all because of Grace. I adored Grace. She’s a smart and feisty bulldog of a mom who will not let go. I hope I’m the kind of mom Grace is in this book!
I was rooting for her every step of the way and she kept me reading until I found myself totally engaged in the story.
While the twisty bits weren’t quite so twisty as perhaps intended, they were very, very satisfying!
I ended up really enjoying this book and (thank you, Grace), I’m glad I read it!
• ARC via Publisher
December 15, 2023
Ten years ago, young student/journalist Katy went missing. The case was never solved and her mother, Grace, has had to live with subsequent pain and anger. Now, a true crime documentarian wants to delve into the mystery and interview all the suspects from that time, including the boyfriend she split with, the sleazy professor, and the colleague who appeared to be stalking her. As they go down the rabbit hole of investigation, will new clues surface and what will be the human cost of the show?
It’s been a while since I stayed up late into the night and early morning to finish a book, but this one did it for me. Well written, engrossing, and quite realistic, the story grabbed me and would not let me go. As the twisted story unfolded, I kept wondering where it would go. At first, the solution seemed a bit questionable to me, but the more I thought about it, the greater the plausibility.
The narrative is told from Grace’s POV interspersed with Katy’s accounting of her last day before she went missing, and a summary of what is revealed in the episodes of the documentary. There are some important topics broached here including the true crime phenomena and the exploitation of victims and those surrounding them as stories are documented. It is, as the book points out, a painful fact that being white, pretty, and from better socioeconomic status helps for one’s story being covered and it doesn’t hurt to be blond. The constant vulnerability of women in society is another critical theme explored here.
I’m glad I found this book…well worth the read for mystery/thriller fans.
Thanks to #netgalley and #harpercollinsUK #onemorechapter for the ARC.
It’s been a while since I stayed up late into the night and early morning to finish a book, but this one did it for me. Well written, engrossing, and quite realistic, the story grabbed me and would not let me go. As the twisted story unfolded, I kept wondering where it would go. At first, the solution seemed a bit questionable to me, but the more I thought about it, the greater the plausibility.
The narrative is told from Grace’s POV interspersed with Katy’s accounting of her last day before she went missing, and a summary of what is revealed in the episodes of the documentary. There are some important topics broached here including the true crime phenomena and the exploitation of victims and those surrounding them as stories are documented. It is, as the book points out, a painful fact that being white, pretty, and from better socioeconomic status helps for one’s story being covered and it doesn’t hurt to be blond. The constant vulnerability of women in society is another critical theme explored here.
I’m glad I found this book…well worth the read for mystery/thriller fans.
Thanks to #netgalley and #harpercollinsUK #onemorechapter for the ARC.
December 17, 2023
Now this is what I call a page turner. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this book, aI just had to know. At first I thought this was going to be your typical missing girl story but it was far from it. I loved the true crime documentary storyline that helped to tell us what happened to Katy.
10 years ago, Katy disappeared on her way home from work. She hasn’t been seen since. Her mother, Grace, still holds out hope that she will come home, and agrees to be part of a documentary about her daughter’s disappearance. She hopes that it will bring about new leads so she can find her daughter. We hear the story from Hrace and Katy’s points of view as well as the documentary.
I thought the author did a fantastic job of showing the emotions and the fears of this left behind. Her mother’s sadness and hope felt so real, I was sad for her. The ending was nothing like ai was expecting and I loved it.
Thanks so much to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on January 30th, this is well worth picking up
10 years ago, Katy disappeared on her way home from work. She hasn’t been seen since. Her mother, Grace, still holds out hope that she will come home, and agrees to be part of a documentary about her daughter’s disappearance. She hopes that it will bring about new leads so she can find her daughter. We hear the story from Hrace and Katy’s points of view as well as the documentary.
I thought the author did a fantastic job of showing the emotions and the fears of this left behind. Her mother’s sadness and hope felt so real, I was sad for her. The ending was nothing like ai was expecting and I loved it.
Thanks so much to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on January 30th, this is well worth picking up
January 4, 2024
True crime is pretty much everywhere these days. In podcasts, in tv documentaries and in fiction. So it's hard to make something featuring this topic stand out, to do things differently. I must admit that 'True Crime' felt very much "been there, done that".
Ten years ago, Katy disappeared. She left work and was never seen again. Her case was never closed, but neither is it an active investigation anymore. But now, a tv company wants to make a true crime documentary about Katie. Katie's mother, Grace, reluctantly agrees, hoping the broadcast might lead to new leads, the truth of what happened that day, but mostly shine a light on the dangers of being a woman. However, things don't go at all like she expected.
The story switches between episodes from the documentary, Grace dealing with open wounds and her grief, and the reader even hears Katy as she explains what happened the day she went missing. It is mostly the true crime parts that feel like you've read or seen them before. I get that it's hard to put a twist on it but the "stage directions", for instance, have become rather tiresome. I found the effect this documentary has on Grace much more fascinating. In fact, her story interested me a lot more than whatever else was happening. The way she exists, rather than lives. How alone she is, how she's pushed almost everyone away, and how her only connections are forum members who are still trying to figure out what happened to Katy.
There were three suspects back in the day. All three get their say. Is one of them responsible for Katy's disappearance? Do they know more than what they're saying? Could there be someone else the police never even considered? It wasn't easy to figure out because none of the potential suspects came across as particularly likeable or trustworthy. But someone is most definitely making sure that certain things will not see the light of day.
This is also where I, personally, thought things went a little off the rails. I never could have predicted where this story was heading, which is always a bonus, but I had a tough time with plausibility. I couldn't help but wonder that Katy put herself in danger by making a slew of stupid decisions. Ultimately causing heartache for those around her. Honestly, my heart broke multiple times for her poor mum, Grace. Not only did she lose her daughter but the documentary also slowly forces her to come to terms with the fact that maybe she didn't know her daughter as well as she thought she did. Will Grace ever find out the truth of what happened to her Katy?
With a cast of suspicious characters, a determined mother, secrets that must be unearthed, and a decade old case to solve 'True Crime' has a lot going for it. It's a compelling and tense read, and once I started I had to keep going to find out what happened ten years ago. It definitely also has that true crime vibe from the tv documentaries, but I was never quite able to shake that feeling that I've read something exactly like this before. A good and enjoyable read but, despite the odd twist here and there, ultimately a fairly standard mystery.
Ten years ago, Katy disappeared. She left work and was never seen again. Her case was never closed, but neither is it an active investigation anymore. But now, a tv company wants to make a true crime documentary about Katie. Katie's mother, Grace, reluctantly agrees, hoping the broadcast might lead to new leads, the truth of what happened that day, but mostly shine a light on the dangers of being a woman. However, things don't go at all like she expected.
The story switches between episodes from the documentary, Grace dealing with open wounds and her grief, and the reader even hears Katy as she explains what happened the day she went missing. It is mostly the true crime parts that feel like you've read or seen them before. I get that it's hard to put a twist on it but the "stage directions", for instance, have become rather tiresome. I found the effect this documentary has on Grace much more fascinating. In fact, her story interested me a lot more than whatever else was happening. The way she exists, rather than lives. How alone she is, how she's pushed almost everyone away, and how her only connections are forum members who are still trying to figure out what happened to Katy.
There were three suspects back in the day. All three get their say. Is one of them responsible for Katy's disappearance? Do they know more than what they're saying? Could there be someone else the police never even considered? It wasn't easy to figure out because none of the potential suspects came across as particularly likeable or trustworthy. But someone is most definitely making sure that certain things will not see the light of day.
This is also where I, personally, thought things went a little off the rails. I never could have predicted where this story was heading, which is always a bonus, but I had a tough time with plausibility. I couldn't help but wonder that Katy put herself in danger by making a slew of stupid decisions. Ultimately causing heartache for those around her. Honestly, my heart broke multiple times for her poor mum, Grace. Not only did she lose her daughter but the documentary also slowly forces her to come to terms with the fact that maybe she didn't know her daughter as well as she thought she did. Will Grace ever find out the truth of what happened to her Katy?
With a cast of suspicious characters, a determined mother, secrets that must be unearthed, and a decade old case to solve 'True Crime' has a lot going for it. It's a compelling and tense read, and once I started I had to keep going to find out what happened ten years ago. It definitely also has that true crime vibe from the tv documentaries, but I was never quite able to shake that feeling that I've read something exactly like this before. A good and enjoyable read but, despite the odd twist here and there, ultimately a fairly standard mystery.
December 24, 2023
This was a bit slow in the first half. After that 50 percent mark though things picked up and it was s riveting race to the end. A pretty good book that had all the feels of s true crime documentary.
January 2, 2024
I received a free copy of, True Crime, by Georgina Lees, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Katy went missing ten years ago, her mother Grace is still looking for her. What a story, the twists and turns through the book are amazing. Sad story but a good one.
December 22, 2023
Ten years ago Katy disappeared. She left her workplace late at night and never came home. There were theories. The boyfriend. A clingy professor or maybe a colleague but the police could never find her. Her mother, Grace, still holds hope she will come home, so when she is approached to be involved in a new documentary that may prompt people come forward with new evidence, she agrees. Except there is so much about Katy she never knew and as she comes closer to the truth, it is clear people want to keep the past hidden.
This was another intriguing novel with a host of suspicious characters, filled with secrets and a darker side. The author really captured the emotions of Grace and it was a page turner! Thanks so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this gifted review copy.
This was another intriguing novel with a host of suspicious characters, filled with secrets and a darker side. The author really captured the emotions of Grace and it was a page turner! Thanks so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this gifted review copy.
March 15, 2024
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
Grace Harper’s twenty-year-old daughter, Katy, left work ten years ago and was never seen again. Understandably Grace has spent the last ten years of her life fixated on her daughters’ whereabouts. And she’s not the only one. Grace finds comfort in talking to a small group of strangers on a message board who are also interested in what happened to Katy. Using the cloak of internet anonymity Grace listens to their theories whilst adding her own, keen to keep Katy’s name fresh in people’s minds. So when a television production company approaches Grace asking to dig deeper into Katy’s disappearance she agrees, desperate to find out what happened and hoping it will bring new evidence to light. But the documentary is nothing like Grace expected. The emphasis is all wrong. And no matter how prepared she felt she was, it inevitably opens painful old wounds. Inching ever closer to the truth, Grace takes matters into her own hands. Someone somewhere knows what happened to Katy Harper and they’ll go to extreme measures to keep the secret buried forever…
True Crime is an intense, emotional and gripping psychological thriller which had me turning the pages at a rate of knots. Grace is angry, and rightly so. Her daughter vanished without a trace ten years ago and despite a fairly thorough investigation by the police, no trace of Katy was ever found. At the time of her disappearance, there were three main suspects; her older boyfriend who seemed much more into their relationship than Katy ever was. Her English professor who was rumoured to have had affairs with other students on Katy’s course, Katy being his latest conquest, and an intense colleague at work who seemed to know Katy’s every move. Rather than shining a spotlight on those Grace feels responsible for Katy’s disappearance, the documentary gives them a voice and Grace doesn’t like what she hears. The author has excelled at showing how true crime documentaries can tilt the emphasis of an investigation, giving those initial suspects who felt strongly aggrieved by being accused, the opportunity to have a voice and how, edited just the right way, that voice can sound authoritative, conclusive and be taken as truth.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. True Crime is a superbly written, highly emotional tale of a desperate, heartbroken mother’s search for the truth. With each new episode of the documentary, Grace realises that perhaps she didn’t know Katy anywhere near as well as she thought. Could one of the three original suspects be responsible for her disappearance? Or did something else happen to Katy that night? The majority of the story is told from Grace’s point of view. The reader gets to see her heartfelt reaction to the documentary episodes, her relationship with Detective Harrison Lane – the lead investigator when Katy first went missing – (who I loved!) and how Grace slowly starts to make progress in her own investigation off of the back of the series. We also see first-hand how each episode plays out, the startling revelations, the sudden reappearance of Katy’s ‘dad’ and how the suspects easily turn things around, making Katy’s own actions look highly suspicious. And finally, we hear from Katy in the lead-up to her disappearance. Step by step the reader watches as that fateful night unfolds and the truth finally comes to light. And it’s a shocker! I certainly didn’t expect the author to take the story in the direction they did. Wonderfully unexpected, perhaps a smidge hard to believe but I didn’t really care. The ending was explosive and I loved it. All in all, a hugely addictive novel, utterly compelling and nigh-on impossible to put down. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I can guarantee I will be reading more. How can I not after being swept up in this cracking story? Tense, involving and very intriguing. Highly recommended.
Grace Harper’s twenty-year-old daughter, Katy, left work ten years ago and was never seen again. Understandably Grace has spent the last ten years of her life fixated on her daughters’ whereabouts. And she’s not the only one. Grace finds comfort in talking to a small group of strangers on a message board who are also interested in what happened to Katy. Using the cloak of internet anonymity Grace listens to their theories whilst adding her own, keen to keep Katy’s name fresh in people’s minds. So when a television production company approaches Grace asking to dig deeper into Katy’s disappearance she agrees, desperate to find out what happened and hoping it will bring new evidence to light. But the documentary is nothing like Grace expected. The emphasis is all wrong. And no matter how prepared she felt she was, it inevitably opens painful old wounds. Inching ever closer to the truth, Grace takes matters into her own hands. Someone somewhere knows what happened to Katy Harper and they’ll go to extreme measures to keep the secret buried forever…
True Crime is an intense, emotional and gripping psychological thriller which had me turning the pages at a rate of knots. Grace is angry, and rightly so. Her daughter vanished without a trace ten years ago and despite a fairly thorough investigation by the police, no trace of Katy was ever found. At the time of her disappearance, there were three main suspects; her older boyfriend who seemed much more into their relationship than Katy ever was. Her English professor who was rumoured to have had affairs with other students on Katy’s course, Katy being his latest conquest, and an intense colleague at work who seemed to know Katy’s every move. Rather than shining a spotlight on those Grace feels responsible for Katy’s disappearance, the documentary gives them a voice and Grace doesn’t like what she hears. The author has excelled at showing how true crime documentaries can tilt the emphasis of an investigation, giving those initial suspects who felt strongly aggrieved by being accused, the opportunity to have a voice and how, edited just the right way, that voice can sound authoritative, conclusive and be taken as truth.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. True Crime is a superbly written, highly emotional tale of a desperate, heartbroken mother’s search for the truth. With each new episode of the documentary, Grace realises that perhaps she didn’t know Katy anywhere near as well as she thought. Could one of the three original suspects be responsible for her disappearance? Or did something else happen to Katy that night? The majority of the story is told from Grace’s point of view. The reader gets to see her heartfelt reaction to the documentary episodes, her relationship with Detective Harrison Lane – the lead investigator when Katy first went missing – (who I loved!) and how Grace slowly starts to make progress in her own investigation off of the back of the series. We also see first-hand how each episode plays out, the startling revelations, the sudden reappearance of Katy’s ‘dad’ and how the suspects easily turn things around, making Katy’s own actions look highly suspicious. And finally, we hear from Katy in the lead-up to her disappearance. Step by step the reader watches as that fateful night unfolds and the truth finally comes to light. And it’s a shocker! I certainly didn’t expect the author to take the story in the direction they did. Wonderfully unexpected, perhaps a smidge hard to believe but I didn’t really care. The ending was explosive and I loved it. All in all, a hugely addictive novel, utterly compelling and nigh-on impossible to put down. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I can guarantee I will be reading more. How can I not after being swept up in this cracking story? Tense, involving and very intriguing. Highly recommended.
October 22, 2025
Ten years ago, Katie disappeared, and the police never found out where she went. Grace has never got over it, and when a production team meets her asking if they can make a documentary about Katie, she agrees. It isn’t long before she has doubts about this show, but will it bring someone forward who knows what happened all those years ago?
This was a sad and intense read, with secrets hidden; it was chilling and emotional in places, too. Everyone that Grace came across seemed to be hiding something. I just couldn’t decide who might have taken Katie.
Georgina Lees pens a great read that will have you captured from early on. I have read a few books by this author and enjoyed them all.
This was a sad and intense read, with secrets hidden; it was chilling and emotional in places, too. Everyone that Grace came across seemed to be hiding something. I just couldn’t decide who might have taken Katie.
Georgina Lees pens a great read that will have you captured from early on. I have read a few books by this author and enjoyed them all.
January 2, 2024
Good Evening, my name is Kori, and I’m a NetGalley addict.
I have 12 bookshelves full of books, a kindle account that surpasses 500 unread books, a tbr that exceeds an average lifespan, yet, when I receive a NetGalley approval, that’s instantly what I pick up to read.
True Crime
You got me. I couldn’t resist. Nothing else mattered except this new little stunner, I white knuckled in my hands.
I mean…. At least I can say it was worth it!
The only thing I love as much as books is true crime documentaries. When you combine the two, you have one happy little camper.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I zipped right through and devoured every last word.
True Crime needs to be pre-ordered by all true crime/thriller lovers!
Check out this teaser :
A missing girl. An angry mother. A true crime documentary.
Ten years ago, Katy, a promising young journalist, left her desk and was never seen again.
Someone knows what happened to her…
The controlling boyfriend? The inappropriate professor? The clingy colleague?
When Katy went missing, it wasn’t just her devastated mother, Grace, whose life was ruined. Now, a new documentary delving into the missing person case threatens to open old wounds.
As Grace gets closer to the truth, she discovers just how far people are willing to go to keep the past hidden.
I have 12 bookshelves full of books, a kindle account that surpasses 500 unread books, a tbr that exceeds an average lifespan, yet, when I receive a NetGalley approval, that’s instantly what I pick up to read.
True Crime
You got me. I couldn’t resist. Nothing else mattered except this new little stunner, I white knuckled in my hands.
I mean…. At least I can say it was worth it!
The only thing I love as much as books is true crime documentaries. When you combine the two, you have one happy little camper.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I zipped right through and devoured every last word.
True Crime needs to be pre-ordered by all true crime/thriller lovers!
Check out this teaser :
A missing girl. An angry mother. A true crime documentary.
Ten years ago, Katy, a promising young journalist, left her desk and was never seen again.
Someone knows what happened to her…
The controlling boyfriend? The inappropriate professor? The clingy colleague?
When Katy went missing, it wasn’t just her devastated mother, Grace, whose life was ruined. Now, a new documentary delving into the missing person case threatens to open old wounds.
As Grace gets closer to the truth, she discovers just how far people are willing to go to keep the past hidden.
December 23, 2023
Ten years ago, college student and interning journalist Katy went missing. The unsolved case is only kept alive by her mother Grace. When a True Crime writer and documentary creator comes to town Grace become hopeful.
Via the point of view of Grace we delve deeper and deeper into the mystery as Katy's last days before her disappearance are interspersed. A gripping thriller!
,#harpercollinsuk #truecrime #georginalees
Via the point of view of Grace we delve deeper and deeper into the mystery as Katy's last days before her disappearance are interspersed. A gripping thriller!
,#harpercollinsuk #truecrime #georginalees
December 17, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for this ARC.
True Crime was the first book of this authors that Ive read. I found the first 30-40% of the book hard to get into and a slower pace than I’d like.
I flew through the last 60~% and couldn’t put it down.
True Crime was the first book of this authors that Ive read. I found the first 30-40% of the book hard to get into and a slower pace than I’d like.
I flew through the last 60~% and couldn’t put it down.
March 18, 2024
Thrilling
January 30, 2024
There is something chilling about missing persons. How can people just disappear into thin air? We have to consider whether they chose to go away without telling anyone, were forced to or met with an an accident. But the most disturbing aspect is that we don't know what happened to them.
Judging by the hundreds (or possibly thousands) of books written on this subject, I'm not the only one fascinated by this. I have read many novels and non-fiction books on this topic and feel that the market is saturated by it. However, I have read Georgina Lees (The Girl Upstairs) and her writing is haunting and addictive, so I was excited to read this offering.
The story follows the mother of her missing adult daughter who disappeared ten years ago. Renewed interest comes about by true crime enthusiasts who discuss the case through social media forums and by film. The mother is reluctant to take part but does so, spurred on by the thought that new evidence and interest in her daughter's disappearance may help find what happened to her.
Despite the re-opening of painful past memories and people she would rather forget, the mother's main concern is that her daughter is the main focus of these new projects. The investigation becomes bigger than the victim and witnesses' motivations vary but they are not about finding out what happened to the missing woman. This reflects current issues where often the speculation about someone's disappearance becomes very distasteful and disturbing, and the central character - the missing person - becomes a bit part. This is handled well here.
The story is told mainly from one point of view and interspersed with chapters from scenes of the film, where more perspectives are expressed. Taut and tragic, a tale about exploitation and how far reaching crime is even after the passing of time. Challenging the whole idea of crime and suffering as a source of entertainment. Brilliant read, highly recommended.
Judging by the hundreds (or possibly thousands) of books written on this subject, I'm not the only one fascinated by this. I have read many novels and non-fiction books on this topic and feel that the market is saturated by it. However, I have read Georgina Lees (The Girl Upstairs) and her writing is haunting and addictive, so I was excited to read this offering.
The story follows the mother of her missing adult daughter who disappeared ten years ago. Renewed interest comes about by true crime enthusiasts who discuss the case through social media forums and by film. The mother is reluctant to take part but does so, spurred on by the thought that new evidence and interest in her daughter's disappearance may help find what happened to her.
Despite the re-opening of painful past memories and people she would rather forget, the mother's main concern is that her daughter is the main focus of these new projects. The investigation becomes bigger than the victim and witnesses' motivations vary but they are not about finding out what happened to the missing woman. This reflects current issues where often the speculation about someone's disappearance becomes very distasteful and disturbing, and the central character - the missing person - becomes a bit part. This is handled well here.
The story is told mainly from one point of view and interspersed with chapters from scenes of the film, where more perspectives are expressed. Taut and tragic, a tale about exploitation and how far reaching crime is even after the passing of time. Challenging the whole idea of crime and suffering as a source of entertainment. Brilliant read, highly recommended.
February 13, 2024
"None of the [documentaries and series about missing girls] ever get to the heart of what's so painful and important...the vulnerability, the exhaustion of being a woman."
I enjoyed it for the most part, although I had to suspend disbelief for some of the ending I liked Grace a lot, and was wrong about what was happening because there are so many suspects in this about who might have harmed Katy.
The ending was satisfying and at one point I didn't know how dark it would get . Reminds me of Lucy Foley's Paris Apartment .
Small nitpick: I didn't buy that the documentary episodes were airing every night - a few of them seemed like they would have been 10-15 minutes long and not entire episodes but maybe the UK does this different.
The grammar wasn't perfect; there were plenty of run-on sentences and times like this one where 'but' was used too often, but I will say that the book read quickly that way. (Example: "new evidence that might encourage the police to reopen the investigation, but it didn't, but that's not to say no one else could." Just clunky sentence phrasing at some points.)
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and give an honest review!
I enjoyed it for the most part, although I had to suspend disbelief for some of the ending I liked Grace a lot, and was wrong about what was happening because there are so many suspects in this about who might have harmed Katy.
The ending was satisfying and at one point I didn't know how dark it would get . Reminds me of Lucy Foley's Paris Apartment .
Small nitpick: I didn't buy that the documentary episodes were airing every night - a few of them seemed like they would have been 10-15 minutes long and not entire episodes but maybe the UK does this different.
The grammar wasn't perfect; there were plenty of run-on sentences and times like this one where 'but' was used too often, but I will say that the book read quickly that way. (Example: "new evidence that might encourage the police to reopen the investigation, but it didn't, but that's not to say no one else could." Just clunky sentence phrasing at some points.)
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and give an honest review!
April 26, 2024
I really enjoy these true crime documentary style books, but I had flaws of my own with this one. The chapters associated with the documentary just read like a normal chapter, I prefer it when it’s written in the style of the “interviews” with the descriptive text and headline for the episode etc. That being said I did enjoy the book.
The story follows the disappearance of Katy who went missing after work one night ten years ago aged twenty. Her mum Grace agrees to the documentary along with the main detective who ran the case, friends of Katy and the three main suspects at the time of her disappearance, one being the boyfriend who has never spoken before.
This was a quick read that I would recommend to others for an easy read, short chapters and good story line
The story follows the disappearance of Katy who went missing after work one night ten years ago aged twenty. Her mum Grace agrees to the documentary along with the main detective who ran the case, friends of Katy and the three main suspects at the time of her disappearance, one being the boyfriend who has never spoken before.
This was a quick read that I would recommend to others for an easy read, short chapters and good story line
December 28, 2023
When I saw the first review for this book it was short and simple. ‘This book is amazing!’ It was enough to make me check it out and I’m so glad I did as I’ve become so engrossed into Katy’s story, the twenty year old who went missing.
I adore true crime documentaries and regularly watch them on Netflix so the format of this book is what really pulled me in and firmly gripped my fascination of what happened to Katy.
It has a feel of a true crime documentary with the intense thrills of a gripping thriller. The alternating chapters were a good touch to a brilliant take on a thriller.
In terms of character development, this was steeped in well written characters who had a part to play in what is a thrilling crime novel which explores lies, deceit, family loyalty and justice.
I adore true crime documentaries and regularly watch them on Netflix so the format of this book is what really pulled me in and firmly gripped my fascination of what happened to Katy.
It has a feel of a true crime documentary with the intense thrills of a gripping thriller. The alternating chapters were a good touch to a brilliant take on a thriller.
In terms of character development, this was steeped in well written characters who had a part to play in what is a thrilling crime novel which explores lies, deceit, family loyalty and justice.
January 31, 2024
As someone who enjoys watching true crime documentaries, I found this book very enjoyable.
The story is told in the perspective of Grace, a grieving mother whose daughter went missing 10 years ago and is approached by a documentary team who want to focus on her daughter's missing persons case. As a result some of the chapters are written in the style of documentary episodes.
There was a fairly slow build up to begin with while we were being introduced to all the characters, however after the 50% mark it really accelerates and I couldn't put it down for that last stretch!
This was my first Georgina Lees book and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The story is told in the perspective of Grace, a grieving mother whose daughter went missing 10 years ago and is approached by a documentary team who want to focus on her daughter's missing persons case. As a result some of the chapters are written in the style of documentary episodes.
There was a fairly slow build up to begin with while we were being introduced to all the characters, however after the 50% mark it really accelerates and I couldn't put it down for that last stretch!
This was my first Georgina Lees book and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 8, 2024
Wow, this book is truly a thriller! Katy has been missing for 10 years and her mother, Grace is invited to be a guest on a podcast about it. Of course she is skeptical as it will invite all sorts of listeners who will speculate but have little real information as the police and detectives still have no clue what happened to her. And so she begins investigating on her own, interviewing co-workers, an old boyfriend, and eventually finding what she thinks are "clues" but she has no idea what they really mean or how they tie together. It's a dark, often creepy, twisted tale about power and control that had me gasping frequently. Loved it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
January 23, 2024
True crime investigates Katy’s disappearance 10 years after the fact. When a media company wants to do a documentary about Katy, Grace, Katy’s Mum agrees to be involved as she thinks it will help with information to reopen the case and find Katy. The series doesn’t go as Grace expected and she finds herself following leads with some twists and turns. In addition, Katy’s account of what happened the day she went missing is thrown in from time to time.
Mostly told through Grace's viewpoint this one was a bit up and down for me. Some parts I didn’t want to put down and was desperate to find out what was happening, whereas other parts I found I didn’t care that much. And whilst we find out what happened in the end, the ending didn’t do anything for me.
Mostly told through Grace's viewpoint this one was a bit up and down for me. Some parts I didn’t want to put down and was desperate to find out what was happening, whereas other parts I found I didn’t care that much. And whilst we find out what happened in the end, the ending didn’t do anything for me.
January 9, 2024
This just completely engaged me from the get go, there was no easing into, a real rollercoaster of emotions. I so needed to know what had happened. I loved how they brought the true crime podcast into it and explained the background. It just so worked.
The ending was brilliant, it just tied all the strands together.
This author is always one of my go to authors she always delivers.
I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely is my own.
The ending was brilliant, it just tied all the strands together.
This author is always one of my go to authors she always delivers.
I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely is my own.
November 10, 2024
I actually enjoyed this book way more than I was expecting. From the get go I did not want to put it down. It was actually really addicting and I needed to know what happened to Katy. The ending had me completely gobsmacked. The person I was suspicious about was involved but I wasn’t expecting the ending. I do wish there was an extra chapter of what happened next. I will definitely be looking into more books by this author as this was really really good.
December 31, 2023
WHAT A THRILLER!!!!… This one caused me sleepless nights because I couldn't put it down!!
January 20, 2024
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Grace's life has been changed since her daughter went missing a decade ago. Theirs been very little information about her disappearance. This book delves into her life and others who went missi1ng. An interesting read.
March 24, 2025
4.25 stars
January 31, 2024
Wow this was a fast-paced thriller right from the start. Women whose daughter goes missing and has been missing for ten years. The story as told by the women/Mother interjected with conversations from the daughter. The Mothers quest to find out what happened to her daughter and if she is actually missing or dead. The power of social and media as well comes into play in this page turner.
Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and the Author Georgina Lees for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and the Author Georgina Lees for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2024
I literally could not put this book down. I read it within a day. It’s fast paced, easy to read and makes you want to keep turning the pages.
Best book I’ve read in a while.
Five massive stars from me.
Best book I’ve read in a while.
Five massive stars from me.
January 15, 2024
Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for this ARC.
I found the first about 20% of this book slower, but then it really picked up and had a hold on me. I enjoyed all the twists and turns. There was a lot of emotions felt while reading this book and that's what lead me to giving this one 5 stars. I found this book really opened my eyes to what people go through one their loved ones go missing. Although, we may enjoy watching True Crime documentaries there are always people hurting that the missing left behind.
Will be recommending this one to my friends!
I found the first about 20% of this book slower, but then it really picked up and had a hold on me. I enjoyed all the twists and turns. There was a lot of emotions felt while reading this book and that's what lead me to giving this one 5 stars. I found this book really opened my eyes to what people go through one their loved ones go missing. Although, we may enjoy watching True Crime documentaries there are always people hurting that the missing left behind.
Will be recommending this one to my friends!
January 14, 2024
This was a gripping read introducing us to Grace whose daughter, Katy went missing ten years before. She was never found, despite an investigation into her disappearance. When a production company approaches Grace to produce a podcast looking again into Katy's case in the hope that new information may come to light, Grace finds missing evidence appearing which may hold the key.
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. It was a little bit of a slow starter, but really picked up the pace as the story moved on. I loved Grace's character, she was just how a mother should be - dogged, determined and never giving up on her child! Ten years without her daughter was obviously really difficult for her, but as new information and evidence comes to light, Grace may finally be able to put Katy's disappearance to bed and move on.
The storyline twisted and turned as it went on. We are given lots of suspects to ponder over, some which had already been suspects in the original investigation. I couldn't work out who was involved or how and there were lots of red herrings and dead ends throughout. I loved the twist in the storyline, which was totally unexpected, and thought the ending pulled all the loose ends in perfectly! I was hooked into the storyline and couldn't put the book down once I'd started it. A cleverly written crime investigation which I would recommend!
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. It was a little bit of a slow starter, but really picked up the pace as the story moved on. I loved Grace's character, she was just how a mother should be - dogged, determined and never giving up on her child! Ten years without her daughter was obviously really difficult for her, but as new information and evidence comes to light, Grace may finally be able to put Katy's disappearance to bed and move on.
The storyline twisted and turned as it went on. We are given lots of suspects to ponder over, some which had already been suspects in the original investigation. I couldn't work out who was involved or how and there were lots of red herrings and dead ends throughout. I loved the twist in the storyline, which was totally unexpected, and thought the ending pulled all the loose ends in perfectly! I was hooked into the storyline and couldn't put the book down once I'd started it. A cleverly written crime investigation which I would recommend!
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