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Now You See Me
Three years ago, thirteen-year-old Danny Geller vanished without trace.
His family and friends are still hanging on to every last shred of hope. Not knowing if he's alive or dead, their world is shrouded in shadows, secrets and suspicions.
This is the story of what happens when hope comes back to haunt you. When your desperation is used against you. When you search for the truth – but are too scared to accept the reality staring you in the face...
A mesmerizing psychological thriller with the most incredible twist you'll read all year.
His family and friends are still hanging on to every last shred of hope. Not knowing if he's alive or dead, their world is shrouded in shadows, secrets and suspicions.
This is the story of what happens when hope comes back to haunt you. When your desperation is used against you. When you search for the truth – but are too scared to accept the reality staring you in the face...
A mesmerizing psychological thriller with the most incredible twist you'll read all year.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2014
31 people are currently reading
1608 people want to read
About the author
Emma Haughton
24 books181 followersThe Dark, Emma Haughton’s chilling new thriller for adults, will be published by Hodder in August 2021.
Emma grew up in Sussex; after a stint au pairing in Paris and a couple of half-hearted attempts to backpack across Europe, she studied English at Oxford University then trained in journalism. During her career as a journalist, she wrote many articles for national newspapers, including regular pieces for the Times Travel section.
Following publication of her picture book, Rainy Day, Emma wrote three YA novels. Her first, Now You See Me, was an Amazon bestseller and nominated for the Carnegie and Amazing Book Awards. Better Left Buried, her second, was one of the best YA reads for 2015 in the Sunday Express. Her third YA novel, Cruel Heart Broken, was picked by The Bookseller as a top YA read for July 2016.
Find out more at www.emmahaughton.com or www.facebook.com/emmahaughtonwriter. Or get in touch via Twitter: @Emma_Haughton
Emma grew up in Sussex; after a stint au pairing in Paris and a couple of half-hearted attempts to backpack across Europe, she studied English at Oxford University then trained in journalism. During her career as a journalist, she wrote many articles for national newspapers, including regular pieces for the Times Travel section.
Following publication of her picture book, Rainy Day, Emma wrote three YA novels. Her first, Now You See Me, was an Amazon bestseller and nominated for the Carnegie and Amazing Book Awards. Better Left Buried, her second, was one of the best YA reads for 2015 in the Sunday Express. Her third YA novel, Cruel Heart Broken, was picked by The Bookseller as a top YA read for July 2016.
Find out more at www.emmahaughton.com or www.facebook.com/emmahaughtonwriter. Or get in touch via Twitter: @Emma_Haughton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
August 28, 2017
Halfway through NOW YOU SEE ME, I ordered Emma Haughton's other book, that about tells you how engaging I found this to be.
The story gripped me from the first page and I zipped through this in just a few days, hardly able to put it down. The only reason I'm rating it four stars, is because I have to admit, I had guessed the big reveal about a hundred pages into the book, and was a little disappointed at the ending. But all it all, a truly entertaining, well written and developed story and I cannot wait for my copy of BETTER LEFT BURIED to arrive!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
The story gripped me from the first page and I zipped through this in just a few days, hardly able to put it down. The only reason I'm rating it four stars, is because I have to admit, I had guessed the big reveal about a hundred pages into the book, and was a little disappointed at the ending. But all it all, a truly entertaining, well written and developed story and I cannot wait for my copy of BETTER LEFT BURIED to arrive!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
August 4, 2014
An absolutely brilliant psychological thriller come family drama, based apparently on a real life case which I shall have to track down, we follow Hannah as she tries to come to terms with the loss of her best friend having already lost her mother to a tragic accident. When Danny disappears, she is thrown into turmoil, as life becomes something very different.
I found this highly intriguing throughout, not least because Hannah herself had great depth of character, her thought processes and actions bringing into sharp focus the emotional turmoil that loss can bring – especially loss where there is no closure, no clue as to what went wrong. Even though we have an insular view of events, told as it is solely by the one person, the rest of the “cast” come alive through her eyes – her father, Danny’s parents and Sister, her friends – and she manages to make you feel her frustration as it becomes clear that secrets are being kept.
As the tale unfolds it is absolutely riveting – one of those stories that is not only thrilling but highly emotional, often upsetting but always compelling and that makes you cling on, desperate for the answers. As in life though, not everything is clear cut and often the truth we seek can hurt – another reason I found this one so fascinating, especially when it came to Danny’s mum, an amazingly complex yet captivating character.
It has a wonderful flow to it, beautifully written to keep you on your toes, totally character driven with a real poignant feel that puts you in the moment, I can certainly recommend this for anyone who loves a twisty tale with heart and soul.
Happy Reading Folks!
I found this highly intriguing throughout, not least because Hannah herself had great depth of character, her thought processes and actions bringing into sharp focus the emotional turmoil that loss can bring – especially loss where there is no closure, no clue as to what went wrong. Even though we have an insular view of events, told as it is solely by the one person, the rest of the “cast” come alive through her eyes – her father, Danny’s parents and Sister, her friends – and she manages to make you feel her frustration as it becomes clear that secrets are being kept.
As the tale unfolds it is absolutely riveting – one of those stories that is not only thrilling but highly emotional, often upsetting but always compelling and that makes you cling on, desperate for the answers. As in life though, not everything is clear cut and often the truth we seek can hurt – another reason I found this one so fascinating, especially when it came to Danny’s mum, an amazingly complex yet captivating character.
It has a wonderful flow to it, beautifully written to keep you on your toes, totally character driven with a real poignant feel that puts you in the moment, I can certainly recommend this for anyone who loves a twisty tale with heart and soul.
Happy Reading Folks!
September 19, 2025
I am a sucker for mysterious disappearance cases (once I had ~90 tabs on my phone with cases, I even wondered what the police might think if they checked it somehow...) and even if the clues answered pretty early on, I quite enjoyed Now You See Me. The portrait of Hannah, a teenager swept into a disappearance of her best friend, on the brink of adulthood, trying to understand not only herself but the world of adults too, is pretty vivid and well done. The case seems mysterious and interesting enough to catch your curiosity. The first half is executed perfectly, chef's kiss. The second half is a bit holy (not saint, has some holes) and I wish I had a couple more answers on how, but overall, an enjoyable, quick read.
July 29, 2016
Rating: 3.5 stars
May 7, 2020
Emma Haughton, are you kidding me? Nope. Couldn't have ended like this. NO WAY.
I have never, never read a book with a plot more complicated, more exciting. For me, a winner upon all mystery "page turners". I hate myself for believing that with the 20 pages left, there was going to be a definite ending, a solution to everything. I hateee that I decided to finish it tonight, leaving myself way too much time to stay awake thinking about it.
I must admit, the biggest "plot twist" (I guess), I predicted. Hmm.. now that I think about it, maybe that was intentional, and was made a bit obvious to make readers wonder how things were going to turn out that way.
Definitely go read this. NOW. Once you're done, come talk to me. I NEED someone to talk to about this ending. I haven't put any spoilers in this review to prompt you to go pick up the book.
Oh, and finally done with my 2015 reading goal of 60 books!! Love that this was the book I met my goal with. Oh my, never had I been more desperate to write a book review.
I have never, never read a book with a plot more complicated, more exciting. For me, a winner upon all mystery "page turners". I hate myself for believing that with the 20 pages left, there was going to be a definite ending, a solution to everything. I hateee that I decided to finish it tonight, leaving myself way too much time to stay awake thinking about it.
I must admit, the biggest "plot twist" (I guess), I predicted. Hmm.. now that I think about it, maybe that was intentional, and was made a bit obvious to make readers wonder how things were going to turn out that way.
Definitely go read this. NOW. Once you're done, come talk to me. I NEED someone to talk to about this ending. I haven't put any spoilers in this review to prompt you to go pick up the book.
Oh, and finally done with my 2015 reading goal of 60 books!! Love that this was the book I met my goal with. Oh my, never had I been more desperate to write a book review.
March 7, 2025
Tema gal ir gera, bet paprastai be įdomumo parašyta
June 7, 2014
I sincerely despise books with cliffhangers that don't wrap up the story. I would have found this book "okay", or even "liked it", had it not left things so open-ended.
At the end of it, I began picking apart the things that had me questioning the storyline in bouts while I read. There were answers and explanations that didn't happen that should have.
I honestly doubt this was Book I to a series where I will get those answers I was (still are!) craving. However, if this is the reaction the author was going for, she got it from me.
At the end of it, I began picking apart the things that had me questioning the storyline in bouts while I read. There were answers and explanations that didn't happen that should have.
I honestly doubt this was Book I to a series where I will get those answers I was (still are!) craving. However, if this is the reaction the author was going for, she got it from me.
May 13, 2021
Hana ir Denis buvo geriausi draugai nuo vaikystės. Jųdviejų tėvai taip pat gerai sutarė, tad abi šeimos bendravo tarpusavyje, o Denio tėvai net tapo Hanos krikštatėviais. Tačiau ši graži šeimų idilė pamažu pradėjo griūti. Pirmiausia - autoavarijoje žuvo Hanos mama. Pašlijo mergaitės santykiai su tėčiu, jis visa galva pasinėrė į savo darbą. Lyg to būtų negana, vieną dieną dingo Denis. Paskutinė jį mačiusi buvo Hana. Policija ėmėsi tyrimo, ypač klausinėjo Haną, juk ji buvo geriausia vaikino draugė, todėl, jų nuomone, turėjo numanyti galimus Denio dingimo motyvus. Deja, mergaitė niekuo negalėjo jiems padėti - pati labai stebėjosi tokiu mįslingu draugo dingimu. Prabėga trys metai. Apie vaikiną - iki šiol jokių žinių. Policija tyrė keletą teorijų, manė, kad Denis mirė ir jau galvojo radę jo kūną, tačiau, atlikus išsamesnius tyrimus, paaiškėjo, kad tai ne jis. Žinoma, jo tėvai, ypač mama, vis dar neatsisakė tos minties, kad sūnus gyvas ir sveikas, tikisi, jog vieną dieną jis sugrįš namo. Ir, kad ir kaip neįtikėtina, jų viltys pasiteisina. Vaikinas aptinkamas Prancūzijoje, tiesa, sužeistas ir sumuštas, tačiau gyvas. Tėvai parsiveža sūnų namo ir, žinoma, pasikviečia Haną į svečius, kad geriausi draugai vėl pasimatytų. Deja, išvydusi jį, mergina nenudžiunga taip, kaip buvo galima tikėtis. Šis vaikinas jai pasirodo svetimas ir kitoks, atrodo, kad tai ne tas Denis, kurį ji pažinojo, bet ar tai gali būti tiesa? Kodėl jo nebeprisileidžia šuo, o sesutė Alisa kartoja, kad tai ne Denis?
Knyga apibūdinama kaip psichologinis trileris paaugliams. Tačiau kaip trileris, mano akimis, pasirodė silpnokas. Daug ką galėjau nuspėti, bet vis tiek buvo įdomu iki galo perskaityti ir išsiaiškinti, kas, kaip ir kodėl, kadangi pagrindinio Denio dingimo motyvo atspėti man nepavyko, nors po to, kai jį sužinojau, supratau, kad šiokių tokių užuominų pačiame knygos kontekste buvo galima rasti.
Knygos įvykiai apima draugų santykius, išdavystės jausmą, ilgesį, kuris gali nuvesti iki lengvos beprotystės ir nebematymo to, kas vyksta aplinkui, tikėjimo tuo, kuo nori tikėti. Taip pat skaudžias praeities klaidas, kurios gali nulemti ar net sugriauti ateitį. Viskas pasakojama paauglės, Hanos, lūpomis ir galiu pasakyti, kad šioje knygoje ji pasirodė daug protingesnė ir įžvalgesnė negu suaugusieji.
Apibendrinimui galiu pasakyti, kad pati knyga lengvai ir greitai skaitosi. Tai toks, sakyčiau, vieno prisėdimo skaitinys, kuris atmintyje ilgam neišlieka.
Knyga apibūdinama kaip psichologinis trileris paaugliams. Tačiau kaip trileris, mano akimis, pasirodė silpnokas. Daug ką galėjau nuspėti, bet vis tiek buvo įdomu iki galo perskaityti ir išsiaiškinti, kas, kaip ir kodėl, kadangi pagrindinio Denio dingimo motyvo atspėti man nepavyko, nors po to, kai jį sužinojau, supratau, kad šiokių tokių užuominų pačiame knygos kontekste buvo galima rasti.
Knygos įvykiai apima draugų santykius, išdavystės jausmą, ilgesį, kuris gali nuvesti iki lengvos beprotystės ir nebematymo to, kas vyksta aplinkui, tikėjimo tuo, kuo nori tikėti. Taip pat skaudžias praeities klaidas, kurios gali nulemti ar net sugriauti ateitį. Viskas pasakojama paauglės, Hanos, lūpomis ir galiu pasakyti, kad šioje knygoje ji pasirodė daug protingesnė ir įžvalgesnė negu suaugusieji.
Apibendrinimui galiu pasakyti, kad pati knyga lengvai ir greitai skaitosi. Tai toks, sakyčiau, vieno prisėdimo skaitinys, kuris atmintyje ilgam neišlieka.
June 24, 2015
Totally predictable. HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD
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I was lured in by all the five star ratings promising huge twists. I guessed everything before it happened - it was obvious at the party that he was waiting for other people to fill in the gaps and as soon as the hair dye came into the story I just knew. Also, the paternity issue - again, obvious. A reference early on indicated how alike Danny and Hannah looked.
My biggest issue is this; how on earth does a 13 year old boy disappear, on his own, no money or passport, unseen by anyone (after the TV Show has been aired - surely this would have been national?) and ends up in the South of France?! With the best will in the world, what child would actually be capable of this? His reasons for doing so just don't seem strong enough and the entire thing becomes totally unbelievable.
I wanted to love it, I really did, it just couldn't live up to the hype sadly.
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I was lured in by all the five star ratings promising huge twists. I guessed everything before it happened - it was obvious at the party that he was waiting for other people to fill in the gaps and as soon as the hair dye came into the story I just knew. Also, the paternity issue - again, obvious. A reference early on indicated how alike Danny and Hannah looked.
My biggest issue is this; how on earth does a 13 year old boy disappear, on his own, no money or passport, unseen by anyone (after the TV Show has been aired - surely this would have been national?) and ends up in the South of France?! With the best will in the world, what child would actually be capable of this? His reasons for doing so just don't seem strong enough and the entire thing becomes totally unbelievable.
I wanted to love it, I really did, it just couldn't live up to the hype sadly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
Predictable
May 11, 2022
this book was okay but umh nothing exceptionnal honestly
i was disappointed by the plot twist and by the end :(
i was disappointed by the plot twist and by the end :(
July 16, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this, even though it needed some suspension of disbelief. I also guessed what was going on. What I don’t understand is why nobody demanded answers, or at least accountability. The only disappointing aspect was, there was no real explanation of Danny’s disappearance and how a 13-year-old could even have done everything he did.
August 29, 2025
A page-turner and a relatively good ending although a few too many things left up in the air for my liking.
April 15, 2014
Wow! This book was amazing! I finished this book in one day, which is evidence enough of how much I enjoyed it. The plot was unlike anything I've ever read before. I think that the way that we don't know what happened to Danny is a massive incentive to carry on reading. Not only that though- there is a subplot of what's happened between Hannah's dad and Danny's parents, which I also spent a lot of time wanting to know more about.
The writing of this book was brilliant. It didn't give things away before they were supposed to be, as some books I've read have done. I think this is really important otherwise a story can become boring if you know what's going to happen next. I thought that the characters had a lot of personality and I really liked Hannah, who the story was from the perspective of. Also, I loved Danny's mum because I think that she was really strong and I think that she was a lot like any mum, so this made the story even more sad to read because she was relatable.
As for the plot twist, I thought it was brilliant! In a way there were two plot twists which is even better! Sometimes a twist can be a bit far fetched or annoying, but this one was so good! I really think that it made the book even more better and exciting.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA- this book is actually a UKYA novel (!)- with a riveting plot and an almost thriller type of genre. I would really love to read more of these types of books, so let me know if there's anything out there- I haven't really read anything like this before! I have to give this book 5/5 stars because I enjoyed it so, so much.
The writing of this book was brilliant. It didn't give things away before they were supposed to be, as some books I've read have done. I think this is really important otherwise a story can become boring if you know what's going to happen next. I thought that the characters had a lot of personality and I really liked Hannah, who the story was from the perspective of. Also, I loved Danny's mum because I think that she was really strong and I think that she was a lot like any mum, so this made the story even more sad to read because she was relatable.
As for the plot twist, I thought it was brilliant! In a way there were two plot twists which is even better! Sometimes a twist can be a bit far fetched or annoying, but this one was so good! I really think that it made the book even more better and exciting.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA- this book is actually a UKYA novel (!)- with a riveting plot and an almost thriller type of genre. I would really love to read more of these types of books, so let me know if there's anything out there- I haven't really read anything like this before! I have to give this book 5/5 stars because I enjoyed it so, so much.
January 15, 2015
This book is pegged as a YA - but as a reader that usually opts for adult psychological thrillers I honestly found it just as compelling and thrilling! I read it in two sittings and couldn't stop when nearing the end (even though I needed the loo!) I liked the approach the writer took, flitting between "then" and "now" and then exploring "from now on". This gave the story the necessary layers to really draw us into the character issues that make up the plot.
Some reviewers claim that the plot is unresolved at the end, but I have to disagree. The author made decisions for the resolution of the plot that were subtle and which allowed the reader to ponder upon the decisions made by the protagonist towards the end. Far from being disappointing, I really appreciated this because I was able to analyse in retrospect; an enjoyable thing to do after reading a good novel. Yes, we may want to know even more... But in this case it is an ending you can draw your own conclusions to.
Some reviewers claim that the plot is unresolved at the end, but I have to disagree. The author made decisions for the resolution of the plot that were subtle and which allowed the reader to ponder upon the decisions made by the protagonist towards the end. Far from being disappointing, I really appreciated this because I was able to analyse in retrospect; an enjoyable thing to do after reading a good novel. Yes, we may want to know even more... But in this case it is an ending you can draw your own conclusions to.
February 26, 2015
Danny Geller was thirteen when he disappeared, and nobody knew where he went. Least of all his best friend, Hannah Radcliffe. Having recently lost her mother in a car accident, the loss of Danny was yet another blow she wasn't prepared for.
Three years later, Danny's family are still looking for him, and haven't given up even one tiny shred of hope. But when their hope is used as a weapon against them, what can they do? Should they continue to hold onto it, and ignore the reasons telling them not to, or should they let it go?
This is such a brilliant, gripping read. Definitely worth a read.
http://lizebronwenreviews.blogspot.co...
Three years later, Danny's family are still looking for him, and haven't given up even one tiny shred of hope. But when their hope is used as a weapon against them, what can they do? Should they continue to hold onto it, and ignore the reasons telling them not to, or should they let it go?
This is such a brilliant, gripping read. Definitely worth a read.
http://lizebronwenreviews.blogspot.co...
September 1, 2014
I was dying to read Now You See Me as I love thrillers and wanted to find out which true life story the book was inspired by. Once I started, I couldn't put the book down and finished it in a day. I was completely absorbed in the riveting plot. I think Emma's a brilliant thriller writer who's adept at keeping the reader hooked through mounting tension and suspense, while creating characters you truly care about. I did remember the real-life story but I still didn't see the twists coming at the end. I'd highly recommend Now You See Me - a gripping thriller with real depth.
July 23, 2014
Excellent YA psychological thriller - I read a lot of thrillers, both crime and horror, so if a plot line is obvious or cliched I can normally see ahead, but this book really kept me guessing! The style is easy to read (and I read this on holiday where my attention span wasn't good thanks to too much sun and loafing!) but tightly-written and the tension is well maintained. I found myself very anxious about the interaction between some of the characters, although I can't say more without spoilers. Anyway, I really enjoyed this book!
November 22, 2014
A tragic loss. A missing best friend. A grief-stricken teenager.
I was drawn to the plot like a moth to a flame. Undeniably intriguing.
The story was skilfully plotted to elicit shock, amazement, and utter disbelief. It’s so effective that you might even willingly overlook some things that remained unclear, specifically Danny’s motivations. But then again, perhaps someone doesn’t have to have an elaborate reason – just one simple reason is enough considering all what went down.
But there was closure. A beautifully executed closure.
I was drawn to the plot like a moth to a flame. Undeniably intriguing.
The story was skilfully plotted to elicit shock, amazement, and utter disbelief. It’s so effective that you might even willingly overlook some things that remained unclear, specifically Danny’s motivations. But then again, perhaps someone doesn’t have to have an elaborate reason – just one simple reason is enough considering all what went down.
But there was closure. A beautifully executed closure.
October 28, 2014
Now You See Me is a brilliant rollercoaster read, so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. Thought I'd just flip through a few pages after work yesterday, then ended up totally gripped and still reading at midnight. Started reading again at 6.30am because I HAD to finish it, and ended up late for work. It was THAT GOOD! No plot spoilers, just get your hands on a copy of this YA thriller and find out for yourself.
June 4, 2021
Reading from
: Physical Book; borrowed from library
Plot : 4.9/10
Character: 5/10
Font: 7/10
Yeah I was reading this from my google play book and it taken me so long to finish it it. I wasn't expecting the outcome and lots of questions pouring out from my brain. I thought it was a ghost-thingy but hahaha I laughed after knowing the 'truth'.
It was good but the story was a bit of draggy
Plot : 4.9/10
Character: 5/10
Font: 7/10
Yeah I was reading this from my google play book and it taken me so long to finish it it. I wasn't expecting the outcome and lots of questions pouring out from my brain. I thought it was a ghost-thingy but hahaha I laughed after knowing the 'truth'.
It was good but the story was a bit of draggy
March 28, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. Couldn't put it down. The only thing that made me shout out loud was the ending or rather it was too open ended. Would have loved to have known more. I need to track down the real life case this story is inspired from. Can see this being televised at some point, a real gripping thriller with an unbelievable twist.
February 15, 2015
Now You See Me is one of those books I had to read in one sitting. Thrilling and pacey it keeps you gripped the whole way through. It also has real emotional depth, the characters are multi-layered and Emma really gets under their skin. A really fantastic thriller.
October 29, 2022
Just this time (hopefully), I want to write a review with spoiler.
Part 1- I honestly got quite bored with the back and forth flow. Up until the writer started the twist.
Part 2 - Danny's appearances somehow made me questioned "Was that really him??" Getting sure and not sure, until Hannah finally found out the silver bullet that proved he was not her bestfriend. Started from this point, whenever the writer wrote something like, "Danny and I looked alike and people often mistook us as siblings" already hinted me enough with what's happening with their parents.
But then after the truth revealed, well, I admitted it was a good twist, although at some point of the story, I already guessed it.
What made this story tearjerking for me was the fact that finally she found her half brother a.k.a her bestfriend after almost 5 years in the epilogue, thanks to the con artist.
Anyway, all the twists and how the writer created such an 'ordinary looking' story into a twisted story made me increased this book from 3 stars to 4 stars. Definitely would read another of the writer's book if I can.
Part 1- I honestly got quite bored with the back and forth flow. Up until the writer started the twist.
Part 2 - Danny's appearances somehow made me questioned "Was that really him??" Getting sure and not sure, until Hannah finally found out the silver bullet that proved he was not her bestfriend. Started from this point, whenever the writer wrote something like, "Danny and I looked alike and people often mistook us as siblings" already hinted me enough with what's happening with their parents.
But then after the truth revealed, well, I admitted it was a good twist, although at some point of the story, I already guessed it.
What made this story tearjerking for me was the fact that finally she found her half brother a.k.a her bestfriend after almost 5 years in the epilogue, thanks to the con artist.
Anyway, all the twists and how the writer created such an 'ordinary looking' story into a twisted story made me increased this book from 3 stars to 4 stars. Definitely would read another of the writer's book if I can.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2022
Well I definitely didn't see either of those plot twists coming.
I really do recommend this book if you love crime/thrillers. It shows the breaking of a friendship between teenagers as well as the breaking of an adult friendship and how all of that can play into plot.
The way Hannah describes her and Danny falling out of friendship I felt like i could personally relate to. It's hard and you never expect it to happen especially with someone you've been friends with since you were young. But it happens, you grow older, you grow apart. That's life and it sucks sometimes.
I love the Martha/Hannah dynamic and that Martha is seen as the mother figure in Hannah's life because she really does need one especially when Danny went missing. But I do feel that Martha does become harsh towards Hannah nearer the first plot twist and where Hannah figures out something about Danny.
Let's just say I'm very happy I didn't ship Hannah and Danny together.
EDIT: full extensive review that was originally posted on my wordpress below:
I decided to pick this book up because I was in a reading slump and I find Crime/Thriller novels the best way to help me out of them. And this one has definitely helped.
I loved that the book was split into two, before the return and after. The first half of the novel jumps between Danny Geller going missing to three years into the future and shows how even though everyone has grown since the missing of Danny the fact he suddenly disappeared still affects them. His best friend Hannah feels lost without him and is trying to figure out any reason why he’d leave without a trace and not tell her. She blames herself. Danny’s mother blames herself. It’s a constant blame train.
I found at certain parts the writing became slow and I found that putting it down and leaving it for a while was the best thing to do but there were parts where I just couldn’t put the book down.
So let’s talk about the obvious: Danny comes home. The minute Danny returns there’s something totally off about him, from Hannah’s previous narrative about Danny you can tell that this Danny is changed and nothing like the Danny we’d thought we’d see. At first you believe that because he’s been missing for three years, possibly kidnapped that it’s understandable, but then as the story goes on Danny gets worse. He pushes away Hannah and he starts becoming cruel. Hannah couldn’t understand how her best friend could change so drastically. And of course she is the only one to notice it, and so she has to investigate. The truth is what is the most scary of all. Danny isn’t Danny. This boy standing in front of her isn’t who he says he is. And I honestly never saw it coming. Danny returned but it was never Danny in the first place. The reveal of Danny not being Danny but a French 22-year-old named Eric was no what I expected. I honestly thought Danny had got himself involved with something so he was pushing everyone away to protect them. Could I have been more wrong? Then things start to make sense, why Danny dropped swimming, why he treated people the way he did, why he didn’t seem to really care about his exams etc etc.
There was even more plot twists to come into play, at first I thought there was going to be a reveal that Alice, Danny’s younger sister, was going to be the daughter of Danny’s mum and Hannah’s dad, but I was wrong to think that. But Danny does have another sister, a half one. It’s Hannah. It’s revealed that the rift that came between Paul, Martha and Hannah’s dad is because Hannah’s mum had an affair with Paul just before Hannah was born. Hannah is Paul’s daughter. And this all came to light when it was revealed that the person Hannah thought was her dad couldn’t have children.
There was some parts of the story that I wished weren’t as dragged along as they were like how Hannah’s mother died. I felt that it was really unnecessary to drag it out so long. I can understand why the author left the reveal to were it was because it put Hannah in the position of her mother and gave her the strength to save herself and Eric.
Eric subtly reveals that he and Danny do know each other and that Danny is alive somewhere and yet leaves so many unanswered questions. The reason why he decided to become Danny was because he wanted to understand what it felt to have a family as he had lost his mother at a young age and never knew his father. And it wasn’t the first time he had done it. I find this shocking because it shows that you really can’t trust anyone, the person right in front of you could turn out to be a stranger.
The epilogue was great yet I feel myself wanting more. Danny and Hannah reunite. Hannah secretly goes to France to go and meet Eric to talk about what happened to Danny and everything before Eric disappeared back to France. And to say thank you Eric makes Danny go to the hotel which Hannah is staying at and they’re reunited. But I feel like I don’t know anything on the real reason why Danny disappeared and why he never returned home. From what Eric says Danny definitely has a reason but what is that reason? I have no idea. I really wanted to see Hannah and Danny rekindle their friendship and talk about their problems and this new information about them being half siblings come into light but I guess I’ll have to figure out everything myself.
It was definitely a good read.
I really do recommend this book if you love crime/thrillers. It shows the breaking of a friendship between teenagers as well as the breaking of an adult friendship and how all of that can play into plot.
The way Hannah describes her and Danny falling out of friendship I felt like i could personally relate to. It's hard and you never expect it to happen especially with someone you've been friends with since you were young. But it happens, you grow older, you grow apart. That's life and it sucks sometimes.
I love the Martha/Hannah dynamic and that Martha is seen as the mother figure in Hannah's life because she really does need one especially when Danny went missing. But I do feel that Martha does become harsh towards Hannah nearer the first plot twist and where Hannah figures out something about Danny.
Let's just say I'm very happy I didn't ship Hannah and Danny together.
EDIT: full extensive review that was originally posted on my wordpress below:
I decided to pick this book up because I was in a reading slump and I find Crime/Thriller novels the best way to help me out of them. And this one has definitely helped.
I loved that the book was split into two, before the return and after. The first half of the novel jumps between Danny Geller going missing to three years into the future and shows how even though everyone has grown since the missing of Danny the fact he suddenly disappeared still affects them. His best friend Hannah feels lost without him and is trying to figure out any reason why he’d leave without a trace and not tell her. She blames herself. Danny’s mother blames herself. It’s a constant blame train.
I found at certain parts the writing became slow and I found that putting it down and leaving it for a while was the best thing to do but there were parts where I just couldn’t put the book down.
So let’s talk about the obvious: Danny comes home. The minute Danny returns there’s something totally off about him, from Hannah’s previous narrative about Danny you can tell that this Danny is changed and nothing like the Danny we’d thought we’d see. At first you believe that because he’s been missing for three years, possibly kidnapped that it’s understandable, but then as the story goes on Danny gets worse. He pushes away Hannah and he starts becoming cruel. Hannah couldn’t understand how her best friend could change so drastically. And of course she is the only one to notice it, and so she has to investigate. The truth is what is the most scary of all. Danny isn’t Danny. This boy standing in front of her isn’t who he says he is. And I honestly never saw it coming. Danny returned but it was never Danny in the first place. The reveal of Danny not being Danny but a French 22-year-old named Eric was no what I expected. I honestly thought Danny had got himself involved with something so he was pushing everyone away to protect them. Could I have been more wrong? Then things start to make sense, why Danny dropped swimming, why he treated people the way he did, why he didn’t seem to really care about his exams etc etc.
There was even more plot twists to come into play, at first I thought there was going to be a reveal that Alice, Danny’s younger sister, was going to be the daughter of Danny’s mum and Hannah’s dad, but I was wrong to think that. But Danny does have another sister, a half one. It’s Hannah. It’s revealed that the rift that came between Paul, Martha and Hannah’s dad is because Hannah’s mum had an affair with Paul just before Hannah was born. Hannah is Paul’s daughter. And this all came to light when it was revealed that the person Hannah thought was her dad couldn’t have children.
There was some parts of the story that I wished weren’t as dragged along as they were like how Hannah’s mother died. I felt that it was really unnecessary to drag it out so long. I can understand why the author left the reveal to were it was because it put Hannah in the position of her mother and gave her the strength to save herself and Eric.
Eric subtly reveals that he and Danny do know each other and that Danny is alive somewhere and yet leaves so many unanswered questions. The reason why he decided to become Danny was because he wanted to understand what it felt to have a family as he had lost his mother at a young age and never knew his father. And it wasn’t the first time he had done it. I find this shocking because it shows that you really can’t trust anyone, the person right in front of you could turn out to be a stranger.
The epilogue was great yet I feel myself wanting more. Danny and Hannah reunite. Hannah secretly goes to France to go and meet Eric to talk about what happened to Danny and everything before Eric disappeared back to France. And to say thank you Eric makes Danny go to the hotel which Hannah is staying at and they’re reunited. But I feel like I don’t know anything on the real reason why Danny disappeared and why he never returned home. From what Eric says Danny definitely has a reason but what is that reason? I have no idea. I really wanted to see Hannah and Danny rekindle their friendship and talk about their problems and this new information about them being half siblings come into light but I guess I’ll have to figure out everything myself.
It was definitely a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2017
1.5 stars. I cannot believe the good reviews of this book!
I have read a lot of thrillers and this really does not measure up (if you want a solid, realistic teen thriller with great characters try Saving Silence by Gina Blaxill - a billion times better than this). Where are the thrills? Where is the sense of menace? Where are the twists I was promised?
Spoilers below...
Thrillers can be plot driven as a genre. Even so, you should find out a little about the characters, yes? In this book, I know as little about MC Hannah by the end of the novel as I do at the start. What are her hobbies, what does she enjoy? I know about her closeness to Danny's family and a little about her relationship to her parents (her father is just wrapped up in his work - what a stereotype, yawn). She's entirely uninteresting and most of the other characters are similar cardboard cutouts. Some attempt is made at fleshing Danny out but even so, the author would have benefited by including some scenes of Danny and Hannah before he went missing to build up the characters and their bond. We are told they are friends repeatedly but because we never see this it falls flat.
The plot is also super predictable - if you've ever read any thrillers you will know that animal intuition is always right so the moment the dog growled at Danny once he returned I know he wasn't Danny. That he could not show up to medical appointments and successfully dye his hair without anyone noticing stretches credibility somewhat, and I was unconvinced when Eric said how easy it was to pretend to be another person and that he broke into houses and looked at items and learned how to be someone else that way... WTF? I rolled my eyes when it was revealed Danny had a birthmark and when Hannah realises Eric doesn't she knows he isn't Danny - DID NO ONE CHECK THIS WHEN VERIFYING DANNY'S IDENTITY?! What about the police? I never got any sense of threat from Eric once he was found out, and the reasons Danny ran away were never properly fleshed out - because we don't really meet him as a person it's hard to understand how his mind worked.
Also, how does a 13 year old disappear without trace and get to France without a passport?
Utterly beyond belief.
I also really disliked how the author threw in so many side characters at school and always gave their first name and surname - it just sounded stupid and too fored.
I did finish it, hence not a one star rating, but this is a poor, poor thriller.
I have read a lot of thrillers and this really does not measure up (if you want a solid, realistic teen thriller with great characters try Saving Silence by Gina Blaxill - a billion times better than this). Where are the thrills? Where is the sense of menace? Where are the twists I was promised?
Spoilers below...
Thrillers can be plot driven as a genre. Even so, you should find out a little about the characters, yes? In this book, I know as little about MC Hannah by the end of the novel as I do at the start. What are her hobbies, what does she enjoy? I know about her closeness to Danny's family and a little about her relationship to her parents (her father is just wrapped up in his work - what a stereotype, yawn). She's entirely uninteresting and most of the other characters are similar cardboard cutouts. Some attempt is made at fleshing Danny out but even so, the author would have benefited by including some scenes of Danny and Hannah before he went missing to build up the characters and their bond. We are told they are friends repeatedly but because we never see this it falls flat.
The plot is also super predictable - if you've ever read any thrillers you will know that animal intuition is always right so the moment the dog growled at Danny once he returned I know he wasn't Danny. That he could not show up to medical appointments and successfully dye his hair without anyone noticing stretches credibility somewhat, and I was unconvinced when Eric said how easy it was to pretend to be another person and that he broke into houses and looked at items and learned how to be someone else that way... WTF? I rolled my eyes when it was revealed Danny had a birthmark and when Hannah realises Eric doesn't she knows he isn't Danny - DID NO ONE CHECK THIS WHEN VERIFYING DANNY'S IDENTITY?! What about the police? I never got any sense of threat from Eric once he was found out, and the reasons Danny ran away were never properly fleshed out - because we don't really meet him as a person it's hard to understand how his mind worked.
Also, how does a 13 year old disappear without trace and get to France without a passport?
Utterly beyond belief.
I also really disliked how the author threw in so many side characters at school and always gave their first name and surname - it just sounded stupid and too fored.
I did finish it, hence not a one star rating, but this is a poor, poor thriller.
June 26, 2020
This is a re-read for me and my opinion has remained the same.
My previous brief review below:
- A good YA mystery, although the ending is predictable and I did ache for a more dramatic reveal than we got.
- Decent writing, pacing and plotting.
- I really liked Hannah as our main character and I really felt for her in a lot of the situations in the book. I wish we got some perspective from Danny too as I still don't quite know why he left. I think this would have added much more depth for the reader.
- I would overall recommend!
My previous brief review below:
- A good YA mystery, although the ending is predictable and I did ache for a more dramatic reveal than we got.
- Decent writing, pacing and plotting.
- I really liked Hannah as our main character and I really felt for her in a lot of the situations in the book. I wish we got some perspective from Danny too as I still don't quite know why he left. I think this would have added much more depth for the reader.
- I would overall recommend!
February 6, 2021
Which true story is this book based on? Because I still have absolutely no idea.
I'm going through a thriller phase at the moment and having picked up this book last month I decided it was the perfect time to read it (otherwise it will probably sit on my shelves for years). Having only gotten into read thrillers in the last couple of years I am yet to find the clichés of the genre annoying, which means that my reading experience is always quite positive. Unfortunately this book didn't quite hit the mark.
This book was pretty compelling, keeping me hooked with every twist that was thrown at us (even if I had managed to figure them out). I truly think that is a sign of good writing, to be able to keep a reader captivated even after they have figured out the plot direction of your novel. However it did feel quite flat, as if I was observing the plot from the outside, rather than truly being immersed in the story. By the time I got to the end of the novel I was just okay, not totally captivated but not bored either. Hence my 3 star rating.
The ending is left open, so you don't truly know how the story ends, but I think that is so often the case for missing persons cases. There is never really a moment of closure, of everything being fixed, and that was reflected within the story. I think the ending was perfect for the way the story went, leaving it up to the reader to decide how their lives are going to progress.
Having read this book I think I'm going to keep an eye out for Emma Haughton's other books in charity shops because it feels like an easy read that you could easily pick up and read in a couple of days.
I'm going through a thriller phase at the moment and having picked up this book last month I decided it was the perfect time to read it (otherwise it will probably sit on my shelves for years). Having only gotten into read thrillers in the last couple of years I am yet to find the clichés of the genre annoying, which means that my reading experience is always quite positive. Unfortunately this book didn't quite hit the mark.
This book was pretty compelling, keeping me hooked with every twist that was thrown at us (even if I had managed to figure them out). I truly think that is a sign of good writing, to be able to keep a reader captivated even after they have figured out the plot direction of your novel. However it did feel quite flat, as if I was observing the plot from the outside, rather than truly being immersed in the story. By the time I got to the end of the novel I was just okay, not totally captivated but not bored either. Hence my 3 star rating.
The ending is left open, so you don't truly know how the story ends, but I think that is so often the case for missing persons cases. There is never really a moment of closure, of everything being fixed, and that was reflected within the story. I think the ending was perfect for the way the story went, leaving it up to the reader to decide how their lives are going to progress.
Having read this book I think I'm going to keep an eye out for Emma Haughton's other books in charity shops because it feels like an easy read that you could easily pick up and read in a couple of days.
November 27, 2017
This was a good read with a good story line, it was fast paced and kept me reading. The reason i gave it 3 stars is that i found it overly predictable and then the final twist was so epically not plausible i was left going "seriously?" in my head. The author should have thought that through and chosen a different ending, would have greatly increased my lasting impression of this book.
December 13, 2017
Emma really twisted the plot Andi could never believe that what I was reading was actually happening in the story. The story has many things to learn from and how you don't need to pretend to be someone your not. But seriously the ending made me cry cause it wasn't the easiest way to find your best friend
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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