What do you think?
Rate this book
DS Claire Boyle #1
Can Anybody Help Me?
It was crazy really, she had never met the woman, had no idea of her real name but she thought of her as a friend. Or, at least, the closest thing she had to a friend in Dublin.
Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?
But when the body of a young woman with striking similarities to Yvonne’s missing friend is found, Yvonne realises that they’re all in terrifying danger. Can she persuade Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself about to go on maternity leave, to take her fears seriously?
Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?
But when the body of a young woman with striking similarities to Yvonne’s missing friend is found, Yvonne realises that they’re all in terrifying danger. Can she persuade Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself about to go on maternity leave, to take her fears seriously?
353 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2014
88 people are currently reading
1804 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
August 6, 2019
Wow! What a brilliant debut!
She tried to stay away from the topic of Réaltín but failed. He said he didn't mind, just poured her another glass of wine. This time she savored it. It was nice, feeling like this. Relaxed. A bit tired. But happy. Not drunk. But happy.
Not drunk, but then drunk, or something like it. She sipped at the wine again and blinked as a fog enveloped her. Weird feeling. Distant. Strange. She shook her head gently. Drank wine a lot, at home. 'Woush ent ushually.... ' She tried to say the words, but her tongue was too thick, too dry. Stupid. Headache.....
"Afther, Drinkintoomuch."
"Ah, no, you're grand."
New mum Miriam Twohy left her new baby girl, Réaltín, with her parents for the first night out since her baby was born.
She never made it home.
A week later, she's found dead in an empty apartment building.
A new mum herself, Yvonne Mulhern thinks Miriam sounds very much like her online friend, Mybabba. Yvonne, who calls herself Londonmum, met Mybabba through an online support group for new mams called Metmammy but she hasn't seen any recent posts from her. Worried, Yvonne notifies the police, known as the guard in Ireland, and is told that the information will be passed on to the team investigating Miriam's case. Then, Yvonne sees a new post from Mybabba saying that she went on a short vacation. Relieved that her friend is safe and sound, Yvonne thinks nothing more of it.
Halfway through her pregnancy Yvonne Mulhern and her husband, Gerry, moved from London to Dublin for his new high-paying job on a popular network television program, Ireland 24 staring Eamonn Teevan. Now, following the birth of their baby girl, Roísín, Yvonne is struggling. Gerry is working nearly 24/7 and isn't around to help with the new baby. So Yvonne is happy and greatful to have the support given to her by her 'friends' on Netmammy.
DI Claire Boyle, who is pregnant herself, is in charge of the investigation into the murder of Miriam Twohy. The leads are few and far between and the case has stalled.
When she finds herself on bedrest and off the case due to high BP and with three months left to her due date, Clair is looking for an outlet to complain about her situation. Then she comes across Netmammy.
At first she thinks it's stupid to complain about changing dirty nappies, different types of bottles, and useless husbands. Then again, maybe someone knows something about her situation and deciding it can't hurt she goes online as Sofabound and reaches out about advice. After getting a few responses she's surprised at how helpful it seems to be.
Sofabound
"Not on total bedrest no. Have been told if things stabilize I can do a small bit, meet people for coffee maybe. But absolutely no work" ☹
Jeepers. Typing the sad face icon actually worked. Sitting at the end of her message was a cute, weeping Smiley. Claire tries it again.☺ Now the smiley had a big grin on his face. She deleted her draft message and checked the thread again.
Londonmum
"Work schmurk. ☺. Take care of yourself for a few weeks and hopefully things will work out. Looking forward to chatting with you" ☺
'Me too,' Good God, she almost meant it.
But something about the name of the site, Netmammy, is niggling the back of her mind. Where has she heard that before?
Really, they were making the whole thing far too easy. It wasn't enough to advertise their little gathering on the internet, right there in public so that anyone could read it, they had to position themselves by the front gate of the park, positively inviting attention. It would be rude not to take a closer look. Meet in a public place. That was one of the main rules of the internet, wasn't it? Meet in a public place. Safety in numbers. What they didn't realize was that the numbers gave him safety two. No one noticed one extra person in the crowd.
Just how dangerous is chatting on an online support group for new mums called Netmammy? Another unsuspecting mum is about to find out.
This frightening thriller sits front and center in today's world of internet crime. Author sinead brings the terrifying possibilities of becoming a victim of crime as a result of sharing personal information about yourself to the world with just a few seemingly harmless details online. Do we really know whom we are talking to? How do we know if the people calling themselves 'friends' don't mean us any harm? The bottom line is... We do not. Not for sure.
Can Anybody Help Me? by Sinéad Crowley is her debut novel which is surprising as it reads like a novel written by an accomplished veteran.
She is obviously a very talented and clever writer, one in which I will be reading more of in the near future! To say that I'm impressed would be an understatement!
The writing is fluid, the pace is fast, and storyline is more than realistic as this type of crime is far from being fictional dropping just how easy it is to fall prey to an online predator right in your lap. I grew quite fond of DI Claire Boyle from the very start, enjoying her tanasity in wanting to solve this crime. The way that the predator honed in the women in the group is creepy and it made me shudder.
The sensation of danger throughout this book is like thick, wet air that sits heavy in your lungs, not allowing you to breathe properly until the last page. I hadn't realized that I'd been holding my breath whilst sitting frozen stiff in my chair!
I was startled by the skillful twist at the end! Be prepared to have plans to read the second installation of the DI Claire Boyle series, Are You Watching Me, as Sinéad Crowley cruelly leaves readers a tantalizing, unfinished conclusion!
If you're not left questioning just how much you share about yourself online......
She tried to stay away from the topic of Réaltín but failed. He said he didn't mind, just poured her another glass of wine. This time she savored it. It was nice, feeling like this. Relaxed. A bit tired. But happy. Not drunk. But happy.
Not drunk, but then drunk, or something like it. She sipped at the wine again and blinked as a fog enveloped her. Weird feeling. Distant. Strange. She shook her head gently. Drank wine a lot, at home. 'Woush ent ushually.... ' She tried to say the words, but her tongue was too thick, too dry. Stupid. Headache.....
"Afther, Drinkintoomuch."
"Ah, no, you're grand."
New mum Miriam Twohy left her new baby girl, Réaltín, with her parents for the first night out since her baby was born.
She never made it home.
A week later, she's found dead in an empty apartment building.
A new mum herself, Yvonne Mulhern thinks Miriam sounds very much like her online friend, Mybabba. Yvonne, who calls herself Londonmum, met Mybabba through an online support group for new mams called Metmammy but she hasn't seen any recent posts from her. Worried, Yvonne notifies the police, known as the guard in Ireland, and is told that the information will be passed on to the team investigating Miriam's case. Then, Yvonne sees a new post from Mybabba saying that she went on a short vacation. Relieved that her friend is safe and sound, Yvonne thinks nothing more of it.
Halfway through her pregnancy Yvonne Mulhern and her husband, Gerry, moved from London to Dublin for his new high-paying job on a popular network television program, Ireland 24 staring Eamonn Teevan. Now, following the birth of their baby girl, Roísín, Yvonne is struggling. Gerry is working nearly 24/7 and isn't around to help with the new baby. So Yvonne is happy and greatful to have the support given to her by her 'friends' on Netmammy.
DI Claire Boyle, who is pregnant herself, is in charge of the investigation into the murder of Miriam Twohy. The leads are few and far between and the case has stalled.
When she finds herself on bedrest and off the case due to high BP and with three months left to her due date, Clair is looking for an outlet to complain about her situation. Then she comes across Netmammy.
At first she thinks it's stupid to complain about changing dirty nappies, different types of bottles, and useless husbands. Then again, maybe someone knows something about her situation and deciding it can't hurt she goes online as Sofabound and reaches out about advice. After getting a few responses she's surprised at how helpful it seems to be.
Sofabound
"Not on total bedrest no. Have been told if things stabilize I can do a small bit, meet people for coffee maybe. But absolutely no work" ☹
Jeepers. Typing the sad face icon actually worked. Sitting at the end of her message was a cute, weeping Smiley. Claire tries it again.☺ Now the smiley had a big grin on his face. She deleted her draft message and checked the thread again.
Londonmum
"Work schmurk. ☺. Take care of yourself for a few weeks and hopefully things will work out. Looking forward to chatting with you" ☺
'Me too,' Good God, she almost meant it.
But something about the name of the site, Netmammy, is niggling the back of her mind. Where has she heard that before?
Really, they were making the whole thing far too easy. It wasn't enough to advertise their little gathering on the internet, right there in public so that anyone could read it, they had to position themselves by the front gate of the park, positively inviting attention. It would be rude not to take a closer look. Meet in a public place. That was one of the main rules of the internet, wasn't it? Meet in a public place. Safety in numbers. What they didn't realize was that the numbers gave him safety two. No one noticed one extra person in the crowd.
Just how dangerous is chatting on an online support group for new mums called Netmammy? Another unsuspecting mum is about to find out.
This frightening thriller sits front and center in today's world of internet crime. Author sinead brings the terrifying possibilities of becoming a victim of crime as a result of sharing personal information about yourself to the world with just a few seemingly harmless details online. Do we really know whom we are talking to? How do we know if the people calling themselves 'friends' don't mean us any harm? The bottom line is... We do not. Not for sure.
Can Anybody Help Me? by Sinéad Crowley is her debut novel which is surprising as it reads like a novel written by an accomplished veteran.
She is obviously a very talented and clever writer, one in which I will be reading more of in the near future! To say that I'm impressed would be an understatement!
The writing is fluid, the pace is fast, and storyline is more than realistic as this type of crime is far from being fictional dropping just how easy it is to fall prey to an online predator right in your lap. I grew quite fond of DI Claire Boyle from the very start, enjoying her tanasity in wanting to solve this crime. The way that the predator honed in the women in the group is creepy and it made me shudder.
The sensation of danger throughout this book is like thick, wet air that sits heavy in your lungs, not allowing you to breathe properly until the last page. I hadn't realized that I'd been holding my breath whilst sitting frozen stiff in my chair!
I was startled by the skillful twist at the end! Be prepared to have plans to read the second installation of the DI Claire Boyle series, Are You Watching Me, as Sinéad Crowley cruelly leaves readers a tantalizing, unfinished conclusion!
If you're not left questioning just how much you share about yourself online......
August 1, 2019
I have to be honest, I was expecting a lot more from this book, including more finesse around the writing itself. For me this was a quick easy read, easy to digest over a few hours but did not stand out as anything spectacular really.
What's it all about?
It was crazy really, she had never met the woman, had no idea of her real name but she thought of her as a friend. Or, at least, the closest thing she had to a friend in Dublin.
Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?
But when the body of a young woman with striking similarities to Yvonne's missing friend is found, Yvonne realises that they're all in terrifying danger. Can she persuade Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself about to go on maternity leave, to take her fears seriously?
My Review:
The book focuses on an online forum of mums that are connecting on a website called "NetMammy", so the book certainly plugs into current online trends in the way people communicate with each other. Some of the book is written as if you are privy to reading the actual online commentary between the mums, including their online names. At first I thought this was a quirky aspect to the book, after a bit of it I got quite bored and found it was getting to be overdone a touch.
Claire Boyle is a copper, she is also pregnant herself and gets involved in the investigation of a young women uncovered in an unused apartment in Dublin, she's a young mum (the victim) and it's a horrendously sad crime. Claire features then throughout the rest of the novel.
It's very hard to write a review of this book without giving too many spoilers, but the entire book essentially uses the web forum as a central point of theme, all other stories spin out around it. I found it at times a bit unrealistic and was also very frustrated with poor editing throughout the released Kindle version of this book, some of it was really blatantly bad. Could do with a re-edit.
Then there are paragraphs and sentences that just had me having to re-read them, for example:
There were three other customers in the place: a young high-viz-jacketed worker with razor-sharp Eastern European cheekbones, who was busily dissecting an all-day breakfast.
Ahem? You can tell the nationality of someone by their cheekbones? In a cafe, in a moment? Exceptional, and the use-of-the-hyphen-is-maybe-a-touch-over-the-top?
This took away at times from enjoying the plot of the book as I went over some paragraphs over and over again to check what I was reading. There are errors that are obvious too. In this same scene in the book two Danish Pastries are bought to eat, but over the page, the character is biting into "her cake", then it's back to a Danish again. Just a bit sloppy and obvious.
HOWEVER It's not all bad, it picks up pace as it goes along as more events happen, more crime, more questions. Whilst it's not the best thriller I have read ever, it's not the worst either and I did really like the twist at the end regarding the character of Yvonne that I did not see coming one bit. Huge spoiler that one, but you can read and find out for yourselves.
It's a three star read for me, mediocre, but readable.
What's it all about?
It was crazy really, she had never met the woman, had no idea of her real name but she thought of her as a friend. Or, at least, the closest thing she had to a friend in Dublin.
Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?
But when the body of a young woman with striking similarities to Yvonne's missing friend is found, Yvonne realises that they're all in terrifying danger. Can she persuade Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself about to go on maternity leave, to take her fears seriously?
My Review:
The book focuses on an online forum of mums that are connecting on a website called "NetMammy", so the book certainly plugs into current online trends in the way people communicate with each other. Some of the book is written as if you are privy to reading the actual online commentary between the mums, including their online names. At first I thought this was a quirky aspect to the book, after a bit of it I got quite bored and found it was getting to be overdone a touch.
Claire Boyle is a copper, she is also pregnant herself and gets involved in the investigation of a young women uncovered in an unused apartment in Dublin, she's a young mum (the victim) and it's a horrendously sad crime. Claire features then throughout the rest of the novel.
It's very hard to write a review of this book without giving too many spoilers, but the entire book essentially uses the web forum as a central point of theme, all other stories spin out around it. I found it at times a bit unrealistic and was also very frustrated with poor editing throughout the released Kindle version of this book, some of it was really blatantly bad. Could do with a re-edit.
Then there are paragraphs and sentences that just had me having to re-read them, for example:
There were three other customers in the place: a young high-viz-jacketed worker with razor-sharp Eastern European cheekbones, who was busily dissecting an all-day breakfast.
Ahem? You can tell the nationality of someone by their cheekbones? In a cafe, in a moment? Exceptional, and the use-of-the-hyphen-is-maybe-a-touch-over-the-top?
This took away at times from enjoying the plot of the book as I went over some paragraphs over and over again to check what I was reading. There are errors that are obvious too. In this same scene in the book two Danish Pastries are bought to eat, but over the page, the character is biting into "her cake", then it's back to a Danish again. Just a bit sloppy and obvious.
HOWEVER It's not all bad, it picks up pace as it goes along as more events happen, more crime, more questions. Whilst it's not the best thriller I have read ever, it's not the worst either and I did really like the twist at the end regarding the character of Yvonne that I did not see coming one bit. Huge spoiler that one, but you can read and find out for yourselves.
It's a three star read for me, mediocre, but readable.
September 20, 2015
I have had to give this wonderful thriller 5 stars. Rather than tell you what the story is about as you can see this from the blurb, I'll focus a little on how I felt and reacted to what I have read.
I was lucky to get a complimentary book from Quercus Books via Net Galley and was anxious to read it. The description of what the book was about grabbed my interest. I wasn't wrong in my assumptions that I would like this book, I actually loved this book!
The storyline grabbed my attention from the first page and continued to keep my enthralling interest throughout. I had to put the book down at times due to life commitments, but if I could have just sat and read this in one sitting, I certainly would have as I wanted to keep picking my Kindle up. For me, this is a good sign!
The plot was very well handled and kept me guessing throughout the story.
I loved the touch of the 'up to date' technology of a Netmums forum which played a huge part in book. It was very cleverly done and very cleverly worked out.
I'm going to be looking for more of this authors books, as if they are anything like this one, I'm going to have my nose stuck in books for a very long time!
I was lucky to get a complimentary book from Quercus Books via Net Galley and was anxious to read it. The description of what the book was about grabbed my interest. I wasn't wrong in my assumptions that I would like this book, I actually loved this book!
The storyline grabbed my attention from the first page and continued to keep my enthralling interest throughout. I had to put the book down at times due to life commitments, but if I could have just sat and read this in one sitting, I certainly would have as I wanted to keep picking my Kindle up. For me, this is a good sign!
The plot was very well handled and kept me guessing throughout the story.
I loved the touch of the 'up to date' technology of a Netmums forum which played a huge part in book. It was very cleverly done and very cleverly worked out.
I'm going to be looking for more of this authors books, as if they are anything like this one, I'm going to have my nose stuck in books for a very long time!
February 28, 2017
It's been a long time since a book had kept me up at 2am because I couldn't stop reading, but this one did.
A thriller about an Irish internet chat room for mothers, the story centres around pregnant Sergeant Claire Boyle and new mother Yvonne.
Yvonne relies on the netmammy forum for company as she has recently moved from London with her Husband so doesn't know anybody in Ireland. When a murdered young woman's body is discovered, Yvonne believes that she a friend from netmammy. Claire Boyle is assigned to the case, but being pregnant, she is struggling with attitudes towards her at work and feeling exhausted.
I loved Claire and she was such a refreshing change to the usual hardened Police Sergeants that a lot of authors tend to write. Boyle has her own demons of course, but she doesn't cope with them by binge-drinking or pill popping that is so common place in police thrillers.
Yvonne was an interesting character too, she is naive but likeable.
The story certainly makes you think about how much you should share on-line and who we can really trust. Highly recommended!
A thriller about an Irish internet chat room for mothers, the story centres around pregnant Sergeant Claire Boyle and new mother Yvonne.
Yvonne relies on the netmammy forum for company as she has recently moved from London with her Husband so doesn't know anybody in Ireland. When a murdered young woman's body is discovered, Yvonne believes that she a friend from netmammy. Claire Boyle is assigned to the case, but being pregnant, she is struggling with attitudes towards her at work and feeling exhausted.
I loved Claire and she was such a refreshing change to the usual hardened Police Sergeants that a lot of authors tend to write. Boyle has her own demons of course, but she doesn't cope with them by binge-drinking or pill popping that is so common place in police thrillers.
Yvonne was an interesting character too, she is naive but likeable.
The story certainly makes you think about how much you should share on-line and who we can really trust. Highly recommended!
June 3, 2014
Do you really know all the people you talk to on the internet? You may think you do, after all, we all give out little snippets of our private lives and thoughts on online forums, Twitter and Facebook, sometimes disclosing more than we mean to but unless you have actually met the people, they are still strangers at the end of a mouse click.
The story begins with Yvonne, newly married, a new mum and struggling to get to grips with a move from London to Dublin. Her husband is always busy working and never seems to have time for her and so she turns to an online forum “netmammy” for advice and support. When one of the mums that she is particularly friendly with disappears from the forum, coinciding with a woman’s body found in an apartment building, she is worried enough to contact the police with her fears but then thinks she is being silly. After all there is no real reason to believe that her online buddy is the same woman and they had never met.
Investigating the death is Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself pregnant and feeling the strain of a busy job. Well-meaning colleagues try to tell her to take it easy, but her own pride stops her from admitting that she is struggling and she is determined to carry on as usual even if she has to drop with exhaustion. She operates on gut instinct and is not adverse to breaking the rules if needed. I thought she was a great character and would love to see her return in a future book.
The narration includes text of conversations from the online forum throughout the story - initially for me this did slow things down and I was anxious to get back to the main story but then I realised that I did need to pay attention to these as they are relevant to the plot. This is a well-structured and convincing psychological / crime thriller concerning the dangers of the internet. The characters are extremely well crafted and realistic with flaws and insecurities.
Without giving any of the plot away, the pace of the story and the mounting tension will keep you turning the pages. I had my own theories on who the perpetrator was but was completely taken by surprise by the killer twist at the end.
This was an excellent debut novel, refreshingly different in its construction and if nothing else, should make us think twice about what we share online! I can't wait to see what Ms Crowley comes up with next.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy to review.
The story begins with Yvonne, newly married, a new mum and struggling to get to grips with a move from London to Dublin. Her husband is always busy working and never seems to have time for her and so she turns to an online forum “netmammy” for advice and support. When one of the mums that she is particularly friendly with disappears from the forum, coinciding with a woman’s body found in an apartment building, she is worried enough to contact the police with her fears but then thinks she is being silly. After all there is no real reason to believe that her online buddy is the same woman and they had never met.
Investigating the death is Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself pregnant and feeling the strain of a busy job. Well-meaning colleagues try to tell her to take it easy, but her own pride stops her from admitting that she is struggling and she is determined to carry on as usual even if she has to drop with exhaustion. She operates on gut instinct and is not adverse to breaking the rules if needed. I thought she was a great character and would love to see her return in a future book.
The narration includes text of conversations from the online forum throughout the story - initially for me this did slow things down and I was anxious to get back to the main story but then I realised that I did need to pay attention to these as they are relevant to the plot. This is a well-structured and convincing psychological / crime thriller concerning the dangers of the internet. The characters are extremely well crafted and realistic with flaws and insecurities.
Without giving any of the plot away, the pace of the story and the mounting tension will keep you turning the pages. I had my own theories on who the perpetrator was but was completely taken by surprise by the killer twist at the end.
This was an excellent debut novel, refreshingly different in its construction and if nothing else, should make us think twice about what we share online! I can't wait to see what Ms Crowley comes up with next.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy to review.
April 27, 2014
Publication Date: 1st May 2014 from Quercus.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?
A cleverly plotted, realistically frightening yet addictive story this one, with some intriguing and darkly fascinating twists and turns that kept me reading into the early hours of the morning. At the end of it I was left seriously considering the terrifying amounts of personal information there is out there on the internet about me and mine, and indeed about you and yours…
Yvonne is struggling with new parenthood and finds comfort in the online parenting forum NetMammy, where other Mums like herself discuss the daily grind of life with young children. The beauty and shrewdness of this story comes in the simple things – when asking for advice, you can inadvertantly tell an anonymous voice on the web a great deal about yourself. When someone she has been “close” to online seemingly vanishes, and she reads in the paper about a body being found, her mind connects the two. Dismissing it as unlikely, Yvonne moves on and further into danger.
Some great characters here – not least Sergeant Claire Boyle, pregnant herself, practical, resourceful and completely comitted to her job sometimes to the detriment of her own health – I hope she appears again, so involved did I get in her life. Yvonne and the other “NetMammy” parents are all brilliantly authentic and easy to connect with, they are as real to me as anyone and even now I’m sure I shall wonder what they are doing..
A very relevant and enthralling mystery story, a terrific and compelling look at life lived through social media and all in all an outstanding and gripping tale that will truly spook you. There is not a single thing in here that could not easily happen in reality – and that, as always, is far more unsettling than any horror story.
Fantastic. Highly Recommended. I will resist the urge to delete my entire online profile..
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?
A cleverly plotted, realistically frightening yet addictive story this one, with some intriguing and darkly fascinating twists and turns that kept me reading into the early hours of the morning. At the end of it I was left seriously considering the terrifying amounts of personal information there is out there on the internet about me and mine, and indeed about you and yours…
Yvonne is struggling with new parenthood and finds comfort in the online parenting forum NetMammy, where other Mums like herself discuss the daily grind of life with young children. The beauty and shrewdness of this story comes in the simple things – when asking for advice, you can inadvertantly tell an anonymous voice on the web a great deal about yourself. When someone she has been “close” to online seemingly vanishes, and she reads in the paper about a body being found, her mind connects the two. Dismissing it as unlikely, Yvonne moves on and further into danger.
Some great characters here – not least Sergeant Claire Boyle, pregnant herself, practical, resourceful and completely comitted to her job sometimes to the detriment of her own health – I hope she appears again, so involved did I get in her life. Yvonne and the other “NetMammy” parents are all brilliantly authentic and easy to connect with, they are as real to me as anyone and even now I’m sure I shall wonder what they are doing..
A very relevant and enthralling mystery story, a terrific and compelling look at life lived through social media and all in all an outstanding and gripping tale that will truly spook you. There is not a single thing in here that could not easily happen in reality – and that, as always, is far more unsettling than any horror story.
Fantastic. Highly Recommended. I will resist the urge to delete my entire online profile..
April 16, 2014
Yvonne is a young mother, whose life changed very quickly after meeting handsome executive television producer, Gerry Mulhern. After dating only a few months, she found herself pregnant, married and relocating from London to Dublin. Now, staying home with her baby daughter Roisin, she feels lonely, constantly tired and tearful, and judged by her new mother in law. Unwilling to join local mother and baby groups, she turns for companionship and advice to an online forum called NetMammy. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle is juggling her demanding job with being pregnant with her first child and a husband who is concerned she is over-doing things. When a young mother is found murdered, Yvonne is certain that the victim is a woman she knew online, but who will believe her?
This is a very interesting novel, which is not only a fast paced and exciting thriller, but asks some interesting questions about the personal information which people give out online. Are the people you become ‘friends’ with online, who they really say they are? Surely it is better to engage with people in the real world, rather than on online forums and chat rooms? Yet, there is no doubt that the internet is ideal for linking up people with the same interests – whether it is train enthusiasts or first time mothers. Certainly, many people invest a great deal in online friendships and this phenomenon is explored in this novel. The author does a great job of showing Yvonne as a slightly confused first time mother, who feels under pressure and suspects that others view her as not coping. Meanwhile, Claire longs to do her job while resenting the limits that pregnancy is putting on her body. When she realises the link between the online support group and the murder, she knows that she has to work fast before there are more deaths. ..
This is an exciting and relevant read, which I feel all mother, in particular, will respond to. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, for review,
This is a very interesting novel, which is not only a fast paced and exciting thriller, but asks some interesting questions about the personal information which people give out online. Are the people you become ‘friends’ with online, who they really say they are? Surely it is better to engage with people in the real world, rather than on online forums and chat rooms? Yet, there is no doubt that the internet is ideal for linking up people with the same interests – whether it is train enthusiasts or first time mothers. Certainly, many people invest a great deal in online friendships and this phenomenon is explored in this novel. The author does a great job of showing Yvonne as a slightly confused first time mother, who feels under pressure and suspects that others view her as not coping. Meanwhile, Claire longs to do her job while resenting the limits that pregnancy is putting on her body. When she realises the link between the online support group and the murder, she knows that she has to work fast before there are more deaths. ..
This is an exciting and relevant read, which I feel all mother, in particular, will respond to. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, for review,
November 25, 2015
NetMommy is an online support forum for mothers or mothers-to-be. People are not as anonymous as they think they are .. especially when they're doling out personal information in small doses over a long period of time.
Sergeant Clair Boyle, who is pregnant herself, is investigating the death of a young woman. As it so happens, someone has already called and potentially identified her as one of the 'mommies'. And then another 'mommie' is found ...supposedly a victim of suicide, although her husband and family do not report anything wrong in the days leading up to her death.
Someone is gathering the information from the forum and impersonating the missing women ... then leading them to their deaths.
The book started out as interesting, but I kept expecting it to get better .. to develop into something suspenseful. It didn't. The characters seemed like cardboard .. except for Clair. The ending did surprise me, but it was almost anti-climatic.
Sergeant Clair Boyle, who is pregnant herself, is investigating the death of a young woman. As it so happens, someone has already called and potentially identified her as one of the 'mommies'. And then another 'mommie' is found ...supposedly a victim of suicide, although her husband and family do not report anything wrong in the days leading up to her death.
Someone is gathering the information from the forum and impersonating the missing women ... then leading them to their deaths.
The book started out as interesting, but I kept expecting it to get better .. to develop into something suspenseful. It didn't. The characters seemed like cardboard .. except for Clair. The ending did surprise me, but it was almost anti-climatic.
July 25, 2015
Thanks to NetGalley.Com for supplying an advanced reading copy of this book.......
New mothers can feel alone. Nervous, anxious, tired and scared. When the euphoria of the first few days wears off and the bunches of flowers are starting to shrivel in their vases, the cards are gathering dust on the mantlepiece and the hubby has gone back to work, all of a sudden the loneliness can set in and reality bites. Some people walk for miles with their newborns, pounding the streets with their three wheelers, others meet friends for endless cups of coffee and compare baby stories and milestones. Some mothers don't have anyone to meet so go online to meet other mothers and let off some steam. Mother and baby websites are now a huge industry and a quick search on Google will show you the diverse topics these women are discussing. Sinead Crowley uses this premise to write a chilling novel with great effect.
Yvonne is a member of netmammy, an online forum for mothers, and enjoys her chats with women in similar circumstances to her. She is new to Ireland and these women are her only link with the outside world. Her husband works crazy hours and she needs company. When one of the users stops posting messages on the forum and a woman is reported missing, Yvonne fears the worst.
In the meantime, Sergeant Claire Boyle is working the missing person case and, as she is pregnant, decides to also join netmammy. But then another user stops posting comments. Is there a connection? How much can a person really know about an internet friend? Are privacy settings really private?
This is Sinead Crowley's debut novel and it's a cracker! She manages to grab the reader's attention from the very first page and just does not let go. I read this in one sitting. I literally could not put it down. Each chapter had me gagging for the next and the characters were totally believable. It was clever to combine the investigation with a pregnant member of staff and to have a character who is not flawless, but real. The writing is simple and easy going, making for a real page turner. There are no "filler" chapters and the end creeps up on you before you know it. The author has produced a feisty little thriller which will have us all more aware of our online activities for a while.
New mothers can feel alone. Nervous, anxious, tired and scared. When the euphoria of the first few days wears off and the bunches of flowers are starting to shrivel in their vases, the cards are gathering dust on the mantlepiece and the hubby has gone back to work, all of a sudden the loneliness can set in and reality bites. Some people walk for miles with their newborns, pounding the streets with their three wheelers, others meet friends for endless cups of coffee and compare baby stories and milestones. Some mothers don't have anyone to meet so go online to meet other mothers and let off some steam. Mother and baby websites are now a huge industry and a quick search on Google will show you the diverse topics these women are discussing. Sinead Crowley uses this premise to write a chilling novel with great effect.
Yvonne is a member of netmammy, an online forum for mothers, and enjoys her chats with women in similar circumstances to her. She is new to Ireland and these women are her only link with the outside world. Her husband works crazy hours and she needs company. When one of the users stops posting messages on the forum and a woman is reported missing, Yvonne fears the worst.
In the meantime, Sergeant Claire Boyle is working the missing person case and, as she is pregnant, decides to also join netmammy. But then another user stops posting comments. Is there a connection? How much can a person really know about an internet friend? Are privacy settings really private?
This is Sinead Crowley's debut novel and it's a cracker! She manages to grab the reader's attention from the very first page and just does not let go. I read this in one sitting. I literally could not put it down. Each chapter had me gagging for the next and the characters were totally believable. It was clever to combine the investigation with a pregnant member of staff and to have a character who is not flawless, but real. The writing is simple and easy going, making for a real page turner. There are no "filler" chapters and the end creeps up on you before you know it. The author has produced a feisty little thriller which will have us all more aware of our online activities for a while.
May 26, 2018
I really enjoyed this story. I thought the story and the layout was a little different that makes this novel stand out.
Can Anybody Help Me is about Yvonne and Gerry who have recently moved from London to Dublin in Ireland. As Yvonne is a mum she feels slightly cut off with no friends.
Yvonne decides to join an online forum , netmammy for support. The netmummies are together when needed, they post messages to each other giving each other advice.
Yvonne really feels like she knows them. She talks online to woman and has no idea of her name, but thought of her asthe closest thing she had as a friend in Dublin.
While Yvonne is watching the news one evening with Gerry there is news flash about a young woman of twenty six from Dublin that has disappeared and who has a child of twenty two months old.
Yvonne seems to think that this woman was a friend of hers on the netmummies parenting forums, as there is one mum who yvonne has sent messages to but got no reply.
I think that Melissa Hill's review on the front cover of this book is very right I agree with Melissa. Can Anybody Help Me? is brilliantly original and truly riveting story, full of well-crafted characters and a shocker of a twist that you will not see coming. Once you start reading this. you will not be able to stop.
Can Anybody Help Me is about Yvonne and Gerry who have recently moved from London to Dublin in Ireland. As Yvonne is a mum she feels slightly cut off with no friends.
Yvonne decides to join an online forum , netmammy for support. The netmummies are together when needed, they post messages to each other giving each other advice.
Yvonne really feels like she knows them. She talks online to woman and has no idea of her name, but thought of her asthe closest thing she had as a friend in Dublin.
While Yvonne is watching the news one evening with Gerry there is news flash about a young woman of twenty six from Dublin that has disappeared and who has a child of twenty two months old.
Yvonne seems to think that this woman was a friend of hers on the netmummies parenting forums, as there is one mum who yvonne has sent messages to but got no reply.
I think that Melissa Hill's review on the front cover of this book is very right I agree with Melissa. Can Anybody Help Me? is brilliantly original and truly riveting story, full of well-crafted characters and a shocker of a twist that you will not see coming. Once you start reading this. you will not be able to stop.
June 3, 2014
An internet parenting forum doesn’t sound the most likely place for a creepy murder tale to unfold. But that’s just what happens here in this chilling, goose-bump inducing read. Be warned, you may never feel secure meeting any online friend again!
First Line of Can Anybody Help Me?
“It was the ‘Mum’ that did it.”
My Thoughts on Can Anybody Help Me?
The brief version of this review is I loved it! The social media setting was so familiar and that made it all the more realistic and frightening. The book centres around a bunch of mums that chat anonymously on a parenting forum but unbeknownst to them, an unsavoury person is lurking in there with them. A person with zero morals, the worst of intentions and who can skilfully lull the women into a false sense of security.
I have to admit; I was once an active member of forum like this. The most well known parenting forum in Ireland is ‘rollercoaster’ and when I was undergoing fertility treatment; the TTC board was my life saviour. I talked to others in the same situation daily as I felt like no one in my real life knew what I was going through. So I totally get how addictive these boards get and how you can let your guard down as you really feel like you are amongst friends. And I’ve watched in disbelief as some people gave out way too many identifying details.
So this book felt so real to me. I can understand how these friendships develop and while the majority of time, they are real, you always need to consider the alternative. There is always that danger of not knowing just who you are talking to or what their motives are. So the setting was a huge part of why I loved the book. The chatty, friendly, supportive tone of the women (and the inevitable bitchy know-it-all troll) contrasted strongly with the evil acts of the murderer.
The POV’s changed a bit during the book. Not in an annoying way as it was always clear who was talking and I found this format really kept me engaged with the book. And I also liked both main characters – Lorraine and Claire. They were intelligent, determined women and it was easy to relate to both of them.
I was kept guessing the whole way through. I thought I guessed who the murderer was and felt a bit disappointed that it was that easy to predict but that was only because I was backing the wrong horse. When the twist came, I was full of appreciation for how it slotted in. And I enjoyed spending time reflecting back on a few earlier scenes to piece it all together whilst muttering of course, of course under my breath.
I love my thrillers and I really love those with an Irish setting. So I’m delighted that I have found a new author to add to my list of must-buy authors in this genre. As a debut novel, I loved that the author nailed the twist and I’m looking forward to more from Sinead in the future.
Overall a very easy to read, entertaining book with interesting characters and a killer twist!
Who should read Can Anybody Help Me?
I’d recommend this to fans of psychological thriller books especially if you’ve ever participated on an internet forum as you will really get it. If you like authors like Mary Higgins Clarke, Samantha Hayes or Linwood Barclay then you should also enjoy this one.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Quercus Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
First Line of Can Anybody Help Me?
“It was the ‘Mum’ that did it.”
My Thoughts on Can Anybody Help Me?
The brief version of this review is I loved it! The social media setting was so familiar and that made it all the more realistic and frightening. The book centres around a bunch of mums that chat anonymously on a parenting forum but unbeknownst to them, an unsavoury person is lurking in there with them. A person with zero morals, the worst of intentions and who can skilfully lull the women into a false sense of security.
I have to admit; I was once an active member of forum like this. The most well known parenting forum in Ireland is ‘rollercoaster’ and when I was undergoing fertility treatment; the TTC board was my life saviour. I talked to others in the same situation daily as I felt like no one in my real life knew what I was going through. So I totally get how addictive these boards get and how you can let your guard down as you really feel like you are amongst friends. And I’ve watched in disbelief as some people gave out way too many identifying details.
So this book felt so real to me. I can understand how these friendships develop and while the majority of time, they are real, you always need to consider the alternative. There is always that danger of not knowing just who you are talking to or what their motives are. So the setting was a huge part of why I loved the book. The chatty, friendly, supportive tone of the women (and the inevitable bitchy know-it-all troll) contrasted strongly with the evil acts of the murderer.
The POV’s changed a bit during the book. Not in an annoying way as it was always clear who was talking and I found this format really kept me engaged with the book. And I also liked both main characters – Lorraine and Claire. They were intelligent, determined women and it was easy to relate to both of them.
I was kept guessing the whole way through. I thought I guessed who the murderer was and felt a bit disappointed that it was that easy to predict but that was only because I was backing the wrong horse. When the twist came, I was full of appreciation for how it slotted in. And I enjoyed spending time reflecting back on a few earlier scenes to piece it all together whilst muttering of course, of course under my breath.
I love my thrillers and I really love those with an Irish setting. So I’m delighted that I have found a new author to add to my list of must-buy authors in this genre. As a debut novel, I loved that the author nailed the twist and I’m looking forward to more from Sinead in the future.
Overall a very easy to read, entertaining book with interesting characters and a killer twist!
Who should read Can Anybody Help Me?
I’d recommend this to fans of psychological thriller books especially if you’ve ever participated on an internet forum as you will really get it. If you like authors like Mary Higgins Clarke, Samantha Hayes or Linwood Barclay then you should also enjoy this one.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Quercus Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
June 10, 2014
Can Anybody Help Me?
Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle is trying to carry on as normal in her job as the Detective in this novel, she is pregnant with her first child and over-doing things. Trying to find out why a young mother has been murdered,.
I was eager to give this book a read when I read some great reviews on it. And I certainly wasn't disappointed.
I started it late at night, and then ended up staying up even later so I could get a good way through it. Unfortunately for me, Real life keeps getting in the way or I could sit and read forever.
This book was an easy read, and found that I quickly got caught up in story line. I think As I am myself a mother, it was easy to relate to the characters, and the things they experience the worries that I think most mothers go through.
The story is set around an online forum, which nowadays I think is something almost everyone uses or has used at some time. The forum is for new Mums and Mums to be.
But i think with all the hype around social media f/b and Twitter etc, its so easy to become friends with people you don't actually know, yet they seem so much like a friend you have known for always. I know myself I have made some great on-line friends, but also met some complete loons. I think this book helps you think about the things you do when online.
Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle is trying to carry on as normal in her job as the Detective in this novel, she is pregnant with her first child and over-doing things. Trying to find out why a young mother has been murdered,.
I was eager to give this book a read when I read some great reviews on it. And I certainly wasn't disappointed.
I started it late at night, and then ended up staying up even later so I could get a good way through it. Unfortunately for me, Real life keeps getting in the way or I could sit and read forever.
This book was an easy read, and found that I quickly got caught up in story line. I think As I am myself a mother, it was easy to relate to the characters, and the things they experience the worries that I think most mothers go through.
The story is set around an online forum, which nowadays I think is something almost everyone uses or has used at some time. The forum is for new Mums and Mums to be.
But i think with all the hype around social media f/b and Twitter etc, its so easy to become friends with people you don't actually know, yet they seem so much like a friend you have known for always. I know myself I have made some great on-line friends, but also met some complete loons. I think this book helps you think about the things you do when online.
August 10, 2016
How much information about yourself, your family and your daily movements do you give away on internet forums, even if you don't intend to? Are your online friends really who they say they are?
The Goodreads crowdseems to be are a decent bunch - chatty, funny, supportive - but what if one of our friendly buddy-readers was preying on the rest of us, luring us into a false sense of security, feeding off our information, stalking us, killing us?
Eek.
The Goodreads crowd
Eek.
March 5, 2017
Being a lover of all things irish, including having an irish partner - based on the blurb, I really thought this book would grab me in from the start - unfortunately i'm almost at the halfway point and not only finding it dull, but also hard to read. At this point i'm going to mark it DNF as i'd rather spend my time on something a little more gripping. What a shame!
October 4, 2020
I didn’t particularly enjoy the internet playing such a major part in the story and abbreviations really annoy me so not a great book for me.
It also seemed a little predictable and I don’t think many men would read this book as the netmummy thing isn’t very enticing.
Most of the characters annoyed me probably because I wouldn’t ever entertain going on this type of website.
Goodreads is good enough for me📚😁
It also seemed a little predictable and I don’t think many men would read this book as the netmummy thing isn’t very enticing.
Most of the characters annoyed me probably because I wouldn’t ever entertain going on this type of website.
Goodreads is good enough for me📚😁
March 9, 2015
This story centres around the members of ‘Netmammy’ – which is essentially Netmums, the online forum where mums get together to discuss their children, offer parenting advice, and generally have a bit of a moan. No offence to the Netmums members out there, each to their own, but it is really not my thing at all. I have two young children – I know newborns are tiring, and strange rashes can be scary, and I’m pretty sure all parents at some time or other wonder if they are doing what’s best – but I certainly didn’t have the inclination to bang on about these things to a bunch of strangers who were ‘in the same boat’. So it did get a little tiresome when large chunks of this book were devoted to listening to these women moan about dirty nappies, night-time feeds, and teething – if I’d wanted to read so much of that I would have just logged onto the website, any chance we could just get on with the story now please?
Anyway, now that I’ve got that out of my system, I did get a bit bored early on with this one, but I figured it was maybe just one of those slow burners and I’d have to give it a chance to get going. The prose was a bit jumpy, I found myself often having to re-read the same sentence because it didn’t really flow very well and that threw me off. But I stuck with it, mainly due to a line of critical acclaim plastered on the book cover…
“Brilliantly original… a shocker of a twist that you won’t see coming.” – Melissa Hill
I have to admit that that was probably the deal clincher to my reading the book at all. And… well it was all lies wasn’t it?! If there was a shocker of a twist, I missed it – maybe I nodded off after so much incessant “I love my children but I hate being a parent” chatter – I’m sure it couldn’t be referring to the culprit of the piece – because that twist was so obvious it came with seventy-six trombones very early on!
It was a complete anti-climax. Even though I knew who was responsible, I thought I’d at least be given some sort of dramatic showdown – but no it was all a bit naff and then the story just kind of petered out…
I will say that the basic premise was good; I liked how the story showed that people think they are posting ‘anonymously’ online, but it is in fact very easy for others to deduce your identity from the tiniest clues you give out – but to be honest this probably could have been conveyed in a double page spread in the fiction section of Take A Break or the like.
No, not for me at all.
My thanks to the publisher for providing this book for review
Anyway, now that I’ve got that out of my system, I did get a bit bored early on with this one, but I figured it was maybe just one of those slow burners and I’d have to give it a chance to get going. The prose was a bit jumpy, I found myself often having to re-read the same sentence because it didn’t really flow very well and that threw me off. But I stuck with it, mainly due to a line of critical acclaim plastered on the book cover…
“Brilliantly original… a shocker of a twist that you won’t see coming.” – Melissa Hill
I have to admit that that was probably the deal clincher to my reading the book at all. And… well it was all lies wasn’t it?! If there was a shocker of a twist, I missed it – maybe I nodded off after so much incessant “I love my children but I hate being a parent” chatter – I’m sure it couldn’t be referring to the culprit of the piece – because that twist was so obvious it came with seventy-six trombones very early on!
It was a complete anti-climax. Even though I knew who was responsible, I thought I’d at least be given some sort of dramatic showdown – but no it was all a bit naff and then the story just kind of petered out…
I will say that the basic premise was good; I liked how the story showed that people think they are posting ‘anonymously’ online, but it is in fact very easy for others to deduce your identity from the tiniest clues you give out – but to be honest this probably could have been conveyed in a double page spread in the fiction section of Take A Break or the like.
No, not for me at all.
My thanks to the publisher for providing this book for review
August 27, 2015
This is the debut novel by Sinéad Crowley and the first featuring Sergeant Claire Boyle. It was interesting to read a novel where the police protagonist was pregnant. And heavily pregnant at that. It made her feel real, as though she actually had a real life and wasn't just created for a novel if you know what I mean.
The novel is narrated from the points of view of pregnant Sergeant Boyle and new mum Yvonne and what I really liked about it is how it is based on the internet and how much information we tend to put out there about ourselves and how over time we have given away far more than we maybe have realised. The internet is a fascinating and current subject and I enjoy when it is covered well, which this is.
Early motherhood and the difficulties it presents is also a topic covered well with the character of Yvonne as we watch as she feels drained and isolated with her new baby and with a husband with a busy job who helps as often as he can, but that isn't as often as is needed. Yvonne is a very identifiable character which is what made this book so good for me I think.
Through her isolation Yvonne turns to the internet and to Netmammy and gets close to some of the women on there and in turn gets concerned when the body of a woman turns up and one of her 'friends' hasn't been online for a while. Life and online get blurred and Yvonne gets embroiled in a dangerous situation that is unnerving to watch unfold.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the Sergeant Boyle series.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my copy.
The novel is narrated from the points of view of pregnant Sergeant Boyle and new mum Yvonne and what I really liked about it is how it is based on the internet and how much information we tend to put out there about ourselves and how over time we have given away far more than we maybe have realised. The internet is a fascinating and current subject and I enjoy when it is covered well, which this is.
Early motherhood and the difficulties it presents is also a topic covered well with the character of Yvonne as we watch as she feels drained and isolated with her new baby and with a husband with a busy job who helps as often as he can, but that isn't as often as is needed. Yvonne is a very identifiable character which is what made this book so good for me I think.
Through her isolation Yvonne turns to the internet and to Netmammy and gets close to some of the women on there and in turn gets concerned when the body of a woman turns up and one of her 'friends' hasn't been online for a while. Life and online get blurred and Yvonne gets embroiled in a dangerous situation that is unnerving to watch unfold.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the Sergeant Boyle series.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my copy.
March 25, 2016
An enthralling mystery that drew me into the world of a network of mums and made me fear for their safety and shout out loud at their naivety.
"Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?"
This is Book 1 in a series featuring Detective Claire Boyle of the Garda based in Dublin. Claire is a fascinating character with heaps of future potential. The book is cleverly plotted with just enough hints scattered around to give keen crime fans a chance to spot the villain.
The author's writing style is perfect for me. The characters felt like people I know and I cared about what happened to them. This was quite stress-inducing at times but made for an emotional and gripping read.
I'd recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, "Are You Watching Me?" In the near future.
My copy was purchased from Amazon Kindle Store.
"Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.
When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?"
This is Book 1 in a series featuring Detective Claire Boyle of the Garda based in Dublin. Claire is a fascinating character with heaps of future potential. The book is cleverly plotted with just enough hints scattered around to give keen crime fans a chance to spot the villain.
The author's writing style is perfect for me. The characters felt like people I know and I cared about what happened to them. This was quite stress-inducing at times but made for an emotional and gripping read.
I'd recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, "Are You Watching Me?" In the near future.
My copy was purchased from Amazon Kindle Store.
June 14, 2014
I read this in one day, I couldn't put it down. Detective Sergeant Claire Boyle is pregnant, and passionate about her job. Yvonne Mulhern has recently moved to Ireland with her husband Gerry, and has a young baby. When Yvonne hears of the disappearance of a young Mum, she is certain that she has been talking to her on online parenting forum Netmammy. But will anyone listen to her? And is Claire putting her own health at risk by getting involved?
This is a brilliant debut novel. As a new Mum for the second time, the parenting forums are an all too familiar setting - the writer really did her research, it's scary how much information people share. As this story shows, anyone could be behind a screen nickname, it's very easy to pick up the slang used on boards. I'm not a fan of public parenting forums with strangers, thankfully, but if I were, I think I'd be a lot more wary after this. I was suspicious of almost everyone at one point in the book, the writer did a brilliant job of shocking me because I really didn't have it figured out. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
This is a brilliant debut novel. As a new Mum for the second time, the parenting forums are an all too familiar setting - the writer really did her research, it's scary how much information people share. As this story shows, anyone could be behind a screen nickname, it's very easy to pick up the slang used on boards. I'm not a fan of public parenting forums with strangers, thankfully, but if I were, I think I'd be a lot more wary after this. I was suspicious of almost everyone at one point in the book, the writer did a brilliant job of shocking me because I really didn't have it figured out. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
April 25, 2014
ARC from Netgalley.
An interesting book, following the lives of a few women, based in Ireland, who have or are about to have children who are all members on an on-line forum “netmammy”. Very 21st century and a worrying thought of what we write on the Internet and how easy it is to fin out private stuff about others.
The book is well written and enjoyable, specially as it is the authors debut novel, a little slow to start, probably as I found some of the “on line chat” a little boring and unnecessary, but the characters are introduced with just the right amount of information. The plot is well thought out, the details in being a mum are well written. Once it gets going it is page turning and I had not clue has to who was the baddie until the last few pages, which added to it in my opinion.
Not the best of suspense / mysteries books I have read but not a bad one either. I hope to see more of this author as she matures.
An interesting book, following the lives of a few women, based in Ireland, who have or are about to have children who are all members on an on-line forum “netmammy”. Very 21st century and a worrying thought of what we write on the Internet and how easy it is to fin out private stuff about others.
The book is well written and enjoyable, specially as it is the authors debut novel, a little slow to start, probably as I found some of the “on line chat” a little boring and unnecessary, but the characters are introduced with just the right amount of information. The plot is well thought out, the details in being a mum are well written. Once it gets going it is page turning and I had not clue has to who was the baddie until the last few pages, which added to it in my opinion.
Not the best of suspense / mysteries books I have read but not a bad one either. I hope to see more of this author as she matures.
February 25, 2017
Serviceable mystery, read in a couple of hours. Might have been 3 stars if there hadn't been a couple of completely inexplicable chapters which, even after finishing it, I can't link to the main narrative in any way. I liked the setting and was pleased the author didn't try and shoehorn some stupid romance into the plot, as so often happens with these books: it was a straightforward thriller. I also liked the detail of the online forum (which was what made me interested in this book in the first place). But it's not enormously well written (or edited), and the 'shock twist' of the culprit's identity I had guessed within the first few chapters - I know it sounds unbearably smug when people say that, but it really is obvious in this one. Definitely not the worst example of this genre, but far from the best.
August 26, 2018
I thought the book was very interesting and entertaining. The only downside was I got a bit confused at parts I didn’t understand certain bits of the story but other than that it was very enjoyable. Will definitely be reading the other books in the series.
September 12, 2014
Review: Can Anybody Help Me? by Sinead Crowley I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it held my interest and had me engrossed. Good characters and an interesting plot.
July 19, 2016
Satisfactory read I guess I expected more.
December 9, 2017
Absolute drivel, shouldn't have bothered reading to the ridiculous ending. Don't waste your time and money.
September 20, 2018
Listened to in audio format.
This is the first book I have listened to in the DS Claire Boyle series.
Yvonne Mulhern, husband Jerry and baby Roisin had recently moved to Dublin from London.
Jerry was working long hours as a TV producer, leaving Yvonne alone in a different country with only her baby for company. Yvonne joined an in internet group called Netmamies.
Yvonne became hooked on the other mum `s lives and found herself making a few close friends on line. When one of the regular contributors stopped posting Yvonne began to worry.
DS Claire Boyle was heavily pregnant but refused to slow down. Claire was called to a hotel room where the body of a young woman was found murdered.
Then shortly afterwards one of the Netmamie mums, a mother of four was found dead in her car after gassing herself.
After getting blood pressure Yvonne was told to go off sick. Bored she browsed Netmamie and find that both victims had been PM by an unknown user. When she ffound out another meet has been arranged she tried to stop another murder.
I found Can Anybody Help Me a little difficult to get grips with until I remembered the women's usernames.
Once I got used to the names, I was hooked.
Apart from Paula McGuire who was a forensic psychologist, Claire Boyle was the only pregnant detective I have read before. I liked Claire even though she stupidly put herself and her baby at risk.
Can Anybody Help Me was well crafted with twists and turns aplenty. I was sure I knew who the killer wrong, but of course I was wrong. When The real killer was revealed I kicked myself for not considered them.
I think DS Claire Boyle is set to become one of my favourite detectives. A good read, I look forward to book ,2.
.
This is the first book I have listened to in the DS Claire Boyle series.
Yvonne Mulhern, husband Jerry and baby Roisin had recently moved to Dublin from London.
Jerry was working long hours as a TV producer, leaving Yvonne alone in a different country with only her baby for company. Yvonne joined an in internet group called Netmamies.
Yvonne became hooked on the other mum `s lives and found herself making a few close friends on line. When one of the regular contributors stopped posting Yvonne began to worry.
DS Claire Boyle was heavily pregnant but refused to slow down. Claire was called to a hotel room where the body of a young woman was found murdered.
Then shortly afterwards one of the Netmamie mums, a mother of four was found dead in her car after gassing herself.
After getting blood pressure Yvonne was told to go off sick. Bored she browsed Netmamie and find that both victims had been PM by an unknown user. When she ffound out another meet has been arranged she tried to stop another murder.
I found Can Anybody Help Me a little difficult to get grips with until I remembered the women's usernames.
Once I got used to the names, I was hooked.
Apart from Paula McGuire who was a forensic psychologist, Claire Boyle was the only pregnant detective I have read before. I liked Claire even though she stupidly put herself and her baby at risk.
Can Anybody Help Me was well crafted with twists and turns aplenty. I was sure I knew who the killer wrong, but of course I was wrong. When The real killer was revealed I kicked myself for not considered them.
I think DS Claire Boyle is set to become one of my favourite detectives. A good read, I look forward to book ,2.
.
July 18, 2018
In the interest of fairness, I am the least likely person to read this book. I have no kids, not even married but I did enjoy it. I would have given a 3.5 star if I had the option. Overall I liked the characters and I think the writer did a good job of giving them individual voices. I loved the ending and that deserved a 4 star rating. Where it lost a bit from we was the middle and the internet Mummy stuff. It got a bit tiring but I knew it was needed for the plot. The DH DS DD thing started to get on my nerves as well but not much.
For a first novel I think Sinead should be proud of this. It is a fine read, kept me flicking pages even though (like I said) I am suprised I picked it up at all. I would keep my eye out for her next book for sure.
For a first novel I think Sinead should be proud of this. It is a fine read, kept me flicking pages even though (like I said) I am suprised I picked it up at all. I would keep my eye out for her next book for sure.
July 30, 2019
I really wasn't expecting much from this book but I absolutely loved it!
March 7, 2020
What a brilliant book by an author I hadn't heard of previously. Believable characters and loved the Irish dialogue. An omg twist that I didn't see coming will look out for this author again
September 26, 2015
For a tale of our times you can’t do much better than this one. Yvonne, lonely and unsure after giving birth. Having recently moved to Ireland from London she is being urged by her husband and midwife to get out and meet more people, not really ready for that she does the next best thing and goes on-line and joins ‘NetMammy’ somewhere she can get advice and support. All too soon the on-line community has become something of a crutch as she logs on to check up on her new friend’s lives. One woman is of particular support so when her on-line presence disappears around the same time as a young single mother is reported missing, Yvonne rings the police to voice her concerns that the on-line moniker is in fact the single woman that is missing.
Some of the story contains the actual forum conversation most of these accurately reflect the types of exchange that are found on these sites but some contain clues – don’t be fooled, as well as a reflecting the modern world, this book is a thriller at heart! I enjoyed the exchanges, interaction between people that don’t really know each other is fascinating as you never quite know who is behaving just as they would anywhere, and who is hiding behind the anonymity of the screen. And Yvonne, how much of her life has she shared inadvertently while discussing her husband’s long working hours, nappies and formula milk? This is the part that made me pause for thought, after all I do have an on-line presence, it isn’t hard, should you be so minded, to find out my name, where I live etc and you would easily be able to find out where I work, who my friends are and what I do for relaxation – hopefully none of you want to hunt me down except in a friendly way!!
Along with Yvonne’s story we also see the story unfold from Sergeant Claire Boyle’s point of view. Claire is trying to carry on as normal but being pregnant and chasing criminals is taking its toll and her work colleagues as well as her friends and family telling her to take it easy is not helping her mood. She is investigating the death of the young woman found dead in a flat in Dublin leaving a young daughter, a woman who seemingly had few friends so the investigation hasn’t exactly got off to a flying start, the police aren’t even entirely sure who she had arranged to meet the night she died.
This is a fast-paced read and as the plot starts to unfold the tension mounted and had me turning the pages faster to find out exactly what had happened, and why. The subject matter is fascinating, after all social media is used by so many of us and it is part of everyday life, I am also fond of reading comments on news sites, predicting how many will come up with the more extreme views in any story is a hobby – and the NetMammy site is no different, some of the women’s comments were so predictable! I really liked Claire, her realistic persona made the book for me, a well-rounded and normal person who does her job with a healthy dose of instinct and to make the story work, a little disregarding of the rules when needed.
A book that firmly fits into the category of thriller but one with a fresh and modern feel to it this is one I will be recommending, but probably not to anyone who is a new mum!
I am enormously grateful to Quercus for my copy of Can Anybody Help Me? which was published on 29 January 2015, in return for my honest opinion.
Some of the story contains the actual forum conversation most of these accurately reflect the types of exchange that are found on these sites but some contain clues – don’t be fooled, as well as a reflecting the modern world, this book is a thriller at heart! I enjoyed the exchanges, interaction between people that don’t really know each other is fascinating as you never quite know who is behaving just as they would anywhere, and who is hiding behind the anonymity of the screen. And Yvonne, how much of her life has she shared inadvertently while discussing her husband’s long working hours, nappies and formula milk? This is the part that made me pause for thought, after all I do have an on-line presence, it isn’t hard, should you be so minded, to find out my name, where I live etc and you would easily be able to find out where I work, who my friends are and what I do for relaxation – hopefully none of you want to hunt me down except in a friendly way!!
Along with Yvonne’s story we also see the story unfold from Sergeant Claire Boyle’s point of view. Claire is trying to carry on as normal but being pregnant and chasing criminals is taking its toll and her work colleagues as well as her friends and family telling her to take it easy is not helping her mood. She is investigating the death of the young woman found dead in a flat in Dublin leaving a young daughter, a woman who seemingly had few friends so the investigation hasn’t exactly got off to a flying start, the police aren’t even entirely sure who she had arranged to meet the night she died.
This is a fast-paced read and as the plot starts to unfold the tension mounted and had me turning the pages faster to find out exactly what had happened, and why. The subject matter is fascinating, after all social media is used by so many of us and it is part of everyday life, I am also fond of reading comments on news sites, predicting how many will come up with the more extreme views in any story is a hobby – and the NetMammy site is no different, some of the women’s comments were so predictable! I really liked Claire, her realistic persona made the book for me, a well-rounded and normal person who does her job with a healthy dose of instinct and to make the story work, a little disregarding of the rules when needed.
A book that firmly fits into the category of thriller but one with a fresh and modern feel to it this is one I will be recommending, but probably not to anyone who is a new mum!
I am enormously grateful to Quercus for my copy of Can Anybody Help Me? which was published on 29 January 2015, in return for my honest opinion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews