Finding Home: A Psychological Thriller

by Lucy Brighton

In a town full of secrets, trust is a deadly gamble…

Abbie came to Cedarthorpe to find her estranged mother. She didn’t expect to step into a missing person case—or start falling for the one man who might be lying to her.

The girl who stayed in Abbie’s room before her, Sasha, vanished without a trace.

Then Abbie meets Jack, Sasha’s brother. He’s intense, guarded, and desperate for answers. As they dig into the town’s shadowy corners, they uncover a truth darker than they ever imagined - one that suggests Sasha was never meant to be found. And neither was Abbie’s mother.

The closer Abbie gets to the truth, the more dangerous Cedarthorpe becomes. And the more she begins to question Jack, her own instincts and even her memories.

Now Abbie must confront the past she’s been running from. Because someone is watching. And they’ll do anything to keep the town’s darkest secrets buried.

Time is running out. And Abbie must decide who to trust before she becomes the next to disappear.

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2025

About the author

Lucy Brighton is a British author of twist-filled thrillers that explore the darker edges of human nature. Her debut novel, Finding Home, set in the haunting seaside town of Cedarthorpe, delves into secrets, disappearances, and the strength of a woman determined to uncover the truth. A lifelong lover of suspense fiction, Lucy writes stories that are fast-paced, emotionally gripping, and impossible to put down.

She lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, with her mischievous dog, Loki.

Visit her website at www.lucybrighton.com
Follow her on Instagram: @brightwritenow
Connect on TikTok: @brightwritenow

Reviews

[Kurryreads (Kerry)]

3.25 stars

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6qR2aRo/

[Jess]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Finding Home by Lucy Brighton is a gripping, emotionally charged masterpiece. Beneath its quiet title lies a dark, soul-stirring journey through grief, secrets, and the fragile threads that bind us. Every chapter unfolds like a storm, intense and impossible to ignore. Lucy Brighton doesn’t just tell a story she pulls you into the eye of it.

Finding Home is Set in the atmospheric, nearly abandoned seaside town of Cedarthorpe, the novel follows Abbie, who arrives with a single, haunting mission to discover what happened to her mother. But no sooner does she begin her search than unsettling threats and hidden motives emerge around her.

Abbie quickly senses that Cedarthorpe is shadowed by secrets. As she digs deeper, she unravels a chilling network tied to human trafficking, uncovering layers of corruption and danger. Along the way, she forms a love relationship with Jack who is looking for his missing sister sasha and navigates shifting alliances with others like Chelsea, whose true intentions may surprise her.

I recommend this book, please look at trigger warnings (sexual abuse, drug abuse and human trafficking). Every chapter I just wanted to carry on reading till I got to the end.

[Katie]

This book hit the ground running from the very beginning. You meet several different characters and have no idea how they connect. But, boy does it come together and unravel a dark, intense, suspenseful thrill of a read. The author’s writing is atmospheric and really pulls the reader in. I found myself guessing constantly and asking myself what is really going on. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

[Paul Fuller]

There are no spoilers with my review,and it keeps it to how the story etc works as a whole.
Lucy Brighton is one of my favourite authors,and her thrillers are always punchy,keeping you on the edge.
Finding Home is a different type of thriller written by the author,but it still doesn't lack any of Lucy Brighton's skill at story telling.
It did take me time to get use to the way this has been written,it is almost like a documentary thriller you watch on TV,but it still holds true to the writing skill of the author,once you understand that this thriller is different,and it seems more personal you have a very good story on your hands.
You follow the main character Abbie right from the beginning,you follow her upbringing,friends,people she meets on her journey,and most importantly her parents with the influence they have on her life.
As always the pace of the book is excellent,all the characters are fleshed out perfectly giving you the perfect insight into their character.
The story is well told and certainly,well for me personally gave me all the emotions from the story,from anger,sadness,disbelief,that to be honest I was not expecting to have.The story told here really made me think and it most definitely gets the message across,without being preaching,and the subject matter dealt with here,is handled with respect,understanding,which makes it feel much more personal.
The story is compelling and full of twists and betrayals that just keeps you reading more to find out what happens next,bare in mind this is a thriller,and a subject that unfortunately is so common nowadays,but it's all dealt with such precision,with a delicate hand,while still telling a really good story.
Overall once I got accustomed to the author writing in a different way this is a great story,everything about this should make you think,should take you on an emotional journey while giving you everything you would want from a thriller and an author in Lucy Brighton who just seems to get better and better.

[Hollie Marsh]

I really liked Finding Home by Lucy Brighton. I don't read thrillers so much, but very much enjoyed this. It was clever and well written, with different character pov's throughout the book, and the protagonist had a lot of depth. The chapters were short and sharp, and kept you guessing and turning the pages. At times, there are scenes that make you a bit sad, as it delves into child exploitation, and also the protagonist's really frightening and sad upbringing. The mother character, is intriguing and I couldn't help to strongly dislike her after she abandoned her young daughter, and left her to defend herself against an extremely depraved father. It's nice to see how the main character grows throughout the book, and how she starts to see the truth about her mother, even if she shows confusion at times as she picks up a relationship with her. I think Lucy Bright has done a great job with this novel, and I am looking forward to reading more.

[Ann Birdgenaw]

Be careful what you wish for.

“Finding Home” by Lucy Brighton, is a gripping tale of a young girls search for her heart’s desire. But, as with these things you have be careful of what you wish for. Abbie (Abigail) longs to run away from home and her abusive father. Her Mother left twelve years earlier and she was led to believe that the mom left Abbie too.  When she finds hidden some letters from her mom addressed to her but never given to her, she leaves with some money from her father’s stash and takes a bus to the address on the letters. She wants to find and confront her mother. What she finds is a run-down boarding house where girls are being physically and mentally abused and sex trafficked. Abbie is way out of her league and doesn’t know what to do or how to help them without putting herself in danger. When she meets Jack, a young man who is looking for his fifteen-year-old sister, they form a strange bond as she is also looking for someone. But can she trust Jack? Is he mixed up in this human trafficking ring? Abbie is naïve and struggling with her own demons and emotional scars inflicted by her parents. When she finds her mother, Abbie is struck by her mother’s lifestyle and her affluent tastes and influence in the neighborhood. This story is well-written, and the characters are well developed, although how this underage sex trafficking ring is not on the police’s radar with girls going missing and killed is a little bit of a stretch. Abbie learns a lot from her escapades and has to make some tough decisions along the way.

[Nathan]

I don’t even know what to say. This book had me drawn in from the very start. Going through Abbie’s story and her perspective of everything around her was hauntingly beautiful. The mysteries that surround Cedarthorpe had me wanting to know more, and as every chapter unfolded I just could not put the book down.

The storytelling of the dark underworld and the disappearances of the girls had me feeling like I was trying to solve the mystery myself.

Without putting in any spoilers I will hands down say that this is such an amazing read that will really leave your heart wrenching and your stomach turning, feeling the unease of the events occurring.

An amazing novel by an amazing author

[Robert Stevens]

What a Rollercoaster.

I loved Abby, and the who to trust after escaping (I’m trying not to give spoilers) she ends up in a world where everyone has a secret and most of the people only look out for themselves (and their family.)

Honestly I am truly grateful L Brighton wrote this book. A very talented author.

If you like a thriller mystery (with some questionable and evil characters) you should read this.

[Yocairy Santana]

KU

[AmBerGUR]

3.5 stars rounded up. It’s darker than I thought it would be.

[Laura Squirrel]

I’ve had Finding Home on my TBR for a while. Not wanting to ruin my thousandth copy, it stayed on my TBR. But then I bought a Kindle and I could finally read it.

Finding Home is fast paced and throws you straight into the story of Abbie. I love that the book was written this way, especially since I normally read fantasy, so it was refreshing not having to go through all the world building that comes with that genre. I’m not normally one for thriller, but I’ve recently worked out, I will give any book a go and it turns out I’m becoming a fan of thrillers.

The descriptions of scenes were great, but what I found better, was the descriptions of the emotions that Lucy wrote. While reading, when there was a flashback or if something happened, the way Lucy described the emotions felt at that moment, you could feel those emotions too. I was fully immersed in the book.

I found that the more I read, the more I wanted to find out as the story just kept getting more and more intense with more information needing to be unfolded. I didn’t know what to expect from one chapter to another. The POVs were easy to follow and I loved that I could read things from the other character’s perspectives.

Getting farther into the book, when I thought it couldn’t get much darker, it did. Call me weird, but I really enjoyed how dark it got, it really excelled with that depth of description and darkness. Some chapters were definitely more graphic than others, and I loved it.

I understand why it took Lucy so long to write this book, because you can’t rush perfection. I’m ready for the next book since this one has left me with questions that need answered.

[William Lee]

I listened to this book on audible, and it was incredible. I'd been getting really into fantasy books recently, so this was a nice switch back to the kind of things I previously have read.

The emotion with the characters was great, with some great dynamics and twists throughout the story as well.

Well done Lucy 👏

[Kiran]

Dark, confronting, and unforgettable.
I have no words, and yet I have so many.

This book is incredible. It is fast paced, gripping, graphic, painful, and deeply important. I finished it in the early hours of the morning, unable to sleep, and ended up in tears, feeling less like I had finished the book and more like the book had finished me. Even now, thinking about it, I am still emotional.

What struck me most is how raw and unflinching the story is. These characters go through so much, and the way their suffering is portrayed feels painfully real. It serves as a stark reminder that life is not as clean cut as it often seems, that there are caveats and consequences to everything, and that reality is far messier than we like to admit. That honesty is devastating, but it is also necessary.

Rather than relying on shock value or gore, this leans into psychological horror and tension. It makes you think. It sits with you. The fear comes from the reality of it all, not from cheap scares, and that makes it far more powerful.

The social commentary is exceptional. The way pain, trauma, and emotional conflict are explored feels authentic and deeply human. There were so many moments that punched me in the gut, moments that made me want to reach through the pages and offer comfort, both to the characters and to the author for having written something so heavy and brave.

I am usually far more analytical and detailed in my reviews, but honestly, I am still stunned. This book left me emotionally wrecked in the best way. It is not a palate cleanser by any means. I am going to need several days to recover.

[B.T. Skylark]

Finding Home by Lucy Brighton is a taut psychological thriller that grips from the very first page. What begins as a simple search for truth quickly spirals into a dark exploration of secrets, lies, and corruption hiding beneath the surface of everyday life. The story follows Abbie as she searches for her estranged mother, only to find herself pulled into a tangled web of disappearances, betrayals, and shocking revelations that change everything she thought she knew.

What makes this novel stand out is Brighton’s ability to balance heart-stopping suspense with raw emotional depth. The twists are clever and adrenaline-fuelled, but it is the emotional core of the story that lingers. Abbie is a complex and layered protagonist—flawed, determined, and achingly human. Her journey through danger and heartbreak feels authentic, and the relationships she forms along the way add weight to the unfolding mystery.

The setting itself becomes a character, a claustrophobic world dripping with menace and atmosphere. Every detail builds tension, creating a backdrop where danger lurks around each corner. The prose is sharp and vivid, pulling the reader in so completely that it is easy to lose track of time while turning the pages.

Unpredictable, chilling, and emotionally resonant, Finding Home is not a thriller to be taken lightly. It is dark, haunting, and unforgettable, leaving the reader questioning both the characters’ choices and their own assumptions. For fans of psychological suspense with genuine heart, this is a must-read.

[Nicolas Ramis]

What you're about to read is a a raw, intense thriller that doesn’t shy away from dark themes like:
- abuse,
- trafficking,
- and betrayal, to name a few.

The story follows the main character, Abbie, whose discovery about her mother triggers a chain of life-changing events.

To me, the book’s greatest strength is its gripping portrayal of survival: Abbie’s resilience feels real and earned. I truly enjoyed that aspect and experienced what I call "emotional reading".

The writing is quite sharp, the pacing is tense enough, and the stakes remain high throughout the story development.

The minus?

However, some plot points stretch believability, and the violence can feel a bit relentless (understand "a bit" is an euphemism).

Still, Abbie’s voice keeps you hooked, especially her moments of hard-earned hope amid trauma.

The side characters, particularly Chelsea and Megan, add interesting layers to the story. Some twists (like the inheritance) feel a bit rushed.

It's definitely not a comfortable read, but it’s a gutsy portrayal of found family, survival, and reclaiming power.

[Kim Massey]

Finding Home by Lucy Brighton is an amazing multi-POV psychological thriller with short, punchy chapters that constantly left me wondering what was coming next. As someone whose preferred genre is psychological thrillers, it feels like ages since I last read one that truly gripped me, and this book did not disappoint.

The story follows Abbie, who has fled Leeds and her abusive father in hopes of finding her mother in the coastal town of Cedarthorpe. However, upon her arrival, things quickly start going awry. Enter Jack, who is also in Cedarthorpe searching for someone: his 15-year-old sister.

The book features a wide cast of characters, and it quickly becomes clear that almost none of them can be trusted, which kept the twists and turns coming, chapter after chapter.

Brighton is incredible at creating tension and atmosphere, making the coastal setting feel alive and eerie, but beyond the plot, the character arcs are deep, emotional, and incredibly well thought out.

If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end, I highly recommend picking this one up.

[sureshot]

I picked out this book based on the description. I love a good psychological thriller. Right off the bat, the writing is excellent. It the first chapter, Abbie is introduced. In just a few pages, I had a feel for who she is, who the man she lives with is, and what life is like for Abbie. An interesting mystery is introduced too. The author did all this by showing the MC’s life, not telling too much about it. This was brilliant. Already immersed in Abbie’s perspective and rooting for her, the tension grows as she tried to get out of her situation. The author has an uncanny ability to keep the reader in the character’s mind. You’re never bored while reading, because you feel more like you’re living the character’s world and learning it. More characters are introduced in a similar show-not-tell fashion. The plot unfolds in a slow-developing but gripping way. This was a really hard book to put down. Overall, I loved this book. I highly recommend it for all lovers of psychological thrillers.

[charbs]

Let’s start this by saying: this is the first Thriller book I have ever read! And what an absolute drop kick into the genre Finding Home was. When I started reading this book, I was doing so just to show support to Lucy, but when I finished this book, I was clambering to download the next one!

Thriller being entirely new to me meant I didn’t really know what I was getting into, however the dark subject matter in this book pleasantly surprised me. It was gripping from the beginning, and you just feel more and more sympathetic for these characters the deeper into the book you get. The characters are complicated and flawed, and you really don’t know who to trust - and even though everyone was a suspect to me at some point, the ending still managed to really shock me, and left me eager to continue with these books. Lucy really nailed the suspense in this book, and at times I was truly terrified for what I was going to read next. There is something deeply unsettling about the setting of this book, and the descriptions of death and gore left my skin crawling - Lucy, i’d love to see your search history!

I think the interactions between the characters are very believable, and the portrayal of grief, loneliness, hopelessness and uncertainty really resonated with me throughout. It was clear a lot of thought went into showing how these emotions and experiences can affect relationships and interpersonal issues. But despite so many of the themes of this book being so heavy, and presumably difficult to write, they were handled perfectly and really had the desired effect.

I cannot wait to continue with these Lucy!

[Debbie Civil]

Will there be a sequel?

So much to say, but I don’t wanna ruin the mystery. So this is about a girl named Abby, who runs away from her abusive father to find her mother. Little does she know she runs straight into murder mystery. People die, get kidnapped, she meets this boy who’s also looking for his sister. His name is Jack and they fall in love. so much more happens. But I won’t ruin the book for everybody. My biggest complaint is that at times I wanted to shake Abby. She’s kind of naïve and her overwhelming desperation to find her mother is sometimes annoying. There are a lot of triggers here. Assault, Abuse of all kinds, violence, kidnapping. But this author is very talented and seriously my only question after this is, is there a sequel? The ring leader of this crime enterprise didn’t get arrested yet.

[Sarah Marriott]

For me a five star book not only has to have an amazing story within its pages, but it has to make me feel something. This book bought out some strong visceral reactions in me, through some of the content and how Lucy described different abuses and trauma that occur to the characters in this book. The sad fact is, that whilst this is a work of fiction, child slavery and sexual abuse is a real problem, and Lucy's work felt grounded in truth with authenticity embedded within the dramatic twists and turns. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, I'm sure you will enjoy this book and if the epilogue doesn't give you the ick, nothing will!

[Beccaleigh]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 STARS

Finding Home by Lucy Brighton 🏡📖

This one really pulled at my heartstrings. 💕 There’s something about a story centred around finding where you truly belong that just hits differently.

I loved the emotional feel of this book and the way it explores love, belonging, second chances and what home really means. It had me feeling all the feels, with plenty of moments that made me stop and think.

It wasn’t quite a 5-star read for me, but it was definitely one I’m glad I picked up. A lovely, emotional read that stayed with me after I finished. ❤️

4 ⭐️ — emotional, heartfelt and definitely worth a read! 📚✨

[Bailey Hartfield]

Finding Home: A psychological thriller is a great, suspenseful tale of a young girl fleeing from her secretive and abusive father to search for her mom she was told was dead. The main character, Abby, can be a little frustrating at times which can kind of pull you away from the draw of the story, but other than that I think Brighton nails the plot structure and carry through of this thrilling mystery. I love not being able to continuously guess where these types of stories are going so if you want a novel that REALLY keeps you gasping, go for this one!

[Aidan Blackwood]

My book of the year!

I devoured Finding Home in a single day while relaxing in Crete. I just couldn’t put it down! Lucy Brighton’s novel is a perfect mix of suspense, atmosphere, and heart, with a storyline that keeps you hooked from the very first chapter. The seaside setting felt so vivid I could hear the waves, and the twists kept me turning the pages long past when I meant to stop. A gripping read. I can't recommend this book enough!

[Helga Sutton]

After Meeting Lucy at a book event in Wakefield this weekend, I listened to this book on Audible….. it was Brilliant. Scarily real, I was gripped from start to finish, feeling the emotions of the characters as if I was there amongst all the activity. There were lots of twists, false leads, secrets, lies and confusion as the story progressed, with a real twist at the end. I would definitely recommend this book. Well done Lucy 💚

[Hayley O' brien]

I love this book it keeps you reading until the end as you want to know how it will unfold. Is there more hidden secrets to each character how are they all interlinked. It was really well put together and kept you on the edge of the seat. Some parts weren't necessarily a surprise as you guessed of some involvement as there were hints but it was written in the fashion you were meant to know and more how all the other characters fell around it.

Looking forward to the novella.

[Jan Luckett]

I loved the way the book was written, from various viewpoints & lives being lived. It covers so many topics we need to safeguard against happening to anyone. Disturbing that it could well be a true story but a great thought provoking read.
I definitely will read Lucy Brighton’s books in the future ……

[Nicole]

WOW! What a fantastic debut thriller! Abbie is the female protagonist whose life is turned upside down, making you wish you were there to help her. I loved the twists and turns. Just when you think you know who the UNKNOWN character is..another curveball sends you in a different direction. The ending was TOTALLY unexpected! Loved it!

[Chrissie Hubb]

Loved this book! The suspense keeps you reading. The story has romance, mystery and fear. It's a compelling tale of a young girl on the hunt for the truth. Fast paced and to the point. A great thriller! Highly recommended.

[Reader]

One of the nicest books I've ever read, once i picked it up I couldn't put it down, well written and thought out. CedarThorpe sounds like great place to live (not)

Thoroughly enjoyed the book can't wait for the next one

[Kathy Nunn]

Finding Home by new author Lucy Brighton is a debut novel that is dark and delves deep into the seedy side of life. The characters and their motives are expertly drawn, particularly in the revealing use of language, which is sometimes unsettling and disturbing. Abbie, her father, Sasha, Jack and Chelsea all have their own dark issues to face, and as Abbie tries to find the truth, their worlds become ever more entangled. From the first pages, there is a clear indication that this story will keep you on the edge of your seat, and as the story unfolds with its twists and turns, it becomes even more compelling and gritty. The author does not hold back, laying bare layer after layer of social issues, including alcoholism, modern slavery and violence. This suspenseful novel is no light reading, but there is a sense of hope against the odds and common humanity. If you enjoy thrillers, then this is certainly a riveting read.