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Finding Sophie
Two parents, desperate to find their missing daughter, stand accused of murder. How far will they go to find the truth?
Someone is guilty.
For the last seventeen years, Harry and Zara King’s lives have revolved around their only daughter, Sophie. One day, Sophie leaves the house and doesn’t come home. Six weeks later, the police are no closer to finding her than when they started. Harry and Zara have questioned everyone who has ever had any connection to Sophie, to no avail. Except there’s one house on their block—number 210, across the street—whose occupant refuses to break his silence.
Someone knows what happened.
As the question mark over number 210 devolves into obsession, Harry and Zara are forced to examine their own lives. They realize they have grown apart, suffering in separate spheres of grief. And as they try to find their way back to each other, they must face the truth about their daughter: who she was, how she changed, and why she disappeared.
Someone will pay.
Told in the alternating perspectives of Harry and Zara, and in a dual timeline between the weeks after Sophie’s disappearance and a year later in the middle of a murder trial, Imran Mahmood’s taut yet profoundly moving novel explores how differently grief can be experienced even when shared by parents—and how hope triumphs when it springs from the kind of love that knows no bounds.
Someone is guilty.
For the last seventeen years, Harry and Zara King’s lives have revolved around their only daughter, Sophie. One day, Sophie leaves the house and doesn’t come home. Six weeks later, the police are no closer to finding her than when they started. Harry and Zara have questioned everyone who has ever had any connection to Sophie, to no avail. Except there’s one house on their block—number 210, across the street—whose occupant refuses to break his silence.
Someone knows what happened.
As the question mark over number 210 devolves into obsession, Harry and Zara are forced to examine their own lives. They realize they have grown apart, suffering in separate spheres of grief. And as they try to find their way back to each other, they must face the truth about their daughter: who she was, how she changed, and why she disappeared.
Someone will pay.
Told in the alternating perspectives of Harry and Zara, and in a dual timeline between the weeks after Sophie’s disappearance and a year later in the middle of a murder trial, Imran Mahmood’s taut yet profoundly moving novel explores how differently grief can be experienced even when shared by parents—and how hope triumphs when it springs from the kind of love that knows no bounds.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2024
67 people are currently reading
21412 people want to read
About the author
Imran Mahmood
6 books265 followers Imran Mahmood was born in Liverpool in 1969 to first generation Pakistani parents. He has been working on the criminal bar in London for over 20 years and regularly appears in jury trials across the country dealing in serious and complex criminal cases.
He now lives in South East London with his wife and is currently plotting a second novel.
He now lives in South East London with his wife and is currently plotting a second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 572 reviews
March 12, 2024
Sophie has disappeared and her parents are worried because they can't find her anywhere. The police aren't helping them at all. They can't seem to be able to find any clues. So Henry and Zara start to search for her themselves.
Their neighbor in number 210, who lives across the street from them is very suspicious. He won't answer his door and he won't answer any questions. He remains silent. Sophie's parents are desperate to find
their missing daughter. How far will they go to find their daughter?
Someone knows what happened to Sophie. Sophie was hiding some dark secrets before she disappeared.
Her parents are accused of murder
I really enjoyed this book. It did have a slow burn to it in the beginning but then the suspense slowly builds and it becomes a thrilling wild ride. This is every parents nightmare. I loved the second half more than the first half.
This is a legal thriller then turns into a thriller with lots of action. It had everything that I love in a thriller. This one is very dark and disturbing.
I thought all the characters were very well done. The parents went through so much. My heart ached for them. It just broke my heart.
OMG! That ending was so good. It went one way, then took a different direction that I wasn't expecting.
I want to thank Bantam and Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Their neighbor in number 210, who lives across the street from them is very suspicious. He won't answer his door and he won't answer any questions. He remains silent. Sophie's parents are desperate to find
their missing daughter. How far will they go to find their daughter?
Someone knows what happened to Sophie. Sophie was hiding some dark secrets before she disappeared.
Her parents are accused of murder
I really enjoyed this book. It did have a slow burn to it in the beginning but then the suspense slowly builds and it becomes a thrilling wild ride. This is every parents nightmare. I loved the second half more than the first half.
This is a legal thriller then turns into a thriller with lots of action. It had everything that I love in a thriller. This one is very dark and disturbing.
I thought all the characters were very well done. The parents went through so much. My heart ached for them. It just broke my heart.
OMG! That ending was so good. It went one way, then took a different direction that I wasn't expecting.
I want to thank Bantam and Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2024
IT IS BETTER TO LET NINE GUILTY PEOPLE GO FREE-THAN CONVICT ONE INNOCENT PERSON OF A CRIME THAT HE OR SHE DID NOT COMMIT- That is the standard of the criminal justice system in the UK.
Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the U.S.
I knew from the opening pages that this would be a story to savor….
One day, seventeen year old Sophie left home angry-and never returned home.
Six weeks later, her parents, Harry and Zara have grown frustrated with the lack of progress made by the Detectives and each has taken matters into their own hands in an attempt to find her.
They have interviewed everyone in the neighborhood except the tenant at #210-a man who refuses to speak with them or answer the questionnaire that they have left at his door.
Convinced that he is hiding something-they become OBSESSED with getting him to open up.
Harry cannot even bear to utter his daughter’s name and despite not believing, he turns to a tarot card reader that Sophie would often visit. Zara has turned to prayer although she hasn’t visited a mosque in years.
As the two parents try to save themselves and each other, they end up pushing the other away in their grief.
This is NOT your typical “best selling” crime mystery. It is part character study and part legal thriller, the pace steady but not fast, the writing often POETIC and INTROSPECTIVE.
It unfolds in the alternating first person perspectives of Harry and Zara, and in a dual timeline between the weeks after Sophie’s disappearance and a year later in the middle of a MURDER trial, until we reach its UNEXPECTED and surprising conclusion.
If I hadn’t been invited by the Publisher to read this-I probably would’ve missed out, but I will be watching for the author’s books now.
If you have read books by Kia Abdullah, you will probably enjoy this author as well.
Imran Mahmood has worked on the Criminal bar in London for over 20 years and regularly appears in the jury trials of complex criminal cases, bringing an authenticity to the story, which I appreciated.
A buddy read with DeAnn. Be sure to watch for her amazing review for additional thoughts.
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank you to Bantam for the gifted copy, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the U.S.
I knew from the opening pages that this would be a story to savor….
One day, seventeen year old Sophie left home angry-and never returned home.
Six weeks later, her parents, Harry and Zara have grown frustrated with the lack of progress made by the Detectives and each has taken matters into their own hands in an attempt to find her.
They have interviewed everyone in the neighborhood except the tenant at #210-a man who refuses to speak with them or answer the questionnaire that they have left at his door.
Convinced that he is hiding something-they become OBSESSED with getting him to open up.
Harry cannot even bear to utter his daughter’s name and despite not believing, he turns to a tarot card reader that Sophie would often visit. Zara has turned to prayer although she hasn’t visited a mosque in years.
As the two parents try to save themselves and each other, they end up pushing the other away in their grief.
This is NOT your typical “best selling” crime mystery. It is part character study and part legal thriller, the pace steady but not fast, the writing often POETIC and INTROSPECTIVE.
It unfolds in the alternating first person perspectives of Harry and Zara, and in a dual timeline between the weeks after Sophie’s disappearance and a year later in the middle of a MURDER trial, until we reach its UNEXPECTED and surprising conclusion.
If I hadn’t been invited by the Publisher to read this-I probably would’ve missed out, but I will be watching for the author’s books now.
If you have read books by Kia Abdullah, you will probably enjoy this author as well.
Imran Mahmood has worked on the Criminal bar in London for over 20 years and regularly appears in the jury trials of complex criminal cases, bringing an authenticity to the story, which I appreciated.
A buddy read with DeAnn. Be sure to watch for her amazing review for additional thoughts.
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank you to Bantam for the gifted copy, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
November 19, 2023
WOW! Powerful! Heartbreaking!
At seventeen Sophie is pushing family boundaries, trying to spread her wings. Her parents Harry and Zara are just as strongly trying to keep them clipped. Neither can go on this way. And just as suddenly…Sophie is gone!
Short chapters told from the perspective of both parents. Each going through their own private hell trying to survive and ultimately find Sophie.
How far would you go to find your missing child? Would you commit...murder?
This is not a warm & fuzzy, lite thriller. In fact, at times it is painfully heavy-hearted. The grief and fear of both parents are raw and palpable. My heart broke for both Harry and Zara as I watched them come apart.
I found this book to be utterly unputdownable! Finished in just 2 sittings. Make sure to block off some time because once you pick this one up the world will just fade away until you reach the final page!
This was my first read by Imran Mahmood. His background includes criminal law that you see by his expertise displayed here in the courtroom scenes.
I cannot wait to read more from this very talented author!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine
At seventeen Sophie is pushing family boundaries, trying to spread her wings. Her parents Harry and Zara are just as strongly trying to keep them clipped. Neither can go on this way. And just as suddenly…Sophie is gone!
Short chapters told from the perspective of both parents. Each going through their own private hell trying to survive and ultimately find Sophie.
How far would you go to find your missing child? Would you commit...murder?
This is not a warm & fuzzy, lite thriller. In fact, at times it is painfully heavy-hearted. The grief and fear of both parents are raw and palpable. My heart broke for both Harry and Zara as I watched them come apart.
I found this book to be utterly unputdownable! Finished in just 2 sittings. Make sure to block off some time because once you pick this one up the world will just fade away until you reach the final page!
This was my first read by Imran Mahmood. His background includes criminal law that you see by his expertise displayed here in the courtroom scenes.
I cannot wait to read more from this very talented author!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine
January 25, 2024
Harry and Zara King, two teachers, with a 17 year old daughter, Sophie, endure what no parent should ever have to.
Sophie goes missing.
Zara is lost in a sea of pain and hopelessness. Harry on the other hand has made it his duty to find his daughter. He has interviewed every person that has ever been connected to Sophie including their entire neighborhood to see if anyone saw anything suspicious. Everyone except for the neighbor at 210. The neighbor at 210 has refused to open his door much less speak to him. Harry is convinced that this man knows exactly what happened to Sophie and he will not let him get away with it. Laws be damned.
Whoa! This book was incredible. I was so completely invested in this family. They're pain was palpable and it made my own heart ache. The writing was absolutely beautiful. So many highlight worthy quotes. A few passages I had to reread just to savor them. That's when you know you are reading a real gem. As I was reading this I was thinking this was a really strong 4 star book but that ending. My goodness. It catapulted this straight to 5 stars. I am so impressed. Highest recommendation. 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
Sophie goes missing.
Zara is lost in a sea of pain and hopelessness. Harry on the other hand has made it his duty to find his daughter. He has interviewed every person that has ever been connected to Sophie including their entire neighborhood to see if anyone saw anything suspicious. Everyone except for the neighbor at 210. The neighbor at 210 has refused to open his door much less speak to him. Harry is convinced that this man knows exactly what happened to Sophie and he will not let him get away with it. Laws be damned.
Whoa! This book was incredible. I was so completely invested in this family. They're pain was palpable and it made my own heart ache. The writing was absolutely beautiful. So many highlight worthy quotes. A few passages I had to reread just to savor them. That's when you know you are reading a real gem. As I was reading this I was thinking this was a really strong 4 star book but that ending. My goodness. It catapulted this straight to 5 stars. I am so impressed. Highest recommendation. 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
February 18, 2024
Sophie is missing! It's every parent’s worst nightmare. Harry and Zara King are desperate to find their seventeen-year-old daughter, Sophie. She left their home one day and has not been seen since. They are not happy with the investigation and decide to do their own investigation by questioning everyone they think might know something. They both know one thing - that they will do whatever it takes to find out where or what happened to their daughter. They have a suspect in mind, so much so that they become obsessed with this individual....
Readers get the POV of both parents. Their desperation and pain jump off the pages. Both turn inwards to do what works for them in terms of dealing with their sense of loss. Not knowing what happened to their daughter has pushed them apart, each in their own private pain.
Readers also get to be silent observers in the court proceedings involving both Harry and Zara. I had so many questions in my head while reading this book. Getting to the answers was quite a journey through Harry and Zara’s loss and pain.
I struggled a little in the beginning of this book. I wasn't sure that this was the book for me, but I hung in there and soon enough, I was fully invested and wanting to know if Sophie would be found.
This was a thought-provoking book and my first book by Imran Mahmood. I look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
#FindingSophie
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Readers get the POV of both parents. Their desperation and pain jump off the pages. Both turn inwards to do what works for them in terms of dealing with their sense of loss. Not knowing what happened to their daughter has pushed them apart, each in their own private pain.
Readers also get to be silent observers in the court proceedings involving both Harry and Zara. I had so many questions in my head while reading this book. Getting to the answers was quite a journey through Harry and Zara’s loss and pain.
I struggled a little in the beginning of this book. I wasn't sure that this was the book for me, but I hung in there and soon enough, I was fully invested and wanting to know if Sophie would be found.
This was a thought-provoking book and my first book by Imran Mahmood. I look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
#FindingSophie
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
March 26, 2024
Harry and Zara King’s daughter, Sophie, is missing. After leaving the house one day, she seemingly vanished into thin air. Ever devoted to her, both are beyond distraught not knowing where she could be. As days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months, the police are without any answers. To both Harry and Zara, they each can’t let it rest. At the same time, however, their relationship starts to show the strain of the unrelenting not knowing.
For Harry, he’s driven to search every street, every house, for his dear, darling Sophie. Almost all have—over time—responded to his knocks on their doors, patiently answering his questions as best that they could. All except one. A house on their own street—number 210—refuses to help. Not opening the door, the owner merely peeks out of his window refusing to help. For obvious reasons, Harry has to wonder: What is he hiding? Does he know something important? Or has he done something unforgivable?
Zara, on the other hand, has started to crack under the weight of her grief. Unable to eat and driven by fear, she—just like Harry—begins to obsess over the owner of number 210. At the same time, however, she starts to investigate what was really going on in Sophie’s life at the time of her disappearance. What she finds is startling to be sure. Secrets and lies are exposed, but what does any of it have to do with wherever Sophie is now?
Together—and apart—Harry and Zara become determined to get to the bottom of what happened to Sophie. Is she alive—or dead? Voluntarily missing—or kidnapped? How will they be able to go on without any verifiable answers? Day after day, they weaken under the stress. Until—finally—the dam seems to break. Someone has to pay for whatever has happened to Sophie. And the only obvious suspect resides at number 210…
I don’t know quite what to think of Finding Sophie. A complicated exploration of two parents’ grief after the disappearance of their daughter, it felt, for the most part, like a very long, slow burn. After all, for at least two thirds of the book, nothing much happened. Besides some brief glimpses of a murder trial, it was a rather boring family drama as Harry and Zara unraveled. Don’t get me wrong, the last one hundred pages picked up quite a bit, but by then, it just didn’t jive with the rest of the book.
As for the characters, namely Harry and Zara, their finely tuned personas utterly oozed with desperation and grief. While I’ve never been in their position before, I can easily believe that the not knowing could drive one to action. In addition, the fracturing of their relationship was done extremely well, as day by day the stress seemed to take over and drive them further apart.
As for the plot, as I’ve mentioned, it was anything but fast-paced. That is, until the last third of the book when the events of one fateful night were revealed during the trial. That in and of itself was actually ingenious, sort of Strangers on a Train without the driving suspense. Unfortunately, however, the two pieces to this novel felt decidedly disconnected from one another. One part inherently character-driven and the latter somewhat unbelievable and over-the-top.
I do have to say, though, that the prose was superb throughout this mashup of domestic drama and a tale of suspense. Shining a light on how two people can experience grief differently, this story was emphatically thought-provoking and poignant. While it did drag quite a bit for this thriller lover, not once did I consider setting the book aside and giving up. But then, I’ve also grown to love drama that has a touch of mystery in the plot. So what I’m saying is that you should probably read at your own discretion, I guess. Rating of 3 stars.
Thank you to Imran Mahmood and Bantam/Penguin Random House for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 5, 2024
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: missing child, depression, suicidal ideation, imprisonment, kidnapping, mention of: fatal stabbing, drug dealing, grooming
For Harry, he’s driven to search every street, every house, for his dear, darling Sophie. Almost all have—over time—responded to his knocks on their doors, patiently answering his questions as best that they could. All except one. A house on their own street—number 210—refuses to help. Not opening the door, the owner merely peeks out of his window refusing to help. For obvious reasons, Harry has to wonder: What is he hiding? Does he know something important? Or has he done something unforgivable?
Zara, on the other hand, has started to crack under the weight of her grief. Unable to eat and driven by fear, she—just like Harry—begins to obsess over the owner of number 210. At the same time, however, she starts to investigate what was really going on in Sophie’s life at the time of her disappearance. What she finds is startling to be sure. Secrets and lies are exposed, but what does any of it have to do with wherever Sophie is now?
Together—and apart—Harry and Zara become determined to get to the bottom of what happened to Sophie. Is she alive—or dead? Voluntarily missing—or kidnapped? How will they be able to go on without any verifiable answers? Day after day, they weaken under the stress. Until—finally—the dam seems to break. Someone has to pay for whatever has happened to Sophie. And the only obvious suspect resides at number 210…
I don’t know quite what to think of Finding Sophie. A complicated exploration of two parents’ grief after the disappearance of their daughter, it felt, for the most part, like a very long, slow burn. After all, for at least two thirds of the book, nothing much happened. Besides some brief glimpses of a murder trial, it was a rather boring family drama as Harry and Zara unraveled. Don’t get me wrong, the last one hundred pages picked up quite a bit, but by then, it just didn’t jive with the rest of the book.
As for the characters, namely Harry and Zara, their finely tuned personas utterly oozed with desperation and grief. While I’ve never been in their position before, I can easily believe that the not knowing could drive one to action. In addition, the fracturing of their relationship was done extremely well, as day by day the stress seemed to take over and drive them further apart.
As for the plot, as I’ve mentioned, it was anything but fast-paced. That is, until the last third of the book when the events of one fateful night were revealed during the trial. That in and of itself was actually ingenious, sort of Strangers on a Train without the driving suspense. Unfortunately, however, the two pieces to this novel felt decidedly disconnected from one another. One part inherently character-driven and the latter somewhat unbelievable and over-the-top.
I do have to say, though, that the prose was superb throughout this mashup of domestic drama and a tale of suspense. Shining a light on how two people can experience grief differently, this story was emphatically thought-provoking and poignant. While it did drag quite a bit for this thriller lover, not once did I consider setting the book aside and giving up. But then, I’ve also grown to love drama that has a touch of mystery in the plot. So what I’m saying is that you should probably read at your own discretion, I guess. Rating of 3 stars.
Thank you to Imran Mahmood and Bantam/Penguin Random House for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 5, 2024
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: missing child, depression, suicidal ideation, imprisonment, kidnapping, mention of: fatal stabbing, drug dealing, grooming
January 31, 2024
4-5 stars
School teachers, Harry and Zara King are distraught. Six weeks ago, their daughter Sophie leaves their house and hasn’t returned. They question everyone they can think of, the police have no leads, but one house catches their eye, number 210 in their own street. Why won’t John Douglas Herman answer when they knock? No matter how much they bang on the door, all that happens is a slight twitch of the dirty net curtains. This novel examines the question of how far you would be prepared go for your child.
This is my first Imran Mahmood read and it definitely won’t be my last as this is an impressive novel. It’s just the way I like my psychological mystery thrillers as there are multiple layers. It’s a character study and domestic drama woven in with the mystery of Sophie and a terrific courtroom thriller. The plot is so well thought out, packing in a number of punches from the emotional ones to gut wrenching shocks. It’s not a pacy novel because it’s thoughtful and thought provoking especially as much of it is reflections particularly by Zara, and this is what makes it so powerful. As a tigress mother, like most, I have no idea how far I’d be prepared to go, and thankfully I’ve never had to find out.
The characterisation is excellent. You feel the couples loss, the grief and pain emanates from the pages. It’s very raw and breaks your heart at times. Harry, though, is not as easy to like as Zara, though both become obsessed with John Herman, and that part of the storytelling is creative, but your heart sinks at the same time. Their parenting is not what you expect, their daughter is obviously to the forefront of their minds and so their reflections are very revealing. You find yourself in Sophie shoes and consider things from her perspective, although they learn things about her that definitely shock them. You do get a strong sense of Sophie‘s personality via Harry and Zara, who are drowning in emotions and it certainly takes its toll.
The mystery of Sophie gets deeper and deeper and the storytelling goes through many twist and turns. You have no idea what’s going on here and that makes for a suspenseful read. The courtroom scenes are so good as the prosecution and defence goes back-and-forth with it becoming extremely tense towards the end. I love how you have absolutely no idea who to root for with the author tantalising dangling that in front of you.
As the court case starts to simmer, boiling and ultimately burst into flames, it hangs on the notion of it. “better to let nine guilty men free, than have one innocent man hang”. These scenes are outstanding and you have no clue what will happen next. The ending is surprising I so don’t see that coming and kudos to the author as that’s a very good twist.
Overall, this is a tense, suspenseful and emotional rollercoaster of a read. Not only is this an absorbing and compelling novel it would make a terrific television miniseries.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
School teachers, Harry and Zara King are distraught. Six weeks ago, their daughter Sophie leaves their house and hasn’t returned. They question everyone they can think of, the police have no leads, but one house catches their eye, number 210 in their own street. Why won’t John Douglas Herman answer when they knock? No matter how much they bang on the door, all that happens is a slight twitch of the dirty net curtains. This novel examines the question of how far you would be prepared go for your child.
This is my first Imran Mahmood read and it definitely won’t be my last as this is an impressive novel. It’s just the way I like my psychological mystery thrillers as there are multiple layers. It’s a character study and domestic drama woven in with the mystery of Sophie and a terrific courtroom thriller. The plot is so well thought out, packing in a number of punches from the emotional ones to gut wrenching shocks. It’s not a pacy novel because it’s thoughtful and thought provoking especially as much of it is reflections particularly by Zara, and this is what makes it so powerful. As a tigress mother, like most, I have no idea how far I’d be prepared to go, and thankfully I’ve never had to find out.
The characterisation is excellent. You feel the couples loss, the grief and pain emanates from the pages. It’s very raw and breaks your heart at times. Harry, though, is not as easy to like as Zara, though both become obsessed with John Herman, and that part of the storytelling is creative, but your heart sinks at the same time. Their parenting is not what you expect, their daughter is obviously to the forefront of their minds and so their reflections are very revealing. You find yourself in Sophie shoes and consider things from her perspective, although they learn things about her that definitely shock them. You do get a strong sense of Sophie‘s personality via Harry and Zara, who are drowning in emotions and it certainly takes its toll.
The mystery of Sophie gets deeper and deeper and the storytelling goes through many twist and turns. You have no idea what’s going on here and that makes for a suspenseful read. The courtroom scenes are so good as the prosecution and defence goes back-and-forth with it becoming extremely tense towards the end. I love how you have absolutely no idea who to root for with the author tantalising dangling that in front of you.
As the court case starts to simmer, boiling and ultimately burst into flames, it hangs on the notion of it. “better to let nine guilty men free, than have one innocent man hang”. These scenes are outstanding and you have no clue what will happen next. The ending is surprising I so don’t see that coming and kudos to the author as that’s a very good twist.
Overall, this is a tense, suspenseful and emotional rollercoaster of a read. Not only is this an absorbing and compelling novel it would make a terrific television miniseries.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
February 21, 2024
It's a He Said, She said kind of book. Harry and Zara a grieving over the disappearance of their daughter Sophie. They have canvassed the neighbors. Talked to her friends. No one has much of anything to share. The police have no leads. Yet, there is that neighbor in 210 who will not open his door. Along with the husband and wife POVS there is a courtroom thread. Who is on trial? Has Sophie been murdered? This is an insightful view of a marriage that is imploding. Both are on their own mission to find Sophie, yet not as a team. It is heartbreaking to watch. The courtroom scenes are very well done. The rest of the book suffered from some pacing issues. Seemed to stall for a bit. The ending is worth the journey.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2024
Harry and Zara King’s seventeen-year-old daughter Sophie is missing.
Is she dead or alive?
After a very, very, very, very slow start, the book picked up with many satisfying jaw-dropping twists and turns.
I listened to the audiobook read by Lydia Bakelmun and Oliver Hembrough.
Both narrators did an outstanding job with the narration.
4.5 stars
June 26, 2025
Rounding up from 3.5. Book was a good example of the prisoner’s dilemma in some ways. Didn’t really like the ending much, but I think the author had nowhere else to take the story. Did like that it showed a divergence from a lot of immigrant or traditional BIPoC stories. It showcased them without making their otherness the focal point of the book.
April 19, 2024
Zara and Harry's daughter Sophie is missing, and the book is about them trying to come to terms with this. Grief uncertainty and their relationship under incredible strain. Suspicion falls on their neighbour Herman, who refuses to speak to them, with this situation spiralling. Told from alternating points of view of Zara and Harry and occasionally moving forward in time to a trial. There is plenty to like, but the pacing was abit off, with the first 75% or so of the book very slow but with enough tempting me to keep reading, and the ending was so worth it, with great unexpected twists and turns. Overall, it is worth the slow start, with the payoff being the cracking ending.
September 24, 2024
3.5⭐️
Loved the duel timelines and I really wanted to see how everything was going to play out!
Also obsessed with the short chapters
Loved the duel timelines and I really wanted to see how everything was going to play out!
Also obsessed with the short chapters
January 12, 2024
Local teachers, Harry and Zara, are devastated when their daughter, Sophie, disappears. Disappointed in the police progress in finding her, they investigate on their own. Harry has visited all the houses in their neighborhood, except one where the homeowner will not let him in. As they become obsessed with the search, to what extremes will they go?
I really liked this fast, engrossing read. Well plotted, it kept me guessing as the truth was gradually revealed. This is a mystery as well as psychological and legal thriller. Told from the perspectives of both Harry and Zara, it is a solid study of parental loss, grief, and familial relationships.
Thanks to #netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC.
I really liked this fast, engrossing read. Well plotted, it kept me guessing as the truth was gradually revealed. This is a mystery as well as psychological and legal thriller. Told from the perspectives of both Harry and Zara, it is a solid study of parental loss, grief, and familial relationships.
Thanks to #netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC.
December 24, 2023
How far will you go to find your daughter that has gone missing? This is the question for parents Zara and Henry. Who after the police stopped looking for her, decided to take the matter in their own hands and did what they had to do to find her.
The other half of the story is both parents of Sophie being accused of murder.
This is a tense emotional read and the first book from the author. It is fabulous book and I will look forward to reading others he has written.
5 stars
The other half of the story is both parents of Sophie being accused of murder.
This is a tense emotional read and the first book from the author. It is fabulous book and I will look forward to reading others he has written.
5 stars
February 14, 2024
Let me begin by saying that I did not encounter a single intelligent person in this novel. I know that’s harsh, but it’s challenging to conjure positive feelings toward a story when the characters all seem to share a single brain cell.
I realize that Harry and Zara were desperate and grieving. Their emotions were sure to affect their choices. But blinding emotions can only excuse so much. Their behavior, overall, failed to earn a pass from me, and they weren’t the only foolish characters.
I also found myself confounded by how shocked these parents were regarding certain things they learned about their 17 year old daughter. Has the author ever had a teenager? Has he ever been a teenager? It seems like the answer to that second question should be an absolute yes, but I really wasn’t sure. Yes, things concerning Sophie do get a bit more convoluted down the line, but the first few parental shocks had me scratching my head.
And then there was the suspicious neighbor. Did it really make sense for him to make himself look guiltier and guiltier with every action? I didn’t feel any legitimate suspense was built around him because of this behavior. Furthermore, as a reader, with so much of the focus on this character, it was easy for me to recognize that they wouldn’t find Sophie within his grip. The distraction was obvious, but it did serve the plot since the parents were, in the present day storyline, on trial for his murder.
The last ⅓ of the novel, set almost exclusively in a courtroom, was incredibly dull. I was dragged through mundane details because the author apparently thought he would shock me with it all. He did not succeed. Very little in this story proved surprising. It all felt quite basic, with nothing innovative to help shape it.
Once that whole courtroom fiasco came to an end, it was time for the title of this book to reach its resolution, as Sophie’s whereabouts were still unknown. This reveal was the only aspect that actually surprised me, but not in an impressive way. None of it was developed well enough for me to believe it. It felt more like an afterthought, or a rushed, sloppy resolve, and it was alarmingly anticlimactic.
I also want to note that this story is told through dual perspectives, but you wouldn’t have known that if the chapters hadn’t been labeled. Harry and Zara sound exactly the same. There isn’t even the slightest indication that they have different voices, and it was easy to forget which character I was engaging with.
Finding Sophie is supposedly an emotional tale of two parents consumed by grief. They are aggressively navigating a lack of closure after their daughter goes missing. The way the story was written, however, did very little to gnaw at the heart. Harry and Zara’s method of dealing with their daughter’s rebellion before she disappeared was awful, which made it difficult to fully envision them as sympathetic characters. Overall, they came across as terrible people. Additionally, most of the lines describing their emotional states felt like cliches. This was not evocative storytelling, which would have been the only thing to save the book for me. I can forgive a lot when a story actually makes me feel something, but this completely missed the mark.
I am immensely grateful to Bantam and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
I realize that Harry and Zara were desperate and grieving. Their emotions were sure to affect their choices. But blinding emotions can only excuse so much. Their behavior, overall, failed to earn a pass from me, and they weren’t the only foolish characters.
I also found myself confounded by how shocked these parents were regarding certain things they learned about their 17 year old daughter. Has the author ever had a teenager? Has he ever been a teenager? It seems like the answer to that second question should be an absolute yes, but I really wasn’t sure. Yes, things concerning Sophie do get a bit more convoluted down the line, but the first few parental shocks had me scratching my head.
And then there was the suspicious neighbor. Did it really make sense for him to make himself look guiltier and guiltier with every action? I didn’t feel any legitimate suspense was built around him because of this behavior. Furthermore, as a reader, with so much of the focus on this character, it was easy for me to recognize that they wouldn’t find Sophie within his grip. The distraction was obvious, but it did serve the plot since the parents were, in the present day storyline, on trial for his murder.
The last ⅓ of the novel, set almost exclusively in a courtroom, was incredibly dull. I was dragged through mundane details because the author apparently thought he would shock me with it all. He did not succeed. Very little in this story proved surprising. It all felt quite basic, with nothing innovative to help shape it.
Once that whole courtroom fiasco came to an end, it was time for the title of this book to reach its resolution, as Sophie’s whereabouts were still unknown. This reveal was the only aspect that actually surprised me, but not in an impressive way. None of it was developed well enough for me to believe it. It felt more like an afterthought, or a rushed, sloppy resolve, and it was alarmingly anticlimactic.
I also want to note that this story is told through dual perspectives, but you wouldn’t have known that if the chapters hadn’t been labeled. Harry and Zara sound exactly the same. There isn’t even the slightest indication that they have different voices, and it was easy to forget which character I was engaging with.
Finding Sophie is supposedly an emotional tale of two parents consumed by grief. They are aggressively navigating a lack of closure after their daughter goes missing. The way the story was written, however, did very little to gnaw at the heart. Harry and Zara’s method of dealing with their daughter’s rebellion before she disappeared was awful, which made it difficult to fully envision them as sympathetic characters. Overall, they came across as terrible people. Additionally, most of the lines describing their emotional states felt like cliches. This was not evocative storytelling, which would have been the only thing to save the book for me. I can forgive a lot when a story actually makes me feel something, but this completely missed the mark.
I am immensely grateful to Bantam and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2023
Imran Mahmood slowly builds the tension in this whirlwind story of a parent's worst night mare.
As we learn that Harry and Zara's 17 year old daughter has been missing, we are also given a front row seat to their POV and their train of thought as they both become more and more convinced that the police are not helping as much as they can nor taking their own clues they uncover seriously.
It is very clear however, from Harry's progress in connecting with everyone on all of the surrounding blocks that there is one house hiding something. Someone lives at #210 and both parents begin to believe without a doubt that the answer to where Sophie is lies inside. Twisty, thrilling and realistic - a perfect thriller! #randomhouse #Findingsophie #imranmahmood
As we learn that Harry and Zara's 17 year old daughter has been missing, we are also given a front row seat to their POV and their train of thought as they both become more and more convinced that the police are not helping as much as they can nor taking their own clues they uncover seriously.
It is very clear however, from Harry's progress in connecting with everyone on all of the surrounding blocks that there is one house hiding something. Someone lives at #210 and both parents begin to believe without a doubt that the answer to where Sophie is lies inside. Twisty, thrilling and realistic - a perfect thriller! #randomhouse #Findingsophie #imranmahmood
October 23, 2023
I am a massive fan of Imran Mahmood's previous novels but trust me, this is his best yet.
This book takes the format which I love so much - dual timeline, Then and Now.
Then - Harry and Zara's daughter, Sophie, goes missing. Harry conducts his own investigation, frustrated at the lack of progress made by the police. Harry interviews everyone in the neighbouring streets except one neighbour who won't open his door. What is he hiding? What secrets was Sophie hiding before she vanished?
Now - Harry and Zara are on trial for murder.......
The plot intricately moves between the two timelines in the very best way. In the Then timeline, we are drip fed information about Harry's investigation as he slowly uncovers secrets about Sophie that he never knew. We also learn about the difficult relationship he had with her and how unhappy she was becoming at home.
Harry's focus on the neighbour who won't open his door becomes an obsession which takes both Harry and Zara past the point of no return....
I won't say much more for fear of spoilers but for anyone who knows Mahmood's novels will know they are in for a truly thrilling ride with some red herrings and a truly brilliant courtroom battle as Harry and Zara fight for their freedom and fight to uncover what happened to Sophie.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ), Raven Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This book takes the format which I love so much - dual timeline, Then and Now.
Then - Harry and Zara's daughter, Sophie, goes missing. Harry conducts his own investigation, frustrated at the lack of progress made by the police. Harry interviews everyone in the neighbouring streets except one neighbour who won't open his door. What is he hiding? What secrets was Sophie hiding before she vanished?
Now - Harry and Zara are on trial for murder.......
The plot intricately moves between the two timelines in the very best way. In the Then timeline, we are drip fed information about Harry's investigation as he slowly uncovers secrets about Sophie that he never knew. We also learn about the difficult relationship he had with her and how unhappy she was becoming at home.
Harry's focus on the neighbour who won't open his door becomes an obsession which takes both Harry and Zara past the point of no return....
I won't say much more for fear of spoilers but for anyone who knows Mahmood's novels will know they are in for a truly thrilling ride with some red herrings and a truly brilliant courtroom battle as Harry and Zara fight for their freedom and fight to uncover what happened to Sophie.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ), Raven Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 14, 2023
Sophie has gone missing and what begins as a simple plot turns into a twisted tale. The police have no leads, and Sophie’s parents, Harry and Zara are growing frantic, they're convinced that their very “odd” neighbour is hiding something. Frustrated by the police investigation they take matters into their own hands.But just how far are they both prepared to go? Sophie’s disappearance is one filled with mystery and suspense told mostly from the POV of the parents, your never sure if their narrative is the gods honest truth, or their omitting details to hide the fact that their relationship with Sophie was a difficult one.
The plot is driven by Harry and Zara’s quest for the truth, and the lengths they will go to. Although I appreciated how desperate Sophie’s parents were For answers I thought some of their actions bordered on the unbelievable There are also chapters told from the courtroom which add to the overall tension. To the Who? And why? are slowly but surely revealed as the layers are peeled back. Along with what what really happened to Sophie. It’s a dramatic, tension fuelled journey getting to the truth but it’s brilliantly told and very cleverly executed.
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The plot is driven by Harry and Zara’s quest for the truth, and the lengths they will go to. Although I appreciated how desperate Sophie’s parents were For answers I thought some of their actions bordered on the unbelievable There are also chapters told from the courtroom which add to the overall tension. To the Who? And why? are slowly but surely revealed as the layers are peeled back. Along with what what really happened to Sophie. It’s a dramatic, tension fuelled journey getting to the truth but it’s brilliantly told and very cleverly executed.
Blog: https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
December 9, 2023
Loved this one and raced to get through it! It opens with a trial: husband and wife, Harry and Zara are being accused of murdering a neighbor they hardly knew as they believe he killed their missing teen, Sophie. But of course there are so many factors at work here! Told in alternating chapters from each of their perspectives, the book details how there were so many secrets that Sophie kept from them--what teen doesn't have secrets--and what secrets they kept from each other. It's a great story about relationships, lies, and the lengths to which we will go to protect our own children--even as we know so little about their lives!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
October 10, 2023
My thoughts about Imran Mahmood’s Finding Sophie is everything you’d want in a mystery thriller, full of twists, deception, and tantalizing crime, which never stops being engaging. Writer Imran Mahmood delivers solid thrills and genuine twists with great effect. This breathtaking thriller, keeps the readers on the edge of their seats. Imran Mahmood has made a habit of pulling off complex thrillers like You Don’t Know Me, I Know What I Saw and All I Said Was True. With ease, and with the multi-layered narrative of ‘Finding Sophie’, he seems right at home. What makes this book feels great is that it knew how to plant the clues and when to reveal the twists and turns in a perfect time. It is a very delicate task to do, yet writer Imran Mahmood seems to manage it. I think, in a way, he knew how put his perspective in the reader’s eyes. Imran Mahmood’s Finding Sophie story begins with Sophie King is missing. Her parents, Harry and Zara, are distraught; for the last seventeen years, they’ve done everything for their only daughter. The police have no leads, and Harry and Zara are growing increasingly frantic – and increasingly obsessed with their highly suspicious neighbour. He won’t open the door, he won’t answer any questions. If they want answers, they’re going to have to take matter into their own hands. But just how far are they both prepared to go. The storyline of Imran Mahmood’s Finding Sophie was arranged like I was involved in solving the crime. The ending gave me goosebumps and was thrilled at the same time. Overall Imran Mahmood’s Finding Sophie is a jaw-dropping, mind-boggling masterpiece that will blow your mind at every second. You don’t get a clear picture of who to root for because the perspective is changed at every turn. It will force you to think one way in one second only to rethink it the next. I like to say a big thank you to author Imran Mahmood and publishers Raven Books for kindly letting me read and review this brilliant book on netgalley which I’ve enjoyed reading. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥💥💥
May 7, 2024
I started this book a few weeks ago, couldn’t get into it, and set it aside. Today I tried again, and in the beginning, I was about to DNF it. That’s something I rarely do though, especially with an ARC I’ve committed to reviewing, so I started to speed read.
When I started the story, I liked the plot but hated our two main characters, Harry and Zara, whose daughter Sophie has been missing for six weeks. They are obviously unreliable narrators, due to the trauma they are going through. Harry can’t say his daughter’s name so in the book (at least, in the ARC), in his chapters her name is written as “S——“. In the beginning that drove me mad, but thankfully, I either got used to it, or it slowed down.
As we know from the synopsis, Sophie is missing and her parents have talked to everyone they know, except their neighbor at 210, Herman. He has a veritable fortress around his house, and he refuses to speak to anyone. Sophie’s parents don’t appreciate that, and events transpire. Harry finds a clairvoyant named Katya through a business card in his daughter’s room, and the things she sees…they aren’t good.
Eventually, I stopped speed reading and started getting into the story. Most chapters are from the POVs of Harry and Zara, but there are also chapters from a courtroom where a murder trial is being held. The parents are not likable at all, but their remorse over small things, and how being without their daughter is destroying them and their marriage, made me slightly sympathetic. That being said, they are idiots, and the ending wasn’t as good as I expected. This book had some weak and strong parts, so I’m going with an average three stars.
(Thank you to Bantam, Imram Mahmood and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
When I started the story, I liked the plot but hated our two main characters, Harry and Zara, whose daughter Sophie has been missing for six weeks. They are obviously unreliable narrators, due to the trauma they are going through. Harry can’t say his daughter’s name so in the book (at least, in the ARC), in his chapters her name is written as “S——“. In the beginning that drove me mad, but thankfully, I either got used to it, or it slowed down.
As we know from the synopsis, Sophie is missing and her parents have talked to everyone they know, except their neighbor at 210, Herman. He has a veritable fortress around his house, and he refuses to speak to anyone. Sophie’s parents don’t appreciate that, and events transpire. Harry finds a clairvoyant named Katya through a business card in his daughter’s room, and the things she sees…they aren’t good.
Eventually, I stopped speed reading and started getting into the story. Most chapters are from the POVs of Harry and Zara, but there are also chapters from a courtroom where a murder trial is being held. The parents are not likable at all, but their remorse over small things, and how being without their daughter is destroying them and their marriage, made me slightly sympathetic. That being said, they are idiots, and the ending wasn’t as good as I expected. This book had some weak and strong parts, so I’m going with an average three stars.
(Thank you to Bantam, Imram Mahmood and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
May 2, 2024
Ooof, this was a tough read. More of a slow burn character study than your typical thriller but with all the intensity and addictiveness of one.
A parents worst nightmare … Harry and Zara are distraught over the disappearance of their seventeen-year-old daughter. Taking deep dive into the grief parents go through as individuals and as couple, we go through with them via a courtroom drama, which IMO was so very well done. The UK judicial system goes by the powerful premise of “better to let nine guilty men free, than have one innocent man hang”.
This was a highly emotionally charged, tense and compelling read.
Huge thanks to @netgalley @bantambooks @penguinrandom for an advanced e-arc 💌
A parents worst nightmare … Harry and Zara are distraught over the disappearance of their seventeen-year-old daughter. Taking deep dive into the grief parents go through as individuals and as couple, we go through with them via a courtroom drama, which IMO was so very well done. The UK judicial system goes by the powerful premise of “better to let nine guilty men free, than have one innocent man hang”.
This was a highly emotionally charged, tense and compelling read.
Huge thanks to @netgalley @bantambooks @penguinrandom for an advanced e-arc 💌
March 4, 2024
This is a legal thriller with lots of action, twists & turns. Along with the parent’s POV’s there was also a courtroom dynamic that plays out.
I thought the characters were very well written, and had a depth to them I cannot even put into words. My heart absolutely ached for them & all the trials and tribulations they went through.
This book is very dark and disturbing.
I’ve never read this author before but I was touched by the details, & writing style. The ending was not what I expected & this book kept me engaged.
I thought the characters were very well written, and had a depth to them I cannot even put into words. My heart absolutely ached for them & all the trials and tribulations they went through.
This book is very dark and disturbing.
I’ve never read this author before but I was touched by the details, & writing style. The ending was not what I expected & this book kept me engaged.
Read
February 3, 2024Wow, what an ending! I just inhaled the last third. An intense, desperate, heartfelt and claustrophobic story about the lengths parents will go to for love. Some books have a gut punch at the end. In Finding Sophie you're emotionally winded, all the way through.
January 12, 2024
I found this book to be not worth the read, I finished it, but boy was it slow! I think a few more suspects would have been good, and little faster pace would have made this book so much better!
November 4, 2023
Terrific story from Mahmood about a husband and wife searching for their missing daughter, Sophie, who are put on trial for allegedly murdering the man they believe is responsible for her disappearance. The story deftly alternates between the perspectives of the husband and wife as well as the past happenings and present trial while slowly unraveling what really happened that night. The reader is left wondering the fate of Sophie until all is revealed in a gripping and emotional ending that is at once bittersweet and cathartic. Strong characterizations and a solid narrative style make this one a worthy read. 4.5 stars. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2024
It feels like the ending was pulled out of thin air. I couldn’t even remember who the man was and had to search his name for other references in the book (there were only a few). The court case outcome also did not feel realistic. However this book kept my interest well enough, so it’s 3 stars for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2024
Finding Sophie is an incredibly complex look at a relationship during a time of crisis. But it is a psychological thriller which will continually keep you guessing as to what on earth could happen next. As you fall in love with the couple, Harry and Zara, as they optimistically search for their daughter Sophie who has disappeared, you see the breakdown of their marriage and the difference in how they each deal with their grief.
Harry and Zara King’s 15-year-old daughter has gone missing. Their only child, Sophie is the light of their lives. But, as they notice her temperament changing, they chalk it up to teenage rebellion. But an incident prior to her disappearance haunts them both in different ways.
They can barely look at each other as they both separately try and discover what could have happened to their Sophie. They discover they really didn’t know their daughter at all. Some clues emerge, not good ones and there is suspicion that the man who lives in a house on the street, 210, who will not let the police in, nor will he talk to Harry and Zara makes the couple distrustful of him.
Their grief is palpable, but their guilt unbearable. They try not to blame each other. But, they also want to fight this fight separately rather than together.
Fast forward to some chapters in which a trial is occurring. We have no idea who the defendant is or what the crime could be. Our clues are sparse until we discover the truth.
What would you do if your child went missing? Is love enough? Would you do anything in your power to find the child? Not matter what that meant? Or would you keep all those feelings in, blaming the other, but never giving up the idea that she just has to be alive, even when all the clues go another way. Can a marriage be strong enough to endure the heartbreak of a missing child?
In Finding Sophie there will be sadness, but there will also be something deeper than love. Passion. To not only find out what happened to their child, but to make sure she will somehow always know they loved her enough to never stop looking.
Thank you #NetGalley #Bantam #Imram Mahmood #Finding Sophie for the advanced copy.
Harry and Zara King’s 15-year-old daughter has gone missing. Their only child, Sophie is the light of their lives. But, as they notice her temperament changing, they chalk it up to teenage rebellion. But an incident prior to her disappearance haunts them both in different ways.
They can barely look at each other as they both separately try and discover what could have happened to their Sophie. They discover they really didn’t know their daughter at all. Some clues emerge, not good ones and there is suspicion that the man who lives in a house on the street, 210, who will not let the police in, nor will he talk to Harry and Zara makes the couple distrustful of him.
Their grief is palpable, but their guilt unbearable. They try not to blame each other. But, they also want to fight this fight separately rather than together.
Fast forward to some chapters in which a trial is occurring. We have no idea who the defendant is or what the crime could be. Our clues are sparse until we discover the truth.
What would you do if your child went missing? Is love enough? Would you do anything in your power to find the child? Not matter what that meant? Or would you keep all those feelings in, blaming the other, but never giving up the idea that she just has to be alive, even when all the clues go another way. Can a marriage be strong enough to endure the heartbreak of a missing child?
In Finding Sophie there will be sadness, but there will also be something deeper than love. Passion. To not only find out what happened to their child, but to make sure she will somehow always know they loved her enough to never stop looking.
Thank you #NetGalley #Bantam #Imram Mahmood #Finding Sophie for the advanced copy.
Read
February 29, 2024Part legal thriller, part suspense, part of a new (and very welcome) trend of what I have recently been calling "victim-centered fiction," Finding Sophie is a book about how the traumatic effects of crime ripple through everyone concerned.
When Harry and Zara's teenage daughter Sophie vanishes, they are distraught. Not satisfied by the police investigation, they each start poking around on their own, talking to her friends, spying on neighbors, even dipping into the occult.
Told in alternating POVs from each parent, switching between past and present-day, Finding Sophie is a familiar kind of suspense story told in a very different way.
Great for fans of Lisa Jewell!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
When Harry and Zara's teenage daughter Sophie vanishes, they are distraught. Not satisfied by the police investigation, they each start poking around on their own, talking to her friends, spying on neighbors, even dipping into the occult.
Told in alternating POVs from each parent, switching between past and present-day, Finding Sophie is a familiar kind of suspense story told in a very different way.
Great for fans of Lisa Jewell!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
October 31, 2023
I know I am in the minority with this one, but this book just didn’t click with me. The description of the grief Harry and Zara felt at the disappearance of their daughter and the different ways they dealt with their grief was spot on. But then it got ridiculous. The things they did, from the drone to banging down the door were the height of stupidity. Even the steps taken to conceal their actions were stupid. Putting a gun into a mailbox and then calling the authorities? Really? What was the point? Logically it didn’t make sense. A satisfying mystery has red herrings that even if followed incorrectly a reader could see the ending was logical. This one was not. The ending was convenient. 2.5 stars reluctantly rounded to 3 because the beginning was intriguing and I did read through to the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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