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In Another Life
American sisters Hannah and Jenny Tooley have spent their lives dreaming of flying to the UK and visiting all the places their English mother has told them about. But Jenny’s dream turns to a nightmare when she vanishes without a trace.
Hannah and her father arrive in England to a big police investigation. As Hannah gets to know some of Jenny’s friends and acquaintances, she realises that her sister is up to her neck in something – and the mysterious text messages she’s receiving bear this out. She is particularly drawn to Harry and, against her better judgement, begins to fall in love.
Hannah and her father arrive in England to a big police investigation. As Hannah gets to know some of Jenny’s friends and acquaintances, she realises that her sister is up to her neck in something – and the mysterious text messages she’s receiving bear this out. She is particularly drawn to Harry and, against her better judgement, begins to fall in love.
292 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2015
7 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
About the author
Laura Jarratt
9 books246 followersLaura Jarratt was born in Salford in the 1970s, the decade fashion should really forget. She remains mentally scarred from the numerous childhood photos of her in very bad clothes, which she blames for her present aversion to having her picture taken. Despite being good at English, Classics and Modern Foreign Languages, she accidentally studied Microbiology at university and then went on to work in education. Laura escaped the city as soon as possible as she becomes claustrophobic if not surrounded by enough green. Concrete just does not do it for her.
She's lived throughout the UK but came home to the North West where she is currently owned by Henry, a ginger cat without a tail, who holds the family in thrall.
She's lived throughout the UK but came home to the North West where she is currently owned by Henry, a ginger cat without a tail, who holds the family in thrall.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 13, 2025
From super excitement to utter disappointment!
The premise is: Jenny the oldest sister went on a summer job to England. Out of the blue she disappears. Her close sister: Hannah (FMC) and her dad get ready to fly from USA to UK to search for her. The mother who is originally British but hates England stays at the US to take care of the youngest son who suffers from cancer.
Hannah receives a weird text from her sister saying: "Please come, I need you". That's after the disappearance. And thus begin the journey of police, family and Hannah who are searching for the perfect daughter who never before did anything alarming.
Hannah who's feisty and determined gets to know everyone who worked with her sister believing that one of them is the suspect.
And it went well, but then, nothing really moved. Not even searching and then dead ends. The novel moved at a nerve-wrecking snail pace. Then, we had to sit through the most introverted romance I've ever read.
Hannah and some falconer can't look in each other's eyes but they are falling in love. And Hannah being weird, is it ok if I crush on somebody while my sister is maybe dead? am I weird?
Don't get me started on the weird mother who refused to answer any questions about her previous time in UK. Why she hated her birth-country, why she fled to US, that secrecy was the reason her daughter accepted the job in UK and was also the reason why she was murdered!
Who's the murder? Remember the mother, apparently she had a son in a loveless marriage and she decides to start her life in another continent, never looking back, never having any contact with said son. Naturally, the son grew up to be a psycho and once he met his half sister on the job he decided to kill her so his mother would fly to UK and then he'll kill his mother too.
Remember, the shy boyfriend of Hannah, he's the murderer other half brother! But he's super innocent!
And there is no point to this story I guess.
The premise is: Jenny the oldest sister went on a summer job to England. Out of the blue she disappears. Her close sister: Hannah (FMC) and her dad get ready to fly from USA to UK to search for her. The mother who is originally British but hates England stays at the US to take care of the youngest son who suffers from cancer.
Hannah receives a weird text from her sister saying: "Please come, I need you". That's after the disappearance. And thus begin the journey of police, family and Hannah who are searching for the perfect daughter who never before did anything alarming.
Hannah who's feisty and determined gets to know everyone who worked with her sister believing that one of them is the suspect.
And it went well, but then, nothing really moved. Not even searching and then dead ends. The novel moved at a nerve-wrecking snail pace. Then, we had to sit through the most introverted romance I've ever read.
Hannah and some falconer can't look in each other's eyes but they are falling in love. And Hannah being weird, is it ok if I crush on somebody while my sister is maybe dead? am I weird?
Don't get me started on the weird mother who refused to answer any questions about her previous time in UK. Why she hated her birth-country, why she fled to US, that secrecy was the reason her daughter accepted the job in UK and was also the reason why she was murdered!
Who's the murder? Remember the mother, apparently she had a son in a loveless marriage and she decides to start her life in another continent, never looking back, never having any contact with said son. Naturally, the son grew up to be a psycho and once he met his half sister on the job he decided to kill her so his mother would fly to UK and then he'll kill his mother too.
Remember, the shy boyfriend of Hannah, he's the murderer other half brother! But he's super innocent!
And there is no point to this story I guess.
January 15, 2017
This book is awesome. I picked it up intending on reading a few pages before bed. Before I knew it I'd finished it completely and it was two in the morning but so so worth it.
This book keeps you guessing from the beginning through to the very end. I am deliberately not going to write much about what happened because I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I will say one bit was the most chilling scene I have ever read in a YA novel and I the way it worked out in the end is really shocking.
If you love Laura's previous work or YA thrillers this is definitely the book for you.
This book keeps you guessing from the beginning through to the very end. I am deliberately not going to write much about what happened because I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I will say one bit was the most chilling scene I have ever read in a YA novel and I the way it worked out in the end is really shocking.
If you love Laura's previous work or YA thrillers this is definitely the book for you.
February 6, 2017
I like mysteries/thrillers and I like Laura Jarratt's books (Skin Deep and By Any Other Name) - but I didn't like In Another Life terribly. That is mostly due to three things:
1) Hannah
I didn't really like or connect with Hannah - perhaps because her Americaness felt artificial, somehow (it probably doesn't help that Jarratt is a UK author). I struggled to really get into her skin, or to care about what she was facing. This may be personal, however.
2) Too many coincidences
What Jenny was really looking into and her connection to the villain, as well as the villain's reasons for doing what he did, just felt too coincidental and staged. I'm all about accepting one big coincidence in a book, but there were just too many here for me to buy. I also didn't like the villain's motivation - it came across as a stock "I did this stuff because people were bad to me and I am mad" piece which I've just seen so many times before.
3) Too many superficial characters introduced, purely because they are being lined up as suspects
Once Hannah has her eyes on the male staff in the hotel it feels like there are just too many characters mentioned. Jarratt clearly wants there to be lots of suspects, but I think it would have worked better were there fewer characters, and better developed ones. Because some of the male characters mentioned never get any development, the reader more or less knows they can't be responsible, so it's not too difficult to work out who the culprit is.
IAL is readable, though I did start to skim quite a bit, and I didn't really like the insta-love either, especially as Jarratt mocks insta-love in the text then has it happen! I quite liked the setting, but the mystery just felt too stock and "by the numbers" to me. Skin Deep and By Any Other Names are superior reads.
1) Hannah
I didn't really like or connect with Hannah - perhaps because her Americaness felt artificial, somehow (it probably doesn't help that Jarratt is a UK author). I struggled to really get into her skin, or to care about what she was facing. This may be personal, however.
2) Too many coincidences
What Jenny was really looking into and her connection to the villain, as well as the villain's reasons for doing what he did, just felt too coincidental and staged. I'm all about accepting one big coincidence in a book, but there were just too many here for me to buy. I also didn't like the villain's motivation - it came across as a stock "I did this stuff because people were bad to me and I am mad" piece which I've just seen so many times before.
3) Too many superficial characters introduced, purely because they are being lined up as suspects
Once Hannah has her eyes on the male staff in the hotel it feels like there are just too many characters mentioned. Jarratt clearly wants there to be lots of suspects, but I think it would have worked better were there fewer characters, and better developed ones. Because some of the male characters mentioned never get any development, the reader more or less knows they can't be responsible, so it's not too difficult to work out who the culprit is.
IAL is readable, though I did start to skim quite a bit, and I didn't really like the insta-love either, especially as Jarratt mocks insta-love in the text then has it happen! I quite liked the setting, but the mystery just felt too stock and "by the numbers" to me. Skin Deep and By Any Other Names are superior reads.
August 1, 2017
This book is beautifully written just like Laura Jarrat's other novels. This is a book that almost everyone can identify with. Jarrat conveys loss in such a way that even the reader feels an inch of pain at the climax of this book. Tears sprung to my eyes as i turned the pages of this book. The feelings in this book are very strong and will touch the heart of every reader.
I hope this review has helped you decide if you want to read this book or not.
I hope you enjoy it just as much as i did.
I hope this review has helped you decide if you want to read this book or not.
I hope you enjoy it just as much as i did.
July 14, 2016
Young adult suspense novel. I enjoyed this book the further I read. Hannah's sister has disappeared in England. Hannah and her father travel to join in the search for Jenny, Hannah's sister. To add to the mystery, Hannah keeps receiving Text messages from Jenny. As the police keep investigating, another girl disappears.
In the midst of the investigation, Hannah meets a boy, Harry. Harry is one of the suspects.
In the midst of the investigation, Hannah meets a boy, Harry. Harry is one of the suspects.
July 6, 2018
This was just a fast mystery book though not particularly believable . I thought it was obvious who the bad guy was and the final drama was silly but I just took it for what it was, something to pass some idle time.
August 25, 2017
This unique and interesting story line had so much potential but it was completely wasted. I was looking forward to a good page turner as it suggest it might be since it is about a missing person but it didn't get interesting till page 248 out of 291. Alot of the book was what seemed like unnecessary as the author doesn't build on any new topics past the protagonist love interest and his birds leaving alot of room for day to day descriptions and not much for interesting plot building. I found that all the good/interesting bits were over in a page or so and left you unsatisfied or cringed out. One example being the ending which should have been the most gripping part of the book but i remember it as rushed and not well thought out as well as very unrealistic. I found this book a bit of a challenge to read and very disappointing. I can also see though that these opinions can be very strongly based on someones book and writing preferences.
April 27, 2025
I read this when I was a teenager and blasted through it, I still have this book and plan to re read someday. Defenitely loved the mystery and suspense, also I connected with Hannah at that time. Overall a very good read as it was my first book.
November 4, 2018
3.5 stars. A very slow start. Not much thrill. I enjoyed the writing style but found it simple. The ending was quite predictable and I guessed the entire plot line from the first chapter.
May 18, 2019
This had my attention for the first 50 pages, but I'm almost halfway through now and not a lot is happening. It's my mystery pet peeve!!
May 31, 2018
In Another Life is what really sparked my love for reading and is one of my favourite books by one of my favourite authors! It's a really well-written thriller with some of the scariest and spine-crawling scenes I've ever read. The story has some crazy plot twists and makes you want to keep reading to see what happens next. Just amazing!
July 3, 2015
Hannah and her older sister Jenny have always been close. Part of the reason for this is their mother's refusal to talk about her past, particularly the part about growing up in England. All she'll say is that it was a difficult and painful time. When Jenny gets a chance to work as an au pair for the owners of a castle-like hotel in England, her mom is extremely reluctant to let her go, but can't stop her. Several months after her arrival, Jenny vanishes while on an afternoon walk.
Mom has to stay at home because Hannah's younger brother, a recent cancer survivor, isn't feeling well and there's concern he might be having a relapse. This means that Hannah and her father must go to England and see if they can unravel the mystery of Jenny's disappearance. The only clues are episodic text messages Hannah receives on her phone that seem to indicate that Jenny left voluntarily, supposedly to learn why her mom was so secretive about her life before coming to America,
As things drag on with no progress and another girl who befriended Jenny vanishes from the hotel, Jenny does some detective work on her own. In the process, she discovers that she has an extremely strong attraction to Harry, a boy a couple years older than herself who works as an assistant training hawks and owls at the hotel. At first, she thinks Harry dislikes her, but the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes that he's like her, awkward around other people and unsure how to fit into the world.
Together, they walk a very interesting path that combines falling in love with some scary moments as they play detective. Like the author's other YA books, this has some amazingly well crafted plot twists. What really struck me about this one was how well she describes falling in love for the first time. I don't recall a book where the feelings that accompany that experience have been so well described. Add that to what's a dandy and sometimes scary mystery and you have a book that many teens will devour. I have read all four of the author's books and each has been a stellar read.
Mom has to stay at home because Hannah's younger brother, a recent cancer survivor, isn't feeling well and there's concern he might be having a relapse. This means that Hannah and her father must go to England and see if they can unravel the mystery of Jenny's disappearance. The only clues are episodic text messages Hannah receives on her phone that seem to indicate that Jenny left voluntarily, supposedly to learn why her mom was so secretive about her life before coming to America,
As things drag on with no progress and another girl who befriended Jenny vanishes from the hotel, Jenny does some detective work on her own. In the process, she discovers that she has an extremely strong attraction to Harry, a boy a couple years older than herself who works as an assistant training hawks and owls at the hotel. At first, she thinks Harry dislikes her, but the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes that he's like her, awkward around other people and unsure how to fit into the world.
Together, they walk a very interesting path that combines falling in love with some scary moments as they play detective. Like the author's other YA books, this has some amazingly well crafted plot twists. What really struck me about this one was how well she describes falling in love for the first time. I don't recall a book where the feelings that accompany that experience have been so well described. Add that to what's a dandy and sometimes scary mystery and you have a book that many teens will devour. I have read all four of the author's books and each has been a stellar read.
October 3, 2015
This is the first book I have read by Laura Jarratt and I can tell it won't be the last. This book was fantastic and I loved every second of it.
In this story we follow Hannah, her sister Jenny went over to the UK to work when Hannah get's a strange text from Jenny - I need you. Please Come. - then the day after her family gets a phone call, Jenny has gone missing. So Hannah and her dad fly over to the UK to the place where she was working and to talk to police and help as much as they can. Hannah keeps receiving texts from Jenny which are strange and don't give much away. Hannah starts questioning everyone she can, even the cute boy who works with the birds.
Not everything is as it seems for Hannah. As she starts to question people and gets more texts she figures out there is a lot more going on with her family then she thought.
This story had me on the edge. It had me guessing until the end and I loved the twist in this story. It was so beautiful at times and also heartbreaking. I shed a few tears at times as this book really got to me. It was so well written and I really enjoyed the suspense in this book.
Laura has written such a brilliant book. It had me gripped from the very first page and I didn't put it down once, I read it in one sitting and even after I finished it I couldn't stop thinking about how amazing this book was.
This book has a little bit of everything, drama, suspense and even some romance and I am recommending it to everyone if you haven't read this yet.
In this story we follow Hannah, her sister Jenny went over to the UK to work when Hannah get's a strange text from Jenny - I need you. Please Come. - then the day after her family gets a phone call, Jenny has gone missing. So Hannah and her dad fly over to the UK to the place where she was working and to talk to police and help as much as they can. Hannah keeps receiving texts from Jenny which are strange and don't give much away. Hannah starts questioning everyone she can, even the cute boy who works with the birds.
Not everything is as it seems for Hannah. As she starts to question people and gets more texts she figures out there is a lot more going on with her family then she thought.
This story had me on the edge. It had me guessing until the end and I loved the twist in this story. It was so beautiful at times and also heartbreaking. I shed a few tears at times as this book really got to me. It was so well written and I really enjoyed the suspense in this book.
Laura has written such a brilliant book. It had me gripped from the very first page and I didn't put it down once, I read it in one sitting and even after I finished it I couldn't stop thinking about how amazing this book was.
This book has a little bit of everything, drama, suspense and even some romance and I am recommending it to everyone if you haven't read this yet.
June 7, 2015
Edge of your seat stuff!
I raced through this book in a couple of hours. The story is so gripping that I felt myself pulled along by my intrigue behind the disappearance of Hannah's older sister Jenny. I have read all of Laura Jarratt's previous books and I think this one might be my favourite so far.
Hannah and her father arrive in England to help with the investigation into Jenny's disappearance. Hannah is determined to find out what really happened to her beloved sister and begins to try to piece together Jenny's movements with the help of her employers and friends. As she begins to get to know the people that saw her sister last, she finds herself falling for local boy Harry who she finds herself unwittingly drawn towards.
This was a fantastic thriller. I am usually really good at guessing all the twists and turns and I will often pick out the guilty party after the first few chapters, but I was totally wrong-footed this time. I did have my suspicions and I thought I'd worked out what Laura Jarratt was up to with the plot but I was headed down a blind alley. She brilliantly surprised me with a shocking and frankly quite chilling plot twist that turned everything on it's head.
The story combined drama, deception and romance and will keep readers on their toes as they try to discover not only the truth about Jenny but also the threat that hangs over Hannah's head. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to fans of this genre.
I raced through this book in a couple of hours. The story is so gripping that I felt myself pulled along by my intrigue behind the disappearance of Hannah's older sister Jenny. I have read all of Laura Jarratt's previous books and I think this one might be my favourite so far.
Hannah and her father arrive in England to help with the investigation into Jenny's disappearance. Hannah is determined to find out what really happened to her beloved sister and begins to try to piece together Jenny's movements with the help of her employers and friends. As she begins to get to know the people that saw her sister last, she finds herself falling for local boy Harry who she finds herself unwittingly drawn towards.
This was a fantastic thriller. I am usually really good at guessing all the twists and turns and I will often pick out the guilty party after the first few chapters, but I was totally wrong-footed this time. I did have my suspicions and I thought I'd worked out what Laura Jarratt was up to with the plot but I was headed down a blind alley. She brilliantly surprised me with a shocking and frankly quite chilling plot twist that turned everything on it's head.
The story combined drama, deception and romance and will keep readers on their toes as they try to discover not only the truth about Jenny but also the threat that hangs over Hannah's head. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to fans of this genre.
July 18, 2016
WOW! Another brilliant book from Laura Jarratt I was so excited to see another title published and this doesn't dissapoint.
Hannah and her Father travel from the US to England to look for her missing sister, Jenny, who's texting her occasionally but not giving away where she is. The longer Hannah stays at the hotel hersister works in, the more mystery seems to come out as to her families English roots her mother left behind to move to the USA.
Coupled with the crime and mystery element, this novel has a sweet and healthy romance story line when Hannah falls for Harry, who works on the estate, and begins to appreciate the heartbreak that her sister whent through when her boyfriend left to go to university and left her behind.
A brilliant coming of age/mystery novel that drags you in and won't let you go. Great plot twists along the way (a few you can see coming, but great none the less)
Only thing left to ask is, what's next from Laura Jarratt? There hasn't been a bad novel yet! We want more!
Hannah and her Father travel from the US to England to look for her missing sister, Jenny, who's texting her occasionally but not giving away where she is. The longer Hannah stays at the hotel hersister works in, the more mystery seems to come out as to her families English roots her mother left behind to move to the USA.
Coupled with the crime and mystery element, this novel has a sweet and healthy romance story line when Hannah falls for Harry, who works on the estate, and begins to appreciate the heartbreak that her sister whent through when her boyfriend left to go to university and left her behind.
A brilliant coming of age/mystery novel that drags you in and won't let you go. Great plot twists along the way (a few you can see coming, but great none the less)
Only thing left to ask is, what's next from Laura Jarratt? There hasn't been a bad novel yet! We want more!
April 12, 2017
I was actually hugely disappointed in this book. I've been a huge fan of Laura Jarratts books since she first published Skin Deep, which is still one of my all time favourite reads.
All of her work as been completely original and her stories transfixing. But this time around i didn't really know what to think.
I started it with an open mind like i always do, but just got more and more uninterested as time went on, resulting in be just flicking through the pages and briefly skimming them to finish it.
Now i'm not saying that this book is bad, the writing is brilliant like always but i just didn't find it engaging personally and wouldn't attempt to read it again.
I can't wait to get my hands on the next piece that she publishes and hopefully this will boost my confidence with her and she'll be back on top form.
All of her work as been completely original and her stories transfixing. But this time around i didn't really know what to think.
I started it with an open mind like i always do, but just got more and more uninterested as time went on, resulting in be just flicking through the pages and briefly skimming them to finish it.
Now i'm not saying that this book is bad, the writing is brilliant like always but i just didn't find it engaging personally and wouldn't attempt to read it again.
I can't wait to get my hands on the next piece that she publishes and hopefully this will boost my confidence with her and she'll be back on top form.
July 25, 2018
I highly recommend reading IN ANOTHER LIFE BY LAURA JARRATT
In Another Life by Laura Jarrrat is an explosive new thriller that is powerfully moving full of twists and turns. The story is sad and heart-breaking.
Hannah adores her older sister, Jenny they tell each other most things. Jenny leaves the States and fly's to the UK to be an au pair for the rich Cadwallader family.
Jenny goes missing one Wednesday afternoon after a normal morning at work. She had a break of three hours after lunch and was expected to return to her duties at 4pm. She never reappeared.
Hannah and her father arrive in England to a big police investigation on her sisters disappearance.
I hope many readers enjoy this thriller as much as I did.
Read
May 5, 2016Hannah adores her older sister, Jenny - they are the best of friends, but different in every other way. Jenny dreams of leaving the States and flying to the UK to visit the places where their English mother grew up. But Jenny's dream turns to a nightmare when she vanishes without a trace.
Hannah and her father arrive in England to a big police investigation. As Hannah gets to know some of Jenny's friends and acquaintances, she realises that families can hide the biggest secrets of all
Hannah and her father arrive in England to a big police investigation. As Hannah gets to know some of Jenny's friends and acquaintances, she realises that families can hide the biggest secrets of all
June 2, 2016
I liked this book and want to read Laura's other book, Skin Deep which keeps getting stolen from our library...I do like a good mystery, and the writer keeps us guessing about some things. But there is one character who I suspected was the baddie and the main character seems to be totally blind to this which I didn't think was really very plausible...
June 8, 2015
Very emotional! ...though I had problems with the end.
August 10, 2015
A very compelling read, the book keeps you guessing from beginning to end, is Jenny alive or dead? could not put it down, and the twist at the end, was great, would recommend
August 26, 2015
Seriously, how do the police not triangulate where the sister's phone? And that love interest! This book has serious flaws. Maybe teenagers are more forgiving.
February 16, 2016
I need distraction. I'm never going to read about missing people again I can't do that to myself .
July 3, 2016
I liked it and the twists and turns I never saw coming but it wasn't as fast paced and interesting as I thought. A good read through.
June 28, 2016
A mediocre mystery and instalove despite the author pointing out in the text that it's a stupid trope.
July 29, 2015
Easy-read mystery romance that is a great for teenagers.
February 24, 2018
'Sleep is the only place where you're not missing.'
After Hannah's sister, Jenny, leaves America to visit the UK, something dangerous happens and an investigation launches.
The deeper Hannah and her Father get into the case, the more secrets get revealed...
Told in Hannah's POV, this book was a fast paced thriller that kept you interested on every page, trying to find out what happened
After Hannah's sister, Jenny, leaves America to visit the UK, something dangerous happens and an investigation launches.
The deeper Hannah and her Father get into the case, the more secrets get revealed...
Told in Hannah's POV, this book was a fast paced thriller that kept you interested on every page, trying to find out what happened
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews