Please Help Me

by Gytha Lodge

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY HIDES THE DARKEST SECRET...

The irresistible new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of She Lies in Wait, perfect for fans of Gillian McAllister and Andrea Mara's ALL HER FAULT

A BEAUTIFUL RESORT

It looked like the perfect getaway. A luxury resort with endless pools, a gorgeous golden beach, and a kids' club that is every parent's dream.

But for Amanda, a British detective in desperate need of a break with her young son, it soon becomes clear this isn’t going to be a holiday.

A MISSING GIRL

A girl has been sending anonymous messages to a teenager at the resort. She says her real name is Lara, that she was kidnapped from the UK, and that the family she's with are her abductors.

But the resort is full of families. The kidnappers could be any of them. If the police guess wrong, Lara could be whisked away, and never see her real family again.

When every family seems to be hiding something, can Amanda find the truth – and Lara – before it’s too late?

'A kidnap mystery that works equally as a suspense thriller. Summer read sorted!' - Vaseem Khan

Gytha Lodge 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Summer, Crime, Fiction

Audible Audio

Published July 23, 2026

About the author

Gytha Lodge is a multi-award-winning playwright, novelist and writer for video games and screen. She is also a single parent who blogs about the ridiculousness of bringing up a mega-nerd small boy.

She has a profound addiction to tea, crosswords and awful puns. When not writing, she heads up a copywriting team at a global translation firm, where she generally tries to keep all the video-game writing to herself.

She studied English at Cambridge, where she became known quite quickly for her brand of twisty, dark yet entertaining drama. She later took the Creative Writing MA at UEA.

She has signed with Penguin Random House worldwide for the first three books in her crime series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens. She Lies in Wait will be released in January 2019 and can be preordered in the US and the UK here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/She-Lies-Wai...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/198...

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Reviews

[suspenseisthrillingme · Rating 5 out of 5]

BANGER ALERT! BANGER ALERT!

My dear Gytha Lodge, I don’t know how you do it! Twisty, fast-paced, and riveting beyond all comprehension, Please Help Me was the best combination of a police procedural and destination thriller that I could ever imagine. With a fly-on-the-wall feel taken from all sides thanks to a handful of well-written POVs and edge-of-your-seat plotting that had me on tenterhooks throughout, this was the exact kind of novel that I’d expect from my favorite author of all time. Already a massive fan due to Lodge’s DCI Jonah Sheens series, she kicked it up a notch yet again with this brilliant standalone novel. Nail-bitingly tense, perfectly paced, and with über-high stakes, I had a difficult time pulling myself away from the action. After all, even once the adrenaline-fueled climax came to an end, it was hard to determine whether there could ever be a truly good result to this messy, heartbreaking, true-to-life yet wonderfully dramatic situation. A page-turning read from beginning to end, there wasn’t a moment of downtime as I raced through the vivid and evocative scenes of this flawless *chef’s kiss* read.

The perfect summer thriller for any reader out there, I can’t fully explain how much I treasured this addictive, unputdownable novel. I mean, not only did the clever, attention-grabbing premise promise great things, but it came through on every angle one hundred percent. Just like in Lodge’s other books, though, the characters were the stars of the show. With an ensemble cast full of personality that all came together to create moments that ranged from side-eye-inducing suspicion to outright hatred and terror, I fell in love with them all one by one. My absolute favorite, though, was easily Sadie. A believable teen—warts and all—she had me emotionally invested from the very first chapter. Then again, I was also a massive fan of Amanda. A competent detective with a compassionate side, the dash of romance only made this book better. Ultimately, however, it was how the whole thing came together that made this a standout read. So if you’re a fan of either Andrea Mara or Gillian McAllister, grab this one now. You won’t want to miss out on this highly original novel. Rating of 5+ stars.

P.S. By the way, my dear Gytha…please oh please tell me that there’s going to be a sequel. After that tear-jerking conclusion, I’m crossing my fingers and toes that there’s going to be more about these characters in the future. I don’t know about all of your other readers, but I need more time with that fantastic set of detectives!

Read if you also can’t get enough of:
- Amateur sleuthing
- Books impossible to put down
- Memorable characters
- Vacation-gone-wrong vibes
- Multiple POVs
- Highly original plotting
- Comedic banter
- Believable relationships
- A dash of romance
- Crime-slash-destination thrillers
- Distinct voices
- Atmospheric settings
- Über-high stakes
- An adrenaline-fueled climax
- Multiple suspects
- Abduction-based storylines

SYNOPSIS:

It looked like the perfect getaway. A luxury resort with endless pools, a gorgeous golden beach, and a kids' club that is every parent's dream.

But for Amanda, a British detective in desperate need of a break with her young son, it soon becomes clear this isn’t going to be a holiday.

A girl has been sending anonymous messages to a teenager at the resort. She says her real name is Lara, that she was kidnapped from the UK, and that the family she's with are her abductors.

But the resort is full of families. The kidnappers could be any of them. If the police guess wrong, Lara could be whisked away, and never see her real family again.

When every family seems to be hiding something, can Amanda find the truth—and Lara—before it’s too late?

Thank you Gytha Lodge and Michael Joseph Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: July 23, 2026

Content warning: abduction, drowning, medical content, violence, murder, mention of: infidelity, trafficking, death of a child

[Cynth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my days! This was absolutely brilliant! What a different and interesting premise, a cry for help via airdrop, a girl needs help. How can teenager Sadie help? I loved the character of Amanda and truly hope that it will become a series. The setting of Cyprus was brilliant and the storyline was so gripping and tense. I didn’t know who to trust. Absolutely brilliant!

[sarahisreadingagain · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Book Review 📚

Please Help Me by @gythalodge 🏖️

A missing child hidden in plain sight…
 
Sadie is holidaying with her family in Cyprus when she receives an anonymous message via AirDrop to say a girl has been kidnapped and needs help.
 
Amanda is on holiday with her son, Otis, and bumps into her ex-colleague-and-lover, Zak, who is working undercover on a case that Amanda soon gets pulled in to.
 
Now begins the game of cat and mouse, but it may be easier finding a needle in a haystack…
 
Gytha Lodge has only gone and done it again! This was an intense sun-soaked thriller that I devoured in just a few sittings.
 
Please Help Me is told from the POVs of our MC’s, Sadie and Amanda, with a few chapters narrated by the missing girl. The differing POVs worked brilliantly and really held my attention throughout. Sadie isn’t your typical teenager, and I really felt for her at times – her parents heavily relied on her to look after, and basically parent, her younger brother, but this didn’t stop her drive and determination to help the missing girl.
 
I felt that Amanda was stuck between a rock and a hard place – all she wanted to do was enjoy her holiday with her son albeit battling with her intrusive thoughts, but the pull of Zak and the missing person case were always on her mind. Amanda and Zak made a great pair, adding some humour into an emotionally heavy plot really lifted my spirits. I hope this isn’t the last we see of them.
 
Please Help Me is peppered with red herrings, fantastic twists, and some shady characters who make you question the books direction. The ending played out like a movie in my mind, and I thought it was brilliantly executed – so much I forgot to breathe at one point! – and came to a very satisfying conclusion.
 
This is definitely the book for you if you like a high-stake psychological thriller that features police procedural elements. Maybe it’s one you can read around the pool on holiday, but just keep an eye out for those AirDrops!

Happy publication day, Gytha!

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great premise and I enjoyed Amanda as a character. I did feel it dragged a little but the ending was a nice surprise and wrapped up nicely. Great setting too!

[Heather Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one, great summer Read

[Amanda C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, I love a thriller set abroad and I liked the contrast between people relaxing and enjoying their holiday and a potential crime taking place in the background.

The story really held my interest and I changed my mind a few times about who the missing girl would turn out to be. The final chapters were exciting and I flew through them to see how it would all end.

The only slight drawback is that I would have liked physical descriptions of Amanda and Sadie, as I couldn't picture the main characters.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting read. While on holiday with her son, Detective Amanda Coton is asked to assist with a case: that of an abducted child. The information has come from a child, Sadie, who heard a child asking for help.

For me, it started slowly, but then suddenly the author decided to ramp up the pacing. There are various sides to this story: Amanda's involvement, her relationship with her son, and one of her colleagues. There is that of a young girl who has overheard the claim, he involvement as well as her own life and that of friends she has met while on holiday. While this sounds quite complex, the author did keep things on the straight and narrow, so it is only really now I am aware of how complex this book was.

The story struggled to gain momentum initially for me, but this actually mirrors the way the investigation is going: gathering information, getting to know who may be involved, so there is a lot of groundwork to cover. But then, when things start to move, they definitely take off.

This is a mystery, crime and thriller story of abduction, deception, red herrings and if you are a fan of family-based crime drama stories, then this is one you may be interested in. I would be happy to recommend it.

[Karen Chong · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 / 5.0

A book that started off great but flopped in my opinion, it felt like the book was not going to end and almost felt like going around the circles- it kept dragging on and on. Ask me in one weeks time and there really isn’t anything of this book that’s memorable unfortunately - nothing really stood out. I found it bland and boring at times with filler scenes.

Not even worth putting any effort on this review when I know in a few weeks time I wouldn’t miss this book, glad I stuck to the end and finished the book.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had me hooked from the beginning to the end. A fast-paced thriller that had me on the edge of my seat to the very end.
Sadie is on holiday in Cyprus with her family. She overhears another girl in a cubicle next to her, alluding to the fact that she has been abducted.
Amanda is on holiday with her son Otis. She bumps into Zak with whom she worked on a case with a year previously. Zak is working undercover and soon pulls Amanda in to help.
This was a very engaging read.
There were quite a few plot twists that keep you guessing. Definitely some shady characters.
The end game was as hot as the weather, tense, and gripping.
There is definitely some chemistry between Zak and Amanda, and I'm wondering if there will be another book where they will work together again. I certainly hope so.
Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph/Penguin Random House for the invitation to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a really big fan of Gytha Lodge's Jonah Sheens series, so when I heard that she was releasing a standalone thriller this summer I was all over it. I am such a great judge of books I scare myself sometimes ... Please Help Me is packed with suspense, tension, brilliant characters, and the kind of perfect holiday setting that makes the shocks at the heart of the story all the more, well, for want of a better word, shocking in their execution. This is the kind of story that gripped me in the beginning, leaving a myriad questions swirling in my mind, and help me fast to the fast paced, high jeopardy ending. In short, this book was totally up my street and I am kind of hoping that this is not really the last we have seen of Amanda Coton.

Imagine the scene. You are a teenager on holiday in Cyprus, minding your own business, just trying to soak up some sun and avoid babysitting duties for your younger brother when, all of a sudden, someone drops into your messages with the essence of the book's titular plea, 'I need your help'. A mysterious messenger claiming to be the victim if abduction, seeking help to return home. The only problem is that aforementioned teenager, Sadie, has no clue who has sent the message and no idea how to help. Cue a complex undercover police investigation, a pair of star-crossed ex-lovers and a whole host of questions over just who in this vast ensemble cast may be the as yet masked abductor/abductee combo. The only certainty we have in the whole book is that it isn't Sadie or her brother, Jacob, and it is not Detective Inspector Amanda Coton or her son either, who, by a strange quirk of fate find themselves in the same resort and caught up in this whirlwind of an operation.

Now, the story may turn your mind to certain high profile child abduction cases from years gone by, but there is only a passing link in that there is a child out there whose fate is unknown to their parents. This is a very different kind of case with a very different spin on it. We know there is a person out there claiming to be a victim but there is little to no evidence that this is the case. More than that, there is a certain element of potential misdirection in that the police think they know who the victim may be, but ultimately lack the evidence. I like the way in which Gytha Lodge explores the link between Sadie and the victim, and how the pressure of acting as a go-between to draw out the truth from the potential victim starts to weigh on her. It felt authentic, that blend between a teenage girls obsessions, her determination to do the right thing, but also the fear that she just made things worse. I liked Sadie. Felt for her at times, ubt mostly admired her bravery as she found herself in such an unenviable position. Yes, she is your typical, extremely well observed, teenager, but she is also kind and compassionate, especially towards her brother, even if she can't always show it.

Amanda is another great character, and I loved the mixture of her concern for her son, her desire to stay incognito as far as her career went, but also the intrinsic fascination towards the case and the compulsion to get involved. She is not infallible, and as the story progresses we learn she has made some suspect choices, personally and professionally, some of which look to repeat themselves on her vacation too. But ultimately she is very likeable and I loved the drive that the author instils in her character and th wealth of possibilities that open up from the way in which he particular story ends. Could there be an encore for Amanda? I hope so.

Now there are many other characters who make this the perfect ensemble cast, all the kinds of personalities, good and bad, irritating and joyous, that you might expect to find in an exclusive holiday resort. Flirtatious resort staff, charismatic policemen, and mor ethan the odd wealthy idiot you love to hate. But the question of who could be a child abductor and who is the scared victim is the question that really does underpins every interaction and that had me second guessing the actions, and the motives of every person at nearly every turn. That might sound exhausting, and in the hands of the wrong writer it might have been. But Gytha Lodge has pieced this together very carefully,a nd whilst my focus, and suspicion, may have been switching back and forth, the subtle clues were there and, if looking carefully, possible to spot, but not so early as to ruin the ending.

And what an ending it was. Pacy, high stakes and with the kind if unexpected shocks that has you practically holding your breath wondering if there could possibly ever be a positive outcome. And the answer to that is, I suppose, yes and no. Depends on your point of view. It was a very satisfying conclusion as a reader but then with this kind of case it's hard to imagine there is any such thing as a perfect resolution. If you like a police linked suspense thriller, set in a very sunny climate, with a broad and superbly drawn cast of chaotic and eclectic characters, with a pulse pounding ending, then this is heartily recommended.

[bookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Sarah Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review - Please Help Me by Gytha Lodge
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the perfect holiday read for this summer!

If you found out one of the children at your hotel was actually a missing child but you didn’t know which one - what would you do?

A missing child, a holiday resort, and so many potential suspects!

I loved how this was written, with chapters from a couple of different characters point of view, and the plot builds up on all the people involved and I think I suspected everyone at one point or another - I loved guessing and trying to work it out.
The twists and drama that unfold in final few chapters had me absolutely gripped!

Thoroughly enjoyed this and definitely need to grab the other titles by this author that are sat on my self to read soon.

Please Help me is Out now - pop it in suitcase!

Thank you @netgalley and @gythalodge for sending me this.

#review #bookstagram #bookreview #books bookrecommendations

[Brian Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ouch. A favourite author of mine but not this time. I’m sure there was a decent book in there it just never came out.
I really disliked the first two thirds and could only manage a couple of chapters at a time (which is very unlike me) as it just didn’t work the way it was structured.
Not a bad finish but it was all a bit obvious early on.
Let’s hope the next book is back to form.

[Dave Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read,

Well what else would a detective do on holiday get caught up in a case and as another twist a past love intrest turns up. But no spoilers so..... This story is more about what happens when Sadie gets a message from an unknown girl that's she's living with a family that abducted her a while back from her real parents, and she needs help!

There is plenty of action for twists and if your into a whodunit then this is for you. Amanda the holidaying detective is being torn in many directions but definitely a hero of this novel, plus a character that wins hearts. Sadie a teenager who got the help me message is another hero and will tug your heart strings at times.

So lots of emotion and story definitely a 5 star read in my opinion. I hope you enjoy it a well.

[Barbara Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another up all nighter

I love this author, every book she has written has had me gripped to the point where sleep and housework has to wait. This is another belter, well.done Gytha, keep them coming

[Melanie Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tense psychological thriller set in a holiday resort. Perfect summer read!

14 year old Sadie is on holiday with her parents and younger brother when she receives an airdropped message that says ‘I need your help’. The message is from someone claiming to be kidnap victim Lara who is here with her kidnappers posing as her parents.

Wow, what a great hook! This completely drew me in and I was invested straight away.

Sadie is a totally believable teenage girl who is split between helping Lara and also enjoying her holiday and looking cool in front of her crush.

The other main character in the book is Amanda, a single mum on holiday with her young son. As a detective she is drawn into the Police operation to find out who Lara is before she disappears again or before her kidnappers take another child.

The story has you questioning everyone before the reveal which is really well executed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for the advanced copy.

[readingismy_happy_place · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! That was definitely intense!! I really really enjoyed this one!
I loved the uniqueness the setting, the characters, the plot!
I adored Amanda and would definitely love to read more about her! Maybe a series of her finding missing children pretty please.
This had everything I love in a good crime thriller kept me guessing till the very end with some brilliant twists

[Joanna Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this free advance copy, and I’m writing this review honestly and without bias.
Oh my, Gytha Lodge - what an absolute cracker of a book! A go to author of mine and yet again she has not disappointed. A tense and utterly gripping read with a highly original and clever plot. Rich in Cypriot atmosphere with a sense of urgency as the story unfolds. Amanda and Zak were great characters who added some humour to the dark storyline aided by two quite delightful children in Sadie and Otis. I do hope that Gytha brings back these wonderful characters as the ending does leave it open. A twisty frantic pace in the latter stages really does make this gripping and addictive
An absolutely perfect 5 star read for the summer

[Christine Rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please Help Me by Gytha Lodge is a psychological thriller with so many twists and turns. I found at times i couldn’t read fast enough to keep up with all that was happening. A definite edge of your seat, page turner book, if that is even a phrase.
Amanda is on holiday with her son, Otis in a luxury resort, with pools and a kids club but there is a kidnapped girl, also in the resort but no-one knows who she is and there are plenty of families on holiday.
Amanda is a police officer and she ends up assisting the other English policeman and the Greek authorities to find the missing girl. A really good storyline, some great characters and a really good read.
Highly recommended

[one.too.many.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 14-year old is in a holiday resort in Cyprus when she overhears a girl talking about needing help and the parents not being her’s. When messages arrive on her phone pleading for help she takes things seriously and her family contacts the police with a possible abduction case. British detective Amanda becomes involved in the investigation whilst in her own holiday with her son.

This was just a really great, immersive read and I really enjoyed it. I found this to be quite a page turner even though it wasn’t particularly fast paced until nearer the end. I really liked the characters and the unique set up with changing POV’s and side stories. It was such an easy read I was speeding ahead of the buddy read pages and thoroughly enjoyed it. I did like the kidnap theme and thought a lot about the impact this would have on all involved.

I’d recommend this to thriller readers for an immersive page turner!

[Michelle Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 🌟 Hardback. A stand alone book by this author. I read her previous series of books around DCI Sheens and really enjoyed them all. I enjoyed this one too but the ending let it down. It was all so far fetched at end and over the top and Zak and Amanda were very irritating towards the end. Loved Sadie’s character. I had guessed correctly who the missing child was though.

[Dogeared · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down because parts just felt a little hard to believe. It’s told from the perspectives of Amanda who’s a detective, and Sadie who’s a 14 year old girl who receives an airdropped message from an abducted girl. Part of me couldn’t really identify with families going on holiday only to dump their kids in activity groups all day long, or Sadie’s parents being so oblivious to their kids that Sadie ends up keeping more of a supervisory look out for her little brother than the grown ups. And the whole finale where two 14 year olds head off in pursuit of the danger and no one seems to have a problem with this…

There were some decent elements throughout, but overall I found it a bit implausible and that sadly spoiled it somewhat for me. Plenty of others have rated this 4 or 5 stars though, so I’m happy if I’m in the minority and others enjoy it more!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first few pages there was something about this author's writing style and the story that had me hooked.

I loved that one of main characters is a teenager, and Sadie is determined to help the girl who has reached out to her, as all she wants to be is a hero. And the fact there is a girl who clearly is trying to get help but unsure about it, as she believes she isn't with her real parents, is an interesting concept.

It reminded me of the couple of people over the years that have claimed be Madeleine McCann, but equally this is totally and utterly different from that situation.

Amanda is on holiday with her son Otis, and she is determined to enjoy the holiday, but then a man she is trying to forget from a night of madness shows up, and given they both work in various police related departments, and are both in resort in Cyprus, means they end up teaming up to try to see if they can rescue this girl.

There are a few clear suspects as to who the girl might be, but nothing is simple, and all sorts of interesting things are discovered about various of the families in the resort.

I really enjoyed all the various viewpoints we got, and I was racing through this book determined to find out just what would happen next.

It has a totally different vibe to a lot of the psychological thrillers I have read in the past, and I was totally there for it.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I'll be keen to see what they write next.

I loved everything about this story.

Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Saffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed some of the author’s previous novels and the premise of Please Help Me was good. Teenager Sadie is on an all inclusive holiday in Cyprus with her parents and younger brother when she receives an air drop message from a teenager asking for her help. Amanda is at the same holiday resort with her son and is soon drawn into the case when the police are alerted and she encounters her ex colleague Zak.

The story is told from the perspectives of Sadie and Amanda and initially started off well. I was intrigued by who was sending the messages to Sadie and loved the character of Amanda. I liked the dynamics between Amanda and Zak and Amanda’s son Otis is a strong and likeable character. I found Sadie’s perspective less interesting and found her family frustrating.

Initially the hunt for the mystery teenager was intriguing but the plot became a little repetitive and increasingly ridiculous. I also found the characterisation of the families under suspicion was weak. However this is a fast paced thriller so if you’re looking for a destination thriller that’s a little different this will keep you hooked. I’d love to see Amanda return in future novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC
3.5 stars.

[Sam “My Cosy Book Nook” · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've written before about how, even if you really want to enjoy something, it's a lot harder if your own physical or mental state hampers you from doing so. It's difficult, for instance, to get the best out of a Gillian McAllister novel if you're not feeling quite well enough to devote the concentration necessary to pick up on all of the fine and very clever details. It's pretty damn near impossible to enjoy anything on television if you're feeling stressed to the point where you can't bear to hear anyone else's voice.

However, I don't think that this is a point that I can exemplify any more strongly than now, having just finished reading Please Help Me by Gytha Lodge. Which I shall shortly explain.

Before I get to this, though, pause for a minute and look at that cover, which manages to be instantly eye-catching and then almost as instantly intriguing. Then read the blurb, which hopefully will hook you as strongly as it did me. I hope that helps you understand why I was so keen to start reading it, and why I so wanted to love it.

The problem was that I started reading it a couple of days before the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival. To summarise this event as briefly as I can, it's every crime fiction reader's dream and if you're a fan of this genre at all and you haven't been, you must remedy that next year. It does mean though that reading existing books is something that simply doesn't happen for four full days; there just isn't the time to spare between events, book browsing and signings, catch-ups and first-time meets in the beer tent and sampling of the best that the festival's primary sponsor, Theakston's brewery, has to offer.

With that completed, and a day or two spent catching up on some much-needed sleep, I was ready to pick the book back up again. However, by this time I'd somehow managed to give myself tendinitis from picking something up off the floor under my desk at work, and as a result my attention was somewhat distracted from the book by my being in - and I'm sorry, but I can't think of another way to emphasise it enough - so much f******* pain.

It's therefore entirely possible that I'm judging the first half of the book unfairly. I did feel though that, whilst the main character of Sadie and her relationship with her parents and younger brother were nicely-portrayed, and that the chapters in which she featured were well-paced, it seemed overall to be a bit draggy and disjointed. There's not a lot of physical description, which meant that I couldn't see the setting of the Cypriot holiday resort in my mind as clearly as I'd have liked, and also occasionally left me struggling to differentiate between what is quite a large number of characters.

I rather felt the same way about the complicated, baggage-ridden relationship between DI Amanda Coton - on the scene for a much-needed holiday with her young son, but unable to refuse a request to involve herself professionally in the case of a suspected abducted young girl - and her colleague Zak. Its portrayal is both plausible and sensitive. But at the same time, I wondered where Gytha Lodge was trying to go with it, and wondering, really, if I would care either way.

However ...

This morning, with some prescription-strength anti-inflammatory tables finally starting to do their thing, I devoured the second half of the book in a single sitting. And, holy moly, I loved it.

My attention was instantly grabbed and hooked as, through the eyes of one character, I started to fear for the life of another. And as our stress levels increased, both the character's and my thoughts became increasingly frantic as we wondered just who else might be in danger.

Not so frantic, however, that I didn't notice just how cleverly written this book is, as well as emotionally tense. The plot, far from being as complicated or as disjointed as I had initially felt it to be, makes perfect sense by the finish. I realised just how important the setting was to the storyline, just how inspirational the choosing of a teenage girl and an adult mother of a young child as the main characters had been and just how wonderfully, and realistically conveyed their thoughts and behaviours were.

If I have a criticism of the ending, it's that I thought the final two chapters might - just might - have been better presented the opposite way round, in order that the typically forgotten character is remembered after the more expected - though still beautiful - ending, rather than before. But this is only the very tiniest of quibbles.

Overall though, I'm faced with a problem. Because I genuinely don't know whether the issue is that the book takes a little too long to find its stride, or whether it's me that's made the difference. Yes, I could go back and read the early chapters again but that's still not the same as reading them for the first time, without knowing what is about to follow.

I'm therefore settling on a 4-star rating for now. But I'm going to take the unusual step of asking other reviewers to give me a steer. Please let me know what you think: would I have enjoyed the beginning of Please Help Me more if I'd waited until today before starting it? Or is it really a book of two halves?

My thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which was published by Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House on 23rd July.

[Jan Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Mary Picken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please Help Me is a great book to take on holiday. Set in Southern Cyprus, it starts with Amanda, a British detective and single parent, who is taking a much-needed break with her young son, Otis, at an idyllic luxury resort. Their resort has beautiful pools, a pristine beach and a kids club, everything a stressed parent needs to unwind.

Sadie is on holiday there with her parents and brother. Her relationship with her parents is strained. She feels that they don’t understand her, and that they rely on her far too much to look after her younger brother. She has made one friend, in Portia, a teenager who seems to have everything, money, good looks and bags of confidence.
Sadie is lounging in the sun one day when she gets a message on her phone in the form of an air drop. The message is anonymous and is a cry for help. In the message, from a girl who says her name is Lara, the sender claims that she is with people who claim to be her parents but are not, and that she is an abductee.

Sadie reacts with a mixture of curiosity, concern and uncertainty. She wants to help this unknown girl, but knows that she has to persuade her parents to contact the police which they do. The police obviously want to keep their presence undercover as they look at the families in the resort to try and work out who this girl might be.

Zak is an experienced UK police officer, part of the Rapid Support unit in London. He is also known to Amanda, who previously worked on secondment with him. So, Amanda is perfectly placed to work with Zak and the Greek police as their undercover agent on the ground, alongside Zak. Though she desperately needs the downtime, Amanda can’t ignore the call to help this girl.

From their files, the police know of a child named Lara who was abducted in the UK, and so are taking this seriously, and have identified three sets of parents in the resort who may be the abductors. The police want Sadie to try and identify the girl by continuing to message her, but are otherwise careful to shield her from the investigation, to protect her. Sadie, however, has other ideas.

As events unfold, her relationship with her family highlights the difficulties that can arise when parents underestimate the emotional intelligence of their children or fail to appreciate the pressures they are experiencing. Sadie often finds herself navigating situations that the adults around her either do not fully understand or cannot see from her perspective.

Gytha Lodge layers her clues, and around every corner she puts a ensuring there is new revelation. The tension builds as Amanda and Zak try to identify which family might be connected to Lara. The pool of suspects is constantly shifting. Marital tensions, parenting challenges, hidden resentments and long-buried secrets all contribute to an atmosphere in which nobody appears entirely trustworthy.

The plot is twisty, and Lodge revels in wrongfooting us. She plays with perception, encouraging us to decide which of the three families might be the key suspects. It is this constant sense of uncertainty that keeps you compulsively turning the pages.
I liked the way Gytha Lodge placed Sadie and Portia at the heart of the story. Although the novel is propelled by Zak and Amanda’s investigation into the identity of the girl claiming to be an abductee, it is Sadie and Portia’s experiences and vulnerabilities that make the novel.

Through them, Lodge explores the relationship between teenagers and their families. Both girls are at an age where they are beginning to establish their own identities and independence, but they are still children. She captures this transitional stage well, showing how young people can be both perceptive and naïve, confident and insecure, at the same time.

Sadie and Portia’s decisions, observations and relationships contribute to the mystery. They notice things that adults overlook, reflecting a recurring theme that young people are frequently more aware of family tensions and hidden truths than their parents realise.

As with many of the families at the resort, what the tourists staying there see is often very different from the reality behind closed doors. The novel examines issues of trust, communication and control. Lodge explores how children and teenagers may conceal important information from adults, not necessarily out of rebellion but because they fear not being believed or understood.

Verdict: Please Help Me is an escapist read, full of tension and high drama, with more than a touch of romance thrown in. Perfect for the beach, it kept me turning the pages, even though the plot is sometimes a little far-fetched.

[bookedupnurse · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘She’d hoped somehow to get a strong sense about one of these girls being Lara. But she could equally believe it was all of them and none of them, all at once’.

A beautiful Cypriot resort, The Kiro’s, should be the perfect getaway. Endless pos, gorgeous golden beach and a kids’ club that is every parent’s dream. British detective Amanda is on holiday with her young son, Otis. After dropping him at kids club, she notices a familiar figure in the hotel lobby, her former flame, Zak. He is a RS7 officer - dealing with rapid support and COBRA cases. She soon realises he is here on business … what would he be doing in a luxury resort in Cyprus? It soon becomes clear this isn’t going to be any kind of break for her and work calls …

Fourteen year old Sadie is on her annual family holiday. She is tired of the mundane and looking for some excitement … maybe something that could make her stand out from the other girls around the pool. But when she begins to receive anonymous airdrop messages from another teenager girls within the resort asking for help, she realises this isn’t the kind of drama she wanted. The messages says her name is Lara and she was abducted in the auk many years before. But the hotel is full of families and the kidnappers could be any of the parents at the poolside, hiding in plain sight …

The girl is regretting her messages almost immediately. If her ‘mum’ and ‘dad’ find out what she has told Sadie, they will be livid and will get rid of her. Freedom is the most important thing to them, not her. To save herself, she must put on the show of her life until they are safely away from this holiday and back to their ‘normal’ life … but it’s too late. An investigation has begun …

If the police guess wrong, they could spook the girls abductors and she could disappear forever, never seeing her real family again. When every family seems to be hiding a secret, can Amanda find the truth - and missing Lara - before it’s too late?

A fabulous, addictive summer read with plenty of suspects, suspense and sunshine! I loved the characters of Amanda, Otis and Zak and although an annoying teenager at times, Sadie was great too. The humour between Amanda, Otis and Zak as well as the relationship between Sadie and her little brother are perfect dilution for breaking up the tension of this style of story. I loved the setting of Cyprus which has clearly been so well researched and made this even more atmospheric and the all inclusive resort style working made this feel claustrophobic which was perfect! CL also creates a perfect split between the investigation and human/emotional element of this story, with neither lacking.

A tense, twisty dark thriller, that had me on the edge of my seat trying to work out which family the missing girl could be a part of. Lots of red herrings and drama throughout the book threw me off who the culprits could be and the ending was greatly satisfying, albeit dramatic! There are a few parts that could have been cut down and without them, the story would still have been great! Highly recommend ⭐️

Thank you to NetGallery, Michael Joseph for Penguin Random House and Gytha Lodge for the ARC of this book.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I have only read two of Gytha's novels before, and I own one more, but she's already becoming a go-to author for stunning thrillers. And yet I must admit, this was a bit touch and go for me.

It took longer to grab me than I was expecting. It's not a bad opening, but it is quite slow. Overall, I found the pacing to be a bit off. Some bits were faster and some slower but overall I think there were elements that could have been trimmed down to make it read faster but not skimp on the story. It definitely did pick up about 40% through.

I did like the contrast between the investigation side of it and the emotional family side of it. I thought that was interesting.

There is one subplot I didn't feel was necessary and that's this almost lust between a young teenager and a slightly older female lifeguard. I won't say any more for fear of spoilers, but it felt awkward to read in a kind of "can we stop talking about this" kind of thing. It felt forced into a story that didn't need it.

I know thrillers aren't meant to be real. They'd be too scary if they were. But this one felt a bit too out of reach to fully lose myself in. It was hard to believe in. I don't care how implausible a pot might be, but it has to work as a whole in context and I didn't find that this did.

I did like the inclusion of having a teenager as one of the narrators. We read books, and especially thrillers, from the POV of adults, but children think differently so to have that alongside the adult POV was clever.

I like Amanda and I like her working relationships, but I have to admit she, oh and the other policeman, were probably the only adults I really liked. The other adults annoyed me a bit too much, and most of the child characters were surplus to requirements. I felt there were too many background characters that had no real impact.

I still enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. I think it's not possible to dislike a Gytha lodge novel. There were some good elements and she's always so good at catching me by surprise. But I wasn't as taken with it as I wanted. There were too many elements that didn't gel with me. Having said that, the second half was a vast improvement and stopped this review being a poor rating. If you're like me and aren't sure about the start, then I do advise sticking with it because the payoff is well done.

For everything I've said, I did finish it in less than a day so it had to be doing something right.

I do seem to be in the minority here and that's absolutely fine. I would rather people enjoy it than not, so it's lovely to see that other people are really getting something from it.