What do you think?
Rate this book
She's Not There
They say it’s better to battle the devil you know. But what if you don’t recognize him before it’s too late?
She knows her name is Amelia, but after waking up in a hospital battered and bruised with just the clothes on her back, it’s all she knows. Unable to piece together her shattered memory, she’s haunted by a vision: menacing faces and voices implying her nightmare is far from over.
Relying only on her wits and her will to live, Amelia becomes a fugitive from a mysterious man, and a life she can’t even remember. But the past she’s fleeing has no intention of letting her go.
She knows her name is Amelia, but after waking up in a hospital battered and bruised with just the clothes on her back, it’s all she knows. Unable to piece together her shattered memory, she’s haunted by a vision: menacing faces and voices implying her nightmare is far from over.
Relying only on her wits and her will to live, Amelia becomes a fugitive from a mysterious man, and a life she can’t even remember. But the past she’s fleeing has no intention of letting her go.
382 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2015
About the author
P.J. Parrish
26 books278 followersP.J. Parrish is the New York Times bestselling author of ten Louis Kincaid and Joe Frye thrillers. The author is actually two sisters, Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols. Their books have appeared on both the New York Times and USA Today best seller lists. The series has garnered 11 major crime-fiction awards, and an Edgar® nomination. Parrish has won two Shamus awards, one Anthony and one International Thriller competition. Her books have been published throughout Europe and Asia.
Parrish's short stories have also appeared in many anthologies, including two published by Mystery Writers of America, edited by Harlan Coben and the late Stuart Kaminsky. Their stories have also appeared in Akashic Books acclaimed Detroit Noir, and in Ellery Queen Magazine. Most recently, they contributed an essay to a special edition of Edgar Allan Poe's works edited by Michael Connelly.
P.J. Parrish as children
Before turning to writing full time, Kristy Montee was a newspaper editor and dance critic for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. Nichols previously was a blackjack dealer and then a human resources specialist in the casino industry. Kris in Tallahassee FL and Traverse City MI and Kelly resides in Traverse City as well.
The sisters were writers as kids, albeit with different styles: Kelly's first attempt at fiction at age 11 was titled The Kill. Kristy's at 13 was The Cat Who Understood. Not much has changed: Kelly now tends to handle the gory stuff and Kristy the character development. But the collaboration is a smooth one, thanks to lots of ego suppression, good wine, and marathon phone calls via Skype.
The first eleven books in the series, in order, are: Dark of the Moon, Dead of Winter, Paint it Black, Thicker than Water, Island of Bones, A Killing Rain, An Unquiet Grave, A Thousand Bones, South of Hell, The Little Death and Heart of Ice. They also wrote three stand-alone thrillers: A Thousand Bones, The Killing Song and She's Not There.
Parrish's short stories have also appeared in many anthologies, including two published by Mystery Writers of America, edited by Harlan Coben and the late Stuart Kaminsky. Their stories have also appeared in Akashic Books acclaimed Detroit Noir, and in Ellery Queen Magazine. Most recently, they contributed an essay to a special edition of Edgar Allan Poe's works edited by Michael Connelly.
P.J. Parrish as children
Before turning to writing full time, Kristy Montee was a newspaper editor and dance critic for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. Nichols previously was a blackjack dealer and then a human resources specialist in the casino industry. Kris in Tallahassee FL and Traverse City MI and Kelly resides in Traverse City as well.
The sisters were writers as kids, albeit with different styles: Kelly's first attempt at fiction at age 11 was titled The Kill. Kristy's at 13 was The Cat Who Understood. Not much has changed: Kelly now tends to handle the gory stuff and Kristy the character development. But the collaboration is a smooth one, thanks to lots of ego suppression, good wine, and marathon phone calls via Skype.
The first eleven books in the series, in order, are: Dark of the Moon, Dead of Winter, Paint it Black, Thicker than Water, Island of Bones, A Killing Rain, An Unquiet Grave, A Thousand Bones, South of Hell, The Little Death and Heart of Ice. They also wrote three stand-alone thrillers: A Thousand Bones, The Killing Song and She's Not There.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
July 27, 2017
My first by this author (actually a pair of authors) but it definitely will not be my last. This was a totally gripping story about an amnesia victim who goes on the run based only on her feeling that she is frightened of her husband. As her memory slowly returns in small pieces she uses her wits to avoid being found by the PI who has been sent to find her. The story becomes very tense whenever she and the PI come close and then there is a dramatic finale between all the main characters. All very tense and exciting!
The writing was excellent, good descriptive passages, interesting characters and a realistic representation of one individual's recovery from amnesia. Amelia, the main character, and Clay, the PI, are both so appealing it is impossible for the reader to take sides and you just have to hope there can be a conclusion where they both win!
Highly recommended if you like your mysteries well written, intriguing and tense.
The writing was excellent, good descriptive passages, interesting characters and a realistic representation of one individual's recovery from amnesia. Amelia, the main character, and Clay, the PI, are both so appealing it is impossible for the reader to take sides and you just have to hope there can be a conclusion where they both win!
Highly recommended if you like your mysteries well written, intriguing and tense.
July 2, 2015
“She’s not there” begins in a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Amelia Tobias has regained consciousness after being in a traffic accident. Her memory is sketchy at best, but her feisty spirit remains intact. It seems she is a wealthy lawyer’s wife. But why does she remember being a ballet dancer? The car she was in when the accident occurred was an $800,000. Mercedes Gullwing. Why then does she flee in fear when she hears her husband in the corridor of the hospital…
Amelia is on the run with little to aid her except her wits and her diamond engagement ring. She pawns the ring, changes her appearance and boards a bus.
She gradually remembers more of her previous life. She was born in Iowa, was a renown ballet dancer, had a grandmother, a brother… another life. Amelia meets some kindly strangers on her journey. Sympathetic and well-rendered characters all. As Amelia tries to piece together her past the reader’s emotions run high and the tension abounds.
Alex, her husband, is filled with guilt and remorse for living the way he has. For losing Amelia, the woman he loves. The reader acknowledges this – which begs the question “Why is Amelia afraid of Alex?” Was her accident not an accident at all?
Told in a trio of narratives, that of Amelia Tobias, her husband Alex Tobias, and of Clay Buchanan, the private investigator/skip tracer hired by her husband’s law firm to find her. The novel was peopled with strong, sympathetic characters, and the reader is so invested in the outcome of Amelia’s plight that the pages virtually turn themselves.
I particularly liked the character of Buchanan. He was just the sort of damaged/admirable type I find attractive.
The descriptions and imagery in this novel were stunning, and you could easily picture every locale Amelia found herself in. Take this quote for instance “The sky was the color of a spring iris, but there was still some scattered snow, like a clothesline had broken and left whole sheets strewn on the ground.” Simply beautifully rendered prose.
I have read many other novels that had co-authors but I have never read one in which the narrative flowed so seamlessly as in “She’s not there“.
“She’s not there” is a stand-alone novel. Once I finished reading I couldn’t help but wish that perhaps the authors would see their way clear to bring Amelia and Buchanan back and make this a series.
Sincere thanks to Thomas Mercer via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel.
Amelia is on the run with little to aid her except her wits and her diamond engagement ring. She pawns the ring, changes her appearance and boards a bus.
She gradually remembers more of her previous life. She was born in Iowa, was a renown ballet dancer, had a grandmother, a brother… another life. Amelia meets some kindly strangers on her journey. Sympathetic and well-rendered characters all. As Amelia tries to piece together her past the reader’s emotions run high and the tension abounds.
Alex, her husband, is filled with guilt and remorse for living the way he has. For losing Amelia, the woman he loves. The reader acknowledges this – which begs the question “Why is Amelia afraid of Alex?” Was her accident not an accident at all?
Told in a trio of narratives, that of Amelia Tobias, her husband Alex Tobias, and of Clay Buchanan, the private investigator/skip tracer hired by her husband’s law firm to find her. The novel was peopled with strong, sympathetic characters, and the reader is so invested in the outcome of Amelia’s plight that the pages virtually turn themselves.
I particularly liked the character of Buchanan. He was just the sort of damaged/admirable type I find attractive.
The descriptions and imagery in this novel were stunning, and you could easily picture every locale Amelia found herself in. Take this quote for instance “The sky was the color of a spring iris, but there was still some scattered snow, like a clothesline had broken and left whole sheets strewn on the ground.” Simply beautifully rendered prose.
I have read many other novels that had co-authors but I have never read one in which the narrative flowed so seamlessly as in “She’s not there“.
“She’s not there” is a stand-alone novel. Once I finished reading I couldn’t help but wish that perhaps the authors would see their way clear to bring Amelia and Buchanan back and make this a series.
Sincere thanks to Thomas Mercer via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel.
September 6, 2015
This is a really cracking enjoyable read that completely grabbed my attention. When Amelia Tobias wakes up in hospital after a car accident she has total amnesia and struggles to remember even her own name. The only thing she does remember is that she is very afraid of her husband, Alex.
When Amelia disappears from the hospital husband Alex wants her found and hires private detective Clay Buchanan to track her down. And so begins a cat and mouse tail that really had me on the edge of my seat at times as a story of lies, deception and double crossing unravelled. It is a story where you will change your mind about the characters constantly as Amelia’s memory slowly starts to return at the same time as Buchanan’s digging into her past reveals more and more about her and her life.
It is a fast moving story that keeps the tempo up right until the end. The ending was satisfying in that I really like how the author concluded the story although it did feel slightly rushed. Having said that, it is a darn good read. Many thanks to the publishers via Netgalley for the review copy.
When Amelia disappears from the hospital husband Alex wants her found and hires private detective Clay Buchanan to track her down. And so begins a cat and mouse tail that really had me on the edge of my seat at times as a story of lies, deception and double crossing unravelled. It is a story where you will change your mind about the characters constantly as Amelia’s memory slowly starts to return at the same time as Buchanan’s digging into her past reveals more and more about her and her life.
It is a fast moving story that keeps the tempo up right until the end. The ending was satisfying in that I really like how the author concluded the story although it did feel slightly rushed. Having said that, it is a darn good read. Many thanks to the publishers via Netgalley for the review copy.
July 2, 2015
Wow! What an exciting roller coaster ride of emotions!
She wakes up in the hospital with no memory of who she is and what has happened to her. She does feel fear ... she has a blurred image of a dark-haired man standing over her. She is told that her memory will probably come back a little at a time. When a dark-haired man shows up in the hospital claiming to be her husband, she bolts in terror.
And so begins her odyssey to learn her identity and why she is so afraid. Slowly, but surely, she starts seeing pieces of pictures in her head. She's guided more by instinct than any actual 'knowing'.
There are many twists and turns. It's hard to fathom who and why someone would want her dead. Her husband? HeR husband's business partner has an eerie interest in her movements...is he involved? Are they involved together? Even the man they've hired to find her may not be a man she can trust.
I loved the book! My emotions were all over the place. I kept trying to place myself in her position and just could not imagine how strong you would have to be in order to find yourself amid feelings of constant and unrelenting terror for her life.
I gave it 5 stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley / Amazon Publishing / Thomas & Mercer for supplying the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
She wakes up in the hospital with no memory of who she is and what has happened to her. She does feel fear ... she has a blurred image of a dark-haired man standing over her. She is told that her memory will probably come back a little at a time. When a dark-haired man shows up in the hospital claiming to be her husband, she bolts in terror.
And so begins her odyssey to learn her identity and why she is so afraid. Slowly, but surely, she starts seeing pieces of pictures in her head. She's guided more by instinct than any actual 'knowing'.
There are many twists and turns. It's hard to fathom who and why someone would want her dead. Her husband? HeR husband's business partner has an eerie interest in her movements...is he involved? Are they involved together? Even the man they've hired to find her may not be a man she can trust.
I loved the book! My emotions were all over the place. I kept trying to place myself in her position and just could not imagine how strong you would have to be in order to find yourself amid feelings of constant and unrelenting terror for her life.
I gave it 5 stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley / Amazon Publishing / Thomas & Mercer for supplying the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
April 22, 2017
Amelia wakes up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. She doesn’t even know her name. She eventually remembers her name, and the hospital staff are able to look her up and contact her husband. Amelia doesn’t remember being married, but at first sight of her husband she’s unexplainably scared, and flees from the hospital.
She’s Not There follows Amelia as she tries to remember her past, including what put her in the hospital and why she’s so scared of her husband. As pieces slowly come back, she uncovers secrets that could put her life in danger.
I really liked the premise of this book, however I found myself a little frustrated while reading it. I think I’m starting to realize that amnesia/memory loss books aren’t my favorite. I often find myself getting annoyed because there are so any unanswered questions until the last 10% or so of the book. Being so much in the dark is too frustrating for me. I imagine we’re supposed to be feeling what the main character is feeling – the sense of loss, confusion, and uncertianty of who to trust, but I just can’t get myself to enjoy them the way I should be.
She’s Not There was told through three perspectives – through Amelia’s as she tries to uncover her memories, through her husband Alex, and through Clay, a private investigator hired by Alex in an attempt to find Amelia after she runs off.
The thing I did like about the book was how easy it felt to read. I read it in a day because I wanted to know what happened to Amelia that put her in the hospital, and the book made it engaging enough to be able to read in one sitting without getting bored.
That said, I felt like there were a lot of things that I felt like were too convenient that moved the plot along. The people she met, the things she remembered and when…I constantly was feeling like I had to suspend disbelief in order to move forward with the story. Additionally, I found many of the characters unlikeable, which made me want to skim through parts of the book. Amelia was likable enough, regardless of her irrational choices and coincidental discoveries.
Overall, if you are a fan of cat and mouse type stories or stories that involve memory loss and amnesia, this may be the book for you. It wasn’t a huge win for me, but was engaging enough to get 3.5 stars from me, rounded down to 3 stars on Goodreads because of the issues I had with the book.
She’s Not There follows Amelia as she tries to remember her past, including what put her in the hospital and why she’s so scared of her husband. As pieces slowly come back, she uncovers secrets that could put her life in danger.
I really liked the premise of this book, however I found myself a little frustrated while reading it. I think I’m starting to realize that amnesia/memory loss books aren’t my favorite. I often find myself getting annoyed because there are so any unanswered questions until the last 10% or so of the book. Being so much in the dark is too frustrating for me. I imagine we’re supposed to be feeling what the main character is feeling – the sense of loss, confusion, and uncertianty of who to trust, but I just can’t get myself to enjoy them the way I should be.
She’s Not There was told through three perspectives – through Amelia’s as she tries to uncover her memories, through her husband Alex, and through Clay, a private investigator hired by Alex in an attempt to find Amelia after she runs off.
The thing I did like about the book was how easy it felt to read. I read it in a day because I wanted to know what happened to Amelia that put her in the hospital, and the book made it engaging enough to be able to read in one sitting without getting bored.
That said, I felt like there were a lot of things that I felt like were too convenient that moved the plot along. The people she met, the things she remembered and when…I constantly was feeling like I had to suspend disbelief in order to move forward with the story. Additionally, I found many of the characters unlikeable, which made me want to skim through parts of the book. Amelia was likable enough, regardless of her irrational choices and coincidental discoveries.
Overall, if you are a fan of cat and mouse type stories or stories that involve memory loss and amnesia, this may be the book for you. It wasn’t a huge win for me, but was engaging enough to get 3.5 stars from me, rounded down to 3 stars on Goodreads because of the issues I had with the book.
November 16, 2020
Excellent thriller! A woman wakes up in a hospital with only shadow memories of how she came to be there and who she actually is. Bits and pieces surface slowly, but one thing is crystal clear... she is terrified of the man who they say is her husband.
Flashes of memory come as she runs for her life. She knows who she's running from, but why? And who or what is she running toward?
Well done!
Flashes of memory come as she runs for her life. She knows who she's running from, but why? And who or what is she running toward?
Well done!
January 18, 2016
Note to self: stop reading free kindle books.
Read
November 19, 2021Psychological Thrillers
Publication date : September 8, 2015
Another story with the memory loss plot and with the protagonist in danger from some unknown threats. Started off OK but when first Amelia's husband's pov was added, then Clay's, I started to feel frustrated. Just when you get into one POV, author switch to something else and tension gets lost. Many things became repetitive with multiple narrators. E.g. we learn from Amelia's POV how she ended up in the hospital, then again we have to read about it thanks to Alex's POV. Pointless to repeat things over and over again!
Or when Clay went after Amelia; reader already knows where she's going, so Clay's investigation felt like boring filler.
The memory loss and recovery of lost memory felt unrealistic. How a woman who didn't know her name one moment, suddenly start to remember but naturally she can not remember enough to solve the mystery that put her in danger.
Also I felt like the characters were bland and flat. I felt like I never got to know them.
This was my first book by this author but sadly it was quite dissapointing, boring and frustrating story to read. I managed to finish it but there are much better thrillers out there!
Publication date : September 8, 2015
Another story with the memory loss plot and with the protagonist in danger from some unknown threats. Started off OK but when first Amelia's husband's pov was added, then Clay's, I started to feel frustrated. Just when you get into one POV, author switch to something else and tension gets lost. Many things became repetitive with multiple narrators. E.g. we learn from Amelia's POV how she ended up in the hospital, then again we have to read about it thanks to Alex's POV. Pointless to repeat things over and over again!
Or when Clay went after Amelia; reader already knows where she's going, so Clay's investigation felt like boring filler.
The memory loss and recovery of lost memory felt unrealistic. How a woman who didn't know her name one moment, suddenly start to remember but naturally she can not remember enough to solve the mystery that put her in danger.
Also I felt like the characters were bland and flat. I felt like I never got to know them.
This was my first book by this author but sadly it was quite dissapointing, boring and frustrating story to read. I managed to finish it but there are much better thrillers out there!
August 14, 2015
She's Not There by P.J Parrish is a thriller that unfortunately follows the current story line that many thrillers do right now. Woman has accident. Woman loses memory. But instinctively knows that the people closest to her are out to kill her. And though she has little to no memory of who she is, she has enough of her wits about her to out smart hired professionals sent to find her. For such a thriller to work as it unravels its clues in selective memory or dialogue, it has to sustain a strong level of believable trust and for me, She's Not There was simply not there.
Amelia wakes up in a hospital, her body and mind battered from a car accident. She cannot remember who she is or how she got there. But what she does understand is that she is in danger and when her husband comes to see her, she feels that the danger is somehow coming from him. Amelia escapes from the hospital and with the sale of her wedding ring from a local pawn shop, she is suddenly on the run.
Alex, Amelia's husband, is a very rich lawyer who is very used to getting his way. His wife's disappearance and erratic behavior is drawing attention to both himself and his partner. The decide to hire a professional who can work outside the law to find Amelia.
Buchanan is a tracker. A man who has the innate ability to find people who do not want to be found. But Buchanan has other issues looming over him. A past with his own missing wife and child. He begins to suspect early on that this case presents more than just a runaway bride scenario. That Alex and his partner are more than they same and that returning Amelia to them may not be the best move. But will he get involved or will he just do the job he is hired to do.
She's Not There is ambitious and the writing is crisp and flows easily from one narration to the other. But where it fails is in its delivery. The story has holes of credibility in it that the best prose cannot repair. Amelia, whose soul background besides being a pampered and spoiled wife, is in dance. Yet she is able to escape and stay hidden and take a trip cross country without being caught? Buchanan who is under suspicion for murdering his own family is trusted to find other people's families? Finally, the actual attempted killer who is after Amelia. This is the most unbelievable part of the novel and unfortunately, the authors do not sale it well.
Just doesn't do it for me.
Amelia wakes up in a hospital, her body and mind battered from a car accident. She cannot remember who she is or how she got there. But what she does understand is that she is in danger and when her husband comes to see her, she feels that the danger is somehow coming from him. Amelia escapes from the hospital and with the sale of her wedding ring from a local pawn shop, she is suddenly on the run.
Alex, Amelia's husband, is a very rich lawyer who is very used to getting his way. His wife's disappearance and erratic behavior is drawing attention to both himself and his partner. The decide to hire a professional who can work outside the law to find Amelia.
Buchanan is a tracker. A man who has the innate ability to find people who do not want to be found. But Buchanan has other issues looming over him. A past with his own missing wife and child. He begins to suspect early on that this case presents more than just a runaway bride scenario. That Alex and his partner are more than they same and that returning Amelia to them may not be the best move. But will he get involved or will he just do the job he is hired to do.
She's Not There is ambitious and the writing is crisp and flows easily from one narration to the other. But where it fails is in its delivery. The story has holes of credibility in it that the best prose cannot repair. Amelia, whose soul background besides being a pampered and spoiled wife, is in dance. Yet she is able to escape and stay hidden and take a trip cross country without being caught? Buchanan who is under suspicion for murdering his own family is trusted to find other people's families? Finally, the actual attempted killer who is after Amelia. This is the most unbelievable part of the novel and unfortunately, the authors do not sale it well.
Just doesn't do it for me.
September 13, 2015
P.J. Parrish (sisters Kelly Nichols and Kris Montee) has an exciting new standalone mystery/thriller in She’s Not There. What made it especially interesting was that it was told by three different people throughout the story. The main protagonist Amelia, who wakes up with no memory in the hospital after a serious head injury and what appear to be wounds incurred during a car accident. Alex, who is Amelia’s husband and has a lot to hide, but claims to still love her. Finally there is Clay Buchanan, who is the P.I. sent to find her after she disappears from the hospital.
Amelia has no memory, but fears a dark haired man and when her husband shows up at the hospital with dark hair and she feels only terror, she takes off. She runs on pure instinct and faint memories that return bit by bit. Clay Buchanan is a specialized tracer of people and is hired by Alex’s business partner to find her no matter what. Alex wants her back, even though they have not had a real marriage for a year and he will do anything to find her.
I kept feeling that I knew what was going to happen in the next chapter, but I was surprised quite a few times. As the back stories of all the characters become transparent, it keeps the plot twisting in unexpected ways. A strong female protagonist, even without a memory and flawed secondary male characters that you don’t know who to trust, if any of them. The writing is strong with description and imagery of all the places the characters are traveling. Loved this book and I felt it was a step above your usual mystery/thriller plot of the woman with amnesia running from her husband story.
Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Looking forward to reading more by this author!
Amelia has no memory, but fears a dark haired man and when her husband shows up at the hospital with dark hair and she feels only terror, she takes off. She runs on pure instinct and faint memories that return bit by bit. Clay Buchanan is a specialized tracer of people and is hired by Alex’s business partner to find her no matter what. Alex wants her back, even though they have not had a real marriage for a year and he will do anything to find her.
I kept feeling that I knew what was going to happen in the next chapter, but I was surprised quite a few times. As the back stories of all the characters become transparent, it keeps the plot twisting in unexpected ways. A strong female protagonist, even without a memory and flawed secondary male characters that you don’t know who to trust, if any of them. The writing is strong with description and imagery of all the places the characters are traveling. Loved this book and I felt it was a step above your usual mystery/thriller plot of the woman with amnesia running from her husband story.
Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Looking forward to reading more by this author!
January 3, 2016
Lacks credibility
This is my first read for the 2018 Scale Your TBR Mountain Challenge, and after finishing it, I'm not really sure why I added it to my TBR in the first place? It has an okay storyline, but nothing that seems to jump off the page at me.
So here again is another novel I listened to that was narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith, and I believe here in lies the problem. Her narration puts the "bor" in boring. Once again, I have to give her credit on her ability to pull off multiple different accents and speak multiple languages, but aside from that, her narration simply lacks in overall inflection and emotion. This greatly impacted my take on the novel I believe.
With that said, I can't say that my opinions on the novel will be 100% unbiased. The one major thing about the storyline that I will say that I just didn't buy into was Amelia's ability to outsmart a so called "tracker". Someone who is supposed to be one of the leading men in finding people who don't want to be found. Buchanan is portrayed as this top level bounty hunter/private investigator, and I just didn't understand how it was possible that this woman, a former dancer, who has suffered a head injury, can somehow be one step ahead of him every time? Secondly, how is it that Buchanan, a man suspected of killing his own family can be trusted to help others find their own family or others? How is the reader supposed to find any of this credible?
Sadly, this just wasn't a good start for this year's challenge. I'm hoping the next will be better.
This is my first read for the 2018 Scale Your TBR Mountain Challenge, and after finishing it, I'm not really sure why I added it to my TBR in the first place? It has an okay storyline, but nothing that seems to jump off the page at me.
So here again is another novel I listened to that was narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith, and I believe here in lies the problem. Her narration puts the "bor" in boring. Once again, I have to give her credit on her ability to pull off multiple different accents and speak multiple languages, but aside from that, her narration simply lacks in overall inflection and emotion. This greatly impacted my take on the novel I believe.
With that said, I can't say that my opinions on the novel will be 100% unbiased. The one major thing about the storyline that I will say that I just didn't buy into was Amelia's ability to outsmart a so called "tracker". Someone who is supposed to be one of the leading men in finding people who don't want to be found. Buchanan is portrayed as this top level bounty hunter/private investigator, and I just didn't understand how it was possible that this woman, a former dancer, who has suffered a head injury, can somehow be one step ahead of him every time? Secondly, how is it that Buchanan, a man suspected of killing his own family can be trusted to help others find their own family or others? How is the reader supposed to find any of this credible?
Sadly, this just wasn't a good start for this year's challenge. I'm hoping the next will be better.
June 6, 2015
Full blog review in progress:
3.5/5
NOTE: I have read all the books written by this dynamic sister duo. My big joke on my love of PJ Parrish's writing goes back to 2000 with the publishing of Dark of the Moon. I will never forget a debate with my husband regarding male vs. female mystery writers (that was actually prompted by who PJ Parrish was because there is no picture of the sisters in early releases), my husband stated that he didn't like to read female mystery writers due to their focus on romance vs. "mystery". To follow this statement, he stated that there was no way that PJ Parrish was female because of the lack of romance in their books. Let's just say that comment didn't go unanswered. In the meantime, we loaned out Parrish books to friends/coworkers and got them hooked. After one of the Kincaid series releases that particularly rocked it, I was determined to find out who PJ Parrish was. Imagine my surprise when not only one woman came up, BUT TWO. Let's just say that I had a Cheshire Cat grin on my face when I called my husband to the computer.
1) As a result of the above note, I have grown very accustomed to their writing style. Unfortunately, for me, because of how one scene was written in the early part of the book, I figured out the ending in the first 25 percent. The rest was just an unraveling and fitting pieces. Pretty depressing given that I was all over this when I saw it was coming out and did a happy dance when I was approved to review it.
2) Unlike their Louis Kincaid series, this book wrapped up with a nice, pretty red ribbon. That was kind of a tough pill to swallow given that this isn't the sisters standard MO. It left me with an empty, unsatisfied feeling.
3) Their high-quality writing and story/character development was still present. I will state that my attention was captured within the first 100 pages. To be totally fair, those who don't know of the Sisters' style will probably miss what I caught.
4) As these ladies are on my top 5 list of recommended American mystery writers, I would still recommend this book to more squeamish readers. HOWEVER, my first recommendation would still be the Louis Kincaid series, which is simply AWESOME.
5) I still pre-ordered a print copy for my husband, so, by no means, was this book horrible.
3.5/5
NOTE: I have read all the books written by this dynamic sister duo. My big joke on my love of PJ Parrish's writing goes back to 2000 with the publishing of Dark of the Moon. I will never forget a debate with my husband regarding male vs. female mystery writers (that was actually prompted by who PJ Parrish was because there is no picture of the sisters in early releases), my husband stated that he didn't like to read female mystery writers due to their focus on romance vs. "mystery". To follow this statement, he stated that there was no way that PJ Parrish was female because of the lack of romance in their books. Let's just say that comment didn't go unanswered. In the meantime, we loaned out Parrish books to friends/coworkers and got them hooked. After one of the Kincaid series releases that particularly rocked it, I was determined to find out who PJ Parrish was. Imagine my surprise when not only one woman came up, BUT TWO. Let's just say that I had a Cheshire Cat grin on my face when I called my husband to the computer.
1) As a result of the above note, I have grown very accustomed to their writing style. Unfortunately, for me, because of how one scene was written in the early part of the book, I figured out the ending in the first 25 percent. The rest was just an unraveling and fitting pieces. Pretty depressing given that I was all over this when I saw it was coming out and did a happy dance when I was approved to review it.
2) Unlike their Louis Kincaid series, this book wrapped up with a nice, pretty red ribbon. That was kind of a tough pill to swallow given that this isn't the sisters standard MO. It left me with an empty, unsatisfied feeling.
3) Their high-quality writing and story/character development was still present. I will state that my attention was captured within the first 100 pages. To be totally fair, those who don't know of the Sisters' style will probably miss what I caught.
4) As these ladies are on my top 5 list of recommended American mystery writers, I would still recommend this book to more squeamish readers. HOWEVER, my first recommendation would still be the Louis Kincaid series, which is simply AWESOME.
5) I still pre-ordered a print copy for my husband, so, by no means, was this book horrible.
August 5, 2015
After reading lots of great reviews on books by this sister team I thought it would be a great read for a rainy Sunday. The sisters, Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols have written a series of mystery/thrillers that won some major awards and I wanted to see what this standalone novel would be like.
As the blurb for the book states Amelia Tobias wakes up in a hospital room severely injured with no memory of what has happened to her and doesn’t know her own identity. A dark haired man visits one day claiming to be her husband and Amelia senses that she needs to run away and do it quickly.
Amelia takes her wedding ring to a pawn shop and uses that money to try to get as far away as possible. What follows is a trail of Amelia going from one place to the next, following clues as her memory starts to return, trying to understand who she is, where she’s from and why someone wants her dead.
At the same time a PI, Buchanan, is looking for her, following orders from her husband’s law partner to “make Amelia disappear” for good. He is always just a little behind her.
I have to be honest and say that I didn’t find anything particularly unique in this novel. I’ve read other books where a person wakes up with amnesia and then flees and tries to unravel the mystery of who they are. I had hoped that at some point there would be more of a spark to the story to set it apart. Things just seem to fall into place for Amelia as she remembers who she is and why she is so unhappy and she keeps running, finally finding the one person who is a true friend.
In spite of the somewhat predictable plot I did find myself liking the main character. Her beginning life story is interesting, poor girl is an incredible dancer, wins a scholarship and finds herself dancing in the New York ballet company. There are some great emotional moments when Amelia remembers her grandmother, The Bird, who always encouraged her to be her own person and strive for the best. Amelia also has fond memories of her brother and their summers together at her grandmother’s lake home.
I had pretty much predicted the ending by half way through the book with just a slight twist at the end. At some point I’d like to read one of their prize winning novels to get another taste of this sister teams writing style
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As the blurb for the book states Amelia Tobias wakes up in a hospital room severely injured with no memory of what has happened to her and doesn’t know her own identity. A dark haired man visits one day claiming to be her husband and Amelia senses that she needs to run away and do it quickly.
Amelia takes her wedding ring to a pawn shop and uses that money to try to get as far away as possible. What follows is a trail of Amelia going from one place to the next, following clues as her memory starts to return, trying to understand who she is, where she’s from and why someone wants her dead.
At the same time a PI, Buchanan, is looking for her, following orders from her husband’s law partner to “make Amelia disappear” for good. He is always just a little behind her.
I have to be honest and say that I didn’t find anything particularly unique in this novel. I’ve read other books where a person wakes up with amnesia and then flees and tries to unravel the mystery of who they are. I had hoped that at some point there would be more of a spark to the story to set it apart. Things just seem to fall into place for Amelia as she remembers who she is and why she is so unhappy and she keeps running, finally finding the one person who is a true friend.
In spite of the somewhat predictable plot I did find myself liking the main character. Her beginning life story is interesting, poor girl is an incredible dancer, wins a scholarship and finds herself dancing in the New York ballet company. There are some great emotional moments when Amelia remembers her grandmother, The Bird, who always encouraged her to be her own person and strive for the best. Amelia also has fond memories of her brother and their summers together at her grandmother’s lake home.
I had pretty much predicted the ending by half way through the book with just a slight twist at the end. At some point I’d like to read one of their prize winning novels to get another taste of this sister teams writing style
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2015
For some reason, amnesia is a favourite trope of mine. I just love to read about people who suffered memory loss and the process in recovering them. I also have a preference that it be in a romance novel type of setting so I’m not quite sure exactly why I chose to read this book… I think I’m not made for psychological thriller. It’s just too exciting for my poor heart!
The novel began with a dream just prior to Amelia’s awakening. At first, she can’t remember a thing about herself though slowly she regained her name and her fear… of who or what, she doesn’t know but she must follow her instinct to fly. At first, she stumbled around confused and helpless but after a few helpful nudges, she seems to find her feet and become cunning in her bid to stay missing. Amelia is an admirable character; she’s a fighter and she learns fast.
There were a few other perspectives within this novel from the other side of the chase. Readers were given some insights to Amelia’s previous life and the effort in finding her. There were two main perspectives: her husband and the skip tracer hired to find her. Two very broken men of mysterious reasons! They sounded very human; men who faced challenges and failed, who have been unable, for one reason or another, to reach out to their wives to support them, men who hankered after another chance…
She’s Not There is a fast-paced thriller inundated by gritty characters who could just break your heart. The game of hide and seek nearly scared the pants off of me. The mystery had me sitting on the edge of seat. There were many twists and turns that had me gasping in surprise. I felt weak and utterly exhausted at the end –glad for the exciting read but also that it’s over!
Thanks Thomas & Mercer for eARC via NetGalley in exchange of honest review
The novel began with a dream just prior to Amelia’s awakening. At first, she can’t remember a thing about herself though slowly she regained her name and her fear… of who or what, she doesn’t know but she must follow her instinct to fly. At first, she stumbled around confused and helpless but after a few helpful nudges, she seems to find her feet and become cunning in her bid to stay missing. Amelia is an admirable character; she’s a fighter and she learns fast.
There were a few other perspectives within this novel from the other side of the chase. Readers were given some insights to Amelia’s previous life and the effort in finding her. There were two main perspectives: her husband and the skip tracer hired to find her. Two very broken men of mysterious reasons! They sounded very human; men who faced challenges and failed, who have been unable, for one reason or another, to reach out to their wives to support them, men who hankered after another chance…
She’s Not There is a fast-paced thriller inundated by gritty characters who could just break your heart. The game of hide and seek nearly scared the pants off of me. The mystery had me sitting on the edge of seat. There were many twists and turns that had me gasping in surprise. I felt weak and utterly exhausted at the end –glad for the exciting read but also that it’s over!
Thanks Thomas & Mercer for eARC via NetGalley in exchange of honest review
March 15, 2016
THIS WAS SUCH A WILD RIDE. It was fast-paced, thrilling, intriguing, and so ridiculously compelling that I could not put it down. I read this entire novel in less than three hours, and it's the perfect type of story to read if you just feel like reading something that'll really suck you into the story.
The plot of this novel is so intricate and so complex, and there's so much mystery shrouding everything that makes it so eerie and so uncertain. So many times I'd think I know what direction the plot would be headed in, or what would happen next, only to be proven completely wrong. It was so unpredictable and so mind-boggling, and I loved that.
I loved the different points of views and the way that this story was told in general. There were so many different personalities involved and there was so much that we didn't know until the end, and it was so much fun to keep up with and to make guesses along the way, no matter how wrong or far off they ended up being. This is a fast-paced and fantastic novel, but because the entire story flew by in a blur, I feel like I didn't really get the chance to connect with any of the characters, or any parts of the story, which is why I knocked the rating for this down to four stars. I really wanted to connect with Amelia but she was just this character whose story I ended up being really invested in, but that was about it.
But seriously, this is a great book and I'm so glad that I went out on a whim and picked it up!
The plot of this novel is so intricate and so complex, and there's so much mystery shrouding everything that makes it so eerie and so uncertain. So many times I'd think I know what direction the plot would be headed in, or what would happen next, only to be proven completely wrong. It was so unpredictable and so mind-boggling, and I loved that.
I loved the different points of views and the way that this story was told in general. There were so many different personalities involved and there was so much that we didn't know until the end, and it was so much fun to keep up with and to make guesses along the way, no matter how wrong or far off they ended up being. This is a fast-paced and fantastic novel, but because the entire story flew by in a blur, I feel like I didn't really get the chance to connect with any of the characters, or any parts of the story, which is why I knocked the rating for this down to four stars. I really wanted to connect with Amelia but she was just this character whose story I ended up being really invested in, but that was about it.
But seriously, this is a great book and I'm so glad that I went out on a whim and picked it up!
August 24, 2015
She's Not There is a great thriller of a book-what a ride! I usually do not read too many thrillers but when I read the blurb for this I just knew I had to give it a try and I am so glad I did!
The main character of the book is Amelia. One day she wakes up in the hospital and she at first does not know who she is, but after having some flashes of what is going on, she realizes she is in danger- not who she is in danger from, but when she hears a man's voice in the corridor of the hospital, she knows enough to pull out her IV and get away. Mind you she has a concussion, can barely stand up, has a hematoma on her brain which has caused it to bleed, but she knows she will positively die in that hospital if she is found. What follows is a series of things she does to try to keep safe and get away, she has no ID, no money, no purse, -nothing but a ring, and she sells it to a pawnbroker, who was not going to take it until his wife told him to give her the money, all of what it was worth, knowing Amelia has been battered she gives her some advice about not letting a man have that kind of control over her ever again. The woman gives her a bag to keep her money in and off Amelia goes. She gets a Greyhound ticket and leaves.
The one thing I liked about this book is how the author had her meeting a few people along the way who could tell she was in a bad way and willing to help her, from a man and his grandson on the Greyhound, to a truck driver, a woman who takes her further away, and an older woman who takes her in as a boarder, after a woman from a cafe calls her. It is here her husband and his boss track her to, and this wonderful woman helps Amelia get away while she deals with them at the door.
In the meantime, the author, through a series of chapters, reveals what is going on and it is downright scary! Her husband is looking for her, and his boss goes with him for his own secretive reasons her husband does not know about. After Amelia gives her husband the slip at both the hospital and again at the place she was staying at, her husband Alex is desperate, and his boss tells him he will hire someone to find her. So he hires a man named Buchanan. Alex does not like him one bit but his boss tells him Buchanan is the man for the job. By this time Alex is beginning to realize that maybe the reason he and his wife were no longer close may have been his fault, and some of the things he has done are shameful and in the long run also contribute to his wife's danger now.
There are so many subplots running through this book, it keeps you jumping and guessing the further you get into the book and the plot twists around so many times there is no way anyone can figure out where the author is going. Add to this a list of wonderful well developed characters, and it becomes an awesome book!
As Amelia slowly regains part of her memory, she realizes she has to be strong and run, or she will cease to exist. Anything can spark a memory and then she learns a bit more about herself, and then starts to remember other things, bad things, and she has to depend on her wits and her will to live to keep her moving forward.
She also remembers good things too however, and this is what keeps her going. The last third of the book is so intense, I could feel my heart pounding, with the anxiety I was feeling for Amelia! Buchanan also turns out to be a surprise, and when they finally all come together at the same place, Amelia, her husband and Buchanan, the results really surprised the heck out of me.
Amelia, faced with what has happened in her life, turns out to be quite a great female character, with the strength to do what she has to do, she has to be strong to continue living and she does that! While she may be vulnerable, she knows what she needs to do to survive and to continue to live, heartbroken, battered, led astray by a man who entered her life like a whirlwind one day and then proceeds to neglect her and break her heart; in my book that is a strong passionate and lovely person!
Read this book and find out where it is going and what is going to happen, you will be so glad you did. I had to give this book 5 stars although I would have given it a 10 Star rating. I loved this book so much I know I am going to read more by P.J. Parrish!
The main character of the book is Amelia. One day she wakes up in the hospital and she at first does not know who she is, but after having some flashes of what is going on, she realizes she is in danger- not who she is in danger from, but when she hears a man's voice in the corridor of the hospital, she knows enough to pull out her IV and get away. Mind you she has a concussion, can barely stand up, has a hematoma on her brain which has caused it to bleed, but she knows she will positively die in that hospital if she is found. What follows is a series of things she does to try to keep safe and get away, she has no ID, no money, no purse, -nothing but a ring, and she sells it to a pawnbroker, who was not going to take it until his wife told him to give her the money, all of what it was worth, knowing Amelia has been battered she gives her some advice about not letting a man have that kind of control over her ever again. The woman gives her a bag to keep her money in and off Amelia goes. She gets a Greyhound ticket and leaves.
The one thing I liked about this book is how the author had her meeting a few people along the way who could tell she was in a bad way and willing to help her, from a man and his grandson on the Greyhound, to a truck driver, a woman who takes her further away, and an older woman who takes her in as a boarder, after a woman from a cafe calls her. It is here her husband and his boss track her to, and this wonderful woman helps Amelia get away while she deals with them at the door.
In the meantime, the author, through a series of chapters, reveals what is going on and it is downright scary! Her husband is looking for her, and his boss goes with him for his own secretive reasons her husband does not know about. After Amelia gives her husband the slip at both the hospital and again at the place she was staying at, her husband Alex is desperate, and his boss tells him he will hire someone to find her. So he hires a man named Buchanan. Alex does not like him one bit but his boss tells him Buchanan is the man for the job. By this time Alex is beginning to realize that maybe the reason he and his wife were no longer close may have been his fault, and some of the things he has done are shameful and in the long run also contribute to his wife's danger now.
There are so many subplots running through this book, it keeps you jumping and guessing the further you get into the book and the plot twists around so many times there is no way anyone can figure out where the author is going. Add to this a list of wonderful well developed characters, and it becomes an awesome book!
As Amelia slowly regains part of her memory, she realizes she has to be strong and run, or she will cease to exist. Anything can spark a memory and then she learns a bit more about herself, and then starts to remember other things, bad things, and she has to depend on her wits and her will to live to keep her moving forward.
She also remembers good things too however, and this is what keeps her going. The last third of the book is so intense, I could feel my heart pounding, with the anxiety I was feeling for Amelia! Buchanan also turns out to be a surprise, and when they finally all come together at the same place, Amelia, her husband and Buchanan, the results really surprised the heck out of me.
Amelia, faced with what has happened in her life, turns out to be quite a great female character, with the strength to do what she has to do, she has to be strong to continue living and she does that! While she may be vulnerable, she knows what she needs to do to survive and to continue to live, heartbroken, battered, led astray by a man who entered her life like a whirlwind one day and then proceeds to neglect her and break her heart; in my book that is a strong passionate and lovely person!
Read this book and find out where it is going and what is going to happen, you will be so glad you did. I had to give this book 5 stars although I would have given it a 10 Star rating. I loved this book so much I know I am going to read more by P.J. Parrish!
December 16, 2015
This book kept me very entertained and I couldn't wait to figure out what actually happened before Amelia's accident. But, I felt that the truth was not as exciting as the book made it seem like it would be.
Enjoyed every part of this book. So many emotions, so much anxiety leading to the end. I just wish it would have ended differently and not so happily ever after.
Enjoyed every part of this book. So many emotions, so much anxiety leading to the end. I just wish it would have ended differently and not so happily ever after.
August 2, 2017
This book started out so strong and interesting. I was hooked right away and it was super suspenseful. But, as it went on I felt like it got boring and tedious. I think the author could have completed this quicker and developed the characters better. It was an interesting mystery, but definitely not my favorite.
January 22, 2024
Der Anfang war sehr vielversprechend, ebenso die Entwicklung der Handlung und der Charaktere. Leider endet das Buch darin, dass alles wieder schick ist und sich alle gern haben. Für mich sehr unbefriedigend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2017
Wow that was really really good! Loved it from the first chapter.
Read
October 2, 2018One of the best books I've read. And it came out of nowhere. I am a great fan of the author, P.J. Parrish, a sister duo, who writes a favorite series featuring bi-racial homicide detective Louis Kincaid. I've read them all and have just learned that after a few years of wondering if they were perhaps done with him, a new Kincaid book just came out in Sept! Yeh! But, I digress. Parrish has also written two stand alones. This is one of them. When I have a favorite series character by an author, I usually pay little heed to an occasional stand alone. Looking for a new Kincaid, and at that time not finding one, I just decided to try one of the stand alones (with an amnesia theme that will always draw me) since she (uh, they) is such a great writer. Well, I was blown away with a good lesson learned...pay attention to the stand alones! Thank you Kristy and Kelly...
March 6, 2018
I know what kind of books I like, and I know what kind of books I don't like...and sometimes I ignore this, as I did with She's Not There, at my own peril.
While being somewhat suspenseful and at least full of action, this was completely formulaic, Hollywood at pretty much every turn and bordering on ridiculous on it's "everyone has a secret approach".
Yes, everyone has secrets, but every character in this novel has massive ones which, while making it hard enough to believe that this cast of characters all found their way into each other's lives, also felt just plain soapy.
Really - avoid this.
While being somewhat suspenseful and at least full of action, this was completely formulaic, Hollywood at pretty much every turn and bordering on ridiculous on it's "everyone has a secret approach".
Yes, everyone has secrets, but every character in this novel has massive ones which, while making it hard enough to believe that this cast of characters all found their way into each other's lives, also felt just plain soapy.
Really - avoid this.
December 25, 2019
What an amazing journey to take, this book hit all the right emotions. Be prepared to take the ride of your life.
Amelia wakes up in a hospital beaten and bruised but has no memory except her name. She hears a voice in the hallway saying he's her husband, but she is alarmed and panicky and manages to run away.
The unpredictable twists and turns keeps you guessing the whole time. You will not sleep until you find out what happens.
I loved this book.
Amelia wakes up in a hospital beaten and bruised but has no memory except her name. She hears a voice in the hallway saying he's her husband, but she is alarmed and panicky and manages to run away.
The unpredictable twists and turns keeps you guessing the whole time. You will not sleep until you find out what happens.
I loved this book.
August 26, 2019
A real page turner. What secrets are being kept- you can't wait to find out. Amelia wakes up in a hospital with amnesia and when she disappears her husband hires a private detective to find her. She's afraid- but does she have reason to be. I love thrillers and enjoyed this one.
January 27, 2022
What a good book. Would definitely read more by this author.
August 13, 2015
I LOVED this book!
Hooked from the first chapter, SHE'S NOT THERE by P.J. Parrish is such a roller coaster of emotions and events that it's near impossible to put down.
RELEASE DATE: September 2015
PUBLISHER: Thomas & Mercer
DISCLAIMER: Novel sent via NetGallery in exchange for a honest review
SYNOPSIS: They say it’s better to battle the devil you know. But what if you don’t recognize him before it’s too late? She knows her name is Amelia, but after waking up in a hospital battered and bruised with just the clothes on her back, it’s all she knows. Unable to piece together her shattered memory, she’s haunted by a vision: menacing faces and voices implying her nightmare is far from over. Relying only on her wits and her will to live, Amelia becomes a fugitive from a mysterious man, and a life she can’t even remember. But the past she’s fleeing has no intention of letting her go.
REVIEW: Who knew that this author was actually a sister duo?
Amelia wakes up in the hospital suffering from a serious head injury - in fact, she has no memory of how she received it. In fact, she has no memory of anything at all. Her entire life has been wiped away. After being confronted by the man who is calls himself her'husband', she decides to go on the run. Relying solely on her instincts, Amelia soon realizes that she is in fact on the run for her life. But from whom?
I was hooked the first chapter. The voice of Amelia is so captivating that you can't help but get drawn into her situation. I found myself longing for her chapters just to see how it all plays out. Here, the authors have written a character where the only instinct they have is their basic ones - their senses. Amelia no longer has her memories, so she must rely solely on her senses. It was interesting to read how her senses reacting to different individuals and places in the world - it's almost like a sixth sense (for instance, she immediately knows to flee her husband and what feels like 'home'). It makes for the read to be immensely interesting.
The novel is told through 3 perspectives - Amelia's, Amelia's husband, and the private investigator hired to find Amelia after she flees the hospital. The points of view of Amelia's husband the the PI fill in the missing gaps waged by Amelia's poor memory and perspective, so the readers are always kept in the loop. Furthermore, the multiple perspectives help give us the backstory behind the 'incident' at hand. It works perfectly within this novel.
Is the plot predictable? Yes. Is the journey fun? Yes. Don't skip over this book because you fear you might already know the destination - the ride is just so much fun. Perfectly pleasurable and chock full of fun actions and twists, this novel is the epitome of a perfect summer read.
The only gripe? A slightly large plot hole is never resolved (the private investigator's background is highly referenced and yet never resolved). It bothers me immensely to this day that I don't have closure - is a sequel in the works? Is a solo book with this character centre stage coming into play? Grr!
Happy reading!
Hooked from the first chapter, SHE'S NOT THERE by P.J. Parrish is such a roller coaster of emotions and events that it's near impossible to put down.
RELEASE DATE: September 2015
PUBLISHER: Thomas & Mercer
DISCLAIMER: Novel sent via NetGallery in exchange for a honest review
SYNOPSIS: They say it’s better to battle the devil you know. But what if you don’t recognize him before it’s too late? She knows her name is Amelia, but after waking up in a hospital battered and bruised with just the clothes on her back, it’s all she knows. Unable to piece together her shattered memory, she’s haunted by a vision: menacing faces and voices implying her nightmare is far from over. Relying only on her wits and her will to live, Amelia becomes a fugitive from a mysterious man, and a life she can’t even remember. But the past she’s fleeing has no intention of letting her go.
REVIEW: Who knew that this author was actually a sister duo?
Amelia wakes up in the hospital suffering from a serious head injury - in fact, she has no memory of how she received it. In fact, she has no memory of anything at all. Her entire life has been wiped away. After being confronted by the man who is calls himself her'husband', she decides to go on the run. Relying solely on her instincts, Amelia soon realizes that she is in fact on the run for her life. But from whom?
I was hooked the first chapter. The voice of Amelia is so captivating that you can't help but get drawn into her situation. I found myself longing for her chapters just to see how it all plays out. Here, the authors have written a character where the only instinct they have is their basic ones - their senses. Amelia no longer has her memories, so she must rely solely on her senses. It was interesting to read how her senses reacting to different individuals and places in the world - it's almost like a sixth sense (for instance, she immediately knows to flee her husband and what feels like 'home'). It makes for the read to be immensely interesting.
The novel is told through 3 perspectives - Amelia's, Amelia's husband, and the private investigator hired to find Amelia after she flees the hospital. The points of view of Amelia's husband the the PI fill in the missing gaps waged by Amelia's poor memory and perspective, so the readers are always kept in the loop. Furthermore, the multiple perspectives help give us the backstory behind the 'incident' at hand. It works perfectly within this novel.
Is the plot predictable? Yes. Is the journey fun? Yes. Don't skip over this book because you fear you might already know the destination - the ride is just so much fun. Perfectly pleasurable and chock full of fun actions and twists, this novel is the epitome of a perfect summer read.
The only gripe? A slightly large plot hole is never resolved (the private investigator's background is highly referenced and yet never resolved). It bothers me immensely to this day that I don't have closure - is a sequel in the works? Is a solo book with this character centre stage coming into play? Grr!
Happy reading!
August 23, 2015
"She's Not There" by P.J. Parrish will be published by Thomas & Mercer on September 8, 2015. P.J. Parrish is actually an amalgam of two sisters who write together. Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols have written many books together and are New York Times bestselling authors. Their most famous series is the Louis Kincaid mysteries of which there are eleven books (plus one short story). After reading "She's Not There", I surmise that a new series could come of this book.
Amelia awakens in the hospital where she is told she has been in a car accident and suffered a severe concussion that has left her with retrograde amnesia. Her doctor assures her that her memories will probably return slowly as she heals. Amelia's doctor also tells her that an unknown man dropped her off in Emergency. This information triggers a memory for Amelia, she sees a dark haired man hovering over her and she feels afraid. When a dark haired man appears later in the day, claiming to be her husband, Amelia runs from the hospital when no one is looking. All Amelia knows is that she's terrified and she needs to run away to save her life.
For me, a mystery/thriller doesn't have to be a headlong rush into terror to be a five out of five star read. This book is like a hurried walk through a scary part of town. You're not running because you don't want to look stupid, but something is triggering your fear response and all you want to do is get away. That's why this book is a five star for me.
I found myself so impressed with the main character's intelligence, resourcefulness, tenacity and ability to rely on instinct. Amelia is like one of those people who don't realize just how smart they are but they think five steps ahead of most people. That innate intelligence is what propels Amelia along her goal to find out who she is and who might want her dead and why. I loved that the authors wove a little luck into this story too. Amelia luckily runs into just the right people a few times and it makes you hope that the Universe is trying to help her survive.
For me, this was a terrific book and I highly recommend it to anyone who reads good mysteries. It's up there in the coveted five out of five star books for me and although it's a little different, that's one of the things I like about it. It is also possible that this stand alone book will become a series because there are a few threads left unfinished. There is space left for another mystery. We'll just have to wait to see what the two sisters writing under the nom de plume P.J. Parrish get up to next.
Amelia awakens in the hospital where she is told she has been in a car accident and suffered a severe concussion that has left her with retrograde amnesia. Her doctor assures her that her memories will probably return slowly as she heals. Amelia's doctor also tells her that an unknown man dropped her off in Emergency. This information triggers a memory for Amelia, she sees a dark haired man hovering over her and she feels afraid. When a dark haired man appears later in the day, claiming to be her husband, Amelia runs from the hospital when no one is looking. All Amelia knows is that she's terrified and she needs to run away to save her life.
For me, a mystery/thriller doesn't have to be a headlong rush into terror to be a five out of five star read. This book is like a hurried walk through a scary part of town. You're not running because you don't want to look stupid, but something is triggering your fear response and all you want to do is get away. That's why this book is a five star for me.
I found myself so impressed with the main character's intelligence, resourcefulness, tenacity and ability to rely on instinct. Amelia is like one of those people who don't realize just how smart they are but they think five steps ahead of most people. That innate intelligence is what propels Amelia along her goal to find out who she is and who might want her dead and why. I loved that the authors wove a little luck into this story too. Amelia luckily runs into just the right people a few times and it makes you hope that the Universe is trying to help her survive.
For me, this was a terrific book and I highly recommend it to anyone who reads good mysteries. It's up there in the coveted five out of five star books for me and although it's a little different, that's one of the things I like about it. It is also possible that this stand alone book will become a series because there are a few threads left unfinished. There is space left for another mystery. We'll just have to wait to see what the two sisters writing under the nom de plume P.J. Parrish get up to next.
August 24, 2016
I found this one to be a very average suspense novel. It was a quick, easy read and kept my attention to the end, but I just wasn't invested in any of it. The characters were bland, the situations were unconvincing, and I couldn't suspend my disbelief long enough to get into the story. So much of the "investigation" seemed to occur by great leaps of intuition rather than having the characters actually figure things out. And I don't know how amnesia works, or what's truly realistic for a private investigator, but I wasn't buying the way they were presented in the story, especially when a lot of the little details along the way just didn't ring true.
Here's one example: the investigator, Buchanan, is supposed to be a bird-watcher. This isn't just a hobby, it's more of a metaphor of how he processes the world. As it so happens, I actually am an obsessive birder, and as such, I can say that nothing that Buchanan thinks about birding seems right. For example, he whips out a pair of night vision binoculars and thinks how he bought them to go look for great horned owls on Assateague Island. Well, birders don't use night vision goggles, not for owls or anything else, and he wouldn't be "chasing" a great horned owl on a distant island, with or without these gadgets, because they are extremely common birds. He would have seen plenty of them in his own back yard, so to speak. In another part, he remembers his dad pointing out a "crested grebe" in its breeding plumage, presumably in his home state of Tennessee, which means they must have seen one that escaped from a zoo, as that species is not native to North America, and certainly doesn't breed here.
Maybe you're thinking, "So what? Why are you nit picking these little details?" And the answer is, if the author is getting the things I do know about so wrong, how can I believe anything else in the story--such as the crucial trope of amnesia--especially when my gut is telling me it doesn't seem realistic? I can't, and therefore, I just can't really get into the story. On the other hand, it was a painless read and free with kindle unlimited, so I'm not really complaining. Recommended if you like a gentle suspense story (no sex, real unpleasantness or explicit violence) and want to give your brain a vacation.
Here's one example: the investigator, Buchanan, is supposed to be a bird-watcher. This isn't just a hobby, it's more of a metaphor of how he processes the world. As it so happens, I actually am an obsessive birder, and as such, I can say that nothing that Buchanan thinks about birding seems right. For example, he whips out a pair of night vision binoculars and thinks how he bought them to go look for great horned owls on Assateague Island. Well, birders don't use night vision goggles, not for owls or anything else, and he wouldn't be "chasing" a great horned owl on a distant island, with or without these gadgets, because they are extremely common birds. He would have seen plenty of them in his own back yard, so to speak. In another part, he remembers his dad pointing out a "crested grebe" in its breeding plumage, presumably in his home state of Tennessee, which means they must have seen one that escaped from a zoo, as that species is not native to North America, and certainly doesn't breed here.
Maybe you're thinking, "So what? Why are you nit picking these little details?" And the answer is, if the author is getting the things I do know about so wrong, how can I believe anything else in the story--such as the crucial trope of amnesia--especially when my gut is telling me it doesn't seem realistic? I can't, and therefore, I just can't really get into the story. On the other hand, it was a painless read and free with kindle unlimited, so I'm not really complaining. Recommended if you like a gentle suspense story (no sex, real unpleasantness or explicit violence) and want to give your brain a vacation.
August 23, 2015
This is a book that I can say I left feeling like everything fell into place perfectly. Between the unknown, the twists and turns and the ending, the book was almost pure perfection!
I was drawn right into the story from the first page with Amelia in the hospital not remembering anything. From that moment, my brain was on overload. I was trying to figure out who was the bad guy, who was the good guy, was the good guy really the bad guy and was the bad guy really the good guy? Would she ever remember what happened to her the night she lost her memory? Why were things so weird in her life?
I had so many questions that kept popping up in this story. When one was answered, another arose. Usually it turned into a why or what the heck. The writing in this story is so perfect and flows so easily, you wouldn’t know that this is two sisters team writing. It is pretty much flawless. I couldn’t put this book down.
The development of the characters in this book is mysterious. What I mean by that is even though you get to know the characters pretty well from the different point of views, you don’t really know them. You only know them how they want you to know them. They aren’t all what or who they seem. As the story unfolds, you can’t help but to switch gears on your feelings towards some of them.
Overall, this is definitely a book I would recommend for those who like suspense and mystery. I like these kind of mysteries. The kind that you can just slink right into the book and devour it. This definitely is on my list of great books of the year.
I was drawn right into the story from the first page with Amelia in the hospital not remembering anything. From that moment, my brain was on overload. I was trying to figure out who was the bad guy, who was the good guy, was the good guy really the bad guy and was the bad guy really the good guy? Would she ever remember what happened to her the night she lost her memory? Why were things so weird in her life?
I had so many questions that kept popping up in this story. When one was answered, another arose. Usually it turned into a why or what the heck. The writing in this story is so perfect and flows so easily, you wouldn’t know that this is two sisters team writing. It is pretty much flawless. I couldn’t put this book down.
The development of the characters in this book is mysterious. What I mean by that is even though you get to know the characters pretty well from the different point of views, you don’t really know them. You only know them how they want you to know them. They aren’t all what or who they seem. As the story unfolds, you can’t help but to switch gears on your feelings towards some of them.
Overall, this is definitely a book I would recommend for those who like suspense and mystery. I like these kind of mysteries. The kind that you can just slink right into the book and devour it. This definitely is on my list of great books of the year.
August 27, 2015
Review originally posted at
All Books Considered: 3 STARS
She's Not There was an intriguing mystery/crime thriller although the end of the book left me a bit disappointed. The first half of the book was seriously good and I read it so fast but as the mystery was revealed, my interest waned. I am finding this a lot lately with thrillers and I wonder if it's me or if there are just many books being released in this genre after the popularity of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train that these books are being released without proper editing. Just a theory I have but I wish the strength of the first half of this book had carried on!
I would recommend this to anyone that likes thriller mysteries along the lines of Gone Girl. I also got a serious Sleeping With The Enemy vibe!
She's Not There was an intriguing mystery/crime thriller although the end of the book left me a bit disappointed. The first half of the book was seriously good and I read it so fast but as the mystery was revealed, my interest waned. I am finding this a lot lately with thrillers and I wonder if it's me or if there are just many books being released in this genre after the popularity of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train that these books are being released without proper editing. Just a theory I have but I wish the strength of the first half of this book had carried on!
I would recommend this to anyone that likes thriller mysteries along the lines of Gone Girl. I also got a serious Sleeping With The Enemy vibe!
The smell was pungent-- mothballs, dust, dime-store perfume and a faint trace of body odor-- and it was so familiar that Amelia was certain she had surely been inside a thrift store before. But she couldn't remember, and she was woman who Chanel dresses, wasn't she?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews