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Follow Me Back
A thrilling read, for fans of Gone Girl and We Were Liars.
There was no sign of a struggle, they whisper to each other. She took her phone but left her laptop behind.
Apparently, she'd met someone online, they write to each other in class, phones buzzing.
She ran away. She was taken.
The first time Aiden Kendrick hears about Lizzie Summersall's disappearance is when the police appear at his front door. He and Lizzie used to be friends; they aren't anymore. And when Aiden finds out that Lizzie had been talking to strangers on Facebook; that the police think she went to meet one of them, he begins to wonder how well he ever really knew her, and Aiden doesn't know it yet, but with Lizzie's disappearance his life is about to take a twisted and desperate turn.
There was no sign of a struggle, they whisper to each other. She took her phone but left her laptop behind.
Apparently, she'd met someone online, they write to each other in class, phones buzzing.
She ran away. She was taken.
The first time Aiden Kendrick hears about Lizzie Summersall's disappearance is when the police appear at his front door. He and Lizzie used to be friends; they aren't anymore. And when Aiden finds out that Lizzie had been talking to strangers on Facebook; that the police think she went to meet one of them, he begins to wonder how well he ever really knew her, and Aiden doesn't know it yet, but with Lizzie's disappearance his life is about to take a twisted and desperate turn.
330 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2016
51 people are currently reading
1461 people want to read
About the author
Nicci Cloke
10 books124 followersNicci Cloke is the author of eight novels, including two under the pseudonym Phoebe Locke. Her books have been published in twelve languages.
She previously worked as a nanny, a cocktail waitress and a Christmas Elf to support her writing. Before being published, she worked as a permissions manager, looking after literary estates including those of Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes and T. S. Eliot, and was also communications manager at the Faber Academy.
She previously worked as a nanny, a cocktail waitress and a Christmas Elf to support her writing. Before being published, she worked as a permissions manager, looking after literary estates including those of Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes and T. S. Eliot, and was also communications manager at the Faber Academy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
February 24, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Bonnier Publishing and NetGalley.)
This was a YA story about a girl who went missing.
Aiden was an okay character, although it took me a while to warm to him. He did seem quite upset over Lizzie’s disappearance, but at the same time didn’t know what he could do about it.
The storyline in this was about Lizzie going missing, and the police investigation into what had happened to her. The pace was really slow though, and the constant messaging was pretty dull, and it took a really long time before this book got interesting.
There were a couple of twists at the end that I didn’t guess, and things did work out okay in the end, the slow pace really let this book down though.
6 out of 10
“We’ve got to carry on as normal, and hope that she’ll come home. She knows we love her. She knows we’re waiting, doesn’t she?”
This was a YA story about a girl who went missing.
Aiden was an okay character, although it took me a while to warm to him. He did seem quite upset over Lizzie’s disappearance, but at the same time didn’t know what he could do about it.
The storyline in this was about Lizzie going missing, and the police investigation into what had happened to her. The pace was really slow though, and the constant messaging was pretty dull, and it took a really long time before this book got interesting.
There were a couple of twists at the end that I didn’t guess, and things did work out okay in the end, the slow pace really let this book down though.
6 out of 10
January 28, 2020
Not one, but 2 twists in 'Follow me back' and neither was I expecting!
I loved the idea of this book, because it's so relevant for today. A young girl called Lizzie goes missing after becoming friendly with older men online. Her friend Aiden and his friend Scobie are desperate to get her back, and worried sick that she might be in danger. The even find a profile online that appears to be the man who has met up with Lizzie, but they don't know his true identity. They also don't trust Lizzie's sister Cheska, who has won a spot on the popular 'Spoilt in the Suburbs' (basically 'The Only Way is Essex) and seems to be turning her grief on and off like a tap so that it fits in with the episodes she films. When the twist comes, you don't expect it. Fast paced and very gripping.
I loved the idea of this book, because it's so relevant for today. A young girl called Lizzie goes missing after becoming friendly with older men online. Her friend Aiden and his friend Scobie are desperate to get her back, and worried sick that she might be in danger. The even find a profile online that appears to be the man who has met up with Lizzie, but they don't know his true identity. They also don't trust Lizzie's sister Cheska, who has won a spot on the popular 'Spoilt in the Suburbs' (basically 'The Only Way is Essex) and seems to be turning her grief on and off like a tap so that it fits in with the episodes she films. When the twist comes, you don't expect it. Fast paced and very gripping.
October 21, 2018
I have mixed feelings for this book.
Though it did not blow my mind and though it wasn't amazing, it was still worth 4 stars.
This book follows Aiden as he is caught up in a police investigation for a missing girl who is thought to have gone off to meet a stranger she met online.
This missing girl is Aiden's former friend, Lizzie.
Aiden is our unreliable narrator and I thought his character was strong, though he wasn't the best character ever. We follow his POV for the majority of the book until it switches up and other POVs are added to provide a well-rounded story.
The book includes text messages which provides a different format and helps keep the book rolling along at a fast pace.
The premise of this book was very interesting and I think the plot was executed well. The plot twist at the end surprised me and it wasn't unbelievable or overly elaborate. The fact that the main protagonist was an unreliable narrator also added to the mysterious atmosphere.
Overall, this was a good read. I admit it wasn't amazing or one of the best books I have ever read, though I did enjoy it. I wouldn't recommend this book if you're looking for an outstanding thriller but it was a fun read and the plot twist raised this book from 3 stars to 4 stars.
Though it did not blow my mind and though it wasn't amazing, it was still worth 4 stars.
This book follows Aiden as he is caught up in a police investigation for a missing girl who is thought to have gone off to meet a stranger she met online.
This missing girl is Aiden's former friend, Lizzie.
Aiden is our unreliable narrator and I thought his character was strong, though he wasn't the best character ever. We follow his POV for the majority of the book until it switches up and other POVs are added to provide a well-rounded story.
The book includes text messages which provides a different format and helps keep the book rolling along at a fast pace.
The premise of this book was very interesting and I think the plot was executed well. The plot twist at the end surprised me and it wasn't unbelievable or overly elaborate. The fact that the main protagonist was an unreliable narrator also added to the mysterious atmosphere.
Overall, this was a good read. I admit it wasn't amazing or one of the best books I have ever read, though I did enjoy it. I wouldn't recommend this book if you're looking for an outstanding thriller but it was a fun read and the plot twist raised this book from 3 stars to 4 stars.
November 26, 2016
Every book can’t be a standout. As readers we read too much, too widely, to remember every single book we read in detail. Some books just get outshined by other (better) books and ultimately fall in the shadows. Follow Me Back is one of those books. It isn’t necessarily a bad book but it is going to be forgettable. I know that - at the time - it was fun to read but is it likely to stick with me? Hmm, somehow I doubt it.
I can say that the plot did not make me rage as much as I thought it would. The technology and social media aspects of the story were slightly aggravating but I’d been warned about that so it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, I truly believe that if the time had been taken to format the Facebook conversations properly - which play a large and pretty important role in the story - it would have made a massive difference. I know that sounds vain and like a trivial thing to complain about but the cover has the actual bubble message box things so why couldn’t they have been included in the book too? I honest to God believe that if the FB messages that were in the body of the text had been done like that instead, it would have been easier to read and follow the character’s conversations/interactions, making a massive difference to the flow and fluidity of the plotline. Everyone automatically recognises those bubbles as online messages. It’s the perfect way to distinguish those conversations from the rest of the text!
But like I said, I didn’t really have a problem with the plot itself. Sure, it was a little flat but it was easy to fly through - meaning I was able to read it in a single sitting - and I did generally care about the missing girl, which meant that I cared about the MC’s investigation into her disappearance. I will admit that the story took a little while to get into. The second half was a little haphazardly constructed. While we were hit with a few twists and half-answers in the second half that was undeniably intriguing, the introduction of the multiple POVs kind of ruined it. They were too sloppily written for my personal tastes. There was an undeniable lack of distinction between the ‘voices’ and I also felt that the flashbacks could have been integrated into the story better than they were as they were often too random.
I have to say that the fact that I did not predict the majority of the twists was probably my favourite part of the novel. With that being said, I probably should have been able to predict the twists for myself. Maybe that’s a comment on my intelligence more than anything but I honestly didn’t see any of the major twists before they were revealed - which obviously a good thing for a mystery/thriller.
I also liked the MC. Okay. Rephrase: I liked his ‘voice’. I liked that he was kind of unreliable, that he kept secrets from the reader, that he was more complex than one would think at a first glance. It kind of mixed things up for a bit.
Overall?
I think this book was fun. It was easy to read and took me very little time to fly through. While I had problems with some aspects of the writing & structure, I didn’t mind the voice of the MC and the plot twists actually caught me a few times. I probably would recommend it to mystery readers with an open mind but maybe not the hardcore thriller fans?
I can say that the plot did not make me rage as much as I thought it would. The technology and social media aspects of the story were slightly aggravating but I’d been warned about that so it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, I truly believe that if the time had been taken to format the Facebook conversations properly - which play a large and pretty important role in the story - it would have made a massive difference. I know that sounds vain and like a trivial thing to complain about but the cover has the actual bubble message box things so why couldn’t they have been included in the book too? I honest to God believe that if the FB messages that were in the body of the text had been done like that instead, it would have been easier to read and follow the character’s conversations/interactions, making a massive difference to the flow and fluidity of the plotline. Everyone automatically recognises those bubbles as online messages. It’s the perfect way to distinguish those conversations from the rest of the text!
But like I said, I didn’t really have a problem with the plot itself. Sure, it was a little flat but it was easy to fly through - meaning I was able to read it in a single sitting - and I did generally care about the missing girl, which meant that I cared about the MC’s investigation into her disappearance. I will admit that the story took a little while to get into. The second half was a little haphazardly constructed. While we were hit with a few twists and half-answers in the second half that was undeniably intriguing, the introduction of the multiple POVs kind of ruined it. They were too sloppily written for my personal tastes. There was an undeniable lack of distinction between the ‘voices’ and I also felt that the flashbacks could have been integrated into the story better than they were as they were often too random.
I have to say that the fact that I did not predict the majority of the twists was probably my favourite part of the novel. With that being said, I probably should have been able to predict the twists for myself. Maybe that’s a comment on my intelligence more than anything but I honestly didn’t see any of the major twists before they were revealed - which obviously a good thing for a mystery/thriller.
I also liked the MC. Okay. Rephrase: I liked his ‘voice’. I liked that he was kind of unreliable, that he kept secrets from the reader, that he was more complex than one would think at a first glance. It kind of mixed things up for a bit.
Overall?
I think this book was fun. It was easy to read and took me very little time to fly through. While I had problems with some aspects of the writing & structure, I didn’t mind the voice of the MC and the plot twists actually caught me a few times. I probably would recommend it to mystery readers with an open mind but maybe not the hardcore thriller fans?
July 4, 2017
5 Words: Lies, disappearance, social-media, school, first-love.
It took me a fair while to get into this book. It wasn't until the relationship between Aiden and Lizzie started coming into the story that I felt that I properly engaged with it.
Full review to come.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
It took me a fair while to get into this book. It wasn't until the relationship between Aiden and Lizzie started coming into the story that I felt that I properly engaged with it.
Full review to come.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
April 9, 2020
I did not like this. There were far too many reveals, just bang bang bang on top of each other, which made the actual reveal of the story feel really flat.
April 10, 2016
I received a copy of Follow Me Back from Allen and Unwin New Zealand to review. I’ve never read a book by Nicci Cloke before but this made me want to find copies of her other books.
I really, really liked this book. From the very beginning I was trying to figure out what happened to Lizzie. It seemed like every time I thought I had it figured out, or at least part of it, something would happen to change everything.
I did figure out what happened to Lizzie before it was revealed but only by a few pages. I’m normally pretty good at figuring out these kinds of stories but Nicci didn’t make it easy.
This is such a good YA thriller. It’s told mostly in Aiden’s perspective but there are two other characters that get a point of view too. I won’t say who because it will ruin the story and I don’t want to do that.
Lizzie had a rough summer and thought she’d finally met someone she could trust and things just seem to go downhill from there. When Lizzie goes missing a lot come out about what she’s been doing. Her sister is on a show kind of like Made in Chelsea and uses Lizzie’s disappearance to get more air time. She was a piece of work. Lizzie seemed to change over the summer but she’d gone through something and I think she was just letting off steam or trying to move on.
Aiden and Lizzie used to be friends but something happened and they stopped talking. He has anger problems but tries really hard to control them. I liked both Lizzie and Aiden. He’s definitely made some mistakes but he’s young and has idiotic moments like a lot of young people do. I think he’s a good guy though.
The ending was left kind of up in the air. I think it’s up to the readers to make up their own minds about what happens next. It’s not a bad ending and a lot of things that happen in the book are resolved. There’s just a bit that is left open. Not for a sequel though. You’ll know what I’m talking about if you read it because I’m not giving anything away. No spoilers here.
I really, really liked this book. From the very beginning I was trying to figure out what happened to Lizzie. It seemed like every time I thought I had it figured out, or at least part of it, something would happen to change everything.
I did figure out what happened to Lizzie before it was revealed but only by a few pages. I’m normally pretty good at figuring out these kinds of stories but Nicci didn’t make it easy.
This is such a good YA thriller. It’s told mostly in Aiden’s perspective but there are two other characters that get a point of view too. I won’t say who because it will ruin the story and I don’t want to do that.
Lizzie had a rough summer and thought she’d finally met someone she could trust and things just seem to go downhill from there. When Lizzie goes missing a lot come out about what she’s been doing. Her sister is on a show kind of like Made in Chelsea and uses Lizzie’s disappearance to get more air time. She was a piece of work. Lizzie seemed to change over the summer but she’d gone through something and I think she was just letting off steam or trying to move on.
Aiden and Lizzie used to be friends but something happened and they stopped talking. He has anger problems but tries really hard to control them. I liked both Lizzie and Aiden. He’s definitely made some mistakes but he’s young and has idiotic moments like a lot of young people do. I think he’s a good guy though.
The ending was left kind of up in the air. I think it’s up to the readers to make up their own minds about what happens next. It’s not a bad ending and a lot of things that happen in the book are resolved. There’s just a bit that is left open. Not for a sequel though. You’ll know what I’m talking about if you read it because I’m not giving anything away. No spoilers here.
February 24, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchage for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.5
This wasn't a book I enjoyed unfortunately.
I felt bored very early on, and it got worse as the book progressed. It just couldn't gain my interest at all, and the book dragged rather badly because of it.
Actual rating - 2.5
This wasn't a book I enjoyed unfortunately.
I felt bored very early on, and it got worse as the book progressed. It just couldn't gain my interest at all, and the book dragged rather badly because of it.
September 7, 2018
Ending was a really good twist and enjoyed how it ended. Unfortunately I found the rest of the book really slow and long winded and then the ending happened so quick, I felt like it could have had so much more. Again this is another book that I've wanted to read for a long time and again when I read it I felt disappointed. Another to add to my read this year list though.
September 24, 2016
OK so this is an interesting and addictive book but some of the stuff that happens is questionable.
July 29, 2021
(2.5 stars)
Lizzie has gone missing. Everyone believes it was Aiden, but it wasn’t. He needs to find her before it’s too late.
Have I become one of those people who reads a 320 something paged book in one day?🤣🤣
This book is about the dangers of meeting people online and how things are not as they seem. It really was an important message but it was not executed very well.
I found it hard to empathise with any of the characters. Aiden was shallow and he might as well have been a narcissist. Lizzie was weird, she was immature and I really didn’t like her. Scobie was okay, as the book went on I found myself liking him less and less. The backing characters were also very annoying.
The plot was VERY predictable. I know I read it in one day but I didn’t enjoy it. It’s not a must-read OMG-I-love-this-so-much type of book. I would be fine if I hadn’t read it.
The Autumn thing was also too predictable and left me very annoyed. The book felt too drawn out it and really nothing special. The mystery was so boring and underwhelming.
The SITS thing was annoying. Cheska was mean and awful and I really didn’t enjoy it.
This book had a lot of potential but it fell pretty short for me. I did enjoy bits of it but I really wish it was better. 💕
Lizzie has gone missing. Everyone believes it was Aiden, but it wasn’t. He needs to find her before it’s too late.
Have I become one of those people who reads a 320 something paged book in one day?🤣🤣
This book is about the dangers of meeting people online and how things are not as they seem. It really was an important message but it was not executed very well.
I found it hard to empathise with any of the characters. Aiden was shallow and he might as well have been a narcissist. Lizzie was weird, she was immature and I really didn’t like her. Scobie was okay, as the book went on I found myself liking him less and less. The backing characters were also very annoying.
The plot was VERY predictable. I know I read it in one day but I didn’t enjoy it. It’s not a must-read OMG-I-love-this-so-much type of book. I would be fine if I hadn’t read it.
The Autumn thing was also too predictable and left me very annoyed. The book felt too drawn out it and really nothing special. The mystery was so boring and underwhelming.
The SITS thing was annoying. Cheska was mean and awful and I really didn’t enjoy it.
This book had a lot of potential but it fell pretty short for me. I did enjoy bits of it but I really wish it was better. 💕
December 21, 2023
Rated 3.5
This was pretty good. It had its moments.
This was pretty good. It had its moments.
October 24, 2017
4.5. Did not see that ending coming. So good :)
March 6, 2016
3.5/5 Stars! Review to come soon on my booktube
November 19, 2017
3,5 stars, I think. a little confusing at times and I'm not a big fan of open endings, but otherwise a suspenseful read with a lot of twists and turns.
September 2, 2018
I loved this book. It was so good that if I could read it again and again I would. There are a lot of twists and it is impossible to work out what actually happened. It was so hard to put down.
January 25, 2024
This book had twists that I didn’t see coming, many of them! It was so well done and executed that it had to be 4 stars.
I felt uneasy the whole way through but I think that’s probably the intent. As a mother of four, you just never know what’s going on online and who your kids are speaking to and this kind of thing is my worst nightmare. It’s such a relevant and clever book, scary but also so eye opening and I think every teenager would benefit from reading it.
I felt uneasy the whole way through but I think that’s probably the intent. As a mother of four, you just never know what’s going on online and who your kids are speaking to and this kind of thing is my worst nightmare. It’s such a relevant and clever book, scary but also so eye opening and I think every teenager would benefit from reading it.
March 23, 2025
4.5⭐️ I read this book in less than 24 hours! It was literally the definition of right book right time. I needed a fast paced thriller! I haven’t read one in so long it feels. This was just perfect I have no complaints about any of the book, it had good pacing an amazing storyline and overall just an amazing pallet cleanser. I think it would be good if you’re in a slump and need something easy and fairly short. I think this was such a good book and I’ve actually really missed my thriller era.
January 2, 2018
This book was gripping from the get go, I didn't want to put it down, wanting to know what happened to Lizzie. This book is very unpredictable, not knowing who is to blame, and the end does come as a total shock. However, some parts of the book did seem a bit unrealistic. But apart from that, a fantastic YA thriller.
February 2, 2025
I can’t decide how I feel about this book but overall I think I found it quite boring. Only book that I haven’t had to rip myself away from to go to sleep. I put it down so many times and forced myself to pick it back up. It wasn’t terrible just didnt hold my attention really 🤷🏼♀️
March 1, 2018
2.5 rtc
June 1, 2018
2.5 stars
March 21, 2021
such a good book ! had me on edge the entire time, gripped me from the first page.
June 9, 2021
while this book kept me interested i found the ending to be a little predictable for my taste
July 18, 2025
The more I read, the more I hated it.
August 2, 2022
THIS WAS SO GOOD OH MY GOSH.
I was literally hooked from the start. I had a feeling from the beginning that Aiden had to be involved somehow in her disappearance and thought he might be behind the Hal profile, but for HIS STEP DAD to be the one who actually abducted her, what the hell?? And she was in Aidens basement the whole time??? Honestly just so good and so well thought out. I loved it.
I was literally hooked from the start. I had a feeling from the beginning that Aiden had to be involved somehow in her disappearance and thought he might be behind the Hal profile, but for HIS STEP DAD to be the one who actually abducted her, what the hell?? And she was in Aidens basement the whole time??? Honestly just so good and so well thought out. I loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2023
I wasn't blown away by this book, but it was still a good read! Nicci Cloke is great at building momentum and keeping you hooked. However, I did get a bit bored near the end of the book and felt like it could have been shorter with a much bigger climax at the end. Still good though with a well-deserved 3 star rating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews