What She Saw

by Gerard Stembridge

"Sex, scandal, politics, and a cast of characters you just can't trust, all delivered with a thoroughly modern sensibility."
-SARAH PINBOROUGH, author of Behind Her Eyes

The storied Hotel Chevalier on Paris’s ritzy Right Bank hosts celebrities, dignitaries, and—for one night—Lana Gibson, an American woman who’s escaped the monotony of her staid married life for a cultural jaunt to the City of Light. As long as she takes her meds, she promises herself, her heightened curiosity and manic elation will stay under control.

But when that curiosity leads her to the hotel’s private elevator which serves only the ultra-elite penthouse Suite Imperial, she spies much more than plush carpets and gilt chandeliers: a young woman caught in the clutches of a threatening-looking older man. Unable to erase the image of the girl in danger from her mind, Lana alerts the police, plunging herself into a firestorm of intrigue and becoming a target.

Alone in the city, not knowing who has her best interests at heart, Lana will need to use every ounce of strength and guile as she races to discover the relationship between the truth and what she saw.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, France

293 pages, Paperback

First published May 23, 2017

About the author

Gerard "Gerry" Stembridge is an Irish writer, director and actor. He was educated at CBS Sexton Street in Limerick. While attending University College Dublin, he was auditor of the Literary and Historical Society. He taught English and drama at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf.

Reviews

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads' First Reads.

This book gets bad reviews but I liked it a lot. Some people say that the characters are not likable but honestly I've read way worse. Lana was not that bad and I understood why she acted the way she did.

I also loved the setting and thought it was utilized well. It makes me want to go to Paris.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller set in a foreign country.

[Sumon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a great read. I felt it to be slow paced throughout and really didn't go anywhere. I really didn't like Lana, either. However,Ferdinand turned out to be a better character and created some level of interest. There wasn't any twists and turns, it all flowed unidirectional. One can guess what's coming next.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lana Turner is a perfect example of the type of half-formed lame-ass women characters that are written by men. No thanks! Giving this 2 stars is generous.

[Chris Pavone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oddly, I've read two very different novels entitled WHAT SHE SAW. The first was 15 years ago, written by Lucinda Rosenfeld, whose new book was reviewed in today's New York Times, and I'm planning to attend one of her events tomorrow. Lucinda and I went to college together, and re-met at party a few years ago, and now know each other in that peripheral 21st-century way.

Gerard Stembridge's is the other. I have no connection to Gerard, but his literary agent (I don't know her either) sent me the manuscript a few months ago, and I thought it was a tremendously fun read. It won't be published till May, so I don't know if the current cover will be the final one, but right now this is what's on the front: "A fast-paced romp through the streets Paris, with menace lurking in surprising quarters, a memorable cast of lively characters, and some terrific twists."--Chris Pavone

[Melinda Worfolk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this was like watching a slightly cheesy but light and entertaining caper movie set in a familiar romantic location (Paris). I enjoyed the totally preposterous setup and the descriptions of Paris, and it kept me turning the pages.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 2 out of 5]

What She Saw by Gerard Stembridge is a so-so novel that follows a woman through 24 hours in Paris.

Lana Gibson has decided to travel to Paris to see the Edward Hopper retrospective. She stays at the expensive Hotel Le Chevalier located on the Right Bank and assures her unknowing husband after-the-fact that she will be fine and take her meds to control her manic phases. She does see the Hopper exhibition, but she also becomes increasingly obsessed with seeing who is using the private elevator to the exclusive penthouse suite on the top floor. As happenstance and curiosity collide, she actually gets on the elevator when the door is open and is whisked to the top floor. When the door opens she sees quickly observes that an orgy is taking place, but she also witnesses a young woman trying to escape from a naked older man. She quickly snaps a few pictures with her cell phone before the elevator doors close again.

It turns out that the older man is Jean-Luc Fournier, an important French politician. Lana is already on the radar of his security detail, who have noticed her interest in the private elevator. Now she is on the run from the security men and needs to figure out what exactly is going on and who she can trust before her time runs out. The narrative follows Lana's perspective and that of a chauffeur for Fournier, Ferdinand (Ferdie). Ferdie has his own stakes in the outcome.

I really wanted to like her simply due to her desire to travel to see the Hopper retrospective, but Lana is a hard character to relate to or find any empathy for. She is also not a very well-developed character. Mainly you learn she doesn't seem to really even like her husband, she's on meds (apparently for bipolar disorder), and she's way-too-weirdly-curious about the penthouse elevator door. This makes it a challenge to feel invested in what happens to her, especially when she's repeatedly and consistently making some rather stupid actions and decisions.

The writing is good, but the 24 hour format seemed to just drag out the action and didn't work for me. Those who love novels set in Paris and Francophiles will likely appreciate the setting. I had a difficult time immersing myself in this novel, probably due to my increasing annoyance with Lana.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/0...

[Dianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yes I am finished with this book. Or as finished as I'm ever going to be since I only read 60% of it. I just could NOT take Lana Turner (the protagonist) any more. Yes Lana has a disease- she is bi-polar although he author does not really stress that this is what she has. The meds she take could be for several mental disorders.

I had a difficult time reminding myself that someone this stupid is mentally unhealthy and not really stupid and then after a while I just gave up on caring that she knows not what she does...because as I read her Lana knew perfectly well just what she was doing.

You ever read a book and you just want to scream at the heroine for doing what she was asked not to do by authorities or going where she darn well know she has no business being? Well after a while I just wanted to punch her out.

Perhaps the second half got better -I'll never know.

Oh and this was a very "intelligent and literary novel", if you don't know a lot of French and you aren't reading on something that can translate for you, you will be as unhappy as I was. Even my Kindle couldn't translate all of the words.

I hope that those of you who do choose to read this enjoy the 'oddness' of this book and I am sure many are going to.

Happy Reading

*ARC supplied by Author/Publisher

[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love Lana, the heroine. She's on medication for her manic/depression-like behavior. However, she spends most of the book not taking it because of various reasons beyond her control. She is in Paris, for fun and to get away from her husband. She is way too curious and puts her nose in something outlandish and disturbing. She is outspoken, courageous and a little too violent but she is kind of forced into it. This free Goodreads giveaway was very absorbing, a great novel of suspense and we don't know what will happen to Lana next.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

What She Saw is a fun thrill ride through the streets of Paris, taking place over a span of about thirty-two hours, as an American woman on the run tries to escape from people who want something she has. Lana is bipolar and has come to Paris on a whim- she's in a manic phase- and while staying at the ritzy Hotel Chevalier she sees something she's not supposed to. Taking a ride up a private elevator, she becomes a witness to something and soon finds herself on the run in Paris with no friends to turn to.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this at first, I wasn't crazy about Lana and the writing style didn't work for me at first. However I soon got caught up in the story- this is a book where I needed to stick with it for a few chapters- and I soon came to like Lana and admire her determination and resourcefulness. Hampered as she is by her reckless behavior, she is canny and at times quite fearless, and I admired her snarkiness even when faced with overwhelming odds. This felt like a movie at times, with the Parisian locations and even a car chase. Lana is soon befriended by people who say they want to help her- but can she trust them, or are they just after the same information she has?

There are a few twists and a betrayal or two, and I loved how Paris was such an integral part of the story. Lana has been there before- and to make matters worse, she had an affair in the city. We are left to wonder (and Lana wonders herself) if her affair with Nathan, and the way it ended, had something to do with her decision to visit Paris again. And sure enough Nathan becomes part of the story- but can he help her? And will he, after the way she broke off the affair?

Another thing I liked was the way Lana grew throughout the story. She came to Paris without telling Brian, skips her meds, and basically acts very irresponsibly- recklessly- which is largely why I didn't like her at first. She grew on me though, and that's a testament to the writing. And she's tough, surprising not only herself but her pursuers. I loved a scene about halfway through where she's in a crowded market and realizes she's cornered- what she does to escape was a lot of fun.

Lana surprised me a few times with how ballsy she was given the forces arrayed against her. The story is told from her POV and also that of Ferdinand, a chauffeur who works for the people who are after her, and while his POV didn't wow me at first it soon became an excellent counterpoint to what Lana was seeing- the two storylines were intertwined very well. Once this story got going it took off and I had lots of fun speeding through the streets of Paris with Lana. I'm glad I stuck with it, this is a good one.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was privileged to receive an ARC of this title from Edelweiss. The story is: On a whim Lana Turner decides to go to Paris to see an art exhibit. She books into a nearby hotel that has entire private suite floor. Only a private elevator accesses that floor. Curious and a bit bipolar, Turner steps into the elevator and is privy to something she never should have seen. Then she becomes the object of a chase.

The premise is intriguing and a great deal could have been done with it. But I don't think this author executed what happened very well. There were too many characters and names to keep track of and you never knew for sure who was was bad and who was good. I also didn't feel like Lana was a very likable person. I really didn't like the way she treated her husband.

This book wasn't for me, but I'm sure lovers of the French experience might like it.

[Patricia Revzin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lana Gibson, a bipolar and flawed, but likable, character gives in to a compelling urge to leave her staid life (and her meds) in Seattle and go to Paris to attend an art exhibit. She ends up having quite the adventure. Once registered in a ritzy hotel, she is witness to a seemingly violent scene in a private elevator to the penthouse. This is when the suspense begins. Intrigue and sex? Check. Scandal and politics? Check. Entertainment and humor? Check. Then add liberal doses of tongue-in-cheek scenes, vividly descriptive settings, and a plot chock full of clever twists and turns. Mix well and suspend disbelief for a few hours while you read this fast-paced thriller.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Casey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m actually surprised I finished this one. I think I pushed through only because I just kept waiting for an actual twist or action in the story. When the scandal that our main character saw was revealed in the early parts of the book I was initially intrigued but then just as soon lost interest. I didn’t feel like the characters were fully formed or their motivations for their actions. I was hoping for a thriller or at least a crime novel of some kind but the synopsis of this book is very misleading and there are absolutely no twists or interesting plot points that are worth noting. I was disappointed and highly do not recommend.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I had a hard time keeping interest in this book when I began reading . It wasn't long however before I was truly appreciating the humor of this great book. Yes, it's a thriller and there were moments but all in all I found myself laughing at and admiring the wit of Lana. It starts off with a few days in Paris by herself without meds (she's bi-polar) and includes walking into an orgy by mistake and the resulting chase by those who had wished she hadn't. Pick up this book and sit back and enjoy!

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started out slow but decided to hang in there and keep reading. It picked up quickly and turned out to be a pretty decent read. Lana who is bipolar decided to take a sporadic trip to Paris. Her trip turns into quite an adventure. She gets caught up in a huge scandal and spends her time dodging people, thinking she is helping others, reuniting with an old flame, pretty much all over the place but the fast pace makes it interesting. It also has information in the back about the author and book which was informational. I won this book in a goodreads giveaway thank you.

[Tiffiny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

what to say about this story.. well one thing i liked about it is the Paris setting and... that's pretty much it, sad to say. This book is told in two perspectives the main character, Lana and supporting character Ferdie. Lana is very much unlikable in my eyes because one she cheats on her husband and has no regret. Secondly, she is dumb. Through out the whole book she is getting herself in a butt load of mess she can't get herself out of. Which towards the ending she is pretty much useless.

I found Ferdie's perspective mostly pointless. He has a mission to get his laptop from his car and that's it. He was the most important character at the ending, but he was not my favorite character.

The plot line was good, but any book that has a dumb and cheating main character is a turn off for me.

[Kylie Corley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Won an uncorrected proof. The book, to me, was slow throughout and really didn't go anywhere. I really didn't like Lana, either. Was glad that Ferdinand turned out to be a better character, for me at least. Wasn't any twists and turns, either. Guessed what was going to happen before it did. Still had some entertainment value. It was fun for me to try and pronounce French words, even in a botchy French accent.

[Linda Munro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book via a goodreads giveaway. This book really hit home for me because it is about a bi-polar woman in a manic stage; for anyone who has a friend or family member suffering with this illness, it actually make you wonder if some of those tale tales that puttered from the afflicted person’s mouth may just hold a modicum of truth!

The entire narrative takes place in Paris, France in a little over 24 hours time. Unlike many who give themselves over, without thought, to the mania which threatens control, this woman, promises herself that she will take her medication while she is away, even though she leaves home without telling her husband of her plans.

Of course, curiosity seems to peak with mania, and when Lana notices a private elevator that leads to the Imperial Suite, she cannot pull herself away, wandering into the elevator as it is summoned to the suite, she is trapped. When the doors open she sees many things at the same time; plusher carpeting if that is possible, gilt chandeliers and a young woman clearly in trouble as she struggles with a naked older man. Lifting her cell phone, Lana snaps off four quick images just as the door to the elevator glides closed and she begins to descend.

Upon reaching the lobby, Lana finds herself accosted by a man she will think of as weak-chin, so she stomps on his foot, driving her spiked heel into the upper portion of his foot. The immediate pain startles the man, giving Lana time to escape across the lobby and into the elevator that will take her to her own suite, where she contacts the local police. Her French, being mediocre at best will not cross the cultural divide, allowing Lana to properly relay her manic message, or does it?

Shortly thereafter, a knock on her door with a clearly enunciated voice coming from the other side gives Lana a moment of calm as she opens the door to a police detective. As she is readying to leave the hotel with the two men, the bellhop calls her back for her discarded cigarettes; even though she knows they are not hers, something in his voice captures her attention; as she retrieves the cigarettes, the bellhop warns her that these men mean to kill her….but, will anyone believe her in her manic state?

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

What She Saw was a fast paced thriller set in Paris. Lana arrived in Paris to escape her husband and the issues in her life. She became obsessed with an elite elevator in her hotel that whisked passengers to an exclusive floor. A quick trip on the elevator allowed Lana to witness a criminal act and then thrust her into a deadly course of events.

This was a purely entertaining read. It didn't take much thought or effort to get swept up in Lana's obsession with the elevator and Paris. She was a little crazy herself, which it so believable that she would be so focused on the elevator and where it went. Once she took the trip up to the private floor, she was caught up in a dark and deadly course of events. Dastardly characters seemed to come out of nowhere to harm her.

The "bad guys" were especially rotten. They were the epitome of trashy men who would take the actions they took. Their thought process and reactions were predictable, but made them great villains. It was a little contrived when good Samaritans not only helped Lana but also had information to assist her in piecing together what she had seen when the elevator opened. Then, she fell back into the arms of a former flame, who also was connected to the big plot event. All that was a little too convenient, but it made for an action packed story that was entertaining.

[Maria N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure why the reviews are bashing this book to be honest. I do agree that the pacing could've been a bit faster than what it was. It caught my interest but didn't have it for long periods at a time. The characters and dialogue were interesting and the story and vibe of Paris was infused which are aspects I enjoyed. I also liked the use of French sprinkled throughout the story. I would've known as little French as Lana did, with her being in a country where she didn't know the language that well. Would I have done the same actions that the protagonist did? Of course not, but there's that curiosity that was fulfilled when she did things not many of us would think twice about. I felt like I was on a thrilling ride and there were twists in the story that fascinated me. Hints of politics, and a female lead. I liked it. Bit confusing at times but maybe that's just me. Overall, good read!

[Ksenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the book, stayed up until 2 a.m. to read it, it's that engrossing. The Parisian setting and the added melodramatic elements made it a perfectly entertaining read. I could smell the city streets, feel the lush carpet of the hotel lobby under my feet. So many great characters, especially Lana, the protagonist, who is badass and charming. The ending, though, was a letdown in the 'Gone Girl' kind of way. The repercussions of the events are only hinted at, and only for some of the characters. In this particular genre, the protagonist usually gets closure, if not a reward for her sufferings, and the antagonist pays for his wrongdoings. I didn't feel that this was the case with this story. Perhaps you can see more than I did.

[brianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this - it wasn't very engaging and I tried to get to at least 100 pages in but gave up at around 80. I didn't particularly like the protagonist; she seemed vapid, silly, and not developed; the most defining characteristic about her is that she is bi-polar, which wasn't even written well and used as an excuse for her to do "crazy" shit in order to drive the plot, which is contrived and boring and frankly insulting to the reader's intelligence and people who are bi-polar.

[Helen Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read other books by the same author I was excited to read a different style of book. And he delivered! What She Saw was fast paced, humorous, exciting and well written. The dark streets of Paris were brought to life. Some unanswered questions were left open, as to what happened after, but for me a good book keeps me thinking well after I have read the last page. Loved it!

[Goodreader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed by this one. The main character is a bit 'in the clouds' and should have kept to herself to avoid this whole situation. I think she paints some sort of adventurous heroine when all she really is a spoiled, bored housewife who uses her "poor me" excuses as reasons to blow up her husband's credit card, sleep with her ex, and cause havoc all across Paris. Ugh.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to describe how I felt about this book, but three stars might be a little generous of a rating. The plot is action-packed, but there is little mystery. You know what is going on about a third of the way into the book and the rest of the novel is just Lana, the main character, trying to escape from people who want to harm her for what she saw. But Lana, who has bipolar disorder and is currently without her meds, makes some really stupid decisions. For example, and this is a tiny spoiler, if you knew powerful men were hunting you, men who had stolen all of your possessions including your passport, phone, and medications, men who had already tried to kidnap you, men who you believed wanted to kill you, would you suggest leaving the safety of a friend’s apartment to go to the market by yourself to pick up lunch? Wouldn’t his sudden urge to get some work done be a little suspicious to you, since not ten minutes earlier, before you got in the shower, he was all keen to go to the market with you? Why were you surprised then when he turned out to have betrayed you? Because I certainly wasn’t.

[Frank · Rating 1 out of 5]

[library audiobook, plot summary elsewhere]

Normally reading to 6 discs before DNF would get 2 stars, but there's a deduction. Lana Turner, main character, is ditzy, impulsive, she took off on her husband once because he had to leave Paris for his job and she didn't want to go, had a fling, then flew off again because he was off on a job, renewed her affair, convoluted and self destructive thinking. All of a sudden Lana goes on a feminist rant while sitting in her lover's apartment. What's not to like? Plus the main bad guy is a substantial social democratic politician who is portrayed as orchestrating a murderous plan to cover up whoring (which is not a deal breaker for French politicians). Another bad guy is the French intellectual who is Lana's lover, but is more loyal to the politician.

I turned it off because I was no longer interested in how it came out. Stembridge won't be on my go to list.

[Marisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

premise:
Lana decides on a whim to go to Paris for the night and stay a very fancy hotel. In a 24 hour span, you see what happens when you see something you were not supposed to see.


spoiler/personal response:
I mean anything that's over a span of 24 hours, how good could it really be? She goes to a private floor because she wants to see this extremely exclusive suite. What she sees is an aggressive orgy and the people in that room did not want her seeing it. Who was this person that she shouldn't have seen there? A favourite candidate in the presidential race in France and this would be terrible publicity. This candidate was set up by the opponent who coerces Lana that he's safe with her by saying he's just making a film about sexual power and politics. Just skeevy politicians and ways they'll go about winning. Nothing too exciting in this day in age... just a little too old news (sadly). Oh and Lana survives... just a thrilling night for her.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

What She Saw was an entertaining and easy read. The storyline and characters were enjoyable for the most part. Throughout this book I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. This could be because Lana’s bi-polar disorder never really took hold in the story. This is a complex disorder that could have been developed to enrich the storyline and character but instead it was used more as an excuse for a few impulsive decisions she made to keep the story exciting. I also felt like something was missing because the overall plot revolves around a “What She Saw” moment that in today’s world doesn’t seem that surprising or detrimental to a political career. If you are looking for a simple and enjoyable read this will do it but if you are hoping for something a little more enlightening you will walk away disappointed.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading "What She Saw" by Gerard Stembridge, and even more so enjoyed his narration of the audio book! If you look too closely at the story of Lana, one that is all to real in today's mental health climate and in of it self heartbreaking, might also be misconstrued as stereotyping the symptoms/illness that the main character suffers from. There were plenty of opportunities to expound on the facts of the illness, and to show how as the story progressed it was not due to her mind, but they were oddly overlooked. There were some characters that brought nothing to the table plot wise, and others that I felt were over done, leaving holes in the plot that i would have loved to be explored more in-depth. Over all I feel that the authors writing and ideas were great, just seemed to be cut a little short.

[Avery Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok! I didn’t love it and won’t read it again, but it wasn’t terrible. I just have other books I’d like to read more. I had to convince myself to finish it. It definitely got better toward the end, but it was slow and didn’t really excite me. If you get this book, definitely read it until the end, but don’t expect it to be your favorite book. I didn’t love the characters and thought the author’s expression of bipolar disorder through the main character was inaccurate and slightly unnecessary. I know it was supposed to make her story seem a little unreliable but it didn’t do anything for the story really. I also didn’t think the main conflict of the story (what the main character actually SAW, hence the title) was that big a deal. It was explained so quickly and shortly that it didn’t allow for a big zinger or anything.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lana Turner Gibson is bored in her marriage. Her husband, Brian, is very busy with work, and she feels neglected. Brian and Lana are currently living in Dublin, transplants from Seattle, and she decides to go off to Paris for an evening. An old flame, Nathan, lives in Paris. Lana is not planning to reconnect with Nathan, but rather, she decides to go to an art exhibit. While at her hotel, she is curious about who is staying in the Imperial Suite. She happens to worm her way into the private elevator going to the suite, and sees something that she should not have seen, involving a very influential politician. The next 24 hours become an adventure with thugs following Lana to determine what she saw. It is a bit outlandish, but a quick read.