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The Amateurs #2
Follow Me
It was the perfect night for a party. That is, until twenty-one-year-old Chelsea Dawson disappeared. The social media star was last seen enjoying a beautiful summer night at the Jersey Shore with her friends. But after an explosive fight with her ex-boyfriend, she vanished without a trace. When Seneca, Maddox, Aerin, and Madison hear about the suspected kidnapping, they notice a jarring detail about the victim: she looks exactly like Aerin's sister, Helena, who was killed five years earlier. Seneca is convinced she knows who killed Helena, and she can't shake the feeling that the same person has taken Chelsea. Desperate for answers about the two girls, and the truth behind her mother's murder, Seneca will stop at nothing to find out if the cases are linked. So when Maddox receives an invitation to the Shore from none other than their primary suspect, the Amateurs begin an intense new investigation.
227 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2017
119 people are currently reading
3319 people want to read
About the author
Sara Shepard
128 books14.7k followersSara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She has lived in New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.
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August 15, 2018This one didn't seem to grip me in the way the first one did. It was still an overall entertaining read, but didn't pack as much thrill as the first one did.
November 26, 2017
*Note: I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher. That did not influence my opinion.*
Not my favorite in terms of suspense level, but I did enjoy reading this and appreciate how it was structured. In this mystery the reader and the Amateurs know who the killer is but are racing to follow his clues to find him before he strikes again. If you don't like knowing the identity of the killer in mysteries, I can imagine you wouldn't enjoy this. There were still twists and reveals and an ending that makes you wonder what's in store next. I liked how this was set up because it was so unusual.
For a Sara Shepard book, and for a sequel in this particular series, it met my expectations. I have no big complaints. I think you'd like this if you liked the PLL series but wanted to see the characters be more capable of chasing down A, and wanted to see more of A behind the scenes.
Not my favorite in terms of suspense level, but I did enjoy reading this and appreciate how it was structured. In this mystery the reader and the Amateurs know who the killer is but are racing to follow his clues to find him before he strikes again. If you don't like knowing the identity of the killer in mysteries, I can imagine you wouldn't enjoy this. There were still twists and reveals and an ending that makes you wonder what's in store next. I liked how this was set up because it was so unusual.
For a Sara Shepard book, and for a sequel in this particular series, it met my expectations. I have no big complaints. I think you'd like this if you liked the PLL series but wanted to see the characters be more capable of chasing down A, and wanted to see more of A behind the scenes.
October 6, 2017
Follow Me is the second instalment in Sara Shepard’s series featuring teenage amateur sleuths and having won a copy of this book, several reviews mentioned that it does not work as a standalone. This is certainly something that I can corroborate as without a knowledge of the first investigation, this investigation doesn’t have much to appeal to an uninitiated audience. The closing moments of The Amateurs blew the online friends who contribute to a crime-solving forum, Case Not Closed, out of the water and left readers with something of a curveball revelation. Reuniting just three-months later and still smarting from being duped by a former friend, yet at a loss for hard evidence of his involvement, the ragtag posse are licking their wounds. Most frustrated of all is college student, Seneca Frazier, interning in law enforcement with Annapolis Parking Authority and busy searching for answers surrounding her mother’s death. But all it takes is a taunt from their scheming adversary and a hint that he is behind the disappearance of a twenty-one-year old Instagram fixated and motorised selfie stick owner, Chelsea Dawson - a girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to his previous suspected victims (Aerin Kelly’s sister and Seneca’s mother) for the team to come together.
All the teenage detectives have moved on since the prosecutions in the murder of Helena Kelly with mixed fortunes from Seneca and Maddox Wright exchanging anodyne emails and Aerin Kelly barely speaking to her admirer and former cop, Thomas Grove. But when a post on the online forum which spawned the initial investigation from their prime suspect inviting them to “come and play” appears, feisty Seneca sees a chance to even up the scores and avenge her mother’s killer. From this suspected disappearance, and hints that their nemesis has infiltrated the New Jersey preppy crowd, the team are playing catch-up and just as easily led! The major disappointment in this follow-up though is that with a few extra characters this is a rehash of the first investigation and even after their being thwarted once, they are just as naively confident. The details of this investigation rely heavily on aspects of technology - from spyware, drones, bugging right through to photo sharing on PhotoCircle which for those readers whose eyes glaze over at mentions of digital aspects will rapidly bore. There is a large focus in on the flamboyant lifestyles of the Newport Beach youths, who seem to move from party to party and one extravagance to the next and this makes it hard to relate to or care about the spoilt brats involved. In common with the debut, there is huge detail on culture, class and wealth differences between the characters involved, something which was all unwarranted and added nothing to the story.
If the first instalment was woefully short on clues and offered limited suspense, this one is another similar clutching at straws encounter, again marred by romantic elements and with Seneca the only individual who seems to really care about the outcome and the driver for the whole investigation. Given that the group proved both inept and naive in The Amateurs, they don’t do anymore to reassert their claims but this encounter really ups the ante with the guilty party assuming numerous new identities and seeming to have myriad resources at his disposal, especially hard to run with as he is approximately the same age as the investigating teens. Disappointing, I again found the characters a difficult mix to warm to and given the paltry lack of mystery and intrigue present, I would find it hard to recommend. Follow Me makes no sense as a standalone read and given that it ends with a mighty similar hook to the first book, I have no further interest in reading more of this groups efforts at crime solving. Despite the idea likely appealing to a younger teen audience (12-13), it should be noted that the characters are of age seventeen upwards and there is mention of pursuits that may not be suitable for such a young readership.
After reading The Amateurs and Follow Me, I would find it hard to recommend either novel which have a romantic element that supersedes any focus on an actual mystery and fails to surprise.
I received a free copy of this book from Readers First and my review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
All the teenage detectives have moved on since the prosecutions in the murder of Helena Kelly with mixed fortunes from Seneca and Maddox Wright exchanging anodyne emails and Aerin Kelly barely speaking to her admirer and former cop, Thomas Grove. But when a post on the online forum which spawned the initial investigation from their prime suspect inviting them to “come and play” appears, feisty Seneca sees a chance to even up the scores and avenge her mother’s killer. From this suspected disappearance, and hints that their nemesis has infiltrated the New Jersey preppy crowd, the team are playing catch-up and just as easily led! The major disappointment in this follow-up though is that with a few extra characters this is a rehash of the first investigation and even after their being thwarted once, they are just as naively confident. The details of this investigation rely heavily on aspects of technology - from spyware, drones, bugging right through to photo sharing on PhotoCircle which for those readers whose eyes glaze over at mentions of digital aspects will rapidly bore. There is a large focus in on the flamboyant lifestyles of the Newport Beach youths, who seem to move from party to party and one extravagance to the next and this makes it hard to relate to or care about the spoilt brats involved. In common with the debut, there is huge detail on culture, class and wealth differences between the characters involved, something which was all unwarranted and added nothing to the story.
If the first instalment was woefully short on clues and offered limited suspense, this one is another similar clutching at straws encounter, again marred by romantic elements and with Seneca the only individual who seems to really care about the outcome and the driver for the whole investigation. Given that the group proved both inept and naive in The Amateurs, they don’t do anymore to reassert their claims but this encounter really ups the ante with the guilty party assuming numerous new identities and seeming to have myriad resources at his disposal, especially hard to run with as he is approximately the same age as the investigating teens. Disappointing, I again found the characters a difficult mix to warm to and given the paltry lack of mystery and intrigue present, I would find it hard to recommend. Follow Me makes no sense as a standalone read and given that it ends with a mighty similar hook to the first book, I have no further interest in reading more of this groups efforts at crime solving. Despite the idea likely appealing to a younger teen audience (12-13), it should be noted that the characters are of age seventeen upwards and there is mention of pursuits that may not be suitable for such a young readership.
After reading The Amateurs and Follow Me, I would find it hard to recommend either novel which have a romantic element that supersedes any focus on an actual mystery and fails to surprise.
I received a free copy of this book from Readers First and my review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 8, 2017
I definitely didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, mostly because it felt like a mystery without any mystery - we knew who the killer was from the very first page! My favourite secondary characters in the first book, Aerin and Madison, were practically non-existent and social media ended up doing more of the legwork than Seneca or Maddox did combined. (Also, trying to crowbar in a romance subplot was just not a good idea.)
It was very fast paced and a quick read, but not the sequel that this book deserved.
It was very fast paced and a quick read, but not the sequel that this book deserved.
December 14, 2017
I didn't really click with this one. I haven't read the first in the series but there is enough at the beginning that this isn't a problem. I think, for me, I mostly didn't like the characters. Some of them seemed superfluous to the story and didn't add much to it.
I struggled to get into the story and ended up skipping quite a bit. Not for me.
Free arc from netgalley
I struggled to get into the story and ended up skipping quite a bit. Not for me.
Free arc from netgalley
March 27, 2021
Full Review on The Candid Cover
4.5 Stars
I have been dying for Follow Me since I finished reading The Amateurs last fall. This book follows a group of teen detectives who attempt to track down a killer. The multiple perspectives work nicely, and the main characters are all enjoyable. This is a perfect mystery series, and I can’t wait until the final book is released next year!
This is the second instalment in The Amateurs series, and is just as eerie as the first. It follows a group of teen amateur detectives who get back together to hunt down a serial killer. Follow Me is the kind of book that will frustrate you on behalf of the characters as the group tries to expose the killer while also being threatened by him. This book is filled with suspense as the main characters follow the clues to his location, and there are many shocking plot twists. However, compared to The Amateurs, Follow Me is a little bit lacking. In the first book, the characters try to figure out who is behind the series of murders, but in the sequel, we already know who the killer is, so the story is basically just them trying to find his location. It is still enjoyable, but I would have liked a bit more.
I really enjoyed the use of multiple perspectives in Follow Me. The reader gets to delve into not only the thoughts of the entire group, but also the killer. It is so interesting knowing what both sides are planning at the same time, and it really adds to the creepiness knowing what is happening to the girl who was kidnapped. I am always a fan of multiple POVs, but it worked especially well in this book.
There is a great cast of characters in this series. My personal favourite was Seneca, since she is great at interpreting clues and is so determined to find the killer. However, the rest of the group doesn’t seem to have as big of a role in this instalment, which is a little bit disappointing. I remember enjoying Aerin’s character in the first book, so I would have liked to see more of her.
Follow Me is the sequel to The Amateurs and tells the story of a group of sleuths trying to track down a serial killer. The multiple narrations is intriguing, especially the killer’s perspective, and the main characters are all so likeable. This series is perfect for the fall, and I would definitely recommend it to those searching for a super suspenseful mystery.
4.5 Stars
I have been dying for Follow Me since I finished reading The Amateurs last fall. This book follows a group of teen detectives who attempt to track down a killer. The multiple perspectives work nicely, and the main characters are all enjoyable. This is a perfect mystery series, and I can’t wait until the final book is released next year!
This is the second instalment in The Amateurs series, and is just as eerie as the first. It follows a group of teen amateur detectives who get back together to hunt down a serial killer. Follow Me is the kind of book that will frustrate you on behalf of the characters as the group tries to expose the killer while also being threatened by him. This book is filled with suspense as the main characters follow the clues to his location, and there are many shocking plot twists. However, compared to The Amateurs, Follow Me is a little bit lacking. In the first book, the characters try to figure out who is behind the series of murders, but in the sequel, we already know who the killer is, so the story is basically just them trying to find his location. It is still enjoyable, but I would have liked a bit more.
I really enjoyed the use of multiple perspectives in Follow Me. The reader gets to delve into not only the thoughts of the entire group, but also the killer. It is so interesting knowing what both sides are planning at the same time, and it really adds to the creepiness knowing what is happening to the girl who was kidnapped. I am always a fan of multiple POVs, but it worked especially well in this book.
There is a great cast of characters in this series. My personal favourite was Seneca, since she is great at interpreting clues and is so determined to find the killer. However, the rest of the group doesn’t seem to have as big of a role in this instalment, which is a little bit disappointing. I remember enjoying Aerin’s character in the first book, so I would have liked to see more of her.
Follow Me is the sequel to The Amateurs and tells the story of a group of sleuths trying to track down a serial killer. The multiple narrations is intriguing, especially the killer’s perspective, and the main characters are all so likeable. This series is perfect for the fall, and I would definitely recommend it to those searching for a super suspenseful mystery.
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October 16, 2017I had forgotten everything about the first book, but this one did a great job of recap.
All in all, an entertaining mystery-thriller. Have to figure out how to review without massive spoilers for book one. The synopsis does a great job of avoiding them, btw :)
This is NOT a good cover, by the way. In my opinion. It doesn't say "scary" or "thriller" or anything.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com or check out my Bookstagram!
I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher for possible review.
All in all, an entertaining mystery-thriller. Have to figure out how to review without massive spoilers for book one. The synopsis does a great job of avoiding them, btw :)
This is NOT a good cover, by the way. In my opinion. It doesn't say "scary" or "thriller" or anything.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com or check out my Bookstagram!
I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher for possible review.
December 12, 2017
Mysteries where you already know the identity of the killer for the majority of the plot can be a hit or a miss. It worked for me in There's Someone Inside Your House as I felt it added a layer of suspense to the story. It became more about the cat-and-mouse thrills than the clue-hunting. Follow Me also managed to blend those two elements together quite well and I think that is why I enjoyed this a smidge more than The Amateurs.
The characters did still tick me off, don’t get me wrong. Seneca and Aerin have so much potential that I desperately want Shepard to tap into. Aerin’s grief and feelings about the events of the past books needed more fleshing out. They were brushed over, and the same with Seneca. It was hinted that she was suffering from mild PTSD - the panic attacks confirmed it - but it is never addressed. Maddison was barely in the plot again and felt disposable. Maddy did not improve either. While we did not have to suffer through Catherine situation in this book, his petty jealousy of Jeff was definitely still irritating. The chemistry between him and Seneca and him is non-existent. I could not have cared less whether they got together or not. In fact, I could not have cared less about any of the romantic subplots if I tried.
Like I said though, there was something about the cat and mouse storyline that kept me engaged. I still found the coincidences and dumb luck of the characters overwhelmingly frustrating but I was interested to see how everything would unfold. The ending was exactly what I expected but I liked it. I’m a little uncertain whether it was meant to be a shock or not. We knew it was building up to that moment since a certain scene in The Amateurs so I hope not. It certainly paved the way for a promising sequel.
Overall? It still suffered a lot of the downfalls of the previous book. The characters were underwhelming and shallow, and too much emphasis was placed on the romantic subplots. However, I have to admit that there was something captivating about the cat-and-mouse game plotline. I really hope that will be continued in the sequel.
The characters did still tick me off, don’t get me wrong. Seneca and Aerin have so much potential that I desperately want Shepard to tap into. Aerin’s grief and feelings about the events of the past books needed more fleshing out. They were brushed over, and the same with Seneca. It was hinted that she was suffering from mild PTSD - the panic attacks confirmed it - but it is never addressed. Maddison was barely in the plot again and felt disposable. Maddy did not improve either. While we did not have to suffer through Catherine situation in this book, his petty jealousy of Jeff was definitely still irritating. The chemistry between him and Seneca and him is non-existent. I could not have cared less whether they got together or not. In fact, I could not have cared less about any of the romantic subplots if I tried.
Like I said though, there was something about the cat and mouse storyline that kept me engaged. I still found the coincidences and dumb luck of the characters overwhelmingly frustrating but I was interested to see how everything would unfold. The ending was exactly what I expected but I liked it. I’m a little uncertain whether it was meant to be a shock or not. We knew it was building up to that moment since a certain scene in The Amateurs so I hope not. It certainly paved the way for a promising sequel.
Overall? It still suffered a lot of the downfalls of the previous book. The characters were underwhelming and shallow, and too much emphasis was placed on the romantic subplots. However, I have to admit that there was something captivating about the cat-and-mouse game plotline. I really hope that will be continued in the sequel.
December 9, 2017
You know how sometimes you can't wait for a book to come and then when it does you pick it up as you have high hopes that you will love it. That's what happened with Follow Me by Sara Shepard as I normally am a big fan of her books. However, I felt a little letdown with Follow Me which is a shame as I really wanted to love it. Book #1 finished on a major cliffie with the reveal that Ben wasn't really Brett and in fact he was the same killer who killed Helena and Seneca's mother. In Book #2 a new girl has been kidnapped Chelsea and she shares a striking resemblance to Helena and the kidnapping is Brett's MO. The Amateurs group are sent clues from Brett and with the motivation to track him down and also save Chelsea , they come back together. Brett though has other plans up his sleeve and will send the group on a wild goose chase and prove to them that he is always one step ahead and is smarter than everyone and that he is unstoppable. I personally found Follow Me a bit slower than I am used to with the pace of YA Mysteries. The ending however had me gasping and going OMG into what's going to happen next and Yes, that means readers I will be giving the next book in The Amateurs series a go so even though this book was slower and not as great as I had expected , Sara Shepard has done her job by hooking me with the cliffhanger and making me want to read Book #3.
March 2, 2020
*3.5
This was alright but not nearly as good as the first instalment. I understand that with mysteries, it's very hard to have separate story arcs but something that connects them all together and tie up neatly with no loose ends but honestly since Sara has written a 16 book mystery series I kind of expected a little more than I got. I felt so detached from the characters, like all of the development made in the first book was gone and while I appreciate the fact she commented with Seneca's mental state and Aerin's relationship with her family that you don't always get the HEA you're promised it still felt like she stripped them all completely to their bare archetypes. I also think that it's very hard to reveal who's the bad guy at the beginning of the book and not have all the suspense sucked out and sadly that happened here.
However, that being said while this isn't as atmospheric and compelling as the first book it was still a solid mystery that was clearly written and plotted by an experienced hand and was very easy to get through especially in the middle of a reading slump.
This was alright but not nearly as good as the first instalment. I understand that with mysteries, it's very hard to have separate story arcs but something that connects them all together and tie up neatly with no loose ends but honestly since Sara has written a 16 book mystery series I kind of expected a little more than I got. I felt so detached from the characters, like all of the development made in the first book was gone and while I appreciate the fact she commented with Seneca's mental state and Aerin's relationship with her family that you don't always get the HEA you're promised it still felt like she stripped them all completely to their bare archetypes. I also think that it's very hard to reveal who's the bad guy at the beginning of the book and not have all the suspense sucked out and sadly that happened here.
However, that being said while this isn't as atmospheric and compelling as the first book it was still a solid mystery that was clearly written and plotted by an experienced hand and was very easy to get through especially in the middle of a reading slump.
February 19, 2018
Trigger warnings: murder, kidnapping, death of a loved one (in the past).
2.5 stars.
I wasn't planning on reading this book. I felt pretty meh towards the first book in the series, so continuing wasn't really high on my list of priorities. But after the way the first book finished, I felt like I *had* to continue. And I kind of wish I hadn't. I didn't care at all about the case in this one, and it didn't seem to even really lead anywhere following the events of the first book.
Will I read book 3? Probably, because this one also has a shocking cliffhanger ending. Goddammit.
2.5 stars.
I wasn't planning on reading this book. I felt pretty meh towards the first book in the series, so continuing wasn't really high on my list of priorities. But after the way the first book finished, I felt like I *had* to continue. And I kind of wish I hadn't. I didn't care at all about the case in this one, and it didn't seem to even really lead anywhere following the events of the first book.
Will I read book 3? Probably, because this one also has a shocking cliffhanger ending. Goddammit.
February 16, 2021
hehehhehhe
*embarrassed that it's taken me so long to write these reviews.*
^^read this in September
it's soooo bad. I barely remember anything!!!!
the first book was obviously better
but the cliffhanger in this book!!!!!!
this trilogy is sooooo good
special thanks to em for lightly recommending me to read this.
*embarrassed that it's taken me so long to write these reviews.*
^^read this in September
it's soooo bad. I barely remember anything!!!!
the first book was obviously better
but the cliffhanger in this book!!!!!!
this trilogy is sooooo good
special thanks to em for lightly recommending me to read this.
April 11, 2018
I like what I like, and sometimes, I really like a cheesy teen mystery series. Come at me. 💁🏼♀️💁🏼♀️
May 13, 2019
3.5/5 stars :) I'm a huge fan of this crime-solving team, and although book two was a little bit of a slow-burn, for me, I've already devoured book three, and, man, book three rocks!
November 22, 2019
Not her best work but engaging and interesting
November 13, 2017
Another classic Sara Shepard! I can never really bring myself to rate her books any lower than this because of how incredibly easy to read they are. I love speeding through and trying to figure out how it’ll end. I like that her newer series have taken on more twists so they’re not exactly the same as PLL.
September 22, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Sara Shepard's dark, dangerous journey into the anonymous world of online crime solving really appealed to me with the first book in this series, The Amateurs, and now we've returned with the sequel, Follow Me! The thing I loved most about the first novel was that these people dedicated a lot of their time in this community with the sole mission of solving crimes the actual police and detectives had given up on. There is something undeniably attractive about these books and film that explore crime because it's obviously greatly out of the norm of our real lives so you can put yourself in the shoes of these people being the vigilantes and saving the day while also getting that creepy look into the villains of the story that we're so addicted to. This book still centres around the same group of people from Case Not Closed from the first novel but due to the plot evolving from the first book it is also much more focused on giving the reader more insight into the villain of the story this time.
One thing that completely blew my mind in the first book was a huge plot twist right at the end that I really didn't see coming at all! I was so shocked, I think I might have had an inkling about it but now so long after reading it I really can't be sure. I did see something dark in them before the big reveal and I like how the author wrote in that unsettling sense of oddness in the character though because it worked out very well! All I know is that after I finished that book I was desperate for the sequel to find out more about the motives of this surprise murderer that was unveiled. If you were on the edge of your seat at the end of the first book then you won't be disappointed for this book because it's packed with plenty of juicy chapters for the suspect's perspective and I didn't see a lot of what they did coming until it happened.
I must say that, similar to the first book, I wasn't very attached to the characters themselves because I didn't really see myself in any of them or see anything I could connect with like you need when you're putting yourself in someone's shoes. That isn't too important to me in this case because the plot is much more of the focus in these books but it still takes away from the overall rating when you're not really rooting for the characters and caring about their well-being when they're in trouble often! Seneca and Aerin are probably still the characters I favour the most because they have close, personal ties to the cases they're investigating so they're the most interesting and I am really looking forward to their chapters in the next book.
Follow Me was a good sequel and I loved that it actually had its own plot and crime case to solve within this book that was fully wrapped up and left with a great cliffhanger but it definitely wasn't enthralling as the first book. I am really hopeful that the third book will be great like the first because the ending of this book was another good ending but we will have to wait and see. I'll definitely be looking out for the third book to conclude this interesting Young Adult thriller series.
Sara Shepard's dark, dangerous journey into the anonymous world of online crime solving really appealed to me with the first book in this series, The Amateurs, and now we've returned with the sequel, Follow Me! The thing I loved most about the first novel was that these people dedicated a lot of their time in this community with the sole mission of solving crimes the actual police and detectives had given up on. There is something undeniably attractive about these books and film that explore crime because it's obviously greatly out of the norm of our real lives so you can put yourself in the shoes of these people being the vigilantes and saving the day while also getting that creepy look into the villains of the story that we're so addicted to. This book still centres around the same group of people from Case Not Closed from the first novel but due to the plot evolving from the first book it is also much more focused on giving the reader more insight into the villain of the story this time.
One thing that completely blew my mind in the first book was a huge plot twist right at the end that I really didn't see coming at all! I was so shocked, I think I might have had an inkling about it but now so long after reading it I really can't be sure. I did see something dark in them before the big reveal and I like how the author wrote in that unsettling sense of oddness in the character though because it worked out very well! All I know is that after I finished that book I was desperate for the sequel to find out more about the motives of this surprise murderer that was unveiled. If you were on the edge of your seat at the end of the first book then you won't be disappointed for this book because it's packed with plenty of juicy chapters for the suspect's perspective and I didn't see a lot of what they did coming until it happened.
I must say that, similar to the first book, I wasn't very attached to the characters themselves because I didn't really see myself in any of them or see anything I could connect with like you need when you're putting yourself in someone's shoes. That isn't too important to me in this case because the plot is much more of the focus in these books but it still takes away from the overall rating when you're not really rooting for the characters and caring about their well-being when they're in trouble often! Seneca and Aerin are probably still the characters I favour the most because they have close, personal ties to the cases they're investigating so they're the most interesting and I am really looking forward to their chapters in the next book.
Follow Me was a good sequel and I loved that it actually had its own plot and crime case to solve within this book that was fully wrapped up and left with a great cliffhanger but it definitely wasn't enthralling as the first book. I am really hopeful that the third book will be great like the first because the ending of this book was another good ending but we will have to wait and see. I'll definitely be looking out for the third book to conclude this interesting Young Adult thriller series.
February 21, 2018
I freakin loved the first book in this series. It was interesting and mysterious, and even though I enjoyed this book, it wasn't as good as I'd anticipated. I wanted something more, something that I just didn't get. Don't get me wrong, I loved the writing. Every thing flowed and it gripped me.
As for the story though, it was kind of repetitive...
As for the story though, it was kind of repetitive...
December 8, 2017
I am glad I never tried watching Pretty Little Liars. If that show is anything like this book I am positive I would’ve shut it off after one episode. Maybe less.
I have no interest in rich snobby teens who think they’re the cat’s pajamas and fancying themselves as better detectives than everyone else.
Our bad guy is just ridiculous. If he’s such a criminal mastermind why not mess with the actual cops? This book is trying to tell me that a group of teenagers who spend their time vacationing in various exotic locales are more adept at solving crime and therefore better targets of antagonism. No. Just no.
Also this was basically just a placeholder from book one to book three. So already useless.
I have no interest in rich snobby teens who think they’re the cat’s pajamas and fancying themselves as better detectives than everyone else.
Our bad guy is just ridiculous. If he’s such a criminal mastermind why not mess with the actual cops? This book is trying to tell me that a group of teenagers who spend their time vacationing in various exotic locales are more adept at solving crime and therefore better targets of antagonism. No. Just no.
Also this was basically just a placeholder from book one to book three. So already useless.
October 8, 2023
I thought this book was good! It was definitely exciting and twisty. I didn’t read book 1, because I didn’t realize it was a series, so there was definitely some things I didn’t understand. I think the author is really good, so I’m super excited to read pretty little liars!! Didn’t love this book, but I think it was because I read it out of order.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Length of book: 261 pages
Language/TW: 10/10 (language, fear)
Format I read: Hardcover
Genre: YA Thriller
Would I recommend to others: Depends
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Length of book: 261 pages
Language/TW: 10/10 (language, fear)
Format I read: Hardcover
Genre: YA Thriller
Would I recommend to others: Depends
December 10, 2017
Ich liebe die Bücher von Sara Shepard. Bisher ist immer ein funke 'pretty little liars' in ihnen zu finden. Es liest sich so flüssig und schnell das man es nur weg atmet. und was natürlich nicht fehlen darf ist ein mega fieser Cliffhanger. Wann nur bitte soll Band 3 erscheinen? 😭
August 17, 2018
Etwas schwächer als Teil 1.
Ich hab mich trotzdem wieder gut unterhalten gefühlt und auch wenn ich nicht immer alle Entscheidungen der Protagonisten so nachvollziehen konnte,war es insgesamt dann doch für mich wieder stimmig.
Bin gespannt wie es im dritten Teil weitergehen wird.
Ich hab mich trotzdem wieder gut unterhalten gefühlt und auch wenn ich nicht immer alle Entscheidungen der Protagonisten so nachvollziehen konnte,war es insgesamt dann doch für mich wieder stimmig.
Bin gespannt wie es im dritten Teil weitergehen wird.
October 2, 2019
Warum haben diese Bücher immer Cliffhanger und warum merke ich mir das einfach nicht, jetzt muss ich bis Jänner warten, bis ich weiterlesen kann.
4,5 Sterne
4,5 Sterne
September 25, 2021
This one didn’t grip me as much as the first one did, but I still enjoyed watching it unfold. Trying to predict what was going to happen was fun, but I felt like the characterization was set aside in this one.
March 13, 2022
I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to read the second, not realising it was a trilogy. Unfortunately it fell victim to the 2/3 middle book syndrome. The story feels too long drawn out, it could easily have been summed up in two books; making it a trilogy feels like an obvious cash grab. Can confirm I won’t be reading the third book.
December 2, 2021
Not easy to follow. Three stars was pushing it. I can think of lots more YA novels with more suspense and better characterization.
February 27, 2018
Nach dem Cliffhanger konnte ich es kaum erwarten weiter zu lesen, jedoch muss ich sagen, dass mich dieser Teil sehr enttäuscht hat. Aber zunächst etwas zum Inhalt:
Am Ende des ersten Bands finden Aerin, Seneca und Maddox heraus, dass sie nicht den richtigen Täter aufgedeckt haben - denn dieser war dieser war die ganze Zeit unter ihnen. Jedoch wissen die Freunde nicht einmal ob "Brett" sein richtiger Name ist und wo er sich gerade befindet. Denn Brett ist untergetaucht und hat schon seine nächsten Pläne. Dafür lockt er Aerin, Seneca und Maddox mit einem neuen Fall an, denn er möchte ein kleines Spiel mit ihnen spielen. Seneca und ihre Freunde wissen, dass es gefährlich ist, aber sie wissen auch, dass es ihre einzige Chance ist Brett überhaupt dran zu kriegen. Also machen sie sich auf dem Weg, aber dabei ahnen sie nicht, was Brett alles geplant hat...
Ich habe mich so gefreut, dass ich endlich das Buch lesen kann, aber schon in den ersten 50 Seiten zieht sich die Handlung nur so dahin und ehrlich gesagt wusste ich schon worauf das ganze hinaus laufen wird. Denn aus dem ersten Teil weiß man bereits wer Bretts nächstes Opfer sein wird und es ist klar, dass Aerin, Seneca und Maddox es nicht wissen können, aber dennoch finde ich, dass man die Handlung hätte anders gestalten können. Sonderlich spannend war es auch nicht, weil es sich so sehr gezogen hat. Tja, und auf den letzten zehn Seiten hat sich die Handlung abgespielt, die dann anregen soll den dritten Teil zu lesen. Ich muss tatsächlich sagen, dass Band eins um Längen besser war, da dieser nicht so vorhersehbar wie Band zwei war. Was mich auch gestört hat war die Tatsache, dass mir Dinge aufgefallen sind, die den Protagonisten erst 20 Seiten später aufgefallen sind.
Wenn ich schon einmal bei den Protagonisten bin: neben Aerin, Seneca, Maddox und Brett ist auch noch Maddox' Schwester Madison dabei, die man bereits aus dem ersten Band kennt. Außerdem ist da noch ein Wiedersehen mit einem anderen Charakter aus Band eins und darüber habe ich mich echt gefreut. Was mich gestört hat, waren die Beziehungen in dem Buch. Es ist tatsächlich deprimierend, wenn man sich als Leser darüber aufregen muss, dass Seneca und Maddox es nicht schaffen ihren Mund aufzumachen. Außerdem habe ich mich auch gefragt wieso die Seneca, Aerin, Maddox und Madison teilweise so schlecht durchdachte Aktionen durchführen. Jemand mit einem gesunden Menschenverstand würde noch einmal mehrmals darüber nachdenken, aber gut, so eine Person würde es auch nicht mit einem Serienmörder aufnehmen wollen.
Im Großen und Ganzen muss ich sagen, dass dieser Band schlecht war. Vor allem im Vergleich zum ersten Teil oder zu den anderen Büchern von Sara Shepard. Der Cliffhanger am Ende hat den Band nicht viel besser gemacht.
Von mir bekommt das Buch insgesamt 2 von 5 Sternen und auch, wenn ich gerne wissen möchte wie es weiter geht, weiß ich noch nicht, ob ich weiter lesen möchte.
Am Ende des ersten Bands finden Aerin, Seneca und Maddox heraus, dass sie nicht den richtigen Täter aufgedeckt haben - denn dieser war dieser war die ganze Zeit unter ihnen. Jedoch wissen die Freunde nicht einmal ob "Brett" sein richtiger Name ist und wo er sich gerade befindet. Denn Brett ist untergetaucht und hat schon seine nächsten Pläne. Dafür lockt er Aerin, Seneca und Maddox mit einem neuen Fall an, denn er möchte ein kleines Spiel mit ihnen spielen. Seneca und ihre Freunde wissen, dass es gefährlich ist, aber sie wissen auch, dass es ihre einzige Chance ist Brett überhaupt dran zu kriegen. Also machen sie sich auf dem Weg, aber dabei ahnen sie nicht, was Brett alles geplant hat...
Ich habe mich so gefreut, dass ich endlich das Buch lesen kann, aber schon in den ersten 50 Seiten zieht sich die Handlung nur so dahin und ehrlich gesagt wusste ich schon worauf das ganze hinaus laufen wird. Denn aus dem ersten Teil weiß man bereits wer Bretts nächstes Opfer sein wird und es ist klar, dass Aerin, Seneca und Maddox es nicht wissen können, aber dennoch finde ich, dass man die Handlung hätte anders gestalten können. Sonderlich spannend war es auch nicht, weil es sich so sehr gezogen hat. Tja, und auf den letzten zehn Seiten hat sich die Handlung abgespielt, die dann anregen soll den dritten Teil zu lesen. Ich muss tatsächlich sagen, dass Band eins um Längen besser war, da dieser nicht so vorhersehbar wie Band zwei war. Was mich auch gestört hat war die Tatsache, dass mir Dinge aufgefallen sind, die den Protagonisten erst 20 Seiten später aufgefallen sind.
Wenn ich schon einmal bei den Protagonisten bin: neben Aerin, Seneca, Maddox und Brett ist auch noch Maddox' Schwester Madison dabei, die man bereits aus dem ersten Band kennt. Außerdem ist da noch ein Wiedersehen mit einem anderen Charakter aus Band eins und darüber habe ich mich echt gefreut. Was mich gestört hat, waren die Beziehungen in dem Buch. Es ist tatsächlich deprimierend, wenn man sich als Leser darüber aufregen muss, dass Seneca und Maddox es nicht schaffen ihren Mund aufzumachen. Außerdem habe ich mich auch gefragt wieso die Seneca, Aerin, Maddox und Madison teilweise so schlecht durchdachte Aktionen durchführen. Jemand mit einem gesunden Menschenverstand würde noch einmal mehrmals darüber nachdenken, aber gut, so eine Person würde es auch nicht mit einem Serienmörder aufnehmen wollen.
Im Großen und Ganzen muss ich sagen, dass dieser Band schlecht war. Vor allem im Vergleich zum ersten Teil oder zu den anderen Büchern von Sara Shepard. Der Cliffhanger am Ende hat den Band nicht viel besser gemacht.
Von mir bekommt das Buch insgesamt 2 von 5 Sternen und auch, wenn ich gerne wissen möchte wie es weiter geht, weiß ich noch nicht, ob ich weiter lesen möchte.
November 16, 2018
**Find this and other reviews, plus fun stuff, on my blogs! Booklikes or Blogspot**
Previous Books in Series:
The Amateurs #1 ★★★★
Basic Info
Format: Kindle
Pages/Length: n/a
Genre: Young Adult; Mystery
Reason For Reading: Continue series
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: Obsession
Cliff Hanger: Yes
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 4 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 8
Characters: 8
World Building: 8
Flow: 9
b>Series Congruity: 9
Writing: 8
Ending: 8
Total: 8/10
In Depth
Best Part: Twist and turns.
Worst Part: Adults who seem to not be able to act like adults.
Thoughts Had: Damn Brett
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: Yes
Recommending: Yes
Short Review: SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOK(S)!!!!! So we're chasing Brett and trying to solve another case. Do these kids not have anything else to do with their lives?! Chelsea is the victim this time, some girl who posts barely clothed pics on Instagram and wonders why her boyfriend isn't happy with her. The cop giving them attitude was great. Thomas coming back into the story, don't know how i feel about that yet. The ending makes me want to read book 3 so off i go.
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: Thomas, thou that may change.
Best Friend Material: Madison
September 23, 2017
AHHHH I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW!!!!
So after THAT reveal in the first book, the gang had gone their separate ways, but looking over their shoulders for a certain someone to show up. And show up, they did. Chelsea Dawson, a beautiful blonde 21-year old with over 50,000 followers on Instagram, disappears one night after arguing with her ex-boyfriend Jeff at a beach party. Suspicion soon falls on poor Jeff, but we know from the beginning he is not to blame. After Seneca and Maddox receive taunting messages from our old friend to come investigate, the Scooby Doo gang is back in business - the business of solving crimes with modern technology that is. Seriously, the amount of new fan-dangled tech that is mentioned in this book is crazy, from FitBits to drones to motion-detecting apps.
What I liked about this book was you knew who the kidnapper was from the beginning, but you didn't know what his name is. And he always seemed to be one step ahead of Seneca and co.
The cop investigating the kidnapping was sooooooooo frustrating. Why are cops in mystery books like this always so incompetent. For example,
So yeah, this book had me hooked from the beginning, and as stated at the beginning, I NEED THE THIRD BOOK RIGHT NOW!!
So after THAT reveal in the first book, the gang had gone their separate ways, but looking over their shoulders for a certain someone to show up. And show up, they did. Chelsea Dawson, a beautiful blonde 21-year old with over 50,000 followers on Instagram, disappears one night after arguing with her ex-boyfriend Jeff at a beach party. Suspicion soon falls on poor Jeff, but we know from the beginning he is not to blame. After Seneca and Maddox receive taunting messages from our old friend to come investigate, the Scooby Doo gang is back in business - the business of solving crimes with modern technology that is. Seriously, the amount of new fan-dangled tech that is mentioned in this book is crazy, from FitBits to drones to motion-detecting apps.
What I liked about this book was you knew who the kidnapper was from the beginning, but you didn't know what his name is. And he always seemed to be one step ahead of Seneca and co.
The cop investigating the kidnapping was sooooooooo frustrating. Why are cops in mystery books like this always so incompetent. For example,
So yeah, this book had me hooked from the beginning, and as stated at the beginning, I NEED THE THIRD BOOK RIGHT NOW!!
October 5, 2017
I enjoyed the prologue and the way it turned sinister so suddenly. After the prologue, I found it a bit confusing to work out who everyone was, but this is probably because I haven't read the first book in the series.
Seneca and her friends helped to solve a murder mystery but soon after, she finds out that Brett, one of the group, was the real murderer and he got away with it unpunished. Now there has been a kidnapping and Seneca is convinced it fits the pattern of previous murders. When Brett gets in touch Seneca knows she is right and gets the group together to solve this mystery, but it seems that they are just doing exactly what Brett wants them to do. He's playing with them and if they don't stick to his rules he will kill his latest victim, and maybe even the rest of the group.
All the kids are pretty smart and quickly solve the clues that Brett leaves them, though Seneca is almost completely clueless when it comes to boys who like her. This is a very creepy novel, not one to read in the middle of the night. You'll feel like someone could be watching you at any time. It was gripping in parts, but not enough to keep me hooked all the way through. The suspense really ramps up at the end though. There's a bit of a cliffhanger and set up for the next book so I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied. Overall an enjoyable book but I'm not sure if I will continue with the series.
Seneca and her friends helped to solve a murder mystery but soon after, she finds out that Brett, one of the group, was the real murderer and he got away with it unpunished. Now there has been a kidnapping and Seneca is convinced it fits the pattern of previous murders. When Brett gets in touch Seneca knows she is right and gets the group together to solve this mystery, but it seems that they are just doing exactly what Brett wants them to do. He's playing with them and if they don't stick to his rules he will kill his latest victim, and maybe even the rest of the group.
All the kids are pretty smart and quickly solve the clues that Brett leaves them, though Seneca is almost completely clueless when it comes to boys who like her. This is a very creepy novel, not one to read in the middle of the night. You'll feel like someone could be watching you at any time. It was gripping in parts, but not enough to keep me hooked all the way through. The suspense really ramps up at the end though. There's a bit of a cliffhanger and set up for the next book so I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied. Overall an enjoyable book but I'm not sure if I will continue with the series.
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