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Detective D.D. Warren #9
Lumière noire
472 jours : c'est le temps qu'a passé Flora aux mains de son bourreau. 472 jours plongée dans un abîme de ténèbres, à n'espérer qu'une chose : survivre.
Sortie miraculeusement de cette épreuve, elle cherche depuis à retrouver une existence normale. Pourtant, les murs de sa chambre sont tapissés de photos de filles disparues.
Quand, à la recherche de l'une d'elles, Flora se fait de nouveau kidnapper, le commandant D.D. Warren comprend qu'un prédateur court les rues de Boston, qui s'assurera cette fois que Flora ne revoie jamais la lumière...
Après le succès du Saut de l'ange, Lisa Gardner, l'un des grands noms du thriller psychologique, se met dans la peau d'une femme pourchassée par son passé, dans une enquête qui nous confronte aux plus insoupçonnables déviances humaines.
« À ne manquer sous aucun prétexte. »
Harlan Coben
467 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2016
4594 people are currently reading
40016 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Gardner
82 books20.4k followersLisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,543 reviews
February 7, 2017
“No one wants to be a monster.”
Dark, intense and downright chilling, Find Her had me questioning what kind of survivor I might be after being held captive for 472 days in a body-sized pine box. I know, a horrifying thought, right? Would I give up on life and ultimately let fear rule my world or be a woman hell-bent on revenge? Like Flora, would I struggle to recognize the eyes staring back at me in the mirror?
Even though this is the eighth book in the Detective D.D. Warren series, it was my first experience with this author’s writing and this group of investigators and let me tell you, I was pretty impressed. I’m the type of reader that loves nothing more than getting wrapped up in a story that forces me to sit on the edge of my seat, delivers mind games in the form of great twists and plays on my worst fears. That’s exactly what Lisa Gardner delivered with this terrifying tale of revenge.
After 472 days with a crazed sicko that ultimately ended in her being rescued, Flora has spent the last five years turning all that darkness into an obsession with personal security and tracking other missing persons cases. Not one to cower in the corner, she hunts down her worst fears and stares them dead in the eyes. Is she a badass or completely reckless? Does she have a death wish or is she truly trying to play the hero? That becomes the ultimate question, one Detective D.D. Warren is tasked with trying to uncover after Flora goes missing . . . again.
This is a story that unravels in a compelling way. It was hard for me to set this down for any length of time because I was so desperate to figure out how all of the pieces - the missing women, the pine boxes, the bar and the darkness - fit together. Especially around the back half of the story when I started to question one person in particular. It all came together with a great ending and a reminder to never underestimate the power of a promise.
After this, I definitely plan on going back and reading some of the earlier books in the series. Detective D.D. Warren seems like a character I need to get to know better.
Dark, intense and downright chilling, Find Her had me questioning what kind of survivor I might be after being held captive for 472 days in a body-sized pine box. I know, a horrifying thought, right? Would I give up on life and ultimately let fear rule my world or be a woman hell-bent on revenge? Like Flora, would I struggle to recognize the eyes staring back at me in the mirror?
Even though this is the eighth book in the Detective D.D. Warren series, it was my first experience with this author’s writing and this group of investigators and let me tell you, I was pretty impressed. I’m the type of reader that loves nothing more than getting wrapped up in a story that forces me to sit on the edge of my seat, delivers mind games in the form of great twists and plays on my worst fears. That’s exactly what Lisa Gardner delivered with this terrifying tale of revenge.
After 472 days with a crazed sicko that ultimately ended in her being rescued, Flora has spent the last five years turning all that darkness into an obsession with personal security and tracking other missing persons cases. Not one to cower in the corner, she hunts down her worst fears and stares them dead in the eyes. Is she a badass or completely reckless? Does she have a death wish or is she truly trying to play the hero? That becomes the ultimate question, one Detective D.D. Warren is tasked with trying to uncover after Flora goes missing . . . again.
This is a story that unravels in a compelling way. It was hard for me to set this down for any length of time because I was so desperate to figure out how all of the pieces - the missing women, the pine boxes, the bar and the darkness - fit together. Especially around the back half of the story when I started to question one person in particular. It all came together with a great ending and a reminder to never underestimate the power of a promise.
After this, I definitely plan on going back and reading some of the earlier books in the series. Detective D.D. Warren seems like a character I need to get to know better.
July 10, 2022
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 4/5 (suspension of disbelief required) | Ending: 3/5 tbh
THE PLOT
Flora Dane went through hell for 472 days, and five years later, after burning a man to death, she's snatched again. Is it connected to the Stacey Summers missing persons case? If Flora a victim or a vigilante?
MY OPINION
First things first, YOU NEED TO SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF FOR THIS TO WORK. What are the chances of being kidnapped and tortured twice? Unless your Liam Neeson's family in the Taken trilogy, pretty fking low. Usually I struggle to do this but I'm a sicko for a story with the POV of a trapped victim, so I let it rock. And after reading Never Tell (yes I jump around in a series, and what about it? *Ariana Grande voice*) I had to get Flora's full story. Boy was it JUIIICYYYY!!
Gardner can write, that's for certain. I love her fragmented prose. Flora's flashbacks were everything and more. Gardner perfectly portrayed what a mindfuck Stockholm Syndrome is and why victims don't escape when given the opportunity. The scene where Flora is staring at the cop while locked up in Jacob's rig is chilling... so close, yet so far. Having read Never Tell, I found Flora to be much softer in this book. In Never Tell she is full-on, unemotional, and stoic. I appreciated seeing a more emotionally vulnerable side of her.
My only gripe, other than the ending, is DD seemed MAD insensitive about Flora's background. Ok and one more gripe—unnecessary fat shaming. If you only mention a character's weight when they're fat, and usually in negative context, that's lazy to me. I really don't care if the baddie looked like the fking Michelin man, there's 1391049 other reasons why this person is POS.
SPOILERS ALERT SO SCROLL IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT
Now, why 3/5 for the ending? Well, I found that the law enforcement officers went full dumbass. You had postcards being sent from major interstates across the Southern US but you never thought trucker?? You went with survivalist?? What kind of survivalist is hiking it up and down from Georgia to Florida multiple times with a kidnapped girl? Me thinks tf not.
And then when they finally narrow it down to their suspect being from Florida, a bartender says hey actually one of the girls you think was kidnapped and described Devon (fried off face guy) as her "play thing" is from Florida, DD and Keyes are like... ok cool but we're really set on the manager being the baddie so stfu? Like broheims, how much more obvious could it be???
All in all, a juicy tale that will scratch your sickest itches. A Criminal Minds episode but on bath salts and I loved it. I will def be picking up more in this series.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, unique fragmented prose, juicy j story, Flora's character well-developed, you can tell the author did her research on police procedures and Stockholm Syndrome
Cons: unnecessary fat shaming comments, detectives went full dumbass at the end just to create suspense, DD was very insensitive at times
THE PLOT
Flora Dane went through hell for 472 days, and five years later, after burning a man to death, she's snatched again. Is it connected to the Stacey Summers missing persons case? If Flora a victim or a vigilante?
MY OPINION
First things first, YOU NEED TO SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF FOR THIS TO WORK. What are the chances of being kidnapped and tortured twice? Unless your Liam Neeson's family in the Taken trilogy, pretty fking low. Usually I struggle to do this but I'm a sicko for a story with the POV of a trapped victim, so I let it rock. And after reading Never Tell (yes I jump around in a series, and what about it? *Ariana Grande voice*) I had to get Flora's full story. Boy was it JUIIICYYYY!!
Gardner can write, that's for certain. I love her fragmented prose. Flora's flashbacks were everything and more. Gardner perfectly portrayed what a mindfuck Stockholm Syndrome is and why victims don't escape when given the opportunity. The scene where Flora is staring at the cop while locked up in Jacob's rig is chilling... so close, yet so far. Having read Never Tell, I found Flora to be much softer in this book. In Never Tell she is full-on, unemotional, and stoic. I appreciated seeing a more emotionally vulnerable side of her.
My only gripe, other than the ending, is DD seemed MAD insensitive about Flora's background. Ok and one more gripe—unnecessary fat shaming. If you only mention a character's weight when they're fat, and usually in negative context, that's lazy to me. I really don't care if the baddie looked like the fking Michelin man, there's 1391049 other reasons why this person is POS.
SPOILERS ALERT SO SCROLL IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT
Now, why 3/5 for the ending? Well, I found that the law enforcement officers went full dumbass. You had postcards being sent from major interstates across the Southern US but you never thought trucker?? You went with survivalist?? What kind of survivalist is hiking it up and down from Georgia to Florida multiple times with a kidnapped girl? Me thinks tf not.
And then when they finally narrow it down to their suspect being from Florida, a bartender says hey actually one of the girls you think was kidnapped and described Devon (fried off face guy) as her "play thing" is from Florida, DD and Keyes are like... ok cool but we're really set on the manager being the baddie so stfu? Like broheims, how much more obvious could it be???
All in all, a juicy tale that will scratch your sickest itches. A Criminal Minds episode but on bath salts and I loved it. I will def be picking up more in this series.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, unique fragmented prose, juicy j story, Flora's character well-developed, you can tell the author did her research on police procedures and Stockholm Syndrome
Cons: unnecessary fat shaming comments, detectives went full dumbass at the end just to create suspense, DD was very insensitive at times
December 17, 2017
A terrific thriller from Lisa Gardner where her psychological insights and descriptions of abduction victim, Flora Dane, are nothing less than outstanding. Flora was kept in a pine coffin, sexually and physically abused and starved by Jacob Ness as part of his plan to destroy her sense of self and remake her as Molly, a woman entirely dependent on him and Jacob is the most important person in her life. Molly/Flora was eventually freed after 472 days, and she shoots Jacob dead. 5 years on, Flora is a different person, she is strong and trained in self defence. However, she is not the person she once was, her connection with her family is weaker, and she is most comfortable alone, in the void. To counter her demons, she has made it her life's work to help abduction victims, an endless psychological attempt to save herself.
DD Warren of Boston PD is on restricted duty when she attends the scene of the death of Devon by chemical fire, a bartender who had taken Flora. A naked and handcuffed Flora had used items available to her to attack him. DD wonders whether Flora is vigilante or victim, given she has put herself in this position multiple times. Then Flora is once again taken, and DD spearheads the police hunt to find her. Flora is once again in a situation that is rooted in her past, of events she had never told anyone about, but which made her perceive herself as a monster. Flora is going to have to face up to her past, her fears that she will forever be the vulnerable Molly and overcome all obstacles if she is to survive her unfinished business after 472 days kept captive and 5 years of supposed freedom. DD works against the clock, with the help of Dr Samuel Keynes, Flora's FBI victim support psychologist, to locate Stacey Summers, another missing woman and Flora.
A brilliant thriller which showcases the impressive research Gardner carried out on the psychological damage incurred by abduction survivors and the courage they have to find to live and embrace life again.
DD Warren of Boston PD is on restricted duty when she attends the scene of the death of Devon by chemical fire, a bartender who had taken Flora. A naked and handcuffed Flora had used items available to her to attack him. DD wonders whether Flora is vigilante or victim, given she has put herself in this position multiple times. Then Flora is once again taken, and DD spearheads the police hunt to find her. Flora is once again in a situation that is rooted in her past, of events she had never told anyone about, but which made her perceive herself as a monster. Flora is going to have to face up to her past, her fears that she will forever be the vulnerable Molly and overcome all obstacles if she is to survive her unfinished business after 472 days kept captive and 5 years of supposed freedom. DD works against the clock, with the help of Dr Samuel Keynes, Flora's FBI victim support psychologist, to locate Stacey Summers, another missing woman and Flora.
A brilliant thriller which showcases the impressive research Gardner carried out on the psychological damage incurred by abduction survivors and the courage they have to find to live and embrace life again.
December 25, 2018
4 Heart-Stopping Stars.
Flora Dane didn’t originally go looking for trouble. The first time, it found her. In the worst way imaginable. For 472 days to be exact. Once she got out, she started looking for it, because she’s a survivor. Now, her main objective is tracking down men who want nothing more than to victimize women while she turns the tables on them.
Detective D.D. Warren doesn’t understand Flora Dane, nor does she really like her, if D.D. is being honest. How could she? Flora is uncooperative and she goes against everything D.D. has ever trained for. After what she went through Flora thinks she can take care of herself, yet she gets herself into some trouble that even she, didn’t anticipate.
In “Find Her” Lisa Gardner tells Flora Dane’s story. When I read “Look for Me” last year (the next novel after “Find Her”), I knew I need to go back and read this one. What I love about Lisa Gardner is that she can tell a suspenseful novel about characters who survive the unthinkable, being held captive, being tortured or worse, without being too gruesome or gory, unlike some other authors out there and she tells a compelling and captivating story to boot. Her books are gripping and harrowing and they keep you on the edge of your seat. It makes me wonder why I’ve only read a handful of her novels. All I can say is that I plan to change that. This was a very suspenseful, intriguing read and I recommend it highly.
Thank you to my local library and Overdrive for providing me with a copy of this book to read.
Published on Goodreads on 12.22.18.
Flora Dane didn’t originally go looking for trouble. The first time, it found her. In the worst way imaginable. For 472 days to be exact. Once she got out, she started looking for it, because she’s a survivor. Now, her main objective is tracking down men who want nothing more than to victimize women while she turns the tables on them.
Detective D.D. Warren doesn’t understand Flora Dane, nor does she really like her, if D.D. is being honest. How could she? Flora is uncooperative and she goes against everything D.D. has ever trained for. After what she went through Flora thinks she can take care of herself, yet she gets herself into some trouble that even she, didn’t anticipate.
In “Find Her” Lisa Gardner tells Flora Dane’s story. When I read “Look for Me” last year (the next novel after “Find Her”), I knew I need to go back and read this one. What I love about Lisa Gardner is that she can tell a suspenseful novel about characters who survive the unthinkable, being held captive, being tortured or worse, without being too gruesome or gory, unlike some other authors out there and she tells a compelling and captivating story to boot. Her books are gripping and harrowing and they keep you on the edge of your seat. It makes me wonder why I’ve only read a handful of her novels. All I can say is that I plan to change that. This was a very suspenseful, intriguing read and I recommend it highly.
Thank you to my local library and Overdrive for providing me with a copy of this book to read.
Published on Goodreads on 12.22.18.
August 22, 2024
Well, I certainly stayed up way-too-late...a couple of times...while reading Find Her.
August 11, 2017
5★★★★★ Thrilling Stars
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Type: Book 8 from Detective D.D. Warren Series - Standalone Stories
POV: First Person – Shifting
Expected Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016
Flora Dane was abducted and kept captive for 472 days seven years ago. Not many victims that disappear for so long walk out alive. However; either luck or not Flora managed to survive that horror that was being trapped by a monster. He did imaginable things that left her broken and traumatized for life. Seven years after Flora was found and taken back into society s at twenty seven year old he was still trying to fit in but life just wasn’t the same. She no longer felt like herself and struggle in a daily basis with nightmares of that horrible time. Flora’s mother is a true survivor’s mother she really was a hero in my eyes she never gave up on her daughter and even after she returned not herself she was always there for her. She had an FBI victim specialist assigned to Flora’s case; Samuel Keynes. He helped them tremendously getting her life back. He didn’t have to be involved anymore after so long but he was and I loved him for that, he was the only person Flora trusted.
When Detective D.D. Warren from Boston gets called in to a murder scene of a Bartender who gets burned alive by a victim aka Flora; Detective D.D. gets suspicious right away her instincts tells her she needs to look into that case much closer. Little did she know that she wasn’t going to get a break when she took this case. So many questions started to come up instead of answers. Detective D.D. is the best of the best in her department she was in house leave for an injury to her shoulder and was not supposed to be working the case. As a sergeant she only had to supervise instead of in hands-on investigating as a detective but she couldn’t leave it. She has a beautiful four year-old son Jack; and an amazing supportive husband that works as a crime scene reconstruction specialist and instructor at the police academy. Alex was so smart and often than not helped her cope with the cases and with their son. He even gave her some inside input and I loved their relationship so much. I enjoyed D.D. sarcastic ways she was such a bad ass detective.
This book was full of suspense from page one and it was a total roller coaster ride full of mystery and so intense. I was on the edge of my bed while reading this book the entire time. The author had you guessing; everyone was a suspect and it was so nerved wrecking trying to get to the truth. I love D.D’s sarcastic ways and the relationship she has with her team and husband’s it was such an enjoyable read. When D.D. realized that the male burned in the fire was possible responsible for the disappearance of two other missing girls this case was her priority. However; when she thought she had something and knew that Flora had the answers she finds that Flora was abducted once again from her own personal apartment. More questions more suspects and I was panicking the entire time. This book was twisted, raw, disturbing, but yet I just couldn’t stop reading this thriller of a story. I loved everything about this book no matter how disturbing it was it kept me hooked and intrigued and guessing everything at the same time. I wanted answers and holy hell it was a thrilling ride. To all my thriller suspense readers you will love this book. This book was written from both Flora and DD’s point of views. The fact that this author takes her time investigating missing cases in real life and talking to detectives makes this book so much more amazing and enjoyable because even though it’s fiction we do get a detailed of how these cases work in real life and how the Detectives work to Find Her.
Perfect song for this book:
Falling Inside The Black by Skillet
Book Series: Each are standalone
AMAZON PRE-ORDER LINK
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Type: Book 8 from Detective D.D. Warren Series - Standalone Stories
POV: First Person – Shifting
Expected Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016
”The repulsive man walks away. Leaves you once again all alone. Naked. Bruised. Bloody. Knowing things you never wanted to know. “Mommy,” you whisper. But this monster’s real. And there’s nothing anyone can do to save you anymore.”
Flora Dane was abducted and kept captive for 472 days seven years ago. Not many victims that disappear for so long walk out alive. However; either luck or not Flora managed to survive that horror that was being trapped by a monster. He did imaginable things that left her broken and traumatized for life. Seven years after Flora was found and taken back into society s at twenty seven year old he was still trying to fit in but life just wasn’t the same. She no longer felt like herself and struggle in a daily basis with nightmares of that horrible time. Flora’s mother is a true survivor’s mother she really was a hero in my eyes she never gave up on her daughter and even after she returned not herself she was always there for her. She had an FBI victim specialist assigned to Flora’s case; Samuel Keynes. He helped them tremendously getting her life back. He didn’t have to be involved anymore after so long but he was and I loved him for that, he was the only person Flora trusted.
“My kidnapper had a mission of his own, to remove all shred of humanity from me. To hollow me out, break me down, to turn me into nothing at all.” Flora
When Detective D.D. Warren from Boston gets called in to a murder scene of a Bartender who gets burned alive by a victim aka Flora; Detective D.D. gets suspicious right away her instincts tells her she needs to look into that case much closer. Little did she know that she wasn’t going to get a break when she took this case. So many questions started to come up instead of answers. Detective D.D. is the best of the best in her department she was in house leave for an injury to her shoulder and was not supposed to be working the case. As a sergeant she only had to supervise instead of in hands-on investigating as a detective but she couldn’t leave it. She has a beautiful four year-old son Jack; and an amazing supportive husband that works as a crime scene reconstruction specialist and instructor at the police academy. Alex was so smart and often than not helped her cope with the cases and with their son. He even gave her some inside input and I loved their relationship so much. I enjoyed D.D. sarcastic ways she was such a bad ass detective.
“Bound wrists don’t seem to indicate willingness.””Sorry. Given that it’s a Fifty shades of Grey world, I can’t make that assumption.” D.D.
“Flora’s gone missing…we’re no longer looking for one missing girl, we’re now looking for at least two.” D.D.
This book was full of suspense from page one and it was a total roller coaster ride full of mystery and so intense. I was on the edge of my bed while reading this book the entire time. The author had you guessing; everyone was a suspect and it was so nerved wrecking trying to get to the truth. I love D.D’s sarcastic ways and the relationship she has with her team and husband’s it was such an enjoyable read. When D.D. realized that the male burned in the fire was possible responsible for the disappearance of two other missing girls this case was her priority. However; when she thought she had something and knew that Flora had the answers she finds that Flora was abducted once again from her own personal apartment. More questions more suspects and I was panicking the entire time. This book was twisted, raw, disturbing, but yet I just couldn’t stop reading this thriller of a story. I loved everything about this book no matter how disturbing it was it kept me hooked and intrigued and guessing everything at the same time. I wanted answers and holy hell it was a thrilling ride. To all my thriller suspense readers you will love this book. This book was written from both Flora and DD’s point of views. The fact that this author takes her time investigating missing cases in real life and talking to detectives makes this book so much more amazing and enjoyable because even though it’s fiction we do get a detailed of how these cases work in real life and how the Detectives work to Find Her.
“Survivors make it because they learn to adapt. Adaptation is coping. Coping is strength.”
Perfect song for this book:
Falling Inside The Black by Skillet
Book Series: Each are standalone
AMAZON PRE-ORDER LINK
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
February 29, 2016
This is a decent murder-mystery / revenge thriller. It was my first Lisa Gardner book, so I can't compare it to others in the series, but the plot moved along quickly and kept me hooked enough to keep reading.
I picked up Find Her after seeing a positive review and was intrigued by the story, which is that Flora Dane had been abducted while on Spring Break in Florida and held captive for more than 400 days. Flora was eventually rescued, and during her survivor's counseling she found a new obsession: tracking down other rapists and killers to try and save more girls. Of course, putting herself in the way of killers and rapists leads to yet another dangerous situation, in which Boston detective D. D. Warren has to try and find her.
(The book review I saw said I could enjoy this novel without having read the previous books in the D.D. Warren series, and that was true. There were some references to what I presume were earlier stories, but I just ignored them, and they didn't affect my understanding of the current plot.)
The book rotates between three perspectives: there are flashbacks to Flora's first kidnapping; there is Flora's current predicament; and there is Warren trying to solve the current case. Gardner's writing is competent but awkward in parts, reminding me how difficult it is to write great crime fiction. In this novel, there were a few too many lengthy explanations and expositions, and of course there was the scene when the killer carefully explains how they did everything, just a few pages before they're caught.
Overall it was a good revenge thriller that I would recommend to fans of the genre.
Note: A warning to sensitive readers that there are some disturbing descriptions of Flora being held captive, but the rape and sex scenes are mercifully glossed over. This isn't torture porn.
Good Quote
"You must understand: Whatever demented thing you're too scared to consider, that's exactly what they're already fantasizing about. The big bads are out there ... Denial won't help you. Suppression won't save you. Best to meet it head-on. Understand the enemy. Accept their depravities. Then find the void and soldier on."
I picked up Find Her after seeing a positive review and was intrigued by the story, which is that Flora Dane had been abducted while on Spring Break in Florida and held captive for more than 400 days. Flora was eventually rescued, and during her survivor's counseling she found a new obsession: tracking down other rapists and killers to try and save more girls. Of course, putting herself in the way of killers and rapists leads to yet another dangerous situation, in which Boston detective D. D. Warren has to try and find her.
(The book review I saw said I could enjoy this novel without having read the previous books in the D.D. Warren series, and that was true. There were some references to what I presume were earlier stories, but I just ignored them, and they didn't affect my understanding of the current plot.)
The book rotates between three perspectives: there are flashbacks to Flora's first kidnapping; there is Flora's current predicament; and there is Warren trying to solve the current case. Gardner's writing is competent but awkward in parts, reminding me how difficult it is to write great crime fiction. In this novel, there were a few too many lengthy explanations and expositions, and of course there was the scene when the killer carefully explains how they did everything, just a few pages before they're caught.
Overall it was a good revenge thriller that I would recommend to fans of the genre.
Note: A warning to sensitive readers that there are some disturbing descriptions of Flora being held captive, but the rape and sex scenes are mercifully glossed over. This isn't torture porn.
Good Quote
"You must understand: Whatever demented thing you're too scared to consider, that's exactly what they're already fantasizing about. The big bads are out there ... Denial won't help you. Suppression won't save you. Best to meet it head-on. Understand the enemy. Accept their depravities. Then find the void and soldier on."
January 21, 2025
I am a huge fan of LISA GARDNER and have read all of her books. I always find myself waiting patiently for her next book release.
Although FIND HER didn't actually "wow" me it still gets a 5* rating from me because I wasn't able to guess the outcome on this one and it was a strong, solid read. But, not guessing the outcome isn't uncommon for me as Lisa Gardner pulls you into the storyline and I just want to be in the moment with D. D. Warren's case as it unfolds and don't find myself wanting to guess. She puts in lots of twists to keep you guessing, everyone is a suspect. FIND HER is a fitting title which was a gripping murder mystery thriller right from the very first page and we learn so much of what she is trying to portray with her characters. I loved the pace and the way that she keeps you interested throughout the whole novel. Her characters are believable, relatable, and very human.
The story was told with two different points of view that of Flora's (original kidnap survivor) which would alternate from past memories to present situation and Lisa Gardner's continuing character of the Boston PD, Detective D. D. Warren.
LISA GARDNER has done an excellent job with this book. The storyline was executed very well and was easy to follow along with all the characters involved. It did take me a little longer to read this one but that was only because I didn't get much spare time to read over the weekend.
It was a suspense filled, fast-paced, quick, and easy read with a very satisfying ending. Would recommend!
Although FIND HER didn't actually "wow" me it still gets a 5* rating from me because I wasn't able to guess the outcome on this one and it was a strong, solid read. But, not guessing the outcome isn't uncommon for me as Lisa Gardner pulls you into the storyline and I just want to be in the moment with D. D. Warren's case as it unfolds and don't find myself wanting to guess. She puts in lots of twists to keep you guessing, everyone is a suspect. FIND HER is a fitting title which was a gripping murder mystery thriller right from the very first page and we learn so much of what she is trying to portray with her characters. I loved the pace and the way that she keeps you interested throughout the whole novel. Her characters are believable, relatable, and very human.
The story was told with two different points of view that of Flora's (original kidnap survivor) which would alternate from past memories to present situation and Lisa Gardner's continuing character of the Boston PD, Detective D. D. Warren.
LISA GARDNER has done an excellent job with this book. The storyline was executed very well and was easy to follow along with all the characters involved. It did take me a little longer to read this one but that was only because I didn't get much spare time to read over the weekend.
It was a suspense filled, fast-paced, quick, and easy read with a very satisfying ending. Would recommend!
July 25, 2017
5 Give up Sleep Gladly Stars
* * * * * Available Now!
My title for this review says it all. I was fortunate to have talked my way into the good graces of the publisher and they gave me the ok to read this. It was understandable for their concern.... after all I read mostly romance.
However, I am someone who likes all types of experiences and thrillers, psychological dramas, mysteries were my bread and butter for many years. I could deal with the blood, guts and gore with the best of them... so after my persuading to entrust me with this book, I dove right in.
Now I don't know about you, but starting a thriller at 10 PM... not always the smartest idea. Especially one so gripping from the first page. If you have read the blurb... then you have an idea of how caught up one could get from the start.... and if you have read Lisa Gardner before...then you will know what happened...
I read for about 4 hours (2AM) and then thought I would go to sleep.
NOT.
Proceeded to pick up this book around 4AM after some fitful rest and just said, What the Hell- I am off today.
This story is told with two POV's; Flora's, the original kidnap survivor and the continuing character of the Boston PD, Detective D. D. Warren.
We experience so much at the hands of this author. We learn about what it feels to have the you ... you know, taken away....and it can be done in any number of ways... Of course the obvious, by being kidnapped and broken down; but then there is another way to be changed...
The need to find yourself again...and that can happen from an accident on the job. By being injured and having to relearn how to have the strength to hold your weapon regulation style. So both of these characters have to come to grips with this issue...and they do eventually but it is a journey.
This ride was so fast and layered. It asked deep questions of what would you do if in the same situation. It gave understanding to those who may have ever doubted actions by those in similar kidnap situations. It brought documented explanations to a novel about how the mind can continue to adapt and fight to stay alive. How bonding and imprinting of sorts happens during these types of events and how it can be crippling, causing those taken to not do actions we think we would in a heartbeat.
I loved the pace and way this author built her momentum. Nothing was wasted or repetitive for me. Her characters rang true and were very human. Which means, not everything was cookie cutter perfect.
My advice when reading this is... go in with only the blurb...you get the idea, the feel of it all and then it is up to you to dive in. There are serious life lesson in this. The author credits the appropriate people for their contributions and I thank them, too.
One of the best reads in a very long time. Thank you, Lisa Gardner.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
This is a book which called out to me...
Wendy...I'm here....
Time to take a walk on the Dark, thriller side....
Well, never let it be said I won't take a challenge...
So on with my Naughty Nancy Drew Hat....
Bring it on...
A gifted copy was provided by Penguin via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * * Available Now!
My title for this review says it all. I was fortunate to have talked my way into the good graces of the publisher and they gave me the ok to read this. It was understandable for their concern.... after all I read mostly romance.
However, I am someone who likes all types of experiences and thrillers, psychological dramas, mysteries were my bread and butter for many years. I could deal with the blood, guts and gore with the best of them... so after my persuading to entrust me with this book, I dove right in.
Now I don't know about you, but starting a thriller at 10 PM... not always the smartest idea. Especially one so gripping from the first page. If you have read the blurb... then you have an idea of how caught up one could get from the start.... and if you have read Lisa Gardner before...then you will know what happened...
I read for about 4 hours (2AM) and then thought I would go to sleep.
NOT.
Proceeded to pick up this book around 4AM after some fitful rest and just said, What the Hell- I am off today.
This story is told with two POV's; Flora's, the original kidnap survivor and the continuing character of the Boston PD, Detective D. D. Warren.
We experience so much at the hands of this author. We learn about what it feels to have the you ... you know, taken away....and it can be done in any number of ways... Of course the obvious, by being kidnapped and broken down; but then there is another way to be changed...
The need to find yourself again...and that can happen from an accident on the job. By being injured and having to relearn how to have the strength to hold your weapon regulation style. So both of these characters have to come to grips with this issue...and they do eventually but it is a journey.
This ride was so fast and layered. It asked deep questions of what would you do if in the same situation. It gave understanding to those who may have ever doubted actions by those in similar kidnap situations. It brought documented explanations to a novel about how the mind can continue to adapt and fight to stay alive. How bonding and imprinting of sorts happens during these types of events and how it can be crippling, causing those taken to not do actions we think we would in a heartbeat.
I loved the pace and way this author built her momentum. Nothing was wasted or repetitive for me. Her characters rang true and were very human. Which means, not everything was cookie cutter perfect.
My advice when reading this is... go in with only the blurb...you get the idea, the feel of it all and then it is up to you to dive in. There are serious life lesson in this. The author credits the appropriate people for their contributions and I thank them, too.
One of the best reads in a very long time. Thank you, Lisa Gardner.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
This is a book which called out to me...
Wendy...I'm here....
Time to take a walk on the Dark, thriller side....
Well, never let it be said I won't take a challenge...
So on with my Naughty Nancy Drew Hat....
Bring it on...
A gifted copy was provided by Penguin via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
December 10, 2016
Wow Lisa Gardner is Back with Find Her the latest DD warren novel she got her mojo back, not that she ever lost it.
Flora Dane is held captive for 472 days with a psycho before she was found DD is sent in to find out about her after the sudden disappearance of three girls years later the more DD digs into the disappearances the more she is struggling with finding out information about Flora What is she hiding & WHY IS SHE HOLDING OUT ON DD??
The prep Devon Goulding who is a suspect in the disappearances is found dead so he cant be the killer SO WHO IS??
What we find out is a lot of creepy information about Flora I would rather go into lets just say she is a piece of work!!
Lisa garner writes an exceptional thriller that will keep you hooked right up to the end.
Flora Dane is held captive for 472 days with a psycho before she was found DD is sent in to find out about her after the sudden disappearance of three girls years later the more DD digs into the disappearances the more she is struggling with finding out information about Flora What is she hiding & WHY IS SHE HOLDING OUT ON DD??
The prep Devon Goulding who is a suspect in the disappearances is found dead so he cant be the killer SO WHO IS??
What we find out is a lot of creepy information about Flora I would rather go into lets just say she is a piece of work!!
Lisa garner writes an exceptional thriller that will keep you hooked right up to the end.
February 9, 2017
I have enjoyed all the D.D.Warren novels so far and this one was no exception. The story was intriguing and the suspense was edge of the seat stuff which kept this reader turning pages as fast as possible. More than 400 of them disappeared in the twinkling of an eye as I raced to find out who did what!
On the cover Sharon Bolton is quoted as saying that Lisa Gardner is "an absolute master of the psychological suspense novel." She certainly is!
On the cover Sharon Bolton is quoted as saying that Lisa Gardner is "an absolute master of the psychological suspense novel." She certainly is!
February 17, 2016
Once again, I am thrilled! THRILLED!! With a Lisa Gardner book.
Flora Dane was abducted and stored in a coffin-shaped box for 472 days. That's 15½ months. The deterioration, destruction, and disappearance of her "self" was hard to read about. On the occasions when she eventually was able to spend time out of the box, it grew harder to empathize with her. Now, 5 years after her rescue, the new Flora, Flora 2.0 as she calls herself, is extremely hard to understand or like.
Flora apparently is connected somehow to the disappearance of three other girls. D.D. Warren is in a supervisory position now and supposed to be on desk duty (like an injury would keep D.D. at a desk). Her team now includes a new female detective, and every detective is totally confused by the facts as they know them so far.
To be honest, so was I. I thought I'd found an editorial error, and I couldn't get to sleep that night because I was thinking about it. I thought this is Lisa Gardner and she has a great editorial team. Surely that type of mistake would have been caught. So logic tells me it has to be intentional. But this event just couldn't have happened that way! It was driving me nuts!!
The next morning, I went back, double checking what I'd read. Yup, I understood everything correctly. So I did the only thing I could do. I kept reading and hoping things would be made clear. Again, this is Lisa Gardner. Of course, it all made sense at the end. In the end, there was love and hope. Hope for Flora 3.0.
You know what made my eyes tear up, though? The last two sentences of Lisa Gardner's Acknowledgments.
Flora Dane was abducted and stored in a coffin-shaped box for 472 days. That's 15½ months. The deterioration, destruction, and disappearance of her "self" was hard to read about. On the occasions when she eventually was able to spend time out of the box, it grew harder to empathize with her. Now, 5 years after her rescue, the new Flora, Flora 2.0 as she calls herself, is extremely hard to understand or like.
Flora apparently is connected somehow to the disappearance of three other girls. D.D. Warren is in a supervisory position now and supposed to be on desk duty (like an injury would keep D.D. at a desk). Her team now includes a new female detective, and every detective is totally confused by the facts as they know them so far.
To be honest, so was I. I thought I'd found an editorial error, and I couldn't get to sleep that night because I was thinking about it. I thought this is Lisa Gardner and she has a great editorial team. Surely that type of mistake would have been caught. So logic tells me it has to be intentional. But this event just couldn't have happened that way! It was driving me nuts!!
The next morning, I went back, double checking what I'd read. Yup, I understood everything correctly. So I did the only thing I could do. I kept reading and hoping things would be made clear. Again, this is Lisa Gardner. Of course, it all made sense at the end. In the end, there was love and hope. Hope for Flora 3.0.
You know what made my eyes tear up, though? The last two sentences of Lisa Gardner's Acknowledgments.
August 31, 2020
Five years ago, Flora Dane was rescued 472 days after her abduction while on spring break in Florida. Severely traumatized, she worked to regain her life over the ensuing months. Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren arrives at a puzzling scene where a man lies dead and the woman responsible stands bound and naked over him. Apparently that man had abducted her and she managed to save herself. When D. D. learns that the woman is Flora, she wonders if the former captive has turned into an avenging angel, less victim and more perpetrator, especially after learning this is becoming a pattern.
This is one of the most exceptional stories in the series and the hardest one for me to listen to at the same time. It features my greatest nightmare and begins with it. The narrator’s outstanding performance heightened my anxiety as she voiced Flora’s fears in this state of captivity years ago. I literally had to force myself to continue listening and push through it. To say I experienced this story vicariously doesn’t even come close to my reality. But yet I moved on, riveted not only by that situation but what came after because to know Flora, you had to live what she did.
What I will take away from this story is a stronger understanding of what long-term captivity does to the psyche of the person who is returned. Through Flora, Gardner created an exceptional example to give us that insight. In the meantime, she also gave us a much needed opening into D. D.’s psychology, letting us see for the first time how she really sees herself. The case was intriguing but the heart of it all was these two women. This was an extraordinary listening experience.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
This is one of the most exceptional stories in the series and the hardest one for me to listen to at the same time. It features my greatest nightmare and begins with it. The narrator’s outstanding performance heightened my anxiety as she voiced Flora’s fears in this state of captivity years ago. I literally had to force myself to continue listening and push through it. To say I experienced this story vicariously doesn’t even come close to my reality. But yet I moved on, riveted not only by that situation but what came after because to know Flora, you had to live what she did.
What I will take away from this story is a stronger understanding of what long-term captivity does to the psyche of the person who is returned. Through Flora, Gardner created an exceptional example to give us that insight. In the meantime, she also gave us a much needed opening into D. D.’s psychology, letting us see for the first time how she really sees herself. The case was intriguing but the heart of it all was these two women. This was an extraordinary listening experience.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
February 18, 2016
Find Her, by Lisa Gardner, is another edge of your seat thriller featuring Detective D.D. Warren.
D.D. is on restricted duty due to a work related injury but that doesn't keep her behind a desk for long.
Flora Dane is a survivor. She was kidnapped and held for 472 days and we learn of her terrifying ordeal. Once free she tries to come to terms with her freedom and new life after living a nightmare at the hands of a madman. Bringing other predators to justice seems to be her sole focus.
When Flora disappears again Detective D.D. Warren and her team, along with Flora's FBI victim advocate try to find Flora as well as other victims.
I applaud Ms. Gardner for her research to provide us with such an accurate portrayal of the emotions of the victims of sexual predators.
A chilling, suspenseful thriller with many creepy moments that nightmares are made of.
D.D. is on restricted duty due to a work related injury but that doesn't keep her behind a desk for long.
Flora Dane is a survivor. She was kidnapped and held for 472 days and we learn of her terrifying ordeal. Once free she tries to come to terms with her freedom and new life after living a nightmare at the hands of a madman. Bringing other predators to justice seems to be her sole focus.
When Flora disappears again Detective D.D. Warren and her team, along with Flora's FBI victim advocate try to find Flora as well as other victims.
I applaud Ms. Gardner for her research to provide us with such an accurate portrayal of the emotions of the victims of sexual predators.
A chilling, suspenseful thriller with many creepy moments that nightmares are made of.
May 15, 2017
Find Her was chilling and one of the more disturbing stories I’ve read by Lisa Gardner. Once I truly sat down and started reading, I couldn’t put the book down and I have to say the story haunted me.
Detective D.D. Warren is called to bizarre homicide where the victim turned the tables on her abductor before he did her any damage. Once D.D. starts asking questions she soon realizes there is more than meets the eye with the victim, Flora Dane, because this isn’t the first time Flora has been a victim of abduction.
Flora Dane was held for four hundred and seventy-two days by a monster. She survived, but forever changed. Now five years later Flora will not be a victim again, quite the opposite, she’s obsessed with cases of missing girls. The case of Stacy Summers particularly captures Flora’s interest. Stacy goes out having drinks at a bar and disappears. The last she’s seen is on a surveillance video being led away by a dark figure. That was three months ago, and Flora’s determined to find her. Unfortunately, her investigations put her in danger and she goes missing. Will D.D. be able to put all the pieces of the past and present together and find Flora before it’s too late? Man, I was hoping so!
Like I said, Find Her was disturbing and suspenseful, a real nail-biter! I found the shifts to Flora’s past upsetting, not that the details are explicit, but my imagination has no problem filling in the blanks. My stomach twists thinking about what Flora went through, as little by little the story of her past abduction is revealed, and how she came out of it. But Flora is a survivor, and I relished the parts where she stood up for herself. She took control by taking self-defense and educating herself. This was very much a tale of what happens to a victim after they’re “saved” because it’s apparent after reading this story that is most definitely not the end to their ordeal.
You don’t have to read the previous books in this series or know the prior history of Detective D.D. Warren to enjoy Find Her, but she is one of my favorite regulars in Lisa Gardner’s mysteries. While her personal story is very much in the background, I’ve enjoyed seeing her find love and family throughout the series. Not that there haven’t been ups and downs, but I love it when an author portrays a solid marriage weathering tough times together. D.D. needs to thank her lucky stars that she found Alex, such a supportive and understanding husband! I love every scene with that man! D.D. is on restricted duty after sustaining an injury in Fear Nothing(book 7) but staying on the sidelines in a supervisory position is not her style. She’s in the thick of things hunting down the bad guy!
If you haven’t picked up a Lisa Gardner mystery you are missing out. I’ve been a fan of her well-plotted and researched mysteries for years. Her stories will stay with you and leave you thinking for days if not years.
A copy was kindly provided by Dutton via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
Detective D.D. Warren is called to bizarre homicide where the victim turned the tables on her abductor before he did her any damage. Once D.D. starts asking questions she soon realizes there is more than meets the eye with the victim, Flora Dane, because this isn’t the first time Flora has been a victim of abduction.
Flora Dane was held for four hundred and seventy-two days by a monster. She survived, but forever changed. Now five years later Flora will not be a victim again, quite the opposite, she’s obsessed with cases of missing girls. The case of Stacy Summers particularly captures Flora’s interest. Stacy goes out having drinks at a bar and disappears. The last she’s seen is on a surveillance video being led away by a dark figure. That was three months ago, and Flora’s determined to find her. Unfortunately, her investigations put her in danger and she goes missing. Will D.D. be able to put all the pieces of the past and present together and find Flora before it’s too late? Man, I was hoping so!
Like I said, Find Her was disturbing and suspenseful, a real nail-biter! I found the shifts to Flora’s past upsetting, not that the details are explicit, but my imagination has no problem filling in the blanks. My stomach twists thinking about what Flora went through, as little by little the story of her past abduction is revealed, and how she came out of it. But Flora is a survivor, and I relished the parts where she stood up for herself. She took control by taking self-defense and educating herself. This was very much a tale of what happens to a victim after they’re “saved” because it’s apparent after reading this story that is most definitely not the end to their ordeal.
You don’t have to read the previous books in this series or know the prior history of Detective D.D. Warren to enjoy Find Her, but she is one of my favorite regulars in Lisa Gardner’s mysteries. While her personal story is very much in the background, I’ve enjoyed seeing her find love and family throughout the series. Not that there haven’t been ups and downs, but I love it when an author portrays a solid marriage weathering tough times together. D.D. needs to thank her lucky stars that she found Alex, such a supportive and understanding husband! I love every scene with that man! D.D. is on restricted duty after sustaining an injury in Fear Nothing(book 7) but staying on the sidelines in a supervisory position is not her style. She’s in the thick of things hunting down the bad guy!
If you haven’t picked up a Lisa Gardner mystery you are missing out. I’ve been a fan of her well-plotted and researched mysteries for years. Her stories will stay with you and leave you thinking for days if not years.
A copy was kindly provided by Dutton via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
March 3, 2019
Find Her by Lisa Gardner is both bizarre and brilliant. Readers of Ms. Gardner’s D.D. Warren series already know what a fine writer she is. Detective D.D. Warren – that’s D for Determined and D for Driven – is supposed to be on desk duty due to injuries sustained while on a previous investigation, but try as they might, they can’t keep D.D. down. As her fellow officers remind her, she is allowed to delegate responsibilities, and she does try, but she just can’t help herself. D.D. is still trying to be in the thick of things, but she starts to realize that she mustn’t, and can’t do it all. So she does do some delegating. I wish some of her team members were developed more, as I feel I hardly know them except perhaps for the pathologist. However, I did like Samuel, the FBI advocate. I liked Flora’s mother, too. What a strong woman! I must also mention D.D.’s husband Alex and her four-year-old son Jack. I enjoy seeing this side of our dedicated, devoted detective. Unwinding, being a wife and mom.
Find Her features a woman named Flora Dane, who five years earlier was kidnapped while on a beach during spring break. She was confined to a pine box during much of her 472-day captivity. Over the course of the narrative, we hear Flora’s account of the events that took place during those days and months that she spent with her captor. We hear how she became dependent upon him, how she hated him, “loved” him, and felt like she lost herself.
Five years later, she is free. But is she really? She told her story to FBI victim advocate Samuel Keynes and has told no one else since. Now there is another young woman missing, and somehow Flora seems to be involved in her case. Is she treading where she should not go? Is she a vigilante? An advocate? Or a victim? Perhaps all three?
Chapter by chapter, sentence by sentence, word by word, Flora’s story unfolds. Her past is revealed, alternating with her present. Is it “deja vu all over again”? There are truly some bizarre twists early on that shocked me. As I continued to read, I realized that they are clues, brilliantly laid out. In doing so, Gardner portrays evil personified in ways that make us realize how devastating these abductions are to a victim’s body and psyche.
I also appreciate what must have been extensive research into kidnapping and abuse and the after-effects on victims and their families. How do they move on from being victims to survivors to persons living life again? Lisa Gardner portrays this effort in an impactful way. I love this series, and I loved this book!
5 stars
January 8, 2017
Seven years ago Flora Dane was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days she was held captive. And then she was freed. But is Flora really free? For 5 years she has obsessed with other young woman who have disappeared. Most recently Stacey Summers a college co-ed in Boston. Flora puts herself in situations where she will once again become a victim. Except in the past 5 years Flora has learned a lot about self defense and criminal behavior. She will stop the predators. Flora refers to herself as Flora 2.0. She is not the same carefree young girl she once was. Is Flora a victim? Or is Flora a vigilante?
While drinking at a local Boston nightclub, trying to learn more about Stacey, Flora is kidnapped ... again. This time the predator is the bartender, Devon Goulding. But Devon doesn't realize who he is dealing with. This is not just some drunk and defenseless co-ed. This is Flora 2.0 and she not only gets free but in the process kills the predator. The tables have been turned. Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene. The kidnapper is dead. The victim is bound and naked but something is off. Talking with Flora at the scene she realizes this is not your typical kidnapping. Is Flora a victim? Or is Flora a vigilante?
D.D. cannot charge Flora with any crime ... yet. Flora doesn't call her mother. She doesn't call a lawyer. Instead she calls her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes who takes her home. But D.D. isn't finished. There are questions that need to be answered. When D.D. goes to Flora's home the next day she is gone. The scene is suspicious. Since being rescued 5 years ago, taking self defense courses, and learning about criminal behavior D.D. finds that the door and every window in security conscious Flora's apartment is unlocked. Flora's mother has not heard from her and there is no answer on her cell phone. Of course not. The cell phone is still in Flora's apartment. D.D. calls Samuel Keynes. Is Flora a victim? Or is Flora a vigilante?
As D.D. investigates she comes to the understanding that a far more sinister predator is out there. When D.D. and her team searched Devon Goulding's home after he was killed by Flora they found no connection to Stacey Summers but they found "trophies" linking him to two other missing women. The Stacey Summers case is a major case. Did Flora find something in her search? The race is on to find her before she becomes a victim. Or is she a vigilante?
While drinking at a local Boston nightclub, trying to learn more about Stacey, Flora is kidnapped ... again. This time the predator is the bartender, Devon Goulding. But Devon doesn't realize who he is dealing with. This is not just some drunk and defenseless co-ed. This is Flora 2.0 and she not only gets free but in the process kills the predator. The tables have been turned. Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene. The kidnapper is dead. The victim is bound and naked but something is off. Talking with Flora at the scene she realizes this is not your typical kidnapping. Is Flora a victim? Or is Flora a vigilante?
D.D. cannot charge Flora with any crime ... yet. Flora doesn't call her mother. She doesn't call a lawyer. Instead she calls her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes who takes her home. But D.D. isn't finished. There are questions that need to be answered. When D.D. goes to Flora's home the next day she is gone. The scene is suspicious. Since being rescued 5 years ago, taking self defense courses, and learning about criminal behavior D.D. finds that the door and every window in security conscious Flora's apartment is unlocked. Flora's mother has not heard from her and there is no answer on her cell phone. Of course not. The cell phone is still in Flora's apartment. D.D. calls Samuel Keynes. Is Flora a victim? Or is Flora a vigilante?
As D.D. investigates she comes to the understanding that a far more sinister predator is out there. When D.D. and her team searched Devon Goulding's home after he was killed by Flora they found no connection to Stacey Summers but they found "trophies" linking him to two other missing women. The Stacey Summers case is a major case. Did Flora find something in her search? The race is on to find her before she becomes a victim. Or is she a vigilante?
August 1, 2022
I’ve only read a couple of books in this series, but I really enjoy it and hope to track more down. I won’t lie, I read about Flora in another book and I wanted to read more about her story so I purposefully picked this one next - Flora’s original book. The writing was good even if you do have to suspend a little disbelief for the plot.
Flora was kidnapped and held by her captor for 472 days, mostly in a pine coffin. It’s been five years, and she is now currently obsessed with other missing girls. The book starts with Flora at a bar hanging with but things don’t end how she envisions it and she is kidnapped, but this time she is ready to defend herself. After police came she disappears and it isn’t clear if she is a vigilante or a survivor and if she is missing or taken yet again. Great story, can’t wait to read more in this series.
Flora was kidnapped and held by her captor for 472 days, mostly in a pine coffin. It’s been five years, and she is now currently obsessed with other missing girls. The book starts with Flora at a bar hanging with but things don’t end how she envisions it and she is kidnapped, but this time she is ready to defend herself. After police came she disappears and it isn’t clear if she is a vigilante or a survivor and if she is missing or taken yet again. Great story, can’t wait to read more in this series.
January 6, 2022
First few sentences of the book and I am already claustrauphobic. Damn. Few paragraphs more and I am hooked. Damn.
The 8 hours I spent reading this is worth it! I loved the characters. I got too immersed in the story I couldn’t put it down even if I wanted to. Flora Dane is a badass! Lisa Gardner is a genius! The amount of research and hardwork to put all of this together is admirable in itself! I am obsessed!
Lisa Gardner! I will devote a month of my time reading all of your books. So good!
The 8 hours I spent reading this is worth it! I loved the characters. I got too immersed in the story I couldn’t put it down even if I wanted to. Flora Dane is a badass! Lisa Gardner is a genius! The amount of research and hardwork to put all of this together is admirable in itself! I am obsessed!
Lisa Gardner! I will devote a month of my time reading all of your books. So good!
February 2, 2016
“When you first wake up in a dark wooden box, you’ll tell yourself this isn’t happening.”
Florence Dane is a survivor. She spent 472 days as the prisoner of a sexual predator, locked for much of the time in a wooden coffin; and still she lived to tell the tale. Now, she is free, but the girl she once was is gone forever. The woman who took her place is obsessed with finding missing people, with bringing to justice those who take them from their lives.
But is it justice she is seeking, or revenge. What really happened to Florence during her 472 days of captivity? And is she a survivor? Or a monster?
Lisa Gardner is an absolute master of the psychological suspense novel. This story proceeds at a breathless pace, springing surprises at every turn and building up the tension to an almost unbearable level. Fans of her recurring character, DD Warren, will love it.
Florence Dane is a survivor. She spent 472 days as the prisoner of a sexual predator, locked for much of the time in a wooden coffin; and still she lived to tell the tale. Now, she is free, but the girl she once was is gone forever. The woman who took her place is obsessed with finding missing people, with bringing to justice those who take them from their lives.
But is it justice she is seeking, or revenge. What really happened to Florence during her 472 days of captivity? And is she a survivor? Or a monster?
Lisa Gardner is an absolute master of the psychological suspense novel. This story proceeds at a breathless pace, springing surprises at every turn and building up the tension to an almost unbearable level. Fans of her recurring character, DD Warren, will love it.
July 1, 2016
This was a fabulous read. I must read more from this very talented author!
February 28, 2022
I'm not tired. I'm not hungry. I'm not cold. I am okay.
D.D. Warren is back in force in this next action filled chapter. Flora, an astonishingly strong and remarkable young woman in her twenties has been through unspeakable horror, having been kidnapped for 492 days, mostly locked in a cheap pine coffin. The unimaginable happens and she goes missing again. I was sitting at the edge of my seat the whole time; it was hard to stick to just a few pages at night. As always, this series is a very easy read.
Flora is a renegade, clearly on a mission to stop this happening again to other young vulnerable women. The character development is such that each character is fleshed out with such detail and D.D. is definitely fighting a challenge to gain a firm grip on her case.
Flora seems to be a law until herself, is she a victim, or a perpetrator in this new scenario?
An FBI victim advocate, Samuel, is assigned to Flora's family and D.D. is tying to reconcile the close bond he has with Flora and her mother. He is extremely close to this family and as it becomes increasingly fraught with the possibility of a real connection with Flora's original kidnapping we see D.D having to cut corners. She's not on active duty and is meant to be supervising; her shoulder not completely convalesced.
I loved the characters of Samuel, who was very knowledgeable, and Flora's mother Rosa who was a strong and capable woman, it was easy to tell she had raised her daughter with an amazing strength.
D.D. is as stubborn as ever, her partner Phil needing to reign her in more than once, and we see that D.D will never be happy sitting on the side line sifting through paper work and not being totally immersed in her cases.
As a big fan of this series I was definitely left hoping she will be able to get back into the field as much as she ever was before her devastating injury, it is her life's passion and the serious scenes with her husband gave me hope for this and showed the never seen before vulnerability of this hardened detective. Somehow I think D.D would be mightily taken by this tour de force called Flora.
D.D. Warren is back in force in this next action filled chapter. Flora, an astonishingly strong and remarkable young woman in her twenties has been through unspeakable horror, having been kidnapped for 492 days, mostly locked in a cheap pine coffin. The unimaginable happens and she goes missing again. I was sitting at the edge of my seat the whole time; it was hard to stick to just a few pages at night. As always, this series is a very easy read.
Flora is a renegade, clearly on a mission to stop this happening again to other young vulnerable women. The character development is such that each character is fleshed out with such detail and D.D. is definitely fighting a challenge to gain a firm grip on her case.
Flora seems to be a law until herself, is she a victim, or a perpetrator in this new scenario?
An FBI victim advocate, Samuel, is assigned to Flora's family and D.D. is tying to reconcile the close bond he has with Flora and her mother. He is extremely close to this family and as it becomes increasingly fraught with the possibility of a real connection with Flora's original kidnapping we see D.D having to cut corners. She's not on active duty and is meant to be supervising; her shoulder not completely convalesced.
I loved the characters of Samuel, who was very knowledgeable, and Flora's mother Rosa who was a strong and capable woman, it was easy to tell she had raised her daughter with an amazing strength.
D.D. is as stubborn as ever, her partner Phil needing to reign her in more than once, and we see that D.D will never be happy sitting on the side line sifting through paper work and not being totally immersed in her cases.
As a big fan of this series I was definitely left hoping she will be able to get back into the field as much as she ever was before her devastating injury, it is her life's passion and the serious scenes with her husband gave me hope for this and showed the never seen before vulnerability of this hardened detective. Somehow I think D.D would be mightily taken by this tour de force called Flora.
January 27, 2016
Thank You to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for a advanced copy.
Flora Dane is a victim.
Seven years ago, carefree college student Flora was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days, Flora learned just how much one person can endure.
Flora Dane is a survivor.
Miraculously alive after her ordeal, Flora has spent the past five years reacquainting herself with the rhythms of normal life, working with her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes. She has a mother who’s never stopped loving her, a brother who is scared of the person she’s become, and a bedroom wall, covered with photos of other girls who’ve never made it home.
Flora Dane is reckless.
...Or is she? When Boston Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime-- a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him-- she learns that Flora has taken on three other suspects since her return to society. Is Flora a victim, or a vigilante? And with her firsthand knowledge of criminal behavior, could she hold the key to rescuing a missing college student whose abduction has rocked Boston? When Flora herself disappears, D.D. realizes a far more sinister predator is out there. One who’s determined that this time, Flora Dane will never escape.
And now it is all up to D.D. Warren to Find Her.
A unique and different story, compelling and gripping with a flawed character in Flora Dane, with her flashbacks of her past and her life now, and the great return of DD.
A plot, where I did not know the villain, and my guess was way out !!
Gripping, tense, great characters and lots of red herrings.
A four star book for me, and recommended a great author.
Flora Dane is a victim.
Seven years ago, carefree college student Flora was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days, Flora learned just how much one person can endure.
Flora Dane is a survivor.
Miraculously alive after her ordeal, Flora has spent the past five years reacquainting herself with the rhythms of normal life, working with her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes. She has a mother who’s never stopped loving her, a brother who is scared of the person she’s become, and a bedroom wall, covered with photos of other girls who’ve never made it home.
Flora Dane is reckless.
...Or is she? When Boston Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime-- a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him-- she learns that Flora has taken on three other suspects since her return to society. Is Flora a victim, or a vigilante? And with her firsthand knowledge of criminal behavior, could she hold the key to rescuing a missing college student whose abduction has rocked Boston? When Flora herself disappears, D.D. realizes a far more sinister predator is out there. One who’s determined that this time, Flora Dane will never escape.
And now it is all up to D.D. Warren to Find Her.
A unique and different story, compelling and gripping with a flawed character in Flora Dane, with her flashbacks of her past and her life now, and the great return of DD.
A plot, where I did not know the villain, and my guess was way out !!
Gripping, tense, great characters and lots of red herrings.
A four star book for me, and recommended a great author.
February 4, 2016
I have read several Lisa Gardner books and many of the Detective DD Warren series so I was keen to read this latest one in the series, N0. 8 in fact.
Florence Dane spent 472 days as the prisoner of a sexual predator, spending most of her time in a wooden coffin. Now free, she is obsessed with finding missing people and bringing their kidnappers to justice.
A fast paced novel that is full of suspense and a good few surprises. The 8th book in the series but would work as a stand alone.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Headline for supplying me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
Florence Dane spent 472 days as the prisoner of a sexual predator, spending most of her time in a wooden coffin. Now free, she is obsessed with finding missing people and bringing their kidnappers to justice.
A fast paced novel that is full of suspense and a good few surprises. The 8th book in the series but would work as a stand alone.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Headline for supplying me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
November 8, 2017
We meet Flora Dane five years after her kidnapping, where she was held for 472 days by a psycho. She goes from a victim to a survivor. Flora takes self-defense courses and shooting practice. She plasters her bedroom wall with pictures and articles of missing persons, stories of those who have not returned.
When Detective D. D. Warren meets Flora, it is in the back of a police cruiser. Flora won't talk to D. D. about the kidnapper laying dead on the lawn. Instead, Flora called Samuel Keynes, FBI victim specialist. He is the only one who understands her.
Detective Warren discovers that this is the third time Flora has been a suspect. D. D. starts to ponder whether Flora has gone from victim to vigilante. When Flora is kidnapped a third time, it's a race against time to find her. Will Detective D. D. Warren be in time to save Flora?
A dark, twisted novel about surviving, kidnapped victims. We learn surviving is a journey. Flora Dane is a character we feel both as a victim and as a survivor. We learn what it was like to be held for 472 days -- starvation, rapes, beatings -- and what it has taken to pull herself back together. Flora isn't the college student any longer. As she says, she is "Flora 2.0." However, her memories from the kidnapping never stop. The nightmares still haunt her. What she did to survive make her feel like a monster. I would recommend this psychological thriller. This is my second book in the D. D. Warren series. Though it can be read as a standalone, I feel reading the backlist is helpful.
When Detective D. D. Warren meets Flora, it is in the back of a police cruiser. Flora won't talk to D. D. about the kidnapper laying dead on the lawn. Instead, Flora called Samuel Keynes, FBI victim specialist. He is the only one who understands her.
Detective Warren discovers that this is the third time Flora has been a suspect. D. D. starts to ponder whether Flora has gone from victim to vigilante. When Flora is kidnapped a third time, it's a race against time to find her. Will Detective D. D. Warren be in time to save Flora?
A dark, twisted novel about surviving, kidnapped victims. We learn surviving is a journey. Flora Dane is a character we feel both as a victim and as a survivor. We learn what it was like to be held for 472 days -- starvation, rapes, beatings -- and what it has taken to pull herself back together. Flora isn't the college student any longer. As she says, she is "Flora 2.0." However, her memories from the kidnapping never stop. The nightmares still haunt her. What she did to survive make her feel like a monster. I would recommend this psychological thriller. This is my second book in the D. D. Warren series. Though it can be read as a standalone, I feel reading the backlist is helpful.
February 11, 2020
This is the 8th book in the Detective DD Warren series. I am a massive fan and this one kept me up to the early hours of the morning saying just one more chapter!!
Flora Dane was kept captive for 472 in a coffin shaped box by Jacob Ness who starved and sexually abused her. She finally escapes and shoots Jacob.
After her ordeal Flora has returned a different woman, she is stronger after learning self defence and wants to help other women in the same position as her, even if it puts her in dangerous situations.
I am totally hooked on Lisa Gardner’s books and this one was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat!! She has a wonderful way of writing nitty gritty scenes without being too gory.
A must read book but be warned once you have read one book you will want to binge on her other books!!
Flora Dane was kept captive for 472 in a coffin shaped box by Jacob Ness who starved and sexually abused her. She finally escapes and shoots Jacob.
After her ordeal Flora has returned a different woman, she is stronger after learning self defence and wants to help other women in the same position as her, even if it puts her in dangerous situations.
I am totally hooked on Lisa Gardner’s books and this one was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat!! She has a wonderful way of writing nitty gritty scenes without being too gory.
A must read book but be warned once you have read one book you will want to binge on her other books!!
September 6, 2016
Reading a Lisa Gardner book is like taking a master class in thriller writing. She inhabits character fully and plots brilliantly, all the while relentlessly turns the screws of suspense. Her pacing is simply flawless. FIND HER is harrowing, gripping, and unputdownable.
January 7, 2020
Whoa! What a read. The subject matter was scary. A girl kidnapped and she spent 472 days mostly in a pine coffin; existing with starvation, beatings, rape and thirst. But a growing determination to survive. BTW saying this does not spoil the story.
I was intrigued and pulled in to her story: needing to know how she moved from her old Flora v.1 'personality' to her new Flora v.2 being.
I did love the ending. Not a poetic justice type ending. But finally able to integrate v.2 with v.1 and once again connect with those she loved.
Unputdownable.
Now a fan of Lisa Gardners writing.
I was intrigued and pulled in to her story: needing to know how she moved from her old Flora v.1 'personality' to her new Flora v.2 being.
I did love the ending. Not a poetic justice type ending. But finally able to integrate v.2 with v.1 and once again connect with those she loved.
Unputdownable.
Now a fan of Lisa Gardners writing.
May 28, 2016
Wow! I haven’t read a Lisa Gardner in a while – I’d forgotten how good she is!
It had been five long years since Flora Dane had been held captive by a psychopath named Jacob for 472 days – five years of nightmares; of fighting with her inner self. The night she was abducted from Tonic, a nightclub she’d been drinking and dancing at, and locked away in the darkness once again, she was prepared. Her self-defence classes meant she would do her best to escape – no; she would escape. What happened next brought Detective DD Warren to Flora’s side – and into the most confusing and conflicted case of her career.
With the discovery of links to other missing girls, DD suspected Flora had something to do with it all. But was Flora a victim; or was she out for revenge? The calming influence of Dr Samuel Keynes, Flora’s FBI victim specialist from her first abduction – who Flora called first – filled DD in to a certain extent. But there was still a lot she and her team didn’t know. With a case that had more questions than answers, their frustration was immense.
But would it be Flora’s determination to find the monster who had taken the latest young woman be the final straw for her? Suddenly the danger escalated in an astounding manner – DD knew the clock was ticking and the lives of several young women, including Flora, lay in the balance. Could DD link the evidence in time? Or would there be more bodies found?
Find Her by Lisa Gardner is a brilliant psychological thriller that had me enthralled from the start. I will admit to needing a breather now and then – but oh, what a gripping and intense novel. This author is a master of her game – it doesn’t seem to matter what she writes, it’s always a hit (with me anyway!) I thoroughly enjoy Detective DD Warren and hope it’s not too long before we see her in action again. Highly recommended.
It had been five long years since Flora Dane had been held captive by a psychopath named Jacob for 472 days – five years of nightmares; of fighting with her inner self. The night she was abducted from Tonic, a nightclub she’d been drinking and dancing at, and locked away in the darkness once again, she was prepared. Her self-defence classes meant she would do her best to escape – no; she would escape. What happened next brought Detective DD Warren to Flora’s side – and into the most confusing and conflicted case of her career.
With the discovery of links to other missing girls, DD suspected Flora had something to do with it all. But was Flora a victim; or was she out for revenge? The calming influence of Dr Samuel Keynes, Flora’s FBI victim specialist from her first abduction – who Flora called first – filled DD in to a certain extent. But there was still a lot she and her team didn’t know. With a case that had more questions than answers, their frustration was immense.
But would it be Flora’s determination to find the monster who had taken the latest young woman be the final straw for her? Suddenly the danger escalated in an astounding manner – DD knew the clock was ticking and the lives of several young women, including Flora, lay in the balance. Could DD link the evidence in time? Or would there be more bodies found?
Find Her by Lisa Gardner is a brilliant psychological thriller that had me enthralled from the start. I will admit to needing a breather now and then – but oh, what a gripping and intense novel. This author is a master of her game – it doesn’t seem to matter what she writes, it’s always a hit (with me anyway!) I thoroughly enjoy Detective DD Warren and hope it’s not too long before we see her in action again. Highly recommended.
August 6, 2016
Flora Dane is a victim .... she is also a survivor. The real question is ... is she also a vigilante seeking revenge for the 472 days she was held captive?
She's been free for 5 years and still doesn't know what 'normal' is. She's lost the closeness the felt for her mother and brother. She is close to only one person ... Samuel Keynes, FBI Victim Advocate.
Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime. There she finds a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him ... Flora Dane. During her investigation, she finds that this is not the first time Flora has tangled with others suspected of kidnapping young women.
There is currently a missing college student .... and there's a connection. D.D. is going to have to work her way through secrets and lies in order to find her before they find her body.
This is the 8th book in the series featuring this Boston Detective. I've been very happy to read every one of them and in order. As usual, the writing is exquisite, characters are finely drawn. The suspense is spine-tingling and as a reader, I always find myself reading faster and faster toward the highly charged ending.
5 Stars for Find Her ... 5 Stars for the Series
She's been free for 5 years and still doesn't know what 'normal' is. She's lost the closeness the felt for her mother and brother. She is close to only one person ... Samuel Keynes, FBI Victim Advocate.
Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime. There she finds a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him ... Flora Dane. During her investigation, she finds that this is not the first time Flora has tangled with others suspected of kidnapping young women.
There is currently a missing college student .... and there's a connection. D.D. is going to have to work her way through secrets and lies in order to find her before they find her body.
This is the 8th book in the series featuring this Boston Detective. I've been very happy to read every one of them and in order. As usual, the writing is exquisite, characters are finely drawn. The suspense is spine-tingling and as a reader, I always find myself reading faster and faster toward the highly charged ending.
5 Stars for Find Her ... 5 Stars for the Series
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