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The Things You Didn't See
Her instincts are telling her something isn’t right…
On a chilly morning in rural Suffolk, Cassandra Hawke is woken by a gunshot. Her mother is clinging on to her life, the weapon still lying nearby. Everyone thinks it’s attempted suicide—but none of it makes any sense to Cass. She’s certain there’s more to it than meets the eye.
With her husband and father telling her she’s paranoid, Cass finds an unlikely ally in student paramedic Holly. Like Cass, she believes something is wrong, and together they try to uncover the truth. But is there more to Holly’s interest than she’s letting on?
With her family and loved ones at risk, Cass must ask herself: is she ready to hear the truth, and can she deal with the consequences?
On a chilly morning in rural Suffolk, Cassandra Hawke is woken by a gunshot. Her mother is clinging on to her life, the weapon still lying nearby. Everyone thinks it’s attempted suicide—but none of it makes any sense to Cass. She’s certain there’s more to it than meets the eye.
With her husband and father telling her she’s paranoid, Cass finds an unlikely ally in student paramedic Holly. Like Cass, she believes something is wrong, and together they try to uncover the truth. But is there more to Holly’s interest than she’s letting on?
With her family and loved ones at risk, Cass must ask herself: is she ready to hear the truth, and can she deal with the consequences?
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2018
314 people are currently reading
2016 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Dugdall
20 books294 followersRuth Dugdall was born in 1971. She holds a BA honours degree in English Literature (Warwick University) and an MA in Social Work (University of East Anglia). She qualified as a probation officer in 1996 and has worked in prison with offenders guilty of serious crimes, including stalking, rape and murder. This has informed her crime writing. Since she started writing, Ruth has won awards in several writing competitions, and has had short stories published in the Winchester Writers' Conference and the Eva Wiggins Award anthologies.
Ruth is also the news presenter on Felixstowe tv: "probably the smallest tv station in the world".
Ruth is also the news presenter on Felixstowe tv: "probably the smallest tv station in the world".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
April 26, 2018
Holly and Cassandra have more in common than they think.
Holly is a paramedic in training. She is called to a farm .. the very scene of a shooting she witnessed 20 years ago. That night has changed Holly's life forever.
Today she meets Cassandra ... her mother shot herself. Everyone thinks this is a case of suicide ... all but Cassandra, and now Holly.
The two of them try bucking the system ... they know something isn't quite right .. but what is it? And how are two shootings 20 years apart connected?
A medical condition known as synesthesia is introduced, compounding what may or may not be the truth. People are lying and keeping secrets .. but why? What really happened to Cassandra's mother?
There are twists and turns that permeate the entire story. The main characters are credible, as are all the secondary ones. This is a well-written psychological thriller that keeps the reader guessing from start to finish.
Many thanks to the author and TBC Reviewer Request Group for the digital copy of THE THINGS YOU DIDN'T SEE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 27, 2018
This is a difficult review for me to write, because I adore all the authors previous books and am a huge fan of her Cate Austin series and loved her standalone book My Sister and Other Liars, but I feel I should be honest in my reviews regardless.
Firstly, I think the current blurb is misleading so I read the book expecting something quite different. (I believe the blurb will be updated nearer publication date).
In my opinion, and again this is purely my own thoughts, there is no doubt that Ruth Dugdall is a brilliant writer and has always written books that cover slightly uncomfortable or taboo subjects. This book, however, is very different to any of those books.
There are two main characters, the first is Holly who has synesthesia, and if like me you have no idea what that is it means she can feel the emotions of others as if they are her own feelings.
The second character is Cassandra, an emotionally unstable woman who discovers her mother lying at the bottom of the stairs with a gunshot wound in an attempted suicide or is it attempted murder.
The story is narrated through both characters, Holly is the trainee paramedic who arrives at the scene and has a dark secret going back 20 years which is connected to this family. Cass is the troubled and distraught daughter determined to prove her mother didn’t try to take her own life.
There are lots of suspects, plenty of unlikeable characters, a couple of twists, but overall this book just didn’t work for me. I personally would have enjoyed it more if the entire book was about Cass and her dysfunctional family which I did enjoy reading about.
Firstly, I think the current blurb is misleading so I read the book expecting something quite different. (I believe the blurb will be updated nearer publication date).
In my opinion, and again this is purely my own thoughts, there is no doubt that Ruth Dugdall is a brilliant writer and has always written books that cover slightly uncomfortable or taboo subjects. This book, however, is very different to any of those books.
There are two main characters, the first is Holly who has synesthesia, and if like me you have no idea what that is it means she can feel the emotions of others as if they are her own feelings.
The second character is Cassandra, an emotionally unstable woman who discovers her mother lying at the bottom of the stairs with a gunshot wound in an attempted suicide or is it attempted murder.
The story is narrated through both characters, Holly is the trainee paramedic who arrives at the scene and has a dark secret going back 20 years which is connected to this family. Cass is the troubled and distraught daughter determined to prove her mother didn’t try to take her own life.
There are lots of suspects, plenty of unlikeable characters, a couple of twists, but overall this book just didn’t work for me. I personally would have enjoyed it more if the entire book was about Cass and her dysfunctional family which I did enjoy reading about.
January 7, 2019
When student paramedic Holly is called to a farm-house she knows that it isn’t the first time that she has been there. When she was a young girl she had followed her big brother and his friends to the farm on Halloween night, in the hope to see a ghost. When they saw a white figure crossing the farm-yard her brother shot a gun at it. Holly never knew the outcome of that night.
Holly had been bullied at school by Cass, the daughter of the woman at the farm who had reportedly attempted to commit suicide, Cass didn’t seem to recall it. One thing they both had in common now was that neither of them believed that this had been an attempt to commit suicide.
There is quite a quirky addition to this story as Holly has a condition called synaesthesia, which means she can see feelings and moods as colours. I really liked this side of the story, especially as it is a genuine condition. Holly knew that it was time to solve the mystery from the past as well as what had really happened in the farm-house, with Cass’s mum. If it wasn’t suicide then it had to be something more sinister.
The characters I felt were well-developed, I really liked Holly and there were plenty of wrong avenues to venture down. An entertaining read. I wish to thank NetGalley for my copy of this e-book which I have reviewed honestly.
Holly had been bullied at school by Cass, the daughter of the woman at the farm who had reportedly attempted to commit suicide, Cass didn’t seem to recall it. One thing they both had in common now was that neither of them believed that this had been an attempt to commit suicide.
There is quite a quirky addition to this story as Holly has a condition called synaesthesia, which means she can see feelings and moods as colours. I really liked this side of the story, especially as it is a genuine condition. Holly knew that it was time to solve the mystery from the past as well as what had really happened in the farm-house, with Cass’s mum. If it wasn’t suicide then it had to be something more sinister.
The characters I felt were well-developed, I really liked Holly and there were plenty of wrong avenues to venture down. An entertaining read. I wish to thank NetGalley for my copy of this e-book which I have reviewed honestly.
October 10, 2020
I have enjoyed reading many Ruth Dugdall books especially the Cate Austin series but unfortunately couldn't quite get to like this one.
Cassandra Hawke is woken by a gunshot and she discovers the body of her mother with the weapon close to hand. Everyone is sure that it is attempted suicide but Cass thinks otherwise. With no one in the family agreeing with her Cass finds an ally in student paramedic Holly. Holly also believes that something is not right and things are not as they appear. Together they are determined to discover the truth.
I do enjoy the writing style of Ruth Dugdall and there was much to like in this novel, decent characters, twists and turns and it is well written but it just didn't hit my expectations. I found it quite different to the other novels I have read by this author but it won't put me off reading others in the future.
June 25, 2018
I'll be honest, when I first started reading this story I didn't think we were going to get along very well, mainly because of the way it's written. The author mixes Cassandra's 3rd person thoughts/memories in with her first person narration. (I think I said that right- lol) Anyways it was confusing as hell at first and completely unnecessary. Evidently I got use to it though, or the author tones it down in the second half of the book, because it didn't bother me quite so much the further I got into the story.
If you can get pass that, it's a good psychological thrill ride- especially if you like reading about dysfunctional families and needy women- aka Cassandra. I normally don't read too many books with female characters like her because they make me want to just slap some sense right through my Kindle & say, hey you're better then that! She and her shitty husband will definitely draw some emotions from you.
*I won this copy from Goodreads and the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
If you can get pass that, it's a good psychological thrill ride- especially if you like reading about dysfunctional families and needy women- aka Cassandra. I normally don't read too many books with female characters like her because they make me want to just slap some sense right through my Kindle & say, hey you're better then that! She and her shitty husband will definitely draw some emotions from you.
*I won this copy from Goodreads and the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
May 7, 2018
The story starts on Halloween twenty years ago, Holly witnesses a shooting in a barn. Twenty years later there is another shooting and she becomes involved again, this time as a paramedic.
Set in Ipswich, Suffolk (12 miles from where I live) Holly is called to a suicide at the same farm where her brother shot someone twenty years previously. However, is it really a suicide attempt or can Holly help to uncover what really happened?
This is the first book I have read by this Author, it was a good storyline, however I felt that it was very slow going for me and I really struggled to keep going from the middle of the book until the end.
Thanks to the TBC Reviewers Group for a copy of this book.
Set in Ipswich, Suffolk (12 miles from where I live) Holly is called to a suicide at the same farm where her brother shot someone twenty years previously. However, is it really a suicide attempt or can Holly help to uncover what really happened?
This is the first book I have read by this Author, it was a good storyline, however I felt that it was very slow going for me and I really struggled to keep going from the middle of the book until the end.
Thanks to the TBC Reviewers Group for a copy of this book.
January 9, 2019
Review 4.4 stars
If I went by the blurb, this book would be Cassandra Hawke’s tale – but that’s just part of this novel which starts twenty years earlier when eight-year-old Holly Redwood sees a ghost shot at a remote farm on Halloween. The unresolved experience lurks in her past until as a trainee paramedic she is called out to help with an attempted suicide – at the same farm.
Cass doesn’t believe that her mother committed suicide but her husband and her father behave as if she is paranoid. However, she befriends Holly who believes her as the explanations don’t feel right. And Holly suffers from synaesthesia, a condition where the person can feel the emotions of others as if they are their own – a mixed blessing it seems for Holly.
The setting pulled me in, in part as I know Suffolk and Norfolk. The descriptions were immersive, blending imagined places with the real ones that matched my memories.
The author uses two POVs to differentiate the two protagonists – first person for Cass and third for Holly. First allows the reader to see into Cass’s confused thoughts – the mind some say is paranoid. There are reasons for that, but I’ll just say that those are cleverly unclear at first. Who is telling the truth?
Holly as a protagonist stood out for me - and not just because of the prologue that set the unsettling feelings going. As a fan of first person and deep POV, I kept wanting to get inside Holly’s head more than was possible. However, two first person POVs is hard for some readers, and the author made the necessary choice choosing Cass – a mind that twists the plot. And the suspicions. Would Holly as first person POV instead been a different book?
Suicide or murder? What starts as an ‘open and shut’ case, works through murder suspects at a steady pace that was in danger of losing me – especially when I identified the culprit or thought I did. But there was enough drama for me to read on and meet all the secondary characters – including the suspects. They all had their own traits and worked. But too many felt irritating, even if there was some justification for their attitudes. Death and murder have repercussions. Or do they for everyone? Who profits?
This is not a rushed mystery but as the plot deepens, the pace picks up. I had my suspicions, but my suspect remained hidden from the police for a long time. There was a point where I felt the story was being drawn-out, but I was also teased and tested. Suicide can be instigated, and I have experienced that. But that may or may not be the resolution?
Am I teasing or tempting you? Read this recommended novel to find out what happens in this cleverly crafted story. The twist works even if…well, you’ll see what I mean.
Story – four stars
Setting/World-building – five stars
Authenticity – five stars
Characters – four stars
Structure – four stars
Readability – four stars
Editing – five stars
Originally reviewed at: https://rolandclarke.com/2019/01/09/t...
If I went by the blurb, this book would be Cassandra Hawke’s tale – but that’s just part of this novel which starts twenty years earlier when eight-year-old Holly Redwood sees a ghost shot at a remote farm on Halloween. The unresolved experience lurks in her past until as a trainee paramedic she is called out to help with an attempted suicide – at the same farm.
Cass doesn’t believe that her mother committed suicide but her husband and her father behave as if she is paranoid. However, she befriends Holly who believes her as the explanations don’t feel right. And Holly suffers from synaesthesia, a condition where the person can feel the emotions of others as if they are their own – a mixed blessing it seems for Holly.
The setting pulled me in, in part as I know Suffolk and Norfolk. The descriptions were immersive, blending imagined places with the real ones that matched my memories.
The author uses two POVs to differentiate the two protagonists – first person for Cass and third for Holly. First allows the reader to see into Cass’s confused thoughts – the mind some say is paranoid. There are reasons for that, but I’ll just say that those are cleverly unclear at first. Who is telling the truth?
Holly as a protagonist stood out for me - and not just because of the prologue that set the unsettling feelings going. As a fan of first person and deep POV, I kept wanting to get inside Holly’s head more than was possible. However, two first person POVs is hard for some readers, and the author made the necessary choice choosing Cass – a mind that twists the plot. And the suspicions. Would Holly as first person POV instead been a different book?
Suicide or murder? What starts as an ‘open and shut’ case, works through murder suspects at a steady pace that was in danger of losing me – especially when I identified the culprit or thought I did. But there was enough drama for me to read on and meet all the secondary characters – including the suspects. They all had their own traits and worked. But too many felt irritating, even if there was some justification for their attitudes. Death and murder have repercussions. Or do they for everyone? Who profits?
This is not a rushed mystery but as the plot deepens, the pace picks up. I had my suspicions, but my suspect remained hidden from the police for a long time. There was a point where I felt the story was being drawn-out, but I was also teased and tested. Suicide can be instigated, and I have experienced that. But that may or may not be the resolution?
Am I teasing or tempting you? Read this recommended novel to find out what happens in this cleverly crafted story. The twist works even if…well, you’ll see what I mean.
Story – four stars
Setting/World-building – five stars
Authenticity – five stars
Characters – four stars
Structure – four stars
Readability – four stars
Editing – five stars
Originally reviewed at: https://rolandclarke.com/2019/01/09/t...
April 29, 2018
I have been a fan of Ruth Dugdall's Cate Austin books so I was interested to read something different from the author.
The book starts on Halloween when eight year old Holly tags along with her brother to a local farm that is supposed to be haunted. In the barn they do see a ghost. A shot is fired and from then on Holly struggles to get the image out of her head.
Twenty years later Holly is a trainee paramedic when they get a callout to that same farm. A woman lies at the bottom of the stairs, covered in blood with a gun beside her and Cassandra, her near hysterical daughter close by. Whilst the paramedics deal with Mona, Holly tries to calm the daughter and realises that they had been at school together although Cass was a few years older.
Holly has synesthesia- something that makes her super sensitive to other's emotions. Although everyone tries to tell Cass that Mona was attempting to commit suicide she refuses to believe it and Holly senses Cass is right, this was attempted murder.
Cass's father and her controlling husband constantly try to change Cass's mind until she feels sure she is going mad. Holly can't leave the mystery alone either. Through many twists, red herrings and surprises we finally find out what did happen.
I loved this book. I think it's the best one she has written yet & I hope we are going to read more bout Holly& her strange 'gift
The book starts on Halloween when eight year old Holly tags along with her brother to a local farm that is supposed to be haunted. In the barn they do see a ghost. A shot is fired and from then on Holly struggles to get the image out of her head.
Twenty years later Holly is a trainee paramedic when they get a callout to that same farm. A woman lies at the bottom of the stairs, covered in blood with a gun beside her and Cassandra, her near hysterical daughter close by. Whilst the paramedics deal with Mona, Holly tries to calm the daughter and realises that they had been at school together although Cass was a few years older.
Holly has synesthesia- something that makes her super sensitive to other's emotions. Although everyone tries to tell Cass that Mona was attempting to commit suicide she refuses to believe it and Holly senses Cass is right, this was attempted murder.
Cass's father and her controlling husband constantly try to change Cass's mind until she feels sure she is going mad. Holly can't leave the mystery alone either. Through many twists, red herrings and surprises we finally find out what did happen.
I loved this book. I think it's the best one she has written yet & I hope we are going to read more bout Holly& her strange 'gift
April 29, 2018
A totally gripping psychological thriller. This book kept me guessing throughout and I still hadn’t figured it out at the end. Thanks to TBC for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful thought provoking book.
April 27, 2018
a very interesting look at the psychological impact that comes with a death. it had a lot of good points including Holly who had a lot of amazing parts and really enjoyed it.
October 8, 2018
This story seriously had so much potential. The storyline it was gripping. I really thought it was going to be better. It started off so good. It took me like 4 days just to review it because I was trying to think of a way to review it nicely. The mystery in this one did not keep my attention. I had a hard time reading it. I didn’t even enjoy how it was written at times I found it very confusing. I felt like almost it was going on circles. Like I had read it before but it was there on the pages again. Definitely not the best book at all.
May 3, 2018
I haven’t read any other books by this author so came to it without any expectations.
I thought it was very well written and pretty gripping.
Maya is found with a gunshot wound. It would appear that she has tried to kill herself but her daughter Cass is not convinced.
What follows is a complex plot with Cass desperate to prove that someone has shot her mum. Holly, a trainee paramedic who is one of the first on the scene, is the only one who believes Cass but she is hiding a 20 year secret which involves Cass so how reliable are her feelings? To add further confusion, Holly has synaesthesia, something I’d not heard of, but it gives an interesting angle.
It’s difficult to say much more without spoilers. I did correctly guess what had happened as far as the shooting was concerned but not how it would end.
There are enough red herrings to keep you guessing and I did enjoy the book very much but I was slightly disappointed by the ending, hence 4 rather than 5 stars.
My thanks to TBConFB for this copy.
I thought it was very well written and pretty gripping.
Maya is found with a gunshot wound. It would appear that she has tried to kill herself but her daughter Cass is not convinced.
What follows is a complex plot with Cass desperate to prove that someone has shot her mum. Holly, a trainee paramedic who is one of the first on the scene, is the only one who believes Cass but she is hiding a 20 year secret which involves Cass so how reliable are her feelings? To add further confusion, Holly has synaesthesia, something I’d not heard of, but it gives an interesting angle.
It’s difficult to say much more without spoilers. I did correctly guess what had happened as far as the shooting was concerned but not how it would end.
There are enough red herrings to keep you guessing and I did enjoy the book very much but I was slightly disappointed by the ending, hence 4 rather than 5 stars.
My thanks to TBConFB for this copy.
May 20, 2018
the things you didn't see by Ruth Dugdall.
twenty years ago Jamie, holly and Carl and ash go to the haunted of innocence farm. they are hoping to see a ghost. they see someone in white. Jamie shoots his gun then they run.
now.
holly and leif are going trick or treat. holly had synaesthesia. it started when she was 8 years old. men who were keen on holly would turn cold.
innocence farm.
Cassandra.
Cass hears there dog her barking. when she gets downstairs she sees her mum.
she has shot herself. her dad hector is there. can they save her mum Maya?
or has she?
holly must go there for her training to be a paramedic.
but can she go back there?
an absolutely fantastic read. I loved the story and the characters. it wasn't who I thought it was. I loved the ending too. 5*.
twenty years ago Jamie, holly and Carl and ash go to the haunted of innocence farm. they are hoping to see a ghost. they see someone in white. Jamie shoots his gun then they run.
now.
holly and leif are going trick or treat. holly had synaesthesia. it started when she was 8 years old. men who were keen on holly would turn cold.
innocence farm.
Cassandra.
Cass hears there dog her barking. when she gets downstairs she sees her mum.
she has shot herself. her dad hector is there. can they save her mum Maya?
or has she?
holly must go there for her training to be a paramedic.
but can she go back there?
an absolutely fantastic read. I loved the story and the characters. it wasn't who I thought it was. I loved the ending too. 5*.
April 23, 2018
Woah! What an absolutely fantastic psychological suspense read this was with bags of emotion. The opening of the book, which is set on the night of Halloween, twenty years before the present day story, hooked me right in. Here we meet Holly when she is aged only eight-yesrs-old, as she witnesses a shooting at the local farm. My heart ached for this little girl and how this event must have impacted upon her life.
We then fast forward to the present day. Holly is now twenty eight and training to be a paramedic. Fate seems to be at play hete, because she finds herself attending a shooting, a possible suicide attempt, at the same farm. It is here that we meet Cassandra, the daughter of the woman who is found with a near fatal gun shot wound. And the incident revolves around her. Cassandra's story is intense and intriguing. Told in second person, the writing style instantly drew me in and captured my imagination. It also helped to add a hugely personal and vulnerable element to this woman's character. Within the first few paragraphs of meeting her, I understood her vulnerability, and then later on, her difficulty in getting others to take what she said seriously. She is a wife, a mother, but she seems to have lost her identify, her role in life, and I felt incredibly sorry for her.
This book has two hugely interesting female protagonists. Both have flaws, and both took me a little while to warm to them. But, most importantly, I believed in them and their stories.
This book is deliciously slow paced with great attention to detail. I loved the fact that I could savour this book and that it didn't feel rushed or too pacey. Due to this attention to detail, I felt as if I really knew Holly, and understood her. I needed to understand Holly to be able to join the past to the present day, and to fully understand what had happened.
The Things You Didn't See is an emotional read that kept me guessing until the final pages. This is a book that shouldn't be rushed. It contains plenty of twists and you never really know who is telling the truth, until the very end.
A gripping psychological thriller that is incredibly clever. Loved it!
With thank to the author who sent me a digital Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley.
We then fast forward to the present day. Holly is now twenty eight and training to be a paramedic. Fate seems to be at play hete, because she finds herself attending a shooting, a possible suicide attempt, at the same farm. It is here that we meet Cassandra, the daughter of the woman who is found with a near fatal gun shot wound. And the incident revolves around her. Cassandra's story is intense and intriguing. Told in second person, the writing style instantly drew me in and captured my imagination. It also helped to add a hugely personal and vulnerable element to this woman's character. Within the first few paragraphs of meeting her, I understood her vulnerability, and then later on, her difficulty in getting others to take what she said seriously. She is a wife, a mother, but she seems to have lost her identify, her role in life, and I felt incredibly sorry for her.
This book has two hugely interesting female protagonists. Both have flaws, and both took me a little while to warm to them. But, most importantly, I believed in them and their stories.
This book is deliciously slow paced with great attention to detail. I loved the fact that I could savour this book and that it didn't feel rushed or too pacey. Due to this attention to detail, I felt as if I really knew Holly, and understood her. I needed to understand Holly to be able to join the past to the present day, and to fully understand what had happened.
The Things You Didn't See is an emotional read that kept me guessing until the final pages. This is a book that shouldn't be rushed. It contains plenty of twists and you never really know who is telling the truth, until the very end.
A gripping psychological thriller that is incredibly clever. Loved it!
With thank to the author who sent me a digital Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley.
May 1, 2018
Literally in a whirlwind of revelations
It was pretty dramatic
The new element to this mystery book was actually 'Synesthesia' whereby Holly could perceive a person's emotions/ flashbacks with a gut sense or physical contact respectively. I actually guessed the killer right at first but I changed my mind as the story progresses or as the author led readers to believe in something else.
But, the revelation was a bit messy in how the events could change so drastically. I thought that portion could be crafted more smoothly instead.
It was pretty dramatic
The new element to this mystery book was actually 'Synesthesia' whereby Holly could perceive a person's emotions/ flashbacks with a gut sense or physical contact respectively. I actually guessed the killer right at first but I changed my mind as the story progresses or as the author led readers to believe in something else.
But, the revelation was a bit messy in how the events could change so drastically. I thought that portion could be crafted more smoothly instead.
March 11, 2022
It took a little while to get into this book but in the end I really enjoyed it.
July 16, 2018
Reading the blurb of The Things You Didn’t See by Ruth Dugdall I’m struck by how the focus is on Cass and what happens to her in the book. I think of the book quite differently, with the main character and the one that I will remember being Holly, the student paramedic who is called to Cass’ house early one morning.
Holly is the character in the book that felt real, she appeared to be a much more reliable witness than Cass was and it is her that I enjoyed reading about most. There’s also something about Holly that is different, a gift that she has (or a curse??) that was intriguing and something that I wanted to read more about.
I enjoyed reading this book, as always Dugdall writes well and keeps the reader engaged and wondering just what is going on and who is telling the truth. She definitely keeps you guessing and I love that in a book.
I’m a big fan of Ruth Dugdall, I’ve enjoyed every book of hers that I’ve read and I love how they always make me think and this book is no different. If you like to be kept guessing, unsure of who is telling the truth, then this author is for you.
Holly is the character in the book that felt real, she appeared to be a much more reliable witness than Cass was and it is her that I enjoyed reading about most. There’s also something about Holly that is different, a gift that she has (or a curse??) that was intriguing and something that I wanted to read more about.
I enjoyed reading this book, as always Dugdall writes well and keeps the reader engaged and wondering just what is going on and who is telling the truth. She definitely keeps you guessing and I love that in a book.
I’m a big fan of Ruth Dugdall, I’ve enjoyed every book of hers that I’ve read and I love how they always make me think and this book is no different. If you like to be kept guessing, unsure of who is telling the truth, then this author is for you.
April 25, 2018
When Cassandra Hawke discovers her mother Maya’s motionless body with her Father’s gun laying by her side she refuses to believe the explanation given that it is an attempted suicide. An ambulance arrives along with trainee Paramedic Holly, who has history with the farm on Innocent Lane and bad memories come flooding back to haunt Holly. Holly is an interesting character who suffers from Synaesthesia, which I must admit I haven’t previously heard of so I did a bit of Googling and discovered what a fascinating condition it is to read about but does have pitfalls for the sufferer. It is basically where the person can feel the emotions of others as if they are their own, and in Holly’s case it is triggered by touch.
This is more than just a ‘who dunnit’ as it is full of twists and surprises that had me constantly changing my mind of who was responsible for the shooting as there are plenty of suspects!
My thanks to Ruth Dugdall for asking me to review this psychological suspense novel and to Julie for posting on her wonderful blog.
This is more than just a ‘who dunnit’ as it is full of twists and surprises that had me constantly changing my mind of who was responsible for the shooting as there are plenty of suspects!
My thanks to Ruth Dugdall for asking me to review this psychological suspense novel and to Julie for posting on her wonderful blog.
May 31, 2018
When Maya is found seriously injured at the foot of her staircase with a gun at her side everyone says it is a suicide attempt. Cassandra, her daughter, and Holly, a trainee paramedic who attends the scene think differently.
This story is narrated by Cassandra and Holly. Cass is determined to manage without her dominating mother and not to let her previous mental health issues impact on her quest. Holly has a medical condition synaesthesia which causes her to empathise and experience other people's feelings and yo see things that others cannot. The pair set out to prove that someone shot Maya and it was not suicide.
I enjoyed the pace of this novel and the way the story and the characters developed. There was a collection of twists and turns, red herrings and i was left uncertain as to the truth. I was disappointed in the ending and was left with the impression that the author had run out of steam and went for an easy option which after being enthralled until the end left me feeling cheated.
I have not read anything else by this author, but will try more.
I received a complimentary copy through TBC Reviewer Request group on Facebook . These are my own opinions.
This story is narrated by Cassandra and Holly. Cass is determined to manage without her dominating mother and not to let her previous mental health issues impact on her quest. Holly has a medical condition synaesthesia which causes her to empathise and experience other people's feelings and yo see things that others cannot. The pair set out to prove that someone shot Maya and it was not suicide.
I enjoyed the pace of this novel and the way the story and the characters developed. There was a collection of twists and turns, red herrings and i was left uncertain as to the truth. I was disappointed in the ending and was left with the impression that the author had run out of steam and went for an easy option which after being enthralled until the end left me feeling cheated.
I have not read anything else by this author, but will try more.
I received a complimentary copy through TBC Reviewer Request group on Facebook . These are my own opinions.
January 18, 2020
3 out of 5 stars
On the Halloween of Holly's eighth year she went with her older brother and his friend to look for ghosts at a farm. Years later on Halloween Holly, who is now a paramedic in training gets a call for a shooting at the very same farm.
Cass awakens at her parent's farm in her childhood bedroom to find her Father screaming and her Mother shot. Her Father insists that her Mother tried to kill herself but she Cass does not believe it. The only person who will listen to her is Holly.
I think this is the first novel that I have read by Ruth Dugall and though I did like this I thought that this mystery was a bit to easy to solve it was just right there waiting for me. I felt like the guilty party was waving at me from the fourth or fifth chapter saying "Hi there! I am not to be trusted and you totally know it!.".
On the Halloween of Holly's eighth year she went with her older brother and his friend to look for ghosts at a farm. Years later on Halloween Holly, who is now a paramedic in training gets a call for a shooting at the very same farm.
Cass awakens at her parent's farm in her childhood bedroom to find her Father screaming and her Mother shot. Her Father insists that her Mother tried to kill herself but she Cass does not believe it. The only person who will listen to her is Holly.
I think this is the first novel that I have read by Ruth Dugall and though I did like this I thought that this mystery was a bit to easy to solve it was just right there waiting for me. I felt like the guilty party was waving at me from the fourth or fifth chapter saying "Hi there! I am not to be trusted and you totally know it!.".
May 19, 2023
The Things You Didn't See by Ruth Dugdall
When student paramedic Holly is called to a farm-house she knows that it isn’t the first time that she has been there. When she was a young girl she had followed her big brother and his friends to the farm on Halloween night, in the hope to see a ghost. When they saw a white figure crossing the farm-yard her brother shot a gun at it. Holly never knew the outcome of that night.
Holly had been bullied at school by Cass, the daughter of the woman at the farm who had reportedly attempted to commit suicide, Cass didn’t seem to recall it. One thing they both had in common now was that neither of them believed that this had been an attempt to commit suicide.
It just was a mediocre read for me.
When student paramedic Holly is called to a farm-house she knows that it isn’t the first time that she has been there. When she was a young girl she had followed her big brother and his friends to the farm on Halloween night, in the hope to see a ghost. When they saw a white figure crossing the farm-yard her brother shot a gun at it. Holly never knew the outcome of that night.
Holly had been bullied at school by Cass, the daughter of the woman at the farm who had reportedly attempted to commit suicide, Cass didn’t seem to recall it. One thing they both had in common now was that neither of them believed that this had been an attempt to commit suicide.
It just was a mediocre read for me.
February 24, 2019
Cassandra's mother Maya is found at home with a gunshot wound, believed to be self-inflicted. Holly is the trainee paramedic who attends the scene but she knew the family when she was a child. The narrative follows the two women as they 'investigate'. There are some red herrings as Dugdall presents a cast of characters who may or may not be the one who fired the gun. It's a little predictable in parts but the author writes well and I have enjoyed her other novels so any faults didn't detract from my enjoyment of this one.
May 12, 2018
I enjoyed the author's Cate Austin series but this standalone novel was a little disappointing. Although it was well written, I found the pace too slow and the characters quite dull. I worked out the twists early on in the story and there were no surprises for me. I'll still definitely read Ruth Dugdall"s next book as I think she is a great writer and The Things You Didn't See was just not for me.
Many thanks to the author and TBC for the advance copy.
Many thanks to the author and TBC for the advance copy.
May 20, 2018
Having loved Ruth’s previous books I was delighted to get my hands on this . Whilst I found this an easy to read book I wasn’t really drawn to the full storyline . I loved Cass and her dysfunctional family and I did love Holly the paramedic connected by the past but I feel her character wasn’t really needed in the story to be honest . However I did enjoy the read . 3.5 stars and my thanks to tbc reviewers for my chance to read
September 24, 2018
I really loved the Cate Austin books.
I know I should not compare but this was such a disappointment after reading those.
This is a good read but I would recommend someone new to this author read those books first!
I know I should not compare but this was such a disappointment after reading those.
This is a good read but I would recommend someone new to this author read those books first!
August 1, 2018
It started off really good but went down the hill halfway through... So much repetition and going in circles! And the ending was just so bad and emotionless. I love Ruth Dugdall but this was just not good...
April 25, 2018
When Cassandra Hawke discovers her mother Maya’s motionless body with her Father’s gun laying by her side she refuses to believe the explanation given that it is an attempted suicide. An ambulance arrives along with trainee Paramedic Holly, who has history with the farm on Innocent Lane and bad memories come flooding back to haunt Holly. Holly is an interesting character who suffers from Synaesthesia, which I must admit I haven’t previously heard of so I did a bit of Googling and discovered what a fascinating condition it is to read about but does have pitfalls for the sufferer. It is basically where the person can feel the emotions of others as if they are their own, and in Holly’s case it is triggered by touch.
This is more than just a ‘who dunnit’ as it is full of twists and surprises that had me constantly changing my mind of who was responsible for the shooting as there are plenty of suspects!
June 23, 2024
I probably owe the author a big apology here. I am not quite sure why it has taken me so long to read (or listen to) The Things You Didn't See but I'm awfully glad I have now. This is a completely absorbing and compelling story of a woman, Cass, whose life is thrown into turmoil when her mother, Maya, is found, with injuries from a gunshot, in the family home. The initial verdict is that this was an attempt to take her own life, but Cass refuses to believe that. Helped by trainee paramedic, Holly, who was one of the people who first tended to Maya, Cass determines to get to the truth and prove that someone tried to kill Maya, a quest that will uncover more than a few uncomfortable truths for the family. Holly has her own reasons for wanting to help, and not just because she feels a sense of responsbility to her patient.
This is a story that oozes contradictions and suspicion. The opening is tense and dramatic, atmospheric even, set some twenty years earlier on Hallowe'en, a scene that really sets the mind pondering and raises many questions especially when it appears that history is, in a small sense, repeating itself. As we moved into the main story, the scenes set in the present day, I couldn't help but wonder what part the prologue had to play in what would come to pass, and that was soon to be revealed. It actually works really well, explaining why certain obsessions occur and why Holly in particular is so fixated on this one particular patient.
I grew to like the characters of Holly and Cass really quickly. Both have certain character traits which set them apart from those around them and, whilst certain elements of their personality make them somewhat suspicious themselves, there was a kind of trust built really quickly between reader and character. I felt for Cass, and the more we learn of her situation, the more I wanted things to work out for her. Ruth Dugdall has played a canny game with her in particular, ensuring that we are never entirely free of suspicion that she may have had a part to play in what comes to pass, but feeling some sympathy for the path her life has taken.
Holly is a really intriguing character We know early on why she is so interested in Innocence Farm, but those around her remain oblivious to her true motives. She also has a rather unique trait which adds a layer of intrigue to her storyline. She has a medical condition which means that she feels more intensely than most, but can this help her sniff out a potential killer? Well, seeing things through her eyes certainly clouds things a little, not knowing what is real and what is a fabrication of facts from her unusual mind. She certainly has the best interests of Cass in mind, but also creates a number of suspects because of the sense she has when she gets too close. It's an interesting take on the amateur detective, and also something that impacts on her personal life, not daring to make a connection, or experience life in all its glory because of the impact it has on her. I liked Holly, liked her determination to uncover the truth, as uncomfortable as it might be.
Ruth Dugdall really has created a fascinating, multi layered mystery here. are we really seeing something untoward unfolding, or is it just wishful thinking on Cass's part? Well, you'll need to read to find out. And read you should. Packed with mystery, uncertainty and some fascinating characters, I was hooked right from the start. I'll definitely be checking out more form the author in the future.
This is a story that oozes contradictions and suspicion. The opening is tense and dramatic, atmospheric even, set some twenty years earlier on Hallowe'en, a scene that really sets the mind pondering and raises many questions especially when it appears that history is, in a small sense, repeating itself. As we moved into the main story, the scenes set in the present day, I couldn't help but wonder what part the prologue had to play in what would come to pass, and that was soon to be revealed. It actually works really well, explaining why certain obsessions occur and why Holly in particular is so fixated on this one particular patient.
I grew to like the characters of Holly and Cass really quickly. Both have certain character traits which set them apart from those around them and, whilst certain elements of their personality make them somewhat suspicious themselves, there was a kind of trust built really quickly between reader and character. I felt for Cass, and the more we learn of her situation, the more I wanted things to work out for her. Ruth Dugdall has played a canny game with her in particular, ensuring that we are never entirely free of suspicion that she may have had a part to play in what comes to pass, but feeling some sympathy for the path her life has taken.
Holly is a really intriguing character We know early on why she is so interested in Innocence Farm, but those around her remain oblivious to her true motives. She also has a rather unique trait which adds a layer of intrigue to her storyline. She has a medical condition which means that she feels more intensely than most, but can this help her sniff out a potential killer? Well, seeing things through her eyes certainly clouds things a little, not knowing what is real and what is a fabrication of facts from her unusual mind. She certainly has the best interests of Cass in mind, but also creates a number of suspects because of the sense she has when she gets too close. It's an interesting take on the amateur detective, and also something that impacts on her personal life, not daring to make a connection, or experience life in all its glory because of the impact it has on her. I liked Holly, liked her determination to uncover the truth, as uncomfortable as it might be.
Ruth Dugdall really has created a fascinating, multi layered mystery here. are we really seeing something untoward unfolding, or is it just wishful thinking on Cass's part? Well, you'll need to read to find out. And read you should. Packed with mystery, uncertainty and some fascinating characters, I was hooked right from the start. I'll definitely be checking out more form the author in the future.
April 28, 2018
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A psychological thriller with twists, turns, and more lies than one can count. Positively addictive!
Wow. I am in love with THE THINGS YOU DIDN'T SEE. The book centers the shooting of Cassandra's mother and how the two main characters, Holly and Cassandra, are brought together because of this one event. As I greedy devoured this story, I was constantly turned upside down by the twists and turns. Some I saw coming and others took me by surprise. Nothing is ever exactly as it seems in this novel.
What I loved about this book was the flawed characters and the way they all interacted with each other. I know I have said this before, but this is something that I enjoy in a psychological thriller. It adds and extra layer questioning. The deception taking place in this novel was downright addictive.
The author weaved together misdirection, lies, and the unknown in such a manner it amplified the emotion and grit of all of the characters' lives. Dugdall used one event to propel a narrative with so many intricacies and nuances that it should have been a sensory overload. However, it wasn't. With each tidbit she gave me, I wanted more.
It is a crazy ride. I loved every page of this book!
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Wow. I am in love with THE THINGS YOU DIDN'T SEE. The book centers the shooting of Cassandra's mother and how the two main characters, Holly and Cassandra, are brought together because of this one event. As I greedy devoured this story, I was constantly turned upside down by the twists and turns. Some I saw coming and others took me by surprise. Nothing is ever exactly as it seems in this novel.
What I loved about this book was the flawed characters and the way they all interacted with each other. I know I have said this before, but this is something that I enjoy in a psychological thriller. It adds and extra layer questioning. The deception taking place in this novel was downright addictive.
The author weaved together misdirection, lies, and the unknown in such a manner it amplified the emotion and grit of all of the characters' lives. Dugdall used one event to propel a narrative with so many intricacies and nuances that it should have been a sensory overload. However, it wasn't. With each tidbit she gave me, I wanted more.
It is a crazy ride. I loved every page of this book!
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
June 11, 2018
When Maya was found dead at the bottom of the stairs in the farmhouse, Hector had been sleeping in a room not far away. Her daughter, Cassandra had just awoke to find her there, running down to find the gunshot under her chin and running to the phone to call for an ambulance. Upon finishing these tasks, she found that her father (and her lover, Daniel) tried convincing her that it’d been an attempt at suicide. However, when Holly, a training paramedic on the scene who’d been a child at Innocence Farm and lived her own experience there begins a new friendship of sorts with Cassandra, they start their own investigation of how Maya was shot.
A rather intriguing book, I found myself leaning on one person as the shooter. I was correct in my assumption, though at times Ruth Dugdall made me doubt myself. I very much enjoyed The Things You Didn’t See, a murder mystery at its best, I must admit! I know there was no way that Maya could’ve shot herself with a rifle, unless she’d rigged it, which wasn’t mentioned at all, so that was out of the question.
I have to say, the plot was quite twisted, the characters were very realistic. I felt as if I could reach out and be there myself. The author did a great job of telling this story, though part of Cassandra’s childhood was missed, the very early years. Not that it really matters, I suppose, but I’ll leave it at that. I do highly recommend this book! Great writing Ms. Dugdall, I shall follow and read more of you books! (:
A rather intriguing book, I found myself leaning on one person as the shooter. I was correct in my assumption, though at times Ruth Dugdall made me doubt myself. I very much enjoyed The Things You Didn’t See, a murder mystery at its best, I must admit! I know there was no way that Maya could’ve shot herself with a rifle, unless she’d rigged it, which wasn’t mentioned at all, so that was out of the question.
I have to say, the plot was quite twisted, the characters were very realistic. I felt as if I could reach out and be there myself. The author did a great job of telling this story, though part of Cassandra’s childhood was missed, the very early years. Not that it really matters, I suppose, but I’ll leave it at that. I do highly recommend this book! Great writing Ms. Dugdall, I shall follow and read more of you books! (:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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