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Schoolgirl Missing
‘A gripping portrayal of a family caught on the wrong side of the law’ JANE CORRY
The USA Today and #1 eBook bestseller of The Girl Who Lied and Sister Sister
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL?
When fourteen-year-old Poppy vanishes on a family boating trip, suspicion soon turns close to home – to the two people who should do everything to keep her safe, her parents, Kit and Neve.
Neve has a secret. Kit is lying.
Everyone is watching.
Who do you believe?
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
236 people are currently reading
2654 people want to read
About the author
Sue Fortin
15 books594 followersWriting historical fiction as Suzanne Fortin and mystery/suspense as Sue Fortin.
Suzanne writes historical fiction, predominantly dual timeline and set in France. Her books feature courageous women in extraordinary circumstances with love and family at the heart of all the stories.
Suzanne was a bookworm as a child and this naturally progressed to wanting to write her own stories. It wasn’t until she was on maternity leave with her fourth child, that she thought it was now or never and finally managed to write a complete novel. Having joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme, writing then as Sue Fortin, she sent her manuscript off for a critique.
After another year of working on the novel, Suzanne self-published United States of Love – a contemporary romance. This was then picked up by a traditional publisher, HarperCollins and under their imprint HarperImpulse (now One More Chapter) this book was republished. Writing as Sue Fortin, another seven books in the romantic suspense genre were published with HarperCollins.
More recently, Sue has moved to writing historical fiction and publishes under the name of Suzanne Fortin, with her debut in this genre, The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger released in early 2021 with Head of Zeus imprint, Aria Fiction.
A self-confessed Francophile, Suzanne has a home in the Morbihan region of France and visits as often as she can with her husband and family. The region has been a huge inspiration for Suzanne’s books and is often the backdrop to her writing.
Suzanne writes historical fiction, predominantly dual timeline and set in France. Her books feature courageous women in extraordinary circumstances with love and family at the heart of all the stories.
Suzanne was a bookworm as a child and this naturally progressed to wanting to write her own stories. It wasn’t until she was on maternity leave with her fourth child, that she thought it was now or never and finally managed to write a complete novel. Having joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme, writing then as Sue Fortin, she sent her manuscript off for a critique.
After another year of working on the novel, Suzanne self-published United States of Love – a contemporary romance. This was then picked up by a traditional publisher, HarperCollins and under their imprint HarperImpulse (now One More Chapter) this book was republished. Writing as Sue Fortin, another seven books in the romantic suspense genre were published with HarperCollins.
More recently, Sue has moved to writing historical fiction and publishes under the name of Suzanne Fortin, with her debut in this genre, The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger released in early 2021 with Head of Zeus imprint, Aria Fiction.
A self-confessed Francophile, Suzanne has a home in the Morbihan region of France and visits as often as she can with her husband and family. The region has been a huge inspiration for Suzanne’s books and is often the backdrop to her writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
September 7, 2019
The strength of this page turning thriller is the fact that titular missing school girl Poppy doesn’t disappear until quite a way into the story, this allows the readers to get a real grasp of the family dynamic and plant seeds of doubt on numerous characters who may know what has happened to Poppy.
Poppy herself is such a great character, the 14 year old has learning difficulties having suffered from a lack of oxygen and saw her mother die through childbirth.
Her father Kit has since remarried to Neve and whilst their relationship has hit a rocky patch, Neve loves Poppy like her own daughter.
The reader is teased about Neve’s past and is clearly hiding something, this all comes to a head when a familiar face has resurfaced.
Whilst Neve is also resisting the advances from private art tutor Jake.
Whilst some of the characters motivations are questionable, their was something gripping about seeing how the whole scenario would play out.
Poppy’s innocence is a shining beacon of light in this absorbing tale of lies and ulterior motives...
Poppy herself is such a great character, the 14 year old has learning difficulties having suffered from a lack of oxygen and saw her mother die through childbirth.
Her father Kit has since remarried to Neve and whilst their relationship has hit a rocky patch, Neve loves Poppy like her own daughter.
The reader is teased about Neve’s past and is clearly hiding something, this all comes to a head when a familiar face has resurfaced.
Whilst Neve is also resisting the advances from private art tutor Jake.
Whilst some of the characters motivations are questionable, their was something gripping about seeing how the whole scenario would play out.
Poppy’s innocence is a shining beacon of light in this absorbing tale of lies and ulterior motives...
January 7, 2019
A fourteen year old girl with special needs has gone missing during the night from her fathers boat. Her parents are desperate to to find her.
This story is packed with unlikeable people, secrets, lies and manipulation.
I enjoyed the first part of the book but it got very confusing and unbelievable towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story is packed with unlikeable people, secrets, lies and manipulation.
I enjoyed the first part of the book but it got very confusing and unbelievable towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2019
I know when I pick up a Sue Fortin book that I’m in for a treat and to clear my diary as this will be a book that will be hard to put down!!
When Neve married Kit she took on his daughter Poppy, sadly his first wife died in childbirth and Poppy was starved of oxygen during birth and has special needs.
When Poppy goes missing from their boat it starts to look suspicious as neither parent can remember what happened the night before.
This book is full of secrets and lies. Neve is desperate for a child but seems to be hiding her past from her husband. When a face from her past reappears she worries that her perfect life will be destroyed!!
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for a review
When Neve married Kit she took on his daughter Poppy, sadly his first wife died in childbirth and Poppy was starved of oxygen during birth and has special needs.
When Poppy goes missing from their boat it starts to look suspicious as neither parent can remember what happened the night before.
This book is full of secrets and lies. Neve is desperate for a child but seems to be hiding her past from her husband. When a face from her past reappears she worries that her perfect life will be destroyed!!
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for a review
April 14, 2019
3 1/2 stars
Neve and Kit have been married for a long time and she is a stepmom to 14 year old Poppy who has special needs. She loves Poppy like her own but longs for her own child, though Kit who lost Poppy’s mom at childbirth is not keen . In order to get over their differences they decide to spend a weekend on their boat but Poppy goes missing in the night and neither of them can remember what happened . While Kit is trying to find Poppy he comes across Neve’s past and he realizes that her past mistakes may have finally come back to haunt them.
Schoolgirl missing by Sue Fortin is a fast paced psychological thriller .A little predictable with unlikable characters and though I have enjoyed the authors other books this one was a little too unrealistic for me
I would like to thank Harper Collins , HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com
December 21, 2018
Having really enjoyed The Birthday Girl previously by Sue Fortin I was excited to read Schoolgirl Missing. Although it was fast read, it was a little bit disappointing. I found the story to be a bit all over the place, with so many despicable characters - I could not like any of them.
Neve and Kit's marriage is a little unstable to say the least. She is stepmother to 14 year old Poppy who has special needs She has a desperate need to have her own child, but after Kit lost Poppys birth mother in child birth he doesn't want any more children. One night when they are spending the night on their boat Poppy goes missing and neither parent can remember what happened. All eyes are on the parents and Neves dark past comes back to haunt her, while Kit tries to put the pieces together. A bit predictable and over the top but a mostly good story.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Neve and Kit's marriage is a little unstable to say the least. She is stepmother to 14 year old Poppy who has special needs She has a desperate need to have her own child, but after Kit lost Poppys birth mother in child birth he doesn't want any more children. One night when they are spending the night on their boat Poppy goes missing and neither parent can remember what happened. All eyes are on the parents and Neves dark past comes back to haunt her, while Kit tries to put the pieces together. A bit predictable and over the top but a mostly good story.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
January 21, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first part of the book was more to do with Neve and Kit’s relationship and I liked that it didn’t just rush in to the missing part straight away. That way we also got to know the two main characters a lot better and I really enjoyed it. The second part which was the Poppy missing part was enjoyable and I kept changing my mind on what was happening and it really got me thinking. The third bit was the aftermath of everything that happened and it put the pieces of the puzzle in place. I thought the book was fantastic and I’m excited to read more books from the author.
March 27, 2020
What, and I cannot stress this enough, the fuck???
All in all I’m gonna go right ahead and say I didn’t have a positive experience with this novel and because of that I’m not interested in reading another one of the authors books. Harsh? Whatever.
I’m giving it a 1/5 stars because while I disliked almost everything about it, for some reason it did somehow keep me reading until the end. And let’s be real here, I’ve only written what I wish someone would have told me before I picked up the book.
All in all I’m gonna go right ahead and say I didn’t have a positive experience with this novel and because of that I’m not interested in reading another one of the authors books. Harsh? Whatever.
I’m giving it a 1/5 stars because while I disliked almost everything about it, for some reason it did somehow keep me reading until the end. And let’s be real here, I’ve only written what I wish someone would have told me before I picked up the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2020
I can’t say anything good about Schoolgirl Missing, and that’s what made the decision for me that this was a 1* book.
Firstly, this book should be called ‘ A Toxic Marriage’ because that’s what it’s entirety is all about.
The girl Poppy is missing for less than 100 pages.
Before that it’s constant whining from the woman and then theres the man who’s losing a battle with his insecurities (Including a big ego and harmful masculinity).
After she’s found, it’s more or less the same thing except now there’s a tedious investigation added to the mix.
I physically found the plot mind bogglingly stupid.
The woman, Neve is begging her husband for a baby and he refuses every time, so in order to get him on board with the idea of having one she kidnaps her stepdaughter/his daughter, making him desperate enough for another child? Right, because that’s plausible and not at all ridiculous.
So in the end, all we learn is that Neve is severely mentally unstable but winds up not getting help and just living happily ever after.
However the worst part about this book is the terrible grammar and punctuation, it’s amateur level at best.
There are unfinished sentences throughout, and awful punctuational errors such as speech marks that are thrown in at random, I saw ones that weren’t even connected to sentences.
I wouldn’t read this book again if you paid me to.
Firstly, this book should be called ‘ A Toxic Marriage’ because that’s what it’s entirety is all about.
The girl Poppy is missing for less than 100 pages.
Before that it’s constant whining from the woman and then theres the man who’s losing a battle with his insecurities (Including a big ego and harmful masculinity).
After she’s found, it’s more or less the same thing except now there’s a tedious investigation added to the mix.
I physically found the plot mind bogglingly stupid.
The woman, Neve is begging her husband for a baby and he refuses every time, so in order to get him on board with the idea of having one she kidnaps her stepdaughter/his daughter, making him desperate enough for another child? Right, because that’s plausible and not at all ridiculous.
So in the end, all we learn is that Neve is severely mentally unstable but winds up not getting help and just living happily ever after.
However the worst part about this book is the terrible grammar and punctuation, it’s amateur level at best.
There are unfinished sentences throughout, and awful punctuational errors such as speech marks that are thrown in at random, I saw ones that weren’t even connected to sentences.
I wouldn’t read this book again if you paid me to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2024
Who was the editor and where can I find them?
The grammar and punctuation in this book were definitely not it. The plot was mediocre at best. Certainly not very bad but definitely not memorable.
The grammar and punctuation in this book were definitely not it. The plot was mediocre at best. Certainly not very bad but definitely not memorable.
February 27, 2019
Having read some of Sue Fortin’s books before, I was very keen to get my hands on a copy of SCHOOLGIRL MISSING as it was a must-read for me. I liked this book very much, The level of suspense she manages to create in her writing is awesome and she is one of my favourite authors in this genre.
SCHOOLGIRL MISSING is an engrossing, psychological thriller set in Ambleton, a lovely quiet village with a river running through it.
What’s really likeable about it straight-away are the opening chapters that draw you into the main characters, Neve and Kit Masters and their daughter, Poppy. Neve is impulsive and unreliable. She was someone who I could empathise with, but she also had me losing patience with her. Kit had a deep-rooted fear of loss as a result of previous life experiences which I could fully understand.
Because Poppy is Kit's daughter and not Neve's, she cannot hide her all-consuming need to have a child of her own. Kit, however, doesn't share her desire which has put a strain on their relationship, and when Poppy vanishes, the cracks begin to deepen. Would either Neve or Kit harm Poppy to achieve their own aims? Are those around them completely as they seem?
One of the highlights of the book was following the many twists and turns of the plot and I absolutely loved the way in which this story developed. Both the plot and character development are excellent, and the story is captivating and engaging. I found that I was regularly pondering where the story was going to next.
This was an interesting novel particularly for the interplay of the different secondary characters as well as the primary ones- a handsome suitor, a supportive best friend, an unpleasant ex-husband, and a dodgy past acquaintance, to name but a few. I thought that all of the characters were very cleverly written - resulting in my constant changes of opinion about whether or not I trusted them.
I loved Sue Fortin’s writing style which I found to be so vivid and very easy to read. She portrayed the characters’ feelings incredibly well as the story unfolded and Neve's past was particularly well told.
SCHOOLGIRL MISSING is a story full of secrets, suspicion and lies that held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Sue Fortin brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and Sue Fortin for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
SCHOOLGIRL MISSING is an engrossing, psychological thriller set in Ambleton, a lovely quiet village with a river running through it.
What’s really likeable about it straight-away are the opening chapters that draw you into the main characters, Neve and Kit Masters and their daughter, Poppy. Neve is impulsive and unreliable. She was someone who I could empathise with, but she also had me losing patience with her. Kit had a deep-rooted fear of loss as a result of previous life experiences which I could fully understand.
Because Poppy is Kit's daughter and not Neve's, she cannot hide her all-consuming need to have a child of her own. Kit, however, doesn't share her desire which has put a strain on their relationship, and when Poppy vanishes, the cracks begin to deepen. Would either Neve or Kit harm Poppy to achieve their own aims? Are those around them completely as they seem?
One of the highlights of the book was following the many twists and turns of the plot and I absolutely loved the way in which this story developed. Both the plot and character development are excellent, and the story is captivating and engaging. I found that I was regularly pondering where the story was going to next.
This was an interesting novel particularly for the interplay of the different secondary characters as well as the primary ones- a handsome suitor, a supportive best friend, an unpleasant ex-husband, and a dodgy past acquaintance, to name but a few. I thought that all of the characters were very cleverly written - resulting in my constant changes of opinion about whether or not I trusted them.
I loved Sue Fortin’s writing style which I found to be so vivid and very easy to read. She portrayed the characters’ feelings incredibly well as the story unfolded and Neve's past was particularly well told.
SCHOOLGIRL MISSING is a story full of secrets, suspicion and lies that held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Sue Fortin brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and Sue Fortin for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
January 14, 2019
Hiding the past to save the future. Beware the repercussions.
Neve is married to Kit Masters. His first wife died giving birth to Poppy, who attends a special-needs school as her brain was starved of oxygen during the birth.
Neve is desperate to have her own child, but Kit refuses to even contemplate the idea because of the trauma he suffered as a result of losing his first wife in childbirth.
Neve also has a past which she refuses to deal with or acknowledge. She does attend art therapy which is supposedly helping her deal with her demons.
Jake Rees, Neve’s art teacher, sees her vulnerability and reaches out to her, offering her a new life with him and the chance to have a baby. Neve is tempted but when Poppy disappears while on a weekend break with Neve and Kit, all she wants to do is get Poppy back and maybe find a way to resurrect her marriage to Kit.
I found the whole storyline lacked credibility and none of the characters or their demons elicited even the slightest bit of sympathy from me.
Bluebell
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Neve is married to Kit Masters. His first wife died giving birth to Poppy, who attends a special-needs school as her brain was starved of oxygen during the birth.
Neve is desperate to have her own child, but Kit refuses to even contemplate the idea because of the trauma he suffered as a result of losing his first wife in childbirth.
Neve also has a past which she refuses to deal with or acknowledge. She does attend art therapy which is supposedly helping her deal with her demons.
Jake Rees, Neve’s art teacher, sees her vulnerability and reaches out to her, offering her a new life with him and the chance to have a baby. Neve is tempted but when Poppy disappears while on a weekend break with Neve and Kit, all she wants to do is get Poppy back and maybe find a way to resurrect her marriage to Kit.
I found the whole storyline lacked credibility and none of the characters or their demons elicited even the slightest bit of sympathy from me.
Bluebell
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
January 16, 2019
I do love a Sue Fortin book and this was no exception. Hideously flawed characters I loved to hate but was also deeply intrigued by. You will want to fly through this to find out the truth and it's a truth that will have your jaw-dropping. Highly recommended for fans of B A Paris.
December 2, 2018
Mildly entertaining. Can’t say I cared for any of the main characters.
November 15, 2021
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.
Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Pace:4*
Characters:5*
Twists: 3*
This shouldn't be called schoolgirl Missing, no spoilers, but it shouldn't. However this is a good thriller with loads of twists and turns. I never try and guess the twists or the 'who dunnit' whilst reading, so I was never going to figure it out, but in hindsight it was a bit obvious. None the less I liked the characters and the pace was great, I was never bored!
Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Pace:4*
Characters:5*
Twists: 3*
This shouldn't be called schoolgirl Missing, no spoilers, but it shouldn't. However this is a good thriller with loads of twists and turns. I never try and guess the twists or the 'who dunnit' whilst reading, so I was never going to figure it out, but in hindsight it was a bit obvious. None the less I liked the characters and the pace was great, I was never bored!
January 13, 2019
I have enjoyed Sue Fortin’s previous books but was a little disappointed with this one. Never is married to Kit. His first wife died after a traumatic birth and left him with a daughter Poppy, who has special needs. Neve loves Poppy but is desperate for a baby of her own but Kit is totally against this. Trying to resolve their issues they plan an overnight stay on their boat for the three of them. But when they wake up the next morning Poppy has disappeared. Neve has been hiding all her past secrets from Kit and also her attraction to her art therapist. As the plot unfolds there are plenty of lies and secrets to be revealed. I did find the story a little far fetched and the characters quite unbelievable too.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 23, 2019
Okay, so I bought this book without having read anything else by Sue Fortin. The blurb sounded interesting enough and I was just looking for a quick little family-drama-mystery kind of story.
Before I get into the actual story and the problems I had with it, I want to point out the fact that there were SO many errors all through the book! So many places where the quotation marks were misplaced or missing altogether from dialogues and several instances where the sentences were just grammatically incorrect.
Examples of dialogues taken from the book verbatim: "How you did it?" and "Why you didn't tell me about Farnham."
Which brings me to another issue. There are COUNTLESS dialogues in the book that are intended to end with a question mark but just DON'T. It's just odd. For example (this sentence is not taken directly from the book, I'm just using it to illustrate my point), "Why don't you meet me at the cafe." Is it just me or is that sentence weird without the question mark in the end? When I was reading the book, I found SO MANY sentences like this that I just stopped keeping track. These little errors annoyed the fuck out of me and made this book even harder to get through.
The only character I liked in this story was the dog, Willow. From the beginning, Willow is described as a female Labrador (and there are some points where I really enjoyed and loved her scenes), but somewhere in the final one-third of the book, one of the scenes described Willow as a MALE dog because the description suddenly says "HIS" nose or "HIS" snout. I mean, come on! This is such a simple mistake that some basic editing could've fixed. This is not the standard I expect from HarperCollins!
Anyway, moving on to the actual plot of this book . . .
Neve is so fucking annoying I don't even know where to START. Her obsession with having a baby gets so boring after sometime because literally every chapter ends with her saying, "Oh I've got to have this baby" or "It's up to me to make this baby happen" or "I'm gonna get a fucking baby out of Kit." Okay, Neve, we get that you desperately want a baby. You don't need to remind us every five seconds!
And there's a point where
Overall, this story could've had potential because the setting was good and the characters were decent, but I was disappointed by the ending and the way everything was tied together with a neat little bow in the end.
I don't know if it's my place to recommend or not recommend this book to anyone else because you may end up actually enjoying this story, but I definitely did not and would certainly not be reading it again.
Before I get into the actual story and the problems I had with it, I want to point out the fact that there were SO many errors all through the book! So many places where the quotation marks were misplaced or missing altogether from dialogues and several instances where the sentences were just grammatically incorrect.
Examples of dialogues taken from the book verbatim: "How you did it?" and "Why you didn't tell me about Farnham."
Which brings me to another issue. There are COUNTLESS dialogues in the book that are intended to end with a question mark but just DON'T. It's just odd. For example (this sentence is not taken directly from the book, I'm just using it to illustrate my point), "Why don't you meet me at the cafe." Is it just me or is that sentence weird without the question mark in the end? When I was reading the book, I found SO MANY sentences like this that I just stopped keeping track. These little errors annoyed the fuck out of me and made this book even harder to get through.
The only character I liked in this story was the dog, Willow. From the beginning, Willow is described as a female Labrador (and there are some points where I really enjoyed and loved her scenes), but somewhere in the final one-third of the book, one of the scenes described Willow as a MALE dog because the description suddenly says "HIS" nose or "HIS" snout. I mean, come on! This is such a simple mistake that some basic editing could've fixed. This is not the standard I expect from HarperCollins!
Anyway, moving on to the actual plot of this book . . .
Neve is so fucking annoying I don't even know where to START. Her obsession with having a baby gets so boring after sometime because literally every chapter ends with her saying, "Oh I've got to have this baby" or "It's up to me to make this baby happen" or "I'm gonna get a fucking baby out of Kit." Okay, Neve, we get that you desperately want a baby. You don't need to remind us every five seconds!
And there's a point where
Overall, this story could've had potential because the setting was good and the characters were decent, but I was disappointed by the ending and the way everything was tied together with a neat little bow in the end.
I don't know if it's my place to recommend or not recommend this book to anyone else because you may end up actually enjoying this story, but I definitely did not and would certainly not be reading it again.
March 19, 2020
C L I C H É at its best! Woman is married to man. Woman really wants baby. Man doesn’t want another baby. Woman doesn’t have a baby of her own. How far will she go to conceive a baby by her beloved husband?
TOO FAR! Is the answer. First of all, the book was so cliche, I had read 4 books in between and finished them within days. This book... just take a look at my dates. 6 months. Took me 6 months to finish the cliche book.
So we are led to believe this book is about a little girl going missing. But is it really? Let me answer that. ABSOLUTELY NOT! It is more about this lady and her issues of the past and wanting a baby. The author just threw the whole little girl missing on the title when that’s only 30% of the book; although she tries to drag that out. I hate to give this author a bad review because her book “The Birthday Girl” was really good which led me to this book in the first place.
“Sometimes the thought of something is enough to keep a person going and then the act doesn’t live up to the expectations” that insert from this book, is exactly how I felt about reading it. I literally thought to myself, “hmm, maybe if I finish it, it’ll have a satisfying ending”. Boy, was I wrong.
To each, be his own. If you’re interested, give it a shot. You just might enjoy the book. Obviously I gave it 3 stars so there was something enjoyable about it. But I surely wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.
TOO FAR! Is the answer. First of all, the book was so cliche, I had read 4 books in between and finished them within days. This book... just take a look at my dates. 6 months. Took me 6 months to finish the cliche book.
So we are led to believe this book is about a little girl going missing. But is it really? Let me answer that. ABSOLUTELY NOT! It is more about this lady and her issues of the past and wanting a baby. The author just threw the whole little girl missing on the title when that’s only 30% of the book; although she tries to drag that out. I hate to give this author a bad review because her book “The Birthday Girl” was really good which led me to this book in the first place.
“Sometimes the thought of something is enough to keep a person going and then the act doesn’t live up to the expectations” that insert from this book, is exactly how I felt about reading it. I literally thought to myself, “hmm, maybe if I finish it, it’ll have a satisfying ending”. Boy, was I wrong.
To each, be his own. If you’re interested, give it a shot. You just might enjoy the book. Obviously I gave it 3 stars so there was something enjoyable about it. But I surely wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.
March 21, 2019
Characters were downright unlikable and plot was all over the place. It kept me guessing but all of the options as to who did it were too awful to contemplate so I almost didn’t want to know. I’ve liked other books of hers but I’m glad I’m done with this one.
April 20, 2019
Another cracking and suspenseful book from Sue Fortin, who kept me guessing throughout.
Initially I thought I could predict everything, but then realised the set up would be too predictable if I was correct and I'm delighted to say that it became really hard to guess the truth the whole way through.
The more I got to know Neve and Kit the less I liked them, I felt fro them that Phoebe had gone missing, but I much preferred Phoebe to her parents.
She is a rather vulnerable young adult, with learning difficulties, so the fact she disappeared was rather worrying.
Oddly I was more eager to work out how / why than actual concern for her.
This was a story with many layers to it, all sorts of unsavoury seemingly normal people, and it became rather addictive towards the end.
Another incredibly gripping story from one of my favourite suspense authors,
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Initially I thought I could predict everything, but then realised the set up would be too predictable if I was correct and I'm delighted to say that it became really hard to guess the truth the whole way through.
The more I got to know Neve and Kit the less I liked them, I felt fro them that Phoebe had gone missing, but I much preferred Phoebe to her parents.
She is a rather vulnerable young adult, with learning difficulties, so the fact she disappeared was rather worrying.
Oddly I was more eager to work out how / why than actual concern for her.
This was a story with many layers to it, all sorts of unsavoury seemingly normal people, and it became rather addictive towards the end.
Another incredibly gripping story from one of my favourite suspense authors,
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
March 14, 2019
Neve has a secret. Kit is laying. What length would you go to if you wanted to have a child, but your spouse didn't? The reason he/she doesn't is because they already have one. They can't figure out why you want one, when you have adopted theirs as your one. What length would you go to get what you want? What length would you go to to save your marriage? If you read this book, you'll find out how far some people would go! Happy Reading 😊
June 7, 2022
This is book is filled with twist and turns and also how someone's past affects their entire future
January 27, 2019
#FirstLine ~ Neve looked up from the toast she was buttering as her daughter came into the kitchen.
This book was such a thrilling and tense read. It was filled with lies, twists and turns. It was a captivating read that kept my interest throughout. I think book clubs would enjoy this title!
This book was such a thrilling and tense read. It was filled with lies, twists and turns. It was a captivating read that kept my interest throughout. I think book clubs would enjoy this title!
June 14, 2025
The titular schoolgirl barely matters and somehow every character in this manages to be boring
January 6, 2019
A book with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings.
Kit and Neve are having some struggles in their marriage and Neve is finding it hard to accept that Kit doesn’t want to have a baby with her. His only child, Poppy, who is Neve’s adopted daughter has special need after s traumatic birth, which led to the death of her birth mother. To try and repair the cracks in their relationship, Kit and Neve take Poppy with them on an overnight stay on their boat. But when Neve and Kit awake they realise that Poppy has gone !!
As the story unfolds there are several suspects and theories about Poppy’s disappearance and Neve realises that she will need to face her past. Kit discovers that his wife has never been honest with him but where will his own investigations lead him.
A fast paced story with plenty of twists to keep you engaged but I have to admit I really didn’t warm to either Kit or Neve and felt that the story was a little far fetched BUT it is an enjoyable read for anyone that loves a good twisty thriller.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.
Kit and Neve are having some struggles in their marriage and Neve is finding it hard to accept that Kit doesn’t want to have a baby with her. His only child, Poppy, who is Neve’s adopted daughter has special need after s traumatic birth, which led to the death of her birth mother. To try and repair the cracks in their relationship, Kit and Neve take Poppy with them on an overnight stay on their boat. But when Neve and Kit awake they realise that Poppy has gone !!
As the story unfolds there are several suspects and theories about Poppy’s disappearance and Neve realises that she will need to face her past. Kit discovers that his wife has never been honest with him but where will his own investigations lead him.
A fast paced story with plenty of twists to keep you engaged but I have to admit I really didn’t warm to either Kit or Neve and felt that the story was a little far fetched BUT it is an enjoyable read for anyone that loves a good twisty thriller.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.
March 15, 2019
Holy Smokes. That's all I can say to start this review off with. Sue Fortin is a new-to-me author. I was browsing for some thriller novels to review and saw the cover of this one. It caught my eye. So, I proceeded to do something I don't often do. That's read the blurb. I read the blurb, dropped my jaw, sent it to my Kindle and devoured it. I don't mean I devoured it in one sitting. It was through a few sittings. Because with this book, I had to keep stopping to process all that I read, to pick the bones, so to speak.
This isn't your normal psych thriller. This is so much more. Poppy, Neve, Kit, and all the other characters that come to light in this story will have your heart pounding, your hands sweaty and your seat tipping from being on the edge of it for so long through the story. This is a story about a family. Not an ordinary family. A family full of secrets. A family that takes a trip, and has the unexpected happen, and only one person in this book, knows the absolute truth of what happened to Poppy.....and why.
Just when I thought I had it figured out, just when I thought I knew who was getting their way in the story, Fortin through another twist and left me back pedaling to figure it out all over again. That's the kind of writing that makes a phenomenal thriller novel. So many peaks, only to have so many twists thrown at you to leave you wondering just what exactly is going on and who did it.
By the end of this 5 star thriller, I was ready for another. This book is filled with intensity like I haven't read in a while. It is, by far, one of the best books I've read this year. If you are looking for a novel that will make you sweat, make you mad, make you turn the pages long into the night, then I highly recommend this novel. This is an author who has quickly made me a fan and I absolutely can not wait until another intricately written novel is released by her. Well done, Fortin!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins, NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
This isn't your normal psych thriller. This is so much more. Poppy, Neve, Kit, and all the other characters that come to light in this story will have your heart pounding, your hands sweaty and your seat tipping from being on the edge of it for so long through the story. This is a story about a family. Not an ordinary family. A family full of secrets. A family that takes a trip, and has the unexpected happen, and only one person in this book, knows the absolute truth of what happened to Poppy.....and why.
Just when I thought I had it figured out, just when I thought I knew who was getting their way in the story, Fortin through another twist and left me back pedaling to figure it out all over again. That's the kind of writing that makes a phenomenal thriller novel. So many peaks, only to have so many twists thrown at you to leave you wondering just what exactly is going on and who did it.
By the end of this 5 star thriller, I was ready for another. This book is filled with intensity like I haven't read in a while. It is, by far, one of the best books I've read this year. If you are looking for a novel that will make you sweat, make you mad, make you turn the pages long into the night, then I highly recommend this novel. This is an author who has quickly made me a fan and I absolutely can not wait until another intricately written novel is released by her. Well done, Fortin!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins, NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
June 2, 2020
I had to read some other reviews of this before writing mine to make sure I wasn't being too harsh. I did not enjoy reading this book. Both of the main characters were rude, spiteful, jealous, and keeping secrets. And keeping certain secrets is okay. For example, if Neve didn't want to tell Kit that she had a stillbirth, that's okay because that's her business and her tragedy. But her keeping her relationship with Lee from Kit when she found out he was hanging around Poppy and the cops specifically asked if she knew him was horrible. Her drugging her husband and child simply so she could trick her husband into having a child with her when he explicitly said he didn't want to potentially lose another wife or have Neve lose another child is not okay. Her paying her old drug dealer to steal her child so she could trick Kit into having another child with her is not okay. I liked Neve before these things happened, then became so demotivated to finish reading.
I didn't appreciate that only about one chapter or less involved Poppy's disappearance. I expected half the book or more to be about how this little girl was missing and maybe delving deeper into the legal and investigative sides of the story, but once they found her, I felt like I had skipped three chapters of Poppy being gone.
I ended up not liking any of the characters. I first liked Neve and felt like she had legitimate reasons to hide what she was hiding. I thought that the reasons for her hurt with Megan and Jasmine would be warranted and understandable. But finding out about the cocaine, hiding Lee's involvement in the beach day, and Neve kidnapping Jasmine gave me a bad taste for her, and I felt as if she was mentally ill, but that it didn't justify or explain her actions.
I do think Kit and Neve deserve one another, but not in a positive light.
Overall, the book was far too long for the content it provided, there ended up being no good characters, and the plot was all over the place and, in my opinion, out of order, as well as not being focused enough on Poppy being missing, which is what I thought would be the focus of the book when I decided to read it.
I didn't appreciate that only about one chapter or less involved Poppy's disappearance. I expected half the book or more to be about how this little girl was missing and maybe delving deeper into the legal and investigative sides of the story, but once they found her, I felt like I had skipped three chapters of Poppy being gone.
I ended up not liking any of the characters. I first liked Neve and felt like she had legitimate reasons to hide what she was hiding. I thought that the reasons for her hurt with Megan and Jasmine would be warranted and understandable. But finding out about the cocaine, hiding Lee's involvement in the beach day, and Neve kidnapping Jasmine gave me a bad taste for her, and I felt as if she was mentally ill, but that it didn't justify or explain her actions.
I do think Kit and Neve deserve one another, but not in a positive light.
Overall, the book was far too long for the content it provided, there ended up being no good characters, and the plot was all over the place and, in my opinion, out of order, as well as not being focused enough on Poppy being missing, which is what I thought would be the focus of the book when I decided to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2018
Was ok, not keen on any of the characters and a bit far fetched. Kidnap your daughter so your husband agrees to have another child???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2022
Whining woman, insecure husband, lousy marriage, secrets.... terrible book. Do not waste your time.
February 12, 2019
When fourteen-year-old Poppy vanishes on a family boating trip, suspicion soon turns close to home – to the two people who should do everything to keep her safe, her parents, Kit and Neve. Neve has a secret. Kit is lying. What is the truth?
This is described as a book about a missing schoolgirl but it is so much more than that, the missing schoolgirl part is not the whole picture and there is so much more that happens in the book, both plot wise and character development wise. The other thing is it takes a while for the action to get going, a long while really, and this allows the reader time to understand Kit, Neve and other characters. Now, on the one hand this is great as it means we go into the eventual investigation knowing the two main characters well and with a small idea of some of the secrets they hold. The downside to knowing a lot about them is we already know some of their flaws and they are very flawed. I was already irritated and frustrated by the characters and then I was meant to feel sympathy for them, it was just hard to marry up, I am not saying it was the wrong thing to do, it was interesting and meant I had a different take on the plot.
The other thing is yes the plot is thrilling and there are so many threads clashing, leading you to question what exactly is going on, but the plot is also desperately sad, disturbing and a hard read at times. I will not detail why for obvious reasons, but I was surprised by how difficult this was to read at times, Fortin covers some very hard-hitting subjects that left me an emotional wreck, I was not prepared for this from judging the book to be a thriller. This is so much more than that.
The characters are fantastic in this, Fortin has created two very strong characters in Kit and Neve, no they are not always likeable but they are perfect for the plot and I loved following them on their desperate journey. The secrets that Fortin slowly unveils really flesh them out and we can see how their desperate pasts have influenced their present.
'Schoolgirl Missing' is a thriller and a half with a very hard-hitting, family orientated undertone. I was swept away by the desperation the characters go through and would recommend this as so much more than a thriller.
This is described as a book about a missing schoolgirl but it is so much more than that, the missing schoolgirl part is not the whole picture and there is so much more that happens in the book, both plot wise and character development wise. The other thing is it takes a while for the action to get going, a long while really, and this allows the reader time to understand Kit, Neve and other characters. Now, on the one hand this is great as it means we go into the eventual investigation knowing the two main characters well and with a small idea of some of the secrets they hold. The downside to knowing a lot about them is we already know some of their flaws and they are very flawed. I was already irritated and frustrated by the characters and then I was meant to feel sympathy for them, it was just hard to marry up, I am not saying it was the wrong thing to do, it was interesting and meant I had a different take on the plot.
The other thing is yes the plot is thrilling and there are so many threads clashing, leading you to question what exactly is going on, but the plot is also desperately sad, disturbing and a hard read at times. I will not detail why for obvious reasons, but I was surprised by how difficult this was to read at times, Fortin covers some very hard-hitting subjects that left me an emotional wreck, I was not prepared for this from judging the book to be a thriller. This is so much more than that.
The characters are fantastic in this, Fortin has created two very strong characters in Kit and Neve, no they are not always likeable but they are perfect for the plot and I loved following them on their desperate journey. The secrets that Fortin slowly unveils really flesh them out and we can see how their desperate pasts have influenced their present.
'Schoolgirl Missing' is a thriller and a half with a very hard-hitting, family orientated undertone. I was swept away by the desperation the characters go through and would recommend this as so much more than a thriller.
January 31, 2019
Schoolgirl Missing
By Sue Fortin
** publication date 10 January 2019 **
Goodreads has this listed as the most gripping page turner of 2019. I don’t know that I’d go that far, but I will say that it definitely is a page turner.
Neve is a 30 something adoptive mother of Poppy. Poppy is mentally challenged. We never quite know how, but she definitely doesn’t have the emotional development of a 14 year old girl. Kit is Poppy’s father. Kit lost his wife in the childbirth of Poppy, and now refuses to even discuss the possibility of future children with Neve. Neve is hiding something from Kit, but wanting a child is not her secret.
Kit works in boat sales and is quite successful. They have a beautiful home in a beautiful small community. Kit is married to his job and Neve is married to him. Neve takes primary care for the household and Poppy at Kit’s urging. But Neve doesn’t feel fulfilled. No matter how much she cares for Poppy, she wants a child of her own.
On a family boating trip, Neve and Kit drink a bit too much and wake to discover Poppy is missing. Being that Poppy is not completely sound of mind, this is even more worrisome. The police are called, fliers are made and handed out. Kit is beside himself. Neve tries to keep it together. But do all the pieces add up?
I found the beginning of the book a bit slow, but once it picked up speed, I couldn’t wait to hear how this one turned out. If you enjoy the Gone Girl type of mystery/thriller, this one is for you. It’s somewhat dark, and somewhat sad, but it keeps the mind working to figure out just exactly what’s happening here. I would definitely recommend this one.
review also posted at bookwormishme.com
By Sue Fortin
** publication date 10 January 2019 **
Goodreads has this listed as the most gripping page turner of 2019. I don’t know that I’d go that far, but I will say that it definitely is a page turner.
Neve is a 30 something adoptive mother of Poppy. Poppy is mentally challenged. We never quite know how, but she definitely doesn’t have the emotional development of a 14 year old girl. Kit is Poppy’s father. Kit lost his wife in the childbirth of Poppy, and now refuses to even discuss the possibility of future children with Neve. Neve is hiding something from Kit, but wanting a child is not her secret.
Kit works in boat sales and is quite successful. They have a beautiful home in a beautiful small community. Kit is married to his job and Neve is married to him. Neve takes primary care for the household and Poppy at Kit’s urging. But Neve doesn’t feel fulfilled. No matter how much she cares for Poppy, she wants a child of her own.
On a family boating trip, Neve and Kit drink a bit too much and wake to discover Poppy is missing. Being that Poppy is not completely sound of mind, this is even more worrisome. The police are called, fliers are made and handed out. Kit is beside himself. Neve tries to keep it together. But do all the pieces add up?
I found the beginning of the book a bit slow, but once it picked up speed, I couldn’t wait to hear how this one turned out. If you enjoy the Gone Girl type of mystery/thriller, this one is for you. It’s somewhat dark, and somewhat sad, but it keeps the mind working to figure out just exactly what’s happening here. I would definitely recommend this one.
review also posted at bookwormishme.com
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