Without a Trace

by Carissa Ann Lynch

Lily’s gone.
Someone took her.
Unless she was she never there…

A little girl has gone missing.

Lily was last seen being tucked into bed by her adoring mother, Nova. But the next morning, the bed is empty except for a creepy toy rabbit.

Has Nova’s abusive ex stolen his “little bunny” back for good?

At first, Officer Ellie James assumes this is a clear custody battle. Until she discovers that there are no pictures of the girl and her drawers are full of unused toys and brand new clothes that have never been worn…

Is Ellie searching for a missing child who doesn’t actually exist?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Audiobook

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2019

About the author

Besides my family, my greatest love in life is books. Reading them, writing them, holding them, smelling them…well, you get the idea. I’ve always loved to read, and some of my earliest childhood memories are me, tucked away in my room, lost in a good book. I received a five dollar allowance each week, and I always — always — spent it on books. My love affair with writing started early, but it mostly involved journaling and writing silly poems. Several years ago, I didn’t have a book to read so I decided on a whim to write my own story, something I’d like to read. It turned out to be harder than I thought, but from that point on I was hooked. My first and second books were released by Sarah Book Publishing: This Is Not About Love and Grayson’s Ridge. I’m a total genre-hopper. Basically, I like to write what I like to read: a little bit of everything! I reside in Floyds Knobs, Indiana with my husband, three children, and massive collection of books. I have a degree in psychology and worked as a counselor.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova is hiding from her abusive husband Martin with their 4 year old daughter Lily in a dilapidated log cabin.

On their first night at the cabin Lily disappears from her bedroom and a scary stuffed Rabbit toy is left in her place, coincidentally Martin called his daughter bunny!!

Nova thinking Martin has taken Lily calls the police, officer Jame’s finds it strange that she has no photo’s of Lily and family did not know she existed, whilst Martin denies that they have a daughter. Dies Lily actually exist!!

Loved this psychological thriller that kept me intrigued, everybody seemed to have their own secrets and there is plenty of twists along the way.

I never predicted the ending and would gladly read other books by Clarissa Anne Lynch.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova is in hiding with her young daughter, Lily. She's scared that her abusive husband will find her ... and kill her as he has threatened.

The first night they spend in this dilapidated cabin far away from where she came from, her daughter disappears from her bed. Left in her place is a raggedy stuffed bunny rabbit,

Certain that her husband has found them and taken her daughter, she calls the police. Officer Ellie James assumes this is most likely a case for the courts to decide when it comes to custody battles. As Nova is still married, the husband has a right to their child.

But Officer James is getting some strange vibes from the terrified mother. There are no signs that a child is living there. All the clothes are brand new, some still with tags on them. Some toys are in a bag .. nothing to show they've been played with. No pictures ... no drawings ... no colored pictures.

Nova's nearest neighbor states she has never met Nova or her daughter. Nova's husband says he and Nova have never had a daughter.

Is Ellie searching for a missing child who doesn’t actually exist?

This is an excellent psychological thriller. It's well written with memorable, finely drawn characters. Everyone seems to be harboring secrets. Ellie James is a relative rookie. She started out by shooting an abusive man who also happened to be a retired cop. She's also coping with a mother who is a bit controlling herself.

This would make a great series ....

Many thanks to the author / Harper Collins - Killer Reads / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this excellent book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4

A little girl had gone missing. Lily was last seen being tucked into bed by her adoring mother, Nova. The next morning, her bed is empty except for a creepy toy rabbit. Has Nova's abusive ex taken Lily?

This is quite a creepy story that will keep you guessing. As the story progresses, the twists were plentiful. The story is told mainly from three people's point of views and all of them being told in the first person: Ellie, the rookie cop sent to investigate Lily's disappearance, Nova, Lily's mother and Clara, the woman who rents out the cabin where Lily is taken from. Each character has a backstory and a secret. The chapters are short, I do prefer them that way. I thought I knew where this story was going but I was wrong. I never saw that ending coming. I did enjoy this book and I will read more from this author.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads and the author Clarissa Ann Lynch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second book written by this author. I absolutely LOVED, My Sister is Missing, and immediately put, Without A Trace, on my TBR list. The premise of this book is terrific. I kept turning the pages trying to figure out if four year old Lily ever existed or if Nora had created a fake child and was an unreliable narrator.

I am a big fan of how Carissa Ann Lynch does not write lengthy books, filled with fluff. It is such a treat to finish an entire book in one or two sittings.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a thriller when you have absolutely no idea where all the craziness is going. Nova with her little girl Lily have escaped an abusive husband and arrive in a cottage for their new life. By morning Lily is gone and Officer Ellie James is called to investigate. There are no pictures of the little girl and all her possessions are new and unused. Is there really a little girl to look for? Then Nova disappears under suspicious circumstances and things get really crazy. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very unexpected read on domestic violence and the need to escape the situation at home. Officer Ellie gets a frantic call from a woman Nova that her child Lily had been kidnapped by her husband. Nova had run away from his house to escape his abuse, and apparently, he had found her and taken the child to punish her. Ellie investigates, goes to the husband Martin's home, but there is no trace of child Lily ever being born, but instead there is a file at the local police station about Nova's violence, psychosis, and community sentence. Who is lying and how will Ellie get to the truth?

My first book by Carrisa Ann Lynch, and OH MY!! What a book!! This was both a thriller and a domestic noir. The story was told from the POV of three women Ellie, Nova, and the owner of the cabin Nova had rented secretly. The story took its twists and turns, each character leapt off the pages at different times. At one point, I was not sure who, the husband or the wife, was lying. I too didn't see evidence of child Lily, hence that made me doubt their statement versions.

I liked the rigmarole which was created, it felt like I was in a house of mirrors. The story was clear in its investigation but so confusing in the evidence given by all of them. I liked Officer Ellie. Sometimes being a woman in an essentially male dominated career is difficult, but Ellie carried off the mantle of strength proudly. Domestic violence was shown well, and I was really scared of Martin and his brand of evil.

Alas, my niggles... I wanted more of a thrill, the story, though complete, lacked a certain X factor to pull me in completely. But the onus of that could be on me personally. I have great expectations from the stories I like. Making the beginning read faster and the ending slower would have helped.

Overall, a gripping read which took me on a merry ride for a few hours.

[Toni | Dark Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast paced Crime Thriller, that had me wondering who was telling the truth, what was going on and page turning to find out. It kept me guessing right up until the end!

Read my full review here! http://darkreads.blog/2019/06/11/blog...

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nova Nesbitt and her four year old daughter, Lily, arrive in a small town in the middle of nowhere, desperate to escape Nora’s abusive husband. But when Nora checks on her daughter the next morning, the little girl has gone missing. Convinced her husband has already found her and has taken her daughter, Nora calls the police. Officer Ellie James attends the scene. She assumes this is a clear custody battle but after searching the log cabin and interviewing Nora, Ellie starts to wonder if Lily even exists.

This story is told through three women : Nora, the mother; Ellie, the rookie cop; and Clara, the neighbour and owner of the log cabin. Ellie seems pretty straight-forward, but both Nora and Clara come across as rather unreliable, though both for very different reasons. Clara quite obviously has something to hide, a secret she’s desperate to protect. Nora is a nervous wreck, which is understandable considering her daughter has gone missing. Yet, just like Ellie, I couldn’t help but feel there was something a tad off about her.

This well-paced and quickie read has some surprises in store. If at any point I thought this would turn out into something a bit predictable, I was quickly proven wrong. I couldn’t at all figure out if Lily was real or not. If she was, what had happened to her? If she wasn’t, what on earth was going on?

Apart from maybe one or two characters, the men in this story don’t exactly make a good impression. Ellie faces a daily struggle with her colleagues, especially after an incident involving a senior male officer. But more than that, this story deals with domestic abuse in all its ugly forms and the resilience, strength and determination of the women trying to make a change in their lives.

Without A Trace took me by surprise. It is a tense and gripping story, with quite the chilling undertone to it. It’s a story that will have you rooting for the women, while flipping the pages faster and faster to reach the conclusion. I had no idea where things would end up and the author kept me guessing until the end. Without A Trace is a twisty and suspenseful book that will keep you on your toes.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this book released, I got all excited and went to read it straight away as Carissa Ann Lynch is one of my go-to mystery writers. I love all her thrillers and mystery novels and Without a Trace was no different. This book starts with the main character, Nova running away from her abusive husband, along with their daughter Lily. Nova has rented a small house which she found through an agency online. Nova and Lily settle in for the night only for Nova to wake up and discover that Lily is gone, she's not in her bed, and all that sits in the bed is this strange little bunny soft toy. Frantic Nova calls the police to help her find her missing daughter, but as the book goes along and we meet Nova's ex-husband, it looks like Lily doesn't exist and makes readers question Nova's sanity. I have to admit I loved Carissa's writing as even I found myself thinking that Nova was cray-cray in parts and I was like OMG did she imagine all this? What's real and what's not? Without a Trace was a slower paced novel compared to her others but this one will keep readers on their toes and going is Lily real or not as with the number of twists and turns, you as the reader even start to question your trains of thought during this story. Without a Trace was another excellent mystery/thriller, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for Carissa Ann Lynch in the world of books.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kudos to Carissa Ann Lynch for tackling a subject that not many people are willing to talk about - spousal abuse. It was a times heart breaking, but sometimes it seemed like everyone was being abused and felt heavy handed. It did catch my attention and I devoured it in one night. This is my first novel by this author, but I do want to check out her other mystery/thrillers.

[Anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very satisfying read. It started out slowly but in a good way. Then around the half way point it became even more interesting, with small twist and turns, usually at the end of each small chapter, and it was impossible to put it down until the end. My only complaint (that's why I didn't rate it a full five stars) is that the ending felt a little too quick and sudden. Maybe it was because of me, that I read it too quicky because I wanted to know how things went and so I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have, but I still think that if there were some more pages in the last two or three chapters, describing in more depth the emotions of the main characters and what they thought would happen next, it would have been a great bonus. Still a very entertaing novel and I will recommend it to my friends and I will also look forward to anything the author will write in the future.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me ARC of that book in exchange for an honest review.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wild ride! Told through multiple pov’s, the story moves quickly. I honestly didn’t know where the story was taking me. I would think one thing but then it ended up being something different. So, definitely full of surprises. Was this about murder, kidnapping, or something entirely different? Worth the read to find out!

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for an advance copy of Without a Trace, a stand alone thriller set in Northfolk, West Virginia.

Rookie officer, Ellie James, is called out to a potential kidnapping. Nova Nesbitt’s child, Lily, is missing and Nova suspects her husband, Martin whose abuse forced her to flee from Tennessee. Then Nova disappears.

I must admit that Without a Trace did not hold my attention in the first half for a variety of reasons. The novel is told from three points of view, all in the first person, Ellie, Nova and Nova’s neighbour and landlady, Clara. Fortunately each chapter is labelled so there is no confusion about whose voice is speaking but the constant switching between them does not allow the reader to settle and get immersed, especially as each character has quite a backstory and big secrets so their narrative switches between the past and present.


The novel itself is very well done with plenty of twists and turns and a large dose of suspense and intrigue as the reader wonders how it will pan out. It is not a long novel so it moves along at a fast clip and becomes absorbing as the reader is given more information and gets accustomed to the characters. It is a complicated plot, mostly designed to hammer home the lengths some women have to go to to escape their abusers. I’m in two minds about this because while it is a subject that needs discussion I’m not overly comfortable with it being hijacked for entertainment as it is in this short, action packed novel.

I also didn’t find the characters interesting. The rookie, Ellie, is difficult to take seriously and her comments at the end about what she has learned are trite in the face of the subject matter. Nova is the stereotypical battered woman so she isn’t developed much past her experiences and Clara is a nut job, impossible to explain without spoilers.

Many readers will enjoy Without a Trace as it is a well written thriller. It just didn’t appeal to me for its format.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Officer Ellie James is called to the scene of a potential abduction of a young child she soon starts to wonder if the mother is somehow deranged. Does this child actually exist? According to the alleged father she doesn't, but then he is also being accused of domestic abuse and yet the only one with a record of abuse is his wife. What the heck is going on?

No matter where Ellie looks nothing adds up. The mother disappears the day after reporting her child missing and the only thing left in her stead is a puddle of blood and something that suggests foul play. If Nova is delusional then where is she and why would anyone want to hurt her? Was there really a small child or is it just a symptom of Nova's delusional and fragile state of mind?

If you look beyond the crime and psychological thriller aspect of this read, the author wants to draw attention to domestic violence and the way society deals with it.

Should victims of domestic violence really be forced to commit crimes and do extreme things to keep themselves and their children safe? Should they have to become criminals to stay alive? The answer is no, and yet the reality is that the law still doesn't do enough to protect them, ergo they find they have no other choice.

Kudos to Lynch for pointing out how easy it is for the abuser to manipulate the system. For babies to be born into legal loopholes, which then often becomes the perfect surroundings for abuse. How the patriarchal system excuses the abuse, hides the abuse and helps to facilitate it.

It's a psychological thriller with the pace of an action read. The author keeps the reader on their toes in a sense that we never really know who is missing, dead or guilty until the end, and even then there are different shades of guilt. It's a complicated tug of war between victim, abuser and helper, who isn't exactly the innocent party in all of this.
*I received a courtesy copy*

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful story! I’ve read all of Carissa’s books but this one definitely stands out amongst them and is now my absolute new favorite of hers. It is so powerful not only due to the fascinating plot but because of an important subject it deals with - domestic abuse and the victim’s attempt to fight back. It was terrifying to read at times because the topic, now finally so widely discussed and not silenced anymore, hits so close to home; reading about Nova and her little daughter Lily I kept thinking about all the articles I’ve read and news I've seen in which an abusive partner killed his wife/girlfriend and/or kidnapped their child. But whereas the news articles and reports often offer a short and dry account of the events, Carissa invites the reader into the very mind of the victim and perpetrator, and she does it so masterfully that I found it chilling to read through certain scenes. What I also enjoyed immensely is the growth and transformation of all three main characters (I won’t give away any spoilers but you’ll understand everything in the end) and the newfound strength that connected them as the case with the missing girl progressed. Brilliantly written, haunting and chilling, “Without a Trace” is a true must read for everyone, not just readers interested in thrillers. Bravo!

[Jess The Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Nova leaves her abusive husband in the middle of night, taking 4 year old Lily with her.

She gets to a new place to stay, tucks Lily into bed, wakes up in the morning and realises that Lily is gone, a creepy bunny in her cot.

When the police start investigating, things start to seem strange. There is no evidence that any little girl was ever there. And Nova is hiding secrets of her own, which makes her story a bit unreliable.

This story did have me intrigued throughout. It is a page turner, a quick crime thriller.

[Yellagirlgc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova and her daughter Lily have escaped the prison her husband keeps them in. When they arrive at the first safe place Lily is abducted from her bed. The police can find no records of her existing! Not even a single picture.
A very twisty read. The POV switches between Nova, the cop and the neighbor or landlord Nova rents her getaway hideout from. This wasn't a book I easily knew what would happen next in. I finished it in hours wanting to know what really happened to Lily and Nova.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for my copy to read and review.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time that i have read a book by this author and judging on this book alone, i just cannot wait to read more. A very gripping read and is easily one of the best thrillers that i have read in a while. I very seldom write what a story is about, as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, but i can highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stumbling across Without a Trace, I assumed that this book will be the same old missing-child "psychological thriller" but I was also curious at the same time given the excellent reviews this book has been garnering. This book by all means is a good page-turner with many delicious twists! The story is told from alternating viewpoints of Ellie, the officer, Nova, the mom & Clara, the neighbor.
Officer Ellie James is a rookie, unfortunate enough to have earned the snubbing of her peers at the very start of her career, when she takes down a fellow officer while responding to an emergency call from his wife who alleged that he abused her.
Nova Nesbitt is a runaway wife of Martin a slick but established realtor. Nova is scared of her husband and sick of the constant abuse, she was on the run with her daughter Lily and was taking refuge in one of the rentals at Appleton farms when just after a day of moving in Lily vanished. No one's seen Lily, there are no pictures of her, no birth certificate. There are no clothes or toys belonging to her at home or the house she vanished from. Does Lily exist?
Clara Appleton is the owner of Appleton farms. Living with the ghosts of an unhappy marriage, Clara is hiding secrets of her own before getting embroiled in the missing child case.
So while the existence of Lily is called to question, Officer Ellie tries to solve the disappearance of the child she can't prove exists!
The book brings to light the subject of domestic abuse, and although the plot was very good I found it to be a bit lacking. I'd have liked to see more depth in all the main characters, but given that this was a 200 page book, I feel the author has done a great job nonetheless. I really liked how the character of Ellie James shaped up to be. This would make an interesting series!
Thank you Netgalley, Killer Reads - Harper Collins & Carissa Ann Lynch for an arc!

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova is a young woman who escapes her abusive husband with her four-year old daughter, Lily in tow. But when the child suddenly goes missing, Nova turns to the local police for help. But things aren't always as they seem and as the police dig further, they unearth more than they bargained for and start to question whether the child ever existed.

This is a twisty story with a delightfully sinister overtone. It was an absorbing, escapist kind of read that, for a few hours at least, got my mind off the Covid-19 crisis and into the dysfunctional lives of fictional characters. Sometimes fiction is less scary that reality.

The story is told using three POVs in the first person which gives the reader insight into Nova's perspective as well as Ellie, a novice local police officer and Clara, the woman who rents out a cabin to Nova and Lily once they escape domestic violence. But the menfolk didn't fare well in this book with most of them not coming off in a good light, leaving the book to have a bit of a slanted feel to it.

The story takes a bit of time to gain traction, but I enjoyed the short chapters and how things slowly unravel for the reader. The tension, twists and characters kept me on my toes as I questioned everyone's intentions, tried to figure out who was lying and what exactly had happened to Lily - if she ever truly existed. See, totally twisty!

This was my first book by Carissa Ann Lynch and won't be my last (I have My Sister is Missing waiting for me on my Kindle). I'm so lucky to have a wonderful book blogger community online because it's due to their praise that I bought these two eBooks. I love it when I take a chance on a new author and it pays off. If you're looking for a new-to-you author and you enjoy suspense reads, you'll want to add Carissa Ann Lynch to your TBR list.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

*thank you to Netgalley, the author, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

5 stars.

I loved this! I thoroughly enjoyed it all, right to the very last page. There were so many twists and turns in this that you had no way of really knowing what was going to happen next. As soon as you think you might know, something else happens and your suddenly taken around another bend in the path. This keeps your attention and pulls you to the end. There are so many questions that you ask yourself throughout this story but by the end, they will all be answered. At about 70% of the way through I had figured out one thing, but I still had questions about alot of it. This is a really quick read but that doesn't take away anything about how good it is. I am definitely interested now in reading this authors other books. This is a really pleasing read that is chock full of mystery and thrills. Highly recommended.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

"How c-come you're not af-fraid of the d-dark, d-daddy?"
"Because the dark's afraid of me!"

This was a very interesting read. There were so many twists and turns - some you could predict and some you would have never seen coming. Each chapter after the first few intro ones, were just full of secrets and reveals as you tried to understand - is there a missing little girl or not? And where is the mom / wife?

I liked the POV of the detective too. Her office politics and frustration made the lead into how things played out and all the twists so much more believably.

I did think the message was a little heavy handed. But the message was a good one so I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. I liked this one!

I want to thank Netgalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for a chance to read for review.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

After suffering years of mental and physical abuse at the hands of her husband, Nova takes her young daughter and runs like hell. Having no friends or family to turn to since having been isolated from everyone by her smooth and smarmy husband Martin she flees to an isolated, furnished cabin that she has rented with the help of someone she met through an app on her phone. In the morning, her daughter Lily is gone and this story takes a twisty turn from domestic violence to psychological terror.
4 out of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy for review.

[Kayla Krantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Once again I’m left breathless by one of Carissa Ann Lynch’s books. Every time I thought I could guess what was going to come next, the plot would sneak up and smack me with a curveball. I absolutely love how the author was able to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.

When the book begins, Nova is glad to have finally escaped from her abusive husband with her daughter, Lily. In the morning though, Lily is gone, and she has no choice but to go to the police. From there, secrets of Nova’s life begin to unravel. And with it comes questions. The most haunting of those, is Lily even real?

All the characters in this book are beautifully fleshed out, each of them with a solid understandable background, flaws, and strengths. It made the ending all the more satisfying. Every character has secrets and they’ll all come to light.

Narration was beautiful, bringing each character to life in a unique way.

Definitely a recommended read for lovers of psychological suspense.

[Debbie’s reviews 🌸📚📚📚🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl is missing and the only thing left in her bed is a toy rabbit after her mommy tucked her into bed the night before .. could it be her abusive husband.. without telling the story I will say that this book drew me in, the whole time I was thinking that maybe Nova was a basket case and needed some type of mental attention. Maybe or maybe not. You really have to read this book. It was filled with suspense and twists that made me want to keep reading. I would love to read more from this author, hopefully their will be a continuation in this story. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fast paced read with lots to think about, plenty of twists and turns and the difficult subject of Domestic violence.

How do you open a search for someone if you aren't even sure they exist. I found this a gripping thriller with enough suspects and curious developments to keep me hooked and unable to put the book down.

I will be looking up other thrillers by this author.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Whoa. This was a creepy premise, that kept me wondering what was really going on. There were some good twists, but I kind of wish when we were seeing from multiple perspectives that they didn’t just say what they’d done in the past, like I think things could’ve been revealed better. That said, I read it in one sitting, and I was super creeped out.

[Mel (Epic Reading)]

Not my usual genre. But the blurb here has just enough intrigue in it that I revisited downloading this book three times and finally decided to do it. Netfalley eARC in hand I look forward to sliding this little mystery in amoungst my usual reads.

[Lizette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,6⭐️