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Taken
Have you seen Leila?
8-year-old Leila Smith has seen and heard things that no child should ever have to. On the Hawthorn Estate, where she lives, she often stays out after dark to avoid going home.
But what Leila doesn’t know is that someone has been watching her in the playground. One day, she disappears without a trace…
The police start a nationwide search but it’s as if Leila has vanished into thin air. Who kidnapped her? What do they want? Will she return home safely or is she lost forever?
8-year-old Leila Smith has seen and heard things that no child should ever have to. On the Hawthorn Estate, where she lives, she often stays out after dark to avoid going home.
But what Leila doesn’t know is that someone has been watching her in the playground. One day, she disappears without a trace…
The police start a nationwide search but it’s as if Leila has vanished into thin air. Who kidnapped her? What do they want? Will she return home safely or is she lost forever?
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2020
891 people are currently reading
2005 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Stone
34 books394 followersAs a writer of suspense thrillers I often ask myself what if? What if this happened instead of that? Or why a particular person reacted as they did. So often fact is stranger than fiction and these books start with a fact which I develop. You may be surprised to know, for example, just how many patients experience changes in their likes and dislikes after a transplant operation ~ The Darkness Within. Or how easy it is to look into someone’s home through their CCTV ~ Stalker.
Just a little bit about me. I live in England and have three children. I have always been a writer - from when I was at school, with poems and articles in the school magazine. In my teens I began writing short stories, a few radio plays and novels. I finally made it into the bestseller charts with Damaged in 2007 which I wrote under the pseudonym Cathy Glass. Since then I have had 28 books published, many of which have become international bestsellers.
Thank you for your time, I hope you enjoy the Lisa Stone thrillers.
Just a little bit about me. I live in England and have three children. I have always been a writer - from when I was at school, with poems and articles in the school magazine. In my teens I began writing short stories, a few radio plays and novels. I finally made it into the bestseller charts with Damaged in 2007 which I wrote under the pseudonym Cathy Glass. Since then I have had 28 books published, many of which have become international bestsellers.
Thank you for your time, I hope you enjoy the Lisa Stone thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
August 3, 2020
Eight year old Leila Smith is currently being neglected by her alcoholic, drug addict prostitute mother Kelsey.
The young girl prefere to spends more time in the park rather than returning home at a suitable time, clearly someone has been watching and takes her.
Kelsey's lifestyle is so awful that she doesn't initially know that Lelia has disappeared, the massive realisation shocks her to an extent that she vows to become clean if her daughters found.
This was a really gripping page turner told form multiple points of view.
Initially it's hard to sympathise with Kelsey and wonder if Lelia really is better of away from the situation.
But her character really grew on me throughout the novel, shes clearly struggling with addition and needs some much needed support.
I was hoping for her sake that she could turn her life around.
There's so many clever little strands and throwaway lines that resurface during the latter half of the novel, seeing all the pieces fitting together is very satisfying.
Whilst not entirely original, I genuinely thought all the characters were memorable and the motives were clear.
Wanting Lelia and Kelsey to be reunited was the really driving force that kept me hooked during the slower portions of the book.
The young girl prefere to spends more time in the park rather than returning home at a suitable time, clearly someone has been watching and takes her.
Kelsey's lifestyle is so awful that she doesn't initially know that Lelia has disappeared, the massive realisation shocks her to an extent that she vows to become clean if her daughters found.
This was a really gripping page turner told form multiple points of view.
Initially it's hard to sympathise with Kelsey and wonder if Lelia really is better of away from the situation.
But her character really grew on me throughout the novel, shes clearly struggling with addition and needs some much needed support.
I was hoping for her sake that she could turn her life around.
There's so many clever little strands and throwaway lines that resurface during the latter half of the novel, seeing all the pieces fitting together is very satisfying.
Whilst not entirely original, I genuinely thought all the characters were memorable and the motives were clear.
Wanting Lelia and Kelsey to be reunited was the really driving force that kept me hooked during the slower portions of the book.
July 20, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to
Leila is just eight years old and her mother, Kelsey is an alcoholic, a drug addict and a prostitute. Leila is often neglected and left on her own for hours. She lives on an estate where drug abuse is rife. Kelsey has four older children who are in care. One night, Leila gets abducted whilst playing in the play area next to her flat. Leila has disappeared without trace.
Told from multiple points if view and the backstory to the kidnapping is a little bit different to similar stories that I've read. It's obvious who the abductor is and the reasons why they did it. There's lots of twists in this well written thriller. The fast pace keeps your attention. The characters are well rounded and and believable. There's a few surprises along the way
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Lisa Stone for my ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Leila is just eight years old and her mother, Kelsey is an alcoholic, a drug addict and a prostitute. Leila is often neglected and left on her own for hours. She lives on an estate where drug abuse is rife. Kelsey has four older children who are in care. One night, Leila gets abducted whilst playing in the play area next to her flat. Leila has disappeared without trace.
Told from multiple points if view and the backstory to the kidnapping is a little bit different to similar stories that I've read. It's obvious who the abductor is and the reasons why they did it. There's lots of twists in this well written thriller. The fast pace keeps your attention. The characters are well rounded and and believable. There's a few surprises along the way
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Lisa Stone for my ARC in exchange for a honest review.
September 6, 2020
Leila is 8 years old and lives with her mother Kelsey who is dependent on drugs and alcohol and is a prostitute. Leila is often left on her own and has to fend for herself.
Whilst her mother is high on drugs Leila is taken from the play area and no one seems to know where she has vanished to.
The story is told from several peoples points of view as we find out what happened the night Leila went missing.
I was completely hooked with this story and really did not see the ending coming, there are twists galore.
A must read author!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Whilst her mother is high on drugs Leila is taken from the play area and no one seems to know where she has vanished to.
The story is told from several peoples points of view as we find out what happened the night Leila went missing.
I was completely hooked with this story and really did not see the ending coming, there are twists galore.
A must read author!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 14, 2020
Thank you, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for a copy of taken by Lisa Stone.
Leila is 8 years old and daughter of Kelsey Smith who is a single mother, alcoholic, drug user and prostitute. They live on a run-down estate. Leila does not have the best relationship with her mother. She is neglected and mother doesn’t realise half the time if she is there or not. But they still love each other. So, when Leila doesn’t come home one evening Kelsey thinks she has been taken by the social worker Peter. Like the rest of the kids she has had. She thinks Peter and taken her away for one night to teach her a lesson. So, when she doesn’t return the next day, she knows that something is up. After her sister Sharon advising her to contact the Police. The hunt is on to find her.
During the investigation, the police come across an eclectic group of characters and when they do arrest the abductor Leila is nowhere to be seen.
This is another excellent read from Lisa Stone. Great realistic story line and characters and a great story teaching us that we never ever really know someone, sometimes someone so close to you. Only thing I thought that the ending went on a bit too long. 4 stars from me.
Leila is 8 years old and daughter of Kelsey Smith who is a single mother, alcoholic, drug user and prostitute. They live on a run-down estate. Leila does not have the best relationship with her mother. She is neglected and mother doesn’t realise half the time if she is there or not. But they still love each other. So, when Leila doesn’t come home one evening Kelsey thinks she has been taken by the social worker Peter. Like the rest of the kids she has had. She thinks Peter and taken her away for one night to teach her a lesson. So, when she doesn’t return the next day, she knows that something is up. After her sister Sharon advising her to contact the Police. The hunt is on to find her.
During the investigation, the police come across an eclectic group of characters and when they do arrest the abductor Leila is nowhere to be seen.
This is another excellent read from Lisa Stone. Great realistic story line and characters and a great story teaching us that we never ever really know someone, sometimes someone so close to you. Only thing I thought that the ending went on a bit too long. 4 stars from me.
September 21, 2020
I loved 'Taken,' another fantastic read from Lisa Stone.
I was gripped from the start and my mind was off at a gallop trying to figure out who had taken little Leila.
I love that we see from the 'takers' point of view, but it isn't as simple as all that!
One minute I hated Kelsey and the next I felt sorry for her. I felt very emotional a couple of times, it really is clever and so very well plotted.
I always like strong believable characters and some surprises and I always get this with this author's work.
Thank you very much for keeping me entertained - I LOVED IT!
My thanks to Harper Collins UK via NetGalley.
This is my honest and unbiased review.
I was gripped from the start and my mind was off at a gallop trying to figure out who had taken little Leila.
I love that we see from the 'takers' point of view, but it isn't as simple as all that!
One minute I hated Kelsey and the next I felt sorry for her. I felt very emotional a couple of times, it really is clever and so very well plotted.
I always like strong believable characters and some surprises and I always get this with this author's work.
Thank you very much for keeping me entertained - I LOVED IT!
My thanks to Harper Collins UK via NetGalley.
This is my honest and unbiased review.
May 26, 2023
Arranqué a leer este libro solamente porque la protagonista se llama Leila, pero me terminó sorprendiendo para bien <3 me pareció muy bien logrado el hecho de que sepamos cómo, dónde, quién y por qué se la llevaron a Leila e igual el libro fuera entretenido y te dejara con ganas de pasar las páginas súper rápido. La revelación final me sorprendió una banda porque no la vi venir, aunque al mismo habría acortado un poco todo lo que pasa desde que aparece Leila hasta el final porque se me hizo un poco pesado.
Pero, en conclusión, "Taken" fue una lectura bastante entretenida.
3.5 de 5 estrellas.
Pero, en conclusión, "Taken" fue una lectura bastante entretenida.
3.5 de 5 estrellas.
January 18, 2024
This was a great little thriller filled with a few very surprising turns. It certainly had me guessing right til the very end. I did feel like there was something missing though, and the ending fell a little flat for me.
September 15, 2020
Wow, what a dud. Boring plot with every single 'twist' being totally predictable from the start. Zero intrigue. The characters were cardboard, specially the little girl. Very inauthentic and cheesy dialogue, specially from the child. If it was categorized as something other than an "addictive crime thriller" I may have given it a different rating, but there was nothing thrilling about it. The storytelling was very flat and the writing amateurish. I picture it as a super cheesy movie of the week with soap opera acting and direction. Super cheesy. I am truly surprised by the high ratings.
February 11, 2021
First book I've read by this author. Fast paced so it was very easy to read and I did find it hard to put down. Only took a few days to read it and I will read more by this author. Should be 3.5 out of 5 and would have given it a 4 if one of the main characters had been a bit more believable.
March 17, 2021
Looking for Leila…
Little Leila Smith has had to learn to look out for herself. Her mother, Kelsey, is often out of it on drugs or drink, which she pays for out of the money she makes from prostitution. So when Leila disappears from the playground one evening, it’s several hours before Kelsey realises she’s missing…
The reader knows, though, and we also know straight away who took her – a man who lives in the same block of flats as Leila and her mum. Happily, we also discover quite quickly that, although there are dark aspects to this story, it isn’t about child sexual abuse and the man is not a paedophile. That leaves us with the central mystery of the book – why has he taken Leila? And what does he intend to do with her? Will she ever get back home?
Meantime, Kelsey has been shocked into sobriety. She knew that there was already a good chance that the Social Services would take Leila away from her, and now she’s sure that even if Leila is found, there’s no chance of her being allowed to come back to live with a mother who didn’t even notice she was missing. Her struggle to stay clean forms another strand of the book. Here Stone doesn’t cut any corners in letting us see the sordid and dangerous life Kelsey is leading and at first it’s hard to sympathise with someone who has neglected her child so badly, but as we see her guilt and regret, and her terror at what might have happened to Leila, she becomes more likeable and I soon found I was rooting for her to finally get off the drugs and get her life together.
The main story regarding Leila’s disappearance requires a major suspension of disbelief at several points. She’s supposed to be eight but speaks and acts like a much older child. Partly this could be down to her having had to fend for herself more than a child of that age should, but it still doesn’t ring entirely true. The idea that she wouldn’t already have been in care is hard to swallow too but is necessary for the story, so let’s call it fictional license. Even though she didn’t wholly convince me, I admit that she gradually won my heart and I found myself hoping that somehow there would be a good outcome for both her and her mum.
Even the baddie got a bit of sympathy from me once his reasons became clear. I had a pretty good idea of where the story was likely to be going from about halfway through, but was still interested in seeing how it all worked out for the various characters, and found the ending satisfying and more credible than some of the stuff that happened in the earlier parts of the book.
It’s well written in a plain style that suits the story – third person, past tense, so we see various perspectives, Kelsey’s, Leila’s, the baddie’s, and Beth’s, the police officer who’s in charge of the investigation. It has twists enough to keep it interesting, but not the ridiculous kind that turn the whole story on its head twenty pages before the end. Well-paced and not overly long, I found it a fast read and, once I got into it and put my disbelief in cold storage, a page-turner. And much less bleak than that blurb had led me to fear, largely due to the sympathetic characterisation. An enjoyable read!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Little Leila Smith has had to learn to look out for herself. Her mother, Kelsey, is often out of it on drugs or drink, which she pays for out of the money she makes from prostitution. So when Leila disappears from the playground one evening, it’s several hours before Kelsey realises she’s missing…
The reader knows, though, and we also know straight away who took her – a man who lives in the same block of flats as Leila and her mum. Happily, we also discover quite quickly that, although there are dark aspects to this story, it isn’t about child sexual abuse and the man is not a paedophile. That leaves us with the central mystery of the book – why has he taken Leila? And what does he intend to do with her? Will she ever get back home?
Meantime, Kelsey has been shocked into sobriety. She knew that there was already a good chance that the Social Services would take Leila away from her, and now she’s sure that even if Leila is found, there’s no chance of her being allowed to come back to live with a mother who didn’t even notice she was missing. Her struggle to stay clean forms another strand of the book. Here Stone doesn’t cut any corners in letting us see the sordid and dangerous life Kelsey is leading and at first it’s hard to sympathise with someone who has neglected her child so badly, but as we see her guilt and regret, and her terror at what might have happened to Leila, she becomes more likeable and I soon found I was rooting for her to finally get off the drugs and get her life together.
The main story regarding Leila’s disappearance requires a major suspension of disbelief at several points. She’s supposed to be eight but speaks and acts like a much older child. Partly this could be down to her having had to fend for herself more than a child of that age should, but it still doesn’t ring entirely true. The idea that she wouldn’t already have been in care is hard to swallow too but is necessary for the story, so let’s call it fictional license. Even though she didn’t wholly convince me, I admit that she gradually won my heart and I found myself hoping that somehow there would be a good outcome for both her and her mum.
Even the baddie got a bit of sympathy from me once his reasons became clear. I had a pretty good idea of where the story was likely to be going from about halfway through, but was still interested in seeing how it all worked out for the various characters, and found the ending satisfying and more credible than some of the stuff that happened in the earlier parts of the book.
It’s well written in a plain style that suits the story – third person, past tense, so we see various perspectives, Kelsey’s, Leila’s, the baddie’s, and Beth’s, the police officer who’s in charge of the investigation. It has twists enough to keep it interesting, but not the ridiculous kind that turn the whole story on its head twenty pages before the end. Well-paced and not overly long, I found it a fast read and, once I got into it and put my disbelief in cold storage, a page-turner. And much less bleak than that blurb had led me to fear, largely due to the sympathetic characterisation. An enjoyable read!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
June 19, 2020
"One moment she is here...... The next she is gone..."
8-year-old Leila Smith has seen and heard things that no child should ever have to. She often stays out after dark to avoid going home and her drug addict mother isn't as attentive as she ought to be.
But what Leila doesn’t know is that someone has been watching her in the playground. One day, she disappears without a trace. The police start a nationwide search but it’s as if Leila has vanished into thin air. Who kidnapped her? What do they want? Will she return home safely or is she lost forever?
This book had me gripped right from the start. The premise of the book was what attracted me to it!
The book and all the characters were well written. I really admired the courage of Leila, being an eight year old, she is so amazing and street smart at her age. I felt both sad and annoyed at her mother, Kelsey, who is a drug addict. There were so many instances in the book when I just wanted to shake her bad and tell her to get her head straight and look for her missing daughter instead of taking drugs but I kept rooting for her till the end to change and make things better!
The story had lots of twists and turns that were unexpected, which made this book more enjoyable.
Thank You to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for this ARC!!
8-year-old Leila Smith has seen and heard things that no child should ever have to. She often stays out after dark to avoid going home and her drug addict mother isn't as attentive as she ought to be.
But what Leila doesn’t know is that someone has been watching her in the playground. One day, she disappears without a trace. The police start a nationwide search but it’s as if Leila has vanished into thin air. Who kidnapped her? What do they want? Will she return home safely or is she lost forever?
This book had me gripped right from the start. The premise of the book was what attracted me to it!
The book and all the characters were well written. I really admired the courage of Leila, being an eight year old, she is so amazing and street smart at her age. I felt both sad and annoyed at her mother, Kelsey, who is a drug addict. There were so many instances in the book when I just wanted to shake her bad and tell her to get her head straight and look for her missing daughter instead of taking drugs but I kept rooting for her till the end to change and make things better!
The story had lots of twists and turns that were unexpected, which made this book more enjoyable.
Thank You to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for this ARC!!
July 10, 2020
I found this an interesting book, which explored very well many issues over poverty, neglect and addiction. There are twists of manipulation and I found it interesting and thought provoking.
I did find some areas of the writing, especially the development of characters less appealing than that of some other writers of the genre, especially in terms of how they seemed to snap into very sudden mood changes, Leila did not seem at all typical of her age, but then she had not had a typical upbringing.
The ending seemed a little sudden.
I would be interested to read more of the author, thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review.
I did find some areas of the writing, especially the development of characters less appealing than that of some other writers of the genre, especially in terms of how they seemed to snap into very sudden mood changes, Leila did not seem at all typical of her age, but then she had not had a typical upbringing.
The ending seemed a little sudden.
I would be interested to read more of the author, thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review.
September 29, 2020
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Child abduction is a common theme in contemporary thrillers but in 'Taken', Lisa Stone has put a new spin on phenomena in this absorbing, thought-provoking read. The missing child of the eponymous title is no ordinary child of a nuclear family in the suburbs, but the child of a prostitute. A missing child is a missing child regardless of its parentage one would hope. Well, perhaps not. The hoped for, rather utopian dream of equality amongst all, regardless of mediating factors, is far removed from the gritty, uncomfortable reality of 'Taken'. It is the stark, haunting authenticity of the novel which makes 'Taken' an exceptional example of its genre. Every page oozes an ugly injustice that is tempting to turn away from. This temptation should be resisted, however, if we are to understand the permutations of crime, neglect and abuse in a shadowy, ugly world. Stone does a masterful job of injecting some timely social realism into the contemporary thriller. Highly recommended.
Child abduction is a common theme in contemporary thrillers but in 'Taken', Lisa Stone has put a new spin on phenomena in this absorbing, thought-provoking read. The missing child of the eponymous title is no ordinary child of a nuclear family in the suburbs, but the child of a prostitute. A missing child is a missing child regardless of its parentage one would hope. Well, perhaps not. The hoped for, rather utopian dream of equality amongst all, regardless of mediating factors, is far removed from the gritty, uncomfortable reality of 'Taken'. It is the stark, haunting authenticity of the novel which makes 'Taken' an exceptional example of its genre. Every page oozes an ugly injustice that is tempting to turn away from. This temptation should be resisted, however, if we are to understand the permutations of crime, neglect and abuse in a shadowy, ugly world. Stone does a masterful job of injecting some timely social realism into the contemporary thriller. Highly recommended.
August 13, 2020
This was definitely a weird one for me... I neither liked or disliked it to be honest.
I found the story interesting and thought provoking and I did like the way it explored the depth of poverty within the UK, I could clearly picture the setting as like most other readers i live in a town/city with blocks of flats and tower blocks in less affluent areas.
Its definitely not your usual abduction thriller (no spoilers) but elements of the 'thriller' genre did feel quite flat at times, I never felt any tension which was a shame. I'd have classed it more Domestic Fiction/Drama.
For some reason the characters didn't feel developed enough.
On a positive there were quite a few surprising twists throughout but also alot of predictability and the ending felt rather sudden.
I've enjoyed previous Lisa Stone/Cathy Glass novels but unfortunately this one didn't win me over.
2*
Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.
I found the story interesting and thought provoking and I did like the way it explored the depth of poverty within the UK, I could clearly picture the setting as like most other readers i live in a town/city with blocks of flats and tower blocks in less affluent areas.
Its definitely not your usual abduction thriller (no spoilers) but elements of the 'thriller' genre did feel quite flat at times, I never felt any tension which was a shame. I'd have classed it more Domestic Fiction/Drama.
For some reason the characters didn't feel developed enough.
On a positive there were quite a few surprising twists throughout but also alot of predictability and the ending felt rather sudden.
I've enjoyed previous Lisa Stone/Cathy Glass novels but unfortunately this one didn't win me over.
2*
Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.
April 4, 2021
I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a first read from this author, and I did like it. But there was just some things that I didn't expect. With most 'missing children' reads, I have a feeling of dread and desperation for the child to return home. I didn't have that with this one - infact I was actually hoping that Leila wasn't found, just so she didn't get to go back to her dreadful mother!
The pacing of the book was excellent, but there were certain plotpoints that were certainly questionable and far-fetched. I did guess early on who was the 'mastermind' behind it all, but I did read on because I did want to know what was gonna happen to Leila, and I felt very satisfied with the ending 😊
Overall, a read that had it's obvious flaws, but I would still like to read more from this author.
This was a first read from this author, and I did like it. But there was just some things that I didn't expect. With most 'missing children' reads, I have a feeling of dread and desperation for the child to return home. I didn't have that with this one - infact I was actually hoping that Leila wasn't found, just so she didn't get to go back to her dreadful mother!
The pacing of the book was excellent, but there were certain plotpoints that were certainly questionable and far-fetched. I did guess early on who was the 'mastermind' behind it all, but I did read on because I did want to know what was gonna happen to Leila, and I felt very satisfied with the ending 😊
Overall, a read that had it's obvious flaws, but I would still like to read more from this author.
August 13, 2020
Really enjoyed it
This isn't your typical kidnap story. An original plot with interesting character with twists and turns aplenty. I really enjoyed the story of Leila and her mum Kelsey and everything that happened. Just when you think you guessed the plot it twists again. Very gripping and thrilling.
This isn't your typical kidnap story. An original plot with interesting character with twists and turns aplenty. I really enjoyed the story of Leila and her mum Kelsey and everything that happened. Just when you think you guessed the plot it twists again. Very gripping and thrilling.
September 3, 2020
An enjoyable read with a great twist. I thought I knew which way the plot was going to go but then it did a complete u-turn ! Even though I enjoyed this book , I did find in places it was extremely unbelievable, which ruined it a bit for me as the plot was very original. I will definitely read more by this author
Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins for the ARC in return for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins for the ARC in return for an honest review
March 31, 2022
4.5 Stars
I listened to this as an audiobook rather than read it.
This is the second Lisa Stone book that I've listened to and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It all felt very true to life and gritty. Even though I did guess a few of the twists, it was a very well written story. I'll definitely read more by Lisa Stone in the future.
I listened to this as an audiobook rather than read it.
This is the second Lisa Stone book that I've listened to and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It all felt very true to life and gritty. Even though I did guess a few of the twists, it was a very well written story. I'll definitely read more by Lisa Stone in the future.
May 23, 2022
This was a fast paced read about a missing child. We get the view points of Leila, her abductor, her mother, and the police involved in the search. Overall, the surprises might be limited, but there is always a twist of lime in a gin and tonic.
How did I find this book? I found it in a Little Free Library. I plan to return it for someone else to enjoy.
How did I find this book? I found it in a Little Free Library. I plan to return it for someone else to enjoy.
September 6, 2020
An enjoyable read with a great twist. I thought I knew which way the plot was going to go but then it did a complete u-turn ! Even though I enjoyed this book , I did find in places it was extremely unbelievable, which ruined it a bit for me as the plot was very original. I will definitely read more by this author
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in return for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in return for an honest review
June 16, 2021
What a rollercoaster.
Loved every second of it and how gritty it was. The author did not shy away from talking about hard hitting and truthful details to addiction and obsession.
I did sense the twist but it didn’t take away from how week written it was.
Loved every second of it and how gritty it was. The author did not shy away from talking about hard hitting and truthful details to addiction and obsession.
I did sense the twist but it didn’t take away from how week written it was.
March 10, 2023
I actually borrowed this book in error, as I was wanting to read 'Taken' by Dinuka Mckenzie but ended up reading it and enjoying it. A similar theme to Dinuka's book about a child being taken but set in England rather than Australia. A bit of a thriller with believable characters.
January 19, 2021
Liked this one a lot with all of the unexpected twists...hated seeing an 8 year old go through some of the things she was put through...and the writing put her at WAY more mature than any 8 year old I have ever met. But the book moved quickly, writing was spot on to set the scene without being over descriptive, character development was good and the story kept my focus!
March 11, 2025
3.5⭐️
August 9, 2022
A well written thriller with plenty of twists but guessed who the mastermind behind the abduction was before the ending
April 1, 2023
I felt like this book was very predictable and not my style. Although I felt this way, it was still suspenseful and full of twists and turns!
June 19, 2020
A great story with great characters although i found the begining slow i did enjoy reading it and i can highly recommend it it others.
April 7, 2024
below par NOVEL
I was very disappointed with this novel. A chaotic trivial plot that repeated itself without moving forward. An unstructured police team that appeared to be an afterthought
I was very disappointed with this novel. A chaotic trivial plot that repeated itself without moving forward. An unstructured police team that appeared to be an afterthought
September 15, 2022
Took a while to get into but a twist towards the end
September 28, 2022
Disappointed with this book. Weak story line. Too many explanations towards the end of the book. Very simply written. Read it in less than 3 days - mainly because I wanted to get it over and done with. Wouldn’t recommend.
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