Can You See Her?

by S.E. Lynes

What would you do if no-one was watching?

Rachel is afraid she may have done something terrible. She’s sitting in a room, being asked whether she killed someone.

She doesn’t understand how her life has changed so completely. When she was younger, heads would turn when she walked into a room. Her children needed her; her husband adored her.

But somehow the years wore that all away. She was so busy raising her children, looking after her parents, that the woman who used to be Rachel Ryder, whose husband told her she was out of his league, now quietly washes his clothes and makes his dinner, and can walk into a room without anyone knowing she’s there.

She knows that she what would it take for you to see me again? What if I did something no-one thought I was capable of?

Can You See Her? is an utterly compelling and unputdownable psychological thriller, about how far you can push a woman before she will break. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, A. J. Finn and The Silent Patient.

Readers love S.E. Lynes
‘Just WOW! Totally unputdownable.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘THE best book I've read this year.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I am shocked, dumbstruck, gobsmacked, speechless and trying desperately to find the right words to give this book the justice it deserves… wow! I loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Totally jaw-dropping.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Blew me away and I'm still gasping for air.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gave me shivers – gripping, heart-wrenching, consuming.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘There are not enough stars in the world to describe my love for this book! A million stars and more from me!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow, just wow.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘S.E. Lynes has blown me away!… I will say it again, S.E. Lynes is a genius.’ Chapter in My Life ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow… Devoured in one sitting!!! Loved it.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I literally could not stop reading this book.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant!!!!!… I read this SO fast!!! HIGHLY recommend!!! Suspense, drama this book has it all!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 22, 2020

About the author

S. E. Lynes is the #1 Amazon best selling author of THE HOUSEWARMING, and 'intelligent and haunting' psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER? and HER SISTER'S SECRET
Formerly a BBC producer, after gaining an MA in Creative Writing, she became a Creative Writing Tutor at Richmond Adult Community College and now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published three children's books in Italy.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me from the start and I could empathize with Rachel so very much. Empathy is one of the many themes that are a part of this book and it covers so very much, so many real life feelings and issues that people deal with everyday. Rachel is in her 50s, had suffered from severe postpartum psychosis 20 years ago and now her family is worried about her again. She was institutionalized the first time and it's happened again, as Rachel confesses to several murders she kind of, but not quite, remembers committing. This time Rachel is suffering from extreme menopausal symptoms, debilitating hot flashes, spacing out so that she loses large chunks of time, feeling empathy for people so much that she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

I won't say much more because it's best to read her story, as she tells it to a forensic psychiatrist. A major factor in Rachel's life is that she feels invisible to everybody, like her life has passed her by, her body is no longer appealing enough for anyone to even notice that she exists, that her family takes her for granted so much that she is now just an automated cleaning/cooking service. But, as we read the book, we see that she isn't the only one who feels invisible and this feeling is so very strong and hurtful to all the people who feel that the world has forgotten them, doesn't care about them, passes them by.

Published April 22nd 2020

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an original, captivating and thought-provoking book.

What would you do if you became invisible? Rachel Ryder has been married for twenty-seven years and has two children. One night she walked into her kitchen and realized that she has become invisible to the people in her life. No one in her life pays attention to her anymore, they don't listen to her. Can they even see her at all? She has been busy raising her children, taking care of her household that even she has lost sight of who she was years earlier.

Plus, she has an interest in violent crimes that have been happening in her area. She keeps track of the news and crimes. She even devotes a book to them. She feels for the victims and all who have been affected by the crimes. They are not the only ones she feels for. She also feels for a homeless man, and others who like her are invisible in society.

Further complicating her life, a skinny young woman has moved next door, Rachel's daughter is moody, her husband is not paying attention to her, and she is losing periods of time where she can't recall what occurred.

Rachel narrates her section of the book while the other sections are notes/transcripts of Amanda, a forensic psychiatrist who is interviewing Rachel. She is not the only one interviewed in this book, Rachel's husband, her daughter, her friend Lisa and Ingrid, her neighbor are all interviewed as well. These sections were my favorite sections of the book.

It might seem as if I have told you a lot about this book but there is so much more. If you feel the beginning is slow as I did, I assure you that if you keep reading, you will see the brilliance of S.E. Lynes storytelling. There are several things/themes addressed in this book which I will not mention as I do not want to give anything away. I think this is a book that one should read with only the synopsis to go on.

Original and thought-provoking, this book started a little slow for me but once I hit my stride around the halfway mark, I could not put it down. There are some twist turns and revelations and it becomes apparent that Rachel is not the only invisible person in the book.

Well written, well thought out, interesting and thought-provoking.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew! I can breathe again! What a thought provoking and gripping read from S E Lynes. Rachel Edwards has been married to Mark for 27 years. They have two children Kieron who is at university studying art and Katie who is taking a gap year. At Katie’s 19th birthday party at their home, Rachel goes to their kitchen to make a cup of tea and realises she’s invisible - the teens are totally oblivious to her presence. She’s past her prime, heads no longer turn, she no longer young and so has become a member of the many unseen. Her husband doesn’t see her either and she’s struggling to cope with Katie’s moods and first instinct to anger. She feels a drudge, a skivvy as they put upon her and leave all household chores to her and it’s grinding her down. Her friend Lisa is concerned about her and when young, blonde, slim and divorced Ingrid moves into the neighbourhood she feels her years and surplus pounds weighing her down. Rachel is also very concerned and hyper aware of the rise in violent crime and every morning she checks the news online to see the latest tragedy especially with knife crime. She prints off the many articles and keeps a folder of all the incidents. She feels deep empathy with the victims and families and she wishes to gather evidence to present to her MP to achieve some positive change. Rachel begins to lose time, suffering something like a fugue and then becomes convinced that she is responsible for some crimes in their area and hands herself in. The story is mostly told by Rachel and is interspersed with police interviews.

This is such an astute, well observed and extremely relevant book which raises so many issues especially regarding the unseen such as the elderly and the homeless. It also highlights the inequality of aging in that men become silver foxes while there are a variety of unflattering descriptions of older women. It also raises issues with the staggering rise in knife crime in the UK with a focus on the rage and anger that accompanies it and questions where all that hate comes from. Rachel’s file is not a passive thing, it’s objective is to achieve something positive.

Rachel’s loss of time is a very intriguing aspect of the story. In her case it appears to be menopausal which is another subject that the author raises as its one that is either the butt of a joke (a hot flush is no laughing matter, trust me) or it makes people feel uncomfortable and so is ignored and swept under the carpet. There are some excellent descriptions of how Rachel feels, her nothingness, the burden she carries and her psychosis.

The book is extremely well written, the plot is surprising and it’s thoughtful with touches of humour. Rachel is darkly funny and very likeable and in fact I’d say she’s admirable. There are plenty of twists and turns, there’s intrigue and it’s totally enthralling. The revelations pile up towards the end and there are some very unexpected shocks. There are many interlinked themes such as loss, grief and guilt that makes for a very powerful read. Overall, an easy 5 stars for me. I couldn’t put it down and I’m still reflecting on some of the issues and I truly hope that it will make me take more notice of those that go under the radar. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw there was a new S.E. Lynes book- well I had to have it! She always delivers a twisted thriller that I can't get out of my mind. This one was a bit of a slow build however, it did deliver in the end!

Rachel is struggling...she seems well a bit...umm disgruntled, perhaps unstable. Or is it just menopause?! HAHA as a nurse I really was trying to dig deep to see what was going on with Rachel. Her internal feelings of anger would boil up as she felt her husband and kids paid her no attention. Hey Rach girl- I feel ya! I know we all feel like that from time to time- yet Rachel had it bad.

I must admit I began to question Rachel's sanity as she was convinced that her husband Mark was cheating on her with ...well everyone. Her new neighbor, her BFF. Was Mark really this low or was Rachel just delusional? Or was it just a matter of getting older and feeling less self worth?

As we found out Rachel had an obsession with crimes...dark, twisted crimes...hmmm things got interesting. Even more so when I began to wonder if Rachel had a hand in these crimes.

In typical S.E. Lynes fashion, we get a big, twisted end with this one- that I never saw coming. Even though I enjoyed this one, The Proposal is still hands down my favorite!

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“IF NO ONE CAN SEE YOU, YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER”

When she was younger, heads would turn when she walked into a room.

Her husband adored her, and she had great relationships with her two children.

So, when did she become “invisible?”

Feeling like JUST a caretaker to her now unappreciative family, Rachel becomes obsessed with the rash of knife murders happening near her home.

She begins a scrapbook of sorts, with clippings of all of the Victims and Crimes. Perhaps, she can persuade the police do more about the crimes if she builds a convincing case.

Or, perhaps, she should take matters into her own hands?

Rachel narrates some chapters and the rest of the story unfolds though a series of transcripts, as Amanda “blue eyes” Frost, a forensic psychiatrist, interviews Rachel...to try to uncover if Rachel is guilty of the latest neighborhood crimes.

AND, the police interview her husband, Mark...her daughter, Katie, her best friend, Lisa, and new neighbor, Ingrid, as they try to determine what is really going on!

This a dialogue driven novel, similar to “Our Little Secret”, by Roz Nay, in format, BUT with a unique story of its own.

I felt it could have been improved with some editing, as the first 50% pared down a bit, would’ve provided a quicker pace...but once you hit that mark, the revelations and twists come much quicker!

My second book by S.E. Lynes and both were CLEVER and ENTERTAINING.

And, the ending was satisfying too!

Thank you to the Author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the digital ARC provided in exchange for a candid review!

You won’t have to wait long for this one!
Releasing on Apr. 22, 2020!

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had so many things going for it. The topics were ever so relevant and the descriptions that were given made the reader realize many things, first and foremost being that you are not alone in your feelings.

How many of us have at one time or another felt invisible? Perhaps you were ignored by a sales clerk, or wait staff, or a husband/wife, or your children? You know the feeling, as if you are not there and the resentment and awareness of being less than a human being builds. Perhaps you think it's an age thing.? Am I not young enough, skinny enough, pretty enough, desirable enough to be noticed? Is life passing me by at breakneck speed and I just can't seem to cope? Have I lost that something I thought I never would?

Rachel Edwards, our invisible women, has been married to her husband Mark for many years. She has two older children, and she feels that no one in her circle of life sees her anymore. Has she outlasted her usefulness?

As Rachel descends further and further into a world where awful things have happened, she finds she needs to come to terms with what life is. Rachel is in the throes of shifts in her hormonal level due to menopause, and her heightened awareness of the extremely troubling rise in knife attacks in Britain have raised her sense of the awful and the horrible to new heights. Rachel is perceptive, empathetic and it seems she takes on the ills of her village as her very own.

However, as her empathy grows, she embroils herself in the deaths of the area, becoming more and more cognizant of the role of hatred and anger and its detrimental effect on our world. As Rachel immerses herself into tragedy, she takes on the role of being the cause of it, and buries herself in a world of nightmare and tragedy of which she might not be a part of.

The topics that are covered so well in this book by this author are known to us all. She creates a most touching, far reaching story that hits its mark on so many levels. I definitely recommend this story for its mindful and perceptive look at how this world can and does manipulate us and force many of us to withdraw into a world of further nightmares and deceit.

Thank you to S.E. Lynes, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out April 22,2020

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'There are things I don't know. But I know people are dead, I know I killed them and I know it all started the day I realized I was invisible.'

ABOUT THIS BOOK: What would you do if no-one was watching?

Rachel is afraid she may have done something terrible. She’s sitting in a room, being asked whether she killed someone.

She doesn’t understand how her life has changed so completely. When she was younger, heads would turn when she walked into a room. Her children needed her; her husband adored her.

But somehow the years wore that all away. She was so busy raising her children, looking after her parents, that the woman who used to be Rachel Ryder, whose husband told her she was out of his league, now quietly washes his clothes and makes his dinner, and can walk into a room without anyone knowing she’s there.

She knows that she thought: what would it take for you to see me again? What if I did something no-one thought I was capable of?

MY THOUGHTS: A most unusual book - intriguing and touching.

There is probably very few amongst us that haven't felt invisible at times. You'll be saying something, and someone else will talk over top of you. You will wave/call out to someone you know and they blank you, maybe not intentionally, but how do you know? Or maybe, just like Rachel, if you don't do it, it doesn't get done. And you wonder where the person you used to be, that vital, alive, interesting, fun person, went.

Rachel is struggling. Struggling with her marriage. Struggling with her children, son Kieron has gone off to uni, daughter Katie is taking a gap year which she is spending out partying or shut up in her room on YouTube and Instagram. Struggling with menopause. Struggling with her body image and ageing. Struggling with her sense of self. And angry. Very angry.

The high points in her life are her shifts as barmaid at a local pub, and the walks she takes her dog on at night. In both roles, she can talk to people who listen, and she listens to them. She has her regulars in the pub, also struggling with their lives, and she meets some lovely people while out walking the dog. People she can empathize with and relate to. But then people she has interacted with are found murdered....and Rachel starts to wonder, could she have done this?

Can You See Her is told from the point of view of Rachel, both as events are occurring and as she relates them to Amanda, forensic psychiatrist. This is interspersed with police interviews with Ingrid - Rachel's new neighbour, Lisa - Rachel's best friend, Katie - her daughter, and Mark, her husband.

The first 50% of the book is slower moving, but sets the scene for the events in the second half, where it really gets interesting.

This book is emotional, thought provoking, and should touch all of us on some level. Strongly recommended.

❤❤❤❤

#CanYouSeeHer #NetGalley

'My diets always start on Mondays. By Wednesday I think I can still turn it round. By Friday I've reached 'Sod it. I'll try again next week, pass the chocolate....'

Marriage is a spiral into madness sometimes. It's like Alice in Wonderland, except with a lot more chores.

THE AUTHOR: S.E. Lynes is the Amazon best selling author of psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL.
After graduating from Leeds University, Susie lived in London before moving to Aberdeen where she worked as a producer at the BBC before moving with her husband, Paul, and two young children to Rome.
In Rome, she began to write, snatching time where she could. After the birth of her third child and upon her return to the UK, she gained an MA in Creative Writing from Kingston University.
She now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published two children's books in Italy.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Can You See Her? by S.E. Lynes for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever and riveting. S E Lynes has once again crafted a twisted, thought provoking, and complex tale. Rachel is almost convinced that she is invisible. Her teenage daughter doesn’t need her, her husband doesn’t look at her, and everyone around her seems to look right through her. Rachel is sad and frustrated she is used to being needed, being heard, and being scene. Rachel also has what some would call an unhealthy obsession with the crime going on in her neighborhood. She is consumed with clipping out all news articles pertaining to local violent crime and adding them to her notebook. But most concerning of all she has been losing pieces of her memory. When Rachel starts discovering disturbing things, bloody Kleenex, a knife missing should she worry that her obsession with violent crime is not only in her head.

The story is told from the perspective of Rachel. We also get snippets of interviews between a forensic psychologist and Rachel as well as her husband Mark, her daughter Katie, her BFF Lisa, and her neighbor Ingrid. I loved the structure and I thought it made the story flow nicely. This was not necessarily one of those books that grab me from the first page it took a while to build but once I hit that halfway point Bam, it was unputdowngable Rachel was a frustrating sometimes tedious character, I really wanted the girl to tell several people in this book off, one of them being her husband Mark. Sometimes she seemed to like to play the part of the martyr and was not willing to ask for help or reach out. But truly it was really hard to figure Rachel out, was she simply having a hard time going through a bit of a midlife crisis? Was she crazy? Was she a murderer? I had no idea. Twisted and tense with a surprising and satisfying ending.

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Lindsay L]

DNF @ 22%. Not connecting with the writing.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Susie Lynes, you are one heck of a storyteller! Regular readers of her books will know how clever her stories are and how real her characters are. With Can You See Her? You will get this all and more. A twisty and shocking psychological thriller that kept me up reading way past my bedtime. Thank you Susie, I really needed this book 🤗

I do not want to go into too much detail about the plot, you really need to read it and see for yourself. Basically it the story of Rachel Edwards, a mother and wife who is feeling under appreciated. She feels like her family don’t see her unless she doesn’t do something for them. Her kids are grown up and don’t need her as much anymore and her husband is spending more time with the new neighbour than her. It is her struggle to find her way in life as it is now. We hear from Rachel as well as police interviews with the other key characters. What happened??

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

[Angela Marsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew, where to start. The first thing I’ll say about this author is that every book she writes is totally unique. There is nothing samey or formulaic about any of her work which means you never know where she’s going to take you but one thing is for sure, you’re always in for one heck of a ride! And this book is no exception. This book explores complicated subjects through complex yet identifiable characters through a storyline that is twisty, turny and upside downy. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down until the fates of the characters were revealed to me. This author picks you up in her mouth at the first page, gobbles you up throughout the middle and spits you out at the end and then you thank her for the experience. Can not wait for the next.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good to have this, the 7th book from the author to read and at a time of low concentration on anything but ‘it’ I found it a great comfort to take myself away from ‘it’ and fall into this book, even if for just a few minutes whenever I wanted to

Rachel is invisible, well she thinks she is, working in a pub and married to Mark with 2 teenagers she feels her ‘best years’ are over and she serves no real purpose to anyone, least not herself

That is until she starts to meet people when out and feels she can ‘understand’ when someone needs to talk to someone, she can ‘see it’ so that’s what she does and she makes connections and she really does help, job done and everyone is happy, unfortunately these people end up dead or badly injured a few minutes after meeting her, Rachel realises she is attacking them and confesses

But of course there is more, much much more to this story than that and if I even hinted it at it would ‘give it away’, so I wont suffice to say the double, nay triple whammy ending is quite outstanding and had me foxed on all 3 counts

As always this author writes for the reader and I love how Rachel’s feelings are described and how she chats on to herself replicating what we all do in our mind, the authors use of language is wonderful

A really good, intriguing, emotive, real and true book that you wont forget and in parts may relate to

10/10
5 Stars

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 invisible stars

Rachel has grown to feel invisible. She’s aging and doesn’t turn heads like she used to, and her family takes her for granted. She’s suffering from quite a few symptoms of menopause. She’s also obsessed with local crime and each morning reads and prints out the latest stories to store in a file.

We then switch to a storyline where Rachel is telling her story to a forensic psychiatrist because she’s worried that she’s done some terrible things. We also get the transcripts of interviews with the police from those around Rachel. What has happened and is Rachel responsible for these crimes?

This psychological thriller kept me guessing! There were some gasp-worthy twists at the end and I quite enjoyed that!

This is my first read from this author, but she has quite a list of books. This one encourages me to read them in the quiet weeks ahead!

Thank you S.E. Lynes, NetGalley, and Bookoutre for an early copy of this one to read. It publishes 4.22.2020.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel feels that she has become invisible over the years. Her husband and children don't seem to notice her anymore, and she's unhappy with this new feeling. A series of violent crimes is happening in Rachel's community, and she's been following the news to keep up with the crimes. Rachel feels for the victims and other invisible people, but now Rachel is being questioned about the murders.

The story is told using alternating viewpoints - Rachel's point of view and police transcripts with various characters. Rachel is depressed and suffering from some bouts of memory loss. She makes for an interesting and unreliable narrator.

A slow-burning psychological thriller. The book starts slow, but gets more interesting. Some unexpected and intriguing twists and turns along the way. Dark and clever.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Can’t See the Plot.

I’m sorry to be the rare dissenter, but the story was hidden among so many asides that the search was creating anxiety to this clutter adverse reader.

I thought the writing was exceptional but I had the feeling of being in a beautifully designed house and not being able to appreciate the architecture through all the owner’s belongings.

A DNF at about 40%.

I’m the outlier here so hopefully all the positive reviews will assist others in giving this a chance.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up until the 50-60% mark this was looking like a three star book. Let’s not beat around the bush. It started very slowly. It didn’t have much action. But what it did have was a beautifully exquisite portrayal of a woman on the edge. Rachel is middle aged, has been married for over 20 years, has one son at university and a daughter having a gap year to explore her options in the beauty industry. Her husband doesn’t seem to notice her anymore, they don’t talk, they don’t cuddle and the family seems to take her for granted. She feels invisible. As an older woman myself I could really relate to this portrayal and I know what it means to feel invisible. Not so much now but a while ago. The point I’m making is that Rachel was pitch perfect.

The narrative takes the form of interviews with a forensic psychiatrist interspersed with transcriptions of interviews with Rachel’s husband Mark, her daughter Katie, best friend Lisa and newish neighbour, Ingrid. Apart from feeling invisible, Rachel is going through menopause and feels the weight of the world on her shoulders. She takes to walking late at night with the dog to calm her feelings of loneliness and rage. She has so much rage. She talks to complete strangers and invents stories about their lives. She thinks they all have their own personal hell. For these people she feels so much love. Her emotions and hormones are raging. When she hears on the news one morning that a young lady she had been speaking was brutally attacked with knife the night before Rachel is beside herself. She wonders if she could have done this. This happens again and again until Rachel breaks and, convinced she is a murderer, She confesses to the police. Enter the forensic psychiatrist. And that is where I must leave my review.

It is rare that such a story keeps me engaged but I was totally transfixed with Rachel’s story and her journey and how she dealt with the many issues (some you only learn about much later) that life threw at her. This is the first S.E. Lynes book I have read but this author is a class act and I will be reading more. Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy of the book. My opinions are totally my own.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can You See Her? By Author S.E. Lynes is an excellent psychological-thriller. The Author does a superb job of story telling, and mood setting to create a book that is both interesting, and thought-provoking

A great book. I do want to read more of this author’s work.

The main character Rachel Ryder Is caught up in wondering what is happening to her, and she has become invisible to those around her – In her home and life.

5 Stars from me!. One of the best books that I have read so far this year!

#CanYouSeeHer #NetGalley


Thanks to NetGalley, Author S.E. Lynes, and Bookouture for my advanced copy of Can You See Her? for my review

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, what can I say about this book? Very much doubt my review could even come close to doing this complex but compelling story, the justice it deserves.

The story clicks between the main story and interviews that have been carried out in the police station. To start with, I was intrigued as to the why’s of everything that is going on. Rachel is a very complex character who I was desperate to know more about to try and better understand what was happening.

I had absolutely no clue where this story was heading. The more I read the more gripped I became as the story unfolds with some seriously twisted revelations. The more I got to know Rachel, the more empathy I had for her even though I found it frustrating that she couldn’t quite remember things. Mainly because I had to wait for the author to then reveal them and I’m not the most patient of people. Of course this had me racing through the pages for what I have to say is one ultimate reading climax!

Can You See Her? is one mess with your head read. It’s a story that will make you sit back and reflect on what a very clever story line it is. No idea where the author gets her ideas from but this is one stand out novel that deserves the highest of praise. Phenomenal read!

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel feels invisable to everyone including her family. She tells her story to Amanda, her psychologist. She's is a confused state of mind. Rachel is a middle aged whose married with two children.

I really felt for Rachel and her fragile state. This is a thought provoking read. The first third of the book I found quite hard going but I'm glad I stuck with it. Along with murder it covers jealousy, revenge and the menopause. The characters are well rounded and the plotline is intriguing. Another enjoyable read from the author.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author S.E. Lynes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Rachel feels invisable to everyone including her family. She tells her story to Amanda, her psychologist. She's in a confused State of mind. Rachel is a middle aged woman whose married with two children.

I really felt for Rachel and her fragile state. This is a thought provoking read. The first third of the book I found quite hard going burning glad I stuck with it. Along with murder it covers jealousy, revenge and the menopause. The characters are well rounded and the plotline intriguing. A other e joyagle read y the author.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author S.E. Lynes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[STEPH · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most relatable books out there. I felt nothing but love and sympathy for the main character. I wanted her to have a happy ending so bad and I guess you'll feel the same way if you follow her journey. We all feel invisible sometimes, like, we feel useless, we feel that all our efforts are ignored and unappreciated by the very people that we love. We just wanna scream and let people know that; "Hey! I am still here! See me! I am here!"

I love this book. It made me cry because these things happen. The emotions were raw and genuine. The author, (I don't expect anything less than iconic from Lynes) was able to capture the realities of life, the struggles of old people and the vulnerabilities of the homeless. This book is so relevant and I hope that more people would read this gem.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can You See Her? is Susie Lynes’s seventh psychological thriller and a hard-hitting domestic drama I feel many women will be able to relate to. Rachel Edwards has been married to husband Mark for close to thirty years and they have two grown-up children, Kieran and Katie. Rachel becomes increasingly resentful of her family as she notices that during a party held for nineteen-year-old Katie she is completely invisible to attendees and it isn’t much better when it comes to her husband. She feels as though she is basically a skivvy; put upon to carry out all the menial, boring tasks that they don’t want to do themselves and getting no thanks for it whatsoever. Slaving away day after day she is not far off rock bottom. She’s menopausal and feeling desperately unsexy with her excess pounds and ageing body and when young, slim and beautifully blonde Ingrid becomes a new neighbour Rachel can’t help but be concerned. Not merely because Ingrid seems, in her mind, to be everything she is not but because Mark has totally lost interest in her; the intimacy has vanished from their relationship and they barely even talk or acknowledge one another now. In order to ease some her intense anxiety, she begins taking late-night walks with the dog but when many of those she stopped to converse with during her walks end up being attacked before long she convinces herself she must have been the perpetrator and hands herself in to police.

This is not only a thoroughly enjoyable, compulsive domestic thriller but it also is emotionally impactful in that it explores the issues present within a troubled marriage, topical use of knife crime and the struggle women feel during the ageing process. It is such a relatable story and I found it was easy to engage and empathise with Rachel as a character; she is one of the most beautifully developed and likeable characters I have come across in the genre in a while. Taking the form of interviews with forensic psychiatrist Amanda and transcriptions of interviews with Mark, daughter Katie, best friend Lisa and the new neighbour, Ingrid, we get a fully rounded narrative due to the different perspectives on the situation. It’s difficult nowadays to find thrillers that are original but this was refreshingly so and this really nabbed my attention and had me hanging on every word. Compelling, full of mystery with some exciting and unpredictable twists and stunning reveals; Ms Lynes manages to keep an air of mystery right through to the end. I loved that the author fearlessly broached topics many people avoid: the menopause and how it affects a woman, mental health issues, feelings of inadequacy due to ageing and marriage problems. Mark and Rachel are very different with Mark coming across as a selfish narcissist and Rachel the polar opposite. A heartbreaking but hopeful tale and one that concludes in an explosive fashion. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

CAN YOU SEE HER? Is the story of Rachel, a middle-aged wife and mother who all of a sudden finds herself invisible to those around her. Nobody pays her any attention, and it’s almost like everyone looks through her and not at her. This convinces her that she must’ve wanted to take advantage of feeling invisible, pushing it all the way to a series of murders in her town. Is she really a killer? Or is there something even more sinister going on?

I have to admit this book didn’t get going for me until the 50% mark. I thought about skipping the rest and moving on, but author S.E. Lynes is a phenomenal writer whose previous work I’ve really enjoyed. I soldiered on, and I’m glad I did. If you can get past the slow beginning, you’ll find a mysterious story with a main character who is darkly funny and who you will really care about. You’ll also find emotional scenes that tie into the plot, and will finally feel the pace increase as everything comes to a head.

Thank you to S.E. Lynes, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an ARC.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can You See Her by S.E. Lynes is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Rachel is feeling lost, neglected, depressed, and angry.  She feels unappreciated.  She cooks and cleans, and does all the household chores when she isn't waitressing in a pub.  She isn't sure her husband or daughter would even notice her absence unless they didn't have clean clothes or food on the table.  Rachel is going through menopause, and that isn't helping her spirits.  She feels invisible.

Rachel is also concerned with all the knife-crimes in the area, and is keeping a file of newspaper clippings to take to her MP.  It is becoming a bit of an obsession.

But more than anything, Rachel is worried.  She is afraid she may have crossed the line and done something that would really get her noticed.  Invisibility is one thing, but she may not want to jump into the limelight either.


My Opinions:  

This author never fails to deliver.  The plot, the characters, the twists, the pace, the prose. A rather dark book, but with bits of humour thrown in.  Everything worked.

The book is about loss, about loneliness, about depression, about empathy.  It is about a woman who is dealing with menopause, but also with so much more.  She is feeling invisible to the world, alone in her misery.  It is about mental illness.  It is about anger, and hate, and mis-directed revenge. It is about grief, and loss, and heartache.  Needless to say, it is an emotional read.

I loved how the story was told from different perspectives, and you weren't sure who to believe.  I found myself questioning everyone!

I absolutely loved Rachel.  I can't expand on that.

Okay, to say this one got to me, would be an understatement.  I loved the menopause angle, and perhaps I learned a little about myself.  Thank you Susie for that!

It is a rather complex book, an emotional read, a wonderful and heart-warming story.  I loved it.
 

For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Arna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“That’s all any of us want isn’t it? To be seen, to be heard with compassion and attention while we unload our troubled hearts” 🤍
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Rachel is sitting in a room being asked whether she’s killed someone. She doesn’t understand how her life has changed so completely. She used to turn heads when she walked into a room and now no one notices she’s there. Even her family don’t see her. So what happens if no one is watching? You could get away with murder... ✨
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I don’t think I’ve ever empathised with a character as much as I have with Rachel and I really enjoyed this book because of that. Everyone has times where they feel invisible, even to the ones they love the most.
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This book isn’t full of twists and turns and I think I was more sad than shocked at some of the ‘twists’. The ending was a bit predictable but there were some revelations I wasn’t expecting and I did devour this book! It’s opened my eyes to a very real issue that so many people face, I think it’s hit hard due to the loneliness a lot of us are feeling at the moment being isolated. This one will be on my mind for a while.
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This book came out a couple of days ago, I recommend it to anyone looking for an original kind of domestic thriller 😁

[Adele Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without giving any spoilers away, I will just say this book is definitely worth a read.
It highlights a lot of different subjects, especially knife crime. I didn’t expect to cry at the end but I did.

[StinaStaffymum · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

"There are things I don't know. But I know people are dead, I know I killed them and I know it all started the day I realised I was invisible."

Rachel Edwards is invisible. Well, she thinks she is. When she was younger, heads would turn when she walked into a room. Her husband Mark had always said she was out of his league. And she had great relationships with her two beautiful children, Keiron and Katie.

So when did Rachel become "invisible"?

With Keiron away at uni and Katie taking a gap year, Rachel's life consists of working at the pub and the caretaker of her family at home. When daughter Katie has her 18th birthday party of "just 10 friends" which then turned into at least twenty, Rachel walks into the room and realises everyone is totally oblivious to her presence. She's past her prime, heads no longer turn, she's no one.

She's become invisible.

Her husband of 27 years doesn't even look at her anymore, barely even speaks to her. Katie spends most of her time in her room, deaf to her mother's voice...unless food is involved. But neither of them can be arsed to set the table, warm the plates, hang the washing or even flip the switch to turn on the heating while she's out getting fish and chips for tea. No, those tasks are left completely up to her as she is simply the wife and mother, the caretaker for her now unappreciative family.

Becoming obsessed with the spate of knife attacks happening near her home, Rachel begins a scrapbook or sort with clippings of all the victims and their stories. In the hope that she can approach their MP to get the police to do more about these crimes in the area. And yet...she's invisible. Maybe she should take matters into her own hands? After all, she's invisible...

And if she was invisible, if no one else can see her, she could get away with murder. Couldn't she?

Then Rachel starts taking walks at night with their dog Archie and meets people she feels she identifies with and can understand them. She feels their pain and makes connections with them. At last she is not invisible. Not to these people at least. But then these people are found dead or badly injured within a few minutes of meeting her...and Rachel wonders, did she do this?

Now Rachel is in a locked room with forensic psychiatrist Amanda "blue eyes" Frost, detailing all that her life has become and the crimes she has no memory of committing...and yet she must have. Police question her husband Mark, daughter Katie, best friend Lisa and new neighbour Ingrid as they try to determine what is really going on.

It was evident that Rachel was struggling. But was it her sanity? Was she unstable? Or was it just menopause? The internal anger and rage she would feel as her family paid her no attention and basically just took her for granted. And then to make matters worse she began to suspect Mark of having an affair with...Ingrid? Lisa? Or both? How could Mark do this to her? How could Lisa?After all, she knows she is no longer the beauty she once was but to ditch her for the floaty blonde piece next door or her best friend...how could they? Or was Rachel just delusional and imagining things?

Of course there is so much more, much much more to this story that I have barely touched the surface. CAN YOU SEE HER? is an original and thought provoking slow burning psychological thriller about feelings of self worth, jealousy, revenge and menopause. With a touch of humour peppered throughout Rachel' narrative. I laughed when her husband Mark referred to her mood being down to her "hormonal whatsits".

CAN YOU SEE HER? is primarily narrated by Rachel in her sessions with the forensic psychiatrist - both in dialogue and the thoughts she doesn't openly share. There are alternating chapters throughout in the form of police interview excerpts with Mark, Katie, Lisa and Ingrid as slowly a picture begins to build of what may or may not have happened.

But nothing will prepare you for the shocking triple twist ending that is quite outstanding that not even I saw coming...on any count! It was sheer brilliance on Susie Lynes' part that makes this truly emotive tale such an intriguing read that, despite the slow burn, I could not put down.

My third book by Lynes, CAN YOU SEE HER? is thought provoking, emotive and even heartbreaking as each twist is revealed. Sheer brilliance.

I would like to thank #SELynes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #CanYouSeeHer in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this book was EVERYTHING! As a woman of a certain age myself, it was so refreshing to meet Rachel as she was just so perfectly created to showcase the fears and emotions that come when a woman enters her menopausal years. But Rachel is different. She really does thinks she’s become invisible and now she’s sitting in an interview room at the police station telling her story-what has she done? And why? The answers when they come are so shocking and jaw dropping that I guarantee you won’t be able to put this book down until that very last page.

I loved the concept of this book and the method in which Susie Lynes developed her plotline. Rachel’s story slowly unravels as she answers questions about a series of recent murders. Her interview with Amanda a psychologist is interspersed with interviews with Rachel’s husband Mark, daughter Katie, best friend Lisa and the new neighbour she thinks may be having an affair with Mark. Their narratives give a more detailed insight into her story and the emotional difficulties she has been facing without any of them realising exactly how she has been feeling. I think many women will relate to Rachel. She’s a complex and realistic character who’s struggling with the transition from busy young mum who always got attention when she walked into a room to an overweight menopausal woman feeling unattractive, unloved and unseen. She’s the only one who seems to care about her home, doing all the housework even though her husband and daughter are living there too and she’s also working hard in her job at a local pub. There’s a distinct lack of intimacy between her and Mark and their glamorous new neighbour Ingrid becoming friendly with Mark seems to drive them even further apart. Watching this couple who used to be so close and in love not communicating was uncomfortable at times and I felt quite voyeuristic watching such awkward, private moments between them. The dog walks Rachel looked forward to on her own in the evenings are when she comes into contact with other people and she’s so starved of interaction in her own home that these meetings are the start of the problems that follow…

I absolutely adored this book. The subject matter was handled perfectly and it really stands out as an exceptional domestic and psychological thriller. The author has taken a subject that’s not often talked about and has created a relatable and compelling storyline around it. Women don’t talk enough about the problems that come with menopause. Yes there’s the night sweats, the grey hair and the hot flushes but no one talks about that feeling when people’s eyes just slide over you as though you’re no longer of any interest either sexually or intelligently. Your fertility has disappeared and it seems to have packed your usefulness and visibility with it-especially as it often comes at the same time as your nest empties. For some couples this can prove to be the start of a fun and relaxed new relationship as there’s no need for contraception anymore and an empty nest can lead to a exciting and newly discovered freedom for them! So I felt sad that this transition period was so devastating for Rachel. I felt so connected to her from the very start of her tragic tale and wanted a positive outcome for her but I must admit that I was completely floored by the final few pages!

This is a well developed, compelling and highly emotional book with a refreshingly original plot. I loved every moment of it and desperately wanted Rachel to have the life she deserved and not the one she was living. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year so far. Brilliant!

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

This was one brilliant truly psychological thriller where the author S. E. Lynes looked into the depths of a human psyche, twisted the brain waves, and wrote a book seeped in uncertainty. My mind continually thought of one thing - what was the truth? The author kept me on my toes throughout the entire story with my guesses going haywire.

Rachel was invisible. She was taken for granted by her family and friends. That was affecting her mental health, and she was ready to do anything to get her family to see her, to feel alive. And there she sat in a dingy interrogation room answering questions about three murders. Can you see her now?

A sensitive book which encapsulated many issues where empathy was the driving force, and Rachel was in the spotlight. As the pages turned, I could understand her better; some of her feelings resonated with me. The writing kept me attached to my kindle from beginning to end. There was something so haunting about the story as if it dared me to believe it.

The author played it brilliantly keeping the book in shadows while staying in the wispy tendrils of light. Most of the times, I felt I had the plot in my grasp until the author gently pulled it away. I had guessed some parts of it, but most of those twists blindsided me. They were hidden well by being in plain sight.

The author was a master in suspense, but this book had that extra something. I was left with an absolute feeling of epiphany about what the human brain was capable of. Every subplot was well fitted into the overall jigsaw of the story; they whirled in my mind long after the book was done.

A true thriller of human psyche...

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest standalone psychological thriller by SE Lynes and once again she's nailed it! If you enjoy cleverly plotted, original dark domestic noir with twists and thrills galore - then I would definitely recommend CAN YOU SEE HER?

Rachel Ryder is our main character and when we meet her she has confessed to some horrific crimes which are slowly revealed throughout the book.  The story is cleverly told through police interviews and Rachel's own version of events and the reader is taken on a sad and emotional journey following Rachel and how she ended up in her current situation.

This is an insightful and observational tale of a middle-aged wife and mother who is feeling more and more invisible and unnecessary in her family's life.  Suffering from depression, peri-menopausal symptoms and a growing concern about the impact of local knife crimes, Rachel finds herself caught up in a series of violent crimes.  

A cleverly constructed tale covering many relevant topics and some highly relatable characters and situations.  The author has a wonderful way with words and is able to transport the reader deep into the story lines, and feel and care about the characters.  I was totally able to relate to Rachel and felt her pain and confusion throughout her narration.  SE Lynes has an exceptional talent for creating unique, original and gripping thrillers with plausible plots and characters you can connect with.  Another brilliant book.

[Louise Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's always so so much more to Ms Lynes' books than the cover, title, blurb or talk can provide. She writes much more than the everyday psychological thriller. There is such depth and many layers to her stories. Rachel is a heartbreaking character, finely drawn and achingly real. Her tale is one of the invisibility of middle age, of feeling lost, of depression. We all either know Rachel - or we have been her. There are twists aplenty - and they are the kind that you realise a split second before, so expert is Lynes at leading you there - but this book is so much more than that. Read it. See for yourself.