The Fate of Ava Miller

by Hope E. Davis

Ava Miller disappeared five years ago.

Her family thinks she's dead.

But Greg Sanders isn't so sure...

Genres: Mystery

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2019

About the author

When Hope isn’t writing her next novel, she is busy traveling the world, trying new foods, or hanging out with friends. A graduate from Metropolitan State University, Hope grew up in Colorado, USA, but currently calls the Netherlands her home. To find information about her other or future novels, follow Hope on TikTok or Instagram: @hopeedavisauthor.

Reviews

[Christopher Schmehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I kept wondering if Greg would find Ava. Questions circled in my mind. What happened to Ava? Why did she disappear? Was someone playing Greg for a fool... a mentally broken person? Would Greg ever find closure?
The story is filled with twists and turns.
Davis spins a compelling mystery.

[Cathryn Melani (cat.inspired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS - I'm glad I listened to this as an audiobook (though I'm sure it's a great read to) it really added to the element of suspense and mystery.

This was well narrated and I think the narrator Eric A Grimes did a good job of portraying Greg and the other characters.

The story successfully flits between the past, when Greg and Ava where together, to the present day as he searches for her still 5 years after she mysteriously disappeared.

I loved the POV perspective of this, it really added to the storyline, you got a real insight into Greg's emotional state of mind. And the fact that he was a police officer made his investigation methods believable.

The first half was a great slow burn build up to a fantastic twist I didnt see coming, AT ALL! And then the twists kept coming till the end.

I think the ending was a brilliant place to wrap up, and conclude the story. Often I find the endings of suspense / mysteries / thrillers can be hit or miss so I'm glad this one had closure.

This book was a cleverly written mix of suspense and mystery. I loved the banter between Greg and his friend, it really added an element of humor to the story.

[IG | TorturedHeroesDept · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was suspicious of literally everyone including the lady with her hair straight out of the 80s

Ava sucks. She was incredibly manipulative. Greg deserved better.

There were a ton of twists and they were fun but some didn’t make sense.

Marie had worked for the police dept for a few years? While also having 87 other jobs apparently? That twist was too much for me and just too unbelievable.

Also he somehow didn’t know what she was going to school for?

How was she able to portray 87 people at once? Afford all these realistic masks? She clearly didn’t leave and go very far if she was following him.

Also I NEED THE HEARTBURN EXPLAINED.

[Caitlin O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this author and I was interesting to read one of her older books to see her growth as a writer. The other book I read of hers was fantasy but I really enjoyed this mystery / Thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat at all times and my brain spinning trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

I absolutely loved the main character Greg and his best friend Ione was the comic relief I always love. As he is searching for his missing ex-girlfriend (who I disliked for most of the book, because of how she treated greg, but I think you're supposed to) as we learn stuff about her we also learn stuff about him and see his progress as he attempts to solve her case and others.

I would say the last 3rd of the book there were a bunch of twists and turns most of which I didn't see coming and it was pleasant to be surprised. I was very happy with the ending but it was also neat that some of it was left up to your imagination on what you suspect.

[Angie Frakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Hope E. Davis for an advance listening copy of The Fate of Ava Miller in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to this audiobook after reading the ebook first and I LOVED the audiobook! Eric did such a good job with the narration, and you could really feel the emotion that he brought into his narration of Greg and Ava’s story. This story is so compelling and intriguing, and I loved it just as much in audiobook form as I did in book form!

[Kristin Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story.

When I first started listening to the audiobook (which can be found on Amazon/Audible), I was a little skeptical. I'm a girl who likes steamy romances, so it's a little out of my wheelhouse to listen to an audiobook about a missing person. But once I dove in, I couldn't stop listening. I cleaned my house from top to bottom because I didn't want to stop.

The amount of detail and care put into researching proper detective procedures and psychological analysis, not to mention the effort put into crafting a story that kept me glued to my earbuds, is so satisfying. You will not want to miss this one!

I can't wait to check out more of Hope E. Davis' work!

[Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this as a Goodreads Giveaway. Great book! The characters were likeable, I felt I could relate to them. There were a lot of twists and turns, which kept it exciting page after page. There was a big twist in part 3 that almost lost my interest. My first thought was that it wasn't believable. Another twist was right around the corner though. A secret from Greg's past brought the story together very well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the narration of Eric A. Grime, who brings out the mystery and characters.

This story goes between the past and the present. We meet Greg and Ava when they were together, to the present day, Where being a police office investigations helps him her search for her, as Ava has disappeared five years ago.

This book has twist, that will keep you on toes all the way to the end. Great characters and with humour with the suspense, mystery with a great ending.

[Aaron Kempton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good listen! (Audible) The back and forth was executed perfectly without confusion, and the twist added to an already amazing storyline!

The author did great tapping into the psychological aspect of this story, with some parts being very informative. While Ava Miller wasn’t my favorite, the other characters throughout were relatable and easy to like. I definitely recommend listening to this!

[Roxie Klinksiek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great twist

I found this story to be riveting. The story is carefully crafted in a way that kept me interested. I won't reveal too much, but will say that the ending was satisfying. 4.5 stars

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me guessing! The performance was great, really like the narrator for this thriller. If you want a story that will keep you guessing and even when you think you know, you’re wrong! Great book overall!

[Kearstin Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun and quick read

The story line was amazing. The case of a missing person with possible hallucinations
Solving mysteries and providing closure to those who lost.

I really enjoyed this

[Ashley Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good, and i so wasn't expecting the plot twists it through at me! I won this off Instagram as an audiobook.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story with twisty suspense with mystery of finding Ava. Ending was a bit surprising but good.

[Erin Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Several crazy twists that really made you think…I’m still thinking about the ending TBH

[RaeHaw23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm left in "awe". I listened to the audio book of this, and it was so good. I can only imagine that the read would feel the same. There is so much suspense, and thrill. The build to the final chapter was SO good! I could not stop listening to this. A great mystery of missing persons. The narrator of the audio book was very good. I would 100% recommend!

[Megan Gustafson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[kim.through.books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down to 3.

The Fate of Ava Miller is a classic detective searching for a missing person novel. Greg (MMC), in the present day is searching for Ava (FMC) who went missing several years ago and was just recently declared dead. We flip back and forth between Greg and Ava when they were together and the present when Greg has continued his search for Ava. I thought the past and present POVs were really well done. The past POV really showed Greg's love and devotion to Ava and you can understand why finding her is so important even though they've been apart for awhile.

The last third of the book turned high stakes and took a really wild turn. I'm still uncertain how I feel about it. The ending was completely unexpected and I appreciated how out of the blue it was. I didn't have complete buy in for the ultimate reason Ava went missing. It just seemed so bizarre and confusing.

The narrator was great as Greg. He did a really great job. The way he voiced the other characters was just terrible. When he tried to do an Asian accent, I just couldn't take it. Had I read the book instead of listening to it, the rating may have been a bit higher for me.

**side note** Goodreads really needs to get their act together and add .5 ratings to their system. It's so frustrating.

[Firetruckmama · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a Kindle version of this book in a Goodreads giveaway, for which I'd like to thank the publisher and the author.

This book started off interesting and gripping. I kept wondering how all the pieces and characters fit together and kept trying to solve it myself (is Ava alive? is Ava dead? is Ava hiding from the world?). I liked that the main male character had a heart and wasn't afraid to show it - especially when doing the PI work. But then there was a weird turn (a medical condition/hospitalization not remembered by the main character) that made me want to see if there were hints about it earlier in the book, because it seemed so out of place and jarring. There was a nice wrap up at the end for the main characters. Except for that weird turn, I'd rate this a solid four star book.

The writing was good & the stats at the beginning of the book are fully sourced (nice touch).

[Legacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows a police officer whose girlfriend—possibly fiancée—disappeared a few years ago. He’s never been able to move on, and the story centers around his search for answers about what really happened to Ava.

This is definitely a mystery, and while I don’t usually gravitate toward that genre, I really enjoyed this one. The twists were well done—I didn’t piece things together until near the end, which made the reveal even more satisfying. The author did a great job keeping the suspense alive.

I listened to the audiobook, and it held my attention the entire time. The narration was solid, and I didn’t run into any issues with it. Overall, I was really pulled into the story and thought the writing was strong. I definitely recommend this if you’re a fan of mysteries—or even if you’re not usually into them, like me. It’s worth the read.

[Teresa M Bawa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast read

I think this book waa written well. And the story line was pretty good. Had twists and turns. But I thought Avas story line could of been wrapped up a bit better. For me was just an ok read no real wow factor.
I won this book from Goodreads and I thank you for the opportunity I had to read this book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose wasn't as smooth as most well established authors, but the storyline was truly engaging. The more the story unfolded, the more the mystery deepened and the more enthralled I became. I kept thinking, "what in the heck happened to Ava????" But about 75% in, the Ava story took a weird turn. Luckily, the remainder of the book picked up again and finished well.

[Aletha Pagett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This twisty novel was received as an e-book from Goodreads. I literally could not put this down. I just HAD to find out what happened to Ava! A very unusual story.

[Nataliya Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

What a great story, full of twists and turns. It kept me reading late into the night. It's a story of missing persons, and obsession. You must read this book, it's great!