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Safe No Longer
ONE CHILD DEAD. ANOTHER MISSING. THE VILLAGE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE.
On a warm evening in late summer, best friends Raymond and Cara camp out overnight in the garden. By morning, Raymond is dead and Cara is missing.
Di Rita Cannan is called home to the sleepy seaside town of Green-on-the-Sea to investigate Raymond's murder and try to find Cara - alive. But the case carries eerie echoes of another girl's death that rocked the close-knit community, decades ago. If there's a connection, if history is repeating itself, who knows more than they're letting on? And how far will they go to cover their tracks?
There are only so many lies a small town can hold and when everyone is a suspect, Cannan has nowhere to turn. To discover the truth, she must confront her own past. but can she do so in time to uncover the identity of the murderer and find Cara - before more innocent lives are lost?
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 7hrs. and 35mins.
©2020 by Gayle Curtis. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
On a warm evening in late summer, best friends Raymond and Cara camp out overnight in the garden. By morning, Raymond is dead and Cara is missing.
Di Rita Cannan is called home to the sleepy seaside town of Green-on-the-Sea to investigate Raymond's murder and try to find Cara - alive. But the case carries eerie echoes of another girl's death that rocked the close-knit community, decades ago. If there's a connection, if history is repeating itself, who knows more than they're letting on? And how far will they go to cover their tracks?
There are only so many lies a small town can hold and when everyone is a suspect, Cannan has nowhere to turn. To discover the truth, she must confront her own past. but can she do so in time to uncover the identity of the murderer and find Cara - before more innocent lives are lost?
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 7hrs. and 35mins.
©2020 by Gayle Curtis. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
298 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
May 3, 2020
I received an advance copy of this book from net galley and the publisher in return for an honest review. Release date for this book is 16 May 2020
I found this to be a very convoluted story that was very difficult to follow. Parts of the story were interesting and I felt that there was a lot of potential for it to be a great thriller but it just missed the mark. The ending was very unsatisfying and left a lot of loose ends. As I was reading the story I was hoping for more than it had to offer unfortunately.
I found this to be a very convoluted story that was very difficult to follow. Parts of the story were interesting and I felt that there was a lot of potential for it to be a great thriller but it just missed the mark. The ending was very unsatisfying and left a lot of loose ends. As I was reading the story I was hoping for more than it had to offer unfortunately.
May 21, 2020
Ever read one of those books that you find yourself hating everyone as the story goes along? That would be Safe No Longer by Gayle Curtis for me unfortunately. Safe No Longer is a thriller that has multiple points of view and alternating timelines and unlike a lot of those I found this one to be hard to follow.
This story starts off with a young mother planning her own daughter’s kidnapping with a man she thought she could trust to care for her daughter while she glowed in the media. This plan was supposed to be what was in the best interest of the child. *cough* Needless to say things go way out of control when a young boy is found murdered and the daughter no where to be found and the partner in crime claiming innocence.
So basically what we have here is questionable characters around every corner or turn of the page to the point of disgust really. There was so much going on and to follow along with that it all really becomes a distracting mess with no one really to root for or care about in my opinion. Also, the jumping ahead didn’t seem to flow very well to me leaving it feeling kind of off as you switch. Hoping something would stand out at the end I ended up feeling let down there too as it all seemed to be a stretch with some things unanswered.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
This story starts off with a young mother planning her own daughter’s kidnapping with a man she thought she could trust to care for her daughter while she glowed in the media. This plan was supposed to be what was in the best interest of the child. *cough* Needless to say things go way out of control when a young boy is found murdered and the daughter no where to be found and the partner in crime claiming innocence.
So basically what we have here is questionable characters around every corner or turn of the page to the point of disgust really. There was so much going on and to follow along with that it all really becomes a distracting mess with no one really to root for or care about in my opinion. Also, the jumping ahead didn’t seem to flow very well to me leaving it feeling kind of off as you switch. Hoping something would stand out at the end I ended up feeling let down there too as it all seemed to be a stretch with some things unanswered.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
May 3, 2020
I found this to be a very convoluted story that was very difficult to follow. Parts of the story were interesting and I felt that there was a lot of potential for it to be a great thriller but it just missed the mark. The ending was very unsatisfying and left a lot of loose ends. As I was reading the story I was hoping for more than it had to offer unfortunately.
May 14, 2020
It starts with the murder of a young boy, Raymond, and the disappearance of his best friend, Cara. This is so very reminiscent of another girl's death many years ago.
DI Rita Cannan is leading the investigation and finding that everyone has secrets ... including herself .. that may affect her ability to find the killer / kidnapper.
I found this to be well-written, in a way that presents the case up front, introducing relevant characters, and lining up the suspects and motives. Interspersed are chapters 5 years after the fact as told by Cannan to a TV reporter. It was a unique take on crime solving and made the story more credible. This kept me glued to the pages until the very last gripping ending.
Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
March 21, 2020
This books was entertaining and the plot also moved along at a steady pace. However, there were to many evil-doers in one village! Not only was this unbelievable, but at times I was confused which character was associated with which bad deed. There were to many story-lines which took away from the character development.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for sending me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for sending me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2020
Review for 'Safe No Longer ' by Gayle Curtis
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Amazon Publishing UK.
This is the first book that I have read by this author. I may pick up any more books by her if I was see them in the library.
This novel consists of a prologue and 65 chapters. The chapters are all relatively short so ideal if you want to read' just one more chapter', which never happens personally!!
I was originally drawn to this book by the colourful and intriguing cover and interesting blurb. The blurb related well to the plot but not so much the cover which shows a scooter and I can't actually remember one being used in the book.
The story is presented through 5 points of views and 2 time lapses. I normally enjoy books where this happens but unfortunately in this case it caused quite a bit of confusion due to so much going on at once.
I was sucked straight into the story line and was enjoying it but after a while I was getting mixed up with who was who and who had done what due to the amount of characters and different crimes going on.
I thought the descriptions in the book were quite good but the characters didn't seem very well developed. Again, I believe this was because there was so much going back and forth in time and flitting from one character to another there wasn't enough time with any individual to develop a reader/character relationship.
The plot is interesting and filled with lies, murder, mystery and crime, it just wasn't put together in the best way.
The novel is is set in the UK 🇬🇧 which I always prefer being from the UK myself it sometimes means I have been to some of the places described in books.
If I was to recommend this book it would be to fans of crime, murder and mystery.
297 pages
Free on kindle unlimited or £1.99 to purchase. I think this is a good price for this book.
Rated 3/5 (It was OK ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon.Com and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#SafeNoLonger #GayleCurtis #AmazonPublishingUK #NetGalley #BookReview
@GayleCurtis @AmazonPublishingUK @Bookworm1986
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Amazon Publishing UK.
This is the first book that I have read by this author. I may pick up any more books by her if I was see them in the library.
This novel consists of a prologue and 65 chapters. The chapters are all relatively short so ideal if you want to read' just one more chapter', which never happens personally!!
I was originally drawn to this book by the colourful and intriguing cover and interesting blurb. The blurb related well to the plot but not so much the cover which shows a scooter and I can't actually remember one being used in the book.
The story is presented through 5 points of views and 2 time lapses. I normally enjoy books where this happens but unfortunately in this case it caused quite a bit of confusion due to so much going on at once.
I was sucked straight into the story line and was enjoying it but after a while I was getting mixed up with who was who and who had done what due to the amount of characters and different crimes going on.
I thought the descriptions in the book were quite good but the characters didn't seem very well developed. Again, I believe this was because there was so much going back and forth in time and flitting from one character to another there wasn't enough time with any individual to develop a reader/character relationship.
The plot is interesting and filled with lies, murder, mystery and crime, it just wasn't put together in the best way.
The novel is is set in the UK 🇬🇧 which I always prefer being from the UK myself it sometimes means I have been to some of the places described in books.
If I was to recommend this book it would be to fans of crime, murder and mystery.
297 pages
Free on kindle unlimited or £1.99 to purchase. I think this is a good price for this book.
Rated 3/5 (It was OK ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon.Com and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#SafeNoLonger #GayleCurtis #AmazonPublishingUK #NetGalley #BookReview
@GayleCurtis @AmazonPublishingUK @Bookworm1986
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
June 14, 2020
Another police procedural which held my interest in most of the book. Two children on a sleepover, and one killed with other missing. DI Cannan was called and the investigation started.
My first book by this author, the Trope called to me. I found certain sections in the middle slightly confusing, but soon the author managed to tie them together.
Overall, an engaging read
My first book by this author, the Trope called to me. I found certain sections in the middle slightly confusing, but soon the author managed to tie them together.
Overall, an engaging read
October 25, 2020
★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)
As I had hated her last book I wasn't holding out high hopes for this one but I was surprised. SAFE NO LONGER by Gayle Curtis is a well constructed thriller that is somewhat confusing and convoluted in places but on the whole was something a little different, if not intricate. It's no secret that the author likes to tackle the darker type of thrillers and this was most definitely that!
One child dead. Another child missing. A village in shock.
Best friends Raymond and Cara are enjoying a sleepover in a tent in the backyard one summer evening, telling each other ghost stories and playing macabre games. Raymond's mother Kristen keeps a close eye on the children despite popping over to the pub next door for a quick drink to celebrate her birthday. She returns, the children are still telling stories, so she settles on the sofa whilst leaving the patio doors open for them to come back in the middle of the night...as is usually the case.
But when Kristen wakes the following morning there is no sign of the children in the tent or in the house. And then she sees the silent prone figure of her little boy across the green, hands tied behind his back, his body long cold. But where was Cara?
Rachel Fearon is a school teacher at the local high school. Her husband long since gone, missing, presumed dead in a car accident though his body was never found, Rachel has raised her daughter Cara since. In an attempt to promote interest in her daughter with the local talent scout, Rachel organises with disgraced former cop Jason Brunswick to kidnap Cara and keep her safe until the time was right to release her. All the while, Rachel is to set up a fundraising page on social media, where parents of missing children can rake in thousands, and local talent scout Adrian Player's interest in Cara will be peaked once again.
That was the plan.
But something has gone wrong. Jason does not have Cara and has no idea where she is. He tells Rachel he waited half an hour from 3am as they arranged and Cara never showed. So...if Jason didn't have Cara, who did?
Adrian Player is the local talent scout and owner of a vast number of gyms around the county. But it's his private gym that aspiring gymnasts and football players are interested in. There they get one on one training and invitations to exclusive try-outs and competitions. But that's not all they get behind those doors. Long suspected of being a paedophile, Player uses his gyms as a front to scout for "talent" for his own interests and for those of his members of his exclusive club. Cara had been one of his favoured talents...until, at 11, she became too old and his interests them shifted to her best friend Raymond who was 9. Hence the kidnap plot concocted by Rachel and Jason to renew his interest in her.
Jason Brunswick is a former police officer who was disgraced for misconduct involving children. Now he works for Player at one of his many gyms. But Rachel doesn't seem to know of his misconduct nor of Player's real interests. I'm not sure why because most of the other parents in the village are fully aware for most of them are his former victims from their childhood...and now he is abusing the children of those he had abused decades ago. But then Rachel doesn't appear to have the best foresight either, for she herself is involved in an affair with one of her 16 year old students, and now finds herself pregnant.
Jody Brunswick doesn't believe a word that everyone says about her father. Even when the kids at school taunt her with comments that her father is a nonce she stands her ground...going as far being suspended for attacking a classmate. But then she hears that her father's van was seen on the green the morning of Raymond's murder and Cara's disappearance and she vows to do everything to protect him.
So back to Raymond and Cara. Who murdered this 9 year old boy? And what happened to his best friend Cara? Enter DCI Rita Cannan, senior investigating officer and close friend of Raymond's mother Kristen. That in itself should have precluded her from the case but Rita kept a lid on it because she had her own motive behind the investigation. One that was even greater than her friendship with Kristen. She knew Player was involved, she knew what he was and she wanted him behind bars. And she would stop at nothing to put him there. Even when her own parents were found dead in their home across the green, Rita would not be stopped from putting Player behind bars. To discover the truth, Rita must confront her own past...but can she do so and uncover the truth in time before more innocent lives are lost?
WOW! So much going on for a such a small village with everyone having some form of input into something nefarious one way or the other. All these little subplots designed to take the focus of the main story but still Raymond and Cara would not be forgotten. Even in the alternate chapters five years on where Rita was being interviewed about the case, the intricacies in the tangled web were slowly unravelled but the mystery still remained. What had happened to Cara?
An intricate story, SAFE NO LONGER did have rather a lot going on, some of which may have seemed irrelevant, but it was indeed a clever plot. Surrounding a topic that is often taboo, the author deftly drew attention to both that story and the one at hand whilst confusing us with all the others. Yes, there was a lot of drama going on here...but I think that was the point. Added to that, none of the characters were at all likeable and most of them were so selfish it was hard to sympathise with any of them or even care what happened to them. And most of them seemed to be suffering from some kind of personality disorder or mental breakdown.
I really didn't think I would like this book, but I was surprised to find I actually quite enjoyed it. It was different and despite the various subplots, the storyline had me engaged from the start. Whilst the ending was a bit out of left field, I thought it was rather clever...even if there was no real sense of closure.
A heavy intricate read, SAFE NO LONGER is not for everyone. It is not always an easy read with raw topics such as child sexual abuse and some other sensitive issues that others may find hard to read. While the story itself may seem far-fetched, sadly these things do happen and outlines the complexities of abuse and the lifelong effects it has on its many victims.
I have to say my favourite part, surprisingly, was the final page.
I can't say that I would recommend this to everyone, because it is definitely not a read for everyone. But if you like the darker side of thrillers, not afraid to tackle those darker issues...then this is for you.
I would like to thank #GayleCurtis, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #SafeNoLonger in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
As I had hated her last book I wasn't holding out high hopes for this one but I was surprised. SAFE NO LONGER by Gayle Curtis is a well constructed thriller that is somewhat confusing and convoluted in places but on the whole was something a little different, if not intricate. It's no secret that the author likes to tackle the darker type of thrillers and this was most definitely that!
One child dead. Another child missing. A village in shock.
Best friends Raymond and Cara are enjoying a sleepover in a tent in the backyard one summer evening, telling each other ghost stories and playing macabre games. Raymond's mother Kristen keeps a close eye on the children despite popping over to the pub next door for a quick drink to celebrate her birthday. She returns, the children are still telling stories, so she settles on the sofa whilst leaving the patio doors open for them to come back in the middle of the night...as is usually the case.
But when Kristen wakes the following morning there is no sign of the children in the tent or in the house. And then she sees the silent prone figure of her little boy across the green, hands tied behind his back, his body long cold. But where was Cara?
Rachel Fearon is a school teacher at the local high school. Her husband long since gone, missing, presumed dead in a car accident though his body was never found, Rachel has raised her daughter Cara since. In an attempt to promote interest in her daughter with the local talent scout, Rachel organises with disgraced former cop Jason Brunswick to kidnap Cara and keep her safe until the time was right to release her. All the while, Rachel is to set up a fundraising page on social media, where parents of missing children can rake in thousands, and local talent scout Adrian Player's interest in Cara will be peaked once again.
That was the plan.
But something has gone wrong. Jason does not have Cara and has no idea where she is. He tells Rachel he waited half an hour from 3am as they arranged and Cara never showed. So...if Jason didn't have Cara, who did?
Adrian Player is the local talent scout and owner of a vast number of gyms around the county. But it's his private gym that aspiring gymnasts and football players are interested in. There they get one on one training and invitations to exclusive try-outs and competitions. But that's not all they get behind those doors. Long suspected of being a paedophile, Player uses his gyms as a front to scout for "talent" for his own interests and for those of his members of his exclusive club. Cara had been one of his favoured talents...until, at 11, she became too old and his interests them shifted to her best friend Raymond who was 9. Hence the kidnap plot concocted by Rachel and Jason to renew his interest in her.
Jason Brunswick is a former police officer who was disgraced for misconduct involving children. Now he works for Player at one of his many gyms. But Rachel doesn't seem to know of his misconduct nor of Player's real interests. I'm not sure why because most of the other parents in the village are fully aware for most of them are his former victims from their childhood...and now he is abusing the children of those he had abused decades ago. But then Rachel doesn't appear to have the best foresight either, for she herself is involved in an affair with one of her 16 year old students, and now finds herself pregnant.
Jody Brunswick doesn't believe a word that everyone says about her father. Even when the kids at school taunt her with comments that her father is a nonce she stands her ground...going as far being suspended for attacking a classmate. But then she hears that her father's van was seen on the green the morning of Raymond's murder and Cara's disappearance and she vows to do everything to protect him.
So back to Raymond and Cara. Who murdered this 9 year old boy? And what happened to his best friend Cara? Enter DCI Rita Cannan, senior investigating officer and close friend of Raymond's mother Kristen. That in itself should have precluded her from the case but Rita kept a lid on it because she had her own motive behind the investigation. One that was even greater than her friendship with Kristen. She knew Player was involved, she knew what he was and she wanted him behind bars. And she would stop at nothing to put him there. Even when her own parents were found dead in their home across the green, Rita would not be stopped from putting Player behind bars. To discover the truth, Rita must confront her own past...but can she do so and uncover the truth in time before more innocent lives are lost?
WOW! So much going on for a such a small village with everyone having some form of input into something nefarious one way or the other. All these little subplots designed to take the focus of the main story but still Raymond and Cara would not be forgotten. Even in the alternate chapters five years on where Rita was being interviewed about the case, the intricacies in the tangled web were slowly unravelled but the mystery still remained. What had happened to Cara?
An intricate story, SAFE NO LONGER did have rather a lot going on, some of which may have seemed irrelevant, but it was indeed a clever plot. Surrounding a topic that is often taboo, the author deftly drew attention to both that story and the one at hand whilst confusing us with all the others. Yes, there was a lot of drama going on here...but I think that was the point. Added to that, none of the characters were at all likeable and most of them were so selfish it was hard to sympathise with any of them or even care what happened to them. And most of them seemed to be suffering from some kind of personality disorder or mental breakdown.
I really didn't think I would like this book, but I was surprised to find I actually quite enjoyed it. It was different and despite the various subplots, the storyline had me engaged from the start. Whilst the ending was a bit out of left field, I thought it was rather clever...even if there was no real sense of closure.
A heavy intricate read, SAFE NO LONGER is not for everyone. It is not always an easy read with raw topics such as child sexual abuse and some other sensitive issues that others may find hard to read. While the story itself may seem far-fetched, sadly these things do happen and outlines the complexities of abuse and the lifelong effects it has on its many victims.
I have to say my favourite part, surprisingly, was the final page.
I can't say that I would recommend this to everyone, because it is definitely not a read for everyone. But if you like the darker side of thrillers, not afraid to tackle those darker issues...then this is for you.
I would like to thank #GayleCurtis, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #SafeNoLonger in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 9, 2020
Police thriller which started well but gradually became more cluttered. Very ,chilling ending. Characters did not endear themselves to me.
March 10, 2020
For me this book wasn't very interesting. I could predict what was going to happen. Which shows that this book was very predicable.
April 15, 2020
Safe No Longer by Gayle Curtis initially lured me in with an appealing cover and with the promise of a compelling plot. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a miss for me. It might very well be my quarantine induced fug, but I just could not come to grips with a storyline that, more often than not, seemed to be cluttered and chaotic.
DI Rita Cannan is called to investigate the murder of a young gymnast, and to find his female companion who has also gone missing on the same night. The circumstances are hauntingly similar to a case from years before, when another young girl was found murdered. Secrets rock the small town, and DI Cannan finds herself in a simultaneous effort to solve the current case, while also reconciling herself with the past.
This is a well-written and ambitious read although, for me, the dual timelines were difficult to balance, and the story felt somewhat confused and difficult to follow. Admittedly, it was very possibly only me who was confused, but this one was not a good fit. I would be interested to read more from Ms Curtis in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this ARC.
DI Rita Cannan is called to investigate the murder of a young gymnast, and to find his female companion who has also gone missing on the same night. The circumstances are hauntingly similar to a case from years before, when another young girl was found murdered. Secrets rock the small town, and DI Cannan finds herself in a simultaneous effort to solve the current case, while also reconciling herself with the past.
This is a well-written and ambitious read although, for me, the dual timelines were difficult to balance, and the story felt somewhat confused and difficult to follow. Admittedly, it was very possibly only me who was confused, but this one was not a good fit. I would be interested to read more from Ms Curtis in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this ARC.
July 21, 2020
This book was just OK for me. It centers around a murdered 9 year old boy and a missing 11 year old girl, with the POV shifting from the detective on the case to other characters, including the parents and various tertiary characters throughout the town.
I think the story itself was pretty good but the flow of the book was not natural- there are a lot of characters and it moves around so much it's hard to get to know any of them that well. While I liked the chapters that went 5 years ahead, it was jarring that they were labeled that way with the subsequent chapters not labeled at all, so each time I had to re-orient myself to the timeframe in which that chapter was happening.
While the premise of the book had a lot of potential, I think the author got caught up in making the reader guess what was going on to the point that the story just got messy- if we had gotten to know fewer characters a little more deeply, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
There were a few twists in the book, though the one that came at the end did not really appeal to me in terms of how the story ended.
Overall, a decent read but I felt like there was missed potential to make it a really good book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think the story itself was pretty good but the flow of the book was not natural- there are a lot of characters and it moves around so much it's hard to get to know any of them that well. While I liked the chapters that went 5 years ahead, it was jarring that they were labeled that way with the subsequent chapters not labeled at all, so each time I had to re-orient myself to the timeframe in which that chapter was happening.
While the premise of the book had a lot of potential, I think the author got caught up in making the reader guess what was going on to the point that the story just got messy- if we had gotten to know fewer characters a little more deeply, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
There were a few twists in the book, though the one that came at the end did not really appeal to me in terms of how the story ended.
Overall, a decent read but I felt like there was missed potential to make it a really good book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2020
A compelling, yet difficult read on a sensitive subject matter.
A first for me by this author, and not my usual genre, but I wanted to give it a go as the blurb provoked interest.
The story is centred around two friends (Raymond and Cara) who were enjoying one of their sleepovers, in the young boy’s garden, when the unthinkable happens. One child is dead. One child is missing.
DI Cannan is called back to where she grew up to investigate the murder and the missing child. In a seaside town with so many secrets, it’s hard to know who is lying and who is telling the truth. DI Cannan must draw on her own experiences and not let her own past affect her, if she is to help discover a murderer and find a missing child.
The narrative structure is a busy one - it is written from lots of different points of view and in two time frames - the present and five years later. I enjoy stories that are written in dual narratives and time periods, but I think it’s fair to say that at times I did have to stop, pause and check that I knew which character was being dealt with and their involvement in the unfolding story. Structurally, it could maybe benefit from a small tweak by having dates at the start of each chapter or a note to say present day and/or with the character’s name, just to prevent any confusion.
I feel that that the different points of view kept you engaged and invested to find out what was going on. It gave depth and credibility to the story because it just shows how deep-rooted the issues brought up can go and how complex cases of this nature are. It’s like a loose thread on clothing - you pull on it and everything begins to come apart.
The majority of characters in this story, as you expect, are pretty abhorrent and the entire time that you’re reading, you want them to get their comeuppance. To offset these characters, I would have liked to have had more development of DI Cannan and Kristen.
One thing that I feel it important to mention is that this book should come with a trigger warning; some readers might struggle with the sensitive topic of child trafficking.
Overall, a great read - lots of twists and turns and ‘could it be?’ and ‘oh, I didn’t see that coming!’ moments.
I was provided this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for my own honest review.
A first for me by this author, and not my usual genre, but I wanted to give it a go as the blurb provoked interest.
The story is centred around two friends (Raymond and Cara) who were enjoying one of their sleepovers, in the young boy’s garden, when the unthinkable happens. One child is dead. One child is missing.
DI Cannan is called back to where she grew up to investigate the murder and the missing child. In a seaside town with so many secrets, it’s hard to know who is lying and who is telling the truth. DI Cannan must draw on her own experiences and not let her own past affect her, if she is to help discover a murderer and find a missing child.
The narrative structure is a busy one - it is written from lots of different points of view and in two time frames - the present and five years later. I enjoy stories that are written in dual narratives and time periods, but I think it’s fair to say that at times I did have to stop, pause and check that I knew which character was being dealt with and their involvement in the unfolding story. Structurally, it could maybe benefit from a small tweak by having dates at the start of each chapter or a note to say present day and/or with the character’s name, just to prevent any confusion.
I feel that that the different points of view kept you engaged and invested to find out what was going on. It gave depth and credibility to the story because it just shows how deep-rooted the issues brought up can go and how complex cases of this nature are. It’s like a loose thread on clothing - you pull on it and everything begins to come apart.
The majority of characters in this story, as you expect, are pretty abhorrent and the entire time that you’re reading, you want them to get their comeuppance. To offset these characters, I would have liked to have had more development of DI Cannan and Kristen.
One thing that I feel it important to mention is that this book should come with a trigger warning; some readers might struggle with the sensitive topic of child trafficking.
Overall, a great read - lots of twists and turns and ‘could it be?’ and ‘oh, I didn’t see that coming!’ moments.
I was provided this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for my own honest review.
May 18, 2020
Two kids- Raymond & Cara both are best friends & an amazing gymnasts who had been choosed to be trained at Adrian Player's private gym, which is a dream for many. One evening both were camping out overnight in the garden at Raymond's house while in the presence of his mother Kristen. As same day it was Kristen's birthday so she was a bit drunk so she somehow felt asleep & when she wakes up in the morning she finds out her son had been murdered & Cara is missing.
.
DI Rita Cannan is appointed to investigate Raymond's murder & find Cara alive. But the case carries echoes of another girl's death that rocked the close knit decades ago. There are so many connections & mysteries hidden for almost past 3 decades which includes serious crimes including sexual offences & pedophiles luring as young as 5yrs old kids in their trap.
The story & plot had been amazing but it fell badly downside. Ok, so the story has been presented through 5 POVs and 2 time lapses. You're figuring out 1 POV then you've to jump to 2nd, you are trying to make connection b/w the 2 of them you need to jump to 3 & so you've to maintain 5 of them and then when you're getting some idea about a time you're made to jump into 5 yrs later one. It's like you've an amazing story but probably in nervous state you're stretching the story through flip flops for 1st half & then you suddenly gets excited making a fast run in 2nd half again with quick flip-flops but there comes a time you feel exhausted so you just ends it. The ending really didn't made any sense to me. It wasn't like I was expecting happy ending but still it was like 'What did I just read? Can I get any help to understand it ?
.
DI Rita Cannan is appointed to investigate Raymond's murder & find Cara alive. But the case carries echoes of another girl's death that rocked the close knit decades ago. There are so many connections & mysteries hidden for almost past 3 decades which includes serious crimes including sexual offences & pedophiles luring as young as 5yrs old kids in their trap.
The story & plot had been amazing but it fell badly downside. Ok, so the story has been presented through 5 POVs and 2 time lapses. You're figuring out 1 POV then you've to jump to 2nd, you are trying to make connection b/w the 2 of them you need to jump to 3 & so you've to maintain 5 of them and then when you're getting some idea about a time you're made to jump into 5 yrs later one. It's like you've an amazing story but probably in nervous state you're stretching the story through flip flops for 1st half & then you suddenly gets excited making a fast run in 2nd half again with quick flip-flops but there comes a time you feel exhausted so you just ends it. The ending really didn't made any sense to me. It wasn't like I was expecting happy ending but still it was like 'What did I just read? Can I get any help to understand it ?
April 15, 2020
This book wasn’t really for me. Too far fetched in places.
I kept on reading wanting to find out what happened to cara and Raymond. The ending was very much like most of the book too unbelievable.
I kept on reading wanting to find out what happened to cara and Raymond. The ending was very much like most of the book too unbelievable.
May 22, 2020
Wow wtf did I just read? I'm confused lol This book has multiple point of views. Each characters make me question everything. I don't like and trust any of them.
There is too much happening and goshh it's hard to follow the story. Btw the ending was disappointing .
Thank you Netgalley for Safe No Longer ARC!
There is too much happening and goshh it's hard to follow the story. Btw the ending was disappointing .
Thank you Netgalley for Safe No Longer ARC!
April 25, 2020
When ten year old Raymond invited his best friend Cara for a sleepover towards the end of the summer holidays no one could have imagined the devastating consequences which would come to haunt the town of Green-on-the-Sea. With no witnesses to what happened or why why, Detective Inspector Rita Cannan is faced with an almost impossible task; to find a killer and a missing child while, for the first time, being the Senior Investigating Officer on a case which happened near to where her parents live.
The premise for this book is very good but there is too much happening. Everyone involved has their own agenda and there was only, so far as I could see, two integral characters who shouldn't have to undertake some serious jail time. Yes, everyone has secrets, real life is hard and there are some seriously creepy and flawed people out there, but this novel was swamped with them. Adding that to a two timeframe storyline and things get a little muddled. With a few less people involved the story might not have seemed as jumpy and an indication of when the current day returned to the time of the crime five years earlier would have prevented confusion.
Unfortunately there wasn't very much to like about any of the main characters and I felt no increase in tension as the story moved towards its close. DI Cannan had very little going for her which was a shame. Overall the main story seemed drowned out by the other things going on and I wasn't really bothered if a culprit was discovered or not. This is a shame because a book isn't thrown together, a lot of effort is required, it becomes personal, and many people are invested in the outcome.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review but was left with the impression of a story which tried too hard to do itself justice.
The premise for this book is very good but there is too much happening. Everyone involved has their own agenda and there was only, so far as I could see, two integral characters who shouldn't have to undertake some serious jail time. Yes, everyone has secrets, real life is hard and there are some seriously creepy and flawed people out there, but this novel was swamped with them. Adding that to a two timeframe storyline and things get a little muddled. With a few less people involved the story might not have seemed as jumpy and an indication of when the current day returned to the time of the crime five years earlier would have prevented confusion.
Unfortunately there wasn't very much to like about any of the main characters and I felt no increase in tension as the story moved towards its close. DI Cannan had very little going for her which was a shame. Overall the main story seemed drowned out by the other things going on and I wasn't really bothered if a culprit was discovered or not. This is a shame because a book isn't thrown together, a lot of effort is required, it becomes personal, and many people are invested in the outcome.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review but was left with the impression of a story which tried too hard to do itself justice.
May 20, 2020
Absorbing, Intense and Well Constructed
Safe No Longer is an extremely well constructed thriller that is evenly paced and ends with a shiver. This third novel by Gayle Curtis perfectly combines police procedure with suspenseful thrills in an entertaining story that showcases good character development, haunting pasts, dark secrets, and terrible lies.
The story starts with the murder of a young boy, Raymond, and the disappearance of his best friend, Cara. The children had been on a sleepover, camping out overnight in the garden one balmy summers night. The situation eerily echoes another girl’s death many years ago. DI Rita Cannan leads the investigation but will she be able to find the perpetrator in time?
This book rebounds around between timelines and the story is unusually told in a way that presents the case first and foremost, introducing the pertinent characters, and lining up the suspects and possible or likely motives. Chapters five years after the occurrences are also interspersed, told to a TV interviewer by DI Cannan. It was a technique that worked for me and zhooshed up the story as well as making it more credible.
Safe No Longer was a puzzle with so many pieces that I enjoyed trying to put together. By and large, a fantastic, intricately woven, worthwhile story.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
Safe No Longer is an extremely well constructed thriller that is evenly paced and ends with a shiver. This third novel by Gayle Curtis perfectly combines police procedure with suspenseful thrills in an entertaining story that showcases good character development, haunting pasts, dark secrets, and terrible lies.
The story starts with the murder of a young boy, Raymond, and the disappearance of his best friend, Cara. The children had been on a sleepover, camping out overnight in the garden one balmy summers night. The situation eerily echoes another girl’s death many years ago. DI Rita Cannan leads the investigation but will she be able to find the perpetrator in time?
This book rebounds around between timelines and the story is unusually told in a way that presents the case first and foremost, introducing the pertinent characters, and lining up the suspects and possible or likely motives. Chapters five years after the occurrences are also interspersed, told to a TV interviewer by DI Cannan. It was a technique that worked for me and zhooshed up the story as well as making it more credible.
Safe No Longer was a puzzle with so many pieces that I enjoyed trying to put together. By and large, a fantastic, intricately woven, worthwhile story.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
June 29, 2020
I really struggled with this book 😕 I found that every single character was unlikeable and seemed to be a criminal! A young girl who’s a murderer, a teacher who’s been having an affair with a student and planning on kidnapping her daughter for financial gain, and it goes on ! I think it would’ve been good if it was a bit more believable It also jumped from present to future which was confusing at times . So sorry just not for me this one 😬
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
July 9, 2020
This story was just all over the place with far to many people involved for little to NO reason. But because it was all over the place with so much randomness added in it was very underwhelming. and the end ...just ... explain plz?
April 3, 2020
This book had the potentional to be great, following around the characters of a small town as they come to grips with the death of a child and the disapperance of another. However, most of these characters were selfish and unlikeable and I had a hard time getting into and following this book. It was hard to keep up with all the drama going on and it just became an absolute cluttered mess... who's covering what terrible secrets and who is bonking who.
The ending what absolutely horrible with no real sense of closure. I finished this book thinking "What did I just read"? Thank you NetGalley, but this one was not for me.
The ending what absolutely horrible with no real sense of closure. I finished this book thinking "What did I just read"? Thank you NetGalley, but this one was not for me.
May 16, 2020
One child dead. Another missing. The village has seen this before.
On a warm evening in late summer, best friends Raymond and Cara camp out overnight in the garden. By morning, Raymond is dead and Cara is missing.
DI Rita Cannan is called home to the sleepy seaside town of Green-on-the-Sea to investigate Raymond’s murder and try to find Cara—alive. But the case carries eerie echoes of another girl’s death that rocked the close-knit community, decades ago. If there’s a connection, if history is repeating itself, who knows more than they’re letting on? And how far will they go to cover their tracks?
There are only so many lies a small town can hold and when everyone is a suspect, Cannan has nowhere to turn. To discover the truth, she must confront her own past. But can she do so in time to uncover the identity of the murderer and find Cara—before more innocent lives are lost?
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
On a warm evening in late summer, best friends Raymond and Cara camp out overnight in the garden. By morning, Raymond is dead and Cara is missing.
DI Rita Cannan is called home to the sleepy seaside town of Green-on-the-Sea to investigate Raymond’s murder and try to find Cara—alive. But the case carries eerie echoes of another girl’s death that rocked the close-knit community, decades ago. If there’s a connection, if history is repeating itself, who knows more than they’re letting on? And how far will they go to cover their tracks?
There are only so many lies a small town can hold and when everyone is a suspect, Cannan has nowhere to turn. To discover the truth, she must confront her own past. But can she do so in time to uncover the identity of the murderer and find Cara—before more innocent lives are lost?
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
May 30, 2020
The story line was interesting to me. However, there were so many people I had a hard time in the beginning keeping track of who was who. It was really like it was 2 separate stories. And, totally confusing when the time jumped to before and after the murder of Raymond and the disappearance of Cara. You were sometimes given a line that it was 5 years later, but the next chapter is back to before and it took a while to figure that out.
I liked some of the characters - Rita especially. But others were just awful, Adrian - the pervert, and his wife Gloria. I can't wrap my head around any mother going along like Gloria did.
Then there is Rachel, whose story is all over the place, her husband Howard, but she's also having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage boy, and she doesn't seem to think there is anything wrong with that.
Jason and his daughter Jody, it was hard to follow and keep this straight.
I just want to know what happened to Cara and who killed Raymond.
I liked some of the characters - Rita especially. But others were just awful, Adrian - the pervert, and his wife Gloria. I can't wrap my head around any mother going along like Gloria did.
Then there is Rachel, whose story is all over the place, her husband Howard, but she's also having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage boy, and she doesn't seem to think there is anything wrong with that.
Jason and his daughter Jody, it was hard to follow and keep this straight.
I just want to know what happened to Cara and who killed Raymond.
April 27, 2020
Oh boy... This was one heavy, intricate read.
Quick disclaimer: it revolves around sensitive subjects, such as child abuse.
I absolutely loved this book. It was hard to digest, given the aforementioned reasons, but it was extremely well written and captivating. I found it a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters (there were plenty) and it always took me a second or two to figure out who was who, but I felt something for most of them. Hatred, mostly hatred. There are some abhorrent characters here. I had particular distaste for Gloria. How can someone be so worthless and manipulable??
Safe no Longer speaks of the heartbreaking reality most of us are oblivious of. It might seem a bit far-fetched, for lucky, sheltered people like me, but it covers things that do happen. The world is full of horrendous people
5 stars for Gayle Curtis’s prose and courage in the approach taken.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!
Quick disclaimer: it revolves around sensitive subjects, such as child abuse.
I absolutely loved this book. It was hard to digest, given the aforementioned reasons, but it was extremely well written and captivating. I found it a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters (there were plenty) and it always took me a second or two to figure out who was who, but I felt something for most of them. Hatred, mostly hatred. There are some abhorrent characters here. I had particular distaste for Gloria. How can someone be so worthless and manipulable??
Safe no Longer speaks of the heartbreaking reality most of us are oblivious of. It might seem a bit far-fetched, for lucky, sheltered people like me, but it covers things that do happen. The world is full of horrendous people
5 stars for Gayle Curtis’s prose and courage in the approach taken.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!
June 9, 2020
I'm going to be really honest and admit that it took me longer than usual to get into this book. In my opinion, it was very difficult to read because the chapters were short and each one flitted to a different character with a completely different story line. I felt as if I was just getting into a specific characters story when I would be dragged away to find out about somebody else's.
About half way through the book, when I'd eventually worked out who everybody was, I did actually really enjoy it. I began to devour the pages because I knew that things were coming together.
I'm not going to lie, some of it was really raw and hard to read due to the topics that were covered, but overall I did enjoy the book and it did leave me with some unanswered questions. The very last page was my favourite.
About half way through the book, when I'd eventually worked out who everybody was, I did actually really enjoy it. I began to devour the pages because I knew that things were coming together.
I'm not going to lie, some of it was really raw and hard to read due to the topics that were covered, but overall I did enjoy the book and it did leave me with some unanswered questions. The very last page was my favourite.
May 22, 2020
Raymond & Cara are best friends. One summer night they camp out in Raymond's garden. Come morning Raymond's body is found dead on the village green & Cara has disappeared. DI Rita Cannan is appointed SIO. Her parents live in the village & the case is similar to another many years ago.
The narrative switches backwards & forwards from character & from time line. I spent a lot of the time totally confused & trying to keep hold of the story. The characters were all pretty unpleasant, some more so than others. Towards the last third I had managed to work out who was who & when things were happening I became engaged but by that time I didn't think I could give this more than three stars.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
The narrative switches backwards & forwards from character & from time line. I spent a lot of the time totally confused & trying to keep hold of the story. The characters were all pretty unpleasant, some more so than others. Towards the last third I had managed to work out who was who & when things were happening I became engaged but by that time I didn't think I could give this more than three stars.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
July 30, 2020
This is an important story about the complexities of child abuse and its many, many victims and the lifelong effects it can have on the child. It has the hallmarks of a good thriller and the story line itself had potential. However, as a narrative it was a struggle to read in parts. It was difficult to follow with so many characters, timelines and hidden truths that get revealed sporadically and I felt there could have been better formatting/structure to organise this. The ending was very unexpected but also a little unbelievable and I don't feel we really knew enough about Cara's backstory to be convinced she was crazy enough to do those things.
April 26, 2020
Honestly....? I didn’t finish this book. It started off okay but then it switched to the future and some events were revealed that we didn’t know in the beginning. It just threw me off, leaving me confused with what was going on. I hate not finishing books, especially arcs but I just couldn’t get into this one.
My attention kept wavering and a couple of things were not making sense which is why I had to make the unfortunate decision to not finish this book.
My attention kept wavering and a couple of things were not making sense which is why I had to make the unfortunate decision to not finish this book.
June 4, 2020
A truly convoluted story of revenge. A young girl goes missing, a trafficking ring exposed, and an officer is hung out to dry in the last line of 5he story. A village is trying to find the killer of a young boy,who is found bound on the Green after a bank holiday. As the story on winds several locals come under suspicion, and as their tales are told the intrigue includes mothers at their wits end and couples who aren’t as they seem. In the end it is revenge served very cold that stays the day.
April 16, 2020
A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.
I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.
I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
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