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Found Her
Belle Moriarty was there one moment and gone the next. Ten years ago, she disappeared walking home from school, under the supervision of her older sister Eve.Eve has never recovered from the guilt of turning her back on her.But then Eve receives a phone call that changes everything. Belle has been found--alive.But who took her? Why did they keep her alive all these years? And now that Belle has escaped, will they try to silence her for good?With Belle in a coma and Eve receiving increasingly terrifying threats, she must discover the kidnapper's identity before they return to finish what they started...
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First published February 10, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
May 4, 2023
Interesting premise, which promised suspense from the start. Mostly the book delivered. It kept you guessing, and the chapters describing Belle’s captivity were convincing and necessary for understanding events.
February 10, 2020
Found Her is NJ Mackay’s third novel and her first standalone psychological thriller. Ten years ago Belle Moriarty was cruelly snatched from under the nose of her older sister Eve. Walking the usual route home from school Eve turned her back for mere seconds and Belle had completely vanished; Eve has been wracked with guilt and has spent years blaming herself for being distracted as she had been flirting with her classmate Bobby. Now she's been found alive a decade later but is in a coma having been subject to a devastating hit and run, and Eve rushes to her beloved sister's side. But who took her and why did they keep her alive? What hellish things has she been through during her time in captivity and how did she manage to escape from the kidnapper's clutches? And the most important question: is she still in danger from this person even now? Eve is determined to do anything it takes to keep Belle safe. She feels she owes her at least that much.
This is a thoroughly addictive, clever and absorbing thriller that'll take you on a riveting journey with more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at. It's well written and thought out and it surprised me by becoming a real page-turner. I guessed quite early on who the culprit was but oddly this didn't cause me to lose interest, which is unusual for me, and luckily there were still some reveals in store that I didn't predict so it was worth continuing to read until the end. It's dark and easy to follow and I loved that Eve was a flawed protagonist as it makes the whole story more realistic and believable. The narrative is a pacey one and is packed with suspense and exciting developments and Ms Mackay depicted how grief can consume a person beautifully. It becomes quite creepy and sinister in places and the rest of the cast of characters are interesting with each one adding something a little different to the shenanigans. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
This is a thoroughly addictive, clever and absorbing thriller that'll take you on a riveting journey with more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at. It's well written and thought out and it surprised me by becoming a real page-turner. I guessed quite early on who the culprit was but oddly this didn't cause me to lose interest, which is unusual for me, and luckily there were still some reveals in store that I didn't predict so it was worth continuing to read until the end. It's dark and easy to follow and I loved that Eve was a flawed protagonist as it makes the whole story more realistic and believable. The narrative is a pacey one and is packed with suspense and exciting developments and Ms Mackay depicted how grief can consume a person beautifully. It becomes quite creepy and sinister in places and the rest of the cast of characters are interesting with each one adding something a little different to the shenanigans. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
March 8, 2022
DNFd at 8% at the first F word
January 29, 2020
I absolutely LOVED Niki Mackay’s Madison Attallee series (I, Witness and The Lies We Tell) so when I saw she has written a new standalone psychological thriller under NJ Mackay I knew I was in for a treat.
Our main protagonist in Found Her is Eve Moriarty, now aged 26 she is stumbling through life, living with her boyfriend and on course to self-destruct. She is racked with guilt because 10 years ago, her adoring little sister, Belle, disappeared” walking home from school and Eve has blamed herself ever since.
When Belle is found ten years later, she is now in a coma having been hit by a car whilst escaping her captors. Eve now needs to find out what happened and why Belle was taken with the assistance of Detective Locke who is in charge of the case.
This book had more red herrings than Billingsgate Fish Market. Honestly, I think I got whiplash reading this book as I was so sure I knew who had taken Belle about sixteen times. The author keeps dropping subtle clues along the way, but either I am totally clueless or she’s very talented as I couldn’t work out how/why/how until the actual reveal!!
Found Her is a stunning and clever psychological thriller which is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of their seats, frantically turning the pages (or tapping your kindle) eager to find out what, why, when and how. 5 stars from me.
Our main protagonist in Found Her is Eve Moriarty, now aged 26 she is stumbling through life, living with her boyfriend and on course to self-destruct. She is racked with guilt because 10 years ago, her adoring little sister, Belle, disappeared” walking home from school and Eve has blamed herself ever since.
When Belle is found ten years later, she is now in a coma having been hit by a car whilst escaping her captors. Eve now needs to find out what happened and why Belle was taken with the assistance of Detective Locke who is in charge of the case.
This book had more red herrings than Billingsgate Fish Market. Honestly, I think I got whiplash reading this book as I was so sure I knew who had taken Belle about sixteen times. The author keeps dropping subtle clues along the way, but either I am totally clueless or she’s very talented as I couldn’t work out how/why/how until the actual reveal!!
Found Her is a stunning and clever psychological thriller which is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of their seats, frantically turning the pages (or tapping your kindle) eager to find out what, why, when and how. 5 stars from me.
February 10, 2020
This is my first novel by NJ Mackay and after reading Found Her it won’t be my last!
Goodness me where do I start? Found Her had me utterly gripped from the very first chapter. I have to say it’s one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read for a while, perfectly paced and tension packed.
Eve is a complicated character, not all that likeable but very compelling to read. She’s been punishing herself for ten years after the disappearance of her little sister Belle, unable to sustain relationships apart from those stubborn enough to ignore her prickly exterior. She’s been on an even keel but that all goes out the window when her little sister is found alive but in critical condition. That’s when the story really comes into its own, as Eve’s paranoia gets worse until she’s almost at breaking point and all of her old unhealthy behaviours surface again.
I would have liked the ending to have been a little stronger but of course that’s just a minor thing.
Found Her is a genuine page turner and a must for anyone who loves a good thriller.
Goodness me where do I start? Found Her had me utterly gripped from the very first chapter. I have to say it’s one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read for a while, perfectly paced and tension packed.
Eve is a complicated character, not all that likeable but very compelling to read. She’s been punishing herself for ten years after the disappearance of her little sister Belle, unable to sustain relationships apart from those stubborn enough to ignore her prickly exterior. She’s been on an even keel but that all goes out the window when her little sister is found alive but in critical condition. That’s when the story really comes into its own, as Eve’s paranoia gets worse until she’s almost at breaking point and all of her old unhealthy behaviours surface again.
I would have liked the ending to have been a little stronger but of course that’s just a minor thing.
Found Her is a genuine page turner and a must for anyone who loves a good thriller.
January 26, 2020
Wow! Wow! Wow! I’m stunned! It has been a while since I’ve been so gripped by a psychological thriller. I consumed the pages desperate to read more!
The story starts with Belle, the missing sister for 10 years,being found. The plot develops as you learn what has happened during those 10 years, who Eve has become because of the kidnapping.
I don’t do plot spoilers, however I will say that the characters are really well-developed, as are the settings (gruesome though they sometimes are). The plot backfills gradually whilst also building unbelievable suspense. Alternative narrators are introduced later in the story and I ended up doubting nearly everyone in the story! To say I was gripped is a huge understatement! Definitely high on my recommendation list! My first book by this author but won’t be my last!
The story starts with Belle, the missing sister for 10 years,being found. The plot develops as you learn what has happened during those 10 years, who Eve has become because of the kidnapping.
I don’t do plot spoilers, however I will say that the characters are really well-developed, as are the settings (gruesome though they sometimes are). The plot backfills gradually whilst also building unbelievable suspense. Alternative narrators are introduced later in the story and I ended up doubting nearly everyone in the story! To say I was gripped is a huge understatement! Definitely high on my recommendation list! My first book by this author but won’t be my last!
August 10, 2020
Ten years ago Belle disappears on a walk home from school and her sister Eve is plagued by constant guilt. She lives a half life, punishing herself and one friend in particular who also happened to be present on the day everything went wrong. Bobby is now married to Eve's best friend Mandy but the existing relationship between him and Eve is certainly less than healthy.
Then all of a sudden Belle is found in the road in a dire physical state and taken to hospital. Locke is the detective assigned to the case, talking to Eve about what happened a decade ago as Belle cannot. She requires lots of operations and remains in a medically induced coma.
The girls' Mum died some time ago so the reader can really sense the loneliness and despair of Eve whose ability to get through each day can only be described as dysfunctional. Eve doesn't even know what to say each time she visits Belle at her bedside and can't bring herself to write in the communication book either. And yet she is desperate for her sister to wake and have the torment that has been her constant companion lessen in its brutality.
Belle has a police guard at the hospital and Eve has similar protection outside her house as Locke, a rather likeable but quite unconventional police officer, is focused on finding out who took Belle and kept her captive for so long. He needs to understand the puzzle to solve it before the kidnapper does something worse.
The pace is fast, tense and gripping. I didn't have a clue who was guilty so it is true to say the book is shocking, full of suspicion, danger and twists.
Some of the story is difficult to digest because of the cruelty described and this just spurs the reader on in an indirect mission to see justice metered out.
What makes this type of book fascinating is the psychology behind the psychopath's behaviour and how nurture can create a person with bad intentions and a troubled mind. It is disturbing but compelling.
I didn't see the twist coming at the end, but after so much tension, the end seemed a bit too rushed and tidied up. It is because of this, and some unprofessional behaviour on the part of Locke that has led me to give this book 4 rather than 5 stars. Picky maybe, but my personal stance.
Having said that I would definitely recommend this book to others and I will also be interested to see what NJ Mackay writes next.
Then all of a sudden Belle is found in the road in a dire physical state and taken to hospital. Locke is the detective assigned to the case, talking to Eve about what happened a decade ago as Belle cannot. She requires lots of operations and remains in a medically induced coma.
The girls' Mum died some time ago so the reader can really sense the loneliness and despair of Eve whose ability to get through each day can only be described as dysfunctional. Eve doesn't even know what to say each time she visits Belle at her bedside and can't bring herself to write in the communication book either. And yet she is desperate for her sister to wake and have the torment that has been her constant companion lessen in its brutality.
Belle has a police guard at the hospital and Eve has similar protection outside her house as Locke, a rather likeable but quite unconventional police officer, is focused on finding out who took Belle and kept her captive for so long. He needs to understand the puzzle to solve it before the kidnapper does something worse.
The pace is fast, tense and gripping. I didn't have a clue who was guilty so it is true to say the book is shocking, full of suspicion, danger and twists.
Some of the story is difficult to digest because of the cruelty described and this just spurs the reader on in an indirect mission to see justice metered out.
What makes this type of book fascinating is the psychology behind the psychopath's behaviour and how nurture can create a person with bad intentions and a troubled mind. It is disturbing but compelling.
I didn't see the twist coming at the end, but after so much tension, the end seemed a bit too rushed and tidied up. It is because of this, and some unprofessional behaviour on the part of Locke that has led me to give this book 4 rather than 5 stars. Picky maybe, but my personal stance.
Having said that I would definitely recommend this book to others and I will also be interested to see what NJ Mackay writes next.
August 16, 2020
I read
Found Her
by Niki Mackay in staves with other Pigeonholers as part of a group.
Eve Moriarty is walking home from school with her little sister Belle in tow. One minute, Belle is plodding along behind her, the next, she has vanished into thin air. Consumed by guilt, Eve has blamed herself for years as she had been flirting with her classmate, Bobby, at the time that her sister disappeared. A decade later, Belle's been found alive but is in a coma having been in a devastating hit and run. As the police investigate who took her, Eve is determined to do anything it takes to keep Belle safe.
Found Her was the perfect mystery, and it made a fascinating story as I puzzled over what happened to Belle, and who was responsible for her kidnapping, alongside the toxic, self-destructive Eve. Hooked from the opening chapter, it was a provocative and conflicting thriller with good pacing and its fair share of twists and changes in direction, making it extremely difficult to play armchair detective as I swayed from one possible theory or outcome to another. All of the characters were brilliantly portrayed by Niki Mackay and although many had obnoxious or detestable personality traits, all were perfectly cast within the story. My personal favourite was the detective in charge of Belle's case, DI Locke, for his compassionate, forgiving nature. This sinister mystery was topped off with an exciting, blindsiding denouement. Very highly recommended.
Thank you to Niki Mackay and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this book. This review is my unbiased opinion.
Eve Moriarty is walking home from school with her little sister Belle in tow. One minute, Belle is plodding along behind her, the next, she has vanished into thin air. Consumed by guilt, Eve has blamed herself for years as she had been flirting with her classmate, Bobby, at the time that her sister disappeared. A decade later, Belle's been found alive but is in a coma having been in a devastating hit and run. As the police investigate who took her, Eve is determined to do anything it takes to keep Belle safe.
Found Her was the perfect mystery, and it made a fascinating story as I puzzled over what happened to Belle, and who was responsible for her kidnapping, alongside the toxic, self-destructive Eve. Hooked from the opening chapter, it was a provocative and conflicting thriller with good pacing and its fair share of twists and changes in direction, making it extremely difficult to play armchair detective as I swayed from one possible theory or outcome to another. All of the characters were brilliantly portrayed by Niki Mackay and although many had obnoxious or detestable personality traits, all were perfectly cast within the story. My personal favourite was the detective in charge of Belle's case, DI Locke, for his compassionate, forgiving nature. This sinister mystery was topped off with an exciting, blindsiding denouement. Very highly recommended.
Thank you to Niki Mackay and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this book. This review is my unbiased opinion.
February 11, 2022
For most books, it is imperative that I like the character for me to really enjoy a book. For this one, however, I found it really didn't matter. The heroine in this novel is so broken and carrying so much guilt, she is self sabotaging and self destructive to the point that it is hard keeping friends around her. She's not likable, but you sympathize with her and so many other characters in this novel that for me, their likability was no longer a factor. I think in the end, what won me over is that she wants to get better, to be better
August 10, 2020
I read this with Pigeonhole, a stave at a time over 10 days, and I was left wanting to read on at the end of each stave. There were lots of twists throughout and the final denouement was really unexpected. I enjoyed the backstory of “the boy” and “mummy”, as I felt this added to the storyline and gave an insight into what happened later. I disliked the way Eve acted at the start and hope that she managed to get her life back on track! Thanks PH and Niki!
August 12, 2020
WARNING: Some content is distressing and harrowing to read, relating to childhood abuse.
This is a thriller that begins at the end with Belle, a young girl abducted ten years ago whilst walking home from school, being found hurt and disoriented. Her unexpected, shocking but welcome reappearance seems like unbelievable news to her sister Eve, who has been resigned to a life full of guilt and regret. Family life was destroyed instantly and although Belle is now in a medically induced coma, there is still hope she will survive to tell her tale. Who took her all those years ago, why was she taken and what has happened to her in the interim were all questions running through my mind as I became immersed and engaged with the events unfolding.
Detective Locke is the man assigned to help answer these questions, taking Eve back in time to that fateful afternoon when she was more preoccupied with her friend Bobby than she was with the whereabouts of a sister trailing a few feet behind. I think he quickly lost some degree of professionalism in his dealings with this case, personal feelings perhaps clouding his judgement at times but I’ll leave you to make you own mind up regarding this point.
In Locke’s determination to uncover the person responsible for Belle’s abduction I desperately wanted to know what kind of person he was pitting his wits against and how much danger both Belle and Eve remained in. Given that Belle has a police guard at the hospital and there is a police presence outside Eve’s home gives a fair indication that everyone needs to be on high alert. My nerves were all jangled with fear, anxious for Belle to wake up from her coma and maybe fill in the missing pieces that were eluding me as a reader.
Punctuating the narrative is an unknown voice detailing an abusive childhood containing unimaginable horrors that is up to the reader to ascertain how this may connect with the main storyline. It’s cleverly written, impossible to predict and with pure evil at its core you will end up meeting a vile character capable of the most heinous crimes.
I found Eve as a character difficult to warm to, a bit of an enigma. Her behaviour, favouring casual hook ups and abusing her close friend Mandy’s trust doesn’t endear her to the reader. Even the fact she’s unable to communicate with the sister she presumed was dead highlights her troubled and dysfunctional nature. I appreciated the fact the ways Eve acted, including her interactions with Locke, were probably a result of years spent racked with guilt over the disappearance of her sister Belle so she does merit some sympathy. It’s like her life without Belle has set her on a path of self destruction which of course is terribly sad. I’m not sure she ever deserved such loyalty from Mandy and I felt anxious at times for Locke entangled in Eve’s life, a bit like a fly trapped in a spiders web.
When we finally hear Belle’s voice it’s welcomed almost with a sigh of relief that maybe the pieces of this storyline will slot together and make sense. However this feeling pales into insignificance once the details of Belle’s life since her abduction become apparent. Like I said at the start some of the narrative is extremely unpalatable, harrowing and distressing to read but such content is vital in terms of the type of villain the author has decided to create. Whilst it fills you with dread there is a sense of urgency to keep you reading, hoping and praying that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The pace and tension ratchet up a few levels once the author has revealed that all important clue for the reader to put some of the final pieces of this complex puzzle together. Up until that point I was none the wiser in terms of who was guilty of the most depraved behaviour having spent most of the time willing Belle to wake up and enlighten me. It couldn’t come soon enough! With a brilliant twist that seemed to come out of nowhere the conclusion to this disturbing read was highly satisfactory so I can recommend Found Her as a great psychological thriller that hopefully will keep you guessing (like me!) until the very last page. If you liked Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd or Dear Child by Romy Hausmann then you’ll love this. Thanks to the publisher and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read.
This is a thriller that begins at the end with Belle, a young girl abducted ten years ago whilst walking home from school, being found hurt and disoriented. Her unexpected, shocking but welcome reappearance seems like unbelievable news to her sister Eve, who has been resigned to a life full of guilt and regret. Family life was destroyed instantly and although Belle is now in a medically induced coma, there is still hope she will survive to tell her tale. Who took her all those years ago, why was she taken and what has happened to her in the interim were all questions running through my mind as I became immersed and engaged with the events unfolding.
Detective Locke is the man assigned to help answer these questions, taking Eve back in time to that fateful afternoon when she was more preoccupied with her friend Bobby than she was with the whereabouts of a sister trailing a few feet behind. I think he quickly lost some degree of professionalism in his dealings with this case, personal feelings perhaps clouding his judgement at times but I’ll leave you to make you own mind up regarding this point.
In Locke’s determination to uncover the person responsible for Belle’s abduction I desperately wanted to know what kind of person he was pitting his wits against and how much danger both Belle and Eve remained in. Given that Belle has a police guard at the hospital and there is a police presence outside Eve’s home gives a fair indication that everyone needs to be on high alert. My nerves were all jangled with fear, anxious for Belle to wake up from her coma and maybe fill in the missing pieces that were eluding me as a reader.
Punctuating the narrative is an unknown voice detailing an abusive childhood containing unimaginable horrors that is up to the reader to ascertain how this may connect with the main storyline. It’s cleverly written, impossible to predict and with pure evil at its core you will end up meeting a vile character capable of the most heinous crimes.
I found Eve as a character difficult to warm to, a bit of an enigma. Her behaviour, favouring casual hook ups and abusing her close friend Mandy’s trust doesn’t endear her to the reader. Even the fact she’s unable to communicate with the sister she presumed was dead highlights her troubled and dysfunctional nature. I appreciated the fact the ways Eve acted, including her interactions with Locke, were probably a result of years spent racked with guilt over the disappearance of her sister Belle so she does merit some sympathy. It’s like her life without Belle has set her on a path of self destruction which of course is terribly sad. I’m not sure she ever deserved such loyalty from Mandy and I felt anxious at times for Locke entangled in Eve’s life, a bit like a fly trapped in a spiders web.
When we finally hear Belle’s voice it’s welcomed almost with a sigh of relief that maybe the pieces of this storyline will slot together and make sense. However this feeling pales into insignificance once the details of Belle’s life since her abduction become apparent. Like I said at the start some of the narrative is extremely unpalatable, harrowing and distressing to read but such content is vital in terms of the type of villain the author has decided to create. Whilst it fills you with dread there is a sense of urgency to keep you reading, hoping and praying that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The pace and tension ratchet up a few levels once the author has revealed that all important clue for the reader to put some of the final pieces of this complex puzzle together. Up until that point I was none the wiser in terms of who was guilty of the most depraved behaviour having spent most of the time willing Belle to wake up and enlighten me. It couldn’t come soon enough! With a brilliant twist that seemed to come out of nowhere the conclusion to this disturbing read was highly satisfactory so I can recommend Found Her as a great psychological thriller that hopefully will keep you guessing (like me!) until the very last page. If you liked Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd or Dear Child by Romy Hausmann then you’ll love this. Thanks to the publisher and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read.
August 14, 2020
Belle Moriarty was abducted on her way home from school. Ten years later her sister, Eve, who blames herself for Belle’s disappearance, receives a telephone call to say Belle has been found but she’s in a bad way. Who took Belle, is she still in danger and who is threatening Eve?
This is quite a gripping thriller with a few grey areas. Some of the actions of certain characters are questionable. However, I didn’t let this affect my enjoyment. I found it a bit of a slow burner, but there is a fair amount of suspense and it did have me on the edge of my seat at times. The tension builds up nicely and there are plenty of twists and turns . It ended up rather the page turner! The characters are not always likeable and the villain of the piece is particularly evil. 😱. They are the stuff of nightmares.
Thanks to Pigeonhole and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
This is quite a gripping thriller with a few grey areas. Some of the actions of certain characters are questionable. However, I didn’t let this affect my enjoyment. I found it a bit of a slow burner, but there is a fair amount of suspense and it did have me on the edge of my seat at times. The tension builds up nicely and there are plenty of twists and turns . It ended up rather the page turner! The characters are not always likeable and the villain of the piece is particularly evil. 😱. They are the stuff of nightmares.
Thanks to Pigeonhole and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
August 12, 2020
I was given the opportunity to read this book in ten staves on Pigeonhole with NJ Mackay the author reading along with me and my fellow pigeons. I was hooked into the story from the first stave and I was so invested in the storyline I found it very hard each day to have to wait 24 hours to read the next stave. The story is set over ten years ‘before’ when a young girl, Belle Moriarty, is kidnapped whilst walking home from school and ‘after’ when she is found ten years later! Eve her older sister has spent the last ten years blaming herself for not checking that Belle was following behind her because she was flirting with a boy, Robert. The story encompasses important mental health issues and the ramifications for a family when a child goes missing and is eventually presumed dead by the police! So many questions to be answered in this story - Who kidnapped Belle? Why did they take her? Where is she? Could Eve have stopped the kidnapping if she hadn’t been concentrating on Robert instead of where her sister was? This storyline has so many twists and turns highlighting the terrible toll the kidnapping played on Eve’s behaviour and the affect this has on other people. A great thriller which kept me in suspense until the end. Thank you NJ Mackay, Pigeonhole and my fellow pigeons I really enjoyed reading along with everyone. 5 stars from me!
August 10, 2020
Ten years ago Eve's thirteen year old sister, Belle, goes missing whilst on the walk home from school after Eve, being impatient to get home with her school crush, Robert, allows Belle to lag behind.
Eve blames herself for her sister's disappearance and she punishes herself, enabling her life to take a dark turn, especially sexually.
Eve is contacted by police (Locke) to say that someone matching Belle's description been found after a serious hit and run.
Whilst Eve awaits Belle waking from her coma her life deteriorates as she is taunted by Belle's kidnapper.
Who can Eve trust? Who is responsible?
This is my first book by NJ MacKay (read & enjoyed a short story in the "afraid of the light" anthology), and I was not disappointed. I was actually a good bit behind on pigeonhole but quickly caught up as was so gripped by the story which was very well written, very dark. Although I had guessed one suspect, I was guessing between two for the other half of the duo responsible. A little bit of poetic licence used in the ending but that was forgiven.
Thank you Niki & pigeonhole for the opportunity to read.
Eve blames herself for her sister's disappearance and she punishes herself, enabling her life to take a dark turn, especially sexually.
Eve is contacted by police (Locke) to say that someone matching Belle's description been found after a serious hit and run.
Whilst Eve awaits Belle waking from her coma her life deteriorates as she is taunted by Belle's kidnapper.
Who can Eve trust? Who is responsible?
This is my first book by NJ MacKay (read & enjoyed a short story in the "afraid of the light" anthology), and I was not disappointed. I was actually a good bit behind on pigeonhole but quickly caught up as was so gripped by the story which was very well written, very dark. Although I had guessed one suspect, I was guessing between two for the other half of the duo responsible. A little bit of poetic licence used in the ending but that was forgiven.
Thank you Niki & pigeonhole for the opportunity to read.
August 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I know there were issues (mentioned by my fellow Pigeonhole readers) with the way the therapist behaved and particularly DI Locke who seemed a bit too involved with Eve but it is fiction after all. The depictions of the broken characters were excellent and engaging and I could really empathise with Eve (just about) even though her behaviour was shocking at times. She blames herself for her sister Belle having been taken and is intent on punishing herself for the rest of her life. If the smoking and drinking don't kill her first that is.
The most evil character in the book is just awful - sadistic and horrible in every way but you'll have to read it to find out more. So well written. Sometimes you forget they are not real!
It's a highly entertaining psychological thriller which I read in 10 staves (one per day for 10 days) and I have to say that when I reached the end of Stave 9 I couldn't wait to read the final part. Gutted I had to wait till lunchtime!
An excellent read and many thanks to the author, The Pigeonhole and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
The most evil character in the book is just awful - sadistic and horrible in every way but you'll have to read it to find out more. So well written. Sometimes you forget they are not real!
It's a highly entertaining psychological thriller which I read in 10 staves (one per day for 10 days) and I have to say that when I reached the end of Stave 9 I couldn't wait to read the final part. Gutted I had to wait till lunchtime!
An excellent read and many thanks to the author, The Pigeonhole and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
August 20, 2020
This is a throughly engrossing psychological thriller/mystery novel.
The story of a young girl who goes missing and turns up years later has been written about many times. However, this book approaches it from the perspective of her sister Eve, who has a lot of guilt over her sister going missing.
As we follow Eve coming to terms with the reappearance of her sister, and all of the memories and feelings that resurface as a result, we find out more about the events surrounding her disappearance. Eve is a seriously damaged character and not particularly likeable at times. However, despite her stupidity, selfishness and poor judgement, I wanted her to be well and ‘healed’. Her relationships are messy and complex, none less so than the one she develops with DI Locke. I’d also love to read more about him in future novels.
I love a twist and often guess them before they are revealed so it is always great when I come across a book with a twist that I did not see coming - this book was one of those.
I read this on the Pigeonhole platform and the 10 daily instalments definitely helped build tension in an already intriguing plot.
Look forward to reading more by this author.
The story of a young girl who goes missing and turns up years later has been written about many times. However, this book approaches it from the perspective of her sister Eve, who has a lot of guilt over her sister going missing.
As we follow Eve coming to terms with the reappearance of her sister, and all of the memories and feelings that resurface as a result, we find out more about the events surrounding her disappearance. Eve is a seriously damaged character and not particularly likeable at times. However, despite her stupidity, selfishness and poor judgement, I wanted her to be well and ‘healed’. Her relationships are messy and complex, none less so than the one she develops with DI Locke. I’d also love to read more about him in future novels.
I love a twist and often guess them before they are revealed so it is always great when I come across a book with a twist that I did not see coming - this book was one of those.
I read this on the Pigeonhole platform and the 10 daily instalments definitely helped build tension in an already intriguing plot.
Look forward to reading more by this author.
August 10, 2020
This was an enjoyable story about broken people and how hurt people often hurt others. In fact, the characterisation of a damaged person was for me the highlight of this read and there were many damaged people in the story as case studies. Unfortunately, the book depicted therapists and police poorly and the ending was too contrived. 4 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Yes, there are some aspects which are a little annoying (so not five stars), such as the total lack of realistic police process, but they help the story along without being too contrived. And the plot does unfold very easily, and not predictably. Despite Eve's flaws, I like her; I think because she is so flawed, but the author managed to move the focus away from her before it dragged on too long. The story is predominantly told by Eve, but we also get the perspective of other characters, which reveals their psychology and motivation, and aspect which I think was done extremely well, without being obvious. My thanks to the Pigeonhole and Niki Mackay for the opportunity to read the book.
August 17, 2020
I really enjoyed this tense gripping 9 out of 10 page turner. The book has so many red herrings all the way through it which makes for a suspenseful read. This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last.
Thank you to both Pigeonhole and NJ Mackay for the opportunity to read this.
Thank you to both Pigeonhole and NJ Mackay for the opportunity to read this.
January 28, 2020
Thanks to Orion Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Found Her is one of the most compelling psychological thrillers I have read in recent memory. One word will suffice to sum up this novel: wow. N J Mackay’s tautly-plotted thriller is like a siren-song to purists of the psychological thriller. Though not a long book, you will devour this in one sitting, as I did. A literal page-turner this book is about two sisters - Belle and Eve. Belle was abducted as a child but reappears ten years later, much changed. The ‘why’s’ just keep coming: why did Belle disappear, who took her, where has she been, and why has she reappeared? Whilst there are no spoilers here, I will say that Mackay has written one of the most compelling psychodramas about the relativity of ‘truth’ and human subjectivity that I have ever read. You will wonder what is real and what is fiction in this twisty tale about the complexities of the human condition with its tangled interplay of human relations. All is astutely observed by the eminently talented, N J Mackay.
Without a doubt this is a 5 star read of compelling brilliance.
Found Her is one of the most compelling psychological thrillers I have read in recent memory. One word will suffice to sum up this novel: wow. N J Mackay’s tautly-plotted thriller is like a siren-song to purists of the psychological thriller. Though not a long book, you will devour this in one sitting, as I did. A literal page-turner this book is about two sisters - Belle and Eve. Belle was abducted as a child but reappears ten years later, much changed. The ‘why’s’ just keep coming: why did Belle disappear, who took her, where has she been, and why has she reappeared? Whilst there are no spoilers here, I will say that Mackay has written one of the most compelling psychodramas about the relativity of ‘truth’ and human subjectivity that I have ever read. You will wonder what is real and what is fiction in this twisty tale about the complexities of the human condition with its tangled interplay of human relations. All is astutely observed by the eminently talented, N J Mackay.
Without a doubt this is a 5 star read of compelling brilliance.
August 10, 2020
A twisty thriller, but the lead character is extremely unlikable.
January 24, 2020
I raced through Found Her, reading late into the night desperate to see how this compelling story would play out. Belle, Eve’s younger sister, disappeared ten years ago while walking home from school and Eve has blamed herself ever since. But now Belle has reappeared, badly hurt, and remains hospitalised in an induced coma.
The whole premise totally hooked me. Why did Belle disappear? Will she survive to explain what happened? Why does Eve live in fear? And why is she so self-destructive? I simply had to know the answers to these and a million other questions.
I really related to the array of wonderful characters in the book, including the delightful Mandy, Eve’s warm, empathetic friend, and Graham, with his camp, over-the-top behavior and humour. And then there’s Locke, the attractive policeman investigating Belle’s reappearance, who’s quietly strong, dogged – and amazingly forgiving of Eve’s errant behaviour. I even warmed to Eve herself, who could be totally obnoxious and often made horrendous choices. I wanted to shake some sense into her on numerous occasions. She’s complex, treating friends and acquaintances quite despicably at times.
The author teased me by dripping clear hints about the culprit, but also threw in a few red herrings, and, cleverly, ensured I didn’t guess the whole truth…
This is a great read. Well-written, highly engaging, creepy, terrifying in parts and suspenseful.
The whole premise totally hooked me. Why did Belle disappear? Will she survive to explain what happened? Why does Eve live in fear? And why is she so self-destructive? I simply had to know the answers to these and a million other questions.
I really related to the array of wonderful characters in the book, including the delightful Mandy, Eve’s warm, empathetic friend, and Graham, with his camp, over-the-top behavior and humour. And then there’s Locke, the attractive policeman investigating Belle’s reappearance, who’s quietly strong, dogged – and amazingly forgiving of Eve’s errant behaviour. I even warmed to Eve herself, who could be totally obnoxious and often made horrendous choices. I wanted to shake some sense into her on numerous occasions. She’s complex, treating friends and acquaintances quite despicably at times.
The author teased me by dripping clear hints about the culprit, but also threw in a few red herrings, and, cleverly, ensured I didn’t guess the whole truth…
This is a great read. Well-written, highly engaging, creepy, terrifying in parts and suspenseful.
August 10, 2020
This book was tense, well plotted and well written with a good twist at the end. A good study of childhood and parenting (or lack of it) Sadism and brainwashing leading to broken lives and reckless behaviours.
However the lack of professionalism by the police let it down for me. Some of the actions taken by Locke were just implausible. Eve's behaviour is explained by her experiences, but at times I found myself shouting at the screen.
Great twist towards the end, but the Epilogue seemed a bit limp and contrived to me.
Thanks to Niki and Pigeonhole for a mostly very enjoyable read.
However the lack of professionalism by the police let it down for me. Some of the actions taken by Locke were just implausible. Eve's behaviour is explained by her experiences, but at times I found myself shouting at the screen.
Great twist towards the end, but the Epilogue seemed a bit limp and contrived to me.
Thanks to Niki and Pigeonhole for a mostly very enjoyable read.
August 11, 2020
I read this book via pigeonhole. Pacy, gripping and tightly plotted, this was a really great read. The behaviour of the main character meant she wasn't always very likeable but that didn't detract from what was a very good book, and indeed she definitely grew on me as the book progressed. The characterisation, and the interplay between all the characters was excellent and this is a book I would definitely recommend.
February 5, 2020
A new author to me but certainly she will not stay that way .. a fast paced page turner with red herrings everywhere . I managed to work our near the end who was the cause of all the pain and misery . 4.5 stars from me
January 23, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC copy of this fab book.
Eve Moriarty walks her sister Belle home from school everyday. One afternoon while Eve is distracted Belle is snatched never to be seen again. The stress and guilt of it all changes Eve and eventually takes the life of her mother. Ten years later and all alone with a boyfriend she doesn’t love and a handful of friends Eve thinks this is it until Belle returns.
Where has she been? What has happened to her? And who snatched her that fateful day? With Belle in a coma Eve sets out with Detective Locke to find the answers but will she like what she finds. And is she next ?
Fantastic book with lots of twists. I found you can work out where the story is going but the drip feeding of clues and red herrings kept me changing my mind over who was to blame. I must say that Eve is not a very likeable character but the more I read the more I warmed to her and why she was how she was.
Highly recommended 5 star read. Thank you Netgalley.
Eve Moriarty walks her sister Belle home from school everyday. One afternoon while Eve is distracted Belle is snatched never to be seen again. The stress and guilt of it all changes Eve and eventually takes the life of her mother. Ten years later and all alone with a boyfriend she doesn’t love and a handful of friends Eve thinks this is it until Belle returns.
Where has she been? What has happened to her? And who snatched her that fateful day? With Belle in a coma Eve sets out with Detective Locke to find the answers but will she like what she finds. And is she next ?
Fantastic book with lots of twists. I found you can work out where the story is going but the drip feeding of clues and red herrings kept me changing my mind over who was to blame. I must say that Eve is not a very likeable character but the more I read the more I warmed to her and why she was how she was.
Highly recommended 5 star read. Thank you Netgalley.
April 5, 2020
This is the first time I've read anything by NJ Mackay but it won't be the last! Had me totally gripped from the first page and kept me guessing right up until the end.
January 16, 2020
Eve was walking home with her sister Belle and after a moment of distraction, Belle disappears. The guilt consumes Eve until one day, 10 years later, she gets a call that changes everything! Belle has been found and she is alive but in a coma. This raises a lot of questions. Where was she and who took her? How did she escape? But most important, is she still in danger? Eve must now try to find out what happened before the kidnapper finds Belle and silences her forever.
I haven’t heard about NJ Mackay before but she is definitely on my “reading radar” now! An amazing page turner thriller, well written and easy to follow, completely addictive that will take you on a gripping journey!
What I like the most is that the main character was troubled and flawed so I felt a love/hate relationship that just kept me hooked to find out what happened until the end! All characters were really well developed and I think that made it really interesting.
I also loved it because you could really felt how grief can affect people differently and all the range of emotions were so well portrayed by the author.
I thought I’ve figured out the plot and then was wrong and just a few chapters before it was almost revealed I figure it out but there are so many surprising twists that it makes it a bit irrelevant if you figured it out because you just want to keep reading.
I look forward to reading more book from NJ Mackay - PI Attallee’s books are now on my list - and I do hope DI Sebastian Locke makes some future appearances as I loved his character!
I haven’t heard about NJ Mackay before but she is definitely on my “reading radar” now! An amazing page turner thriller, well written and easy to follow, completely addictive that will take you on a gripping journey!
What I like the most is that the main character was troubled and flawed so I felt a love/hate relationship that just kept me hooked to find out what happened until the end! All characters were really well developed and I think that made it really interesting.
I also loved it because you could really felt how grief can affect people differently and all the range of emotions were so well portrayed by the author.
I thought I’ve figured out the plot and then was wrong and just a few chapters before it was almost revealed I figure it out but there are so many surprising twists that it makes it a bit irrelevant if you figured it out because you just want to keep reading.
I look forward to reading more book from NJ Mackay - PI Attallee’s books are now on my list - and I do hope DI Sebastian Locke makes some future appearances as I loved his character!
January 17, 2020
With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC
Eve Moriarty is walking home from school with her younger sister Belle, she isn't really paying attention to her as she is flirting with a boy from school. when she turns around Belle is gone.
A nightmare starts and lasts for the next ten years till Belle is discovered seriously injured after a hit and run.
It obvious she has been held against her will and as she is unconscious she cannot answer any questions. The race is on to find her abductors before that try and finish off the job.
This book is very dark and creepy in places. Excellently paced with a cast of all too believable characters, several nice deft red herrings dropped in along the way. A couple of times I thought I had the story worked out but....
Brilliantly well written, it had me hooked from the start and I struggled to put it down.
An excellent read.
Eve Moriarty is walking home from school with her younger sister Belle, she isn't really paying attention to her as she is flirting with a boy from school. when she turns around Belle is gone.
A nightmare starts and lasts for the next ten years till Belle is discovered seriously injured after a hit and run.
It obvious she has been held against her will and as she is unconscious she cannot answer any questions. The race is on to find her abductors before that try and finish off the job.
This book is very dark and creepy in places. Excellently paced with a cast of all too believable characters, several nice deft red herrings dropped in along the way. A couple of times I thought I had the story worked out but....
Brilliantly well written, it had me hooked from the start and I struggled to put it down.
An excellent read.
January 13, 2020
I will start by saying that a few years back I read an extremely similar book, however that did not detract from this book at all and I really enjoyed it. It was an extremely compelling read, if quite dark in places.
Eve used to walk home from school with her younger sister Belle. Unfortunately younger sisters get in the way when you want to spend time with the love of your life, and Eve was happy to walk on ahead whilst Belle dawdled behind.
Eve never got over the fact that Belle was taken whilst she was supposed to be watching her, neither did their mother. You see, it was just the 3 of them - Eve and Belle never knew their father as he was already married and had a family.
The day that Belle got taken the world shifted for Eve and her mother. But one day Eve gets a call that a girl has been found who meets her sister's description. However she is in a coma having been hit by 2 speeding cars and is in a terrible state. Will Belle be able to wake up and tell them where she has been all these years?
An incredible page turner, you will always want to read just one more page, just one more chapter.
Eve used to walk home from school with her younger sister Belle. Unfortunately younger sisters get in the way when you want to spend time with the love of your life, and Eve was happy to walk on ahead whilst Belle dawdled behind.
Eve never got over the fact that Belle was taken whilst she was supposed to be watching her, neither did their mother. You see, it was just the 3 of them - Eve and Belle never knew their father as he was already married and had a family.
The day that Belle got taken the world shifted for Eve and her mother. But one day Eve gets a call that a girl has been found who meets her sister's description. However she is in a coma having been hit by 2 speeding cars and is in a terrible state. Will Belle be able to wake up and tell them where she has been all these years?
An incredible page turner, you will always want to read just one more page, just one more chapter.
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