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The Good Samaritan
When her five-year-old daughter disappears from the park, Carrie is distraught and she blames herself. Has her inability to read facial expressions put her child in danger?
Yet just days later, a stranger finds Sofia in an abandoned shed. She's scared but unharmed and Carrie is relieved to have her home.
But the police have no leads on who might have taken her and when another child is taken, it's clear Sofia is still in danger. And the threat might be closer than they think. . .
Yet just days later, a stranger finds Sofia in an abandoned shed. She's scared but unharmed and Carrie is relieved to have her home.
But the police have no leads on who might have taken her and when another child is taken, it's clear Sofia is still in danger. And the threat might be closer than they think. . .
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2020
38 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Parsons
2 books23 followersCJ Parsons was born in Britain and grew up in Canada. She graduated from Montreal's McGill University with a degree in psychology and went on to earn a graduate degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter at Canada's Globe and Mail before moving to Hong Kong, where she became a columnist at The South China Morning Post.
She also spent two years covering crime, seeing first-hand the disturbing forces that drive people to kill, something that has informed her writing to this day.
After returning to Britain, she moved into television news, working as a broadcast journalist for both the BBC and CNN International. CJ is now a senior producer at CGTN. She lives in north London with her twelve-year-old daughter.
She also spent two years covering crime, seeing first-hand the disturbing forces that drive people to kill, something that has informed her writing to this day.
After returning to Britain, she moved into television news, working as a broadcast journalist for both the BBC and CNN International. CJ is now a senior producer at CGTN. She lives in north London with her twelve-year-old daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 7, 2020
Carrie Haversen is in the park playground with five year old daughter Sofia, she is distracted for a few minutes by a phone call from Simon, Carrie’s ex-partner and Sofia’s father. When she looks again the unthinkable has happened and Sofia is gone. Carrie and Sofia are helped by two good samaritans but are they what they seem? DCI Juliet Campbell and DI Alistair Larkin investigate.
This is such a good premise and I so enjoyed trying to solve the puzzle of whether the samaritans are genuine. One of the greatest strengths of the novel is the characterisation. Carrie has social-emotional agnostic and cannot read facial emotions and though she’s not autistic she is on the spectrum. She is a fabulous character- she’s true and honest and you feel her struggle to detect signals we take for granted and how this impacts on a social and working life. Her love of adorable Sofia shines like a beacon and is beyond question. The two main police officers are really good too and are like a seamless double act. The author portrays emotions effectively too - Sofia’s fear, Carrie’s panic and the complex emotions caused by her condition. There are some scary and powerful moments and some that are very unsettling especially trying to work out if the samaritans have ulterior motives. This creates a sense of foreboding and an atmosphere of disquiet as you fear Carrie is being manipulated which makes you feel angry on her behalf. The pacing is good and it builds slowly but surely towards an exciting conclusion. It’s taut, tense and suspenseful but you are left with grounds for optimism for Carrie and Sofia which I really like.
Overall this is a well written, good psychological thriller which keeps you enthralled beginning to end.
With thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC for an honest review.
This is such a good premise and I so enjoyed trying to solve the puzzle of whether the samaritans are genuine. One of the greatest strengths of the novel is the characterisation. Carrie has social-emotional agnostic and cannot read facial emotions and though she’s not autistic she is on the spectrum. She is a fabulous character- she’s true and honest and you feel her struggle to detect signals we take for granted and how this impacts on a social and working life. Her love of adorable Sofia shines like a beacon and is beyond question. The two main police officers are really good too and are like a seamless double act. The author portrays emotions effectively too - Sofia’s fear, Carrie’s panic and the complex emotions caused by her condition. There are some scary and powerful moments and some that are very unsettling especially trying to work out if the samaritans have ulterior motives. This creates a sense of foreboding and an atmosphere of disquiet as you fear Carrie is being manipulated which makes you feel angry on her behalf. The pacing is good and it builds slowly but surely towards an exciting conclusion. It’s taut, tense and suspenseful but you are left with grounds for optimism for Carrie and Sofia which I really like.
Overall this is a well written, good psychological thriller which keeps you enthralled beginning to end.
With thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC for an honest review.
November 22, 2020
Carrie Haversen is in the park with her five year old daughter, Sophia. Carrie takes her eyes off Sophia for just a few minutes to answer a phone call from her ex-partner, Simon. But when Carrie looks back, Sofia is missing. DCI Juliet Campbell and DI Alistair Larkin are called in to investigate. But two good samaritans return Sofia. Just who are these people who returned Sofia?
This is a complex thriller that will keep you guessing. The plotline is every parents worst nightmare. The suspense just kept building in this fast paced read. The storyline is captivating and it's descriptivly written. This is one roller coaster read you won't want to put down.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Headline and the author #CJParsons for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a complex thriller that will keep you guessing. The plotline is every parents worst nightmare. The suspense just kept building in this fast paced read. The storyline is captivating and it's descriptivly written. This is one roller coaster read you won't want to put down.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Headline and the author #CJParsons for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2020
Excellent police procedural story introducing DCI Juliet Campbell and her team with an unusual plot
when a child goes missing and the suspects and the motive revolve around the two friends of the mother.
If you enjoyed the excellent book Close to Home by Cara Hunter this should be right up your street.
The first few pages of this book will give new mums the chills and a reason to keep a look out for their children instead of a playing with a mobile phone, when Carrie Haversen's five year old daughter Sofia disappears from a park playground.
DCI Juliet Campbell a black police officer takes charge of the case with some good suspects, but all have good alibi's.
Trying to question Carrie is difficult as she suffers from social-emotional agnostic disorder which means
she cant read emotions, and this causes her all sorts of problems, which is the main focus for the book and makes it unique.
when a child goes missing and the suspects and the motive revolve around the two friends of the mother.
If you enjoyed the excellent book Close to Home by Cara Hunter this should be right up your street.
The first few pages of this book will give new mums the chills and a reason to keep a look out for their children instead of a playing with a mobile phone, when Carrie Haversen's five year old daughter Sofia disappears from a park playground.
DCI Juliet Campbell a black police officer takes charge of the case with some good suspects, but all have good alibi's.
Trying to question Carrie is difficult as she suffers from social-emotional agnostic disorder which means
she cant read emotions, and this causes her all sorts of problems, which is the main focus for the book and makes it unique.
September 16, 2020
i very much enjoyed this a very emotional read every parents nightmare i so could not put it down very twisty and unpredictable book . you will be thinking to the very end a must read
October 16, 2020
Oh wow talk about keeping me gripped and thinking right to the bitter end. This story was fantastic.
Carrie our main character has social-emotional agnosia.
"‘Facial expression blindness. I can’t read emotions in people’s faces. Well . . . Unless the expression is very clear and simple, not mixed together with other emotions."
I loved how C J Parsons works this into the storyline, because Carrie can't read people's emotions it makes her somewhat of a vulnerable character. This leads to her to trust other people that maybe she should be wary of! Has she unwittingly invited the abductor of her daughter into her life?
In contrast to Carrie's lack of understanding in people's expressions. We then get the over side of the coin in the characters of the detectives. Their job is to second guess and look for tell tale signs that suspects are lying. I really enjoyed this insight into what to look out for.
From the outset there are at least three candidates that may have abducted Sofia. And, Parsons doesn't make it easy for us the reader to pick out a strong contender. I was changing my mind on who it was all the way through the book, even at 95% through I still wasn't completely sure of who I thought it was. By this point I was just in it for the thrills.
The Good Samaritan is a gripping thriller, that will bamboozle you till the end.
Carrie our main character has social-emotional agnosia.
"‘Facial expression blindness. I can’t read emotions in people’s faces. Well . . . Unless the expression is very clear and simple, not mixed together with other emotions."
I loved how C J Parsons works this into the storyline, because Carrie can't read people's emotions it makes her somewhat of a vulnerable character. This leads to her to trust other people that maybe she should be wary of! Has she unwittingly invited the abductor of her daughter into her life?
In contrast to Carrie's lack of understanding in people's expressions. We then get the over side of the coin in the characters of the detectives. Their job is to second guess and look for tell tale signs that suspects are lying. I really enjoyed this insight into what to look out for.
From the outset there are at least three candidates that may have abducted Sofia. And, Parsons doesn't make it easy for us the reader to pick out a strong contender. I was changing my mind on who it was all the way through the book, even at 95% through I still wasn't completely sure of who I thought it was. By this point I was just in it for the thrills.
The Good Samaritan is a gripping thriller, that will bamboozle you till the end.
July 23, 2021
Really amazing book, I loved it, superb writing and a really great twisty plot, one of the best thrillers Ive read in ages, I devoured it!
Carrie suffers from a condition that I had never heard of, where she doesn't have the ability to read facial expressions, this made the book quite unique for me, I felt her horror and anguish when Sofia was missing, such great writing, I will read more from this author.
Carrie suffers from a condition that I had never heard of, where she doesn't have the ability to read facial expressions, this made the book quite unique for me, I felt her horror and anguish when Sofia was missing, such great writing, I will read more from this author.
October 15, 2020
How can you tell a lie from a truth and know who to trust when you cannot read facial expressions? Something most of us can do without even realising it. Having a protagonist with this condition, alongside being on the spectrum, really made this stand out amongst other thrillers. I especially loved her daughter’s sweet referral to it as assburgers.
My heart was in my mouth and I could sense the foreboding as Sofia goes to a gap in the fence, while Carrie is distracted by a phone call from Sofia’s father, as they are at the park. The author has taken every parents worst nightmare and made it even worse by slowly revealing the drugging of Sofia using a stuffed toy and the added complication of her father’s mental health issues.
Then we meet DCI Juliet Campbell and DI Alistair Larkin sent in to investigate, just as stranger Josh knocks on Carrie’s door a few days later with Sofia in his arms. Claiming he found her in a shed at an empty property whilst out on a walk. Juliet while questioning Josh discovers she can’t read him so starts to understand a small part of what Carrie has to live with making her more empathetic.
The characters are all so uniquely different and it is testament to the author that she has captured each of them with authenticity. Especially as there are different genders, race and ages. Carrie and Sofia stand out and the love they have for each other makes you root for a happy ending, while trying to work out who is behind trying to stop that from happening and why.
A totally original concept with characters you can emotionally invest in, doesn’t get much better than that.
My heart was in my mouth and I could sense the foreboding as Sofia goes to a gap in the fence, while Carrie is distracted by a phone call from Sofia’s father, as they are at the park. The author has taken every parents worst nightmare and made it even worse by slowly revealing the drugging of Sofia using a stuffed toy and the added complication of her father’s mental health issues.
Then we meet DCI Juliet Campbell and DI Alistair Larkin sent in to investigate, just as stranger Josh knocks on Carrie’s door a few days later with Sofia in his arms. Claiming he found her in a shed at an empty property whilst out on a walk. Juliet while questioning Josh discovers she can’t read him so starts to understand a small part of what Carrie has to live with making her more empathetic.
The characters are all so uniquely different and it is testament to the author that she has captured each of them with authenticity. Especially as there are different genders, race and ages. Carrie and Sofia stand out and the love they have for each other makes you root for a happy ending, while trying to work out who is behind trying to stop that from happening and why.
A totally original concept with characters you can emotionally invest in, doesn’t get much better than that.
October 25, 2021
It’s not often I give a book 5 stars. It was well written, plausible plot enough to make me uncomfortable as a reader & mother.
It kept me page turning right up to the end! It really made me think. We all can make errors in or judgment of characters. If we have a condition where we cannot read others at all how vulnerable that makes us!
It kept me page turning right up to the end! It really made me think. We all can make errors in or judgment of characters. If we have a condition where we cannot read others at all how vulnerable that makes us!
November 21, 2020
This is the second book I’ve read recently where characters have a hidden difference. Whilst many refer to certain mental or physical conditions as disabilities, I much prefer the term differences because, in my view, that’s what they are.
There are many titles in the crime/thriller genre with a missing child storyline and being a mum myself I often avoid these but the premise of this title attracted me. Two reasons for this were that I suspected the child, Sofia, was returned home (it says as much on the cover) and the description of her mother, Carrie, blaming her inability to read facial expressions as the reason behind the disappearance.
Carrie has Autistic traits, and as such finds social interactions and non-verbal communication difficult. She refers to the latter as “facial expression blindness”. It is these differences that she feels are to blame for her disappearance of Sofia, her five-year-old daughter.
DCI Julie Campbell leads the investigation, she is well known as an officer who trusts her instincts, and she finds it hard to see past her suspicion that Carrie is somehow involved in the disappearance. As the story unfolds, she begins to understand Carries differences, realises her suspicion is unfounded and turns her investigations elsewhere.
To everyone’s relief, Sofia is returned home two days later when a stranger knocks on Carrie’s door and asks “is this your daughter?”. The relief is short-lived as Carrie starts to live in a state of fear that Sofia’s abductor will return, especially when another child disappears twenty-six days later and this is where I felt the story really started to unfold. The number of possible suspects starts to mount up – all with possible motives as to why they’d abduct a child. Here is where I found myself in a thrilling, page-turning, race to the end, with many twists and turns along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read - the storyline, characters, and plot were all very well written, interesting, and engaging. Whilst the premise was similar to other titles, Parsons's writing added a gripping thrill that makes this a 5 star read and one that I’d highly recommend to any crime/thriller readers.
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review. Huge thanks also to CJ Parsons for such a great book.
There are many titles in the crime/thriller genre with a missing child storyline and being a mum myself I often avoid these but the premise of this title attracted me. Two reasons for this were that I suspected the child, Sofia, was returned home (it says as much on the cover) and the description of her mother, Carrie, blaming her inability to read facial expressions as the reason behind the disappearance.
Carrie has Autistic traits, and as such finds social interactions and non-verbal communication difficult. She refers to the latter as “facial expression blindness”. It is these differences that she feels are to blame for her disappearance of Sofia, her five-year-old daughter.
DCI Julie Campbell leads the investigation, she is well known as an officer who trusts her instincts, and she finds it hard to see past her suspicion that Carrie is somehow involved in the disappearance. As the story unfolds, she begins to understand Carries differences, realises her suspicion is unfounded and turns her investigations elsewhere.
To everyone’s relief, Sofia is returned home two days later when a stranger knocks on Carrie’s door and asks “is this your daughter?”. The relief is short-lived as Carrie starts to live in a state of fear that Sofia’s abductor will return, especially when another child disappears twenty-six days later and this is where I felt the story really started to unfold. The number of possible suspects starts to mount up – all with possible motives as to why they’d abduct a child. Here is where I found myself in a thrilling, page-turning, race to the end, with many twists and turns along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read - the storyline, characters, and plot were all very well written, interesting, and engaging. Whilst the premise was similar to other titles, Parsons's writing added a gripping thrill that makes this a 5 star read and one that I’d highly recommend to any crime/thriller readers.
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review. Huge thanks also to CJ Parsons for such a great book.
September 16, 2020
i very much enjoyed this a very emotional read every parents nightmare i so could not put it down very twisty and unpredictable book . you will be thinking to the very end a must read
October 22, 2020
Title: The Good Samaritan
Author: C J Parsons
Pages: 443
Publisher: Headline Publishing
Rating: 4/5
A huge thank you to C J Parsons, Headline Publishing, Netgalley and Random Things Tours for letting me be part of the tour.
Synopsis:
Carrie’s world is thrown into turmoil when Sofia, her five-year-old daughter disappears from the park she is playing in. Carrie blames herself; she feels her inability to read others facial expressions may have endangered her child. She is about to lose hope when days later a stranger turns up on her doorstep with Sofia in his arms. Carrie’s relief doesn’t last for long because the abductor is still unknown and still out there. Sofia may still be in danger and Carrie could still be missing the warning signs.
Review:
The front cover of this read instantly caught my eye and those few words given away really piqued my interest. The questions in the book’s description also made me eager to read because I wanted answers for those questions being asked. The publish date for The Good Samaritan is November 26th, so there are not many reviews currently up but the stars that have been rewarded so far hint that this would be a good read. Another thriller that sounded right up my street and another thriller that definitely didn’t disappoint.
The story begins in Sofia’s perspective and I find reads from children’s perspectives to be quite powerful, it definitely adds to the tension and sets the tone, especially when the book is a thriller. At times I felt quite emotional hearing from Sofia, I could really feel how scared she was, so praise to the author for creating an atmosphere like this.
The Good Samaritan does a fantastic job at touching on mental health and bringing to light how scary and unpredictable mental health can be. It also highlights how humans can take advantage of other people when they have a vulnerability, really showing off the dark side of humanity.
This was a read that had you constantly changing your mind as to who was behind it all. I think I guessed but then other events that happened changed my mind, it felt too obvious being some characters but then again it made sense of it to be them. I finally confidently worked out who it was, but right until the very end I had a sense of doubt and I love it when stories have the power to do this! I also like how little clues were cleverly dropped into the story for us to pick up on and that made me doubt my thoughts.
I wouldn’t say I connected with the characters on a deeper level, but I did really feel for Carrie. She was in an awful position, let alone when struggling to recognise expressions and emotions. I wanted to dive into the story and give her a shake at times, but it really wasn’t her fault. I did however love her relationship with Sofia, she was the perfect mother to her. As for Sofia, she was sweet and sensible, she had a good understanding of other people’s feelings and I really wanted her to be safe.
I could really feel the tension in the story at times, to the point that I sometimes felt slightly unnerved. I also like how the story kept referring back to the title, which added to the tension for me. Some of the chapters left me hanging which made it hard to put the book back down because I was left needing answers. The last few chapters were also action packed, giving me the climax, I was looking for after quite a build-up.
I was relieved when I finally got to the end of the story, not because I wanted it to be over but because I wanted my questions answering and I wanted to know if my gut instinct was correct. The Good Samaritan isn’t your usual straight forward thriller, it is twisty from the get go and very gripping. Welldone C J Parsons!
February 4, 2022
C J Parsons' latest North American release is The Good Samaritan.
Carrie is plunged into every parent's nightmare when her five year old daughter Sofia disappears from the park. One of the other moms quickly organizes a search party, but they have no luck and finally call the police. Thankfully she is found unhurt by another good Samaritan a few days later. And then another young girl goes missing...
Parsons gives us an unreliable lead character in Carrie. She is 'face blind' - unable to read facial expressions and she is also on the spectrum. She can't read situations or emotions. But she's a dedicated mother.
Parsons gives us many choices for the whodunit, all quite plausible. The choices are whittled down as the book progresses until there are only two left. But which one is it? Parsons does a good job of keeping the reader guessing until the run up to the last pages. Lots of tension and action had me quickly turning pages to see if my supposition was right. (I was)
I'm going to be deliberately obtuse here - one big problem I had with The Good Samaritan was Carrie letting new friends have such a familiar relationship with her child. Of course, that also drives the plot forward. For this reader though, a few grains of salt were needed.
Carrie is plunged into every parent's nightmare when her five year old daughter Sofia disappears from the park. One of the other moms quickly organizes a search party, but they have no luck and finally call the police. Thankfully she is found unhurt by another good Samaritan a few days later. And then another young girl goes missing...
Parsons gives us an unreliable lead character in Carrie. She is 'face blind' - unable to read facial expressions and she is also on the spectrum. She can't read situations or emotions. But she's a dedicated mother.
Parsons gives us many choices for the whodunit, all quite plausible. The choices are whittled down as the book progresses until there are only two left. But which one is it? Parsons does a good job of keeping the reader guessing until the run up to the last pages. Lots of tension and action had me quickly turning pages to see if my supposition was right. (I was)
I'm going to be deliberately obtuse here - one big problem I had with The Good Samaritan was Carrie letting new friends have such a familiar relationship with her child. Of course, that also drives the plot forward. For this reader though, a few grains of salt were needed.
October 28, 2020
A tense and terrifying thriller that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan brings a parent’s worst fear to chilling life.
Like any mother, Carrie’s world revolves around her beloved daughter, Sofia. Keeping her safe and happy is Carrie’s number one priority, so her world completely and utterly shatters when Sofia goes missing. Out of her mind with worry, Carrie’s imagination begins to work overtime as she wonders what tragic fate awaits her daughter – until a miracle happens and a kind-hearted stranger brings her back. Carrie knows that she should feel elated that she had been so lucky and that her daughter appears unharmed and content. However, she simply cannot shake off this feeling that something is not quite right. Is this just Carrie being overprotective? Should she listen to her gut instinct and tell the police? Or should she just count her blessings that her daughter is back home safe and sound?
Carrie simply cannot rest easy. Somebody is out there who is still after her child and who still wants to harm her daughter and she will not rest until she finds out who this evil abductor is and makes him pay for what he put her through. Carrie can, at least, rely on the good Samaritans who had helped out in her hour of need. Whilst she was going through the worst moment of her life, she could always turn to them when she needed help and support and they always offered it to her. Nothing was too much trouble and there was no favour that they wouldn’t do for her. But should Carrie have been so trusting? Did they really have their best interest at heart? Or did she open the door to a dangerous enemy intent on causing maximum destruction?
With everything to lose, Carrie needs to tread carefully and trust nobody because one false move could end up costing her everything she holds dear to her heart…
If it’s heart-pounding suspense you’re after, then look no further than C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan. A book that grabs you from the very first page and takes you on a shocking and sinister rollercoaster ride that will leave you breathless, C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan effortlessly blends apprehension and mind-blowing twists and turns in one spine-tingling page-turner that is absolutely impossible to put down.
Fans of psychological thrillers looking for a book to keep them up way past their bedtime need to add C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan to their auto-buy list.
Like any mother, Carrie’s world revolves around her beloved daughter, Sofia. Keeping her safe and happy is Carrie’s number one priority, so her world completely and utterly shatters when Sofia goes missing. Out of her mind with worry, Carrie’s imagination begins to work overtime as she wonders what tragic fate awaits her daughter – until a miracle happens and a kind-hearted stranger brings her back. Carrie knows that she should feel elated that she had been so lucky and that her daughter appears unharmed and content. However, she simply cannot shake off this feeling that something is not quite right. Is this just Carrie being overprotective? Should she listen to her gut instinct and tell the police? Or should she just count her blessings that her daughter is back home safe and sound?
Carrie simply cannot rest easy. Somebody is out there who is still after her child and who still wants to harm her daughter and she will not rest until she finds out who this evil abductor is and makes him pay for what he put her through. Carrie can, at least, rely on the good Samaritans who had helped out in her hour of need. Whilst she was going through the worst moment of her life, she could always turn to them when she needed help and support and they always offered it to her. Nothing was too much trouble and there was no favour that they wouldn’t do for her. But should Carrie have been so trusting? Did they really have their best interest at heart? Or did she open the door to a dangerous enemy intent on causing maximum destruction?
With everything to lose, Carrie needs to tread carefully and trust nobody because one false move could end up costing her everything she holds dear to her heart…
If it’s heart-pounding suspense you’re after, then look no further than C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan. A book that grabs you from the very first page and takes you on a shocking and sinister rollercoaster ride that will leave you breathless, C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan effortlessly blends apprehension and mind-blowing twists and turns in one spine-tingling page-turner that is absolutely impossible to put down.
Fans of psychological thrillers looking for a book to keep them up way past their bedtime need to add C J Parsons’ The Good Samaritan to their auto-buy list.
October 24, 2020
DCI Juliet Campbell normally had no problems reading people that she met whilst carrying out her investigations but when she first interviews Carrie Haversen she has no idea what to make of her. When she usually meets the parents of missing children, they are generally hysterical and demanding action and answers but Carrie is just sat in front of her displaying no sign of any emotions with a blank face and talking in a bland robotic voice. As the interview progressed Juliet struggled to control her feelings of frustration but then Carrie suddenly revealed that she suffered from social - emotional agnosia aka facial expression blindness and also had autistic traits. These two stubborn, strong willed women who each had their own psychological character traits are the main voices throughout this captivating thriller. Carrie was a complex character and I thought that the author had done a fantastic job of portraying a condition that I have never heard of so couldn't imagine knowing how to live with. Her descriptions of Carrie's struggles to figure out how to interact properly with other characters seemed realistic. And it was heart breaking to watch her gradually accepting Josh and Tara into her isolated life and her refusal to accept that maybe she was to trust one or both of them. On the subject of Josh, I personally thought that taking consideration her autistic traits and what had happened to Sophie, I thought she put a lot of trust in him a bit too quickly. I really liked DCI Campbell nd I loved the interactions between her and brash Irish DI Alistair Larkin. The team were a mixed bag of realistic individuals and I was pleased that the police investigation which was packed full of red herrings, twists and turns and loads of dead ends wasn't bogged down by police politics, backstabbing and oneupmanship. The third voice in the story was little Sofia who was a realistic mix of five year old emotions, character traits, needs and demands.But what would motivate someone to abduct a innocent young girl only for her to be found and returned home so quickly? How can Carrie keep her daughter safe when she wouldn't recognise danger of it as staring her in the face.
This is a extremely well written, roller coaster ride that hooks in the reader from the first page and keeps you glued to your kindle and frantically turning the pages. It's packed full of twists and turns, keeps you guessing and has a prevailing sense of foreboding that increases as the story unfolds. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this book. I thought this was a fantastic read and would love to watch a film adaptation of this book. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
This is a extremely well written, roller coaster ride that hooks in the reader from the first page and keeps you glued to your kindle and frantically turning the pages. It's packed full of twists and turns, keeps you guessing and has a prevailing sense of foreboding that increases as the story unfolds. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this book. I thought this was a fantastic read and would love to watch a film adaptation of this book. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
August 14, 2022
Humorously written with dark twists, some parts predictable but on the whole kept guessing until the end.
October 22, 2020
Every parent’s worst fear is that our little one disappears in front of our eyes. So, when little Sofia disappears from a park when her mother Carrie is answering a call, any reader will feel the despair and fear in their own skin. But this is when the book will start, who kidnapped the little one? Is the good samaritan who returned Sofia home as innocent as he is saying? You’ll have to start reading this book if you want to know all the answers!
I am an avid reader and mystery is my favorite theme, so mystery/thrillers are the typical books I am used to reading, however this one is quite different from all the others. The first difference is with the main character, Carrie, who can not read/understand the facial expressions, which makes it more difficult to socialize and understand the people around her. The main detective of the case, DCI Juliet Campbell, will find this case quite difficult to investigate as the “Good Samaritan” is not easy to read and will start to understand how we all rely on facial expressions to know the real feelings and emotions behind our words.
I have to say that I loved this read, it was different, addictive and twisted; the reader doesn’t know who to trust or who is telling the truth behind the disappearance, making it impossible to put down the book till the last page. I’ll admit too that it was interesting how the author makes the reader feel the despair of Carrie to try to read faces and the isolation she feels when she doesn’t understand. I know that this is a real illness and thanks to this book I am more aware of how people who have it feel, it can’t be easy.
The Good Samaritan is a read I would recommend to any crime lover, it will keep you awake all night till you discover the truth, believe me!
I am an avid reader and mystery is my favorite theme, so mystery/thrillers are the typical books I am used to reading, however this one is quite different from all the others. The first difference is with the main character, Carrie, who can not read/understand the facial expressions, which makes it more difficult to socialize and understand the people around her. The main detective of the case, DCI Juliet Campbell, will find this case quite difficult to investigate as the “Good Samaritan” is not easy to read and will start to understand how we all rely on facial expressions to know the real feelings and emotions behind our words.
I have to say that I loved this read, it was different, addictive and twisted; the reader doesn’t know who to trust or who is telling the truth behind the disappearance, making it impossible to put down the book till the last page. I’ll admit too that it was interesting how the author makes the reader feel the despair of Carrie to try to read faces and the isolation she feels when she doesn’t understand. I know that this is a real illness and thanks to this book I am more aware of how people who have it feel, it can’t be easy.
The Good Samaritan is a read I would recommend to any crime lover, it will keep you awake all night till you discover the truth, believe me!
October 23, 2020
The Good Samaritan by C.J Parsons is a psychological thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. Carrie Haverson is at the park with her daughter, Sofia. Carrie takes a phone call and in the few distracted minutes she is on the phone, Sofia is gone.Two good samaritans come to their aid and Sofia is returned. DCI Juliet Campbell and DI Alistair Larkin are on the case of Sofia as well. Are these people who and what they say they are or is there more to it?
This is a proper page-turner with a main character that has been realistically developed. Carrie suffers from a condition that means she cannot read facial emotions, and it is a condition that places her on the ASDSpectrum but she isn't autistic.She struggles with little things we take for granted in everyday life but it also means that she is unable to distinguish a truthful and honest person from a dishonest liar. This causes her so much anguish after Sofia goes missing, she is quite honestly distraught and torn to pieces.As the story progresses I was so intrigued to know of the samaritans had any negative intentions or motives.It had me on the edge of my seat while I attempted to unravel their intentions, where they manipulating Carrie or were they genuine, time only tells when it is ready I suppose. This anticipation builds the tension slowly to the end of the book and the pacing is perfect for the book C.J Parsons even manages to throw some twists in so, ther reader is led down some blind alleys as well.
Thank you to Random Things Tours,C.J Parsons and NetGalley for the book to write this review.
This is a proper page-turner with a main character that has been realistically developed. Carrie suffers from a condition that means she cannot read facial emotions, and it is a condition that places her on the ASDSpectrum but she isn't autistic.She struggles with little things we take for granted in everyday life but it also means that she is unable to distinguish a truthful and honest person from a dishonest liar. This causes her so much anguish after Sofia goes missing, she is quite honestly distraught and torn to pieces.As the story progresses I was so intrigued to know of the samaritans had any negative intentions or motives.It had me on the edge of my seat while I attempted to unravel their intentions, where they manipulating Carrie or were they genuine, time only tells when it is ready I suppose. This anticipation builds the tension slowly to the end of the book and the pacing is perfect for the book C.J Parsons even manages to throw some twists in so, ther reader is led down some blind alleys as well.
Thank you to Random Things Tours,C.J Parsons and NetGalley for the book to write this review.
October 18, 2020
Riveting book
Gosh this book really had me guessing and on the edge of my seat reading the last few chapters. Such suspense rarely found in a book even I didn’t know what Carrie should do. It’s a nail biter book and a must read x
Gosh this book really had me guessing and on the edge of my seat reading the last few chapters. Such suspense rarely found in a book even I didn’t know what Carrie should do. It’s a nail biter book and a must read x
October 15, 2020
This book is full of suspense, created straight from the offset and has you guessing the whole way through. Carrie ends up building close relationships with the two people we as readers are suspicious of, she’s a very trusting character who you sometimes want to shake and tell her to stop being so naive in a way. It’s very fast paced, and twisty which is everything you want in a thriller. I have to say, I did guess correctly and worked out who the abductor was, but that didn’t affect how much I enjoyed the book. A very enjoyable read!
October 19, 2021
Such a thrilling read! It’s beautiful to see a main character on the spectrum and learn people and the emotions of others. Beautiful concept!
November 10, 2023
Kept my attention all the way through, a very exciting read.
August 13, 2020
Most spellbinding psychological thriller of the year! I swear I forgot to breathe in parts! Carrie is a complex character who suffers from Asberger' s , as a result of which , she is unable to interpret facial expressions. She doesn't understand nuances of speech and in turn, can't show her own feelings either facially or vocally. This character is so beautifully written, with such a depth of understanding of this debilitating condition. C.J.Parsons has demonstrated in-depth knowledge of Asbergers and as a result ,the character of Carrie is exactly drawn. My heart aches for her , at her inability to form friendships as people can't be bothered to take the time to see beyond her blank expression to the beautiful, loyal and painfully truthful woman inside. When Carrie's five year old daughter, Sophia goes missing from the park, when Carrie is momentarily distracted by a phone call from her ex(Sophia' s father), she is totally distraught. Another mum, Tara comes to her aid, organising a search party and when that proves fruitless, calls the police. I don't want to spoil the story by going in to what happens but I can highly recommend this brilliant book. I was left in the same heartstopping indecision as Carrie, as to who to believe and trust. Her daughter's life hangs on her choice! More please!
September 14, 2021
I was captivated from the opening scenes, and very interested to follow the protagonist, Carrie, through what was next. She has "face blindness," unable to read people's emotions or judge their intentions, yet she's very relatable and the relationship between her and her young daughter is one many of us mothers will recognize!
The book begins with every parent's nightmare -- the disappearance of their child. I felt the rising fear as the looking around to see a familiar kid became a frantic search and then panic and dread. And that's just the start.
We meet lots of new characters through Carrie's eyes, with her different sensibilities and understanding, and see her as they encounter her as the book moves at a pace through its original, intriguing story.
I was so happy to find a new author who had me whizzing through the pages, unwilling to let the story go. There are some red herrings and misdirections that I wandered into because they are so well done.
This is such a good book and I will read it again soon, now knowing what I know, to be able to enjoy the writing and craft even more.
The book begins with every parent's nightmare -- the disappearance of their child. I felt the rising fear as the looking around to see a familiar kid became a frantic search and then panic and dread. And that's just the start.
We meet lots of new characters through Carrie's eyes, with her different sensibilities and understanding, and see her as they encounter her as the book moves at a pace through its original, intriguing story.
I was so happy to find a new author who had me whizzing through the pages, unwilling to let the story go. There are some red herrings and misdirections that I wandered into because they are so well done.
This is such a good book and I will read it again soon, now knowing what I know, to be able to enjoy the writing and craft even more.
August 15, 2020
This is a strong psychological thriller with an interesting heroine and a tense plot.
Right at the beginning (so no spoilers), Carrie's 5-yr-old daughter is abducted in broad daylight from a park... Carrie is naturally terrified but days later Sofia is found in a shed by a passerby and brought safely home.
The question remains - was the abductor after any child or just Sofia? Are they safe now? Will they ever know? Carrie has a condition which means she can't read facial expressions, so she sometimes to struggles to understand what people really feel when they are talking to her.
While the police investigate, Carrie finds new friendships - with Josh, who found Sofia, and with Tara, one of the mums who helped her look for Sofia at the park. But how much can she really trust anyone?
As I mentioned, this is a tense read with a strong plot. There aren't dozens of suspects but there is enough reasonable doubt to sway your opinion now and then and keep the story interesting. As a parent of a five-year-old, I found it terrifying in places!
Right at the beginning (so no spoilers), Carrie's 5-yr-old daughter is abducted in broad daylight from a park... Carrie is naturally terrified but days later Sofia is found in a shed by a passerby and brought safely home.
The question remains - was the abductor after any child or just Sofia? Are they safe now? Will they ever know? Carrie has a condition which means she can't read facial expressions, so she sometimes to struggles to understand what people really feel when they are talking to her.
While the police investigate, Carrie finds new friendships - with Josh, who found Sofia, and with Tara, one of the mums who helped her look for Sofia at the park. But how much can she really trust anyone?
As I mentioned, this is a tense read with a strong plot. There aren't dozens of suspects but there is enough reasonable doubt to sway your opinion now and then and keep the story interesting. As a parent of a five-year-old, I found it terrifying in places!
October 7, 2020
This book is absolutely brilliant. The storyline is captivating and descriptive, which keeps you guessing the whole way through.
I really connected with the characters and the whole book has a successful conclusion.
This is the first time I've read a book from this author, and I would definitely love to read another
Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for the Arc
I really connected with the characters and the whole book has a successful conclusion.
This is the first time I've read a book from this author, and I would definitely love to read another
Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for the Arc
November 6, 2020
I love a good thriller as a cleanser between fantasy reads, it has been a go to genre for a long time. And this one was just the pallete cleanser I needed this month. I devoured this novel, a story that is any parent’s worst nightmare.
This thriller follows the disappearance of Sofia; Carrie’s young daughter, and the crippling panic that follows. Especially when Carrie holds a strong guilt, caused by her inability to recognise emotion from visual cues.
This well written tale holds an advantage in the psychological thriller field with its mastery of strong characterisation. It makes you want to solve the puzzle, even though Carrie can’t give you all the clues. I really enjoyed the nerve tensing journey C J Parsons filled the pages with. As a mother, it tore at my fears.
For anyone looking for a new thriller read, one with a twist and has you questioning everyone’s motive; I know I will be for a while, then this should be on next on your radar. I know I’ve found a new author to add to my shelves.
This thriller follows the disappearance of Sofia; Carrie’s young daughter, and the crippling panic that follows. Especially when Carrie holds a strong guilt, caused by her inability to recognise emotion from visual cues.
This well written tale holds an advantage in the psychological thriller field with its mastery of strong characterisation. It makes you want to solve the puzzle, even though Carrie can’t give you all the clues. I really enjoyed the nerve tensing journey C J Parsons filled the pages with. As a mother, it tore at my fears.
For anyone looking for a new thriller read, one with a twist and has you questioning everyone’s motive; I know I will be for a while, then this should be on next on your radar. I know I’ve found a new author to add to my shelves.
August 5, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the arc of this book by C J Parsons.
This follows Carrie in whom her 5 year old daughter disastrously goes missing... from the park in which she worries like mad and then blames herself. Days after then incident a stranger and someone who she has never saw before has found Sofia and brings her home, she should be relived that she is home but she still worries as the auctor is still out there and no one knows who it actually is...
A whopping 5 star read which had me gripped from start to finish, it is beautifully written and amazing thanks so much for this recommend to all
This follows Carrie in whom her 5 year old daughter disastrously goes missing... from the park in which she worries like mad and then blames herself. Days after then incident a stranger and someone who she has never saw before has found Sofia and brings her home, she should be relived that she is home but she still worries as the auctor is still out there and no one knows who it actually is...
A whopping 5 star read which had me gripped from start to finish, it is beautifully written and amazing thanks so much for this recommend to all
September 2, 2020
A tense twisty psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right up till the end!
Carries daughter Sofia vanishes from the park but strangely a few days later is returned home by a male called josh, however the abductor is still at loose and Carrie desperate to protect her daughter confides in josh and her new found friend Tara! This strange trio are investigated alongside Sofia’s father Simon, leading to a gripping emotional rollercoaster of a read that continues to enthrall you as the story evolves and develops to its surprising climax!
Thank you net galley for this early read.
Carries daughter Sofia vanishes from the park but strangely a few days later is returned home by a male called josh, however the abductor is still at loose and Carrie desperate to protect her daughter confides in josh and her new found friend Tara! This strange trio are investigated alongside Sofia’s father Simon, leading to a gripping emotional rollercoaster of a read that continues to enthrall you as the story evolves and develops to its surprising climax!
Thank you net galley for this early read.
September 3, 2020
I really loved this book! So many twists and turns in a very well written psychological thriller.
The characters are portrayed in a crisp and clear way that makes the reader want to just keep reading, the conclusion is great. I look forward to reading more from this fab author.
The characters are portrayed in a crisp and clear way that makes the reader want to just keep reading, the conclusion is great. I look forward to reading more from this fab author.
August 27, 2020
Goodness me this was an absolute cracker of a read. From the very first page I was gripped by this story. Fantastic and gripping story that will be in my top 10 reads of 2020. I will be recommending this book to all my bookish friends.
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