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The Search Party
TOP 10 EBOOK BESTSELLER
'HUGELY GRIPPING' Mark Billingham
'HEART-STOPPING' Elly Griffiths
'WHAT A READ!' Stuart Turton
16-year-old Sadie Saunders is missing.
Five friends set out into the woods to find her.
But they're not just friends...
THEY'RE SUSPECTS.
You see, this was never a search party.
It's a witch hunt.
And not everyone will make it home alive...
THE CHALK MAN meets THE HUNTING PARTY in this gripping story; witness four suspects as, alongside DI Fleet, you attempt to discover the truth about what happened to Sadie...
____________________________
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SIMON LELIC
'The unpredictable twists kept coming, just when I thought I'd worked out what was going on' Reviewer, Netgalley
'I read it in one session . . . a fabulous read' Alison, Netgalley
'The story gradually formed from a variety of perspectives with the picture gradually becoming clear and an outcome that I didn't see coming' Carol, Netgalley
'Wow. Didn't want to put this down' Lucy, Netgalley
'The ending was an absolute belter. I did NOT see it coming and yet it made perfect sense' Roxanne, Netgalley
'I LOVED this . . . extraordinarily addictive' Liz, Netgalley
____________________________
WHAT AUTHORS ARE SAYING ABOUT SIMON LELIC
'What a read! It's proper clever. Loved it' STUART TURTON
'A bloody good read and the very definition of unpredictable ' JOHN MARRS
'Clever and atmospheric' MARK EDWARDS
'Skilful and compelling' OBSERVER, THRILLER OF THE MONTH
'A brilliantly tense tale' ARAMINTA HALL
'A marvel: intricate, complex and utterly gripping' ALEX LAKE
'Expect twists aplenty' WOMAN'S WEEKLY
'Simon Lelic just gets better and better' DERVLA MCTIERNAN
'A chillingly complex, well-crafted web' JANE CORRY
'A skilfully-woven mystery that oozes with tension' T M LOGAN
'A thriller that grabs you by the throat and never lets go' ELLY GRIFFITHS
'Atmospheric and chilling. Fantastic read!' CARLA KOVACH
'HUGELY GRIPPING' Mark Billingham
'HEART-STOPPING' Elly Griffiths
'WHAT A READ!' Stuart Turton
16-year-old Sadie Saunders is missing.
Five friends set out into the woods to find her.
But they're not just friends...
THEY'RE SUSPECTS.
You see, this was never a search party.
It's a witch hunt.
And not everyone will make it home alive...
THE CHALK MAN meets THE HUNTING PARTY in this gripping story; witness four suspects as, alongside DI Fleet, you attempt to discover the truth about what happened to Sadie...
____________________________
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SIMON LELIC
'The unpredictable twists kept coming, just when I thought I'd worked out what was going on' Reviewer, Netgalley
'I read it in one session . . . a fabulous read' Alison, Netgalley
'The story gradually formed from a variety of perspectives with the picture gradually becoming clear and an outcome that I didn't see coming' Carol, Netgalley
'Wow. Didn't want to put this down' Lucy, Netgalley
'The ending was an absolute belter. I did NOT see it coming and yet it made perfect sense' Roxanne, Netgalley
'I LOVED this . . . extraordinarily addictive' Liz, Netgalley
____________________________
WHAT AUTHORS ARE SAYING ABOUT SIMON LELIC
'What a read! It's proper clever. Loved it' STUART TURTON
'A bloody good read and the very definition of unpredictable ' JOHN MARRS
'Clever and atmospheric' MARK EDWARDS
'Skilful and compelling' OBSERVER, THRILLER OF THE MONTH
'A brilliantly tense tale' ARAMINTA HALL
'A marvel: intricate, complex and utterly gripping' ALEX LAKE
'Expect twists aplenty' WOMAN'S WEEKLY
'Simon Lelic just gets better and better' DERVLA MCTIERNAN
'A chillingly complex, well-crafted web' JANE CORRY
'A skilfully-woven mystery that oozes with tension' T M LOGAN
'A thriller that grabs you by the throat and never lets go' ELLY GRIFFITHS
'Atmospheric and chilling. Fantastic read!' CARLA KOVACH
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2020
116 people are currently reading
3242 people want to read
About the author
Simon Lelic
17 books337 followersSimon Lelic was born in 1976 and has worked as a journalist in the UK and currently runs his own business in Brighton, England, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 482 reviews
April 4, 2021
CAPTIVATING, STUNNING, HEAD SPINNING, TWISTY AND MIND BLOWING!
Five friends decide to go for search party to find Sadie Saunders: Boyfriend, two best girlfriends, brother and boyfriend’s bestie. They think the police officers have no idea where they’re searching for but they know Sadie better than anyone which means they’re so much closer to find the truth about her escape. Wait a minute. Did she really run away?
And let’s learn more about those loyal five teenagers: they truly love her, don’t they?
Even though, prime suspect is her boyfriend Mason Payne is acting too much possessive which suffocated Sadie and they had a huge fight! ( Let’s not forget: Mason abandoned by his mother and living with his abusive, alcoholic father who has legal problems with the authorities. Could his son be like his father? They said they had quite volatile temper!)
And let’s not forget Cora Briggs: a little jealous after Mason chose Sadie over her and Abigail Marshall is so insecure around Sadie: because Sadie’s parents worships the ground she walks as Abi’s own father verbally abuses her and of course she has problems about her weight and her appearance. Could both of girls’ jealousy get out of control and result with hurting their friend?
And what about Fareed Hussein: the best friend of Mason. He is so quiet, friendly, down to earth and he’s under pressure of her over protective and conservative mother who wants to control his life. Could his silence mean he might have been restraining his boiled up anger and keep a big secret that ruin the tight bonding of their friendship?
And Dylan Saunders: his parents adore his sister and he is invisible to them. Could this rivalry between the siblings end with something lethal, dangerous and unfixed!
Five friends’ search party ends with another murder. DI Robin Fleet and his smart, loyal partner Nicola Collins resume their interrogations with those suspects/Sadie’s search party members. Their superintendent Burton puts more pressure on them to finalize the case and find the perpetrator to silence the growing displeasing around the public and gossiping media talking about their incapability to solve the case.
Fleet is facing his demons because the people in the town blaming him to misconduct the justice and turn this investigation for his own revenge project. He lost his sister two decades ago and estranged with her mother. Even his soon to be divorced wife thinks the choice he made as accepting to work in this case is self-flagellation. We don’t know his connection with the missing girl and murder investigation till the last chapters so the high tension pacing merging Fleet’s facing with his past and conducting the investigation with narrations of search party members’ interrogations.
Everyone has big secrets. Each of them blames each other. Could one of them be the killer? Is Sadie really dead or did she run away and get away with the investigation to build a new life?
This story resumes confusing your mind, pushing you build more theories about whodunit and who is the most dangerous person in the circle. So much twists, surprises, mouth wide open, “OMG” moments later, you read the conclusion when the author keeps throwing more bombs at your lap and pulling the rug from under your feet, killing your spidey senses!
I couldn’t see it coming and I am still shocked about the ending and I loved the conclusion of Fleet’s part of the story. So overall; this is highly heart throbbing, smart, riveting page-turner with impeccably well-crafted characters. The realistic, layered depictions about the five teenagers’ back stories and Fleet’s heartbreaking story stole my heart. So I’m giving well-deserved, greatly written five stars.
I wish I could read more adventures of DI Rob Fleet in near future installments.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this unputdownable ARC with me in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it.
Five friends decide to go for search party to find Sadie Saunders: Boyfriend, two best girlfriends, brother and boyfriend’s bestie. They think the police officers have no idea where they’re searching for but they know Sadie better than anyone which means they’re so much closer to find the truth about her escape. Wait a minute. Did she really run away?
And let’s learn more about those loyal five teenagers: they truly love her, don’t they?
Even though, prime suspect is her boyfriend Mason Payne is acting too much possessive which suffocated Sadie and they had a huge fight! ( Let’s not forget: Mason abandoned by his mother and living with his abusive, alcoholic father who has legal problems with the authorities. Could his son be like his father? They said they had quite volatile temper!)
And let’s not forget Cora Briggs: a little jealous after Mason chose Sadie over her and Abigail Marshall is so insecure around Sadie: because Sadie’s parents worships the ground she walks as Abi’s own father verbally abuses her and of course she has problems about her weight and her appearance. Could both of girls’ jealousy get out of control and result with hurting their friend?
And what about Fareed Hussein: the best friend of Mason. He is so quiet, friendly, down to earth and he’s under pressure of her over protective and conservative mother who wants to control his life. Could his silence mean he might have been restraining his boiled up anger and keep a big secret that ruin the tight bonding of their friendship?
And Dylan Saunders: his parents adore his sister and he is invisible to them. Could this rivalry between the siblings end with something lethal, dangerous and unfixed!
Five friends’ search party ends with another murder. DI Robin Fleet and his smart, loyal partner Nicola Collins resume their interrogations with those suspects/Sadie’s search party members. Their superintendent Burton puts more pressure on them to finalize the case and find the perpetrator to silence the growing displeasing around the public and gossiping media talking about their incapability to solve the case.
Fleet is facing his demons because the people in the town blaming him to misconduct the justice and turn this investigation for his own revenge project. He lost his sister two decades ago and estranged with her mother. Even his soon to be divorced wife thinks the choice he made as accepting to work in this case is self-flagellation. We don’t know his connection with the missing girl and murder investigation till the last chapters so the high tension pacing merging Fleet’s facing with his past and conducting the investigation with narrations of search party members’ interrogations.
Everyone has big secrets. Each of them blames each other. Could one of them be the killer? Is Sadie really dead or did she run away and get away with the investigation to build a new life?
This story resumes confusing your mind, pushing you build more theories about whodunit and who is the most dangerous person in the circle. So much twists, surprises, mouth wide open, “OMG” moments later, you read the conclusion when the author keeps throwing more bombs at your lap and pulling the rug from under your feet, killing your spidey senses!
I couldn’t see it coming and I am still shocked about the ending and I loved the conclusion of Fleet’s part of the story. So overall; this is highly heart throbbing, smart, riveting page-turner with impeccably well-crafted characters. The realistic, layered depictions about the five teenagers’ back stories and Fleet’s heartbreaking story stole my heart. So I’m giving well-deserved, greatly written five stars.
I wish I could read more adventures of DI Rob Fleet in near future installments.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this unputdownable ARC with me in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it.
August 14, 2020
4-5 stars rounded up.
This is another really good read from Simon Lelic. Sadie Saunders, 16, has been been missing for six days. Her friends Abigail Marshall, Cora Briggs, Fareed Hussein (known as Fash), Mason Payne and Sadie’s brother Luke are convinced the police are looking for her in the wrong place. They are currently using divers and searching the river towards the estuary in this harbour, seaside resort. The friends believe she is in the woods and so form a search party and slope off without their parents knowledge. What can possibly go wrong? Quite a lot actually. The police investigation is led by DI Rob(in) Fleet and DS Nicola Collins with Superintendent Burton urging them to find Sadie and /or charge someone especially as pressure is growing in the community and the press. The story is told from several perspectives including Rob Fleet and the search party youngsters.
There’s a lot to like in this really intriguing novel. It seems impossible to work out who amongst the search party is telling the truth as they all tell so many lies. The front runner for the crime, if indeed there is a crime, is one of the search party but Rob has grave doubts as so much just doesn’t add up. The plot is good, it keeps you asking questions, it’s well written and full of twists. There’s plenty of creepy atmosphere as much of the search takes place in the deep woods outside the town and there’s a lot of suspense created here, added to which several very mysterious events occur. There’s interesting dynamics between the teenagers too as they blame each other when things go wrong or get very scary and a lack of trust grows between them. The characters are really good especially DI Rob Fleet. . He’s very dogged, intuitive and intelligent and is unafraid to differ from his boss and stand his ground much to Burton’s wrath. Rob has a past in the town which plays an important role in the drama and this adds an extra dimension. There’s sadness between him and his wife Holly which also makes Rob seem very human. The finale is very exciting and I didn’t see that one coming as I think I made too many assumptions along the way! I like how Rob makes peace with himself at the end too.
Overall, a really good crime, suspense thriller with all the requisite twists and turns in the plotting that fans of the genre so enjoy! Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the Arc.
This is another really good read from Simon Lelic. Sadie Saunders, 16, has been been missing for six days. Her friends Abigail Marshall, Cora Briggs, Fareed Hussein (known as Fash), Mason Payne and Sadie’s brother Luke are convinced the police are looking for her in the wrong place. They are currently using divers and searching the river towards the estuary in this harbour, seaside resort. The friends believe she is in the woods and so form a search party and slope off without their parents knowledge. What can possibly go wrong? Quite a lot actually. The police investigation is led by DI Rob(in) Fleet and DS Nicola Collins with Superintendent Burton urging them to find Sadie and /or charge someone especially as pressure is growing in the community and the press. The story is told from several perspectives including Rob Fleet and the search party youngsters.
There’s a lot to like in this really intriguing novel. It seems impossible to work out who amongst the search party is telling the truth as they all tell so many lies. The front runner for the crime, if indeed there is a crime, is one of the search party but Rob has grave doubts as so much just doesn’t add up. The plot is good, it keeps you asking questions, it’s well written and full of twists. There’s plenty of creepy atmosphere as much of the search takes place in the deep woods outside the town and there’s a lot of suspense created here, added to which several very mysterious events occur. There’s interesting dynamics between the teenagers too as they blame each other when things go wrong or get very scary and a lack of trust grows between them. The characters are really good especially DI Rob Fleet. . He’s very dogged, intuitive and intelligent and is unafraid to differ from his boss and stand his ground much to Burton’s wrath. Rob has a past in the town which plays an important role in the drama and this adds an extra dimension. There’s sadness between him and his wife Holly which also makes Rob seem very human. The finale is very exciting and I didn’t see that one coming as I think I made too many assumptions along the way! I like how Rob makes peace with himself at the end too.
Overall, a really good crime, suspense thriller with all the requisite twists and turns in the plotting that fans of the genre so enjoy! Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the Arc.
August 18, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up!
A creepy and atmospheric crime thriller about a missing girl, her five friends, and the Detective trying to uncover the truth.
16 year old Sadie Saunders has been missing for 6 days., and is presumed by most of the town to be dead. Her friends (including her boyfriend and her twin) think that the police are searching in the wrong place, so form their own 'search party' and go looking for her in the woods. A few days later they will need rescuing too! What happened in the woods? Where is Sadie?
I will be honest, I struggled to get into this for about the first 10% or so. The chapters switch between Sadie's friends and Detective inspector Fleet, and the teenagers POVs were full of rambling monologues. They were meant to be talking to the police, but it didn't feel like it, as we didn't hear any police question them, we just have them talking as if they were speaking to a friend? I think the book would have benefitted from using an interview style here. Some of the teenager's voices sounded very similar too, and I did get them a bit confused at the start.
One other thing that bothered me, was that in this eArc, I would be reading from one character's POV, and in the next sentence it would switch to a different character, which was extremely jarring! I am assuming that this will be ironed out in the final copy though!
However, The Search Party soon sucked me in, with its gripping and creepy atmosphere inside the woods! Once I got past the YA feel, I devoured this fast paced and twisty book like an addict! When the teenagers were in the woods searching for Sadie, it was pretty scary and the woods felt menacing! Simon Lelic's writing made me feel like I was out there with them in the darkness, hungry, cold and seeing shadows and eyes everywhere! Even the daytime, with its oppressive heat, felt sinister! *shivers*
And that final, unpredictable twist had me turning back to the first chapter to check things, as I had been blind sighted and played due to my own assumptions!
The teenagers were written well; Abi, Cora, Mason, Luke and Fash felt like a typical group of young adults, grappling with jealousy, lies, secrets and lust. I couldn't tell who was telling the truth, there were so many lies! As time went on, they started to blame and turn on each other, and I didn't know who to trust. What started out as a seemingly tight group of friends, each had their own personal problems, which start to fracture their friendships.
I definitely preferred DI Fleet's chapters. He was an interesting, and perhaps one of the only really likeable characters in the book, as he tried to ignore pressure put on him by his Superintendent and the media. I enjoyed his banter with his partner, Detective Sargent Nicky Collins, and was drawn to his tumultuous relationship with his wife Holly. His backstory and history with the town was sad, and I rooted for him. I can imagine reading future books with this character in!
The parents in this book were truly awful excuses for human beings!
Overall, The Search Party was a solid and intense mystery/thriller, which I can imagine as a tv series! The eerie woods will stay with me for a while! 🌲 🌲 🌲 1/2
Available in the UK August 20th and elsewhere October 18th.
Many thanks to NetGalley UK and Penguin Books UK for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!
A creepy and atmospheric crime thriller about a missing girl, her five friends, and the Detective trying to uncover the truth.
16 year old Sadie Saunders has been missing for 6 days., and is presumed by most of the town to be dead. Her friends (including her boyfriend and her twin) think that the police are searching in the wrong place, so form their own 'search party' and go looking for her in the woods. A few days later they will need rescuing too! What happened in the woods? Where is Sadie?
I will be honest, I struggled to get into this for about the first 10% or so. The chapters switch between Sadie's friends and Detective inspector Fleet, and the teenagers POVs were full of rambling monologues. They were meant to be talking to the police, but it didn't feel like it, as we didn't hear any police question them, we just have them talking as if they were speaking to a friend? I think the book would have benefitted from using an interview style here. Some of the teenager's voices sounded very similar too, and I did get them a bit confused at the start.
One other thing that bothered me, was that in this eArc, I would be reading from one character's POV, and in the next sentence it would switch to a different character, which was extremely jarring! I am assuming that this will be ironed out in the final copy though!
However, The Search Party soon sucked me in, with its gripping and creepy atmosphere inside the woods! Once I got past the YA feel, I devoured this fast paced and twisty book like an addict! When the teenagers were in the woods searching for Sadie, it was pretty scary and the woods felt menacing! Simon Lelic's writing made me feel like I was out there with them in the darkness, hungry, cold and seeing shadows and eyes everywhere! Even the daytime, with its oppressive heat, felt sinister! *shivers*
And that final, unpredictable twist had me turning back to the first chapter to check things, as I had been blind sighted and played due to my own assumptions!
The teenagers were written well; Abi, Cora, Mason, Luke and Fash felt like a typical group of young adults, grappling with jealousy, lies, secrets and lust. I couldn't tell who was telling the truth, there were so many lies! As time went on, they started to blame and turn on each other, and I didn't know who to trust. What started out as a seemingly tight group of friends, each had their own personal problems, which start to fracture their friendships.
I definitely preferred DI Fleet's chapters. He was an interesting, and perhaps one of the only really likeable characters in the book, as he tried to ignore pressure put on him by his Superintendent and the media. I enjoyed his banter with his partner, Detective Sargent Nicky Collins, and was drawn to his tumultuous relationship with his wife Holly. His backstory and history with the town was sad, and I rooted for him. I can imagine reading future books with this character in!
The parents in this book were truly awful excuses for human beings!
Overall, The Search Party was a solid and intense mystery/thriller, which I can imagine as a tv series! The eerie woods will stay with me for a while! 🌲 🌲 🌲 1/2
Available in the UK August 20th and elsewhere October 18th.
Many thanks to NetGalley UK and Penguin Books UK for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!
December 22, 2020
Well Simon Lelic has done it again with The Search Party, its a winner how can i describe in words about this book, stunning, captivating, heart pounding, atmospheric. It was like being on a continuous roller coaster ride.
Five teenagers decide to form a search party for 16 year old Sadie Saunders who is missing in the woods, even though the police are looking for her also they think they are looking in the wrong area as we find out about each of her friends, or so called friends each are hiding secrets about Sadie thwy don't want the police finding out.
AS we delve further into the prose one friend does not return, Abigail, Mason, Cora Fash & Luke all have their own agenda's, there is also rumors & innuendo's about Sadie's parents who sexually assaulted her , that is why she ran away but that is yet to be seen.
SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO SADIE SAUNDERS & WHO IS THE KILLER IN THE GROUP?
MY THOUGHTS
I loved this book it kept me engaged from start to finish it was a taut well written novel & the pacing was top notch, my favourite character was Mason who really in the end was Sadie's true friend, it was told by multiple POV"S & was easy to follow, i have read a few of Mr Lelic's novels & have really enjoyed them this had a bit of creepiness in it that made it even more intriguing, the final reveal through me for a loop i never picked it 5 stunning stars.
Five teenagers decide to form a search party for 16 year old Sadie Saunders who is missing in the woods, even though the police are looking for her also they think they are looking in the wrong area as we find out about each of her friends, or so called friends each are hiding secrets about Sadie thwy don't want the police finding out.
AS we delve further into the prose one friend does not return, Abigail, Mason, Cora Fash & Luke all have their own agenda's, there is also rumors & innuendo's about Sadie's parents who sexually assaulted her , that is why she ran away but that is yet to be seen.
SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO SADIE SAUNDERS & WHO IS THE KILLER IN THE GROUP?
MY THOUGHTS
I loved this book it kept me engaged from start to finish it was a taut well written novel & the pacing was top notch, my favourite character was Mason who really in the end was Sadie's true friend, it was told by multiple POV"S & was easy to follow, i have read a few of Mr Lelic's novels & have really enjoyed them this had a bit of creepiness in it that made it even more intriguing, the final reveal through me for a loop i never picked it 5 stunning stars.
August 18, 2020
After having read and enjoyed The Liar’s Room by Simon Lelic, I’ve been looking forward to The Search Party, which I found equally compelling.
Sadie has been missing for a week, and the town believes she’s been murdered and they know who did it; however, Sadie’s best friends have other ideas.
The best friends are suspects with secrets, and they head to the woods where Sadie is last seems to figure things out. A search party of sorts…Except it becomes something else, something even more sinister.
These are Sadie’s best friends, so they would never hurt her, right? When the police arrive to the woods, they find a body but it’s not Sadie. Who is it and what has happened?
If you are looking for a fresh, twisty thriller, this is a captivating one. I had no idea where the next twist would lead, and I was here for it. Overall, The Search Party is an exciting and enjoyable thriller.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Sadie has been missing for a week, and the town believes she’s been murdered and they know who did it; however, Sadie’s best friends have other ideas.
The best friends are suspects with secrets, and they head to the woods where Sadie is last seems to figure things out. A search party of sorts…Except it becomes something else, something even more sinister.
These are Sadie’s best friends, so they would never hurt her, right? When the police arrive to the woods, they find a body but it’s not Sadie. Who is it and what has happened?
If you are looking for a fresh, twisty thriller, this is a captivating one. I had no idea where the next twist would lead, and I was here for it. Overall, The Search Party is an exciting and enjoyable thriller.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 11, 2020
Five teenagers set off in the woods to search for their best friend Sadie who went missing days prior. Though the police are investigating, the teens are sure the police have no idea what they're doing.
The issue of course is that every single member of “The Search Party” has a secret and in this case, it turns out to be deadly.
When one of the teens winds up dead, everything goes awry, including their plans to find the truth, making this whodunit even crazier than you could imagine.
Atmospheric, compelling, intriguing and twisty-turny, “The Search Party” is an extremely suspenseful thriller that kept me on my toes throughout. The writing style is unique and admittedly took me a while to get into but once I did I was all in! Well done Simon Lelic!
Another captivating buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley and Simon Lelic for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 10.10.20.
The issue of course is that every single member of “The Search Party” has a secret and in this case, it turns out to be deadly.
When one of the teens winds up dead, everything goes awry, including their plans to find the truth, making this whodunit even crazier than you could imagine.
Atmospheric, compelling, intriguing and twisty-turny, “The Search Party” is an extremely suspenseful thriller that kept me on my toes throughout. The writing style is unique and admittedly took me a while to get into but once I did I was all in! Well done Simon Lelic!
Another captivating buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley and Simon Lelic for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 10.10.20.
August 16, 2020
I found this to be a tantalizing, gripping and tragic mystery. This well-plotted story kept me baffled and its shocking, unexpected twists made for an entertaining and thrilling read. I notice that there were some mixed reviews with the main criticism being for the unrealistic and rambling voices of the teenagers. I found this one of the book's major strengths. I thought the author captured this part of the narration extremely well and made their conversations seem authentic and believable to me. I find that authors frequently make teenagers sound either like adults or much younger children, but this was not the case here.
It is nearing the end of summer, and the young people in the story will be soon entering their final year of High School. Five teenaged friends are concerned that a sixth member of their group has been missing for almost 3 days. The missing girl is Sadie Saunders, a brilliant, talented, and beautiful girl. Her proud parents favour this accomplished and popular A student. While indulging her, they pay little attention to her twin brother, Luke. They task Luke with the care of a younger brother, Dylan, whom the parents ignore. In addition to Luke, the group consists of Mason, who was Sadie's boyfriend. Mason lives with his abusive, alcoholic father who beats him. He has been in minor trouble with the law. He is known to have a violent temper and was seen fighting with Sadie shortly before she vanished. Cora has a crush on Mason and was jealous of his girlfriend Sadie. Abi has low self-esteem due to a critical father. She considers herself unattractive and covets Sadie's good looks. Fareed has an overly protective mother. He is polite and friendly, and Mason's best friend.
Sadie's friends are convinced the police are looking for her in the wrong place. Her bag containing her phone and wallet were found on the riverbank and her jacket stained with blood was retrieved. Divers are searching the river for her body. Her friends now form an amateur Search Party to venture into the woods where they believe Sadie may have gone. They do not know whether she ran away, committed suicide, is lying in the woods injured, or was murdered. Before she disappeared some ugly rumours and photos were circulating on social media by an unknown person with the intent of ruining Sadie's good reputation.
The teenagers all have personal problems that interfere with their judgement and as their search progresses their friendships and group dynamic is shattered. There are many secrets, suspicion and blame to go around.
The setting is eerie as their search group advances into the deep woods. Is it their imagination or are they hearing strange noises and glimpsing a person lurking nearby? Someone has taken their phones and water bottles. They become lost, wet, cold, and begin to panic. When they are rescued on the 6th day of Sadie's disappearance, the police find a murdered teenager among them, but it is not Sadie.
DI Robin Fleet and his partner, Nicole Collins, interrogate each of the friends individually. They are all lying and concealing vital information. None will reveal the truth of what happened deep in the woods. Fleet is under pressure from his boss to close the case so Mason can be charged with murdering Sadie. The police feel they have enough evidence but Sadie's body has not yet been found. Fleet has good instincts and relies on his intuition. He trusts his feelings that Mason is innocent. What secrets are they keeping and who are they protecting with their lies and omissions? Why? It is not until the 9th day that they discover what happened to Sadie. Who was the teenager found murdered in the forest and who did it? What was the motive?
The answers are shocking and tragic.
It is nearing the end of summer, and the young people in the story will be soon entering their final year of High School. Five teenaged friends are concerned that a sixth member of their group has been missing for almost 3 days. The missing girl is Sadie Saunders, a brilliant, talented, and beautiful girl. Her proud parents favour this accomplished and popular A student. While indulging her, they pay little attention to her twin brother, Luke. They task Luke with the care of a younger brother, Dylan, whom the parents ignore. In addition to Luke, the group consists of Mason, who was Sadie's boyfriend. Mason lives with his abusive, alcoholic father who beats him. He has been in minor trouble with the law. He is known to have a violent temper and was seen fighting with Sadie shortly before she vanished. Cora has a crush on Mason and was jealous of his girlfriend Sadie. Abi has low self-esteem due to a critical father. She considers herself unattractive and covets Sadie's good looks. Fareed has an overly protective mother. He is polite and friendly, and Mason's best friend.
Sadie's friends are convinced the police are looking for her in the wrong place. Her bag containing her phone and wallet were found on the riverbank and her jacket stained with blood was retrieved. Divers are searching the river for her body. Her friends now form an amateur Search Party to venture into the woods where they believe Sadie may have gone. They do not know whether she ran away, committed suicide, is lying in the woods injured, or was murdered. Before she disappeared some ugly rumours and photos were circulating on social media by an unknown person with the intent of ruining Sadie's good reputation.
The teenagers all have personal problems that interfere with their judgement and as their search progresses their friendships and group dynamic is shattered. There are many secrets, suspicion and blame to go around.
The setting is eerie as their search group advances into the deep woods. Is it their imagination or are they hearing strange noises and glimpsing a person lurking nearby? Someone has taken their phones and water bottles. They become lost, wet, cold, and begin to panic. When they are rescued on the 6th day of Sadie's disappearance, the police find a murdered teenager among them, but it is not Sadie.
DI Robin Fleet and his partner, Nicole Collins, interrogate each of the friends individually. They are all lying and concealing vital information. None will reveal the truth of what happened deep in the woods. Fleet is under pressure from his boss to close the case so Mason can be charged with murdering Sadie. The police feel they have enough evidence but Sadie's body has not yet been found. Fleet has good instincts and relies on his intuition. He trusts his feelings that Mason is innocent. What secrets are they keeping and who are they protecting with their lies and omissions? Why? It is not until the 9th day that they discover what happened to Sadie. Who was the teenager found murdered in the forest and who did it? What was the motive?
The answers are shocking and tragic.
August 15, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review THE SEARCH PARTY. Unfortunately this book wasn't my cup of tea. I was intrigued by the premise, and the intro sure grabbed me — until the teenagers started their monologues. Their chapters were just ramblings (they were speaking that way to the detectives?), and honestly I could barely differentiate between the speakers. I did enjoy Detective Fleet's character, and it was a relief to return to his POV. I read about 40% and skimmed the rest. The twisty ending was exciting, but overall I didn't enjoy THE SEARCH PARTY like I did his previous thrillers, THE NEW NEIGHBORS and THE LIAR'S ROOM.
July 7, 2020
Sixteen year old Sadie Saunders has gone missing, sparking a massive police hunt for her in the woods around her coastal English town. When she hasn't been found by day six of the search, five of her friends, including her boyfriend, twin brother decide to form their own search party to look for her in the woods they know so well. Two days later they will need rescuing themselves.
The novel is written as a series of interviews as each of the teenage search party gives an account of what happened in the woods. DI Robin Fleet in charge of the search specialises in missing person investigations. He is sure there is something the teens are not telling him, but pressure is being put on him by the press and his Superintendent is demanding an arrest for Sadie's murder, despite any evidence that she has been killed.
This was an addictive read as the teens tell of what happened in the woods. DI Fleet and his partner DS Nicky Collins are both intelligent and sensitive police who work well together. There are twists and turns as the facts of the case gradually emerge, resulting in a surprising and suspenseful ending.
With thanks to Penguin Books and Netgalley for a digital copy to read
The novel is written as a series of interviews as each of the teenage search party gives an account of what happened in the woods. DI Robin Fleet in charge of the search specialises in missing person investigations. He is sure there is something the teens are not telling him, but pressure is being put on him by the press and his Superintendent is demanding an arrest for Sadie's murder, despite any evidence that she has been killed.
This was an addictive read as the teens tell of what happened in the woods. DI Fleet and his partner DS Nicky Collins are both intelligent and sensitive police who work well together. There are twists and turns as the facts of the case gradually emerge, resulting in a surprising and suspenseful ending.
With thanks to Penguin Books and Netgalley for a digital copy to read
March 6, 2020
Sadie Saunders has gone missing, she has been missing g for 6 days and her close friends decide to go looking for her in the woods as they think the police are looking in the wrong place.
The police are called out to the woods where they discover the teenagers and a body that is not Sadie. What has happened to the distraught teenagers?
I was hooked by this book and stayed up late, desperate to find out how this great story ends, turning the pages not knowing how it would end!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
The police are called out to the woods where they discover the teenagers and a body that is not Sadie. What has happened to the distraught teenagers?
I was hooked by this book and stayed up late, desperate to find out how this great story ends, turning the pages not knowing how it would end!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
August 29, 2021
It's fair to say that might high expectations wasn't met with Lelic's latest mystery thriller.
The two other books of his that I've read were both 5stars, so excitedly picked this up as I spotted it in the latest releases.
The premises was pretty sound with a group of teenagers are searching for their 16 year old friend Sadie Saunders. They believe that the police are searching in the wrong area.
The narrative is told through the 5 teenagers aswell as DI Robin Flint who heads the investigation and has his own history with the town.
My main grip was the teens sections were presented with just there side of the conversations whist being interviewed by the police.
There was an authentic teenage voice with each character, the problem was that they weren't distinctive enough.
I kept muddling them all up, which doesn't help when they were all hiding secrets.
I was still invested enough to want to know exactly what happened and the actual reveal was pretty rewarding having stuck with it.
Flint is set to appear in Lelic's next novel, I think I'll wait and see how the reviews fair on that one first.
The two other books of his that I've read were both 5stars, so excitedly picked this up as I spotted it in the latest releases.
The premises was pretty sound with a group of teenagers are searching for their 16 year old friend Sadie Saunders. They believe that the police are searching in the wrong area.
The narrative is told through the 5 teenagers aswell as DI Robin Flint who heads the investigation and has his own history with the town.
My main grip was the teens sections were presented with just there side of the conversations whist being interviewed by the police.
There was an authentic teenage voice with each character, the problem was that they weren't distinctive enough.
I kept muddling them all up, which doesn't help when they were all hiding secrets.
I was still invested enough to want to know exactly what happened and the actual reveal was pretty rewarding having stuck with it.
Flint is set to appear in Lelic's next novel, I think I'll wait and see how the reviews fair on that one first.
January 4, 2021
This is a police procedural focusing on a missing teenager from a small town.
Local popular teenager Sadie is missing and here DI Fleet returns to his former home town to investigate her disappearance.
He’s the lead investigator on the case and he’s determined to uncover the truth.
To further confuse things Sadie’s friends decided the police were looking in the wrong place and formed there own search party taking them deep into the woods.
This forbidden excursion unfortunately ends in tragic circumstances as events and emotions spiral out of control.
So this is a story of secrets and lies and everyone’s keeping their cards very close to there chest.
It’s told from DI Fleet’s POV as well as the teenagers involved.
The perspective switched from each teen as they each take the spotlight and explain after the fact what actually occurred out in the woods over the period of time they were all missing.
There’s also some added angst from DI Fleet with his past within the town itself, Mostly concerning his current and past relationships so sister mother and estranged wife Holly.
So this was a fairly easy read but a tad predictable, the lack of obvious suspects really did narrow the field down in who I suspected and I wasn’t really a fan of the story narration style itself.
It kind of flitted from each teen recounting their experiences under police interview then back to the detective himself who was in real-time.
There was nothing essentially wrong with this it was a decent enough read and was well written just not terribly exciting either.
I mostly enjoyed this but it didn’t really have any wow factor and pace-wise I found this a bit slow as well, Overall it was an OK read just a bit bland In terms of excitement and it didn’t really stand out from the crowd.
I Voluntary reviewed a copy of The Search Party.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
February 22, 2020
I have read 'The Liar's Room' and 'The House' by this author and really enjoyed them but unfortunately this one didn't quite have the same feeling for me. Maybe I could't relate to the 16 year old characters.
The more I read the more I started to enjoy it but not quite enough to score higher.
The story is about a search party set up by the friends of missing 16-year-old Sadie Saunders. Her five friends set out in the woods to find Sadie, all are friends and they are also suspects. And not everyone will make it home alive.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The more I read the more I started to enjoy it but not quite enough to score higher.
The story is about a search party set up by the friends of missing 16-year-old Sadie Saunders. Her five friends set out in the woods to find Sadie, all are friends and they are also suspects. And not everyone will make it home alive.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2020
Five kids go looking for their missing friend... what could go wrong? The blurb gave me Stand By Me vibes, one of my favourite movies ever so I had to read it. I have read Simon Lelic books before so I was ready for a twisty tale and that is certainly what this is. A quick read that will keep you on your toes.
16 year old Sadie is missing. 5 of her friends are worried and not sure the police are doing enough so they form their own search party. It includes her twin brother and boyfriend. They head into the woods looking for her and mange to get themselves lost and scared. After a few days the police find them, but one of them is dead.
I really liked the way that the story was happening old through police interviews with the kids and from the perspective of the man running the investigation DCI Fleet. We are fed just enough information to make us think and change our minds about what we think is happening. Very well done.
Thanks to Penguin UK, Viking for my advanced copy of this book to read.
16 year old Sadie is missing. 5 of her friends are worried and not sure the police are doing enough so they form their own search party. It includes her twin brother and boyfriend. They head into the woods looking for her and mange to get themselves lost and scared. After a few days the police find them, but one of them is dead.
I really liked the way that the story was happening old through police interviews with the kids and from the perspective of the man running the investigation DCI Fleet. We are fed just enough information to make us think and change our minds about what we think is happening. Very well done.
Thanks to Penguin UK, Viking for my advanced copy of this book to read.
August 13, 2020
The Search Party is award-winning crime writer Simon Lelic’s latest psychological thriller, and although it has a bit of a teen/young adult feel to it I found it every bit as enthralling and all-consuming as his previous books. Sixteen-year-old Sadie Saunders has been missing from her small-town community for six long days which ignites a fire under the local police who begin a huge search in the nearby woods, rivers and the surrounding undergrowth headed by Detective Inspector Robin Fleet. Not satisfied with the police response and believing they are looking in the wrong area, some of Sadie’s teenage friends Abigail Marshall, Cora Briggs, Fareed Hussein (known as Fash), Mason Payne and Sadie’s twin brother Luke gather their own search party to scour where some of Sadie’s personal effects were found, however, their hunt concludes tragically when one of them is fatally stabbed. But how exactly could this have happened? Fleet is under immense pressure from his superiors to solve both cases but can he maintain his composure and remain unbiased in order to arrive at the truth of both situations, or will he bow to the pressure and take the easy way out?
This is a sinister and compulsive thriller with more twists and turns than the meandering river at the centre of the story. Simon knows exactly how to write a book that gets under your skin and into your psyche and then refuses to leave either of them; hence I read it in a single sitting in which my heart was thumping and my attention never strayed far from the narrative. It's pacy, well written and the characters were interesting, though mainly unlikeable; this includes Sadie's friends and the bulk of the police. DI Fleet is the only one who can be considered likeable and affable but his backstory is stereotypical for detectives — marital and alcohol problems, for instance, so he feels like a character you see in a plethora of books in the genre. The majority of people cannot be trusted leading you to suspect many different characters over the course of the novel. The woodland setting created a chilling and claustrophobic atmosphere which worked very well and added to the suspense. The tension was ratcheted up towards the conclusion and I was quite taken aback by it. If you enjoy thrillers that mess with your mind then this is a must-read. Many thanks to Viking for an ARC.
This is a sinister and compulsive thriller with more twists and turns than the meandering river at the centre of the story. Simon knows exactly how to write a book that gets under your skin and into your psyche and then refuses to leave either of them; hence I read it in a single sitting in which my heart was thumping and my attention never strayed far from the narrative. It's pacy, well written and the characters were interesting, though mainly unlikeable; this includes Sadie's friends and the bulk of the police. DI Fleet is the only one who can be considered likeable and affable but his backstory is stereotypical for detectives — marital and alcohol problems, for instance, so he feels like a character you see in a plethora of books in the genre. The majority of people cannot be trusted leading you to suspect many different characters over the course of the novel. The woodland setting created a chilling and claustrophobic atmosphere which worked very well and added to the suspense. The tension was ratcheted up towards the conclusion and I was quite taken aback by it. If you enjoy thrillers that mess with your mind then this is a must-read. Many thanks to Viking for an ARC.
August 21, 2020
Sixteen-year-old Sadie Saunders has been missing for a week. 5 of her friends don't feel the cops are doing enough , so form their own search party to find her.They go into the woods to search for her but manage to get lost themselves. After a few days when the cops find them one of them is dead ..
Told through police interviews with the kids and from DCI Fleet The Search Party is a well written, tightly plotted thriller with lots of suspects that kept me hooked to the end.
I would like to thank publishing group & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
Told through police interviews with the kids and from DCI Fleet The Search Party is a well written, tightly plotted thriller with lots of suspects that kept me hooked to the end.
I would like to thank publishing group & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
August 20, 2020
A teenage girl has gone missing. Everyone thinks that Sadie Saunders is dead. She's been missing for a week and they think they know who murdered her. Sadie's five friends vow to find out the truth so they set out to find her. But what started off as a search quickly turns into something more sinister. DI Robin Fleet is leading the investigation. He is deemed an expert in finding missing people.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once i did, I was hooked. In a series on one-sided interviews with Sadie's friends, we learn of the events that had taken place.. DI Fleet and DS Collins are facing the backlash from the community, media and their boss to get results. Fleet also wonders if what happened in his own past is clouding his judgement. I like the authors writing style. Robin Fleet and Nicola Collins work well together. This is a thrilling and twisted read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once i did, I was hooked. In a series on one-sided interviews with Sadie's friends, we learn of the events that had taken place.. DI Fleet and DS Collins are facing the backlash from the community, media and their boss to get results. Fleet also wonders if what happened in his own past is clouding his judgement. I like the authors writing style. Robin Fleet and Nicola Collins work well together. This is a thrilling and twisted read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2020
A teenage girl has gone missing. Everyone thinks that Sadie Saunders is dead. She's been missing for a week and they think they know who murdered her. Sadie's five friends vow to find out the truth so they set out to find her. But what started off as a search party turned into something more sinister. DI Robin Fleet is leading the investigation. He is deemed an expert in finding missing people.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once i did, I was hooked. In a series of one-sided interviews with Sadie's friends, we learn of the events that had taken place. DI Fleet and DS Collins are facing the backlash from the community, media and their boss to get results. Fleet wonders if what happened in his own past is clouding his judgement I like the authors writing style. Robin Fleet and Nicola Collins work well together. This is a thrilling and twisted read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin books (UK) and the author Simon Lelic for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
It took me a little while to get into this book but once i did, I was hooked. In a series of one-sided interviews with Sadie's friends, we learn of the events that had taken place. DI Fleet and DS Collins are facing the backlash from the community, media and their boss to get results. Fleet wonders if what happened in his own past is clouding his judgement I like the authors writing style. Robin Fleet and Nicola Collins work well together. This is a thrilling and twisted read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin books (UK) and the author Simon Lelic for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
September 26, 2020
The Search Party is my second time reading a book by Simon Lelic and it had a totally different feel from his previous novel The Liar's Room. I loved that the two felt so different, and while this is a mystery/police procedural, it was also a bit of a character study. I feel like we really got to know DI Fleet who is the police viewpoint in the novel, and I learned more about his character than I was expecting to. The formatting of the book was interesting, and it switches between Fleet's viewpoint as well as Sadie's friends, but their viewpoints are written as them being interviewed by the police which is a fact that isn't actually called out in the book. This was a really unique take, and one that I loved.
The Search Party was also spectacular on audio and had a full cast which is something I always appreciate. Most of the narrators don't seem to have many other books (if any) under their belt, but they still did a great job with the characters they played. Sometimes the accents were hard for me to understand and I had to follow along in a physical copy, but overall I would highly recommend going the audio route if you listen to audiobooks.
I was very satisfied with how suspenseful the book was, and I finished it in one day because I couldn't put it down. The end completely surprised me, and The Search Party went deeper than surface level, which is nice to see in a mystery/thriller. I loved the way Lelic plotted this book and it felt very different from other books I have read. If you're looking for a book to suck you in and hold you until the very end, you should definitely check out The Search Party!
The Search Party was also spectacular on audio and had a full cast which is something I always appreciate. Most of the narrators don't seem to have many other books (if any) under their belt, but they still did a great job with the characters they played. Sometimes the accents were hard for me to understand and I had to follow along in a physical copy, but overall I would highly recommend going the audio route if you listen to audiobooks.
I was very satisfied with how suspenseful the book was, and I finished it in one day because I couldn't put it down. The end completely surprised me, and The Search Party went deeper than surface level, which is nice to see in a mystery/thriller. I loved the way Lelic plotted this book and it felt very different from other books I have read. If you're looking for a book to suck you in and hold you until the very end, you should definitely check out The Search Party!
February 21, 2020
I’m in the minority here as I can see from other reviews, but this book was not good for me. I love Simon Lelic books and was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of this... but I didn’t enjoy it.
I found the writing style totally off. I couldn’t grasp that the narrations were supposed to be 16 year old kids telling the police what happened. First of, no one would talk to the police they say they did, especially not teenagers. And another, no one would talk like that anyway. It’s like when you read a book full of diary entries and the character has written like 50 pages of detail and dialogue about their day and you just think... no. No one writes in that much detail. For me it was the same with these interviews. No one talks in this much detail ever. Especially not under such pressure.
I also found the plot and the twists to be really predictable. Not in a way that I felt proud of myself for guessing but literally like how could you not see that coming??
I’m so sorry, I will totally read more from this author as he’s written some awesome thrillers... but this one was not for me.
I found the writing style totally off. I couldn’t grasp that the narrations were supposed to be 16 year old kids telling the police what happened. First of, no one would talk to the police they say they did, especially not teenagers. And another, no one would talk like that anyway. It’s like when you read a book full of diary entries and the character has written like 50 pages of detail and dialogue about their day and you just think... no. No one writes in that much detail. For me it was the same with these interviews. No one talks in this much detail ever. Especially not under such pressure.
I also found the plot and the twists to be really predictable. Not in a way that I felt proud of myself for guessing but literally like how could you not see that coming??
I’m so sorry, I will totally read more from this author as he’s written some awesome thrillers... but this one was not for me.
February 24, 2020
A read in one sitting psychological thriller that was pitch perfect for me - I love a good group dynamic, a whole bunch of secrets and a well written twistier than twisty plot all of which Simon Lelic serves up here brilliantly.
I genuinely wasn't sure what the resolution would be this was an excellent piece of plotting in that regard given there were finite possibilities given the set up. Very good indeed. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Fuller review near publication.
I genuinely wasn't sure what the resolution would be this was an excellent piece of plotting in that regard given there were finite possibilities given the set up. Very good indeed. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Fuller review near publication.
February 18, 2020
Five friends decided to form a search party and go into the woods,hoping to find their missing friend, Sadie Saunders. Two days later,the emergency services received a frantic phone call for help and when they arrived at the isolated location of the call,they discovered four,cold, wet and distressed teenagers and a dead body,a body that did not belong to the missing girl. Now not only do Detective Inspector Robert Fleet and his partner DS Nicola Collins have a missing person's investigation,they also have a murder to solve. They find themselves in a frantic race against time to find the missing girl, everyone knows that the longer someone is missing, the higher the changes are that they won't be found alive. They are also under pressure from their superior officer to charge and arrest one of the friends despite the lack of evidence due to rumours of police incompetence that are doing the rounds in the village. When Sadie had first gone missing, Fleet had suspected the same person but as time passes,he begins to wonder if his own judgement had been clouded by a tragic event from his past. Fleet is certain that the four remaining teens are not telling the whole truth about what happened during their time in the woods and that they also might know more about Sadie's disappearance that they are admitting.
So where is Sadie? Is she alive or dead? What really happened during the two days that the teens spent in the woods?
This utterly enthralling thriller opens with the teen's frantic phone call to the emergency services and then continues in chapters that alternate between the four friends police interviews and the police investigation. I thought that only two of the five friends had any likeable qualities to their characters and I struggled to understand why they had remained friends for so long. Maybe it was because they were misfits and had discontented homelives and that was the glue that held the group together. There was friction amongst the group even before they went into the woods so the more time they spent in the isolated atmosphere amongst the trees,the more the tension and feelings of paranoia increased especially when it began to appear that someone was following them. I really love reading books that are set in woods and forests, the sinister atmosphere even during the hours of daylight,the indistinguishable shadows amongst the trees, the silence that makes you feel like you are the only person alive. The smallest sound that can sound as loud as the biggest thunder clap. I loved the intensity of the scenes that were set in the woods,the atmosphere,the paranoia,the creepy feeling that the friends were being followed, the sounds that echoed around the trees at night. I thought that DI Fleet was a very likeable character and I loved the camaraderie and banter between him and DS Nicola Collins. There was a back story involving his sister that was mentioned throughout the book but it didn't overshadow the main story.
I really, really loved The Search Party, I loved it so much that I wanted to read the whole book in one sitting but my old eyes had other ideas. It was gripping, intense,had a couple of jaw dropping OMG moments, kept me guessing and frantically turning the pages. The characters were diverse, vivid and realistic. Simon Lelic is a very very talented author and I think this story would make a very enjoyable tv crime mini series. Worth far more than five stars and very very very highly recommended
Many many thanks to Ellie Hudson of Penguin Random House UK for granting me early access to this outstanding thriller
So where is Sadie? Is she alive or dead? What really happened during the two days that the teens spent in the woods?
This utterly enthralling thriller opens with the teen's frantic phone call to the emergency services and then continues in chapters that alternate between the four friends police interviews and the police investigation. I thought that only two of the five friends had any likeable qualities to their characters and I struggled to understand why they had remained friends for so long. Maybe it was because they were misfits and had discontented homelives and that was the glue that held the group together. There was friction amongst the group even before they went into the woods so the more time they spent in the isolated atmosphere amongst the trees,the more the tension and feelings of paranoia increased especially when it began to appear that someone was following them. I really love reading books that are set in woods and forests, the sinister atmosphere even during the hours of daylight,the indistinguishable shadows amongst the trees, the silence that makes you feel like you are the only person alive. The smallest sound that can sound as loud as the biggest thunder clap. I loved the intensity of the scenes that were set in the woods,the atmosphere,the paranoia,the creepy feeling that the friends were being followed, the sounds that echoed around the trees at night. I thought that DI Fleet was a very likeable character and I loved the camaraderie and banter between him and DS Nicola Collins. There was a back story involving his sister that was mentioned throughout the book but it didn't overshadow the main story.
I really, really loved The Search Party, I loved it so much that I wanted to read the whole book in one sitting but my old eyes had other ideas. It was gripping, intense,had a couple of jaw dropping OMG moments, kept me guessing and frantically turning the pages. The characters were diverse, vivid and realistic. Simon Lelic is a very very talented author and I think this story would make a very enjoyable tv crime mini series. Worth far more than five stars and very very very highly recommended
Many many thanks to Ellie Hudson of Penguin Random House UK for granting me early access to this outstanding thriller
May 31, 2020
Since I enjoyed Simon Lelic’s previous novel “The House” and the way in which it was written, I was looking forward to reading his latest book “The Search Party”. The plot is exactly as the title says, sixteen year old Sadie Saunders has gone missing and her five friends form a search party to look for her in the woods. Only they’re not just her friends, they are also suspects and not all of them will make it out alive.
The story is written between days six and ten of the search with the friends relating what happened on each of the days through one sided police interviews. We also see alternating chapters with Detective Inspector Robert Fleet and his DS, Nicola Collins, as they try to work out where everything went wrong and what has actually happened to the missing girl. Once again as in most police procedurals, the story features a detective that is fighting his own demons after he returns to his home town and the memories of an event concerning his sister. Saying that, I liked Fleet, I felt he was genuine and moralistic and his comaraderie with Nicola really worked for me. I also thought the police interviews with the friends were intriguing and clearly narrated and I fully pictured the whole scenario with clarity.
My only gripe with it all, was the fact that the friends were quite young, just about to start sixth form and for me, they were far more mature and street wise than their sixteen years of age.
The denouement to Sadie and the ending featuring Fleet was just perfect and I liked how the author made it so that Fleet could return in a future book. I found this book to be easy to read and understand, enjoyable and I’d happily read more by this author again.
4 stars
The story is written between days six and ten of the search with the friends relating what happened on each of the days through one sided police interviews. We also see alternating chapters with Detective Inspector Robert Fleet and his DS, Nicola Collins, as they try to work out where everything went wrong and what has actually happened to the missing girl. Once again as in most police procedurals, the story features a detective that is fighting his own demons after he returns to his home town and the memories of an event concerning his sister. Saying that, I liked Fleet, I felt he was genuine and moralistic and his comaraderie with Nicola really worked for me. I also thought the police interviews with the friends were intriguing and clearly narrated and I fully pictured the whole scenario with clarity.
My only gripe with it all, was the fact that the friends were quite young, just about to start sixth form and for me, they were far more mature and street wise than their sixteen years of age.
The denouement to Sadie and the ending featuring Fleet was just perfect and I liked how the author made it so that Fleet could return in a future book. I found this book to be easy to read and understand, enjoyable and I’d happily read more by this author again.
4 stars
February 22, 2020
I have read 'The Liar's Room' and 'The House' by this author and really enjoyed them but unfortunately this one didn't quite have the same feeling for me. Maybe I could't relate to the 16 year old characters.
The more I read the more I started to enjoy it but not quite enough to score higher.
The story is about a search party set up by the friends of missing 16-year-old Sadie Saunders. Her five friends set out in the woods to find Sadie, all are friends and they are also suspects. And not everyone will make it home alive.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The more I read the more I started to enjoy it but not quite enough to score higher.
The story is about a search party set up by the friends of missing 16-year-old Sadie Saunders. Her five friends set out in the woods to find Sadie, all are friends and they are also suspects. And not everyone will make it home alive.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2020
This was really good. I enjoyed the writing style that goes from the perspective of the detective and the interviews of the characters. I enjoyed how it all came together to tell the story. I was guessing the whole time and I really liked the way it ended. Solid mystery/thriller.
*Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an early copy to read and review.
*Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an early copy to read and review.
March 29, 2020
This was a pretty average, middle of the road thriller for me. There was nothing bad about it but there wasn't nothing that special either
This is a psychological thriller which focuses on a group of teens who go on a search party looking for thier friend who has gone missing but something goes horribly wrong.
I thought this book was just okay. It wasn't that remarkable or anything special.
But it was interesting enough to want me to read to the end.
I didn't see the ending coming, so I have to give the book credit for that but it didn't really shock me or surprise me.
I thought the writing was okay. I liked the fact that we got mutiple perspectives including a detective solving the case.
I didn't connect with the characters really. I didn't really care for them.
I do think though this would make a good Netflix series
Overall, a pretty average book, that was perfectly acceptable but nothing amazing
This is a psychological thriller which focuses on a group of teens who go on a search party looking for thier friend who has gone missing but something goes horribly wrong.
I thought this book was just okay. It wasn't that remarkable or anything special.
But it was interesting enough to want me to read to the end.
I didn't see the ending coming, so I have to give the book credit for that but it didn't really shock me or surprise me.
I thought the writing was okay. I liked the fact that we got mutiple perspectives including a detective solving the case.
I didn't connect with the characters really. I didn't really care for them.
I do think though this would make a good Netflix series
Overall, a pretty average book, that was perfectly acceptable but nothing amazing
November 9, 2020
even not having read anything by this
author, this was my "most antecipated
release of the year- for its premise: one
missing girl, five friends PoV and a very
deep and well constructed investigator.
author, this was my "most antecipated
release of the year- for its premise: one
missing girl, five friends PoV and a very
deep and well constructed investigator.
September 20, 2020
THE DETAILS✎ ❐ A GROUP OF "FRIENDS" SEARCHES FOR ONE OF THEIR OWN ❐ I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE SOMBODY'S WATCHING ME... ❐ SOMEONE ENDS UP DEAD ❐ TOLD IN PRESENT TENSE & PAST TENSE ❐ MANY POV'S WITH A FULL-CAST ❐ SECRETS, LIES & BETRAYALS... ❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 9 HOURS, 55 MINUTES ❐ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
At times this felt like a bunch of bratty teens being mean to each other in the name of friendship...I felt a "with friends like these...who needs enemies" kind of vibe. By the end, it became something else, though...it slowly insinuated itself under my skin without me even realizing it...making me contemplate the what-ifs and should-haves. It just goes to show...the truth really can set you free.
It wasn't always easy to stay in the story, which is probably due to the accents...yup, still struggling with these accents, but I figure if I occasionally throw a book with them into the mix once in a while, maybe, I'll slowly get used to them. I really hate to miss out on a story just because of this. It also helped that this had a full-cast for the narration and all the voices felt uniquely different from one another.
BREAKDOWN✎
Narration ➯ 4½ STARS
Plot ➯ 4.3/5
Characters ➯ 4/5
The Feels ➯ 4/5
Pacing ➯ 4/5
Addictiveness ➯ 4/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity ➯ 4/5
Originality/Believability ➯ 3.5/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 3.7/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery ➯ 4/5
Ending ➯ 4.3/5
SUMMATION ➯ 4 STARS
At times this felt like a bunch of bratty teens being mean to each other in the name of friendship...I felt a "with friends like these...who needs enemies" kind of vibe. By the end, it became something else, though...it slowly insinuated itself under my skin without me even realizing it...making me contemplate the what-ifs and should-haves. It just goes to show...the truth really can set you free.
It wasn't always easy to stay in the story, which is probably due to the accents...yup, still struggling with these accents, but I figure if I occasionally throw a book with them into the mix once in a while, maybe, I'll slowly get used to them. I really hate to miss out on a story just because of this. It also helped that this had a full-cast for the narration and all the voices felt uniquely different from one another.
BREAKDOWN✎
Narration ➯ 4½ STARS
Plot ➯ 4.3/5
Characters ➯ 4/5
The Feels ➯ 4/5
Pacing ➯ 4/5
Addictiveness ➯ 4/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity ➯ 4/5
Originality/Believability ➯ 3.5/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 3.7/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery ➯ 4/5
Ending ➯ 4.3/5
SUMMATION ➯ 4 STARS
March 8, 2020
A group of teenagers organises a search party to try to find their missing friend, 15 year old Sadie. Who knows her better than her friends? They feel the police aren't up to much, so off they go, bags packed, into the woods where they last saw Sadie. So far, so good – except one of them is found dead, and so the mystery begins.
The writing style of this novel is really weird. It's written from the point of view of each group in the form of a police interview. Except it's not really an interview as there is no interaction with a police presence, so what we have is a slightly stilted monologue from each person. I don't know if the author has spent much time with this age group, but they're either extremely well mannered, well spoken individuals, or totally lacking in personality. It just doesn't ring true. Maybe it would have been better for some dialogue from a police person. Wouldn't a parent have to be present also? There's no indication that there is anyone else in the room.
I've reached 20% of a free download from Netgalley, but I can't read any more.
The writing style of this novel is really weird. It's written from the point of view of each group in the form of a police interview. Except it's not really an interview as there is no interaction with a police presence, so what we have is a slightly stilted monologue from each person. I don't know if the author has spent much time with this age group, but they're either extremely well mannered, well spoken individuals, or totally lacking in personality. It just doesn't ring true. Maybe it would have been better for some dialogue from a police person. Wouldn't a parent have to be present also? There's no indication that there is anyone else in the room.
I've reached 20% of a free download from Netgalley, but I can't read any more.
September 1, 2020
I'll keep this short. This was mostly a miss for me. The format with the narrations of all the teens was something I never settled into. I did like the atmosphere of the town and surrounding environs. Neutral on recommend.
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