I Let Her Go

by J.A. Andrews

Some secrets should have stayed buried...

Lucy Mitchell had a troubled past, was abandoned by her mother and left to fend for herself in foster care. This is where she met Amber and Josh, but living in a strict foster home brought fears of its own. Fears that brought Amber and Lucy closer together.

Amber and Lucy formed a pact. They said they would be friends for life and often found solace in the local woods to escape from their foster carer, Linda. This was a place they used to hide together, but when only one girl had returned from the woods, the note said Amber had run away.

Fifteen years later and Lucy is planning the wedding of her dreams with Josh until a body is found, then the trauma of Lucy’s past comes back to haunt her.

Tensions mount as Lucy, Josh and Linda all have secrets to hide and distrust makes them question each others story around Ambers disappearance. As the body's identity is soon to be exposed, life for Lucy takes a terrifying turn for the worst.

The note says Lucy is next!

Audiobook

Published August 10, 2021

About the author

JA Andrews is the author of thriller novels and can be found on twitter: @JasonA1980 and on BlueSky as @jasona.co.uk

As well as writing fiction, JA Andrews enjoys reading a mix of genres, watching various reality TV and spending time with family and friends.

Reviews

[L A]

I Let her Go **3.5**
The opening of the book is a poignant letter written by Lucy to her mom who apparently abused her and wants desperately to forgive and see her again. Most of the book is a reflection of horrific memories in a foster home with caretaker Linda. Lucy, abandoned by her mom and dad, finds consolation with another foster teen Amber. I'm not sure how this friendship bonded when she wreaked havoc and taunted Lucy on a daily basis.

When Amber is reported missing, Lucy bonds with Josh, also living in the home. The book navigates on the past and present and told in several POVS. In present time, Lucy and Josh are planning their wedding against the wishes of those closest to her due to his anger issues and erratic behavior. Lucy continues to have episodic memory and relives that horrible day when Amber disappeared.

When a body is found, the mood changes and everyone becomes a suspicious character. They all have secrets and worried about what will be revealed. The action is ramped up. You will want to keep reading in order to find out whose body they find.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpress Book Tours for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Nimalee Ravi]

This book had a really good storyline and plot. It took me a while to get into this book but I enjoyed it. It had some unexpected twists and turns. Overall it's an enjoyable read.

[Paula Phillips]

Like most mystery books, I was drawn to this one by the cover as it was simple but attractive and draws the reader's eye in. This book starts with our main character Lucy wandering in the woods looking for Amber - her best friend and foster sister. The book then jumps to Lucy being called inside and it turns out she was having a live nightmare in the garden and the incident with Amber happened fifteen years ago. Lucy and Amber got into a fight over Josh - their foster brother who they both loved as he kissed Lucy and not Amber. That night, Amber vanished and for the past fifteen years, there has been no trace. Life moved on and Lucy and Josh are now busy planning their life together as their wedding and honeymoon are coming up. However, a set of found bones in the woods that Lucy, Amber, and Josh used to hang out is about to resurface old memories and put a damper on things. Everyone is hiding secrets and soon Lucy will be put at the center of a dark secret and in danger. As the book delves deeper, we learn that Lucy is the key and everyone is keeping secrets from her. Who can Lucy trust especially when she thought the people, she loved the most are the ones hurting her? I Let Her Go was a slower-paced novel with a lot going on and lots of twists and turns and it took paths I wasn't expecting, especially those last few chapters at the end which in my opinion - the endings are what can make or break the story, and in this case, it made the story a great psychological thriller.

[Nicole]

I do like a good mystery and I Let Her go by JA Andrews is down right crazy mysterious.. I got a copy from Netgalley to read and review and I am glad I did. It took me awhile to get into the story.. I don’t think it was actually me and starting it at all the wrong times. Once I settled in, the i finished it quickly. Lucy Mitchell was abandoned by her mother and left in the care of a Foster mom Linda.. Her past was miserable at best and although Lucy was crazy, it was better then living with her parents!! While at Lucy’s she met Amber and Josh, 2 other dysfunctional kids. Their upbringings and issues are just as bad as Lucy’s. Lucy and Amber become close friends. Or as close as they could get. They have trust issues, anxiety and endless fear. Josh is older and Linda isn’t as hard in him.. so he gets out of the house. The girls find solace in the woods around the house. They go here to hideout and think. They go together and always come back together. One day though, only Lucy comes home. A note is left and it says that Amber ran away.. Fast forward, 15 years later and Lucy now lives with Josh, she isn’t close to Linda but she still sees her and she is planning her wedding. This should be a happy time. But both her and Josh are far from normal.. or stable. And a body is found in the woods, where the girls played. Could it be Amber’s body? Was she dead this whole time? She always hoped she had run away and had a better life. But Lucy, Linda and Josh all have secrets and they all start to distrust each other. What really happened? Who knows what? Could it really be Amber. Lucy needs to figure these things out & quick.. because a note is left in her mailbox that says, you are next!!!
The characters were crazy and I found it hard to like them. But the story the author created for them was excellent. To see broken people, trying to have normal lives is a hard topic.. & yet Andrews had me rooting for all of them to find their way.. this was a 4 star read for me. I hope you enjoy it too!!!!

[Karen]

AUDIBLE EDITION ~ Narrated by Clare Corbett,
Dario Coates, Howard Ward

Mind-blowing British thriller!
“I Let Her Go” by JA Andrews is a complexellent and captivating mystery, in fact, so much so, I’m anxiously enjoying my second listen, a trend I’ve enjoyed with many books over the years. Narrated by Clare Corbett, Dario Coates and Howard Ward, this intricate and complex thriller kept me listening late into the night, with surprises lurking around every corner. The story follows Lucy Mitchell, a woman with a troubled past, as she prepares for her wedding. But when a body is discovered, Lucy's dark past suddenly comes back, and she's forced to confront the secrets she’s kept for 15 years. With its shocking twists and turns, this audiction had me guessing until the very end. The narration is top-notch, bringing the characters to vivid life. If you're a fan of British thrillers, this is an absolute must-listen! EPIC, I say, EPIC!

💥✍️👍⭐⭐⭐⭐👍✍️💥

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews]

I Let Her Go by JA Andrews MUST be put on your TBR pile for 2021!!! I am one of JA’s super fans and have been since Mummy’s Boy and can tell you this one is his best!! Oh it is intense, deals with difficult subjects, twisted, so suspenseful, shocking. JA has a gift in this genre and with each book he writes they just keep getting better.

I absolutely loved the cover of JA’s book! It was so different and unique from most of his other covers. It made me curious to know what the book was about.

JA Andrews dedicates this book to his Nan and Grandad (Joy and Richard Barry) with his many fond memories of the creek. Although they both never lived to read his novels, I’m sure they would have enjoyed them.

Thank you JA Andrews for letting me be a Beta Reader for you on this book. It was an honor and a privilege to help you. The finished product turned out amazing.

I commend JA for expressing concern for the wellbeing of his readers as their are difficult subjects such as domestic abuse and suicide thoughts discussed in this book. If you find yourself in a similar situation he hopes you have a good support system.

For me I always love knowing how the author comes up with the idea for their book. We learn at the end of the book the inspiration behind the creek setting. It is a sweet story that made me smile.

JA grabbed onto my heart and held onto it tight for the prologue!! Boy oh boy was that an emotional one!!! An eleven year old girl writing such a powerful and heartbreaking letter! Oh I knew this was going to be a good book that was going to keep my attention the whole way through!

I was cracking up laughing at the part when JA mentioned Josh’s job in Telecommunications Company in Complaints wasn’t his dream job. I used to work for a Telecommunication Company once I can totally understand it was not his dream job!

Linda was not my favorite character at all; she was so cold! She reminded me of Kathy Bates from Misery!! Oh yeah she was creepy!

The big mystery in this book is what happened to Amber?! Where did she go? Why did she run away?

Each of these characters had such an intense and troubled background that made them who they are today. It makes for an interesting read however it is a very sad read.

This book deals with anger management, domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts, foster parenting, jealousy, alcoholism,infidelity, etc.

There were moments in this book that were like OMG he went there that was a shady man!! But WOW oh so good!!!

I’ll let her go had so many twists, turns, shocking mind blowing climatic moments that will blow you away!!

I can’t wait to read JA Andrew’s next novel Behind Her Smile coming out in November!

[Kim]

Gripping from the first pages! This is a dark and twisty read focusing on the friendships of 3 teens growing up in foster care, their relationships bonded through hardship, becoming even more heart breaking when one of the teens goes missing. Years later, Lucy and Josh are planning their wedding when a body is found and here the plot really takes off, revealing terrifying threats and exposing secrets that should have stayed buried. This is an emotional story, heavy at times, containing sensitive issues that could be triggering for some. Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and JA Andrews for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Available now

[Ceri]

This was such a different type of thriller book for me. The book follows Lucy and Josh while the are planning their wedding.

When they were teenagers they were both sent to Linda's house who fostered them, along with Amber. Amber went missing, and 15 years later a body is found in the woodland where Lucy last seen her.

The book is all about how everything comes to light while they all try to figure out if one of them involved killed Amber.

I found the ending really rushed and parts of the book completely irrelevant to the ending. I kept waiting for things to be made relevant but it never came.

I enjoyed the book, but the ending did let it down for me, personally.

[Amanda]

I have read and loved a couple of J. A. Andrews’ books now and so when I heard that he was due to release another book, I couldn’t wait to get hold of a copy. The synopsis actually made me want to start reading the book even quicker. So without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for an interesting afternoon of reading. Overall I did enjoy reading ‘I Let Her Go’ but more about that in a bit.
I must be honest and say that it took me a little while to get into this book, which I think has more to do with the fact that I was tired when I started to read the book and I was finding it hard to concentrate than anything else. Once I got into the story then that was it and I was away as the saying goes. I wasn’t able to read this book all in one go but I did manage to read the story over the course of a few days. I would pick the book up only intending to read for an hour or so but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would still be reading a couple of hours and several chapters later. I found ‘I Let Her Go’ to be an interesting read, which certainly kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘I Let Her Go’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention and reel you in as the saying goes. The author has one of those very vivid and realistic writing styles that makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action. The author writes about some difficult subjects but writes about them honestly and with compassion. Reading ‘I Let Her Go’ was like being on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with many twists and turns along the way.
In short and overall I did enjoy reading ‘I Let Her Go’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more this author’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Bookswithacuppa]

I’ve not read any books by JA Andrew before, so was intrigued by I Let Her Go.

Lucy, Amber and Josh all meet in foster care after traumatic childhoods. Their carer Linda sounds like she hasn’t been the most loving mother figure these foster children so badly need. One day, Amber runs away and is never seen again. Fifteen years later, as Lucy and Josh are planning their wedding, a body turns up in the woods they used to hang around in…

This story was a very slow burner, with juicy breadcrumbs of intrigue and suspense to keep you in its grip. JA Andrew is masterfully skilled in characterisation. The story is narrated by several characters over a jumbled few days. Each of the main characters are damaged and raw - their childhood trauma and resulting adult lives are sensitively and expertly written. I really felt for Josh and Lucy, and Linda clearly has her own demons.

I really enjoyed the teasingly slow burn of this thriller. I feel like I know these characters so well, that I’ve had a window into their soul - JA Andrew’s descriptive writing style is that good! The level of suspense was great and kept me hooked throughout.

I admit, I had a couple of suspicions of how things were going but I didn’t expect the final whopper! That was unexpected.

I will definitely be checking out more of JA Andrew’s books.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for a gifted digital copy. My review is voluntary and thoughts entirely my own.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez]

I Let Her Go is my first novel by J.A. Andrews.

When Lucy is abandoned by her mother, she ends up in a foster home. She thinks Amber, a girl she meets there, will be a friend for life after they make a pact. Josh is at the home, too. Linda is the foster carer. Amber and Lucy want to get away from her and they try to one day. But Amber doesn't return.

Where is she? Suspicions rise. Was Lucy really the good friend to Amber she claimed to be? I was wondering if she helped her escape or if she hurt her in some way as the story unfolded and was eager to see what would happen.

I did not like Josh and Linda, they seemed strict and self-centered. I did wonder if they had done something and also if Lucy was innocent.

Who is innocent and who is guilty? The tension is well built up and I liked the alternating points of view as a chapter structure because they helped go deeper into each character's experience and helped the already fast pace. The pacing was fast but not so fast I could not keep track of what was going on.

I Let Her Go is a twisty, at times slightly dark thriler that is gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to J.A. Andrews, as well as the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars

[Lucy]

This was an average read covering some very sensitive issues so please do some research before picking it up, it could be incredibly triggering for some, but the author talks about this himself which is refreshing to see.

Told by several points of views, over past and present timelines, the story starts with a letter from an eleven-year-old child. This was the perfect way to begin in my opinion as I was gripped straight away and emotionally invested from the first few pages.

I enjoyed this, but there were times that I thought the pace could have picked up slightly, and I was worried that my motivation to finish would lapse. Thankfully due to the twists and turns in the plot, I was able to regain my interest and ploughed through. This is definitely worth baring with if you experience the same. I can’t say that this book blew me away, but it wasn’t dreadful either. It hasn’t put me off reading anything from this author in the future.

This is an emotional read that pulled on my heart strings more than once. Some parts were heavy going due to the subject matter, but over all a typical thriller, written to the standard that I have come to expect from this genre.

Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources and J A Andrews for a gifted copy of this and a place on this recent book tour, in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

[E Dod]

This is my first novel by J.A. Andrews and it made for a good and interesting read.

We follow Lucy and Amber both have a bond after being in foster care, fostered by Linda. We also meet Josh who is also a foster child. One day the girls go into the woods and only one comes out, missing for many years the mystery of Amber's disappearance is not clear. Fast forward many years and a body is found in the woods, which the reader asks "could it be Ambers body".

I did enjoy this book, it was not as easy reading like some novels that I have read in the past and I did find it a bit hard going but if this novel sounds like something you would enjoy then it is worth giving a read.

Thanks to J.A. Andrews, NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Nicola Jackson]

This book grabbed my attention. I knew it was one for me to read when I read the synopsis! It is a dark , twisty thriller. The chapters are told in alternating points of view from four of the characters. We really get to know the thoughts of the main three characters, they are all well written, they are all full of flaws and they are some quite gritty people ! We certainly get Stephen Kings 'Misery' vibes here! The alternating voices made for a great tension building read! We really struggle to work out who to trust!
⚠️ I must warn you there are some dark topics covered in the story , alcohol and drug abuse. Foster care and abuse ⚠️

Overall I enjoyed this book and read it quickly! The ending was not what I had suspected for a good 80% of the book ...only towards the end did I realise what might be going on! ..

[Helen Frost]

A carefully written story which builds up the main characters comprehensively and slowly. It explores friendships that are deep rooted and forged during teenage years of shared adversity in care.
At times the story built a little too slowly for me but this added to the depth and greater understanding and engagement with the individuals involved and insights into their character flaws and inner problems.
The last third or so of the story pulls lots of punches as secrets are revealed and the pace quickens. I didn’t see most of the surprises coming and it was definitely edge of the seat stuff. Overall a very enjoyable read, thank you.

[Evelyn Jane Thorne]

I Let Her go was not what I was expecting but the twists definitely kept it interesting for the most part. I don’t really know if I liked any of the characters all though my heart did break for Lucy especially since she carried a lot of guilt for what happened with Amber. I know that I did not like Linda and especially Josh because they were awful sorry excuses for human beings.

The book didn’t end the way that I thought it was going to and I was definitely shocked at whose body was found.

[Keesha]

I was liking this book until the end. I was like, Did I miss something? I did not follow the logic nor the events of what really had happened at the ending. But it was a good story up until that point, for the most part. I liked hearing the thoughts of each person, especially that of an abuser. Frightening how they justify every action! Good effort and I would read more by this author.

Warning - the profanity is constant!

[Sheri]

This is the story of two girls in foster care. One goes missing and now many years later a body is found in the woods. Could it be the missing girl?

The story is told from multiple POV and timelines. It really helps to have the current and past story mixed in to fill in the holes. This is a good book to read.

[Sian]

My review of I Let Her Go is on my blog.

https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...

[Jane]

I received an eARC of I Let Her Go by J.A. Andrews from NetGalley and J.A. Andrews in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
4 stars! This book was well-written with a few twists. Overall, I enjoyed this book even though it took me a while to get through it.

[Jessica Cargill]

Wow, this book was full of twist and turns. I feel like this book is steps away from being a Lifetime Movie Network film in the states. Two young kids who grow up in foster care together. They dated each other as teens and get back together again once they are a bit older. Getting ready to start a life together well navigating a deep dark secret from their childhood. I could see this story playing out in real life!

[Parijat]

There are some genres that are so avidly read by me that the books from those genres can either be a hit or a miss. Unfortunately, this book falls in the second category.

I Let Her Go by J.A. Andrews had all the necessary premises that are needed to build up a good thriller. However, the writing style did not fit with my taste at all and I could not connect with the book.

Lucy is abandoned by her mother. She ends up in a foster home where she meets Amber. Amber and Lucy try to get away from the foster home. However, on that very day, after fleeing, Amber never returns. Is there something that Lucy hiding? Or is this a part of a bigger strategy?

From the beginning itself, I took a lot of time to devour into the story. It was not making any sense to me and the story seemed to be a very haphazard try.

However, this is completely my opinion on this book and may not ally with what you feel. My final verdict of this book will be that you are not missing anything if you don't pick this book up.

[Lynette’s Reboot Reading Year]

This was a tough read. It was jumbled and hard to keep track of what was going on. Not in a sense that things were overly explained and complicated but it was so just… bland. Zero emotion it was a robotic style atmosphere for me. The story was told in multiple point of views and from the beginning I felt each character was just restating what someone else said about them.

Linda fostered three kids named Josh, Lucy and Amber. Amber disappeared and it was devastating (in a sense…) to Lucy. Josh is an angry man but in love with Lucy and they are planning out their wedding. Then things go haywire and everyone seems to have a secret that’s about to be uncovered.

Sounded sinister and exciting but… it was boring. Unfortunately this was not for me and I do not recommend it.

Thank you Xpresso Book Tours and netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Jacynthe]

Had potential but didn’t land for me.

I Let Her Go had an intriguing premise, and I really wanted to love it, but overall it fell flat for me. The pacing felt uneven some sections dragged while others rushed through moments that should have had emotional impact. I also struggled to connect with the characters; their motivations weren’t always clear, which made it hard to stay invested in the story.

There were a few gripping scenes that showed what the book could have been, but the overall execution just didn’t hold my attention. Not a terrible read, but not one I’d revisit or recommend.

[Kaylie Smith]

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book! Honestly I had a hard time getting through this one. The dialogue was tough to get through and the twist at the end, while unexpected, was not believable after I struggled to maintain interest and connection with the characters.

[Heaven (HeavenIsReading)]

I’m going to be honest, I hated this book. So much.

Nothing made sense, everything was so jumbled, so many unnecessary details, the chapters didn’t mesh together at all….I read mostly psychological thrillers and this just was not it. Not even close.

[Thea Marquetta]

baby listen, the twists and turns were abundant in this novel. I couldn't see that ending coming from miles away. I believe this is my first experience with this author so I will surely be checking out the rest of his collection.

[Rochelle Rossouw]

Definitely feel we could've skipped the large amount of swear words, but the story is good. Nice twist at the end.

[Tiziana Langone]

When the past is back to haunt you…

Lucy hasn’t had the easiest childhood. She has been put into foster care, and her foster parent Linda was very strict in her upbringing, causing Lucy and her friends Amber and Josh to live in fear most of the time.
This fear brought Lucy and Amber closer, becoming best friends and promising to be forever friends. 
However one day Amber disappears in the woods the girls would spend their time to escape Linda.
Fifteen year later, Lucy is looking forward to marry Josh. But the past has been never forgotten and sometimes still haunts Lucy.
And when a body is discovered in the woods she once knew so well, it appears that the past is completely back to haunt not only her, but also Linda…
Is it Amber’s body? And who is writing those threating notes, adding even more fear in Lucy’s mind?

If somehow you as a reader are like me, you are trying to figure out from the very start to figure out what happened in the past, and who the good guy and who the bad guy is.
But every time I thought I had it all figured out, a new twist came around and I had to start all over again!

This was a very dark story, because it shows us the trauma Lucy still is carrying around after her time in care of Linda.
And no matter how much Linda is trying to redeem herself, I found it very hard to actually like her. Because not only her behaviour in the past was despicable, she went into foster caring for all the wrong reasons, and lacked in giving the children the much needed love and care. But also the actual actions she is taking, are just so wrong…

I felt truly sorry for Lucy, she is still traumatised by her upbringing, feels guilty about Amber’s disappearing and her relationship with Josh is also not one of the best ones…
She is trying to get a grip on her life, but with a body in the woods, her insecurities and fears quickly resurface.

Without wasting too many words on Josh, there isn’t much love lost between him and me… It was that I understood where Lucy came from, because otherwise I just wanted to knock some sense in her, showing Josh’s real character…

Even if my mind went in every possible direction, even fearing the most when there suddenly are pictures appearing, in the end I was even more disappointed in the people that were supposed to have Lucy’s best interest at heart.
And the body wasn’t of the person I expected it to be, and even the ex – girlfriend left me both flabbergasted as sad because it appeared again that Lucy has been let down and has been being fooled…

This story had me on the edge of my seat, I wanted to discover the truth together with Lucy. There were twists I didn’t see coming, and they made me frown, because realization dawned that in the end, how good do you know the people around you?