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Find Her First
Where is Stef Campbell? And who can be trusted to bring her home?
Paramedic Andy Campbell has a secret he can't tell anyone, not least the police.
But when his missing wife's image is found at the home of a suspected killer, detectives start asking questions, and they're not the only ones . . .
The race for the truth leads them far from their Edinburgh home – but who will find her first, and will they save her life or take it?
Paramedic Andy Campbell has a secret he can't tell anyone, not least the police.
But when his missing wife's image is found at the home of a suspected killer, detectives start asking questions, and they're not the only ones . . .
The race for the truth leads them far from their Edinburgh home – but who will find her first, and will they save her life or take it?
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2022
39 people are currently reading
1390 people want to read
About the author
Emma Christie
6 books68 followersEmma Christie grew up in a book-filled house in Cumnock, an Ayrshire coal-mining town.
After quitting her law degree to study English literature and medieval history at Aberdeen University, she spent five years working as a news reporter with one of the UK's top-selling regional daily newspapers, The Press and Journal.
Throughout her journalism career, she secretly wanted to be every author she ever interviewed.
When she's not writing, Emma now works as a tour director and lecturer in history, culture and politics with a US travel company, leading educational journeys across Spain, France and Portugal.
She can often been found in Portobello, Edinburgh's captivating seaside community, but lives in Barcelona with her girlfriend, María Jose, and far too many plants.
THE SILENT DAUGHTER is her first novel. More at emmachristiewriter.com
After quitting her law degree to study English literature and medieval history at Aberdeen University, she spent five years working as a news reporter with one of the UK's top-selling regional daily newspapers, The Press and Journal.
Throughout her journalism career, she secretly wanted to be every author she ever interviewed.
When she's not writing, Emma now works as a tour director and lecturer in history, culture and politics with a US travel company, leading educational journeys across Spain, France and Portugal.
She can often been found in Portobello, Edinburgh's captivating seaside community, but lives in Barcelona with her girlfriend, María Jose, and far too many plants.
THE SILENT DAUGHTER is her first novel. More at emmachristiewriter.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
July 25, 2024
writing: CHEFS KISS | plot: yas | ending: SHUT UPPPPPPPPP
my opinion
Bitch?? Who said you could go this hard?? Yes the banger alert has been issued, but this is not for everyone . I can see a lot of people thinking it's slow or weird or confusing. However, tt is most certainly for me and my pretentious ass. The writing? The stuff I dream of. The plot? Intriguing. The characters? Unique. AND THE TWISTS? STFUUUU!!! Next to The Trap, this was one of the most expertly foreshadowed yet shocking twists. I thought this was going one direction but... let me shut my ass up because I don't want to ruin anything. And for that reason I can't tell you about the trigger warnings, but just tread lightly.
But even if the twist hadn't gone so incredibly hard in the paint, the characters and writing alone carried this book. I loved how spooky and strange Betty was. The coin thing? UUUGHHHH I love when a writer can get creative and *show* the degree of out-of-pocketness a character is in a unique way. I haven't read anything similar, and if you have, let me live in ignorant bliss please. Thanks. I liked the ambiguity of Andy's character, was he the controlling dickhead that Betty thought, or was he just a good guy who did a bad thing (not a spoiler, don't worry)? Debate amongst yourselves.
This was the right degree of stressy 'n depressy without it being straight up trauma porn. Again, it comes down to the writing. One of the scenes near the end????????? Who's cutting onions in here???
To be honest the Scooby Doo info-dump at the end deserves one star, but I'm not going to let that atrocity take away from what a beautifully written and unique read this was. Despite the cover being barely worthy of the bargain bin, something made me pick it up and read the first few pages at Indigo. I was instantly hooked, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because not only is the cover ass, but the pages had the narrowest margins known the mankind. Looked like it was printed in someone's garage. Thank your Sky daddy of choice for Kindle. Anyways was this important, no? But I CAN'T STOP TYPING.
In conclusion: a banger FOR ME. ME. AS IN MYSELF. I would only recommend this to people who have VERY similar tastes to me. If you want to see how we match up, you can use the "compare books" feature on the browser version of Goodreads. If you're still reading Freida despite being a 'regular reader', move along (respectfully).
Definitely checking out more of her work. Emma, if you see this, how does it feel to be an insanely talented wordsmith?
__
Check out my YouTube
my opinion
Bitch?? Who said you could go this hard?? Yes the banger alert has been issued, but this is not for everyone . I can see a lot of people thinking it's slow or weird or confusing. However, tt is most certainly for me and my pretentious ass. The writing? The stuff I dream of. The plot? Intriguing. The characters? Unique. AND THE TWISTS? STFUUUU!!! Next to The Trap, this was one of the most expertly foreshadowed yet shocking twists. I thought this was going one direction but... let me shut my ass up because I don't want to ruin anything. And for that reason I can't tell you about the trigger warnings, but just tread lightly.
But even if the twist hadn't gone so incredibly hard in the paint, the characters and writing alone carried this book. I loved how spooky and strange Betty was. The coin thing? UUUGHHHH I love when a writer can get creative and *show* the degree of out-of-pocketness a character is in a unique way. I haven't read anything similar, and if you have, let me live in ignorant bliss please. Thanks. I liked the ambiguity of Andy's character, was he the controlling dickhead that Betty thought, or was he just a good guy who did a bad thing (not a spoiler, don't worry)? Debate amongst yourselves.
This was the right degree of stressy 'n depressy without it being straight up trauma porn. Again, it comes down to the writing. One of the scenes near the end????????? Who's cutting onions in here???
To be honest the Scooby Doo info-dump at the end deserves one star, but I'm not going to let that atrocity take away from what a beautifully written and unique read this was. Despite the cover being barely worthy of the bargain bin, something made me pick it up and read the first few pages at Indigo. I was instantly hooked, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because not only is the cover ass, but the pages had the narrowest margins known the mankind. Looked like it was printed in someone's garage. Thank your Sky daddy of choice for Kindle. Anyways was this important, no? But I CAN'T STOP TYPING.
In conclusion: a banger FOR ME. ME. AS IN MYSELF. I would only recommend this to people who have VERY similar tastes to me. If you want to see how we match up, you can use the "compare books" feature on the browser version of Goodreads. If you're still reading Freida despite being a 'regular reader', move along (respectfully).
Definitely checking out more of her work. Emma, if you see this, how does it feel to be an insanely talented wordsmith?
__
Check out my YouTube
August 8, 2024
Didn’t see that coming at all.
Read
August 7, 2022No rating on this since I did not finish it. I feel like I have read, or chose not to finish reading, a different book to everyone else. Having seen all the four and five stars I was looking forward to this one. It started okay but after a while it just plodded along. I was expecting something fast paced and twisty, as the cover and other reviews promised, but this book never captured me. I didn’t like characters or the pace and had my own ideas about how the story was going to pan out. In the end I couldn’t stir up enough interest to even skim read. Obviously plenty of others have loved it but it just didn’t work for me. Moving on.
July 28, 2024
My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was good, engaging but missing something for me!!
Well I don’t know if its GoodReads, or my Kindle version of this one, but the synopsis is completely different to what I got. There are shades of what may have happened in the synopsis but no paramedics came to Billy’s house in my version… He also didn’t follow his wife in my version… so I dunno. I was expecting one thing and got another.
Not that what I got was bad… it was just weird and not in the way I like it to be weird. My very good IRL friend LitwithLeigh loved this one… so go ahead and read her review because you might get a better perspective of what this is about from her. For me I found it a bit flat.
It was good but not great. I found the characters annoying, which is never a deal breaker for me but in this instance I couldn’t connect to anyone. I found Betty’s behaviour confusing - it was at times like she was in love with Stef, and to be honest I think I would have preferred that - because her stalker behaviour would have made more sense… Not to spoil it but I was left not really understanding her obsession.
Maybe in this instance this one just missed the mark for me, maybe I was too tired to pick up on the nuances or maybe I just wasn’t that into it… but without a doubt the writing was excellent. It did keep me engaged even though I don’t really know why cause I wasn’t loving the story itself it felt kind of repetitive but I still kept going … and I think it was the way the author wrote it all out.
And I hate to be a downer but I found the ending to be lacklustre, I did kind of guess what might be happening but I was also not that into it as well… maybe I am a sicko and prefer something more twisted … but I did find the Betty connection interesting…
Overall, I am not going to not recommend this to anyone but I don’t know who will love it… just be warned the synopsis and my version did not match… so perhaps read a few reviews. Read Leigh’s review not only is she entertaining she really loved this so check it out. For me it was a middle of the road.
Well I don’t know if its GoodReads, or my Kindle version of this one, but the synopsis is completely different to what I got. There are shades of what may have happened in the synopsis but no paramedics came to Billy’s house in my version… He also didn’t follow his wife in my version… so I dunno. I was expecting one thing and got another.
Not that what I got was bad… it was just weird and not in the way I like it to be weird. My very good IRL friend LitwithLeigh loved this one… so go ahead and read her review because you might get a better perspective of what this is about from her. For me I found it a bit flat.
It was good but not great. I found the characters annoying, which is never a deal breaker for me but in this instance I couldn’t connect to anyone. I found Betty’s behaviour confusing - it was at times like she was in love with Stef, and to be honest I think I would have preferred that - because her stalker behaviour would have made more sense… Not to spoil it but I was left not really understanding her obsession.
Maybe in this instance this one just missed the mark for me, maybe I was too tired to pick up on the nuances or maybe I just wasn’t that into it… but without a doubt the writing was excellent. It did keep me engaged even though I don’t really know why cause I wasn’t loving the story itself it felt kind of repetitive but I still kept going … and I think it was the way the author wrote it all out.
And I hate to be a downer but I found the ending to be lacklustre, I did kind of guess what might be happening but I was also not that into it as well… maybe I am a sicko and prefer something more twisted … but I did find the Betty connection interesting…
Overall, I am not going to not recommend this to anyone but I don’t know who will love it… just be warned the synopsis and my version did not match… so perhaps read a few reviews. Read Leigh’s review not only is she entertaining she really loved this so check it out. For me it was a middle of the road.
November 16, 2021
A beautifully sharp novel from Emma Christie that asks what lengths you will go to for love - what lies you will spin, what betrayals you will make. I was utterly immersed in this clever, twisting, novel. And, after this, and Silent Daughter, I can safely say that there is no twist like an Emma Christie twist!!
April 14, 2022
Thank you Jonathan Ball Publishers for this review copy!
This book was not what I was expecting…. It was so much better. The final twist is unusual and truly exceptional. This book explores the moral question of someone choosing to die and if it is ever okay to stand back and allow someone to make that choice. The paramedics in this story are faced with people who do not want to be saved.
This was my first time reading an Emma Christie book and I found myself completely engrossed very quickly after opening the first page. She draws you into the lives of her characters and leaves you unsure of who to trust. Your head spins with confusion as you flick the pages as the various characters share their thoughts. You are left forming judgements that eventually get blown away completely, proving your every instinct incorrect. I do not know when last an author delivered such a hugely surprising twist at the end of a story. This one packs a punch I loved it.
Stef Campbell is missing. Yet Andy Campbell claims she has gone to a remote art retreat to paint in peace. Betty Stevenson, who is Step and Andy’s cleaner is suspicious after she finds Stef’s phone still at home. Something does not fit. When the police find Stef’s photo ID in a suspected killer's flat, they too start asking questions. Even Stef’s sister Alyson is acting a little peculiar. Andy has a secret, one he cannot reveal, especially not to the police. Who will find Stef first and they find her dead or alive?
I raced through this book in two sittings. I could not drag myself away. This was a gripping, completely engrossing read that I simply could not get enough of. I loved the intrigue and the uncertainty of this story. Only when you reach the end of this book do you see the whole picture. I absolutely loved it.
The characters in this book were brilliant. You are never sure who you can trust. Everyone has an opinion and they are all different. Andy appears to love his wife, but something about his behaviour and his lack of concern about her disappearance leaves you wondering. Betty is a little off and is carrying a lot of baggage herself. She had a troubled childhood and she comes across as a little paranoid, she is a little off, and at the same time, she obviously adores Stef. As for Stef, her behaviour does not add up. From the start, you know something is wrong. She is carrying a burden, yet you are never sure what that is. She adores her husband, and still choices to walk away from him, why?
This book had me up late, and then reading all day – a wet Saturday was the perfect excuse for snuggling up with this book. I loved this book. It was original and clever and the author delivered an exceptionally unusual twist at the end. I never suspected what coming, but after finishing the book I realised all the hints were there. This is a brilliant read that I cannot recommend highly enough.
If you are looking for a book that will knock your socks off with a truly unique twist at the end, then this is the one for you. I recommend this book for an all-night read. It’s simply brilliant.
https://featzreviews.com
This book was not what I was expecting…. It was so much better. The final twist is unusual and truly exceptional. This book explores the moral question of someone choosing to die and if it is ever okay to stand back and allow someone to make that choice. The paramedics in this story are faced with people who do not want to be saved.
This was my first time reading an Emma Christie book and I found myself completely engrossed very quickly after opening the first page. She draws you into the lives of her characters and leaves you unsure of who to trust. Your head spins with confusion as you flick the pages as the various characters share their thoughts. You are left forming judgements that eventually get blown away completely, proving your every instinct incorrect. I do not know when last an author delivered such a hugely surprising twist at the end of a story. This one packs a punch I loved it.
Stef Campbell is missing. Yet Andy Campbell claims she has gone to a remote art retreat to paint in peace. Betty Stevenson, who is Step and Andy’s cleaner is suspicious after she finds Stef’s phone still at home. Something does not fit. When the police find Stef’s photo ID in a suspected killer's flat, they too start asking questions. Even Stef’s sister Alyson is acting a little peculiar. Andy has a secret, one he cannot reveal, especially not to the police. Who will find Stef first and they find her dead or alive?
I raced through this book in two sittings. I could not drag myself away. This was a gripping, completely engrossing read that I simply could not get enough of. I loved the intrigue and the uncertainty of this story. Only when you reach the end of this book do you see the whole picture. I absolutely loved it.
The characters in this book were brilliant. You are never sure who you can trust. Everyone has an opinion and they are all different. Andy appears to love his wife, but something about his behaviour and his lack of concern about her disappearance leaves you wondering. Betty is a little off and is carrying a lot of baggage herself. She had a troubled childhood and she comes across as a little paranoid, she is a little off, and at the same time, she obviously adores Stef. As for Stef, her behaviour does not add up. From the start, you know something is wrong. She is carrying a burden, yet you are never sure what that is. She adores her husband, and still choices to walk away from him, why?
This book had me up late, and then reading all day – a wet Saturday was the perfect excuse for snuggling up with this book. I loved this book. It was original and clever and the author delivered an exceptionally unusual twist at the end. I never suspected what coming, but after finishing the book I realised all the hints were there. This is a brilliant read that I cannot recommend highly enough.
If you are looking for a book that will knock your socks off with a truly unique twist at the end, then this is the one for you. I recommend this book for an all-night read. It’s simply brilliant.
https://featzreviews.com
February 26, 2022
An addictive read full of twist and turns that kept me on my toes for the majority of the time!
February 12, 2022
I couldn't put this book down! With all its clever twists and turns it had me guessing right to the end. An unusual concept, intriguing and emotional. An exceptionally good read.
March 17, 2022
Great quick read that kept me guessing. There isn’t much I can say about the plot line without giving any spoilers away , the story surrounds Andy and stef Campbell who are both paramedics and stef is missing, but from the beginning we learn that it seems Andy and also stefs sister Alyson are aware of her whereabouts , when the police start asking questions it opens up more cans of worms for Andy and Alyson
September 23, 2023
I met English author Emma Christie at the Theakston Crime Writing Festival in July. I attended an author dinner and was placed at her table. She was a delightful host and we were all given a copy of her novel, Find Her First.
It's an interesting read as there's something very obvious being kept from readers. Our narrator is paramedic Andy Campbell and from the opening pages his behaviour in relation to his wife's whereabouts is certainly suspicious. The Campbell's cleaner (Betty) who seems to feel a connection to Stef is worried... to the extent she starts trying to track her down herself.
Things get complicated for Andy when Stef's work identification card is found at the house of a convicted killer and the police get involved.
I must admit I struggled with this book for most of the first half as it just didn't grab me and it became quite convoluted.
I had no connection to Stef, Betty seemed weirdly invested given that she's only worked for the pair for a short period and Andy's responses to questioning are feeble and it's evident he's lying. His lies would normally point to his guilt but there's a sense there's more.
And there is. I ploughed through this as I read some positive reviews, and it did ultimately offer something of substance though I'm not sure all readers will hang-in for the payoff.
It's an interesting read as there's something very obvious being kept from readers. Our narrator is paramedic Andy Campbell and from the opening pages his behaviour in relation to his wife's whereabouts is certainly suspicious. The Campbell's cleaner (Betty) who seems to feel a connection to Stef is worried... to the extent she starts trying to track her down herself.
Things get complicated for Andy when Stef's work identification card is found at the house of a convicted killer and the police get involved.
I must admit I struggled with this book for most of the first half as it just didn't grab me and it became quite convoluted.
I had no connection to Stef, Betty seemed weirdly invested given that she's only worked for the pair for a short period and Andy's responses to questioning are feeble and it's evident he's lying. His lies would normally point to his guilt but there's a sense there's more.
And there is. I ploughed through this as I read some positive reviews, and it did ultimately offer something of substance though I'm not sure all readers will hang-in for the payoff.
April 20, 2022
A rather enjoyable book filled with clever twists and kept me quite engaged.
June 26, 2024
A good easy read which did keep me guessing. I enjoyed this one, it had a few twists and turns along the way but I did feel the characters were a bit one dimensional so 3🌟from me.
January 31, 2022
Absorbing and unguessable thriller that packs an emotional punch!
Emma Christie earned herself a reputation for producing a brilliant twist in her debut novel The Silent Daughter, so let’s start by saying that Find Her First cements it! This is a brilliantly plotted mystery that is truly impossible to guess. Christie takes readers on a journey that meanders round bends and turns like a mountain stream that Stef would most likely enjoy painting. It’s a rollercoaster of suspicion, tension and raw emotion. Despite the having an inkling from the synopsis and taglines that not all is as it seems, I still started this novel thinking that it was setting off in a certain direction. What transpires is a brilliantly crafted mystery that is bolstered by exceptional character development and well honed misdirection. Whilst a thriller about a missing wife may be a familiar trope in the genre, what sets Find Her First apart from the usual fare is how this story is ultimately one of love, sacrifice and putting others first. It builds to a totally unexpected, gut-wrenching conclusion that wraps up the story in a powerful and affecting way.
I really enjoyed the style of the novel, which shifts between timeframes and gradually reveals the secrets that lie behind the lives of the central characters. The flashback sequences give us a glimpse into Andy and Stef’s relationship and really helps to build suspicion. I spent a lot of time wondering just what had happened to Stef and whether it was at the hands of Andy. The flashback scenes paint juxtaposing pictures of a fractured and happy marriage, so I was constantly trying to predict exactly what the nature of their relationship was. It was clear that Andy had done something he needed to hide and that Stef was definitely not where he proclaimed her to be, but despite his seeming guilt, I liked him as a character and spent the entirety of the novel hoping to discover that he hadn’t done anything awful to his wife. As the story progresses it’s clear that there is a lot of love between them, but I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to find out if this had somehow turned disastrously sour. As I’ve said, the truth of their story did not factor into one of my 300,000 plot predictions! Christie also introduces a variety of supporting characters into the mix and expertly shrouds each of them in suspicion, which really keeps the reader guessing. However, Betty (Stef and Andy’s cleaner) is such a unique and intriguing one that I had to mention her. Her interest in Stef borders on obsessive and there were a few times I wondered if she was not quite who we thought she was (is she really a quirky, but harmless old lady??), but her devotion to discovering what has happened to Stef really powers the narrative along and provides some excellent tension. She is a fascinating character and I really enjoyed watching the layers of this mystery fall away through both Betty and Andy’s actions.
Find Her First is a chuffin’ brilliant book that will stay with me and thriller fans should get out there and find it now!
Emma Christie earned herself a reputation for producing a brilliant twist in her debut novel The Silent Daughter, so let’s start by saying that Find Her First cements it! This is a brilliantly plotted mystery that is truly impossible to guess. Christie takes readers on a journey that meanders round bends and turns like a mountain stream that Stef would most likely enjoy painting. It’s a rollercoaster of suspicion, tension and raw emotion. Despite the having an inkling from the synopsis and taglines that not all is as it seems, I still started this novel thinking that it was setting off in a certain direction. What transpires is a brilliantly crafted mystery that is bolstered by exceptional character development and well honed misdirection. Whilst a thriller about a missing wife may be a familiar trope in the genre, what sets Find Her First apart from the usual fare is how this story is ultimately one of love, sacrifice and putting others first. It builds to a totally unexpected, gut-wrenching conclusion that wraps up the story in a powerful and affecting way.
I really enjoyed the style of the novel, which shifts between timeframes and gradually reveals the secrets that lie behind the lives of the central characters. The flashback sequences give us a glimpse into Andy and Stef’s relationship and really helps to build suspicion. I spent a lot of time wondering just what had happened to Stef and whether it was at the hands of Andy. The flashback scenes paint juxtaposing pictures of a fractured and happy marriage, so I was constantly trying to predict exactly what the nature of their relationship was. It was clear that Andy had done something he needed to hide and that Stef was definitely not where he proclaimed her to be, but despite his seeming guilt, I liked him as a character and spent the entirety of the novel hoping to discover that he hadn’t done anything awful to his wife. As the story progresses it’s clear that there is a lot of love between them, but I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to find out if this had somehow turned disastrously sour. As I’ve said, the truth of their story did not factor into one of my 300,000 plot predictions! Christie also introduces a variety of supporting characters into the mix and expertly shrouds each of them in suspicion, which really keeps the reader guessing. However, Betty (Stef and Andy’s cleaner) is such a unique and intriguing one that I had to mention her. Her interest in Stef borders on obsessive and there were a few times I wondered if she was not quite who we thought she was (is she really a quirky, but harmless old lady??), but her devotion to discovering what has happened to Stef really powers the narrative along and provides some excellent tension. She is a fascinating character and I really enjoyed watching the layers of this mystery fall away through both Betty and Andy’s actions.
Find Her First is a chuffin’ brilliant book that will stay with me and thriller fans should get out there and find it now!
February 3, 2024
4 - Really enjoyed the writing throughout this book! It was so detailed, and the writer really knew when to pick up the pace and slow it down again. I kept changing my theories so many times whilst reading due to the many twists within the book.
The ending REALLY surprised me, and I think at first I was a little disappointed, but it was good to be finally able to piece all of the story together. Also, after some thought, I think the ending was just right for everything that was happening, and the way it was explained in the end was amazing.
The ending REALLY surprised me, and I think at first I was a little disappointed, but it was good to be finally able to piece all of the story together. Also, after some thought, I think the ending was just right for everything that was happening, and the way it was explained in the end was amazing.
April 16, 2022
Quite slow to start and definitely a surprise ending… I would say the start did put me off but preserver the ending is great!!
December 2, 2023
2.5 stars
Meh. Writing was good but otherwise not for me I'm afraid.
Meh. Writing was good but otherwise not for me I'm afraid.
January 31, 2024
Loved this read even although 2nd time round . Worth a read
January 20, 2022
I’ve recently finished reading #FindHerFirst by @theemmachristie and it is absolutely brilliant!
A dark, unsettling, psychological suspense story that is incredibly intriguing, moving and powerful - I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommended.
A dark, unsettling, psychological suspense story that is incredibly intriguing, moving and powerful - I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommended.
January 26, 2024
So disappointing
January 12, 2022
Find Her First isn’t your typical thriller by any means! Without giving away any spoilers, this story is absolutely heartbreaking, completely not expected and I was addicted to reading it! I was gripped from the first page!
I love it when a Prologue really captures your imagination and makes you think you know what’s going to happen - however, in this case, you couldn’t be further from the truth!
I really thought I had it all sussed, but the twist of the ending shocked me to my core!
Emma Christie handled what is a really sensitive subject in such a fantastic manner - this is definitely going to be one of my top reads!
I love it when a Prologue really captures your imagination and makes you think you know what’s going to happen - however, in this case, you couldn’t be further from the truth!
I really thought I had it all sussed, but the twist of the ending shocked me to my core!
Emma Christie handled what is a really sensitive subject in such a fantastic manner - this is definitely going to be one of my top reads!
December 28, 2023
I liked the setting of the story and the twist at the end. But the amount of spelling errors in this book was shocking!
January 18, 2022
After her celebrated debut, The Silent Daughter, Scottish-born Christie cements her reputation as the toast of Tartan Noir with another sharp thriller.
Set in Portobello, Find Her First centres around paramedic Andy Campbell who has a secret he can't tell anyone, not least the police. But when his missing wife's image is found at a suspected killers home, detectives start asking questions, and they're not the only ones.
As a thriller writer, it must be difficult to come up with a unique premise. A missing wife is not rare in the genre. However, through exceptional writing, Christie accomplishes that with ease. Characters such as Betty, the Campbell’s cleaner, captivate the reader. A setting that centres around the familiar promenade of Portobello beach evokes a sense of unease. Threads of deception, intelligently woven and at times heart-breaking, puzzle the reader in a delicious manner.
Fast-paced, and taut with tension, yet uncompromising on depth of character, Find Her First is an engrossing and poignant race against time. A testimony to how love can both heal and destroy you at the same time.
A guilty husband. A missing wife. But it’s not what you think.
Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Adele Parks.
Set in Portobello, Find Her First centres around paramedic Andy Campbell who has a secret he can't tell anyone, not least the police. But when his missing wife's image is found at a suspected killers home, detectives start asking questions, and they're not the only ones.
As a thriller writer, it must be difficult to come up with a unique premise. A missing wife is not rare in the genre. However, through exceptional writing, Christie accomplishes that with ease. Characters such as Betty, the Campbell’s cleaner, captivate the reader. A setting that centres around the familiar promenade of Portobello beach evokes a sense of unease. Threads of deception, intelligently woven and at times heart-breaking, puzzle the reader in a delicious manner.
Fast-paced, and taut with tension, yet uncompromising on depth of character, Find Her First is an engrossing and poignant race against time. A testimony to how love can both heal and destroy you at the same time.
A guilty husband. A missing wife. But it’s not what you think.
Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Adele Parks.
October 21, 2024
The story was interesting and kept me guessing and wondering. The characters were not that deep; the novel is a page-turner, rather than much more, although the ending and ultimate premise does lead to some analysis and serious thought.
People who do not know any of the Scots language or Scottish slang will, a few times, reach for their English dictionary, and then of course, not find the word there--"Weans" being one example, and of course there's the use of the slang for cigarette.
By the way, there are a lot of smokers in the story--do people still do that?
People who do not know any of the Scots language or Scottish slang will, a few times, reach for their English dictionary, and then of course, not find the word there--"Weans" being one example, and of course there's the use of the slang for cigarette.
By the way, there are a lot of smokers in the story--do people still do that?
November 5, 2022
This started of brilliantly and one character, Betty, really intrigued me, she was brilliant. The others, not so much, I didn`t really care about them. The ending was very good, great plot twist, I had worked out what was going on quite early on all though I didn`t anticipate one revelation which was refreshing. So great start and good ending but the bulk of the story dragged on and I found myself needing it to be over. I liked it, didn`t love it 3/5 stars
August 16, 2024
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 3/5
It thought it was ok, the ending was not quite my taste. I found myself skimming through large parts in the middle, because the storytelling lagged a bit here and there. The characters were not developed enough in my opinion and the love between Andy and his wife didn’t feel very deep and it felt forced in the end.
It thought it was ok, the ending was not quite my taste. I found myself skimming through large parts in the middle, because the storytelling lagged a bit here and there. The characters were not developed enough in my opinion and the love between Andy and his wife didn’t feel very deep and it felt forced in the end.
October 29, 2024
I picked this up from Indigo for $6. The cover and blurb on the back make it sound so gripping. While this was a fast, under 24 hr read, it didn’t deliver on the suspense for me.
I didn’t see the big revelation coming but also wasn’t that shocked either.
It just missed the mark for me to be a GOOD read but wasn’t bad by any means.
I didn’t see the big revelation coming but also wasn’t that shocked either.
It just missed the mark for me to be a GOOD read but wasn’t bad by any means.
February 22, 2022
This is a novel which takes the archetypal psychological thriller, flips it over and re-writes in a way that will pull your heart out by the final page and leave you sobbing.
That might just be me, the crying part, but honestly I felt played the entire time and I was not even mad, so caught up was in in just what had happened, and the reasons why.
Betty is a woman who cleans for the principle characters, Andy and Stef, a woman who is barely registering on anyone's radar, and yet, becomes the fulcrum of the plot in this whoddunit, which leans into becoming a 'whydunnit' then a 'omgdidthatactuallyjusthappen' .
She leaves pennies everywhere she goes, collecting them carefully and leaving them precisely where she means to, to maximise the fortune giving potential of the humble penny. It is one remainder of a fractured childhood, marked with sadness and neglect-find a penny, pick it up and all the day you'll have good luck-and shows just what a humble and wonderful person Betty is that in spite or where she came from, where she is going is to create good things through her actions, whether it is leaving Andy and Stef's home spotless, or trying to solve the mystery of where Stef has disappeared to. She has almost adopted this couple who live a quiet life, Stef currently off work as a paramedic and rediscovering her arty side , and Andy, running into the situations which so many others would run away from in his job on the same team as Stef.
His childhood has informed his career choice, his quite normal child actions during a moment when he was left in charge of his baby sister, which were not his fault, has led him to do his utmost to save the lives of others. There are some fantastic descriptive passages where his emotional and neurological reactions to hearing sirens really give you a clear insight into his mind, and why and how he does the job that he loves.
His wife, Stef, has gone somewhere, we the readers are not sure where, but the sinister undertones of his conversations with sister in law, Alison, lead us to believe that foul play has occurred.
But whilst Andy and Betty are completely on the edge of their nerves, and you are anxious to find out what has happened to Stef, a complete curveball is thrown when a detective knocks on the door, asking to speak to Stef. Her i.d card has been found in a most unexpected place and now that the police have reasons to be concerned for her welfare, the clock is ticking over who will find Stef first.
The place it is set in, Edinburgh, has a plot line all of its own as does the moral versus ethical nature of saving the life of someone who does not want saving-being there at a crucial point between life and death, taking action or not, has consequences which can be as unforeseen as picking up a random penny.
The book can be read and enjoyed on so many levels, it is unbearably tense as your perspectives whiplash depending on who is narrating which chapter, this is a outrageous mashing of the reader's emotions and I couldn't have loved it more. I LOVE being wrong footed, gasping out loud, and being so wrought by the conclusion of a book that I wander the house , speechless. This is not to say I waft around from wing to wing, we live in a very small social housing home, so it is the equivalent of sitting on the stairs just saying 'Why?' an awful lot. It gives you the best kind of book hangover where you need a day before picking up another book and it honestly caught me out so many times, I just loved it. Highly, highly recommended!
That might just be me, the crying part, but honestly I felt played the entire time and I was not even mad, so caught up was in in just what had happened, and the reasons why.
Betty is a woman who cleans for the principle characters, Andy and Stef, a woman who is barely registering on anyone's radar, and yet, becomes the fulcrum of the plot in this whoddunit, which leans into becoming a 'whydunnit' then a 'omgdidthatactuallyjusthappen' .
She leaves pennies everywhere she goes, collecting them carefully and leaving them precisely where she means to, to maximise the fortune giving potential of the humble penny. It is one remainder of a fractured childhood, marked with sadness and neglect-find a penny, pick it up and all the day you'll have good luck-and shows just what a humble and wonderful person Betty is that in spite or where she came from, where she is going is to create good things through her actions, whether it is leaving Andy and Stef's home spotless, or trying to solve the mystery of where Stef has disappeared to. She has almost adopted this couple who live a quiet life, Stef currently off work as a paramedic and rediscovering her arty side , and Andy, running into the situations which so many others would run away from in his job on the same team as Stef.
His childhood has informed his career choice, his quite normal child actions during a moment when he was left in charge of his baby sister, which were not his fault, has led him to do his utmost to save the lives of others. There are some fantastic descriptive passages where his emotional and neurological reactions to hearing sirens really give you a clear insight into his mind, and why and how he does the job that he loves.
His wife, Stef, has gone somewhere, we the readers are not sure where, but the sinister undertones of his conversations with sister in law, Alison, lead us to believe that foul play has occurred.
But whilst Andy and Betty are completely on the edge of their nerves, and you are anxious to find out what has happened to Stef, a complete curveball is thrown when a detective knocks on the door, asking to speak to Stef. Her i.d card has been found in a most unexpected place and now that the police have reasons to be concerned for her welfare, the clock is ticking over who will find Stef first.
The place it is set in, Edinburgh, has a plot line all of its own as does the moral versus ethical nature of saving the life of someone who does not want saving-being there at a crucial point between life and death, taking action or not, has consequences which can be as unforeseen as picking up a random penny.
The book can be read and enjoyed on so many levels, it is unbearably tense as your perspectives whiplash depending on who is narrating which chapter, this is a outrageous mashing of the reader's emotions and I couldn't have loved it more. I LOVE being wrong footed, gasping out loud, and being so wrought by the conclusion of a book that I wander the house , speechless. This is not to say I waft around from wing to wing, we live in a very small social housing home, so it is the equivalent of sitting on the stairs just saying 'Why?' an awful lot. It gives you the best kind of book hangover where you need a day before picking up another book and it honestly caught me out so many times, I just loved it. Highly, highly recommended!
November 4, 2025
Odnajdź ją - Emma Christie
Dziękuję wydawnictwu Letra za możliwość przeczytania tej książki.
To moje pierwsze spotkanie z piórem autorki.
Tak między innymi rzeczami, to zainteresowało mnie jej nazwisko.
Zapewne większość czytelników dobrze je zna, bądź chociaż kojarzy. Szukałam jakichś informacji w internecie i nie znalazłam żadnych powiązań.
Powiem szczerze, że bardzo ciekawie zostało to wszystko poprowadzone. Thriller psychologiczny, który daję nam wiele do myślenia.
Można byłoby sądzić, że mamy winnego podanego już na samym początku. I tylko pokazany motyw oraz osoby, które były z jego otoczenia....
A tu Bumm... Coś co mnie zdziwiło. A jednocześnie pokazuje to ludzką determinację i chęć zrobienia tego na własnych warunkach.
Historia zwraca też uwagę na to, że nieważne co człowiek przeżył, to ma on prawo i wybór żyć po swojemu.
Ta strzykawka na zdjęciu idealnie odzwierciedla sens całej historii. Ona daję i odbiera życie. To zależy tylko od nas jak ją użyjemy.
Poznajemy kilka postaci, które były istotne w tej historii. Andy. Główny podejrzany. Stef, jego żona. Z jej strony dostajemy retrospekcje. A także Betty, która u nich sprzątała.
Czy polecam?
Oczywiście, bo ta książka już na początku sprawi, że można być wyprowadzonym na manowce.
Idealna, aby rozkładać ją na czynniki pierwsze.
Moja ocena 10/10
Cytaty z książki:
"Głównym czynnikiem była nie wiara w magię, lecz gotowość do publicznego przyznania się do niej. Niezliczone razy była świadkiem tego momentu rozterki, gdy ktoś po namyśle wybierał rozum, a nie serce, logikę zamiast szczęścia.
Przyglądanie się temu było torturą. Przynajmniej tak mówiła ludziom. Ale gdyby ktoś ją spytał, dlaczego wróciła do zwyczaju z dzieciństwa, usiłowałaby to zbagatelizować. Powiedziałaby, że w ten sposób szerzy dobro, a potem wyrecytowałaby szereg frazesów w nadziei, że pasują do tej sytuacji - Liczy się każdy dobry uczynek lub „Lepiej dawać, niż brać"."
"Klucz to zaufanie w namacalnej postaci, powiedziała.
Betty nigdy nie czuła się tak kochana. Zaczęła odkurzać boazerię, żeby ukryć łzy.
Ale klucza i tak nie wzięła.
Cofnęła się, słysząc za drzwiami kroki, szczęk zdejmowanego łańcucha, a potem zgrzyt zamka. Poczuła dreszcz ekscytacji, dokładnie tak jak wtedy, gdy kładła na ziemi pieniążek."
"Farida podniosła głowę i spojrzała Andy'emu w oczy.
Robił wszystko, co w jego mocy, żeby nie przyspieszyć oddechu, żeby opanować panikę pełznącą przez pierś w stronę kończyn, w których budziła drżenie. Nie mógł się teraz rozkojarzyć, nie mógł tego spaprać po tym wszystkim, przez co przeszli. Z wysiłkiem przybrał wyraz twarzy, który miewał w pracy - zainteresowany, ale niezaniepokojony, bez względu na to, jak okropny widok zastał, zjawiając się na miejscu zbrodni."
" - Po prostu gadaliśmy.
- A ja jestem Królewną Śnieżką.
- Miło mi poznać waszą wysokość."
" - Możesz być pewien, że gdziekolwiek ona jest, znajdziemy ją, czy tego chcesz, czy nie.
- Co to miało znaczyć?
- Dokładnie to, co powiedziałam.
- Chcę dla mojej żony wszystkiego, co najlepsze.
- ,, Najlepsze " to pojęcie względne, prawda?"
" Jej serce się zatrzymało, jego - pękło.
A wokół nich cicho trwało życie."
Dziękuję wydawnictwu Letra za możliwość przeczytania tej książki.
To moje pierwsze spotkanie z piórem autorki.
Tak między innymi rzeczami, to zainteresowało mnie jej nazwisko.
Zapewne większość czytelników dobrze je zna, bądź chociaż kojarzy. Szukałam jakichś informacji w internecie i nie znalazłam żadnych powiązań.
Powiem szczerze, że bardzo ciekawie zostało to wszystko poprowadzone. Thriller psychologiczny, który daję nam wiele do myślenia.
Można byłoby sądzić, że mamy winnego podanego już na samym początku. I tylko pokazany motyw oraz osoby, które były z jego otoczenia....
A tu Bumm... Coś co mnie zdziwiło. A jednocześnie pokazuje to ludzką determinację i chęć zrobienia tego na własnych warunkach.
Historia zwraca też uwagę na to, że nieważne co człowiek przeżył, to ma on prawo i wybór żyć po swojemu.
Ta strzykawka na zdjęciu idealnie odzwierciedla sens całej historii. Ona daję i odbiera życie. To zależy tylko od nas jak ją użyjemy.
Poznajemy kilka postaci, które były istotne w tej historii. Andy. Główny podejrzany. Stef, jego żona. Z jej strony dostajemy retrospekcje. A także Betty, która u nich sprzątała.
Czy polecam?
Oczywiście, bo ta książka już na początku sprawi, że można być wyprowadzonym na manowce.
Idealna, aby rozkładać ją na czynniki pierwsze.
Moja ocena 10/10
Cytaty z książki:
"Głównym czynnikiem była nie wiara w magię, lecz gotowość do publicznego przyznania się do niej. Niezliczone razy była świadkiem tego momentu rozterki, gdy ktoś po namyśle wybierał rozum, a nie serce, logikę zamiast szczęścia.
Przyglądanie się temu było torturą. Przynajmniej tak mówiła ludziom. Ale gdyby ktoś ją spytał, dlaczego wróciła do zwyczaju z dzieciństwa, usiłowałaby to zbagatelizować. Powiedziałaby, że w ten sposób szerzy dobro, a potem wyrecytowałaby szereg frazesów w nadziei, że pasują do tej sytuacji - Liczy się każdy dobry uczynek lub „Lepiej dawać, niż brać"."
"Klucz to zaufanie w namacalnej postaci, powiedziała.
Betty nigdy nie czuła się tak kochana. Zaczęła odkurzać boazerię, żeby ukryć łzy.
Ale klucza i tak nie wzięła.
Cofnęła się, słysząc za drzwiami kroki, szczęk zdejmowanego łańcucha, a potem zgrzyt zamka. Poczuła dreszcz ekscytacji, dokładnie tak jak wtedy, gdy kładła na ziemi pieniążek."
"Farida podniosła głowę i spojrzała Andy'emu w oczy.
Robił wszystko, co w jego mocy, żeby nie przyspieszyć oddechu, żeby opanować panikę pełznącą przez pierś w stronę kończyn, w których budziła drżenie. Nie mógł się teraz rozkojarzyć, nie mógł tego spaprać po tym wszystkim, przez co przeszli. Z wysiłkiem przybrał wyraz twarzy, który miewał w pracy - zainteresowany, ale niezaniepokojony, bez względu na to, jak okropny widok zastał, zjawiając się na miejscu zbrodni."
" - Po prostu gadaliśmy.
- A ja jestem Królewną Śnieżką.
- Miło mi poznać waszą wysokość."
" - Możesz być pewien, że gdziekolwiek ona jest, znajdziemy ją, czy tego chcesz, czy nie.
- Co to miało znaczyć?
- Dokładnie to, co powiedziałam.
- Chcę dla mojej żony wszystkiego, co najlepsze.
- ,, Najlepsze " to pojęcie względne, prawda?"
" Jej serce się zatrzymało, jego - pękło.
A wokół nich cicho trwało życie."
February 15, 2022
Former newspaper journalist Emma Christie’s second novel, Find Her First, could be called a crime thriller, which it is, or a murder mystery, which it also is. Trying to figure out what is really going on in a sea of red herrings is a big part of the enormous pleasure in reading this book.
The story takes place in Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside, where Andy Campbell and his wife Stef are dedicated hikers. Scotland’s well-described forests and cliffs and vistas are an essential backdrop to their story.
The book opens with Andy, apparently on trial for murder, awaiting the verdict. He’s an experienced paramedic, but has he taken a life? Though the contours of his crime are not yet defined, his sadness that events reached this point is clear.
You’re left waiting for the court’s judgment, which won’t come for many pages. Instead, the narrative goes back six months to the previous summer. Chapters taking Andy’s point of view alternate with those written by Betty Stevenson, the housecleaner for Andy and his wife Stef, also a paramedic, but on mandatory leave.
Fate and whether it’s possible to escape it or to take it into your own hands is a major theme of the book. Betty is fond of Stef and desperately eager for closeness with someone. She believes in luck—the luck of a shiny penny found on the street—and in fate. Being a friend to Stef, she thinks, is her fate. And now, it seems, Stef is missing.
Betty and Andy both had traumatic childhoods that shaped their current lives, with Andy determined to save people and Betty, in her own way, trying to recapture the innocence of those much younger days. A few chapters are in Stef’s point of view from a year before the trial. All these time shifts can be a mite confusing, but in the end make sense.
All three of the main characters have regrets. Fractured family relationships. A romantic indiscretion. Lies they’ve told. A series of miscarriages. Author Christie spins out a complicated, entangling web and keeps you guessing about where its strands will lead. Are their current challenges related to the past, the present, or the future?
She writes with a close-in psychological perspective, and you come to have a rather deep understanding of the principal characters. You know why they act as they do, even when another course might be objectively better. In a sense, it’s an object lesson in the perils of partial information. You have only partial information too, and not until the end do you learn what the story is really about. An excellent read.
The story takes place in Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside, where Andy Campbell and his wife Stef are dedicated hikers. Scotland’s well-described forests and cliffs and vistas are an essential backdrop to their story.
The book opens with Andy, apparently on trial for murder, awaiting the verdict. He’s an experienced paramedic, but has he taken a life? Though the contours of his crime are not yet defined, his sadness that events reached this point is clear.
You’re left waiting for the court’s judgment, which won’t come for many pages. Instead, the narrative goes back six months to the previous summer. Chapters taking Andy’s point of view alternate with those written by Betty Stevenson, the housecleaner for Andy and his wife Stef, also a paramedic, but on mandatory leave.
Fate and whether it’s possible to escape it or to take it into your own hands is a major theme of the book. Betty is fond of Stef and desperately eager for closeness with someone. She believes in luck—the luck of a shiny penny found on the street—and in fate. Being a friend to Stef, she thinks, is her fate. And now, it seems, Stef is missing.
Betty and Andy both had traumatic childhoods that shaped their current lives, with Andy determined to save people and Betty, in her own way, trying to recapture the innocence of those much younger days. A few chapters are in Stef’s point of view from a year before the trial. All these time shifts can be a mite confusing, but in the end make sense.
All three of the main characters have regrets. Fractured family relationships. A romantic indiscretion. Lies they’ve told. A series of miscarriages. Author Christie spins out a complicated, entangling web and keeps you guessing about where its strands will lead. Are their current challenges related to the past, the present, or the future?
She writes with a close-in psychological perspective, and you come to have a rather deep understanding of the principal characters. You know why they act as they do, even when another course might be objectively better. In a sense, it’s an object lesson in the perils of partial information. You have only partial information too, and not until the end do you learn what the story is really about. An excellent read.
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