I'm Going to Find You

by J.D. Pullan

What would you do if you were suddenly reminded of something you witnessed as a young child, but had only just realised the terrible significance of what you saw?

When Cerys Morgan, a beautiful young student, vanished from a crowded beach in Cornwall while camping with friends during the heatwave summer of 1976 it triggered the largest police operation of its kind at the time. Hundreds of locals joined the search and it made the headlines for weeks, but no trace of her was ever found.

Thirty-four years later Emily Harrison is suddenly reminded of something she witnessed as a young child, and only then realises the terrible significance of what she saw. Horrified she tells the police everything she can remember. The trouble is, even her own parents didn’t believe her at the time, so who will believe her now?

Haunted by her memories Emily becomes obsessed and, as the heartbreaking story of Cerys unfolds, she soon realises only she knows the answer. Even when she receives sinister threats - and her contented life rapidly disintegrates around her - she will stop at nothing to find the truth and get closure for Cerys’ elderly parents.

What really did happen on her sixth birthday?

368 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

J D Pullan, after a career in finance and HR, gave up work in 2018 to concentrate on her life long love of books and creative writing. She grew up in Devon and now lives in Monmouthshire with her husband and their two lassie collies.

I’M GOING TO FIND YOU was published in 2021 and had great success in New Zealand, Canada and Australia as well as the U.K.

Her second book, I KNOW YOU WERE THERE, is “tense, utterly compelling and believable” and “perfect for fans of Gillian McAllister, Claire Douglas and C.L.Taylor”.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

JD Pullan has constructed a very neat thriller about a six year old girl called Emily Harrison who witnesses something while on holiday in Cornwall in 1976. It is only years later, in 2010, that Emily realises she may have seen something far more important than she first realised.
Pullan handles the dual timelines very well & this story of a teenager's disappearance is incredibly believeable. The characters are varied & interesting & it reeks of authenticity. If that wasn't enough it also has a superb closing paragraph. What more could you ask for ?

[Iain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic mystery set across 30 years - a disappearance in the 1970s and a woman determined to solve the crime in 2010. Plenty of nostalgia and teenage year memories and family holidays, mixed with a genuinely gripping puzzle that keeps the reader guessing until the end, and a few thrills along the way. Recommended, and a sequel on the way to look forward to as well.

[Guy Bowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel. The switches between the present and the evocatively imagined 70’s holiday setting in Cornwall bring real tension to the story as it unfolds. The characters and their interlinked stories over the years are imaginatively handled, and I found myself caring about what happened to them. It’s a “who done it” where the outcome is a genuine surprise and with a clever storyline that, although resolved, leaves you wanting more. It’s a proper page-turner, and I found I had to ration myself otherwise I would have read it in a single sitting. Bring on the sequel!

[Sarah Bowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as it fairly rattled along, a real page-turner. The descriptions of Cornwall and the coast were so evocative I could almost taste the sea… The way the book runs the past and present stories is really clever, and the 1976 details brought back so many memories. The suspense is heightened as the book gathers pace and no, I didn’t guess who did it. A brilliant first book by this new author, I can’t wait for the next one!

[Lindsey Coode · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping tale with lots of twists and turns that keeps you guessing until the very end. I'm going to find you is a hugely enjoyable read about the disappearance of a teenage girl whilst on holiday in Cornwall. It is told from the perspective of the 6 year old who is the last person to see her but only realises it when the case is reopened decades later. A great debut novel, highly recommended!

[Laura- Jade Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding debut. The book switches between the 1976 heatwave in the UK to 34 years later throughout the story, which is done clearly and I loved how well the difference in the times was portrayed.

Emily is likeable, but flawed and you feel like you are with her on a downward spiral of lies and deceit.

Even if her actions are often questionable, she is committed to helping solve the mystery that she is so intrinsically linked with; I was routing for her throughout.

Pullan uses beautiful, vivid imagery throughout the book. This especially stands out in her descriptions of the physical locations, such as the beach and surrounding area.

I am honoured to have been gifted this arc read

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great mystery read. Dual timelines 1976 and 2010. Sometimes when books have different timelines it can be confusing but this really wasn’t. It was easy to follow and gave the reader an insight to what happened in 1976 while the main character, Emily, is trying to figure out the same, in 2010.

I did question some of Emily’s actions but I could kind of see why she made those choices to become her own detective.

I really liked how descriptive the book was, giving the reader a complete visual of the scenes and locations. Short chapters too which is a bonus as I find a long chapter can sometimes steer a reader away from the story.

Great debut from the author!

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

J D. Pullan's debut novel is better than anything by the authors who have found fame in her chosen genre. She has an extraordinary talent. The labyrinthine plot shifts backwards and forwards between the heatwave of 1976 and the summer of 2010. Both eras captured with perfect precision. The characters cry out for empathy as the story gradually unfolds. There are some very cleverly placed red herrings amongst the well-drawn suspects. The Cornish setting (an area I grew up near) is evocatively brought to life, both as a place of beauty and a sinister backdrop as the tension builds. Another book from this author can't come soon enough for me.

[Sandy Gudaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve read this year ! Mystery, suspense and very relatable characters. I loved the dual time periods of 1977 and current. The author was correct in the music and fashions and that made for a fun read.
I brought my phone everywhere so I could get to the end. Now I wish it went on !
1977 Cerys and 3 friends leave for a camping trip. They are around 18 years old and meet up with local boys to party with and drink. Cerys and her friend, Vicki have a falling out over jealousy and suddenly Cerys is missing !
Emily and her sister Debbie are playing in the area as their family is also on vacation. Emily finds Cerys “as beautiful as a mermaid “ and gets a shell bracelet from her. She witnesses and argument and then Cerys has vanished from the spot.
In 2020 Emily has married and is a mother. Her husband Marcus and the children are vacationing in the same park as in 1977 and Emily remembers enough to want to solve the mystery. She doggedly does everything possible.
Thank you to NetGalley , the publisher and the author for a chance to read and review this wonderful book ! I loved it

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't get behind the writing style. There were a lot of strange comments like how 'the inevitable happened' when referring back to the husband having an affair after they'd just had a baby (come on now), lots of talk around 'unhealthy foods' and the women seemed to constantly 'giggle'. Despite the slightly dated writing I did find the last 3/4 of the book enjoyable. 3.5 stars for me.

[Nadine Ledanois Ikin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic intrigue for J D Pullan first book. The story flicks between two time periods which keeps you very interested thoughout the book. Couldn’t put the book down as wanted to know who did it and I wasn’t disappointed! Better than most of the best sellers I bought over the last two years! Would highly recommend it!

[Nicola Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully tense thriller, full of interesting twists and turns, assured writing with really believable characters - a definite page turner. I loved the twin timeline, evoking lots of memories of that long hot 1976 summer. This is an amazing debt novel, looking forward to the next one!

[Carol Skolimowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast moving easy read, that transports you back to 1976. Great attention to detail and just enough tension.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant debut novel. With a dual timeline of 1976 and 2010 it is full of suspense right from page one, and brought alive with details about the time and place that really keep you drawn in throughout the whole story. It evokes so many memories from the heatwave summer and I found myself really caring about the characters and what really happened. It kept me guessing to the very end and I can't wait for the next one!

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm Going to Find You is about Emily who sees something when she was a child but doesn't fully understand the importance. Years later she is jarred back to the day and becomes focused on telling what she knows, This story goes from the present to past in telling the story. Emily will put everything she holds dear on the line to solve what happened that day when she was a child.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Going to Find You is a dual timeline story, dripping with tension and suspense from the very beginning. In 2010, Emily, her husband and their two small children are on vacation in beautiful Cornwall when Emily sees something that changes her life. She remembers a scene of her childhood vividly with the exception of a few details a child may not take in or realize the significance of at the time. It is so startling she cannot let go and her husband suggests she go to the police with it. That is still not enough. She becomes obsessed with searching for answers and therefore resorts to deception upon deception and poor choices.

Thirty four years ago in Cornwall, beautiful young Cerys Morgan goes camping with her three close friends. They meet several young men with who they form friendships as well as others at the campsite. Soon Cerys disappears without a trace and her friends and family are heartbroken. The case grows cold.

But someone has the answer.

Those who enjoy tense thrillers, read this nail biter. The writing is clever and smart and the characters have depth. The title could be read and understood different ways. It was so riveting and enticing I read it in one sitting, practically consumed until the end. And what an end!

My sincere thank you to Matador and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this unmissable book!

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read set largely in Cornwall and with dual timelines, 1976 and 2010. In 2010 the police are reopening a cold case about a teenager who went missing in 1976. Cerys Morgan was on holiday with 3 friends when she went missing after leaving her friends on the beach to get ice creams for them. Despite all the searching and investigations no trace of Cerys was ever found.

Briefly, in 1976 Emily was a child. It was her 6th birthday and she was on holiday with her family when she witnessed something, but her parents didn’t believe her. Thirty-four years later she is on holiday again with her own family when she hears about the case being reopened and memories of that day come flooding back. She tells the police what she saw but can’t leave it there. She wants to find out what happened to Cerys ‘the mermaid’.

I did enjoy this in that it was set in area I knew well, living in Bristol and spending most of my childhood holidays in North Cornwall. There were clues quite early on in the book that made me think I knew who the killer would be and I was right. I thought that maybe the book would benefit from a bit of editing as there was some repetition and some sections that were too wordy. The story however was a good one, and it was an enjoyable read. 3.5⭐️

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 1976 in beautiful Cornwall when young student Cerys goes missing. Emily is 6 years old on a family holiday playing hide ‘n’ seek. Three decades later, Emily now married with children of her own is on holiday back where she spent holidays as a child when she is reminded of that day, the day she was playing hide ‘n’ seek. Was she the last person to see young Cerys? Would anyone believe the memories of a 6 year old child?
Set in my favourite place to be, stunning Cornwall, (I bought the book while on holiday in Bude) a story of mystery and Emily’s determination to discover the truth. The switch between timelines worked well and I never once became confused. A great debut novel.

[Davinia Hinde · Rating 5 out of 5]

How have I not come across this book before? It is simply superb.

It's multiple POV and multiple timeline but very clearly laid out and easy to follow.

There's a sublime plot and fantastic characters. Emily doesn't always do things the right way but her quest to find out the truth was a great story and fantastic to follow along with.

I can't wait to read Justine's other book now as this one is one not to be missed. I'd highly recommend

[Rachel Axford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good debut novel. I enjoyed the dual timeline. The twists and turns in this book kept me guessing throughout and I still didn’t know who the ‘baddie’ was until it was obvious!
An enjoyable book.

[Jane Woodcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't sure to give it a 4. Did enjoy it. kept me guessing and riveted at the same time. Was a real good plot with interesting characters.