The book was freaking fantastic!! A perfect psychological thriller which captured me by my eyeballs, forcing me to never blink lest I miss something.
Pinpricks of fear and apprehension coursed through me as the writing became suspenseful. Author Georgina Cross had taken the missing child arc and spun her magic by going in directions so wild that my heart couldn’t stop thumping hard. I loved it!!
Mia was missing. She was supposed to be swimming in the pool for her practice. A fire started next door and in the hullabaloo, she disappeared. A gate behind the back shed was found open with a foot print and drag marks.
Her father Tripp and stepmother Vanessa were heartbroken. Next door neighbor too who had lost everything in the fire. Then the secrets came out. Massive ones!! Whoosh!! And I forgot the world.
My first book by this talented author, I was completely immersed in the layers of the story. Missing child is my favorite arc, and this book gripped me from the beginning to end.
The characters slowly peeled away their masks as the pages turned. And I was horrified. Omg. You have to read this book. The writing kept me at the edge of my seat, teasing me with words I knew would lead me to the eye of the storm.
This was one whopper of a story. If more authors wrote books like this, I would be in literary bliss, never coming down from my book high. This was pure caffeine.
P. S. DJ, you’ve got to read this. I can see you whiteknuckling your kindle.
Many thanks to publisher Bookouture for my spot on this Blog Tour. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!! STRICTLY HONEST AND UNBIASED.
All my reviews can be read here
It’s a normal afternoon when I walk out the patio doors of our kitchen to check on Mia, my stepdaughter, who is swimming in our backyard pool. But she’s gone. My heart stops when I see the back gate is open, her pink, fluffy towel lying folded on a chair. I was just feet away. Why didn’t I hear her scream? Who took our little girl?
My husband can’t understand how I could have let his daughter disappear. And when the police come asking questions, I wish I could wind back time to that normal afternoon when I was cooking lasagna for my family, Mia’s favorite. I can tell the officers don’t believe me: they’ve cast me as the evil stepmother.
I just wish I could understand the messages I’ve found from my husband on Mia’s phone: I’m so sorry, I still love you. And why his wedding ring is found at the bottom of the pool after Mia disappeared. He never told me it was missing. What else is he hiding?
But the detective keeps asking me where I was during those ten minutes when Mia vanished. And I can’t tell her my secret. From the way she’s looking at me, I know she thinks I did something to my stepdaughter. Mia and I haven’t always been that close and sometimes she drives me nuts, just like any normal teenager, but I would never hurt her.
I just need you to believe me.
Publication Date: September 2020
Amazon
https://geni.us/B08C5L1TVGSocial
Apple
http://ow.ly/yt5J50Arui9
Kobo
http://ow.ly/qZVq50ArugJ
http://ow.ly/iGyT50Arukh
18 Responses
Thank you so much Shalini! What a super fantastic review! And I love your descriptions too: white-knuckling the Kindle, characters slowly peeling off their masks, words leading you to a storm. Wow! You’re a fantastic writer too. Really appreciate this! I’m glad you enjoyed THE STEPDAUGHTER!
I can’t take complete credit for this review. Your book made my feelings come out as words.
Psstt….I wanted to say this book is fucking awesome. It fucks up your thriller-y mind. Could you see how I restricted myself to family specific words? 😂😂
On a serious note, thank you for this book. You are fantastic author.
I love it! You have made my day!! I wish you could use all the adjectives you wanted in your reviews because they’re fantastic. I had to cut out a bunch of curse words after my editor totaled them up and let’s just say it was A LOT. But there are a lot of emotions in THE STEPDAUGHTER too so there you go. Thank you for reading!!! I am so happy with your review!
I would have loved a few curse words… I was saying a bunch of them in my mind. At one point when the truth was being revealed, I was so restless I had to keep walking to let go of my excess adrenaline. We need such books in world crisis
Kicking myself for not signing on for this one but happy you did.
Huhh? You are not there on this? Really? I am slacking. Forgive me. I will tag you more. Call me tag’it taggard from tomorrow hahaha OK don’t call me that
you made me snort my coffee 😉
Wow…. talk about an exciting review!!!!! I love reading your reviews when you’ve enjoyed the book. It positively spills over (with or without the curse words) Lol.
They should allow me to say. “It was fucking brilliant. Now read the book because I say so.” 😂😂😂😂
Hahahahahaha
I’ve got this on Netgalley and now I know I NEED to read it asap, great review and I know can’t wait to read it. Thanks!
Families are sometimes thrilling, arent they? 😉 ” in the hullabaloo! ?? What a word creation. Thank you for the great review. Its pushing to read asap. Have a beautiful weekend, and stay save. Michael
Love it when you go on a book high…but that premise. you know i can’t do that.
No… It would be difficult for you. This is not your favorite arc
On a different topic, I was just trying out that block editor after being encouraged or freaked out by your comments. It is difficult it took me 4 hours to get the basic layout. Still have so much to learn. How are you managing
Amazing review Shalini, this book sounds like one not to miss. I love stories with secrets, but missing kids is always tough too, a good mix it sounds like.
Wow