The story arc caught my eye – a mother searching for her 16 year old daughter even after 2 years of her running away from home.
Kate volunteered at the Message in a Bottle helpline center which passed on the message of the runaway to their parents, no questions asked. It was a safe place till she got a call from a girl whose voice sounded just like Sophie’s. In fact, Kate was the only one who knew it was Sophie. Then began a mother’s real journey to get her daughter back home, and nobody could stand in her way..
A fantastic book by author Emma Rowley, it kept me hooked through the morning. I just couldn’t stop reading it. I needed to know if the mother would ever find her daughter and if she was alive or dead. I craved so desperately to know what had happened to her. I was even tempted to read the ending when the suspense got the better of me. But I resisted. I think I am crazy about the missing child trope, it never gets old with me.
The author has captured a mother’s desperation beautifully in this book. She was every mother’s nightmare. Kate was shown as a broken mother who couldn’t seem to function even after 2 years. She required pills to sleep through the night. Every moment of the waking hour was spent sending requests for information about her daughter online. Everyone gave up, but she didn’t. Her need to get her daughter home was greater than her need to breathe. The cops too didn’t follow up on the clues given by Kate.
The story followed the twists, slow beginning and certain rushed parts did niggle me, but they were just minor detours in an overall thrilling story.
I was thoroughly hooked into the book to the extent I went for a walk with my kindle, it simply showed my love for it. But it was actually the book’s fault, it didn’t let go of me. I loved the book, it loved me back. It was delightfully mutual.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Kensington, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!!
All my reviews can be read here
Emma Rowley is a writer, ghostwriter and editor with a background in journalism – formerly of the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph. A graduate in Classics and English at Oxford University, she trained as a journalist on the prestigious City University course. Emma has spent considerable time in the courts and covering major crime stories. She lives in London.
MY NAME IS KATE.
I volunteer at a missing persons helpline – young people who have run away from home call me and I pass on messages to their loved ones, no questions asked.
I don’t get many phone calls, and those I do are usually short and vague, or pranks.
But today a girl named Sophie called.
I’m supposed to contact her parents to let them know their child is safe.
The problem is, Sophie isn’t safe.
AND SOPHIE IS MY DAUGHTER.
The gripping, twisty psychological thriller about a mother working at a Missing Persons helpline who receives a desperate phone call from her own daughter, who has been missing for two years.
Publication Date: 30th April 2019
Publisher: Kensington Books
31 Responses
Excellent review, Shalini!
Thank you so much ❤️ it was really a good book
Your review brought it to the sun! 🙂
Oooh! This sounds delightfully tingling and suspenseful! Your review makes me want to stop whatever I’m working on and go download the book right now! 🙂 Another awesome review, Shalini. Have a great weekend! 🙂
This was really good.. You are a wonderful mother Leslie. Happy mother’s day.. I hope your daughter hugs you the whole day
Awww! Thank you! You’re too sweet. Motherhood does have it’s moments, but mostly, it’s a true joy and I can’t imagine my life without my daughter in it (and yes, we’re back on the tramp now that spring is here). Burning off some of that winter fat. 🙂 Have a fabulous week, Shalini! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Aaw, always lovely to be loved back by a book. This sounds like such a special read, Shalini. Glad you enjoyed it so much.
A Mother’s Love is always wonderful to read. This was written well too
Ooh, this sounds like an intriguing read! I’m already super curious about whether that was her daughter who called in and if she found her in the end. I’ll be looking out for this one! Great review 🙂
Read it when you can. I enjoyed the book thoroughly ❤️
Terrific review, Shalini! It does sound quite good.
Thanks Marialyce, I didn’t expect I would love the book so much
Every parent’s nightmare! This sounds like my kind of read, Shalini- great review!
Thanks Jacquie❤️😘
You be careful reading/walking – don’t want you to fall in a hole or get run over during a thrilling scene, or gasp – drop and harm your precious Kindle 😉
Hahahaha I was I was… I kept to safe oft traveled paths so I was safe. I suddenly stand still during the thrilling scene.. Others who are walking/ jogging hate me 😂😂😂
I still need to get round to reading this book and your review has bumped it higher up my TBR pile. Glad you enjoyed it, Shalini.
Thanks Jacob. It was quite unexpected. I was not very attracted to the cover but the story was great
What the??? I only see the title and a black screen. Why?
I have no idea… I can see the complete post
Haha 😀 Sorry, sorry Shalini, I wasn’t really asking you about the problem. I was just annoyed to see it black. I think it was just the app giving me trouble. I’m on my pc now and can read your review just fine. 🙂
I love your review! And it’s starting to be your fault that my TBR is growing considerably big, just as it’s the book’s fault you have to walk with a kindle in the hand. Oh my god, how can you do that? I can’t read anything while walking, I become dizzy.
Anyway, this book truly sounds exciting and frightening.
I too can’t do that with a physical book, with kindle I increase the font and then I can read pretty well even when the focal length of the eyes changes.
Loved your review, and know too well the trauma of having a missing 16 yr old regardless the reason. This one hits too close to home for me.
Yikes…. Oh I didn’t know. Sorry. Kids do stupid stuff. I think when they become parents, they would understand
Great review as usual, Shalini! I love a good slow burning thriller.
Thank you Christopher… I liked this a lot… I didn’t think I would like it from the cover bit it surprised me completely
Ooooooo this sounds so freaking good!!!
This was so unexpected.. ❤️
Beautiful review! I love your reviews..
Thank you so much ❤️