I received this book for free from NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. Thanks NetGalley.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought they spoiled the whole book. We're told that the girl returns and that she is the key to solving so many murders, so what was left to read. But, for the first time in my life, my eye caught the bio of the writer (no matter how much I like a writer, I never read their bios.) I was interested in the fact that he is both a journalist and a game developer, a combination that I didn't know was possible, So I decided to give it a shot and I am glad that I did because of three things:
1- It didn't have the problem that I suffer from with mystery books which is that they are usually so boring at the start. The writer has to introduce the universe and the characters in it and bring us up to speed, therefore, I always have to endure the first few chapters. They're always boring, but necessary. However, that wasn't the case here. The book is fast paced and I was intrigued from the very first page "to be honest there were like 3 or 4 pages in the first few chapters that were boring, but that was all. and at the end we got a very good reason for these pages."

2- I couldn't guess the killer till they were revealed. With most of the mystery books that I read nowadays, I can guess the killer and their motives 40 pages in or even less. I had a pretty strong guess, but I was wrong and that's refreshing for I was excited and interested till the very last page.

3- I really liked the phone scene on Chapter 4. I made a comment about it, but I think it deserves to be mentioned here. I felt Claire's distress when the phone rang. The writer described the scene in a way that broke my heart, but at the same time, made me appreciate how strong Claire was. That what everyone thought of as her giving up was her fighting to her last breath and protecting her daughter no matter what. I was ready to feel sorry for Claire, but the writer made me respect her instead. That scene was a masterpiece.

As for the characters, aside from Claire:
I really loved Nathaniel. He takes whatever life throws at him happily and he does his best to uplift people. He was my favorite.
Robin too was taking whatever life was throwing at her. The difference between her and Nathaniel is that she was giving everything she had till she drained herself. However, she wasn't a pushover. She just cared too much and thought she had a responsibility towards those in her life. On so many occasions, I wished she would stop, but she never did. But, again the writer made us respect her and not feel sorry for her. She kept trying and standing up again and again. That was hard to read, because it was difficult seeing how much pain she was in. But, seeing her living according to her morals was empowering.
Some characters were annoying like Pete and Diana. But, the writer didn't dwell on the drama. That's something I really appreciate. The main plot was obvious and everything else was added to serve it not to distract us from it.
Pete, Evan, and Fred were insufferable. I really hated them all. It was logical that they were all friends.

I really loved this book and had good time reading it. I think I am going to be checking some other titles by the same author. This one was much fun.

My Rating: 1⭐️ disappointed and unwelcome star… what the heck was this??!!??

Kathy Stone has been missing for a year and almost everyone has all but given up. One day though she turns up scratched up, with no shoes - SURPRISE I’M BACK!!!

Kathy is traumatised and won’t talk, so her mum takes her to Robin a child psychologist who uses play therapy to get Kathy to tell he story… what she play acts terrifies Robin…

Does Kathy hold the key to a bunch of unsolved murders??

OH my GOD!!! let me start off by saying this author is an auto-request, auto-buy for me. Always… I love his books and series and I have read almost all of his back catalogue and with one exception they are all really good. WHAT HAPPENED HERE!!!! I am devastated. This was just so terrible… I didn’t think I would make it through.

First let’s start with the writing… it did not feel like Mike Omer… although I am sure it was… but this felt like a really flat, hand holdy debut novel by an author who is trying to bust into the scene. It was extra wordy, so repetitive and so much unnecessary story. I am shocked to announce that this is under 400 pages because it felt like 900 pages to me… I was dragging my ass through this one like I was under duress.

It even seem rather childish at times, and don’t get me wrong I am down with comedic relief and humour in thrillers but this was poorly crafted fart jokes and it was not thrilling in any part of this book…

Quite literally a fart joke…

The woman next in line was Tara. Who was nice. Robin liked Tara. They’d done yoga for two years. And one time they’d bonded because a woman in front of them in class had farted throughout the entire session, nearly killing them. But Robin couldn’t handle other people at the moment.

Really… I am lost for words… from an author who writes some of my fave characters… this is what we got here… fart jokes and sentences from primary school. Sorry I am being harsh but my reading experience was in tatters.

Tara strikes again…

“Um, Tara, what did you hear about —“
“Hey, Tara!” A voice from behind them. “Oh, and Robin! What’s up?”
It was Ellie, the waitress from Jimmie’s Cafe. She stood behind them, hugging a handful of items in her hands.
“Hey, Ellie!” Tara’s tone shifted, got higher. “What up, girl.”
What up, Girl? Was Tara trying to act younger for Ellie? Robin smiled at Ellie. “Hey Ellie, how are you?”
“I’m good. Um… this is so stupid … Robin, would you mind if I put my stuff in your cart for now? I thought I could manage without a cart, but it turns out I have way to many items.”

WHYYYYYYY to any of that… that was completely and utterly pointless… also What up girl!!! Also Hugging items in her hands… no shit… how else would she be holding the… JFC. No… this author did not write the Zoe Bentley series or the Abbey Mullins series that I loved so much. Please say it isn’t true.

I get it you’re thinking weeeeelllll you’re reviews aren’t all that articulate KARLY what do you know… well here’s the thing:
I am not making money off these bad boys… and I am not an author
I know what I don’t like and this is a review site so I am reviewing the heck out of this…

Don’t get me started on Robin either… she is supposed to be a trained professional… a psychologist for the young minds but she is so childish it is not funny. She has issues with her mother… which I get her mum is a real piece of work… but she knows she is walking into a hostile situation so instead of taking the calm she takes her hostile self… it doesn’t make any sense… so when she blasts into her mums house and just steals her prized Dollhouse while her mum is in the shower.. I am like really… you’re doing this. Shes so happy with herself though and while shes admiring it she thinks this to herself…

Robin’s own dollhouse seemed like a shithole next to the carved wooden Victorian mansion she’d taken from her mother.

A SHITHOLE!!!! And I swear if she talked any more about this dollhouse the whole story would have been about that.

Ok I am nearly done… in the end the killer was lame and the “twist” was annoying. We did get the annoying play by play wrap up which was as good as a Dear John letter to the reader making sure there was literally no imagination required to find out what happened.

Overall: don’t make me say it… no I do not recommend this book. BUT if you like popcorn thrillers with little substance and lifeless characters are your jam, then get stuck into this… BUT there is so much more wrong with this, than there is right that I cannot think of a single thing I liked about it. I am going to be brutal now (cause I haven’t been already) I don’t even like the cover… maybe its me… but what I do know is this was not for me.

I will still give this author another go but I don’t think I will rush into his next book with as much energy as I did with this one I will step cautiously. Fingers crossed for next time.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my brutally honest opinion. I am sorry I didn’t like this more but I gotta be honest.

If you've never read Mike Omer, picture something like Criminal Minds but in book form.
Although his work is typically from detective/FBI point of view, this one was from a child's psychologist but I promise it does not lack creativity or thrill.
Kathy, is a child who has found her way home after being held captive for over one year following her disappearance. She is mute upon her return to her home with no (physical) medical problem to say why. Kathy 's story is told nodding or shaking her head, cues from her anxiety picked up by others and by playacting during her therapy. Robin is the psychologist who listens to Kathy and takes her time showing patience by letting Kathy know she is safe.
The story if told from many POVs including Kathy, her mom, Robin, a detective (although much later in the story) and even the suspect. I promise this book will not disappoint you!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer publishing, NetGalley and Mike Omer for the chance to read this eARC! Publishing November 7th, 2023!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was written in a very amateur fashion. I could not get into the story at all because of this. The idea of the story had good promise, but it really fell through.

I anxiously downloaded this book because I have enjoyed Mike Omer's books in the past and this one did not disappoint.
Robin is a psychologist/therapist for young children suffering from Trauma. Kathy is a child who escaped from her captor and is seeing Robin for therapy. Did Kathy witness her captor committing murders?
Nathaniel is the detective trying to solve the recent murders in town and wondering if there is a connection between the victims. Robin and Nathaniel eventually meet and work together to solve the murders.
There were interesting insights into the therapy for traumatized children, lots of suspense, romance between Robin and Nathaniel, and interesting information about what Kathy witnessed and how she worked through the trauma.