Melanie Black has woken up in a strange man’s bed. It’s not necessarily an unusual occurrence, but when he completely ignores her she starts to get worried. Her concern is made even worse when the man’s wife comes into the room, and also completely ignores her. She soon comes to realise what’s going on. She’s dead. And she has woken up in the house of her murderer.

Melanie has to figure out what happened to her before she woke up in Peter Albright’s bed. And once she does she must figure out what to do next. Help the police catch Peter and bring their own justice, or take matters into her own hands and exact her own revenge?

Where She Went isn’t your typical psychological thriller. There isn’t really a whodunnit aspect, you know basically straight away that Peter is the murderer. It’s a bit more about the ‘how’ than the ‘who’. As Mel gets used to her situation she reveals more about what she remembers from the night she was murdered. There is a slight twist in the end. It’s not something that particularly shocked me, but I have heard others saying they were amazed and loved it so maybe it just wasn’t for me.

Seeing the investigation unfold through the eyes of the media was an interesting change from the normal police procedural as well. It’s different to see how the news deals with a murder, and the connections they have with the police and the information the police wants to give out. It definitely keeps you reading.

I love the concept of the book, with Mel waking up in her murderer’s house. She discovers that, even though Peter and his family can’t hear her, she can influence their thoughts and hear what they’re thinking. It does take a bit of a stretch of the imagination, but it’s an interesting way to have her communicate with the other characters.

Mel isn’t a particularly likeable character, however. As her memories unfold and we find out more about her, it becomes apparent that she was a bit of a bitch. She’s what I imagine Regina George would grow up to be. As horrible as this probably sounds, it’s difficult to have any sympathy for the fact that she’s dead. In fact, there aren't any likeable characters in the book. Peter is obviously an insecure, misogynistic murderer, not much to like there. Peter’s wife Eve is the only one who isn’t a terrible person, but even still she’s not especially engaging. I think the reader is supposed to feel for her as the abused wife, but she does nothing to help herself and just comes across as a little bit whiny and pathetic. But unlikeable characters don't necessarily mean an unlikeable book.

Where She Went is an unusual take on a typical story, and is worth a read. The ending is satisfying without being too shocking or uncomfortable. If you’re a fan of something a bit psychological then you’ll more than likely enjoy this.

A very cleverly written book, an addictive story which I devoured in one sitting.

I loved the description for Where She Went - there are plenty of books where a victim's last days need to be pieced together before justice can be realised but it's rare to have the victim doing the work. They are dead after all... When Melanie wakes up in a strange bed, next to a strange man she doesn't understand the awful truth at first. It's only when she realises that nobody can see her that she begins to recall the events that would eventually lead to her death.
Where She Went is written in the first person. In some books this doesn't always quite work, you could swap the pronouns to make it a third person without drastically altering the feel of the book. Not so with this one, B.E. Johnson lets Melanie tell her story. It's colloquial, jumbled, personal and, considering it's a story about a ghost, completely believable.
Melanie is an odd character. Truth be told, I didn't actually like her very much. In life and in death she's manipulative, judgemental and selfish. Throughout the book I had conflicting emotions towards her, from the initial empathy towards a character suddenly discovering she has woken up a murder victim, through to distaste, downright anger, pity, sympathy and fear - she is actually quite sinister at times. However, despite being a character I don't think I'd want as a friend, I was still rooting for her, partly because it was so refreshing having a fully three dimensional victim - flaws and all - but also because Peter, the man she woke up next to, is a truly vile character. For all Melanie's faults I really wanted her to ensure Peter got his comeuppance. He is a narcissistic misogynist and control freak but as we learn about his past I did feel a little sympathy towards him. His wife, Eve is the most likeable adult in the book (they have a little boy, Adam who is adorable although the influence of his father is already disturbing at times). Melanie despises what she sees as weakness but as the book progresses we learn Eve has dark secrets of her own.
As we finally learn the full truth about Melanie's death I was gripped by the twists and turns. Obviously I'm not going to give anything away suffice to say I was genuinely surprised to discover what actually happened. The book cleverly finishes with an ending that is really quite chilling. If you're looking for a thriller that's a bit different Where She Went could be just what you're looking for.
Many thanks to the publishers for my copy, received through Netgalley in return for my unbiased review.

Excellent book. Great main characters and plot. I would recommend this book.

TV journalist Melanie Black wakes up one morning next to a man she doesn't recognise. It's not the first time - but he ignores her even though she's in his bed. Yet when his wife walks in with a cup of tea he greets her with a smile and to her horror, Melanie comes to realise that no one can see or her hear her - because she is dead.

I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly as I found it an easy and compelling read. At first, it reminded me a bit of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold in that the main character has been murdered and is the narrator of the story, watching over friends and family left behind.

I was quickly drawn into the story and found myself eagerly wanting to find out who Melanie's murderer was and hoping she would get justice. All of the characters were cleverly crafted though not particularly likeable, even Melanie. I enjoy crime thrillers and this fitted the bill, albeit with the unusual ghostly element.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These are my own opinions. Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author.

I so enjoyed this book. From very early on I knew I was going to like it and picked it up at every spare moment I got. You know those books that are just great to read? The ones that you can read in one sitting and get absorbed in? For me, this is one of those great books. The entire concept was great!

Journalist Melanie Black wakes up next to a strange man, it's not very long that she works out that she is actually dead. Very dead. She has in fact landed in the house of her murderer and his wife and child. Just what exactly is Melanie going to do with that? Just a great plot idea and it was pulled off really well in this novel.

I loved hearing things from Melanie's perspective as she observes and listens to the activities, conversations and even thoughts of the members of the family. She gets to see things from all perspectives and it's really quite fascinating. Her murderer is a complete bastard of a man on so many levels, his long-suffering wife is a complex character and I found myself very drawn to her in the novel. The dynamics in the home has some dark elements and it really added something extra.

Melanie gets to watch the news play out on the TV about her murder, reported by people she used to work with as a Journalist. What a bizarre situation to find yourself in. This has hints of The Lovely Bones. Does Melanie seek revenge? Can she influence anybody from her place in the spirit world? You need to read to find out dead reader. What IS good, is that it's not coming across as some cheesy ghost story/haunting. It was very much like Melanie was real, there, in the flesh and that gave her character some real strength.

As the plot plays out I was eager to get to know the truth behind what actually happened to her as it's not made clear to us. It was really interesting to find out with a twist in there I was not expecting to happen. I just enjoyed this book enormously. So why not 5 stars then I hear you ask?
Well - I fluctuated on this, but came to the conclusion that the book would have had a lot more intrigue if we had not known from the start that she was living with her murderer, if that was kept as a twist and I felt the ending whilst good could have had a much bigger oomph behind it, something that really blew the reader away. Just that little bit of a darker edge, twist, turn, tale.

In saying that, as I said I loved this book a lot and would highly recommend to those looking for an interesting book that you can just get totally lost in. I feel it was well written and would love to read more from this author. I woke up early this morning just eager to finish off this book and write my review. Happy reading everyone!

I think I may have just read the most brilliant book of the year so far.....I could not put it down until I had read the very last sentence,I loved it wholeheartedly such a clever clever story unlike any I've ever read before with a very wicked twist in the end.
Can't praise it enough 5 big fat stars.

Where She Went is gripping from the get go! The reader is introduced to the main characters in a clever and fascinating way which makes the book addictive. Although some of the storyline is predictable, it's clear the author intended it to be this way,and there isn't a lack of surprises along the way. This whole idea of the main characters predicament is such a thought provoking and terrifying idea! The characters are well described and really come to life, though not necessarily likeable! Certainly an interesting and unique read.

Where She Went by B E Jones

This is a psychological thriller with a difference. Melanie Black wakes to find her somewhat crumpled self on a bed next to a man that she does not know. Things are further complicated when a woman enters the room and serves him tea without acknowledging Melanie’s presence. It slowly dawns on Melanie that neither of them can see her. Quite quickly we learn that Melanie is dead. Melanie’s memories are vague and she cannot recall the circumstances that brought her to this point – she just realises that she is a ghost.

As a TV journalist she is intrigued to watch the coverage and the police attempts to uncover what happened to her. Rather than a police procedural or an investigation by a close friend or family, the mystery of her disappearance and murder is uncovered by Melanie herself, which I found to be an interesting and perhaps unique twist. It is not often we get to know the victim’s thoughts.
I was fascinated by this book and liked Melanie even when I was somewhat concerned about her actions. In a similar vein, I was both irritated and concerned for the murder’s wife.
Well-written and definitely entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

I loved this book, I was a bit unsure at the beginning but soon found myself immersed in the characters stories. I am hoping that this may become a Melanie Black series of books. I would absolutely read more books like this and would definitely look for this author again.

A very different story with an extra dimension. A slight ,unexpected twist at the end.
Couldn't feel sympathy with any of the characters,a good tale anyway.

I'm a complete sucker for stories that are written from the perspective of characters that have been killed and are looking for justice. I just love them, always always always. And this one was no different. FANTASTIC writing and a plot that had me hooked!! Five big stars.

This is a decent psychological thriller and I enjoyed most of it.

The story is narrated by Melanie Black. Within the first few pages it emerges that she is dead. She comes to in a strange house to find that she is a "g-word" (this is rather amusingly handled). The story of how she came to die, and why she has ended up in this house with this family emerges skilfully and it's a well told tale. Melanie was a broadcast journalist when alive, which is the author's profession, too, and there are a lot of shrewd, often quite scathing comments and interludes about TV news. B.E. Jones creates pretty believable characters, I liked the Swansea setting (although we don't get all that much of it) and it's an enjoyable read.

I have to say that it got a bit silly. The character back-stories were OK for a while, but lost some credibility as more things emerged. Nonetheless, I found this a well written and pretty engaging, if disposable read and I can recommend it.

(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)

A story with a difference. The story is told by Melanie who is dead. The reader is left guessing right up to the end of the book as to what happened to her. Clues and information are given piece by piece. I liked the style of writing and the fact that Melanie was the narrator. A well written book and definitely worth reading.

Read this pretty much in one sitting this afternoon - clever, addictive tale, a crime thriller with a ghostly element - well actually a literal ghost trying to muddle her way through the afterlife and eek out some kind of revenge at the same time.

Where She Went is told entirely by Melanie, who has woken up dead, stuck by the side of the man who probably killed her and his long suffering wife. Everybody pretty much is horrible in this novel - even poor Eve, said wife, who puts up with a controlling and abusive environment. Melanie herself is not particularly sympathetic either, dead as she is, but still you kind of root for her as she discovers what she can and can't achieve.

The writing flows beautifully, I liked the way the back story revealed itself, and it is relatively creepy - Melanie whispering her thoughts into the heads of others - it actually gives you pause for thought on those random things you sometimes see out of the corner of your eye. The mystery elements are well thought out and clever but the excellent thing about this book is the character voice. Melanie is sharp and ironic, keeping you on side even as she shows her less than kind nature, I was especially fond of the little twist ending and the ability the author leaves you with to imagine what might happen next.

Overall this was beautifully different, something less usual within the crime genre, it worked on many levels and as such I have no problem recommending it.

One to watch this year.

This debut novel is written from Melanie Black's point of view. It starts with Melanie waking up in a bed next to a man who is being brought breakfast by his wife Eve. Melanie wonders why Eve isn't bothered about her laying in her bed next to her husband Peter. Is this some sort of sordid love affair? No, Melanie is in face dead!

-Melanie is a TV news reporter, who i couldn't relate to and i found her very self-centred, dark and egotistical.
- Peter Albright is a very handsome man working in accounts for the local council. He is a very controlling man who like things just so.
-Eve Albright is a stay at home mother, married to Peter and they have a son Adam. She is a very timid woman who merely exists in her day-to-day life of making sure she obeys to Peter's rules and regulations.

This book was an easy read, but it took me a little while to get into it. I related to Eve mostly and hated the way she was treated by her husband. Melanie would whisper things into Peter's ears to rile him on all the more. I really disliked Melanie from the start and that opinion never changed. Towards the end I just thought "that's the least you could do."
Melanie learnt she could get into people's heads, put ideas there, listen to their thoughts and watch their memories like short films. These were my favourite parts of the book, especially when she finally listened to and got to know Eve more.
I would recommend this book if you're looking for an easy read, although I found some of Melanie's babbling a bit boring and grazed over them rather than taking it all in. But. I think this was more due to my dislike of her.
I will be looking for any future books as i enjoyed the style of writing.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the privilege to read this early release in exchange for an honest review.

My Son and Daughter occasionally have a playful argument over the fact that you cannot wake up dead but that is exactly what happens to tv reporter Melanie Black.She wakes up one morning in the bed of a strange man,this is not exactly a rare occurrence in Melanie`s life but then something very unusual happens....he completely ignores her.Things get even stranger when his wife comes in with a cup of tea and also ignores her,that is when Melanie realises the shocking truth....she is obviously dead.

Is the man next to her her murderer and where is her body?

As Melanie begins to pierce together the last days of her life and the circumstances that lead up to her death it becomes clear that she has to decide between bringing her killer to justice or wrecking her own punishment on the man who killer her.

This very different thriller is voiced entirely by Melanie who is not exactly a very likeable character,actually most of the characters in this book are not very likeable for various reasons.I thought the idea of the lead character being a ghost or spirit was unique and clever and I enjoyed being part of Melanie`s journey as she learned to adapt to her new life and use her newly discovered abilities to her advantage.It is definitely a story that pushes the boundaries of credibility at times and it is best to just keep a open mind and not over think what you are reading.A lot of the chapters are quite long and in some of the chapters there is flashback scenes of the memories from a characters past.I found some of these flashback sections frustrating at times because I felt they interrupted the flow of the story.

The book is well written,the premise is unique,the characters are well developed and there is a completely unexpected twist towards the end of the story.I think that this book could generate some interesting discussions if it was read in a book group because of some of the issues that are raised throughout the story.

The tagline made me think this book would be like the film "Ghost". There were some similarities but there are bound to be due to the theme of the story. Superbly written by the author making me want to read it in only a couple of sittings. I was desperate to find out how Melanie had died and how it would all end. I found it quite sad at times and it was good to find a lead character who wasn't little miss perfect for a change and quite detestable at times! Great plot which the author doesn't rush but tells the story at a great pace to keep you on the edge of your seat. 5 star book