A fantastic debut thriller

A child is whisked away from a local neighbourhood store. The family left in shambles.

Emma and Matt are overwhelmingly devastated when their daughter Grace goes missing. Emma's sister Samantha is right there to help prevent the family from shattering. But just beneath the surface there are hidden secrets and lies that threaten to be exposed as the police search for Grace to bring her home safe and sound.

Tragically, Maggie also lost a granddaughter Zoe years ago. As the news of Graces’ disappearance reaches her, she is forced to relive the pain and loss of having no resolution to Zoe’s abduction. Why is the news of this new abduction hitting her so unusually hard?

Told from multiple points of view, the layers and back-stories are deep and disturbing. At one point I actually had to put the book down to try and put all the pieces together! My heart was pounding and my head was spinning! At that moment all I could say was, Wow!

So cleverly written with shocking twists that are revealed along the way. Absolutely brilliant! Hard to believe this is a debut for this author!

I did at times drift but I found if I took a break I was back with the story!

This was one of those books that once started you really want to know what is coming next, and second guessing what is happening can't be helped. As usual I got it wrong. A very interesting read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once or twice i did find myself back tracking and forgetting who was who, but I think that's just my dumb head at the moment.
When 8 year old Grace goes missing her mother Emma has her life thrown into turmoil. Every parents worst nightmare and she has to live it.
We go through the agony of a family in limbo of not knowing what has happened to their precious little girl.
We also meet Maggie Taylor, who show's a keen interest in the disappearance of Grace as many many years ago she went through something similar with her granddaughter going missing. Could Maggie find similarities between the two cases or is it just her age and mind playing tricks on her.
I have to say for me through this book I loved Maggie and the relationship she had with her old pal Jim. It was a lovely part to a very disturbing story.
Very well written and worth reading.

I couldn't get into this. There were too many characters introduced all at once, and each chapter narrated by a different one (some with the name of the narrator, and some without) so it was really hard to keep up with who was who. I did return for a second try but gave up again. The writing style was good, the part I read at least, but I think it would benefit from being organised differently perhaps.

Review of an advance copy from the publisher.

When 8 year old Grace Harper goes missing on her way home from school, family secrets start to be unearthed. Her mum Emma and aunt Stephanie discover more about their true identities than they realized was true.

Thriller that uncovers the mystery of the disappearance of another young girl Zoe who went missing in the 1980’s and whose father never gave up hope of finding her.

I really enjoyed this book and there were plenty of twists throughout that kept me on my toes. Really gritty and well worth a read.

Grace (8 years old) has gone missing on her way home from school. The family are distraught. Secrets & lies within the family setting.
A disturbing storyline. Well written, creepy. Great characters.
I would highly recommend this book and have 'enjoyed' reading it.
My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This book drew me in from the very first chapter. I read it in about 2 days (would have been quick had work not gotten in the way) and I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Throughout the book the author had me guessing, and I thought it was going to end up being a mystery that I already knew the ending to. but she really surprised me. I love when that happens!! If you are looking for a quick read thriller that will keep you guessing and also falling in love with the characters, this is the book for you!!

Thank you to Netgalley the publishing house and most of all, the author, for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion.

This was a great book! I loved the characters, I loved the plot twists. This had it all, action, mystery, loss, grief and love.

I loved the character, Maggie, I felt for her, felt her pain and loss and grief. What starts out as an ordinary day, turns into a parent's worst nightmare, Emma and Matt's daughter Grace, who just recently started walking to and from school on her own, goes missing. Grace's aunt, Stephanie, comes to stay with her sister for moral support and the dynamics of those in the house shows how easily a family can fall apart or pull together, in such a time. The story was riveting and I must say, I was so surprised by the big plot twist, I had the book all wrong. Great mystery and great ending.

It was a great book with lots of twists and plot turns. The characters were relatable and likeable (the ones that were meant to be). I will definitely be checking out this author again.

What a fabulous thriller this is, I enjoyed every page. There are loads of twists and turns right to the end. Eight year old Grace is missing. Her mum Emma, dad Matt and Aunt Stephanie are desperately trying to find her. Thirty years ago, Five year old Zoe went missing and was never found. The story is narrated mainly by Grace's Aunt Stephanie and Zoe's grandmother Maggie. What do the two cases have in common with each other? Read on!

I am sorry. I don't often do this but I find myself unable to complete this book. I have tried on two occasions to immerse myself in this story. I also bought the audiobook, hoping to get into the story during a drive from the Midlands to the south coast. Unfortunately I had to admit defeat when I still wasn't interested in what was going to happen next.
I believe the flitting back and forth and the confusing relationships between the characters was causing me to be put off. I was a good five hours into the book and I felt no kinship with any character. When this happens, I have to stop and move on.

When a child goes missing you should always look close to home first....This is a very good debut for the author. The story centres around a missing child but also delves into her family member's pasts and the mysteries that brought them to the young girls kidnapping. The storyline does a good job at sucking you in and keeping you guessing. It wasnt a total shocker twist at the end and there were a couple of loose ends which isnt necessarily a bad thing but it was a very enjoyable read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter
Publisher: Avon Books UK

I received this book from NetGalley as well as Edelweiss Plus. As well thanks to the publisher Avon Books UK for the ebook ARC of 99 Red Balloons by the author Elisabeth Carpenter.

Two girls go missing, decades apart. When 8 year old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother, Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family is around for support. When the police hunt for Grace begins, cracks are starting to emerge. Emma’s husband and her sister are sending each other secret emails. Emma’s mother takes a while to join the search. Is Emma really as innocent as she seems?
Meanwhile, widow, Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s photograph in the newspaper. The photo shocks her from the pain and obsession with another girl, the first girl who disappeared.

I give this book a rating of 5 stars. It was an excellent read. I could not put the book down. It was well written, and many shocking twists and turns were revealed throughout the entire book. This is a debut novel for Elsiabeth Carpenter. I definitely look forward to reading more of her books. The only thing I am somewhat disappointed about was the very ending, I really would have liked to find out what happens next. So, I am hoping that there is going to be a second novel about this series.

A tense enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages.. Many thanks for the advanced reading copy!

99 Red Balloons

I’d had the song in my head that day, so when I saw a book available to request of the same name, I had to go for it!

This is a great psychological thriller that is told from multiple viewpoints. It will definitely keep you guessing...I thought I’d worked things out but was completely wrong! The cover is hauntingly beautiful as well. This book comes thoroughly recommended, 4 shiny stars from purplebookstand!

I was lucky to be provided with an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.

That twist. Took this one to a different level. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

But really, THAT TWIST!

I read a ton of psychological thrillers, so if you can stump me, I am pleasantly surprised. Bravo.

This was a page turner from the start, once we got into the nitty gritty of the story, it slowed down a bit, but do I ever love where it ended up.

3.5 stars (rounded up). Thank you Netgalley!

This book started off really strongly and hooked me instantly. Well written and very typical of the genre of psychological thrillers that is so poular at the minute, sadly my interest waned well before the end, as the plot began to unravel and, certainly for me, lacked that extra wow factor that would make it stand out above the rest.

Very fast paced and very intriguing. I enjoyed how it kept me hooked and it was an original story. Nowadays so many books read the same. Highly recommend

This novel is about 2 girls being abducted about 30 years apart. I was very engrossed and there was a nice plot twist in the middle. After that, the book started to slow down toward the end to the point that I was losing interest. Overall, a solid book I would recommend.

The first few chapters are very engaging indeed, I was hooked straightaway and felt that the book was going to be amazing. However, the jumping between the characters was a little tricky to follow in places, and the book did tail off at the end too much for my liking. This market is tough at the moment, with a lot of good books out there in this vein, so it's a tough challenge. For a debut it's good, and I would read this author again.

I received this book from NetGalley - many thanks - all opinions are my own. The cover is amazing by the way, and makes you want to read it straightaway.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm sure I'll be looking into the author's book list.

This book initially gripped me with the cover,it had a penny wise vibe. However, the story itself was gripping and I was hooked. I cannot wait to get my friends to read it especially around Halloween