What a nightmare situation to be in! Ask any parent their worst fear regarding their kids, and aside from the usual fears that they’ll get into drugs or never have a job, it’s got to be the kids going missing.

In Do Not Become Alarmed, Maile Meloy captures all the intense feelings that would go along with the disappearance of your children – even the title of the book is perfect, as the families in the book are told this numerous times, all while their world is falling apart!

This book was definitely refreshing to read, as it is a new – and dramatic – take on the domestic drama. There are things afoot in these two families, secrets, inequalities, feelings of inadequacy and all come to a head on what should be a peaceful Christmas cruise.

Looking from the outside it’s easy to see that these are priviledged families, with spoiled children who have never had to lift a finger and it’s compelling to watch the kids try to cope when they are lost, and when they are in real danger of their lives, not really realising that the people they turn to for help could do them actual harm. It’s good too to see Noemi’s story and the contrast of her journey to that of the American children is a real insight.

Told in alternating chapters between the kids and their parents, this book is as close as one would like to come to having children disappear, with real edge-of-your-seat writing and some awful, unimaginable scenes, it is the combination of the big, dangerous experiences of the children and the quiet, nightmarish panic from the parents that really makes this a brilliant read.

3 star review of Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy. Two families decide to take their children on a holiday cruise. However, when they meet up with another family with 2 children, and all decide take an excursion on land in South America, the men go to play golf and the women set out with the 6 children to a nature park with a local guide. However, when the car breaks down and they head to the beach, the children play in the water, the women don't watch them, and they disappear. The story, for me, then turns into a bit of a Famous Five Adventure with the children, ranging in age from 5-15, trying to survive out there on their own. The book was well written, but it didn't grab me like i hoped it would, bearing in mind the subject matter. The story varied from the children's perspective and the adults who inevitably turn on one another, blaming each other and themselves as try to recover their children.

Liv and Nora decide to book a South American cruise for themselves and their families. They have four kids between them, and after meeting an Argentinian couple onboard, who also have two kids, the three families become great friends. Initially they decide against any excursions, preferring to stay onboard and make the most of the ship's facilities. Eventually though, they book a zip lining trip for the kids, while their husbands take advantage of a local golf course. That's when things start to go badly wrong.

The kids become separated from their moms, and they are all about to discover what can happen in a country where drugs are king and cops can be bought. 

Told from the perspectives of both the parents, and the kids, this is a well thought out plot that keeps the reader gripped. As the days pass with no sign of the kids, relationships between the parents begin to fester, with blame for the disappearances being laid at various doors. It's a fast paced, compelling read, that throws light on how the world works depending on one's background - on where a person is from, and more importantly, how wealthy that background is. Your kids are so precious and one thing's for sure, you'll  keep an even closer eye on them after reading this! A really riveting read!  

* Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin books UK for my ARC, for which I have given an honest review*

Thank you to the publishers Penguin UK and net galley for the arc in return for an honest review. 

It may be that this book just wasn't my cup of tea, but I found nothing in it to enjoy or recommend. Far from being a page turner, I found it to be quite boring. The two American families were so smug and entitled, and of course ***spoiler alert*** got their happy ending. 

The Argentinian and South American families involved in the drama fared less well, and this just felt so clumsy and poorly considered. 

What could have been an interesting portrayal of the children and their survival was instead overly simplistic and contrived. 

Sorry - not one for me.

There are two main things I can take from this book, never go on a zip line shore excursion in Central America, and definitely never fall asleep while your children are in the sea. Although the second is a point that should in theory go without saying it was the key moment when a dream holiday turned into a nightmare for three families. 

The book starts with a nice family vacation, and I could picture the cruise ship, the buffet, the kids club and generally the feeling of being safe on board with all whims catered too.  It starts of nice and gently and my only disappointment was that the families didn't want to get off at any port. 

Well until after Christmas, at which point they figured they would do an excursion in what was meant to be the safest country on the cruise which is of course where a series of bad decisions leads to a brilliant book for the reader, but a horrific time for all involved in the story! 

As readers we are in the lucky position of seeing not only what happened to the children, but also to the parents so could feel the fear and worry from all sides.  It didn't matter which character the narrative went to, to focus on I was interested in the story and wanted to know what would happen next. 

I found myself despairing with the parents at what the local police appeared to be doing, while at the same time was scared for the children and the situation they have found themselves in.  It was just incredibly well written and being able to empathise with so many characters at once really impressed me. 

I am quite glad that I didn't read this while on my next cruise, and that I have a month to recover and build up some confidence for my own excursions!  Do Not Become Alarmed is a highly addictive read, that I couldn't read through fast enough. I was hooked from start to finish. 

Thank you to Viking and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is a situation that I cannot possibly fathom. And a situation I definitely do not ever want to be in. What starts off as the perfect holiday ends up being a nightmare. One minor incident is the start of a terrifying few days as families become separated and it is a race to find one another.

While the search is on, so is the blame game. Who is to blame for this horrific situation? Can you accept our part? And should you blame someone else?

Each chapter is told from a different perspective. Child, parent, all having differing takes on the situation and each providing different solutions. I really like the children's perspective because they did not sit around moaning and crying. They tried their best no matter what the situation. Rightly and wrongly. And did they all they could to get home. While the adults appear to argue.

There were several moments that I think should have affected me more than the did. I think that the adrenaline from this book was so high that I ended up  with 'shrugs shoulders' attitude. The twists felt expected, a necessary thing to keep the plot going and there were a few moments that dragged.

When I started this book my hopes were high and by the time I finished I was quite uncertain about my thoughts. This was a good book. And I did enjoy it. But it was more subtle than I was expecting. Less full on thriller and more intense family drama.

There was a sense of purpose to the story and need to find out the solution. There are a lot of thought-provoking topics in this tale and each is a worth tale of their own. Light and darkness go hand in hand in this book. And while you can find light at the end of the tunnel, that ending may not be what you expect.

I am not sure about this book, I tried on several attempts to read it but the characters and plot were too annoying

Absolutely thrilling book.  What seems like the perfect holiday soon turns into a nightmare.  Missing children, parents turning on each other, this exciting book had it all.

I found this book quite hard to get into. The characters didn't grab my interest at all. I'm glad I carried on reading as the story got better and better! I never really cared for the characters at any time but I kept reading as the book became more tense!

5 Words: Family, sunshine, blame, kidnap, hope.

It took me about two chapters to get in to the flow of the writing, but after that I was hooked. I could not put it down.

I love how the narrative switched between the parents and the children - you could see these two stories, how they started together then came apart and took different turns before the end.

There are a lot of different situations explored in this book, and the different perspectives means that it really hits home. Be prepared for shock and anger and a glimmer of hope. The realism hits even harder, because this could happen to anyone.

This is perfect for summer reading. But maybe don't take it with you on on a cruise.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I liked this book but I did not love it. I
A highlight for me is the way the story is told from the point of view of the children as well as the parents, although I feel it would have to be as all the action is with the children. 
I feel like the characters could've been bought to life a bit more, especially the parents. 
Saying that the story is quite a page turner, if a little far fetched.

What started out as a Christmas treat ended up a nightmare.

Liv and Nora, decided on a  holiday cruise, so along with their husbands and their children, they rather excitedly prepare and set off.

We see the dynamics of the two couples and along with many other characters, it seems that all is not what it seems on the outside.

While the men go off and play golf, Liv and Nora take their children on a zip-lining trip. However, after a minor accident things  change, dramatically.

This is a tale that could be one of realism. It is scary and while I got angry with some of the characters and their behavior, I was hooked in and Do Not Become Alarmed is impossible to put down.

If I am honest, there were bits of the novel that were a bit pointless and I found myself skimming the pages, but the overall plot about the children and their plight, was very addictive. I did become emotionally involved with the parents and their grief and fear was expertly written.

This book wasn't really what I was expecting - I don't know why.  It's not terrible, but it's just not for me.  I couldn't really connect with the characters - a vain, bossy, vaccuous bunch of tourists who seemed to use others for their own ends.  Set in Latin America, I found it all a bit predictable and the characters stereotypical.

Everything seems perfect in their lives until tragedy strikes and the cracks in the relationships appear.  The story was well told and kept moving.  Some of the characters were infuriating with their responses to the situation - but think this is realistic as everyone reacts differently when faced with adversity.
A good read.

I thought that this book was well written, but I believe that the author's focus was too scattered to make each individual element of the novel really work.  These complicated issues included the fate of children in the developing world being separated from their parents for economic reasons; the impact of the stresses of modern life and imbalance of power on marriages; and family dynamics, particularly where a child has a special need.   All these elements needed a bit more exploration - hard to do in a thriller.  I would definitely, however, look out for other books by this author.

I love cruising holidays and this book appealed to me on that basis.  However, for cousins Liv and Nora and their respective families what should be an idyllic break turns out very differently.  I think the cruise companies will love this novel! Those highly overpriced but organised port tours on air conditioned coaches they encourage customers to purchase will seem a much safer option after reading this book. 
 After the husbands decide to go out for a day of golfing, the women, along with an Argentinian mother and her two offspring set off in a taxi for a day out with the kids in Central America.  A few travel issues arise on route and a much needed cool down on an inland beach is offered as an alternative by the young taxi driver. 
The families take up on the option and this is when events take a turn for the worse after the children head out for a swim.  
The novel then switches between events from the perspective of the children, who end up in a life threatening situation and the parents' who are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their children and the events which led to the disappearance.
The novel was quite action packed, particularly events focussing on the children.  I found the mothers inattentive and self obsessed - Nora especially so.  
Altogether, quite an enjoyable 4* read.

The story is one of every parents worst nightmare.  Imagine going on holiday of a life time with your family and friends and your children become kidnapped/ missing.

It has so many twists and turns and is a must read.  I will not delve into it but it shows childrens innocence in their eyes from their view to the kidnappers view to theirs and also the parents with fear.

It shows that there is a corrupt police who are not who they say they are and those trying to get the truth

I was interested to read one of Maile Meloy's adult books as my son had really enjoyed her children's books (The Apothecary series). It was an interesting read, gripping at times, with some difficult content regarding one of the children's characters. Uncomfortable reading from a parent's perspectve. I didn't empathise with any of the adult characters and enjoyed the parts where the children were narrating much more.   The ending just tailed off, a but of a damp squib. Overall though, I enjoyed this.

Before you read this book you should not become alarmed because once you start reading it you will not be able to put it down..I repeat you will  not be able put it down lol.
The author has cleverly written this in the perspectives of all the main characters in the book so that they swiftly intertwine with each other and it flows so brilliantly with the story not like most books where it feels like you are stopping and starting.
This book focuses on every parents worst nightmare ..your children going missing and you cannot find them are they dead?,are they alive?,where are they?why won't any one help me find my children give me some answers. I found this book so heartbreaking for the families that were involved in the story line and there so many topics touched up upon that I found it to be so real and vivid that that I could have been watching a movie. 
If you like a book that has drama,crime ,love,loss,action,excitement this is the book for you I cannot recommend it enough, when I'd finished it I was both happy and sad in fact I was quite forlorn... I look forward to reading more from this genious.
A very big thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this masterpiece  in exchange for myhonest review.