This is my third book by Kerry Wilkinson. Like his previous books, this was a character-driven story. At the heart of the story is Olivia, a nineteen year old girl who went missing at the age of six. Olivia is recently back in town and reunited with her family but there are a lot of questions. Where has she been? Who took her? Is she really who she claims to be? Does someone in the small town know more than they were letting on? There were so many questions.

As it so happens in small towns, this book has an array of diverse characters. There is Olivia’s mum and dad who understandably are still dealing with the devastation of losing their child. We get to know how their lives changed after the disappearance. There were some dark personalities with sinister motives who I immediately disliked. I won’t say much about the other characters apart from that they added to the tension and intrigue of the story. And of course, there were many secrets. At some point, it felt like everyone had something to hide and they were determined to ensure that the secrets remained buried. This made me suspicious of everyone including the MCs.

I felt like the pace of this story was slow especially in the first chapters. It could be because of the fact that the story was more focused on the characters. However, the author still managed to maintain the suspense and hence make it an enjoyable read. The secrets had me guessing and I couldn’t wait to get answers. In addition, there were a few chapters that provided a second story-line. I couldn’t wait for the two plot-lines to intersperse so that answers could be provided. And I was pleasantly surprised in the end because I couldn’t guess the final twists. The Girl who came back by Kerry Wilkinson is perfect for fans of this genre. It will keep you guessing and searching for answers. I think fans of character-driven thrillers will enjoy this even more.

This is a well done slow boil sort of thriller that will keep you questioning everyone's assumptions about Olivia let alone their motivations. There are lots of secrets and lie here (aren't there always in this sort of novel?) and the tale spools out slowly. Olivia's disappearance was devastating for her mother and her return should be joyous but it's not entirely satisfying because Olivia is so vague about things. Who is Lily? The parallel story line of Lily and her father seems incongruous at first but it will keep you guessing and the two threads tie together in the end. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC- it's nicely written and carefully plotted.

What struck me most about this book is that I went on a very different journey than what I felt I was going to get. Unlike many thrillers, this one, in my opinion, is not fast paced and edge of your seat gripping. It took its time so that you are completely absorbed. It was a brilliant read. For me, this book felt like an analysis of the ripples of trauma. We are often so quick to want to know the effect it has on the immediate victim. But what about all the other people who are affected by it? What happens to those people who have had to rebuild their lives and carry on?

In this book, we are introduced to a small village with a small but tight-knit community. As you can tell from the title, a girl was taken and then she returns. But instead of wondering what her story was and focusing on what happened to her. Our attention is drawn in by the effect her disappearance had on those around her. The hole she left in the village is thoroughly examined and I was fascinated. It makes this book very unique in that I was more interested in the lives of the people in this town than I was about the main character. She was more my conduit into the lives of these people and the effect her disappearance had had on them.

Although I knew she was hiding something and I had figured out what it was early on, I didn’t care. I was thriving on learning the ins and outs of the place and the people in it. I am normally an action craving reader but I was pulled in by this writer’s characterisations and world building. I really enjoyed this novel and I loved the ending it was gratifying and climactic. I wouldn’t hesitate to read another book by this unique and talented author.

Story is pretty straightforward; Olivia Adams comes back home after 13 years, her mother believes that she is who she says she is : her daughter. And there are those who are suspicious. Then there are hidden truths, the family secrets, domestic abuse, people wearing masks. And the main crux of the story who is Olivia?? why has she come back??

As usual, the author, Kerry Wilkinson, has written a fast book with a lot of hints thrown in. He has made a simple story into a mystery read with 20 year old secrets. He has touched upon a lot of sensitive topics, but being a book of suspense, not dealt with any of them.

His book is written in two viewpoints, the main character Olivia and a child Lily. So that gives a lot of hints of where the story is proceeding. Not much in depth development is done of any of the characters. But a lot of description is given to the details of their drinks at the pub.

I picked up the book for the mystery in the title and the blurb but soon realized that there are parts written which are quite slow, does not keep the adrenaline racing. I didn’t like any of the characters, they were all flawed but I couldn’t find any redeeming points to admire them.

But, all this does not take away the mystery from the story, it has its own fun to read, just not a nail biting one. To me, this was a light weekend read, where I read, wrote my review and didn’t go back to book to think about it. Onto my next read….

A parent will always know their own child... right?

Another winner for Kerry Wilkinson and Bookouture. Very gripping read, I never wanted to put it down and flew through it quite quickly. His style of writing is easy to read and engaging. It really keeps your attention.

Six year old Olivia Adams disappeared from her garden one afternoon without a trace. Things like that just don't happen in little Stoneridge... until that day. She becomes a cautionary tale, the reason parents want their children home before dark, why they hold them extra close. You don't want to end up like Olivia, do you?

It's thirteen years later and Olivia is back... or is she? She has a strange, sort of vague story about being taken by travelers. She's stingy on the details. She doesn't want to pursue any legal action. But mom looks into her eyes and she just knows her daughter has finally returned to her. Some people just aren't convinced, including her bully of a second husband. Who is right?

Very enjoyable read. I went back and forth as I tried to figure out what was going on. I did figure it out a bit early, but Wilkinson threw some extras in there that made it stay interesting and kept me engaged in the book. It lost a little favor from me when the police were only vaguely interested in her return, I'm not sure if that's realistic or not but it just struck me as a little odd. All in all, another fine book from Bookouture and definitely worth the read!

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

This is an absolutely superb book! I have read quite a few of Kerry Wilkinson's books and hands down for me this is the best one he has written yet!! It gripped me and I didn't want to put it down, the writing style is excellent, the story creeps slowly building up and setting the tension perfectly. It absorbs you and it is really intense in just the right places. The characters work so well together, it really is an excellent stand alone psychological thriller - 5 stars from me no hesitation and definitely in my top ten books of 2017!!

This is a really good psychological thriller by Kerry Wilkinson. He never lets you down as an author. There are two voices in this book, Olivia and Lily. The plot was a bit unbelievable at times, it is fiction, but it was very intriguing. My only negative is, I really did not like any of the male characters. That aside, I read the book in a day and would recommend it. Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

OMG this book is so damn good…. gripped from the very first page…. I freaking loved it!

Anyone that follows my blog knows I am a big fan of psychological thrillers and this one just totally hit the spot. After reading Kerry Wilkinson's Two Sisters and loving it. Kerry delivers this utterly sensational page turner.

I literally couldn't put this down and devoured it in one afternoon. The author takes us on a roller coaster ride where we follow the story told through Olivia Adams eyes about her return to Stoneridge to meet her Mother after going missing 13 years ago. Her mother is convinced it is her daughter but not everyone is so sure.

I love how we are straight in there with the story, the author certainly does not take any prisoners. With alternating chapters each one leaving you wanting more. Flicking between now and then, making this one very engaging story.

The more I read the more I began to get to like Olivia But with her being the main character I was very intrigued by her and always wanting to know more. I loved her friendship with Nattie and Rhys all of them are realistic and likable. I could feel the bond grow between them throughout the story. And of course there are the characters in the story that you will dislike.

Kerry has done a brilliant job of building up the layers and just when I thought I had it all worked out BOOM a twist is thrown in. Yes this book has plenty of OMG moments and that ending...keeping me on the edge of my seat. Talk about getting in my head this story will certainly get the clogs ticking. I am just gutted that I have finished it.

This is a must read for psychological thriller fan's, which I cannot recommend enough giving 5 massive stars.

Thank you to Bookouture for a copy and for inviting me to take part in this blitz tour.

Cor! Kerry Wilkinson strikes again with this absolutely incredible page turner!

Thirteen years ago, five year old Olivia disappeared from her back garden. Now she's back. Or is she? Her mother is convinced her daughter has returned but not everyone shares her conviction. Is the girl who came back Olivia or merely an imposter?

With The Girl Who Came Back the author has once again delivered a brilliantly executed plot. It is completely engrossing and compelling with tons of complex, and some quite unlikeable, characters. Its slow pace works like a charm, as does the setting of this sleepy village where everybody seems to know everybody's business. Although maybe not quite because how is it possible that a five year old can just disappear like that?

Slowly but surely family secrets will be revealed and some skeletons will fall out of the closets. And in the middle of all of that, there's the always interesting topic of nature versus nurture that has you wondering if things might have turned out differently in an alternate universe. 

Tension bubbles away underneath the surface throughout the story and there was this subtle threatening vibe that had me on the edge of my seat. There are tiny clues along the way that are sometimes quite easy to miss but when you pick up on them, they'll have you wracking your brain trying to figure out what's going on. And just when you think you know, there's a twist or two that'll make your head spin. 

This is quite a quick read but utterly absorbing. Kerry Wilkinson is an amazing writer whose stories constantly manage to reel me in and keep me hooked. All I can say is, I'd like some more, please.

The Girl Who Came Back by Kerry Wilkinson is almost in its entirety centred around a young girl named Olivia who was abducted 13 years ago from her backyard. Olivia has now returned to her hometown of Stoneridge looking for answers and not everyone is happy to see her, with many questioning is it truly Olivia……

Kerry has adapted a classic plotline to narrate the storyline from the point of view of Olivia giving a twist to the story from the beginning, where the standard abduction story is normally told from the perspective of the parents. Kerry has set himself apart from the rest delving into an unknown with ease and filling me with intrigue.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Olivia, she comes across as being wilful but strong with a hint of secrecy and a glint of darkness to her character. The unknown entity to Olivia is probably the part I like about her the most as it is within us all, just with some it bubbles to the surface. Nattie a childhood friend of Olivia’s reminds me a bit like one of my friends who’s bit airy fairy but a good laugh and easy to get along with, the friendship between the two seems quite an unlikely partnership as their personalities are quite opposite.

Kerry describes the village of Stonebridge as a close knit community, quiet and unassuming that nothing really happens, except for the abduction from 13 years ago and now the return of Olivia, it seems to awaken the sleepy community, stirring emotions some of which is not what you expect.

What People Don’t Know, They Will Make Up……

Through out the book we learn of another child Lily, a young girl who’s mother has died and stays with her father, who through grief at point seems to neglect Lily emotionally. Kerry certainly had me scratching my head as to how Lily fitted into the story.

If you want a book that scratches at your brain, torments you with a tangled web of lies and the odd hint here or there then The Girl Who Came Back is a dead cert for you. I was literally driving myself insane turning the pages looking for the next piece of vital evidence, all the while Kerry led me a merry dance, but I’d quite happily dance to his tune.

Thanks to Bookouture, Kerry Wilkinson and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an Arc of The Girl Who Came Back in exchange for an honest review.

Kerry Wilkinson is one of my favourite authors. A master writer, who gives you books full of suspense, drama and intriguing characters.
This is another gripping plot with plenty of twists and turns that makes you want a one sitting read
Loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Netgalley, Kerry Wilkinson and Bookoutre for allowing my to read and review this book.

My only issue with The Girl Who Came Back was that the cover copy led me to believe I'd be reading about Olivia's mother. Instead, the story is told entirely from Olivia's point of view and there's almost nothing about her disappearance, just a few glimpses into her young adult years. I did enjoy reading a book that had one person telling the story instead of hopping from person to person every other chapter. The question isn't really whether or not Olivia is who she claims to be, it's what she's going to do about her mother's new husband and his brother, who are definitely not glad to see her return home.

I make no secret of the fact that this is one of my favourite authors and have read and loved all of his adult books published to date whether series or standalone. This one was no exception as, once again, I simply devoured it in just a couple of sittings.
Thirteen years ago, 6 year old Olivia disappeared from her back garden whilst her father was looking after her. Simply vanished. Back in the present, a young woman returns to the village claiming she is Olivia. Her mother is convinced her daughter has returned. With Olivia reluctant to talk about anything other than the bare bones of what happened and the intervening years, others are not as convinced especially her new step-father and his brother who voice their opinions quite (and by quite I mean very) strongly. As Olivia begins her new life in the village, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, it becomes apparent that there are those who would prefer she had not returned.
This was another book that I was glad I started at the right time. I knew from past experience that it would probably grip me from the off and keep tight hold of my life until finished and I wasn't wrong there! Even though I did manage to guess something a little early, it didn't spoil my overall experience as there was still plenty to keep my mind whirring round as I tried to make sense of it all; keeping me nicely on my toes throughout.
One of the things I really love about this author is his writing style. I have read enough of his books to slip back into his method of storytelling right from page one. I know it will contain certain things that I love, that make my connection to the book stronger. His characters, their dialogue and interaction. The banter and memory links. They were all just as expected here which made this, for me, a very easy book to read. Not that it's an easy read if you get the distinction. Some of the topics contained within are a little hard hitting but handled very well, in the context of the story and never added for shock or sensationalism. Plotting is also very impressing and quite tight.
During this book, we also hear from a separate character, Lily and tells of her growing up with her father. How and where she fits in with the rest of what is happening is a bit of a mystery for quite a while, but I did have fun trying to fit her in to several places along the way, square peg round hole anyone?!
All in all another winner from Mr Wilkinson, his star is already shining brightly on my watch list and shows no sign of dimming.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A nice premise, the story line had me hooked from the start but as I read on I became a little underwhelmed.

Olivia Adams went missing as a 6 year old. Vanishing from her back garden when her father was minding her, she was never found.
13 years later and Olivia appears back in the village. She has apparently escaped her captors and is reunited with her mother and now stepfather as her parents divorced shortly after her disappearance, her father now turned to alcohol to dampen his guilt and failure. The village is intrigued and mostly delighted to have her back but her stepfather and brother(who are inseparable) are quite cold towards her, even hostile, not convinced she is who she says she is and are suspicious that she's an imposter.
We also have another narrative in the book and the life of Lily and her tragic upbringing. We learn about her mothers death at an early age and her mostly absent father. As the chapters chop and change between the two narratives, the reader must wonder what the connection if any is between Lily and Olivia.

This is my first read of a Kerry Wilkinson book and while a little underwhelming, it probably did enough for me to seek out his other work. The story sounds intriguing from the start as Olivia turns back up. All told from her perspective, we sort of know not to trust her completely as we try to figure out what is and isn't true. She's probably the strongest written character in the book. The rest alas, are either very cliched or just waiter thin. The character of her mother I found especially disappointing and two dimensional. We are introduced to her at the start as Olivia turns up at her Coffee shop and I was expecting some dynamic scenes between the two characters as the book progressed but Olivia seems to spend more time with two new friends who again aren't the most interesting of characters, while the mother flits in and out of the book with no real substance to her at all.

The story was decent if unspectacular. The pieces are put in place a little heavy handidly throughout to all lead to the finale. A finale which seemed to lose the run of itself a little I felt.

Decent but unspectacular would be my best description of this book. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. A solid three stars but a fairly forgettable read. Still there was enough there for me to want read more of the authors work which I hope to seek out.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Kerry Wilkinson for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book -- the whole time you're reading, you can tell something is "off" but it definitely takes a while to see how it all comes together. There are some great characters (and awful ones, too) which made reading it all that more interesting. It was a bit of a different plot than some I've read, and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy mystery and thriller type books like I do.

I just finished reading this book and I have my goosebumps over my arms from the suspense which Wilkinson is fantastic at writing and tears falling from my eyes at the heartbreak I never saw coming. I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a mystery book that packed an emotional punch like this.

Once I began reading I just got sucked in NEEDING to know who is Olivia and what happened to her all those years ago. I have an admitted soft spot for UK mysteries but even that tendency to prefer them over others had nothing to do with the fact that Wilkinson is just an amazing author who knows how to drag you into the story to the point that time ceases to exist. I was so engulfed in these characters, how they were involved, what was going to happen next I almost missed lunch LOL!

Told from the first person POV, you hear from Olivia how her return after being missing for so many yeas is impacting people and dragging out once hidden secrets. Along with Olivia’s story you also simultaneously get Lily’s story from her POV as well until the two explode in an emotional knock-out. Thankfully the two girls plots were kept to distinct chapters with well identified titles so you always knew which girl you were reading about, their separate stories are also very different with different sets of characters but the titles help a lot when you become super engrossed.

There are times I wondered if either of our narrators were being truthful because after all we’re getting their stories from their POV and we all know we have personal biases on how we like ourselves portrayed. That uncertainty only added to the suspense.

One of the things I liked that as a parent, daughter, wife, sister it made me want to think and discuss what would I do in a similar situation? I like to think I have a good ethical standard but then that line gets a blurry when you have to wonder will the truth really set someone free or will it only cage them further? Oh Wilkinson, how you love to toy with my mind lol.

I enjoyed this book. It had me guessing and questioning the whole way through and really built at the end. I felt it started a bit slow but had a good amount of suspense. I definitely did not see the ending coming. Good read.

A well paced and gripping psychological thriller. A real page turner!

I did enjoy this book but it tended to just plod along rather than have me on the edge of my seat.
Olivia returns home over ten years after being adbucted from her back garden and the story centres around her getting to know her family again.
There is also the story of Lily and a revelation later in the book which I didn't see coming.
This is a well written story and like Kerry's other novels it does hold your interest and make you want to find out what is really happening.
I would recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me an advance copy to read and review.

Good book it kept my interest and kept me wondering if everything was as it seemed, I didn't expect it to be so kept page turning to find out what the truth was.Olivia had been taken from her garden as a child and returned to her village as a young adult there was something rather sinister about her mothers new husband and his brother, and plenty to keep me interested to find out what really happened.No spoilers , the pace of the book was good and the characters were well drawn, and it was a good read.Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.