The story starts with a conventional family - dad; mom and daughter. As it progresses you see the mom and daughter have grown apart and each is hiding secrets from each other and everyone else.

Beth's problems seem to be obvious, but her mom's keep the reader guessing.

Flashbacks to Leona's past hint at the horrors hiding in her past and what brought her to this point.

The story meanders along almost gently, until the explosive ending.

The descriptions of the scenery - their home and the fells - is some of the best described that I've read in a long time. You can "see" the scenes laid-out in front of you. Truly vividly described.

This was a great read, easy and flowing. You almost couldn't believe it was the book was in the "mystery and thriller" genre. I think the book was very well-researched too.

I love the fact that the title alludes to things that both Beth and Leona had seen that had imprinted on their memories and affected each one differently.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

At first I really struggled with this and thought I wouldn’t finish - however the story developed really quickly and dragged me in, only letting me emerge hours later breathless. A fantastic read, really believable and engaging.

Highly recommended.

SUSPICIONS RIDDLE THE PAGES FROM THE START! FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT LEONA’S PAST WAS ABOUT TO COME CRASHING INTO HER LIFE. SHE IS OBVIOUSLY AFRAID OF SOMEONE AND BELIEVES SHE HEARS HER VOICE. THIS DEFINITELY HOOKED ME AND WANTED ME TO KEEP READING.
IT’S ALSO SUSPICIOUS WHEN BETH TELLS HER SIDE OF THE STORY. AT FIRST, SHE SEEMS LIKE A TYPICAL TEENAGER WITH SOME OVER PROTECTIVE PARENTS. IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG BEFORE YOU REALIZE THAT SOMETHING ISN’T RIGHT WITH BETH EITHER!
IF YOU LIKE A BOOK WITH LOADS OF TENSE MOMENTS, UNPREDICTABLE CHARACTERS AND PLOT TWISTS THAT WOULD SATISFY ANY READER OF THIS GENRE, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!!! WE GIVE 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

This was great, a completely different sort of thriller and I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
The story is told from two different perspectives, Leona and Ria.
Leona is happily married with a young daughter, but one day sees a face from her past and her life begins to unravel.
Ria’s story is one of abuse and control which is in direct contrast to Leona.
How are the two connected, and what happened to Ria?
I don’t want to post any spoilers, so so won’t go any further into it, but suffice to say I will be looking out for more by this author

I thought this was a genuinely clever thriller/drama. I loved the elusiveness of Leona, the sense that she was holding something back, even during the scenes with her therapist. It was so brilliantly written, as the reader felt both connected to her and distant from her at the same time. Ria was also a really fascinating character, as she was clearly vulnerable but there was a definite sense of strength and resolve underneath it all. Finally, the other main female character was Leona’s daughter, Beth. Again, she was really well written, both a typical teenage girl but also an unusually independent one, and the friendship she formed with David seemed super suspicious throughout.

I liked how Leona told Ria’s story herself, it gave the reader a sense of dread about what happens to Ria. Gareth was a particularly manipulative character, but I felt that Clarke built up his character at the perfect pace, giving the reader enough dread and suspense without giving too much away too soon. There were points when I literally felt shudders running through me as he was such a creepy and nasty man.

There were definitely things about the story that I questioned throughout, as the reader was meant to, and I was absolutely desperate to find out what happened. The mysterious flashbacks to Ria’s life, the box Leona keeps, Beth’s artistic fascination, all of these details kept me hooked until I found out what they could possibly mean.

The ending was really satisfying. It was definitely dramatic, but after such an intense book I was ready for an emotionally satisfying, happy ending, and Clarke definitely provides this. What I didn’t expect was the main plot twist! I had my suspicions about something else, which turned out to be completely wrong, and I was blind-sided by the turn the plot actually took. Genius writing from Clarke, as she subtly leads the reader into suspecting one thing, in order to completely shock them later on.

This is intense, deliciously creepy, fast-paced, with some absolutely brilliant characters and a shocking ending. A definite must-read book!

This is one of those books that is hard to put down but it also a book that moves slowly, so you just want the author to get on with the story so you can find out what happens. Leona is a very protective mother, doing everything with her beloved daughter Beth. In fact, Leona has left her life in London behind to live in the Lake District because that is a better area for Beth. Leona lives with Scott, a tour guide for the area, and she makes a living creating jewelry to sell. Beth is miserable at school, friendless and constantly bullied, but she doesn’t tell her mom what is happening. Instead, she turns to a relationship with an older man, a secret she has to keep from her mother. The book is told from the perspective of Leona, Beth and another woman named Ria, a hapless creature caught in a loveless marriage and pregnant. The tales of Leona and Ria seem to be connected in some way, but the reader doesn’t find out how this is true until near the end of the book. The reveals in the book are done slowly and mostly via Leona talking to her therapist. This is a psychological suspense novel with a twist at the end. Readers of this genre will enjoy it, but I really thought that it moved too slowly to keep most readers interested until the end.

A little slow to start but I'm glad I persevered because this is such a page turner! Couldn't put this down.

This book kept my attention the entire time reading it. I didn't expect to be so good. It was a great mix of suspense and thriller and I finished this book so quickly. Can't wait to read more books by this author.

Loved this book full review on the blog soon! Such an engrossing read. Kept me up until the early hours wanting to turn the page!

A good book, but I didn’t think it was actually that much of a thriller or even heart pounding. I did, however, enjoy the characters and the plot and would recommend it.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

In What She Saw by Wendy Clarke, you meet Leona, a loving and extremely protective mother of teenaged Beth. They do everything together, absolutely everything. They seem to be perfect and have the perfect life. Of course, things are not always what they seem. Leona and Beth both have secrets which they keep from each other and from everyone else. The question asked is, "how far will a mother go to keep her child safe?"

What She Saw is a slow burn which I had difficulty getting into. However, since I did, I could not put it down. I was a Psychology major and am a sucker for when a character meeting with a psychologist partly reveals the story.

The story uses flashbacks and the present. It starts slow but is suspenseful and well-written.

According to Goodreads, Clarke has published over three hundred short stories published in national women's magazines, and this is her debut novel. As of 6/13/19, it has a rating of 4.25 out of 5. Most of the ratings are 5 stars, and none are 1 star. For a debut novel, that is quite impressive.

I am looking forward to reading more by Wendy Clarke.

This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 6/15/19.

A Mother shouldn't lie to their child, but Beth's does, with the best intentions. But when these "secrets" come out their lives are put in danger . A gripping read

In the beginning I kept wondering when am I going to know the secret and when it finally started unfolding I couldn't stop reading. Leona went through alot to keep her secret and stay safe but secrets eventually come out. What she had to do was hard and having to keep a secret like that is even harder.

I struggled with What She Saw. I tried to persevere as I hate to give up on a book but I was bored and lost interest. Sorry this book was not for me.

My first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. As with a lot of great thrillers it takes a while for it to come together but when it does boy does it keep you hooked!!! I loved the surprising twists that came just as i thought I had it figured out and the beautiful lake district setting!
I highly recommend What She Saw and can’t believe it’s the author’s debut thriller absolutely can’t wait to see how she will follow this !!!!!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Wendy Clarke for the arc of What She Saw my review is honest and unbiased.

A labyrinth of lies, secrets, and red herrings, this twisty debut psychological thriller had me gripped right up to the very end. It’s clear from the outset that Leona is a flaky character with anxiety issues, but are her fears real or imagined? This is a question that keeps the pages turning. Just what is Leona hiding from and why?

Set in the idyllic Lake District, at first you can’t help but want to pack your bags and join Leona; letting all your problems wash away as you breathe in the clean fresh air. However, this seemingly beautiful backdrop soon morphs into an ugly spine-chilling setting, which the author’s skillful writing brings to life on both accounts.

But if there’s one thing more heart-stopping than being in danger yourself, it’s your own child being in danger. This is something the author has done a particularly good job with. Juxtaposed to Leona’s first-person point-of-view, is the third-person limited perspective from her daughter, Beth. With her own set of teenage problems to deal with, Beth’s character plays a central role in the story, and switching narrative perspective works really well. Not only does the third-person perspective add a layer of dramatic irony, it also leaves the reader in no doubt that Leona is the protagonist, and as such she is the one who needs to overcome her past to save her daughter.

Wendy Clarke is definitely an author to look out for and I can’t wait for her second novel We Were Sisters, out 8th August 2019.

I would recommend this author for anybody who likes Jane Corry, Louise Jensen, or Lisa Jewell.

Leona lives in the Lake District with her partner Scott & her teenage daughter Beth. She has made sure her daughter goes to the best school, she likes to think Beth enjoys their closeness as much as she does, discouraging any real contact outside their little family & constantly warning Beth about 'talking to strangers' As Beth reaches her teenage years, she finds that she wants to spread her wings a bit, especially as school is a nightmare. Maybe it's the underlying fear that things are changing that gives rise to her anxiety attack- or is there something more?

Told from various points of view- including 'Ria'- who is she & what has this to do with Leona?

I really enjoyed this book. The twists came as a surprise as it started out quite slowly but soon I couldn't wait to find out what was behind Leona's terror.

This was a good five star read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I always love a good thriller/mystery! This one was really good and I had to stay up all night to finish it! I'd never read anything by Wendy Clarke but I will definitely be looking for what she rights next.

Everyone knows Leona would do anything for her daughter, Beth: she moved to Church Langdon to send Beth to the best school, built a business to support them and found the perfect little cottage to call home. They hike together, shop together, share their hopes and fears. It’s the relationship every mother dreams of.

But Leona never talks about why they moved to the Lake District.
She’s never told Beth anything about her father.
She says Beth should never speak to strangers. She says Beth doesn’t need friends.
She’s only trying to protect her daughter.
When Leona answers the phone one morning, her heart stops as she hears a voice from her past.
She’s given her daughter everything, but now she must tell her the truth. And once it’s out, can she keep her little girl safe?

What She Saw is a gripping psychological thriller with an incredible twist that will make your jaw drop. If you love The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl or Behind Closed Doors you’ll be consumed by this. (less)
I really like learning about the Witness Protection Service in this book. It was a good read and I am glad I was able to find the time to read it!