What a incredible read! Please See Us grabbed me from the very first page. I found this thriller to be haunting and intriguing. I loved the authors writing style and I felt the pace and flow were right on the money. The story is told from alternating points of view which works exceptionally well with the plot and added to the suspense. I knew after reading the description that this book would keep my attention, but I had no idea it would be so absorbing. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.

I had no idea what to expect when delving into this thrilling novel. What a fabulous ride. Not only was Mullen a great storyteller, but she developed the atmosphere as thoughtfully and insightfully as she did her characters. Her compassion for even the most problematic character was so powerfully moving and the violence was never seen as exploitive to these characters. Rather, the author made it a point to avoid victim blaming at all costs. Well done!

This was kind of a twisted little story. There seemed to be too many characters talking in this book. At times I had a hard time following and keeping them straight. I did enjoy the story and it kept my interest. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

In her debut novel, Caitlin Mullen offers a stunningly beautiful novel that is at once a crime thriller and a poetic expose on the throwaway women who are at the end if their rope. Set at the faded decaying eastern edge of the continent in the shadows of the once-glittering majestic casinos of Atlantic City, Please See Us peeks back the layers if glitz and glamour to reveal a rotten decaying core that no one wants to see. The victims of a sadistic serial killer are mounted in the stinky marshland behind the Sunset Motel, a monument to broken dreams and faded hopes.

With a nod to Springsteen’s iconic imagery from “Jersey Girl, Mullen’s Atlantic City isn’t filled with one last chance at the slots, but a one-way ticket with no hope of ever leaving. The women who arrive are teenage runaways and refugees from broken and battered relationships. Too proud to turn back, their descent is swift into drugs, prostitution, petty theft. And when they disappear, no one seems to care.

There are two primary characters. One, Clara, is a fortune teller and petty grifter. But, she’s got a special talent when it comes to visions. She wants a ticket to California, but that seems like an impossible dream. The other, Lily, once had it all in Manhattan, but after betrayal, plants herself in her childhood world of Atlantic City, where her father worked before being crushed to death by a collapsing parking garage. The third mJor character, Luis, is a deaf-mute custodian, trapped in his own silent world.

This is a well-written, meticulously crafted story filled with evocative prose. Although the backdrop is the women in the marsh, it’s not do much a serial killer book as one about these women and how they ended up falling off the edge of the continent, all alone.

Loved this book, but I love dark, disturbing books and felt this was truly one I could add to that pile! I thought it was well written in a spine tingling, unnerving, suspenseful manner, which really had me yearning to learn more. I highly recommend to those who enjoy the thrillers on the darker side, because I know you will definitely love this one! Be prepared for a slow burn, but shocking book!
I will make sure I buzz it up!

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
What a great thriller, a well written and character cohesive read.
I loved the way the author voiced all the characters, whom were both interesting and colorful and could be in modern day Atlantic City NJ.
Awesome debut from Caitlin Mullen and I like her writing style. I will definitely be following and watching for more from her.

I was disappointed with this book as a whole. Not sure what I expected exactly with it but it was slow and I didn’t feel any connection to the characters or plot. I skimmed over to finish. Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy.

Please See Us is a dark suspense type read. Totally right up my alley. The story is slow moving at first. There are multiple view points. As a whole, this story was good. You get the good, the bad, and the ugly. It had the dark vibe going but I didn’t feel like I got closure with the ending. It wasn’t so much about the killer and more about the victims. The characters were okay. I felt for Clara but had trouble liking Lily. I did enjoy the author’s writing style and will look for more books by her. I give this 3 stars.

Many tourist destinations seem to attract those eager to spend their money and step outside their normal routine. They also call the poor, the mentally ill, drug addicts, and prostitutes. When a location is thriving, the unpleasant aspects are pushed aside. But what happens when a formerly bustling place falls on hard times? The casinos in disrepair, the shops closed down, and unemployment rampant. Those who could once count on making a decent living, reduced to a life of poverty, one rent payment away from being homeless, one meal away from starvation. This is the state of affairs as we head to Atlantic City, New Jersey, when Please See Us begins.
The story is told by multiple characters. Lily Louten, who has left her life in New York and hopes to figure out how everything went wrong. Clara Voyant, who lives with her aunt and knows more about the dark side of human nature than any teenager should. Luis Silver, a deaf-mute, harassed, beaten, and ignored by the police, searching for a way to get others to see what he sees. Finally, the girls, so many girls with such tragic stories, whose voices weren't heard in life, and now may remain silent in death.
Clara and Lily form an unusual alliance when Clara's psychic abilities show her things that are dark and she fears, oh so real. She believes someone is killing women, women who will not be missed and who need desperately to be found. Their lives and the journey they undertake together will be fraught with danger, and they may not survive a killer's anger.
This story looks at people powerless to improve their lives and those who take advantage. More than once, I wanted to look away, but the author's words kept pulling me into this riveting tale. It feels wrong to say that I loved reading such a bleak book about the worst things that can happen to people, but the honesty of every word on every page kept me engrossing until the end. 4.5 stars.

While I found this debut book well written, it did not captivate me. I was not drawn in by the characters and ultimately but the book down without finishing it. Over all, I was disappointed.

This is a debut novel. It is told from varying points of view. I enjoyed this, because it allowed me to get to know the characters better.

Clara/Ava is living with her Aunt Des since her mother left. Clara has a gift that she got from her mother. Clara's real name is Ava, but for readings goes by Clara. Des and Clara make their living by conning and stealing from people.

Lily Louten has returned to her home town following the betrayal then break up with her boyfriend. She is hired to work in a casino spa.

Luis Silver is deaf and mute. He works at the spa as a janitor. He lives in a boardinghouse and is often the target of being bullied. People tend to not notice him, but Luis notices a lot. Anger builds in him from being targeted and by police who ignore it. He channels his anger in a destructive manner, as a way to call attention.

Clara and Des show up to the spa in the hopes of getting readings, Clara has a vision of Lily that surprises her. Before they are chased out of the spa, Clara lifts something of Lily's.

There are missing women, and suddenly Clara is getting pieces of real visions. Clara confides in Lily where they form a surprising friendship. As they help each other, they are unaware of the danger they may be putting themselves in.

I'm a huge fan of paranormal genre, so the psychic element of the story pulled me in. In the beginning of the story, I didn't like Clara very much, but the more I got to know of her circumstances the more I rooted for her. I enjoyed seeing Lily become stronger and finding herself. I loved the ending where Luis finally has a figurative voice. A must read for those who enjoy thrillers!

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Gallery Books and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

This book was a slow burner to me that finished with a satisfying end. The descriptors were done so well I felt like I was at the boardwalk with Lily and Clara. I must admit for awhile I had no idea what the author was doing or where this book was going, and sometimes that is a bad thing for me, but not in this case. The way the story was twisted around to the ending made me stop at the end and nod my head in satisfaction. The story is told through various characters as we find out about the girls going missing from the boardwalk and being found in the marshlands. Are Clara's visions related to these? The way the story was told reminds me of how the media never remembers the innocent women who are subjected to the rage of men, and it was spot on. Follow Lily and Clara as they attempt to find out what is going on, even though it maybe at the cost of themselves.

Wow what a edge of ur seat book! It’s soo good and I enjoyed it very much! I highly recommend this one!

This was a suspenseful thriller with a fast paced plot and interesting characters on par with Laura Lippmann
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. This story outlines the tales of women who end up in Atlantic City, all drawn there for different reasons and all searching for a new start on life. A serial killer chooses his prey and leaves his victims one by one in the swamps of the failing City, waiting to be discovered. The author develops the characters and their relationships in a way that leaves you rooting for their success and wanting to read the next book to see what happens. By the end the killer is no closer to being identified or caught and his motive is left a mystery. All together, I want to know more and "Please See Us" is just the start.

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen is her debut novel. I have had the opportunity from NetGalley to read it and I am glad I did. Some of the book to me can be a little dark, intense, whatever word suits you, but it is based in Atlantic City. Atlantic City is somewhere I have never been but is a place that intrigues me so it wasn't a question of whether I wanted to try this novel. After reading the description, I was hooked in wanted to read Please See Us.
Please See Us is a novel you will want to read and afterwards not be disappointed.

I always enjoy reading books that take place in my home state of Jersey. I think the author did a great job of developing characters you care about. I like the timeline of the novel and that each chapter is from a different characters perspective. There were a few parts where I was confused about how it would all connect but by the end I understood it all. I am very appreciative to be given the opportunity to read and review this book.

Please See Us is a great dark thriller. It is well written and has well developed characters. It is a fantastic book to read.

3 stars = "liked it"

I feel like I read a different book than everyone else. I see all the 4 & 5 star reviews, and I don't understand it. This was a 1 or 2 star read until the ending, the beginning was so slow I actually fell asleep once when I was reading. Not what I expect from a thriller.

I can agree that there is character development, though I'm not sure it was enough to carry the book over the top. Maybe I'm in the wrong mind set in reading, but this book was disappointing.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

My reason for choosing this book was the setting of Atlantic City.  AC was where my family spent time down the shore, albeit in the 1950’s and 1960’s, well before casinos came to town.  

I still don’t understand what happened to AC based on its proximity to New York and oceanfront location.  Is there another oceanfront city or town that doesn’t do at least marginally well?  Is there one with as much crime and blight as AC? Reading that the book has a supernatural edge to it, as well as the cutesy name given to one of the characters, I thought twice about picking it up.  My first impressions were wrong! This was a fabulous book! Its grip held on from beginning to end, and I still have a lingering sense of sadness and bleakness, kind of like AC.

The story begins with two young women who become unlikely friends in Atlantic City.  Ava, a 16-year old who uses the name Clara Voyant to tell fortunes on the AC boardwalk, lives with her aunt, Des.  Times are tough, and Des starts setting up “dates” for Clara. Clara meets Lily, an AC native returned from New York after some personal and business problems waylay her.  Clara reads Ava’s tarot cards, and Ava is taken aback at the accuracy of Clara’s reading of her past as well as the future choices she must make. And out in the marsh, two women are laid out in death, waiting for someone to find them.  Clara begins having frightening visions, and the two women team together to see if they can make sense of Clara’s visions. But how many more will go missing? And who will miss them?

The chapters are the alternating points of view and personal stories of Clara, Lily and a whole host of other characters, yet it is smooth transitioning from one to the next.  The character development is exceptional and the issues of power (individually, corporately, as a community), economics, prostitution, crime, drugs, violence and self-worth are interspersed throughout.  The storyline is psychological suspense at its best, yet it isn't the murder/serial killer theme that grips you. It is the everyday lives of the characters and what they must do to make it through another day.

What a debut novel!

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