Member Reviews
Linda B, Reviewer
Dark, gripping suspense. This is a story within a story within a story. The plot is absorbing and the characters well developed. Read it yourself and figure out who wants to be seen. |
I was sent an invite to read this book I liked that it was written by a debut author, so I read it with excitement. I traveled to Atlantic City- I could see, hear and feel the areas. I delved deep into characters' lives, and then deeper. I felt for some of the characters and wanted to help or scream at them. I was rushing to the end as I had to have the answers! |
After the life that she was dealt there is still so much more pain to come for Ava. All these women, ladies, teenagers crossing paths was part of a grim future. From start to finish the things that happened made me want to scrub myself clean. I kept holding on to hope for all of them to come out of this better and stronger. I was torn when Georgia's mother came onto the scene. After all she did to clean up and try and get back her life. I felt like for Emily, the only one that may mourn her is Lily. There is still so much left to this story that I have to know. The author mde sure to keep her reader tied to the book and definitely left a hook to keep them coming back. |
annmarie b, Bookseller
This was a great edge of your seat book! This book kept me captivated the whole time! I could not put it done! |
Please see us is an incredible can’t put it down novel ! I live in NJ and to read something that hit so close to home with how run down Atlantic City was and how a killer was on the loose was just perfect. The story line flowed perfectly and kept you guessing until the very end, still wondering though who he actually was, I was very happy and shocked with the ending. A fan for any murder mystery lover or if your a fellow NJ member and want a close to home read then this is it |
I read this book because I’m also from the Atlantic City area and I get excited to see or read anything placed in this area. And the story seems loosely based on the actual murders that took place here in 2006 . Normally, when someone mentions Atlantic City it’s never accurate description. But this book, the author truly captures Atlantic City during the time frame after hurricane sandy. When the author mentions a certain place I would get excited like the “ HEY I KNOW THAT PLACE!” I truly appreciate that. The book is a decent read, I enjoyed the character development that two of the main characters had and the unlikely bond between them that blossomed throughout the story. What I didn’t like was the fact there was too many point of view characters and it started to get a little complicated putting it all together and knowing who was who. It was a slow read, but not to slow that you get bored. I was engaged throughout the whole story, constantly asking myself. “ who is killing these females?” And I think that’s the point of this book, because it’s making me remember a situation that has been long forgotten by a lot of folks around here and I hope it sparks talk for everyone who reads it. And I recommend that you do, the book is beautifully written. |
Four realistic, heart wrenching, in the love of crime thriller Gods stars! I can hear “Temptations” song playing in my head: “Under the Boardwalk down by the sea”, the breeze on your face, sea gulls take their random tours in the air, people passing around, walking aimless, some of them dealing with their own daily troubles and cannot even see what’s happening in front of their eyes. But now those boardwalks are empty! There is something eerie, terrifying about this abandoned, empty please. You want to know what’s happening! So just look down and see the water washes down the missing persons! They were taken away without their consent. Now those boardwalks turned into crime scenes of those innocent forgotten women. Two of them are already found in the marshland behind Sunset Motel. As the crime rates are getting out of control at the land, our main character is surprisingly a good psychic, reading Tarot cards starts getting visions from those women. Those images she’s seen are so realistic, vicious. Does her mind play tricks with her or could she truly know what has happened to those women? But she needs to find a way to help them because there is a killer out there hunting those innocent women who seemed like expendable enough not to be searched for. The other heroine is Lily, working in a Casino spa, trying to make her ends meet. Those two women’s paths cross to find out what happened to those missing women. This is slow burning story not mostly whodunnit or surprising, twisty, riveting page-turner but writing is flawless, neat, capturing your attention so you should consider this book as a crime fiction, drama before starting it but let me tell you this, the writer’s approach to the struggling women’s world to find their places at the cruel, competitive, challenging world is so good. This is a place where the prostitution, corruption, illegal actions, drugs, violence take control of the city. This is about the women who are ignored to be investigated, nobody cares to know their stories and whereabouts which make you the entire story so heart wrenching, depressing but also honest. The ending is also stunning, a quiet hard to digest and not for some readers but it is obviously credulous and logical. This kind of story should be ended at that way. It’s harsh, sad, agitating but this is the best conclusion we could get from this kind of story. Special thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this fantastic ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review. |
This was a quite enjoyable mystery. It was gripping and suspenseful, with totally unexpected twists and turns. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own |
Steven Z, Reviewer
This was an interesting mystery. I found it to be somewhat of a slow read but with enough suspense to keep the reader interested. This is a book that I would recommend to others. |
Lisa Ann S, Reviewer
Caitlin Mullen paints a sobering portrait of the once flamboyant and famed Atlantic City, NJ. With glimpses of a beach resort town in its heyday peeking through the eyes of the characters, the stark reality of these peoples' lives take you on a harrowing journey of heartbreak, loss, helplessness and remorse. Mullen tells the stories of multiple characters in a revolving chapter-to=chapter way yet maintains cohesiveness in the meshing of their lives throughout. The psychic, the hometown girl, the New York artist, the deaf, mute janitor and the three young women hidden in the marshland waiting to be found. This is a much seamier Atlantic City and lives can intertwine is the strangest of ways. With its quick pacing and whodunit vibe, Please See Us keeps you hooked from start to finish. |
A deep and budding friendship of two young women make it a little easier to get through trying and, for lack of a better word, slightly horrifying/scared times as disappearances hit left and right. |
Please See Us is a thriller set in Atlantic City that follows two women as they go down the rabbit hole trying to solve a mystery. The "seer" and "spa" girl alliance gives the story a quirk as it moves with some quick turns. Thanks for the ARC Net Galley |
Really liked this! I’m from south jersey and have spent my whole life down the shore so I liked recognizing all the Atlantic City and south Jersey landmarks. I followed the story when those women were murdered (2006?) so this was really interesting. If you know nothing about the murders you’ll still find it to be an engaging story, but I think I liked it especially because of my connection with the area. Great read!! |
Carolyn B, Reviewer
Dark, gripping suspense. This is a story within a story within a story. The plot is absorbing and the characters well developed. Read it yourself and figure out who wants to be seen. |
The publisher provided me with the opportunity to read this in exchange for providing feedback. (via NetGalley) I enjoyed reading this. It was a fast paced read that made it hard for me to put down. |
Michele H, Media
Please See Us is a story about a serial killer operating in the area of Atlantic City, NJ. His victims are all women working in the area with casinos. The story can be a bit hard. To follow as it skips from chapter to chapter each solely about a single one of these women. When the author joins the stories together it can be hard to reconcile others’ view of the character with the one we’ve developed. Please See Me is not for the faint of heart or for anyone demanding a happy ending. It is well written but can be overly wordy. |
This was really well done, I enjoyed every minute of it, the descriptions and characters brought me right in. I have never been to Alantic city but I could picture it vividly from the descriptions and that's always a sign of a good book, one that takes me somewhere new. The pacing, dialogue was great too, which many crime/thrillers lack but I thought this one had it just right, |
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review ! Please See Us Caitlin Mullen A great new thriller involving several missing women near the northeastern new jersey region. Summer has come and gone. The tourists are barely seen. The boardwalks are nearly empty in Atlantic City. Yet one thing is active the crime rate and murder. Two women have just been found in the marshland behind the Sunset Motel and only one person knows they're there. The women each have secrets of their own, and they must face their personal demons while working together to save missing girls. You need to try this book. You will not be sorry |
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review ! Please See Us Caitlin Mullen Historical Fiction Women's bodies are found murdered and dumped in marshland behind a seedy motel on the outskirts of Atlantic City. A young and genuine clairvoyant has unintentionally tapped into the psyche of a couple of the dead girls but she doesn't understand the messages she is receiving. She feels the tickle of fly legs and wings on her body when there is no fly to be seen, she hears a baby crying when there is no baby anywhere around. All Clara wants is to earn enough money to get out of this haunted city. Will she finally understand the messages she is receiving and or will she be the next victim? This book affected me. Made me think. Made me feel. Made me “ See” . I don't believe there is any higher rating then that.. I will be thinking about it for awhile even if I don't want to. With that said, I have mixed feelings about this book. I felt that it had a slow start but gained momentum after the first few chapters. The story was interesting, was based on actual events and was hard to put down once you got involved in the story. What has me mixed is not whether or not it's a good book, it's a difficult book for me to read because it hit close to home. I lived in Atlantic City during the time of these murders. I must have driven by the body dump site at least twice a week before the women were discovered. That alone gives me the chills. Although I was aware of the murders as they became news, there was not a lot of continued coverage on the crimes and it quickly became an older story. I believe this was political move for the city. A place that thrives on tourism, Atlantic City did not need people thinking there was a serial killer on the loose and threaten their cash flow. I am grateful to the author for bringing the story out again and hopefully others like myself will think, feel and see similar women who struggle on the streets of Atlantic City today, with more kindness. This novel made me aware of so much more then any news coverage at the time. The book is fiction, it is based upon the murders of 4 women in Atlantic City that actually occurred in 2006 however the book is set in more recent times very accurately describing the current state of Atlantic City and how it has deteriorated in the past 10-15 years. The recession of 2008 hit the area hard, devastating the financial security of so many. Casinos have closed, drugs, prostitution and crime are predominant. Distressed and boarded up homes are located on almost every block and damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 still remains. Debris strewn lots, damaged buildings and a feeling of destitution is the primary mood of a once exciting and glamorous city by the sea. While reading this book I researched and updated my knowledge on the actual murders by going back to news stories on the crimes. In the novel, The Sunset Motel represents the actual Golden Key Motel which has been demolished and is nothing more then asphalt and trash on the Black Horse Pike heading into AC. The drainage ditch that held the bodies is still there. There were 4 real women who were murdered between September and mid-November 2006. Nobody has ever been charged with the murders. The few suspects that were questioned were eventually released. The murderer is dubbed “The Eastbound Strangler” because the bodies were placed facing east. A major credit to the author is she made these real women more real by writing a fictional story. They were looked at as the dregs of society, drug users and prostitutes, many tended to turn to look away not wanting to see them as people. This book forced me to look deeper, open up my mind and heart and see them. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy true crime and historical fiction. |
The base story to this book is excellent. The reason I am giving 3 stars is because it is way way too wordy. I lost interest reading this book multiple times and skipped over a lot of the not needed words. |








