I took a bit longer to get into this book compared to previous books by this author. It was worth the wait though. Brilliant plot & loved the characters. Would recommend this to anyone.

This story did not grab me at all to begin with! I nearly gave up on it but something must have caught my attention! Perhaps it was the fact that there were two very different but strong women in charge of solving the mystery surrounding the town, the mass graves and the local murders, perhaps I enjoyed their strength and the banter between them. Perhaps it was a past victim and the budding romance between her and a computer geek involved in the investigating team? Whatever it was I’m glad I stuck with it! It slowly drew me into the tunnels in the mountains, into the town and its people and into the characters that slowly and cleverly revealed themselves! Yes, it was worth it!

The small town of Niche is just that, a small town; nothing ever changes, everyone knows everyone's business and major crimes don't happen here but then human remains are found. SSA Kimberley Quincy is put in charge of the investigation and asks Boston detective D.D. Warren and kidnap survivor Flora Dane to join her taskforce but none of them can begin to imagine how things will evolve.

This is such a consistently tense, fast moving, heart stopping, book I'm not sure where to begin. Right from the start as two inexperienced hikers are getting kitted out you're waiting for something shattering to happen and already you're hooked! There are few light moments but Lisa Gardner is expert at introducing humour born of familiarity or the seriousness of the situation so even during the darkest chapters the dialogue will make you smile.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to any fans of this brilliant author or any of her current series, this is an excellent addition to anyone's library and a first class read.

When you see me follows DD Warren and Flora’s quest to track more information about Flora’s - now dead - kidnapper and his previous victims. When a body is discovered and police believes Flora’s kidnapper is involved, the two women are called to participate in the investigation. But is everything exactly what it seems? Or is there more to this discovery?

This books was really interesting and it did keep me hooked but it was a bit slow paced at the beginning. Lisa Gardner is fantastic and gives so many details of the investigation and processes that it makes it even more believable and the story does keep you hooked as you just want to find out what is happening!
Although I haven’t read the previous book but the story is easy to follow and it has lots of twists that you aren’t expecting.To me, it worked fine as a stand alone and I thought it was brilliant but some readers might want to read Lisa Gardner previous books before starting with this one.

This book is narrated by four characters: Flora, investigator DD Warren, FBI agent Quincy and an unknown girl and despite the initial slow pace of the story, the plot becomes more and more interesting and I just couldn’t stop reading until the end.

The plot turned out to be completely different from what I was expecting and I was completely surprised by most of the events in it.
Without wanting to give spoilers, two stories that may not seem related end up intertwining in such a simple but unpredictable way!
The characters are such strong personalities and really well constructed. The grief and internal battles is palpable and it is really rewarding that in one story you get to see them go through and overcome some of their personal battles. I personally enjoyed Flora’s character development and how her actions and behaviour change as the investigation evolves.

I definitely recommend #Whenyouseeme to fans of crime, mystery and thriller and I will surely add Lisa Gardner’s previous books to my list of books to read.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #randomhouseuk for the opportunity to read When you see me prior to its publish date in exchange for an honest review.

Having never read any Lisa Gardner before, I came to this one blind but needn’t have worried. Despite the author uniting three of her most loved characters - Flora Dane, Detective D.D. Warren and FBI agent Kimberley Quincy - the novel was still easy to follow with not too much of a backstory.
When human remains are discovered by two hikers in Georgia, they are assumed to be the work of deceased serial killer Jacob Ness. However, as more bones are uncovered the small town of Niche comes under the spotlight and more recent crimes come to light. Flora - a survivor of predator Ness - D.D. and Kimberley come together to uncover the murderous secrets the town holds and their suspicions of a present day killer are borne out.
This was an excellent, page-turning crime thriller which was a highly enjoyable read. I will definitely be searching out other books by Gardner in the near future.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘When You See Me’ by Lisa Gardner in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The remains of a body are discovered in the woods in Niche, Georgia, and as Flora Dane was abducted and kept imprisoned in the same area for 472 days by the infamous Jacob Ness she and Keith Edgar, crime computer analyst and Flora’s friend, are recruited by Sergeant DD Warren as part of the task force responsible for finding the killer. A young girl is used for menial labour in the town’s B&B after the gunshot that killed her mother left her with facial scarring, a limp and unable to speak. DD Warren befriends her and on hearing others call her ‘Girl’ names her Benita. Benita finds a way to tell DD about the ‘bad man’ who’s taking girls and killing them but she knows too much and her life is in danger. Can DD keep her safe until they find the identity of the killer?

Despite not having read the previous books in the Detective DD Warren series, I don’t feel at a disadvantage as ‘When You See Me’ has been written in such a way that it can easily be read as a standalone. It’s a brilliantly-written spine-chilling thriller with a breath-taking plot that’s shocking at times, overflowing with excitement and suspense, twists and turns, lots of action, and ending with a gruesome and nail-biting conclusion that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is the first of Lisa Gardner’s thrillers I’ve had the privilege to read, but it won’t be the last!

Fantastic thriller - a real page-turner. A hiker finds a mass grave in the mountains - the FBI are called in along with Flora - a victim turned vigilante, to help solve the crime. The town the arrive in holds many secrets and there are frightening consequences as the secrets, and bodies, are unearthed. A gripping read - highly recommended.

This is yet another fast paced , suspense filled thriller from a talented Author - with great characters .

Human bones , identified as Lilah Abenito , have been discovered in a mountain town called Niche - that caters to hikers doing the Appalachian Trail .
Was she the victim of the serial killer Jacob Ness?
A task force is soon formed - lead by SSA Kimberly Quincy of the FBI , including Sergeant D.D Warren, Flora Dane , the survivor of 472 days of torture at the hands of Ness .
Soon the bodies found mount up leaving the investigators stunned , are there more to be found ? - just what is going on ? who is/are the perpetrator(s) .
Flora has come a long way from being a victim to taking her chance of happiness with Keith, a true crime aficionado and an expert in computers.
The story is told through D.D , Kimberly and Flora and leaves the reader stunned at the chilling Climax .

Some of the descriptions of kidnap , torture and misery is difficult to read but is paramount to the story and to leave it out or paper over the horror would lessen the truth .

I look forward to the next book by the Author .

I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I genuinely do not have a bad word to say about Lisa Gardner’s books. Every series and stand alone is fantastic and I always know I will enjoy them. I look forward to her new books coming out and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. Fantastic series from the queen of crime thrillers and I can’t wait til the next.

Turn the pages quickly, tension, uncontrollable pace of heart beats, quickly what happens next, not fast enough, read, read and read, tearing my hair out, finally oh no I don’t want it to end. Epilogue 😫 😫 😫 and thus emotionally drained after reading the incredible When You See Me from Lisa Gardner.

Bonita- You have my heart! ‘Bonita’ for me is the song La Isla Bonita by Madonna but now it will always resonate in my mind as the girl who rose from utter depths of hell and fought towards a beacon of light rising from ashes to conquer her fear and be triumphant against evil.

Hindus in India worship ‘Kali’ who is believed to be the destroyer of evil forces, one glimpse at the picture and you would understand why Bonita at the end left me with the picture of Kali in my mind.

I may sound like a broken tape but once again I’m at loss for words to describe the latest thriller from Lisa Gardner. She is unparalleled in the genre of crime thrillers. Now that I actually think, If I am questioned about the books that I wouldn’t mind re-reading, my answer would be Lisa Gardner and Sandra Brown’s novels. The Other Daughter was the first book that I have read by this author and since then I have fallen hook, line and sinker for her plots and characters and DD, oh my God how much have you grown from the almost hate inducing rude and stubborn attitude to the jelly in my hand mom to Jack.

So many mysteries centered around small towns and suddenly the claustrophobic feel has started giving me heebie-jeebies. When You See Me begins with a prologue that doesn’t impact much, of course reading too many thrillers we have read similar opening chapters. But then the ride begins. Human bones identified as Lilah Abenito has been discovered in a quaint mountain town called Niche that caters to hikers doing the Appalachian Trail. Was she the victim of the dreaded seral killer Jacob Ness? Soon a task force is formed lead by SSA Kimberly Quincy of FBI and which includes Sergeant D.D Warren, Flora Dane, the survivor of 472 days of torture at the hands of Ness and also Keith, a true crime aficionado and a superior expert in computers.
“Something happened here. Something really bad. Real question is, is it over yet?”

Old skeletons have come to light and before long, the investigation changes from 15 yr. old mystery of mass graves to current mystery with bodies piling up leaving the investigating team stunned. The story progresses thru DD, Kimberly and Flora. There’s also another voice whose story leaves the reader teary-eyed and sad. Flora has come a long way from the broken woman she was not just surviving but learning to live taking her chances with Keith, there were some really sweet moments between them that was uplifting, and DD’s instincts still razor-sharp that leads to a chilling climax.

Fair warning readers, some parts describing the misery of girls being kidnapped and tortured can be hard to read and When You See Me can probably be read as standalone but it is highly recommended to read them in order especially from DD Warren #8, Find Her as the story of Flora Dane and her strength needs to be understood in its whole entirety.

Many Thanks to LisaGardner, NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a chance to review this book.

When You See Me
By Lisa Gardner

4 Stars

Murder, Mystery, Thriller

Full of twists and turns to the last page. Readers will be engaged through the hard to put down title. The ending will keep you guessing.

This psychotic thriller features Flora Dane, a survivor of a horrific killer. She is called in by the FBI to assist when a series of bodies start appearing in a small southern town. This town however is aiming to keep the police out, proving more difficult as the body out starts to increase.

In the end, the ties and links throughout the town will keep you guessing as to who the killer really is.

This title has been reviewed by www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

This title was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an open and honest review.

#WhenYouSeeMe #NetGalley

It did not matter that this is book no 11 in the series and I had not read any of the others.. Any necessary background information is shared and did not spoil the flow of the story.
The main female characters are strong women and I liked that the narration in the chapters were shared between them, showing different points of view.
The book moved at a fast pace and kept the reader fully engaged throughout, no skipping pages with this book! I liked that it wasn’t all based on the first discovery but that more details kept coming to light throughout the book.
All told this was a good read, you had to suspend belief at times but this did not spoil a gripping story that kept you on your toes.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The latest in the Detective D D Warren series. I previously read Never Tell, the book that immediately preceded this one and I stated at the time that I felt it left a few unanswered questions. This book delivers answers and a whole new catalogue of evil criminal acts. A child is witness to her mother’s death at the hands of a ‘bad man’ and is horribly injured as the bullet that kills her mother rips through her own temple leaving her disfigured and mute. Several years later the body of a girl is found in a remote mountainous area of Georgia and due to the time frame of her suspected murder, DD Warren is sent to the area to investigate along with Flora Dane, a kidnap survivor and Keith, a computer expert who previously discovered evidence to link Jacob Ness to Flora’s kidnapping. Was this latest discovery another victim of Ness before he died? Fast paced and gripping this story evolves with increasing horror as more twists and secrets are revealed within the sleepy town of Niche. With many interesting characters, it is impossible to know who can be trusted and as the investigation progresses it becomes increasingly difficult for DD Warren and FBI agent Kimberley Quincy to prevent further tragedies. Brilliantly written with great empathy towards those who have suffered great trauma along with highlighting great human strength in seemingly impossible situations. I look forward to the next in this great series.

A very enjoyable book. Takes the serial killer genre a stage further with the uncovering (pun intended!) of more than the first found remains.
The author provides very good insights into the minds of the primary characters and maintains a very good pace throughout the book. Several sections are particularly gripping and well worth reading - suspense and tension.
My only slight concern was I did find the flashback sections a bit long but other than that a highly recommended read

Review
Fabulous! I loved this book and was gripped throughout.

Telling the story from various individuals, it kept the book interesting rather than plodding along. Flora Danes was a beautiful, bright, normal teenager who was kidnapped and held prisoner for 18 months by Jacob Ness. When a body is found in the mountains, Flora and crime fan/computer geek Keith are asked to assist the investigation with the police, forensics etc.

The team visit the Mayor and his wife at their “Mountain Laurel” B&B. There they meet a sweet girl, their maid, who has been badly disfigured and who it is apparent, knows more than she is able to let on. Sergeant D.D. Warren agrees a yes, no code with the girl and this leads them to investigate further.

It was a cleverly written book. I wish the author had given more information on Flora’s imprisonment and how she was able to kill Jacob Ness. Love that there’s such a strong female team leading.

I will certainly be reading more by this author.

I rate this book 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks
Thank you to the author Lisa Gardner and publishers Randomhouse UK for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an independent review.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a different slant on the story, with spine-chilling interludes. A police hunt for someone who does not seem to exist in a small American town.
A bit grisly in parts but nevertheless a strong story, full of strong female leading characters. Very good read

When two hikers are exploring a forest high up in the Appalachian ranges looming above the small township of Niche, Georgia, they wander off track in search of a piece of wood. Eventually they come across something the size they need. They pick it up and quickly discover it is not wood at all. They have in fact stumbled across what turns out to be the bones of Lilah Abeteno, buried in a mass grave that has been disturbed by scavenging wild animals searching for an easy meal. Lilah was thought to have been a victim of the notorious, heinous Jacob Ness, once the most feared of mass murderers, but seven years ago shot dead by Flora Dane, his kidnap victim for over a year, now a survivor and vigilante searching to seek out and eliminate other violent criminals. This discovery turns into the latest investigation involving Detective D. D. Warren, Flora Dane and Kimberly Quincy, a brilliant FBI agent, in this, the eleventh novel in the D.D. Warren series of edgy thrillers full of twisty turns and in this novel, the story of terrifying tortures by a crazed, powerful giant of an assailant.
Niche has turned into a gateway for hikers, a quiet, idyllic town, sleepy off season, but a tourist centre for enthusiastic mountain climbers and explorers. A task force is soon set up, centred in a rambling tourist lodge, the Mountain Laurel B&B, and under the watchful eye of the local Sherriff. This novel is 400 pages of very tense and absorbing story development where nothing is as it seems to be and in your heart you know that you cannot trust any of the townsfolk, who are all enraged, or at least very unhappy about the ensuing and thorough investigation with a huge number of specialist detectives. They fear it will destroy their blossoming and lucrative tourist industry.
I really enjoyed this novel. It was full of intrigue and more twists and turns that a tumble dryer on its most savage settings. It packs a punch both literally and figuratively. The characters are so diverse they will keep you guessing throughout this intense novel as to whether they are involved in the deception or quite innocent of any misdoing. The characters I liked were numerous and very diverse. One girl that worked at the plush jewel in the crown of a hotel certainly melted my heart. She was named Bonita by DD. It was obvious to me that she was a pearl of a teenager and had been very hard done by. Her back story was unbelievable, extremely absorbing and so unfair. She was non-verbal due to the cruel action of the main beastly protagonist, but she was honest and upright in every way. My heart bled for her and I really hoped she would have the ending that I thought she deserved. There was no mercy from this monstrous, blood-thirsty murderer. He was on a mission to become as infamous as Jacob Ness, if not more so. I also liked Geeky Kevin, who was an admirer (and he hoped for more one day) of gutsy Flora Dane. Look out for him and I’m sure you will like him as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Cornerstone Digital through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review. It is a really good read and my review reflects this fact. I always admire the thorough and meticulous research undertaken by Lisa Gardner and her team. She merges these gems of knowledge from authorities in their field and this endows her story with interesting factual information, adding kudos and authenticity to the story. It’s a 4.5* review from me.

I have never read any books by this author before but I was highly engrossed in this book would definitely recommend to others.

I couldn't get enough of this book! Fantastic and what a plot - an absolute roller-coaster of a ride - chills and thrills! Superb!

When the discovery of bones are found in a shallow grave, a group of Detectives and FBI agents along with a special task force are sent to investigate. Is this more remains of the notorious serial killer Jacob Ness' victims? Flora, a survivor who was held captive for 472 days by Ness, joins the task force. Can she help solve this case once and for all?

A fantastic crime thriller and a must read. I did not realise there were other books in the series. I will be checking out Lisa Gardner!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the chance to read this book.

For Janet and Chuck, it was a hiking break in the Appalachians in Georgia and pure chance that Chuck went off the beaten track to find a stick. What he found was a human bone and SSA Kimberley Quincy was called in, along with Sergeant D D Warren. Both women were experienced in this type of rather gruesome work but they also called on the services of Keith Edgar, a computer analyst, and Flora Dane who brought something unique to the table. Flora had been kidnapped and held for 472 days by the notorious killer, Jacob Ness. If Ness had anything to do with the current discoveries then what Flora had to say could be invaluable.

It's been a good number of years now, but Flora is slowly recovering from her ordeal. She's growing closer to Keith Edgar, but she's still not certain enough to take any risks, on the basis that if he wasn't the first good thing which had happened to her in a long time, then he was probably a serial killer. Either way, she wasn't going to take any chances - but the way that he seemed able to read her mind was quite uncanny.

What becomes clear very quickly is that there is more than one body for the task force to investigate. On the surface, the closest town, Niche, in Georgia, seems idyllic with its Victorian mansion turned into a B&B and run by the town mayor and his wife. They're good people - they took in their niece when her mother died in the accident which left the girl mute, scarred and limping. She's a waitress in the guest house and D D realises that the girl might not be able to speak, but she's not stupid and has a lot to tell if only they can find a way of establishing communication.

When the bodies started piling up I did feel as though I might need to suspend disbelief: so many dead girls in a relatively small town? Was it really credible? But then I thought of Fred and Rose West in Gloucester, where the residents in the same street hadn't realised what was going on. Niche was on the tourist map with a rapidly-changing population of guests and the staff who looked after them. It could be the ideal location for someone with evil intentions. And this plot takes every advantage of this and delivers a top-class mystery.

Quincy, Warren, Edgar and Dane are known to us. You'll get more out of this book if you've read the predecessor, Never Tell, but it can be read as a standalone. There's enough information about the backstory to keep newcomers from feeling that they're all at sea, but not so much that you don't feel inclined to go back and find out what happened. All the characters come off the page well and I spent far too much time trying to work out who was behind the crimes. It was a good read and I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag see a review copy.