4 stars for Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker! Wow this book was creepy from the very first chapter and I was hooked.

Molly Clarke was ready to walk away from her troubled life. At least, that's the story that's being told. Her car is found abandoned on the side of a highway, a note with her clothes is found in a nearby hotel. The authorities are ready to give up looking, but her daughter Nicole, riddled with guilt about how cold she was towards her mother, is not. The book alternates between Molly & Nicole's chapters as the reader slowly unravels what exactly happened to Molly from her own perspective and from Nicole's discoveries. Each chapter leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat, compelled to keep reading and figure out what is going on.

I flew through this book in less than 24 hours because it was such a compulsive, addicting read. If you're looking to get wrapped up in an insane and twisty thriller this Fall, pick up Don't Look for Me when it comes out on September 15th! I am excited to go back and read more of Walker's books now and she has become an auto-buy author for me.

Special thanks to St Martin's Press, Wendy Walker and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker is an absolute page turner that tugged at every emotion I had! There is so much tragedy that’s happened to the Clarke Family but we hear the most from Molly Clarke and her daughter, Nicole, both who feel enormous guilt for the death of 9-year-old Annie 5 years ago. Their lives are torn apart, there is anger, miscommunication, lack of communication … so much dysfunction in this once happy family.

When Molly makes the long trip to watch her son play football at his boarding school, it’s during a hurricane but her guilt and feelings of unworthiness drive her to make this trip. When her son sees her standing there but completely ignores her, it’s the last straw. Molly’s car runs out of gas on the way home and as she’s walking through the rain and the wind, she thinks to herself, why not just disappear, nobody would care, nobody would miss me. Then a truck stops and she gets in. Her car is found by the police but nobody knows what happened to Molly.

Aaah! This book hit all the emotions! It’s both heart-wrenching and terrifying with the creepiest atmosphere … ever! There’s more to the story than Molly walking away and Nicole, her daughter, is going to find out what happened. Nicole herself is already spiraling downward, using booze and men to cope with her own guilt and anger. When a witness comes forward with information on the truck that Molly got into, it gives Nicole the fuel she needs to move forward with her mother’s case. I’m going to stop myself here because I don’t want to risk spoilers but this is a complex and convoluted story with twists and red herrings that kept me wondering all the way to the end! Insidious, disturbing and unputdownable!

A big thank you to Macmillan Reading Insiders Club, St. Martins Press and Wendy Walker for gifting me this DRC in exchange for my review.

This is the third of Walker's books I've read and they're always solid thrillers. I wasn't sure what to expect based on the description, but oh wow did it get twisty. I've been reading a bunch of thrillers recently and have started to crave something different than an unreliable narrator with a murder that maybe happened. I really enjoyed the narrative structure - you're getting different facets of the story at different points in time. I did guess some of the twists, but not all. I particularly appreciated how Walker really delved into the psychology of grief and how it can change family dynamics. It made this book more than just a standard thriller.

This book was so freaking good. I love this author. I can never figure out the ending in advance, which is absolute gold for authors in this genre.

Molly runs out of gas during a storm and then is picked up by a stranger.
Fourteen days later, her daughter Nicole receives a new clue despite the fact that the missing persons case has been closed since they found a note from Molly stating that she was leaving and not to bother looking for her.
Did Molly really leave? What will Nicole do to get her back?

This is so good. I definitely recommend it.

Tragedy and sorrow lead a family on a path of self destruction; an interloper can take what is needed from this crew to solidify a dastardly plan. Molly suffered a great tragedy and her family is falling to pieces.. Why wouldn't she leave it all behind? Why wouldn't she want to start over where she doesn't have to remind her family of what she did? Why can't a little girl have a mommy that loves her? What happens when someone decides that's what needs to happen?

This book hooked me from the first page and I raced through it to see how it would end! It had the perfect amount of creepiness (lots of chills without being downright terrifying or gruesome). I didn’t completely love the ending which is the only reason I didn’t give it five stars. But overall, I really loved this!

A car abandoned in the middle of a small town. A note that was found at a nearby hotel. It looks as if Molly Clarke has walked away from her life. Is that what happened?

This was my first Wendy Walker book, and love her writing, I can't wait to read more by her. This was one twisty read! The pacing was perfect filling you with suspense and dread. So many questions and you try to make sense of whats happening, who, and why? The twist was great one I really didn't expect. I narrowed down to the people I thought it was! I was close but I had no idea what really going on.

Are you a good Mommy?

A family torn apart by tragedy and each withdrawn from the others and out of feelings pushing blame.

Molly Clarke, the wife of John and mother to Nicole, Evan, & Annie. Molly drives hours to the boarding school to attend her son's football game, despite Nicole telling her mother that he doesn't want her there.

Molly can feel her daughter's hatred, her son's indifference, and her husband's lack of love, but for every game Molly still makes the long drive to watch her son play.

This is one night, that Molly should've stayed home. There is a hurricane on the way, and after the game Molly begins the drive home, only to run out of gas. The gas station, she has walked to, is closed due to the storm.

Molly being despondent thinks about just walking away and starting over. A credit card charge and a note left behind lead to a search, but it's as if Molly walked off the face of the earth. Police have concluded that Molly walked away.

When Nicole gets a call from a woman telling her a few things as a witness, Nicole must follow up and heads back to Hastings. Holes are poked into the woman's story, and in a short time, Nicole realizes everyone she has spoken to has holes. She doesn't know who to trust, not even her own father, and things are not adding up, but she is not going to give up until her mother is found.

This was an amazing thriller! I was pulled into the heartache of the tragedy, and how each family member was trying to cope followed by the twists and turns of Nicole's need to learn more, and her coming to grips with her own guilt and the parting last words said to Molly, that became the drive to find her mother. Also, trying to decipher who was trustworthy and who was lying.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an ARC. I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

Molly Clarke goes missing. Does she want to be found, or does a note left indicate that she does not? Her daughter Nicole tries to find her after most others had given up. It turns out that Molly had been targeted for a kidnap and was quite well-hidden. The novel is about the search and finding out who the kidnapper is. Author Wendy Walker does a good job of unfolding those events to maintain excitement The writing is good, and the terror that the victims felt feels very real. I recommend this novel.
Thanks, Netgalley, for the ARC.

Wow. Just wow. The shock and emotions that flowed through me while I read this book are deep and varying. I don't even know what to say. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was so completely wrong, but yet, close enough, that it was a shock that hit close to home. This book was heartbreaking, stressful, and a million other things, to read. But more than anything, it was one of the best books I have ever read. It reminded me slightly of "Girl Last Seen" where the main character is similar to Nicole, one of the main characters of this book. in many ways. However, this book, while being slightly reminiscent of others, was still so unique I can't imagine anything like it. Wendy Walker has created a masterpiece by writing "Don't Look For Me" and I can't imagine how she did it. I have already frantically messaged several friends telling them that they have to order this book or borrow from the library after it comes out, as I need to talk to someone about how much these plot twists threw me for a loop. I'm still reeling. I also love how well everything was tied together at the end. It didn't feel rushed, and despite giving closure, was able to leave some to the imagination. This book is one that will be on my favorites list, and I hope it will be as enjoyable to others as it was to me.

Wow, a lot of grief, heartache and terror throughout this whole story, and the bad stuff just keeps on keeping on. An enjoyable psychological experience, with many different victims, because all the twisted roads were made by each person personal pain, other than the true evil at the center. Edge of your seat read. Add this to your TBR list.

Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker is an incredible thriller! I have been a fan of all of Wendy Walker's novels and this one did not disappoint.

The author does an excellent job of telling the story of a missing mom and her grown daughter's journey to find her.

The story is written in multiple timelines and points of view.

I was holding my breath reading this book, it was exciting and thrilling with twists that left me shocked.

I’ve been on a bit of run lately reading thrillers. For some reason I’ve increased my reads in this genre since the pandemic began. I can’t really figure this out given that I’m already feeling stressed and a good thriller puts me into tachycardia. Having just finished Don’t Look for Me, I’m certain my heart rate won’t be decreasing any time soon.

There are so many things happening in this book. Molly Clarke is a woman trying to survive after the death of her youngest daughter five years ago. This tragedy is compounded by the fact that Molly ran over her in a horrible accident. The guilt she lives with is beyond imagination and her life has never been the same since that time. Sadly, her relationships with the rest of the family are severely strained as they blame her for this inevitable accident. Her husband doesn’t speak to her, and her daughter Nic has been kicked out of school. Molly makes the effort every two weeks to watch her son play football - something he doesn’t understand given it’s a three hour drive each way. It’s during one of those trips that Molly runs out of gas in the midst of a hurricane on her way home. She is given a ride by a man and his daughter who happened to be driving by. But Molly doesn’t return home after the hurricane. Is she fleeing the family who no longer love and respect her or has something more nefarious happened to Molly?

Told from a two perspective (Molly and Nic), dual time frame, the true events of what happened to Molly slowly unfold. This psychological thriller is well crafted, and delivers the chilling impact that only great authors provide. It is well organized, meticulously presented and highly engaging. The story is memorable and the conclusion satisfying. I will be reading more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here. 4.5 stars.

DON’T LOOK FOR ME is an atmospheric psychological thriller with a tone that is, at times, dark and claustrophobic as it follows unusual and unforeseen circumstances that literally derail Molly Clarke when she runs out of gas on a dark and lonely road and is given a ride by a helpful stranger and his little girl.

The narrative is terrifyingly thought provoking ands author Wendy Walker toys not only with the minds of her compelling characters but the reader as well. This is more than just a mystery. It is a meditation on family and identity related in such an alluring way that it keeps you hooked as it delves into the darkest corners of the human heart.

This book will appeal to both those who like a tough edge to their mysteries as well as those who prefer a softer, gentler touch.

4.5🌟
What am completely insane, intriguing book!
In the beginning, I wasn’t quite sure if I was going to 1) like this story 2) continue reading it 3) finish it. Well, I did end up getting pulled into the story and what a roller coaster ride!
The main character, Molly, mysteriously disappears one night driving home....what happened???? Her daughter, Nicole, searches for the answer to what happened to her mother.
If you are looking for a suspenseful read, Don’t Look For Me should be the book you pick up. Definitely a thriller to the end. And, the twist at the end is quite intriguing.
Wendy Walker is a new author for me and one I hope to read more from.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and give my honest review about this book .

A book of many layers, I found this hugely enjoyable and very well told.

Molly Clarke is a wife and a mother. Her marriage is on the rocks. Her son at college and her oldest daughter has changed beyond recognition after that day five years ago. The day her youngest daughter was killed in front of her sister and Mollys part in it.

Molly is finding it impossible to live with the guilt. When her car is found abandoned on the side of a road after a heavy storm and a note turns up later in a nearby hotel from her, it looks like she is walking away from her life to start anew. But is she really or is there more sinister things at play?

Told from two perspectives, Mollys and her eldest daughter Nic in alternate chapters from both, it’s a hugely enjoyable and intriguing read.
It’s a thriller for sure but that’s nearly the back drop for what the story is really about - grief, family, our own mortality and our attitude to it. Our relationships and how we treat people and value them. How it takes a tragedy of a death for us to stop and take stock.

The story is intriguing and creepy. Largely set in a small town, there’s plenty of secrets in the walls and trees and land of this town. Some very well written characters and some truly creepy ones, this will have you hooked from the off and keep you guessing for the most part.

Some of the reveals were more than a little obvious but that’s not really the point of the book. On a base level it’s a really good thriller and satisfying read and if you want something deeper there’s a really nice thin layer on top of character study etc.

I really enjoyed this one on a couple of levels. A few characters that will certainly stay with me for a while.

Many thanks to Netgalley, St Martins Press and Wendy Walker for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Don't Look for Me was seriously one of the best mystery books I have read this year. I could not put it down. Wendy Walker did an excellent job of writing about a mother outcasted from her family - until she goes missing and their world is again tilted with loss. Her daughter does not give up on her disappearance and instead finds herself in the same situation as her mother.

Thank you NeGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Wendy Walker for this ARC!

Wendy Walker hit it out of the park with this book. I could not put it down. So many twists, but they all come together in the end, and it is good. I would definitely recommend this book.

Convinced that Molly Clarke's disappearance was the voluntary act of a runaway wife and mother, the police seem as unionterested in finding her as her husband, who may already be having an ffaur, and her daughter Nicole, who blames her for the accidental death of her younger sister. When a note is found in a hotel room near her abandoned car imploring her family not to look for her and apologizing again for the accident that fractured their otherwise happy family, there's no reason to mount a search - except Inc' s gradual realization that her mother loved her and her brother to much to abandon them despite her overwhelming burden of guilt for not seeing her younger child until the wheels of the car drive over and killed her. Undertaking her own investigation, Nic is ultimately led to exactly where the man who abducted her mother wanted her to be, but not before the reader is hooked into this domestic thriller

Hang on for a great ride! Don't Look For Me by Wendy Walker is an amazing suspenseful, mystery that doesn't stop until the book is done!
Molly Clarke is a mom desperately trying to keep what is left of her family intact after the tragic death of her nine-year old daughter. On her way back from her teenage son's ballgame, she runs out of gas in the middle of a terrible storm. Luckily, a kind man and child offer to pick her up and get her some gas. Little does Molly know, she isn't going to get gas.
After the police search for her and declare that Molly left the area on her own accord, they stop looking for Molly. Her daughter Nicole knows she would never leave her living two children no matter what. Nicole starts her own investigation and it all starts to unravel.
Overall, Don't Look For Me packs a great punch! I will definitely be recommending this to others, as well as looking for other works by Wendy Walker. I read this book over the course of one day. I'd put it down just to pick it back up again, unable to stay away. Special Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wendy Walker for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.