THIS BOOK. How have I never read a book by Wendy Walker before? I have The Night Before on my shelf and I think it'll have to be one of my next reads because I absolutely loved Don't Look for Me.

This book was so creepy. Reading it at night had me on high alert and because of the alternating perspectives, I had to keep reading more to end on a lesser-creepy note (didn't work out very well.. I finished this book in TWO sittings).

Don't Look for Me opens up in Hastings - a small, creepy town that if you don't have to stop in, you won't and if you have to, hopefully it's only for gas. When Molly Clarke is traveling back from her sons college football game, there's a bad storm and she runs out of gas. Unfortunately, the gas station is boarded up and so is the closest inn. When she's walking to try to find someone, she's approached on the side of the road by a man and a young girl, Alice. She gets into the truck with them for shelter with the promise of being taken back into town the next day but Molly quickly realizes that she's never leaving that house again...

Molly left behind a husband and 2 children. Her family and the police believe that Molly got sick of her life and just up and left it all behind, but her one daughter, Nic isn't so convinced that her mom would leave them all behind. Nic sets out to try to find her mom which takes her back to Hastings, where she uncovers small town secrets that run decades back.

This is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. Twists and turns that had me guessing until the very end and the creepy factor was HIGH on this one. I think this will be one of the best thrillers of 2020 so you should definitely try to get your hands on it once it's out (or early if you can!)

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Wendy Walker, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another hit from Wendy Walker! She is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This book is fast paced and kept me reading late into the night.

The only way to start this review is WOW! Wendy Walker has a vivid imagination and there were times I cringed at what the characters were doing. This is not a straight forward story but eventually all the separate story arcs merge into one bombshell of a conclusion I'm still trying to accept. Some characters were just too slippery to get what should have been coming to them. The characters were skillfully crafted to be completely believable, some in their goodness others in their manipulative meanness. The overall story was cleverly written to reveal only some of what was going on without revealing the full reality until the plots were close to the final reveal. This was definitely a five star read for me.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the author and St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#Don'tLookForMe #NetGalley

You are in for an emotionally compelling psychological thriller if you read this latest book by Wendy Walker. Why did Molly Clarke "walk away" from her husband and family? But did she? Her car was found abandoned and a note was found at a motel. When the search is called off her daughter Nicole is determined to find her - her mixed emotions of rage and grief add to the suspense as she finds clues that lead her into dangerous territory. This is a brilliantly written suspense with intense character development that give a striking observation between mothers and daughters and would be daughters, their shifting personalities and how they are connected. You won't be able to put this book down till the very last page - and then you will still be thinking about it - I am! I loved this book Wendy Walker - it is your best one yet!

If this is one of the first thriller reviews you've read from me, please note that I have a tendency to be much more critical of this genre than any other.

The premise behind this multiple POV thriller is pretty heavy. On the fifth anniversary of her nine-year old daughter's accidental death, Molly Clarke has disappeared and clues left behind lead everyone to believe that she walked away from her life willingly. Told from the perspectives of Molly Clarke and her surviving daughter Nicole (Nic), Don't Look for Me is a fast paced thriller that is told chronologically out of order over the period of a few weeks. When Nic returns to the last place Molly was seen to continue the search for her mother, she finds there are more layers to the mystery than she could have imagined. Not only was this a wonderful thriller, but it was also a hard dive into the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, and the darkest places one can go when facing guilt and grief.

This was my second book from Wendy Walker that I have had the chance to read and while I was not a huge fan of her previous release, The Night Before, I truly found myself completely engrossed from page one of this one. This was only the third book this year that has literally kept me up all night reading. As I mentioned, I am a fairly harsh critic, and this one came so close to being above my usual 4.5 max thriller score!

All in all it was a fast paced, well developed plot, but I found certain aspects of the ending twists to be unnecessary to the overall story, so I am giving this one a 4.027 out of 5.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the early access to this book in exchange for my honest feedback and review!

A gripping, edge of your seat thriller that will leave you hanging and biting your nails as you read this chilling and addictive novel. A wild roller-coaster ride of a novel that you will absolutely love!

Molly Clarke is married with children. Something happened a few years ago that tore their family apart and they all haven't been the same since. They are struggling to keep their family together, and so when Molly goes missing one day and cannot be found she has been considered to have just walked away form her life and family. I mean it happens all the time, right? People walk away from their life to start over, not wanting to be found. Is this the case or has something more chilling and sinister happened?

I loved reading through the chilling and dark chapters and learning what exactly was going on and what happened. This novel is chilling, suspenseful, addictive, amazing and edge-of-your-seat thrilling! I loved flying through the chapters and not everyone is truly who they appear to be.. I was shocked a few times especially with one major twist that I did NOT see coming at all, and I LOVED that!! And that ending, wow! Way to go Wendy, this novel is seriously amazing!!

I cannot say enough good things about this amazingly written novel. Wendy Walker has done it again with another magnificent novel. Be sure to add this bit hit to your TBR now, you will love it!!

Thanks St. Martin’s Press & Netgalley for providing me a copy of Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker.

Out September 15th!

In Wendy Walker's thrilling novel Don't Look for Me, the greatest risk isn’t running away. It’s running out of time.

The car abandoned miles from home.

The note found at a nearby hotel.

The shattered family that couldn’t be put back together.

They called it a “walk away.”

It happens all the time.

Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over.

But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

Wild, crazy, and intense. Excellent thriller, excellent story. Intense and worth the read to the last page. A lot of twists and turns!

I loooooved Wendy Walker's book, The Night Before, which I flew last year so was thrilled to receive an advance copy of this book. Don't Look for Me is a fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing through the entire book and had a few twists at the end I absolutely did not see coming. This one met all of my expectations. I highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers.

Thanks Netgalley and Atria for the advance copy! #partner

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Don't Look for Me.

I've read previous books by this author so I was intrigued to see what Don't Look for Me was about.

Molly Clarke is a woman in dire straits on the night she disappears. Still mourning the loss of her youngest daughter, she and her husband have grown estranged, and she faces nothing but scorn from her two remaining children.

When the case is closed after it is believed Molly left of her own accord, her eldest daughter, Nic, resumes the investigation when a witness reveals she saw Nic's mother the night she disappeared. And she wasn't alone.

As Nic fights her internal demons, she struggles with the guilt she has borne over her part in the loss of her sister, and resolves to find her mother, dead or alive.

I wasn't a fan of Nic, but I did end up rooting for Molly more than I expected to.

She was tough, determined and fighting to survive, despite her sorrow over the accident that took her daughter.

I don't mind flawed characters, but Nic sounded too much like similar 'heroines' I've read about; beautiful but self medicating with booze and men, her life is a shambles but she manages to figure out where her mother is.

There are plenty of cliches here; the hunky cop Nic falls for (natch), the small town where secrets and lies fester; also, let's not forget how beautiful Nic is, this fact is mentioned more than once.

There are scenes a bit hard to suspend disbelief for, but for the sake of the story, because I wanted to see how Molly would free herself, I was willing to suspend disbelief a bit longer.

There was a final twist I didn't see coming, and yes, though it may be hard to believe, I was willing to accept it because I didn't see it coming and I love when an author can surprise me. It rarely happens.

What did I just read? The plot so well drawn out.

The characters are so easy to see- the mom next door, her husband and kids all with subtle issues we all tend not display, but know are there. Old wounds that they are all struggling to deal with years later.
When mom, Molly Clarke, vanishes - her daughter, Nicole, can’t accept that she ran away from her problems and her family.

What Nicole finds when she returns to the small town of Hastings is hopeful to finding her mother. What she actually finds will make you turn the pages so quickly in awe.

Creepy, Classic Wendy Walker - A Suspenseful, Unputdownable, Edge of Your Seat Read !

Molly Clarke's family was destroyed by a terrible accident that changed them all forever. Riddled with guilt and living daily with a family that now seems to hate her, Molly contemplates running away. Maybe they'd be better off without her.

When Molly disappears during a storm on her way home from her son's football game her family is devastated. Her car is found on the side of the road, no gas, phone still in the charger but no sign of Molly. After a 4 day search, the police deem her disappearance a "walk away". Did Molly simply walk away from a life that got to be too much to bear or is there something more sinister at play?

The story is told in alternating chapters between Molly and her daughter Nicole who is looking for her mother. The reader knows what has happened to Molly and we follow her ordeal while also being in on Nic’s search for her mother. When the two plot lines converge - it's magic!

You guys - this book gripped me and never let go! I loved Molly - she was smart, emotional and a kick ass mom. This is my new FAVORITE Wendy Walker book! It had everything I enjoy - mystery, suspense a creepy town with sinister happenings and a great twist!

I haven't read too many books by Wendy Walker but the story blurb had me quite intrigued.

'The greatest risk isn’t running away.
It’s running out of time.
The car abandoned miles from home.
The note found at a nearby hotel.
The shattered family that couldn’t be put back together.
They called it a “walk away.”
It happens all the time.
Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over.

But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?'

I am so glad I read this book because now I want to read the author's other books as well.
What an exciting, pacy and great story. It had me guessing till the very end and made me suspicious of every character, old or new, young or old.

The characters are well fleshed out and I really liked the characterisations. It's really well thought out, true and so relatable. They were real people who real stuff can happen to.

The story is narrated by two women. Molly Clarke and her daughter Nicole.
Five years ago Molly lost her other daughter in an accident. An accident where she was behind the wheel. And since that day she has been unable to forgive herself and hates herself more than anybody else.

The second narrator is Nicole. The elder sister of Annie. She is living with her own demons as she was supposed to be looking after her younger sister when the incident happened.

But what happens when suddenly one day Molly disappears? Everybody belives that she has walked away. Everybody except Nicole who cannot wrap her head around her mother's disappearance and contrary to evidence and her father's belief continues to look for her mother. At the same time dealing with all her guilt and emotions regarding her sister's death.
Molly on the other hand also deals with the situation she is in. Apprehended by a strange man and a young child who know so much about her.

This was a story which hooked me in right from page one. Definitely a winner.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who could blame Molly Clarke for running away and not wanting to be found? Her youngest daughter died in a freak accident with Molly behind the wheel, her remaining children want nothing to do with her because of it, and her once loving husband appears to be having an affair. So when Molly's abandoned car is found hours from home and days later a note is discovered apparently written by Molly saying not to look for her shouldn't the police and her family honor Molly's wish? Don't Look For Me is a tense thriller, but the mystery is not what happens to Molly, it's the why that keeps you guessing until the end. The grim location adds to the intrigue-Don't Look For Me is set in a small New England town suffering from a deep economic recession. And the characters fit perfectly with the depressed area-everyone appears to be hiding something, even if it's not Molly. You'll think you know which one of these chameleon's is behind Molly's disappearance, then Miss Walker piles on layers of backstory that turns the plot on its head. Don't Look For Me is a classic "Hitchcockian" thriller-the plot, characters and setting are all dark and twisted in multiple ways. There's a damsel in distress- not one, but several creepy guys- and a house of horrors that would scare the bejeezus out of Norman Bates.

Wendy Walker certainly knows her way around an enthralling thriller. Her books are dark, gritty, hard to stomach - and impossible to put down.

4.5 stars! This was a great psychological thriller. Super creepy, like on a 10 on the creep factor scale! Grabbed my attention from the first page and I couldn't put it down. A twist at the end that NO ONE will see coming! I really enjoyed this read by Wendy Walker!

This book kept me reading. Loved the fast paced chapters. I fell in love with the characters. Even though I guessed everything it still held me at every turn.the ending kept me guessing and had me going, what? I never guessed the ending and loved that. The details about the characters is what draws you in and makes u feel every nerve wrecking detail that follows they the book! Loves this read and the heart jolting situations that occurred!

WOW. Wow. Wow. This book grabbed me early on and absolutely refused to let go! What a story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I have read so many books with excess filler lately, but there is very little filler to be found here! Just pure action (and anxiety!) from start to finish. I'm always wary of summarizing books in my reviews (a summary of the book is right there in the listing) and I also abhor spoilers, so I don't want to say too much... Just that this book is captivating as hell and I will definitely be looking for more from this author in the future! Seriously, if you like psychological thrillers, do yourself a favor and read this book.


Thanks to #netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy of #dontlookforme by #wendywalker in exchange for my honest review.

This is an unsettling and addictive read. After the tragic loss of her youngest daughter, Molly desperately tries to prove her love and devotion to the remaining members of her family but they continually push her away in the midst of their grief and self-blame. On the anniversary of her daughter’s death, Molly mysteriously disappears in the rural town of Hastings during a major storm. Her oldest daughter, Nicole, senses that something is off about the disappearance and drives to Hastings to get her own answers. The story is told from the perspectives of both Molly and Nicole, which allows the reader to begin uncovering answers before the characters. Even though I figured out a lot of the plot points before the climax, I was totally unprepared for the final twist. It requires some suspension of disbelief and drags at certain points but overall it was an enjoyable read that captures the complexity of human emotion.

Don’t Look For Me by Windy Walker Reviewed April 19, 2020 ~ 5 WOW Stars!

This only my 4thauthor, Wendy Walker novel and I am a FAN!
Read “All is not Forgotten”, “Emma in the Night”, and “The Night Before”. Gave them 4 + WOW stars and I am stingy with stars.
I was looking forward to this her latest novel but I was a bit worried that this novel may not measure up; (ha-ha to THAT now that I am finished).

Things have been rough on Molly Clarke. She and her husband have three children. One unfortunate day as Molly is coming home from work their beautiful ten year old daughter runs out to the ice cream truck and Molly’s life has changed forever. This accident is destroying the family. Nicole, oldest daughter who had a promising future is a mess; psychologist describes her trauma as “survivor’s guilt”, husband, John is distant and son, Evan is happy to be away at boarding school.

Molly disappears on a very stormy night on her trip back from her son’s football game. Her car is found out of gas and her cell phone is in the charger. No signs of Molly. After days of searching it is assumed that Molly just walked away from her old life.

But we readers know the truth. And daughter Nicole is sure her mom didn’t just give up and is out searching for clues.
Story is told from the POV of Molly and daughter Nicole.

I love psychological thrillers ~ things usually aren’t the way you see them! Best not to make a quick judgement, which I usually do and then say ~ I didn’t see THAT coming!
This novel DOES NOT disappoint. Fast, heart pounding, on the edge your chair kind of a book!!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this early release granted in exchange for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 15, 2020

So glad I got the chance to read this before it comes out so I can tell others to look for it! This book got me from the start. It had so many twists and turns I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up way too late reading this but what a great time to be distracted! Thank you got the chance to read Don’t Look for me!