2.5 ⭐️

Myra and Herb Barkley are still running the Barkley Inn, twenty years after their daughter Charlotte disappeared from the Rocky Beach across from the B and B, which is situated on the rainy, Oregon Coast.

The Police think the eight year old, drowned, when her older sister Gwen, who was baby sitting, lost track of her, but Myra has always believed that Charlotte was abducted and would return home one day, so she keeps Vigil from the front desk.

And, then it happens.
Elizabeth Lark arrives with her young son, and they are clearly “on the run”.
She has Charlotte’s distinctive eyes, and is wearing one half of a coin necklace with the initials CB.
Myra is convinced this young woman is her daughter, despite the fact that she has been wrong before.

Elizabeth knows she isn’t the Barkley’s daughter.
But, perhaps she can find safety if she pretends to be.

The book starts out well, and although we know from the beginning that Elizabeth is not Charlotte, we have the mysteries of who Elizabeth really is AND what really happened to Charlotte, to solve, so Michael David, and I, put on our 🕵🏻🕵🏼‍♂️ Detective caps for another buddy read.

The story alternates between the perspectives of Myra, Gwen and Elizabeth as each woman tries to make sense of Elizabeth’s arrival into their lives, and this half of the book held my interest although the reactions of Herb and son Jimi should’ve been explored in more detail.

Unfortunately though, the second half fell apart.

We Figured out MOST of what was to come.
Until it became so IMPLAUSIBLE that you couldn’t POSSIBLY figure out the rest.

The motives for the things that Elizabeth had to endure, I could not “buy into” at all.
And, the rest, including Charlotte’s fate is TOLD rather than SHOWN, by the “guilty party” in the last 20%.

For these reasons, this is not a book that I will be recommending.

Be sure to check out Michael David’s review as well.
They are always amazing!

Thank you to the Publisher for my gifted copy.
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!

Available March 9, 2021

Charlotte disappears as a young child while in the care of her big sister. The Mom never gives up hope that Charlotte will reappear. This book spent a lot time developing the characters but the only likable character (in my opinion) is Elizabeth's 5 year old son Theo. I never mind long books but this had alot of unnecessary fluff for lack of a better word. I could feel the paranoia from the older sister coming out of the book so the author can write. This book just missed the mark for me.

Probably one of the worst written, worst executed books I have ever read. Nonsensical plot, characters too crazy to be believed, and dialogue that goes on and on and on....... Pass on this one.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of CALL ME ELIZABETH LARK by Melissa Colasanti in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

Eight-year-old Charlotte disappears while in the custody of older sister Gwen. Twenty years later, their mother Myrna is certain Charlotte has returned when Elizabeth Lark walks into her B&B fleeing from her abusive husband.

Oh what a tangled web Melissa Colasanti has woven in her debut novel. CALL ME ELIZABETH LARK is full of twists and turns, secrets and lies and the learning the truth might prove deadly for one or more of the women Elizabeth, Gwen and Myrna or their loved ones.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but I will say this isn’t a resolution readers will guess before reading. Told from the third person points of view of the three women, I never latched on to any of the narrator’s or felt immersed in her point of view though the plot interested me very much. As a mystery, I wondered what happened next but never really thought, “I hope nothing happens to” this one or that one. When I finished, I didn’t wand to immediately reread to see what clues I missed, although I did enjoy the story.

CALL ME ELIZABETH LARK is a mystery that will keep readers guessing.

After 20 years, Myra Barkley is sure that the woman who just walked into their inn is he missing daughter Charlotte. Going buy the name of Elizabeth Lark with an eight year old son in tow, Elizabeth has escaped an abusive husband after killing him and fleeing the cabin in the woods in which she has been held captive. Elizabeth is not Charlotte, but she cannot bear to break Myra’s heart. She also has a mystery of her own she is trying to solve.. Her presence is a danger to the Barkley family. Someone is out there stalking and terrorizing them.. Someone who doe not want the truth to be known.
Call Me Elizabeth Lark is a compelling suspense novel with twists that you don't see coming. The writing is beautifully descriptive and brings you to the rugged Oregon coast in which the story is set.

There was just too much going on in this book, and the ending was a little too over-the-top unbelievable for me. None of the female characters were all that likable; the strongest and most resilient character was Theo, a five year old. This book had a lot of potential, but fell flat with all the erroneous plot points and craziness.

This had a bit of a slow start, but not enough to make me stop reading. What I found fascinating was how the mystery was structured. The big question was answered early on - or so you thought. The story added layers and layers of mystery. I really enjoyed this book.

I want to thank the publisher, the author and #netgalley for an advance copy of this book, which did not impact my review.

I enjoyed reading this book. I thought telling the story from different points of view helped move the story along and kept the tension as everyone's secrets were revealed.

When I started reading this one, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. It was kind of a slow build up of secrets and lies and I’m more of a things-go-boom reader.

But, before I knew it, I was completely entrenched in our little family full of big secrets.

The reveal is…unexpected. But it’s a good one and it definitely surprised me. In fact, the book surprised me in all sorts of really good ways.

Definitely a recommended read for those who love suspense and family drama!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

this was a really unique mystery read, I liked the story and thought it was a scary concept. I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more from the author.

Experience Elizabeth's whirlwind, from prisoner of her own house to.... This is a fantastic read for any of you wanting a novel full of emotion and suspense.

Ooo y'all I was so so excited to read this book and it literally only took my three days to read! Excellent writing and the plot was fantastic... it sucked me in straight away and I could not let go. Go and read it now!

Trigger warning for this novel: Domestic violence, mental illness
Thanks to Crooked lane and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel. This novel keeps you the edge and is filled with suspense. There are so many different layers that till the last chapter you keep guessing. Definitely recommend. 4 stars

Oh my. I love the cover of this book, seems almost glamorous. The book is not. It’s in the snow, the mountains. I would’ve given this book a 3 but it has a great ending. The first three quarters seems almost disjointed but if you hang in, it begins to make sense. This is not a favorite of mine but it’s a fair read with a stunning end. And there is ample mystery & terror.

I rather enjoyed this, the story is intriguing with some rather likable characters. I loved Elizabeth, plucky and brave and with her head screwed on right, and Gwen, definitely a cat person in a house of dog people! She really did seem to be one of the only normal and rational people in the Barkley household (not to mention that personally, I rather think primal screaming is a damn fine idea). Myra was for the most part annoying and Jimi just a spoilt brat, in serious need of a wake-up call.

But the story was sound, and the book was set to a slow burn, which I enjoyed. It was atmospheric and the description of the hotel, the trailer, the woods, and the sea drew me in and held my interest. Having said all that, it really does need work. There were a few confusing and jumbled sentences, and the story jumped in places, I had to go back and double-check to make sure I hadn't skipped a line. But I'll keep an eye on this author, there is definitely potential.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane, Melissa Colasanti, and Netflix for my ARC.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and the cover is really cool. A woman arrives at an inn with her young son, and she goes along with the owner's notion that she is the long lost daughter who disappeared 20 years prior. The woman is actually fleeing an abusive husband who she may have murdered. She is taken in by the family and she tells them that she was kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years. Her husband ends up being dead, but someone is still out to get her. The story gets even more twisted and there's a jaw dropping, unexpected ending. I read this book pretty fast, and I would recommend this exciting read! I enjoyed this book and could not put it down!

Holly molly! What a gripping, nerve bending, thrilling ride! Pressure building, tension increasing, nail chopping writing style hooks you up, grabs your soul, gathers your entire attention! You cannot dare to put it down for a second!

Three different women narrators on the board: both of them suffer from traumatic experiences. One of them is mother who lost her daughter 20 years ago: Myra, second one is the other daughter Gwen who still suffers from guilt feelings about missing sister Charlotte because she was with her when she is taken away or something more sinister happened to her and the third one is presumed lost sister Elizabeth Lark ( her new identity) who is on the run with her five years old kid Theo from abusive husband who was keeping her in a cabin in woods without her consent for years.

Both women need a closure and they need the lost sister back!

Barkley Family ( Myra and Herb) is owner of the bed& breakfast place called in Barkley Inn located at the rocky beach off the Oregon Coast. They lost their eight years old child Charlotte 20 years ago. And one night they see a young woman has quite resemblances with their daughter at same age, holding her son, trembling, renting a room from their place. She’s fidgeting, agitated, looking her back as if someone’s watching her every move behind.

Then Myra realizes that woman wears a necklace, the very same one her daughter was wearing the day she got lost. Her name’s initials are engraved on the necklace. So this mysterious woman who is looking exactly like her daughter wearing her necklace can be her long lost daughter.

Elizabeth wants to scream at her face to tell her she’s not the lost daughter. She was a trailer park trash and her mother was the maid who was cleaning Barkley family’s house. But she cannot tell it. It’s too risky!!!

And now Elizabeth feels more trapped than her old prison life she’d escaped because if she tries to run away from Barkley family, her husband can find and pay her back by kidnapping their son or killing her brutally.

Let’s not forget there is a possibility she may have already killed him. The day she ran away she drugged her husband and she may have poured more drug to his drink that she has intended. If her husband is dead that means she will be locked behind the bars and she will loose her freedom one more time and she will loose her son forever! So she’d better pretend like Barkleys’ long lost daughter. Her son seems like he already adjusted in his new life, looking happier with his crowded family with cousins and lovely grandparents.

And Gwen is still not sure Elizabeth is her sister but isn’t it a relief to get rid of her years long worries, nightmares and guilt feeling she’d carried for years? She couldn’t take care of her sister at that haunted night but now she can pay her dues and form her sisterhood bound with Elizabeth. She’s her second chance!

I must admit there are so juicy twists coming up next and I got thrilled with them. Some of the twists were foreseeable but one of them is strikingly mind blowing!

I enjoyed this very disturbing ride and rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5! I liked the flawed, broken, tormented women characters and the satisfying outcome of their stories!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

4.5 Stars

I've been excited to read this one for quite a while, and I was thrilled to be approved for an ARC available on NetGalley.

Twenty years ago, Charlotte went missing. Presumed dead, Myra and Herb are shocked when a woman who could be their daughter shows up at their remote seaside inn. Elizabeth is on the run with her son Theo, and while she doesn't want to take advantage of the situation, she knows that going back to her abusive husband isn't an option. But the stakes prove higher than any of them could have imagined when a series of terrifying events threatens to force the truth into light.

But which truth is going to be revealed?

First, I will say I really enjoyed this book. Colasanti's writing is visual and crisp which really brought the setting to life. As someone who's never been on the west coast before, I really got a sense of the small town and its community dynamics. I think most readers will like the structure of the novel. The alternating POVs worked really well, and while some of the flashbacks felt a little longwinded or information heavy, we get three strong independent voices. Instead of competing for attention, Myra, Gwen, and Elizabeth are given equal ground to tell their stories and voice their emotions. Not only does this add layer upon layer to the mystery, it also allows us to cast doubt onto other characters who might've previously been eliminated from the spotlight. While this wouldn't be what I'd call a high-octane thriller, there is no shortage of action. High stakes suspense seems more fitting, as Colasanti does a wonderful job drawing out the tension and reinforcing the point that danger is one misstep away.

What really shone through, however, was the extremely relevant commentary on domestic abuse, mental illness, and grief. Sometimes in a survivor narrative, abuse is glorified, used as a tool to push the story by evoking an emotional response. Brutal details are relayed in detail, and it becomes exhibitionist. That couldn't be further from the truth with this book. Elizabeth suffers at the hands of her husband, yes, but we do not relive every horrible moment for the sake of entertainment or scandal. This is not a revenge narrative. We see her struggle with guilt, fear, validation, and love. Nothing is black and white, and much like how grief and mental illness are handled, we get a realistic view of the hurdles people must overcome in this endeavor.

Overall, Call Me Elizabeth Lark is a taut, engrossing suspense that will tug at your heartstrings in the best possible way. I'd recommend for fans of Moriarty, women's fiction with a solid mystery, or anyone looking to get lost in a complex family history of secrets and regret.

Thank you to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I thought that this was an okay book. I liked the plot, the premise of a lost daughter returning home was really interesting and I usually love those sorts of books. The characters were all likable as well, I liked Myra a lot and their family dynamics were all really fun to read about. The ending was also done really well in terms of suspense, and I didn't anticipate all the twists and turns. The epilogue was really nice and a good wrap up for the story.
My big issue with this book was the writing style. The sentences were all really short, the dialogue felt sort of constructed and I just couldn't get into the story in terms of pacing. I tried to finish this in one sitting but failed because the writing didn't hold my interest. If that aspect had been different, I surely would have enjoyed the book a lot more.

What is somebody you loved went missing and then they all of a sudden turned up? This book is a cutting edge psychological thriller they will have you questioning everything you thought you knew.