This story has an explosive beginning and a surprise ending. If you plan to read this book be prepared to ignore everything else as you'll have trouble putting it down.

Alexa Martini faces the worst nightmare of any parent. Her 3 year old daughter Charlotte is abducted during a wedding celebration in St Petersburg Florida. As you read about Alexa and Lottie you'll find it's hard to like the little girl. She is so hard to handle, disobedient and quarrelsome. Alexa is a human rights attorney in London and has flown to Florida for her best friend Mark's wedding. Her Italian husband was killed in a bridge collapse years earlier and she is now the sole caregiver of their daughter Lottie.

The world is watching as news stations report on the abduction and put Alexa in an unflattering light. Is she a good mother? Public opinion is strong about "what they would have done" but that's to be expected in this day and age. Alexa has her supporters but she also has those who vilify her character and actions through social media and news outlets.

Days turn to years as Alexa never stops looking for her daughter. False leads and troubling revelations about family will sway your opinion regarding the kidnapper. Was I surprised? Absolutely!

This is my first book by this author and I will most certainly be looking for more of her work. Great suspense, emotionally moving and fast paced.

Publication date is August 5, 2021 by Avon Books UK. Genre: Mystery, Thrillers and Women's Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

We follow Alexa after her daughter was kidnapped at her friends wedding. The book is mainly from Alexa’s POV, will a couple other POVs thrown in.

I haven’t been reading many thrillers lately but I’m glad I requested this because this made me realize I want to start reading more thrillers again. This book kept my attention, it was a fairly quick and easy read. I really liked the twists and turns it took, and kept me continually guessing as the reveals happened. I ended up really enjoying this one, so go check it out!!

I have read and enjoyed a couple of Tess’s books now. I love the psychological thrillers that she writes. I read the synopsis for ‘Stolen’ and it certainly sounded like I was in for a treat. So I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my copy of the book and settled down for an afternoon of intriguing reading. Overall I did enjoy reading ‘Stolen’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to be honest and say that I didn’t warm to the character of Alex at all. She is a determined woman and a workaholic to boot. Her career is very intense and fast paced. Alex is also a single mother. I can’t say that she has the easiest of relationships with her daughter and at times Alex prioritises herself over her daughter, which seemed wrong to me. She complains about her daughter and her daughter’s behaviour one minute and then professes her love for her daughter the next minute. There just seems to be something about the whole set up that doesn’t sit right with me.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into ‘Stolen’. The synopsis intrigued me and I was interested to see how the story panned out. When I first picked up the book, I had only intended to read a chapter or two to say that I had made a start, but I became so wrapped up in the story and so annoyed at certain characters that I had read more like a dozen chapters in one go. Despite the fact that I didn’t really like the character of Alex, I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough as I worked my way through the story. For me, ‘Stolen’ is the true definition of an unputdownable page turner of a read. I found ‘Stolen’ to be a gripping read, which kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘Stolen’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into what proves to be a compelling and emotive story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Stolen’ felt like being on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with many twists and turns along the way. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Tess’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, despite not liking the character of Alex, I really enjoyed reading ‘Stolen’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Tess’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

When attending a wedding in Florida, three year old Lottie goes missing from the wedding reception. Her mother Alex is desperate to find her and can’t forgive herself for taking her eye off her and not reporting her missing sooner. Police attention invariably focuses on her shortcomings as a mother, then gradually turns to the other wedding guests and members of the family. No one, it seems, is free from suspicion and many of the guests have something to hide.

The story has many twists and turns and I swung from feeling sympathy towards Alex to actively disliking her. A gripping page turner which I read in one sitting. My only reservation is that no one is likely to have that many friends who have dodgy backgrounds! I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stolen is a twisty and gripping psychological thriller that will keep you guessing and questioning throughout! A child being kidnapped has got to be every parents worst nightmare!

The story is so well written and completely swamped with red herrings! I had so many theories because you are fed just enough information for it to be believable! I had disregarded the theory that actually ended up being the conclusion early on, so clearly my detective skills aren’t up to scratch!

I really like how it is was written from multiple perspectives and how there is an element of repetitiveness, it really made you feel nervy and at the edge of your seat!

I definitely recommend this for all thriller lovers, you will want to devour this!

What! A! Book! Ahhh! I loved this!

Right so cards on the table, my first book I got by Tess was called Beat the B*tch which was like a self help book so I really wasn't sure what I would think of this one...

But it's amazing. I literally couldn't put it down!

I loved how she spoke about real like abductions so you could really relate to the story. I honestly thought I knew how it was going to end and then it would change... And change again!

This book was so brilliantly written, I was hooked from the start. I loved the little bits cut into it like interview and news articles, it broke up the book and it just added a little extra!

When 3 year old Lottie disappears at a destination wedding, her mom Alex is devastated and an international search begins to find the missing girl…

✔️ definitely high intensity , fast paced book but
✔️ overall I enjoyed the writing but …
✖️ at times it felt a bit repetitive …

3.5 ⭐️

A gripping psychological thriller, packed with twists and a brilliant ending.

Alexa has a demanding legal career and she finds adapting to motherhood a challenge. It doesn't help that her daughter can be very stubborn, and they joke that no one would ever kidnap Lottie - anyone who took her would just bring her straight back. But after flying to Florida for a wedding, the unthinkable happens and 3 year old Lottie vanishes without a trace.

Quinn is an experienced war reporter, but after sustaining significant injuries in an attack which kills several of her colleagues, she finds herself grudgingly attending a press conference and reporting on the abduction. Instinctively sensing that something isn't right, she soon becomes determined to make sure the case is solved.

Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review
This is a roller coaster read with lots of unexpected twists which keep the reader guessing.
A fast paced story, Alex is a lawyer, a busy working mum, she isn’t a perfect mum and is aware she has made mistakes. Herself and her 3 year old daughter travel to Florida for the wedding of one of her closest friends, when a mum’s worst nightmare happens, Lottie is missing. Who could have taken her, she certainly wouldn’t have wondered off on her own or gone with a stranger.
If you are a mum, you can feel Alex’s despair and frantic worry, as the wedding guest and hotel staff join in the search and the police are called.
Is this your typical missing child book? Definitely not, it’s raw and heartfelt as the media become involved and Alex’s competency as a mum are highlighted and questioned. I Suspected a few individuals as the story progressed but definitely did not anticipate the ending.
This is the first book I have read by Tess Stimson, I will definitely be reading more.

Absolutely brilliant thriller! I devoured this in a day as I couldn't put it down.
I read Pole Position by this author years ago and loved the writing, it is very gritty and vivid, this is the first of Tess Stimpson's books I've read since and the first thing I'm going to do now is download everything shes written in between!
This book is about child abduction, but it is very different to the many other thrillers out there with a similar theme. Firstly Alex is not your typical doting mum and Lottie is very much not a child to be doted on, the storyline is very dark and frightening, and along the way there are thought provoking parallels with the Madeleine McCann case, in terms of her race and class, which really make you stop and think.
A very intelligent thriller with a great ending you will not anticipate, some very strong female characters and a lot to think about, really brilliant read!

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I’ve finished and thought ‘blimey, what happened there’, but this was certainly one of them. It had so many twists, turns and red herrings I actually lost count. If you like a fast paced mystery/thriller this is definitely for you. I really didn’t see the ending coming and just when you’d got over that there was an extra twist just for good measure. Some might say it’s too far fetched but I’ve read a lot that are worse. This is my first book by this author and I’m certainly going to check out her other ones. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for letting me read and review this book.

Absolutely stunning, I very rarely give five star reviews but this is so deserving. The twists and turns of the plot are nothing short of spectacular and I didn’t see any of them coming. I love the way Alexa is so honestly portrayed as a mother with feelings of guilt and vulnerability, uncertainty at her own maternal feelings and being torn between the world of work and being a mother. The raw feelings of her child being missing were also expertly narrated and I could totally feel her overwhelming grief and the way it made her act, sometimes catastrophically. There were quite a few red herrings in the plot and I fell for them, unashamedly, each and every time. I read the whole book in a day as I was so compelled to find out how the story panned out and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with the emotional rollercoaster ride that the story delivered. Definitely recommend this book and am going to look up other titles by the author.

Alex knows her daughter would never wander off in a strange place. So when her three-year-old vanishes from an idyllic beach wedding, Alex immediately believes the worst.

The hunt for Lottie quickly becomes a world-wide search, but it’s not long before suspicion falls on her mother. Why wasn’t she watching Lottie?

Alex knows she’s not perfect, but she loves her child. And with all eyes on her, Alex fears they’ll never uncover the truth unless she takes matters into her own hands.

Who took Lottie Martini? And will she ever come home?

The book starts of brilliantly right from the go and once Lottie goes missing, the entire investigation with all its twists and surprises makes it a compelling read.

Alexa’s journey is difficult , not only does she have to deal with the trauma of her child being abducted, she constantly is subjected to people’s judgment and opinions. Her actions are questioned, her every move is scrutinized and she becomes a hot topic for news channels.

The addition of Quinn, a journalist who takes a deep interest into this story is an additional plus point to this plot.

However, while there are so many unexpected discoveries throughout, I was slightly disappointed with the ending. Initially it was a shock but then it felt too far-fetched and over dramatic.

Nevertheless, an excellent read!

Thank You NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC!

EXCERPT: 'You know why you're so frantic to get her back?' Harriet cries, shaking me off. 'It's not because you love her so much, Alex! It's because you didn't love her enough! You feel guilty because you never really wanted her! That's what all this is about!'

I reel as if I've been sucker-punched.

It's because you didn't love her enough.

Seven words that damn me to hell.

ABOUT 'STOLEN': You thought she was safe. You were wrong…

Alex knows her daughter would never wander off in a strange place. So when her three-year-old vanishes from an idyllic beach wedding, Alex immediately believes the worast.

The hunt for Lottie quickly becomes a world-wide search, but it’s not long before suspicion falls on her mother. Why wasn’t she watching Lottie?

Alex knows she’s not perfect, but she loves her child. And with all eyes on her, Alex fears they’ll never uncover the truth unless she takes matters into her own hands.

Who took Lottie Martini? And will she ever come home?

MY THOUGHTS: For future reference: next time I have a Tess Stimson book to read, I will call in sick to work, or take a mental health day. I picked up Stolen and I didn't want to put it down. I fretted while I was at work, I fumed, I sulked. I did not want to be there. I wanted to be at home with Alex, having my mind tied into knots by all the twists and turns Stimson threw into the plot.

I admit to feeling quite smug. Early on I had an inkling as to who had taken Lottie. I continued to feel smug, secure in the certainty that I was right, until the very end, when I wasn't.

There is something about a missing child story that strikes fear into the heart of every parent. Put the story in Tess Stimson's hands, and it immediately becomes a terrifying rollercoaster of a read. Stimson has crafted a story of desperation, fear, and suspicion that had my mind spinning and my heart pounding. It's complex, twisty, and tense.

The characters are brilliantly depicted. The missing child, Lottie, isn't at all likeable. She is wilful, stubborn, gluttonous, clever and manipulative. Her mother, Alexa, never wanted a child. She is career oriented, and had left the bulk of the childcare to husband Luca, until his death in the Genoa Bridge collapse. Journalist Quinn, who gets a strange tingling in her spine when she is assigned to cover Lottie's abduction.

The resolution was highly unexpected, and entertaining. Movie potential.

There are a lot of books out there about missing and abducted children, but nothing that comes close to Stolen.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#Stolen #NetGalley #tessstimsonauthor

I: @tessstimson @avonbooksuk

T: @tessjstimson @AvonBooksUK

#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #mystery #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: I was born in Surrey, in the south of England, and read English at Oxford University.

​Upon graduating I joined ITN as a news producer.
I reported and produced regional and world stories, travelling to hotspots and war-zones all over the
globe, before leaving bullets behind to become
a full-time writer.

​Since then, I’ve written more than a dozen novels, numerous short stories, and two non-fiction books, which have been published internationally and translated into more than twenty languages.

​In recent years, I’ve moved away from writing women’s fiction and towards darker psychological thrillers,
which seem to suit my personality better - make
of that what you will.

​As well as writing fiction I continue to work as
a journalist, and also teach reporting for media and creative writing at a university in the North-Eastern US.

​I live in Vermont with my husband, and am visited intermittently by my three grown-up children whenever they need their laundry done.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Stolen by Tess Stimson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t know how it was going to end. Definitely recommend this book

This is a great mystery thriller.
Alex and her three year old daughter are at a wedding in Florida with Lottie being a bridesmaid. After the wedding Alex let’s Lottie go off with the other bridesmaids and thinks she’s safe amongst friends.
Her worst nightmare comes true when Lottie goes missing and is nowhere to be found.
We follow Alex’s search for her daughter over the following months and years.
There’s a journalist who is assigned the story and whilst she is struggling with a drink problem, she gets herself sorted and after a rocky start, becomes close to Alex.
I can’t say too much more as I really don’t want to spoil this for you.
This is a fast paced thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Very captivating with amazing character development. A woman’s husband dies and she is left alone to care for their daughter. She has a difficult time caring for her alone. One night at a wedding she leaves her daughter in the care of a friend and spends time with a man - later when she goes back to her daughter she is gone. Who took her? How long will she look? Will she ever find her? You think you know everything, yet you do not, and so much more that will have you guessing what is really going on until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Go On!

You can join the rest of the World, as sympathy turns to judgment of Alexa Martini.

The story is immediately engaging as a refreshingly imperfect mother, Alex, and her shall we say “willful” three year old daughter, Charlotte Perpetua Martini, are traveling from London to Florida for a destination beach wedding.

Alex is friends with the groom and little “Lottie” is to serve as a bridesmaid-her role-one of the flower girls.

All goes surprisingly well, and the adult guests are enjoying cocktails, dancing and other activities, while the little girls, all dressed in pink, are running around at the closed event.

So, how could Lottie disappear without a trace?

The investigation begins locally, but soon becomes a Worldwide search after the U.S. President mentions what happened to the young tourist in a speech he is giving. Compared to the earlier (real life) case of Madeleine McCann, this makes Lottie’s disappearance seem like it could be an actual case as well.

As more details emerge, Public Opinion becomes divided with some continuing to think that what happened is tragic, while many decide to use the case as a referendum on Alex’s mothering-and still others use it to start a conversation about if children of color, and/or those less affluent, receive as much media attention.

Taking up the charge, is a former war correspondent-a journalist named Quinn, who becomes obsessed with the case.

For MOST of the book, I was completely enthralled, despite this trope being overused.

I felt Alex’s despair and the misdirection kept me intrigued which is why I am giving this 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up instead of down.

Unfortunately (SIGH) I do agree with the other early reviews-the ending which could’ve been believable, went too far, and became pretty implausible-disappointing me after what had been an otherwise entertaining and credible story.

Will I be reading the author’s next book? Absolutely!

I snapped up the opportunity to read and review Stolen by Tess Stimson because the description alone was too good to ignore. Stolen is pretty much your worst case scenario for a sole parent and toddler attending a destination wedding – but the plot is plausible, believable and intense because unfortunately these things can and do happen.

Although I didn’t warm to Alexa, I did enjoy her development as a character. She’s headstrong, flawed and rises to every challenge thrown at her. I was firmly on her side throughout, empathising and hoping for her to be reunited with her lost child.

The entire book is a ride filled to the brim with red herrings. So much so, that I was thrown by each and every revelation that came out along the way. And the big reveal and its consequences BLEW MY MIND. I didn’t see any of it coming. Every few pages, I was in shock. It was exceptionally well plotted.

Overall, I did really enjoy this explosive and gut-wrenching child abduction story. I’d recommend this to thriller lovers who are comfortable reading about missing children and all that comes with it.

This book was an absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the very beginning. I have to admit that I found myself hating Alex at times especially because of the way that she acted but I also felt bad for her too. Everyone was a suspect in this book and just when I thought that I had figured out who it was the author threw major twist my way. The identity of the person who took Lottie absolutely blew my mind because I didn’t even think about that possibility. The ending had me going for a minute there but thankfully it wasn’t what I thought it was.