this book is a twisty, high-stakes thriller that turns a harrowing abduction into a nationwide spectacle. When Alice Ingold, a privileged young woman, is kidnapped, her captors set the stage for a chilling game—inviting the public to solve a riddle instead of demanding ransom. As her parents race against time to decode the clues, the line between victim and villain blurs in this gripping, thought-provoking novel about obsession, power, and the dark side of a true-crime-obsessed culture.

The writing was very juvenile and I struggled to care about the characters. I think the story was interesting but the writing did not match that energy.

I was really excited to read this book after reading the synopsis. Unfortunately, my excitement was rather short-lived.

The synopsis makes it seem like this will be a thriller, but it isn't. I would suggest that the publisher changes the synopsis prior to publishing this book,

The book got way more into AI than I think it needed - there were often these lengthy paragraphs about AI which I think really took away from the flow of the novel. Wasnt for me.

In this gripping read by Cate Holahan, the reader is immersed in the gripping tale of the kidnapping of Alice Ingold and how she becomes the center of a nationwide true-crime obsession.

I'm a little embarrassed it took me this long to get around to reading this because as soon as I picked it up, I didn't put it down. As someone who watches true crime content, this was really up my alley, this story was written so well I could see this happening in today's world.

I think Catherine's dedication to finding her daughter was so well portrayed. I thought the plot of the public participating in this scavenger hunt for clues was so well thought out, because in today's world, a lot of people will try to be detectives in order to solve a crime.

Big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!

For me, this book started out really fun. A big kidnapping plot, a mother searches for her daughter. And then it heads in a political-ish direction trying to fight the dangers of AI. And honestly, the thought of AI right now scares me a lot. I look to escape in my books, not get more freaked out.

*rounding up from a 3.5, which feels a little generous but 3 stars doesn't really do the book justice either*

Honestly, I expected worse based on the reviews I read before diving in. I actually really enjoyed this story! My problems came mostly from the language used throughout the book. I know Alice is an English major, but she's also 19 - and no chapter told from her perspective sounded like it came from someone who's 19 (how does any teenager know what a WWII can opener looks like? or exactly how long it takes to bleed out from a tear to the femoral artery and then use a word like exsanguinating to describe it??). I also found a number of plot points to be unbelievable (trying to stay spoiler-free here, sorry to be so vague!). But ultimately, I enjoyed the twists and didn't think the AI bit was overplayed - the warning call was the whole point of the story.

Also, I do agree that the description of the book doesn't give a great picture of what it's actually about. That's probably a cause for so many people to be unhappy with the way the story goes.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc!

This was a pretty good read fast pace edge of your seat type of read had me turned the pages as quick as I could to get to the next chapter

Alice Ingold has been kidnapped and the media is captivated. Beautiful, blonde and privileged, coming from a wealthy family with a father that is an AI tech guru. Then come the messages and riddles for the country to solve.

I can't say more about this one, save for spoilers, but it took a rather unusual turn and I did not expect the way this one unfolded. It was unique and the subject matter timely.

digital arc was provided by Netgalley and the publisher

I kinda like the story, but the theme? Not so much.

Synopsis
Alice, the daughter of tech inventor Brian Ingold, was kidnapped. The kidnapper didn't ask for any ransom, but some riddles that baffled even the polices and FBI. Catherine, Alice's mom, didn't care what it take to get her daughter back and she might uncover things that might be the reason why Alice was kidnapped.

What I like and dislike
This isn't my first Cate Holahan book and I quite like her other book. The writing is solid, but something that I couldn't put prevent me from truly liking the book. Take Alice's conversation with her friends and her mother about (view spoiler) for example, it's coming so...performatively. A thing I read often on social medias. Not that it's wrong, I just don't think it's translated correctly in this form of writing. And so, it kinda turn me off. I think it'd better if I get the usual twist and causes, doesn't matter if it's silly, because this feels like a huge PSA but with a bad taste.
I don't really like the 3/4 part of the book, it does get interesting after something is uncovered tho and it picks up the pace and story to be a saving grace.

I liked the twist halfway through the story. I feel it started really strong, twist in the middle but the end was predictable . I would have liked a few more surprises.

Fantastic book! I would highly recommend both this book and other books by this author. Be sure to read this book!

The kidnapping of Alice Ingold has one of the most intriguing twists on a missing person case: the kidnappers want the media and the press to be involved. They can save Alice, but in order to do so they need to solve riddles written by the kidnappers.
As I was saying, such a good idea, but -unfortunately- badly executed: the riddles, an amazing tool capable of making the reader part of the story, weren’t as imagined. Also, the media taking part in the investigation would have been really cool to see, but all the riddles were solved by Alice’s father’s team, so this element too is actually not present. Today’s society, so morbidly obsessed with crime as a mere entertainment, would have been well represented by this mechanism, but we don’t get to see it.

Cate Holahan’s book wants the reader to be aware of the current problems with the fast development of tools such as Chat GPT, and The kidnapping of Alice Ingold is a really good critique of that. It shows the way we’re getting more and more comfortable using those new technologies, without ever questioning their ethics.

What I enjoyed: definitely the big plot twist, the double pov, Alice’s story told through a diary, the idea of using the media to resolve a mystery (but, as i said, badly executed), and the technology warning.
What I didn’t love: the writing style, especially Alice’s mother POV, and the characters, that didn’t feel real.

Overall, a really nice mystery that keeps you glued to the pages!

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

Alice Ingold was born into a wealthy family. Her father, Brian, is a well-known tech genius who works with developing AI, and her mom is from a home with generational wealth. Alice is trying to be independent of her parents and is going to college while providing herself with an apartment in what her mom thinks is an unsafe neighborhood. After a visit from her mom, Alice gets kidnapped. Both parents get involved in the investigation, Brian thinks his AI software will help solve the case.

This starts off as a straightforward kidnapping mystery. It does develop into something more conspiracy-minded and is a change of pace from where it starts. It does talk about the pros and cons of using AI as a tool and how much of its use is beneficial. The book’s trajectory was decent, but I wasn’t impressed with the ending. I don’t feel the twists were all that twisty. The writing is solid, and this is a decent mystery/thriller, but it’s not terribly original. I would recommend this book if you’re in the mood for this trope.

The book was overall okay, nothing spectacular. It deals with AI and what happens when it is in the wrong hands. It was not what I expected based on the description which made me a bit disappointed but I have liked her other books so I will read more from Cate Halahan in the future.

The riddles were way too hard for me to solve and I just wasn’t fully invested in this, The concepts of AI also hit a little too close to home for me at times.

Thank you, Thomas & Mercer for providing the copy of The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold by Cate Holahan. The story didn’t grab me right away and it’s probably unfair to compare it to The Darkness Of Others, which I adored from the very start. I didn’t think Alice’s diary was engaging, but the book got better as I learned more about what was going on. I’m not sure the book was really for me because it never really caught my interest, and I would have at least liked a fighting chance to solve the riddles! The big reveal at the end didn’t really surprise me, but it made sense. 3 stars

This book captured my attention from beginning to end. The dual perspectives were refreshing and even though I kind of guessed what was happening (and I am usually awful at guessing), it was still a captivating story. It included commentary on technology and other relevant societal issues that I could appreciate and I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Wow. This book is definitely a must read. I feel like it is foreshadowing a world that I do not want to live in which can actually happen if no one reads this book. Its critical, its kept me on my toes and turning pages. The book is separated into two parts with part 1 containing Alice’s mothers view and Alice’s diary entries which was a unique perspective and helped the reader understand the storyline and the underlying motives. The book is very AI critical and should be read as part of classes in schools in my opinion. I highly enjoyed reading this story in a literary perspective, in a social perspective it made me afraid of what the world might become, especially with the currently situation in the United States where the book is set. Alice Ingold was relatable, although I’m not a rich heiress, and both her and her mother were characters I rooted for. Her mothers love was truly unconditional and I can just hope my mother loves me like Catherine Ingold-Newton loves Alice Ingold in here.


Goodread Review posted March 30
Instagram Post will be made March 31

The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold has one of those “hook-you-immediately” premises: a wealthy young woman is kidnapped, and instead of a ransom demand, her captors launch a national riddle-based scavenger hunt—turning a horrifying crime into a viral spectacle. The country is invited to play along, true crime-style, while Alice’s family scrambles to bring her home.

Told through alternating perspectives—Alice’s AI-obsessed tech mogul father, her socialite mother obsessed with image and media perception, and Alice herself—the story explores how wealth, technology, and public opinion intersect in the face of trauma. It’s part thriller, part social commentary, with shades of Black Mirror and a not-so-subtle dig at our culture’s obsession with spectacle and performative empathy.

The concept is fresh and unsettling in a really intriguing way. I loved the idea of a viral kidnapping case where solving riddles becomes national entertainment, and the book has a lot of fun critiquing how society responds to "perfect" victims. The dynamic between Alice’s parents is particularly sharp—two people reacting to the crisis in ways that reveal just as much about them as it does about the crime itself.

That said, the execution didn’t always live up to the setup. The riddles that were supposed to drive the narrative felt more like background noise, since most were cracked quickly by a team of AI experts off-page. That made it hard to feel engaged in the “game” element of the plot as a reader. And while Alice’s situation was compelling, her chapters didn’t give quite enough emotional depth for me to feel fully invested in her experience. I kept waiting for a stronger arc or more insight into her trauma, but it never totally arrived.

Still, it’s a fast, clever read that taps into so many timely themes—media sensationalism, the voyeurism of true crime fandom, and how privilege influences who gets believed (and saved). If you like your thrillers with a dash of satire and don’t mind a story that’s more idea-driven than emotionally immersive, The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold is a solid pick.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advance reader’s copy!

This kept me in the edge of my seat very early on! The story was original enough to grab me by the throat basically! I loved it.