“With a deep breath, she pushes the door open, and her brain takes a second to register what greets her. At first, she’s relieved to find her husband inside, but once it clicks that he’s hanging from and overhead beam and has been clearly dead for some time, her world comes crashing down”.

As Julia returns from her very rare night away the house feels almost empty. Inside should be her husband and daughter but they are no where to be found. That is until Julia makes the most shocking discovery her husband is no longer alive.

Scott, Julia’s ex partner is also looking for a way out of his life. The only thing stopping him is his dog and the news of Julia and her daughter’s disappearance. When he meets Natalie, an off duty cop, he sees this as his way into the case of missing Julia and Avery. However as feelings become involved and lives get taken the situation gets evermore complicated.

As Scott begins to take a deeper dive into Julia’s past he uncovers some horrifying truths forcing him to confront his own past and how his actions have contributed to events playing out in real time. With nosy neighbours, a string of murders and a killer on the run is anyone really safe?

This is a twisty and turning story jumping around from different time zones, diary entries and people’s perspectives.

A slightly slower start but once the story picked up it became a page turning thriller!

When I heard this was one for Lisa Jewell and Alice Hunter fans I knew I was going to love it.

4⭐️/5

TW - death, suicide and kidnapping are key themes throughout this story.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for sending me this copy.
#pleasedontfindme #NetGalley

Publication date - 22nd May 2025

Please Don’t Find Me by Wendy Dranfield

#PleaseDontFindMe
#WendyDranfield #Bookouture #NetGalley Special thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Wendy Dranfield delivers a chilling thriller with Please Don’t Find Me—a dark, twisty ride that keeps you guessing until the very end.
The story jumps right in with Julia’s perfect life falling apart in an instant. She comes home from a relaxing day at the spa to find her husband dead—and their young daughter Avery alone in the house with him. The shock ripples through their quiet neighborhood, where everyone thought Julia’s family was happy and drama-free.
Not long after the tragedy, Julia and Avery vanish without a trace in what looks like a kidnapping. Was her husband’s death just the beginning? Or is something even more sinister going on?
When Julia’s ex, Scott Walker, steps in to investigate her disappearance, the story really starts to unravel. Hidden truths come to light, and nothing—and no one—is quite what they seem.
I’ll be honest: I struggled with the pacing early on and didn’t connect with the characters right away. But once things started clicking into place, I couldn’t stop reading. Each twist added a new layer, and the suspense kept me fully invested.
The characters, especially as their secrets began to surface, turned out to be fascinating. Just when I thought I had them figured out, the story took another sharp turn.
If you’re into psychological thrillers with buried secrets, complex characters, and plenty of “wait, what?!” moments, give this one a shot. It might start slow, but it’s absolutely worth sticking with. I’ll definitely be grabbing more of Wendy Dranfield’s books after this.
My Rating Scale:
1 Star – I wish I could get that time back. Just not good at all.
2 Stars – It was okay. I wasn’t excited about it, but it held my attention enough. I don’t feel like my time was totally wasted.
3 Stars – A really good read! I probably won’t pick it up again, but I enjoyed it and might recommend it to someone.
4 Stars – Great book! I really liked it and would definitely recommend it to others.
5 Stars – One of my absolute favorites! I likely own a physical copy. I’d happily read this one again.

Absolutely loved this book, it was full of twists & I didn’t see the final chapters coming! Highly recommend this read!

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Please Don’t Find Me’ written by Wendy Dranfield in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Julia returns home after a night away and finds her husband Robert hanging from a beam in their spare bedroom, and six-year-old Avery wearing her sunglasses and sitting on the bed opposite him. Julia can’t risk being found so messages up their house and fakes their abduction for her own safety and that of Avery. Scott, Julia’s ex-boyfriend from years before and police officer from another precinct, reads the news report and although he’s supposed to be on sick leave for his mental health he decides instead to go searching for them.

‘Please Don’t Find Me’ is a dark and fairly depressing psychological thriller that revolves around characters suffering from mental health problems and suicidal thoughts. From the initial blurb I’d expected a fast-paced story filled with secrets and lies but it was more of a slow-burn although there was still plenty of suspense and twists that made me want to know more about the characters. Initially I liked Julia but when I found out about her background my support transferred to Scott who came across as a lonely though likeable person. I liked this thriller but I didn’t love it as the undercurrent of mental health problems made it difficult to read.

So many twists and turns in this one!!

When Julia arrives home from a night away, excited to see her husband and daughter, she walks into tragedy. Her husband has taken his own life. Ruled a suicide, everyone is then surprised to learn of Julia and her daughter’s suspicious disappearance. What follows is a fast paced story with many twists and unsuspected turns.

I must admit that this wasn’t what I would have expected from this author, it seems quite a bit darker than her other books. Despite not having been directly affected by the issues raised in this story, I did find it a hard read especially at the start when another character, who is also considering taking his life, starts to see a bit of hope, but it’s quickly dashed away.

It’s well written, characters are developed well and I can envisage all the places they go, there is suspense and tension but I did struggle a little with the continuing theme throughout.

3.5 stars

Was an okay read, just was not that interested, expected more I guess? I have never read anything from this author so I did not know what to expect.

Please Don't Find me is a fast paced thriller that I couldn't put down. I liked the multiple points of view and the twists through out the book. I can't wait to read her other books.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my gifted copy. This review will be shared to @coffee.break.book.reviews closer to publication date.

Ooh, now this was fun! I hope it becomes a series. Cop falls for suspect. Add in some drama, limited sex scenes, and a strong supporting cast, it has a little bit of everything. Fast-moving, interesting mystery to solve, tho some of the character history was a little too blurry to really solve this as a reader. Definitely a new author to watch out for.

Please Don’t Find Me is a standalone thriller by Wendy Dranfield. I am such a huge fan of the author!

I’ll be honest, I really didn’t think I would finish this book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the pacing at the beginning of the book was confusing to me. I’m so glad I kept going. The more I read, the more the layers were revealed, the more I was hooked!

This was a masterfully written, dark, twisted, story and I want more! This truly was a page-turner. I never knew what was going to happen next.

The characters were actually fascinating. As each new facet was revealed, I was blown away!
I definitely recommend reading this!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Please Don't Find Me (A jaw-dropping and completely addictive psychological thriller) by Wendy Dranfield
Publisher:Bookouture
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: May 22, 2025

Interesting plot, reminded me of the Hulu TV Show - The Patient. I'm curious if there will be a sequel. Suspenseful and thought provoking.

This is definitely one of those books that I am so glad I did not read the blurb before I started reading. I read it based solely on the name on the cover. I cannot even begin to describe my shock when I fell face first into this thriller. This chick has some serious issues. When the box of secrets gets opened up, it will explode with revelations you will never see coming.

Once all is revealed, the pace picks up as the author builds the story. The shock, fear and mystery help build the excitement of wondering where you will end up next. Sometimes the truth sets you free, but sometimes the truth is too disturbing to even fathom. If you like a good thriller/mystery, you will enjoy this one.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was able to get this as an ARC through NetGalley.

Julia’s life is crushed when she arrives home after a day at the spa, to find her husband dead leaving their daughter alive in the house with him.

Being new to the area all their neighbors are shocked with the news. They were a loving family that appeared to have no enemies. But unknown to them, their new neighbors have been hiding terrible secrets.

Soon after the discovery Julia and her daughter Avery disappear in what seems to be an abduction. Did her husband’s death have something to do with it? Was there some other motive behind their disappearances?

When Julia’s ex Scott Walker arrives to look into her disappearance he helps uncover things no one ever expected. Is Julia the innocent person she appears to be, or is something much darker lurking under the surface?

Hold onto your seats because this is a nonstop thrilling ride of a book that has you on the edge of your seat until the end of the book. I can’t wait to see what unfolds in book two!

Wow! Wendy Dranfield has turned the heat up with this book, and I was terrified yet invested in the story. Things move very quickly, but it takes little time before we meet characters in whom we will become invested.
We initially meet Julia Bowers when she returns home from an overnight spa trip to discover her husband’s death. Immediately listening to her internal flight mode settings, she feels the overwhelming need to escape with her daughter as she now fears their lives are in danger.
Next, we meet police officer Scott Walker, and it soon becomes clear that he is battling his own demons and is determined to die by suicide. His only concern is for the welfare of his chocolate Labrador, Maggie. Having left her with a friend, he is prepared to do the deed and be finished with his torment. When a phone call alerts him to his ex-girlfriend’s danger, he postpones his plans and sets out to offer his help.
I always avoid including spoilers, but I wanted to set the scene for the book. I may even say that this was the most surprising book by this author, and I gasped a couple of times while reading. The gradual reveal of more information was a little like water torture, as I had no clue where the next shock would come from.
Despite her character, I felt tremendous sympathy for Julia and hoped she would somehow find a way back to safety. Of course, Dranfield kept a tight rein on the story, and even more surprises were in store.
Scott was the original Boy Scout character, and it was almost impossible not to be drawn to him. His kindness and compassion were never in doubt, but learning more about his history with Julia created more questions than answers. His internal dialogue as he dug deeper into Julia’s background left me reeling, and I soon realised there would unlikely be a romantic reunion.
An absolute triumph of a book! Hopefully, my heart will soon stop racing.

Amazing. That's all I need to say. Well written, perfectly plotted out, vivid scenes and characters who almost jump off the pages it's fast paced and has so many twists and turns that you can't even tell which was is up by the end. A must read for thriller fans

too say i was hooked from page one is an understatement. So many twists and turns. i absolutely loved this book. a total recommend

thank you netgalley and publisher. all thoughts and opinions are my own

Please Don’t Find Me is a gripping and emotionally charged psychological thriller that delves into the darker corners of trauma, mental health, and human resilience. From the outset, Wendy Dranfield crafts a narrative that is both unsettling and compulsively readable. The subject matter is undeniably heavy, exploring painful experiences and complex emotional struggles, making this a challenging yet deeply compelling read.

What stands out most is the relentless pacing and the sheer number of twists that drive the story forward. Just when the reader begins to grasp the direction of the plot, another layer is peeled back, revealing new motives, hidden truths, and unexpected turns. This unpredictability keeps the tension high throughout, demanding the reader’s attention and making it nearly impossible to put the book down.

While the novel doesn’t shy away from portraying the harrowing aspects of its characters’ experiences, it does so with a sense of purpose—unraveling the psychological impact of trauma and the desperate need for truth and justice. Dranfield handles these themes with intensity and sensitivity, making Please Don’t Find Me a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant thriller that lingers long after the final page.

This book had me hooked from the start. Very easy to read. Really interesting storyline. Good characters. Some good twists in there as well. Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for letting me read this book for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. Please Don't Find Me by Wendy Dranfield is an upcoming psychological thriller. The story follows a woman who discovers her husband's lifeless body and realizes she must flee with her daughter to stay safe. She orchestrates their disappearance to make it look like they were abducted, ensuring no trace is left behind.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one night it was so good. I dont want to give too much away in my review as it was so good i would recommend to everyone who likes a psychological thriller.

Thank you to netgalley, the published and the author for the advance copy to read.

I am a huge fan of Wendy Dranfield already and this book did not disappoint, at all. I was hooked from the first chapter. I started it last night at midnight, thinking I would read a couple of chapters... two hours later and I was over half way through. I devoured the rest this morning.

If you like a twisty suspense novel, then this is for you. I always find that Wendy manages to write such fresh a unique books. The POV that this is told from is really interesting and nothing like anything else I have read. The plot and pacing will keep you enthralled and be turning the pages late into the night.

This will be a massive hit this summer, I only wish I could read it for the first time again.

This was a WILD ride. I'm not sure what to say but I was guessing till the very end. I really enjoyed this one. If you like psychological thrillers you will enjoy this.