Cover Image: I See You

I See You

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Member Reviews

This thriller kept me guessing up until the surprise ending! However, I found the final "reveal" a bit of overkill and not very realistic.

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This was an enjoyable read with an excellent 'Who dunnit' factor. Just when you thought you had it all figured out and it was over, Mackintosh offered a slam dunk at the end. My only criticism would be that there were aspects of Zoe's day to day life, that I found a bit boring and really slowed down the pace. I would have preferred a much faster paced read. But overall, I would recommend this to anyone who loves reading mystery & thrillers, and I look forward to reading I LET YOU GO.

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Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! I read Clare MackIntosh's debut novel, I Let You Go, and loved it! That being said, her second book, I See You, is almost as good. I think the reason I hesitate to say it's as good as her first is because the subject matter was so unnerving for me. I grew up without the technology we have today and it's the "eyes and ears everywhere" society we live in that scares me to no end! Mackintosh shows us what COULD very well happen and I don't like thinking about it, so it was hard a harder book to read for me. It seemed more "real", less fiction. However, it was highly entertaining nonetheless. This book will make you look over your shoulder, change up your daily routine, and worry if advances in technology are helpful in perpetuating crimes, solving crimes, or a bit of both. Creepy...in a good way!

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While I certainly enjoyed this book, I only gave it three stars because of how flipping slow moving it was. The premise was amazing and unique, which is what kept me drawn into the story, but I feel like it took me forever to finish. I have to say though, the best part of this book was the ending. The first twist was so unexpected and surprising and just when you think its over, you get hit with an even bigger, crazier twist. The ending probably has to be one of my favorite thriller conclusions I have ever read, making the slow pacing worth it.

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Great book. Clare did not disappoint with this one. Loved that the ending wasn't revealed until literally the last page. Another great page turner that kept me in the edge of my seat.

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Wowza! This is yet another Clare Mackintosh title that made me stay up all night reading!

If you like this type of suspenseful read, don’t miss I SEE YOU! Thank you for my review e-ARC from Net Galley!

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Here’s the overview:

Description

The author of the smash bestseller, I Let You Go, propels readers into a dark and claustrophobic thriller, in which a normal, everyday woman becomes trapped in the confines of her normal, everyday world…
Every morning and evening, Zoe Walker takes the same route to the train station, waits at a certain place on the platform, finds her favorite spot in the car, never suspecting that someone is watching her…

It all starts with a classified ad. During her commute home one night, while glancing through her local paper, Zoe sees her own face staring back at her, a grainy photo along with a phone number and listing for a website called findtheone.com.

Other women begin appearing in the same ad, a different one every day, and Zoe realizes they’ve become the victims of increasingly violent crimes—including rape and murder. With the help of a determined cop, she uncovers the ad’s twisted purpose…a discovery that turns her paranoia into full-blown panic. For now Zoe is sure that someone close to her has set her up as the next target.

And now that man on the train—the one smiling at Zoe from across the car—could be more than just a friendly stranger. He could be someone who has deliberately chosen her and is ready to make his next move…

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This book was... different. Confusing at first. I will be honest, I had a hard time in the beginning. It wasn't making sense. I knew that it would eventually, but it took a little too long to start to come together for me.

Once the book picked up and really started, I was hooked. I had no idea who was behind everything. Everyone was a suspect. I thought that each character was guilty at one point or another. I never saw that ending coming.

This is one of those books that will keep readers guessing from the get go. It definitely is not obvious who and why. When it happens, it smacks the reader in the face.

This was my first book by Mackintosh. I own another of her book and plan on reading it after reading this one. For those who like a book that will keep you guessing and turning the pages like a crackhead, this is definitely a book for you.

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Exceptional! Very believable characters and some very effective red herrings.

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It all starts with a classified ad. Zoe Walker sees her own face staring back at her from an ad that also includes a phone number and a website called FindTheOne.com. Other women begin appearing in the same ad, a different one every day, and Zoe realizes they’ve become the victims of increasingly violent crimes.

I See You is well written but the plot? Just meh. I couldn’t believe people would pay for this “service.” An unbelievable “business venture” in my opinion. The whodunit did make my jaw drop and my eyes pop with an excellent twist at the last moment. I’m calling it a cliff hanger with the door left open for a possible sequel. I See You may have proved more fascinating if the reveal were made sooner and the motives explored a bit more. If there is another book, I’m not interested enough now to be interested in reading it.

Is it just me or do the cops in books always come across as incompetent? Why is it that every day citizens are trying to solve crimes? How had the cops not tied the ads to the murders etc? Why did Zoe have to point this out? The cops seemed a bit slow, except for Kelly Swift. She’s supposed to be good at her job, but she comes into the investigation late and beats everyone else to solving the crime. I didn’t find that believable. The side story with her sister was distracting. I guess its intended purpose was to show what motivated her, but it distracted this reader when I wanted to know what was happening to Zoe and the other women.

There were moments of tension and suspense but I found these moments all ended with an anticlimactic moment. At the end of the day, I’m glad I read this book, but it’s probably not one I’ll grab to read again.

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I loved "I Let You Go" so I was very excited to get my hands on this one. The plot was intriguing and I stayed up late reading "just one more chapter" which turned in to many more chapters. I was certainly surprised by the final reveal; a few red herrings along the way made me think I had it figured out, but I didn't. Good read!

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These are my Happily Ever After Novel Thoughts...

Oh. My. Gosh. This book is twisted in the best way, especially if you love psychological thrillers that sneak up on you out of nowhere and make you rethink certain aspects of your life.

I thought I had it all figured out, but hadn't a clue! Not until I hit the 100% mark did I know all facts.

This book is a great reminder to not be so set in our routines. We need to be a bit unpredictable in our lives or else we could fall victim to someone watching our very worn path of life.

I love how it just pulls you in and you get two different POVs, one from Zoe Walker and the other from PC Kelly Swift. Zoe is a victim and Kelly is one of the investigators. Such an interesting book! Definitely a must-read if you want to go on a ride and don't mind there's little to no romance and absolutely no sex.

Grab this book and read to find out Zoe gets a Happily Ever After.

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I read I Let You Go last year and really enjoyed it so I was happy to read and review Clare's newest book. The image that came to mind when reading this book was this:
crazy straw
Now, I know this seems crazy but hear me out. As I kid, I loved these straws. I used them all of the time and would love to watch the milk on its slow ascend up towards the twists and turns until I was able to drink it. I would could make the liquid go as fast or as slow as I wanted once it hit the twisty section.

I See You reminded me of these straws so much. It started out slowly but once you hit that action it was a crazy, can not put down, full of twist and turns kind of book. I loved it for that reason. If you want a psychological thriller that keeps you on your toes until the very end, get this book. Just know that after the slow beginning, the payoff at the end is worth it!

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This was a really well written story. I actually liked the main character, unlike some of the more recent books I've read. And it had me guessing the whole time I was reading it. I was not expecting the twist, and then the the other twist! It has kept me thinking about it even after I've been done with the book for several days. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

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“We are all creatures of habit. Even you. You reach for the same coat every day; leave home at the same time every morning. You have a favorite seat on the bus or the train…. I know you buy the same paper from the same shop, your milk at the same time each week. I know the way you walk the children to school; the shortcut you take on your way home from Zumba class. I know all these things, because it’s never occurred to you that anyone is watching you. Routine is comforting to you. It’s familiar, reassuring. Routine makes you feel safe. Routine will kill you.”

The start of this book grabbed me and I settled in thinking “oooooo this is going to be a good one!” I for one, am most definitely a creature of habit so the premise of this book put me on edge when I started to think about how predictable my own routine is. Couple that with social media and how easy it is to have access to anyone and their information these days and I thought for sure this would be a 5 star read. Every few chapters we get a glimpse into the thoughts of the mastermind behind everything – this set a creepy and ominous tone and I loved it. But then things just fell apart. The more I read, the more I did not like Zoe Walker. I felt that she was very underdeveloped for a main character. I know that I was supposed to be in great suspense the more paranoid Zoe became, but instead I found myself getting aggravated with her. By the middle of the book I felt like things were just dragging, so much so that I started skimming (this is never a good sign). I will say that I loved the character of Kelly, the detective and found her back story much more intriguing. Strong, flawed, struggling with decisions from her past, I felt like Kelly would have been a much better focal point for the story.

I had the killer partially figured out but struggled with the end. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will just say it did not seem to me that the killer would have gone to such great lengths for the reason that was given as the motive behind everything. It just fell flat to me. I had such high hopes for this one because I loved I Let You Go so very much, but this just didn’t deliver for me. 3 out of 5 stars. Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

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What I keep hearing about this book is that it doesn't live up to Clare Mackintosh's debut that was published last year, I Let You Go. Fortunately for me, I See You was my first Mackintosh novel, so I'm happy to say that I was able to mostly really enjoy it. Enough that I'll probably read I Let You Go at some point, with high expectations.

I See You is a topical and creepy thriller about a one-sided 'dating' website that targets London-based women. Their pictures will appear in a newspaper advertisement for the website, and soon after they'll become victims of some crime, ranging from theft to murder. When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the paper and discovers a link between the crimes, she's sure that someone's marked her as the next target.

Tense and addicting, this had me on the edge of my seat. While the plot itself is at times slow moving, there's a certain fear and paranoia that permeates the narrative; it leaves you guessing about these characters and their motives, but it also makes you think about your own life, about the privacy settings on your Facebook account, about the dangers of living in this technological fishbowl of a society, where your movements are constantly tracked.

Alternating chapters with Zoe, we get the point of view of Kelly, working with the Murder Investigation Team to track who's behind the series of attacks. I wasn't surprised to learn that Clare Mackintosh had worked in the police force before becoming a writer, given the meticulous level of detail to this side of the story. All in all, it's very well done.

Sure, I See You requires a certain suspension of disbelief, but I think the mark of a good author is the ability to make you believe something that you might not, ordinarily. It's an outlandish premise, but Mackintosh had me thoroughly convinced. It wasn't until after I finished this book that I started ruminating on flaws in its design - and there certainly are flaws, certain things you need to accept without question (I won't go into detail in order to keep this spoiler-free). But ultimately, I don't care so much about that. This was a good story, and a downright terrifying psychological thriller that leaves you guessing - literally! - until the last page. A really enjoyable reading experience and a great way to spend this snow day.

Also, I pride myself on my ability to figure out whodunnits pretty early on in the story, nine times out of ten. But I have to shamefully admit that I fell for the red herring here. :(

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Berkley, and Clare Mackintosh.

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I SEE YOU by Clare Mackintosh is a good foray into the mystery thriller, and had it not taken it sweet little time getting into the nitty-gritty, I would have rated it higher. Buckle up - if you want to read, you need to be prepared to be in for the long haul.

RELEASE DATE: February 2017

PUBLISHER: Berkley Publishing Group

DISCLAIMER: Novel sent via NetGallery in exchange for a honest review.

SYNOPSIS: You do the same thing every day.

You know exactly where you're going.

You're not alone.

When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it's there. There's no explanation: just a website, a grainy image and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it's just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that.

Is it a mistake? A coincidence? Or is someone keeping track of every move they make . . .

REVIEW: I've seen Mackintosh's debut novel in my local Indigo / Chapters and I've always wandered the store and had it in my hand - just never followed through and bought it. Reading the reviews of this novel which so often reference her stellar first novel I LET YOU GO, I may go back and pick it up (or hit the library - this new homeowner is B-R-O-K-E). This second novel fell just a little bit...flat for me.

Zoe lives with her daughter, son, and live in boyfriend with her best friend living down the street in a popular London suburb. She works her butt off at a thankless job and takes the train every day - same routine, no changes. One day on her commute reading the local paper, Zoe recognizes a picture of herself in the classifies underneath a casual encounters ad - entitled "Find the One" with a simple website attached, Zoe's picture knocks her world off its axis. The next day, a new women's picture takes her place. But when the women in these pictures start becoming the victims of heinous crimes, Zoe realizes her life may be in danger. Where did this photo come from? And what exactly is "Find the One"?

The novel is told in three perspectives - Zoe's, a police officer named Kelly, and the 'unknown' culprit pulling the strings, which is meant to draw suspense. I enjoyed the culprits point of view the most, but it was also the shortest - the most being a page of text. I'm glad the author only thought to do these two points of view - any more, and this novel would have been a mess.

Here's the main issue with the entire novel - it's slow. It takes until about 40% of the way in for the narrative to really kick in. It's just not exciting. At about 30% in, I almost threw in the towel but I powered through - while I am glad I did, I felt the payoff was an insufficient trade. I anticipated the twist early on and when it happened, it felt like a random throw in to knock readers off course. The revelations in the novel just felt clunky and awkwardly executed. The motivations and actions of the characters were sometimes just so abysmal - a police officer who knowingly jeopardizes her job to tell a woman behind the scenes knowledge of a case I felt was very out of character for a job. It may just be me. It was so unprofessional and undignified that I couldn't believe I was reading the actions of a cop.

Honestly, if you don't think too much into the plot and it's flimsy tie ins, it can be a good read - I did give it 3 stars for a reason. Suspend your believe and push past the first 40%. Maybe bring it to the beach. But overall, a slightly unsatisfactory mystery thriller.

Happy reading.

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https://lovintoread.blogspot.com/2017/03/i-see-you-by-clare-mackintosh-is.html

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" Routine is comforting to you. It’s familiar, reassuring. Routine makes you feel safe. Routine will kill you."

Zoe Walker is a normal, everyday-type person, which is one reason this book is pretty darn scary. If bad things can happen to her, they can happen to anyone. She's a divorced mom whose children are almost grown. She's a bookkeeper for a realty company plus does some accounting on the side. Her ex-husband still loves her which makes her live-in boyfriend very jealous.

She has a routine. She takes the Underground and Overground trains to work every day. Same time, waits in the same places, stands or sits in the same spots if they're available. One day she's glancing at a London newspaper and sees her picture along with a web address in a dating-type column - and she did not put it there.

She finds out that other women's pictures have also been displayed in the newspaper and various crimes have been committed against some of these other women including rape and murder.

Kelly Swift works as an officer for the British Transport Police but she really wants to work on the Murder Investigation Team working on these pictures and crimes.

The story is told from both Zoe's and Kelly's points of view and it held my interest from start to a shocking finish.

I like the author's writing style. The story drew me in and I couldn't help putting myself in Zoe's shoes. Fast moving, scary and believable.

I recommend this to anyone looking for an exciting psychological suspense thriller, British mystery, or police procedural novel.

I received this book from Berkley Publishing through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

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Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

This book was absolutely fantastic! Can you tell? It held my attention the whole way through and had such intricate, but necessary, details as I read on. Brava, Clare Mackintosh, brava!

I don’t even know where to start my review, seeing as this book was so great. Zoe Walker is the main character and connects with PC Kelly Swift who seems to be the only person who takes her claim seriously. The claim? That Zoe’s picture is in the classifieds for an advertisement for a website named FindTheOne.com. Sounds like an innocent dating site until you actually click on it and figure out what it’s main purpose is for. The story unravels, detail by detail, until you don’t even know who to look for. I always try to guess the perpetrator in books like this but I was guessing until the very last page. Yes, you read it right. The very…last…page. Grab this book and a glass of wine…you’re in for a fantastic roller coaster ride!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Clare Mackintosh for my free copy of this book.

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I finished <i>I See You</i> right before I left for work, and Mackintosh had me a little creeped out and looking over my shoulder. So, bravo! That's what a good psychological thriller does.

Imagine Zoe's surprise when she sees her own picture in an advertisement for FindTheOne.com, some sort of dating site. Zoe then realizes that some of the women pictured have been victims of violent crimes, and this is where we take a turn to the sinister side of things.

I love, love, loved! <i>I Let You Go</i>, so I had expectations for this book. This was a much slower build, but Mackintosh did an amazing job building the characters and ratcheting up the paranoia as she dropped breadcrumbs for me to follow. I will admit, I was distracted by the red herrings, and the last 10% of the book!!!! My head was spinning for all the reveals. I did not see that coming at all. *Applause, applause* I feel, that Mackintosh's background is such an asset in her thrillers. She brings all the crime drama to another level, which definitely adds to the overall reading experience. She also does an impressive job building the mood. I felt the fear, the tension, the frustration. I felt it all, and my heart was definitely pounding out of my chest during the last bit. The ending - left he hairs standing up on the back of my neck.

For me, this was another fantastic thrill courtesy of Ms. Mackintosh, and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.

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