It’s told from the three females POV. The victim, Kate, who went missing eleven years before. Just vanished from a Target parking lot. No struggle, nothing taken, her phone and purse and even her keys still in the car. It’s like she just disappeared from the face of the Earth. Her story is told from back when she went missing and tells where she was and why she was there. What happened to her and all the emotions she had. Some crazy things she endured. It was not good.
Meredith, the second wife, who was the most understanding women I have ever seen. There were times that I thought she should have just told Tom to kiss off and walk out the door. Now I understand he was happy that his first wife, who was the love of his life since they were just children had returned after so long and had been through hell and back. But enough is enough. He treated Meredith terribly. I don’t think he, deep down, meant to be so mean, but let’s be real. A woman does not appreciate being totally pushed away after she gives you her heart and has been there for you at times when no one else has. I truly felt sorry for her and at times thought she should tell them all to get out. Just leave her alone. But that was not her way and she turned out to be such a strong woman. I had a love/hate feeling for this woman and a pity/proud feeling. She tried so hard to keep things balanced and grounded.
Abbi the daughter. She was only five years old when her mom disappeared. She had memories from watching home movies, pictures and things her dad told her. She did a some that a child of that age might possible be able to have stored in their minds. She was so happy and excited when her mom came back. She worried all the time about something happening and just wanted them to all protect her mom at all costs. She wanted to be a part of the process that was going on to get her mom back to her former self after all the horrible things she had been through. Abbi was a typical sixteen year old who just wanted people to get along and wanted her mom to feel safe again. I think she was a little bit rude to Meredith, but to be fair most teens are rude to their parents at that age. She was confused at this point about everything and was doing her best to keep her mom around.
Tom, the husband and dad.... I felt awful for him. He was in a terrible situation and had no idea what to do. He didn’t have much back bone in certain parts of this book but he did try. To me he was not good to his wife. His current wife. He excluded her almost completely. He would not listen when she said things and that came back to bite him. Even though he and Kate had been friends from a very young age, and been high school sweethearts, does not make them the perfect couple. Things chance in almost all relationships. Kate wanted to work. He didn’t want her too. She was bored staying home all day. He should have listened to her. But was it his fault what happened to her? No he was not. He did love her. He tried so hard to find her and it took him years before he would declare her dead and move on. Remarry. Make a new life. But still in the home he and Kate had made. I didn’t like that. But it sure made the story more interesting.
I really liked Dean. He was a family friend after Kate went missing. He was also in charge of finding her when she went missing. He was FBI and became a must trusted family friend. I liked how he interacted with Abbi. He was kind and understanding and knew her secret place when she wanted to feel close to her mother. I just liked him.
Things are not at all what they seem in this story. From the beginning you feel so bad for all Kate went through. For the abuse that was so obviously inflicted on her. But where had she been. Did she go on her own or was she taken. If she was kidnapped why no ransom, or was it someone who just wanted a woman. So many questions came to my mind but in the end I found the answers I was looking for. There was a twist that just floored me. One I did not see coming at all and that does not happen a lot in this type of book. I usually have some idea but not this time. I was totally shocked and that is putting it mildly. This was an excellent book in my opinion. From start to finish I didn’t want to put it down and didn’t much. I didn’t want to do anything but find out what happened next and why it happened.
This book touched on several things, cults, brainwashing, kidnapping, abuse and the most horrible, death or murder. It will make you cry in parts because you’re human and will feel sorry for some of the characters. It will make you very angry in parts again because you are human. This is a story that will keep you turning pages until all your questions are answered. I did love the ending but still felt sorry for the characters throughout.
In my opinion they are well developed and you will feel different emotions toward them in each chapter. I think the author did a great job with this book. It made me cringe in parts where it felt so realistic. Up to the very ending...
Thank you #NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lucinda Berry for this eARC. This is my own review told from my heart.
I gave it 5 stars because I felt it was worth it and I highly recommend it.
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