brittany_tellefsen's review
4.0
This was my first experience with Alafair Burke and it definitely will not be my last.
Side Note: This book apparently can be considered #6 in the Ellie Hatcher series, but is written as a standalone so it can be read apart from the series. I can attest to this as I was unaware it was part of a series and read it just fine.
15 years ago, Hope Miller was in a terrible car accident that caused her to lose her memory, a memory that has not returned all of these years later. She has no memory of who she was, or why she was found in New Jersey, in a stolen car from Indiana.
Lindsay Kelly, the woman who found Hope after the accident and now Hope's best friend, has spent the past 15 years helping Hope build a new life. So when Hope is ready to move on, ready to fly on her own in a place where nobody knows her, Lindsay is concerned. And when she goes several days without hearing from hope, she knows something is wrong.
After arriving in East Hampton, Hopes new town of residence, she realizes Hope has vanished and immediately begins searching for her friend. And when DNA evidence found in the last place Hope was known to be connects her to a decades-old murder case in Wichita, Kansas, this start to become complicated.
In pursuit of answers, Lindsay contacts a NY detective, the daughter of the man originally investigating the Kansas murders, and together, the women search for answers that may have devastating consequences.
I would consider this a "Popcorn Thriller" as it was delicious and hard to put down. I was kept in anticipation the entirety of the time I was reading and just wanted to know what happened!
This was definitely more intricately woven then I was expecting it to be, and so there were definitely a lot of different characters and threads to follow which could be challenging, but overall very manageable. Usually this might have made me feel lost, but I was able to keep up pretty easily and really enjoyed how it all came together.
This was smart, clever, and with one final twist at the end that really gave it a solid conclusion, I definitely enjoyed this one immensely!
Side Note: This book apparently can be considered #6 in the Ellie Hatcher series, but is written as a standalone so it can be read apart from the series. I can attest to this as I was unaware it was part of a series and read it just fine.
15 years ago, Hope Miller was in a terrible car accident that caused her to lose her memory, a memory that has not returned all of these years later. She has no memory of who she was, or why she was found in New Jersey, in a stolen car from Indiana.
Lindsay Kelly, the woman who found Hope after the accident and now Hope's best friend, has spent the past 15 years helping Hope build a new life. So when Hope is ready to move on, ready to fly on her own in a place where nobody knows her, Lindsay is concerned. And when she goes several days without hearing from hope, she knows something is wrong.
After arriving in East Hampton, Hopes new town of residence, she realizes Hope has vanished and immediately begins searching for her friend. And when DNA evidence found in the last place Hope was known to be connects her to a decades-old murder case in Wichita, Kansas, this start to become complicated.
In pursuit of answers, Lindsay contacts a NY detective, the daughter of the man originally investigating the Kansas murders, and together, the women search for answers that may have devastating consequences.
I would consider this a "Popcorn Thriller" as it was delicious and hard to put down. I was kept in anticipation the entirety of the time I was reading and just wanted to know what happened!
This was definitely more intricately woven then I was expecting it to be, and so there were definitely a lot of different characters and threads to follow which could be challenging, but overall very manageable. Usually this might have made me feel lost, but I was able to keep up pretty easily and really enjoyed how it all came together.
This was smart, clever, and with one final twist at the end that really gave it a solid conclusion, I definitely enjoyed this one immensely!
rachelleeb's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
catreader18's review
4.0
I found Alafair Burke when she comes-wrote books with Mary Higgins Clark. This is the first book of hers that I have read and I really enjoyed it. It has a nice balance of mystery and a little lawyer drama. Each chapter is given a date and time so you can follow along. Once I had about 30% left in the book I could not put it down!
readingqueen83's review
5.0
First time reading this author and enjoyed this thriller!!! Will definitely be reading more of her books !!!
cassstillwill's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
pandasbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
The Girl She Was is my first read by Alafair Burke but I’ve been wanting to read this author for some time after hearing really great things and being a huge fan of crime or psychological thrillers. I love stories which use amnesia as an element.
This book is a standalone, but it features one of the author’s recurring characters, NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher. I feel like having the backstory for this character may have been helpful as I felt little connection to this character. There are quite a lot of characters in the story to keep track of.
I found the overall pace of the story a little slow but it had some enjoyable moments to keep you reading. The mystery, twists and ending were okay, not bad but not wow-worthy.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a standalone, but it features one of the author’s recurring characters, NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher. I feel like having the backstory for this character may have been helpful as I felt little connection to this character. There are quite a lot of characters in the story to keep track of.
I found the overall pace of the story a little slow but it had some enjoyable moments to keep you reading. The mystery, twists and ending were okay, not bad but not wow-worthy.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
marcccb's review
3.0
3.5 stars
Find Me by Alafair Burke is a twisty mystery about a woman named Hope who is one day found on the side of road with no memory of who she is. Lindsay becomes her closest friend and when Hope suddenly disappears after moving away to the East Hamptons, Linsday is determined to find her. The police find blood which is linked to a notorious Kansas murderer a long time ago. Ellie Hatcher always believed that her father's death wasn't an accident. Told in alternating point of views, Find Me is an intricate mystery about secrets that shouldn't be discovered.
I've read Burke's previous work and I've always been impressed with the way that she tells a story. Her past novels border a bit on the domestic suspense side, but Find Me is a full on mystery novel. The book is told in the point of view of Lindsay as she tries to find her best friend, Ellie, as she is dragged into the investigation while also trying to find answers of her own, and some from Hope. I loved how Burke is able to weave all three narratives, and linking everything together into one intricately plotted story.
I was engaged throughout most of the novel and the storylines were very interesting. There's a lot of secrets and lies in this one, along with a very unreliable Hope Miller who is unable to remember anything about her past. The twists are decent, and I did enjoy figuring out what happened to Hope before she was Hope. Although there was a final twist in this book, maybe a bit predictable depending on the reader, there was a bit of romance involved which I personally felt was unnecessary to the plot of the story.
Overall, this was a wonderful mystery novel, and if you've been following Ellie Hatcher from the very beginning, you'll get the closure you needed for her character. Thank you HarperCollins for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Find Me by Alafair Burke is a twisty mystery about a woman named Hope who is one day found on the side of road with no memory of who she is. Lindsay becomes her closest friend and when Hope suddenly disappears after moving away to the East Hamptons, Linsday is determined to find her. The police find blood which is linked to a notorious Kansas murderer a long time ago. Ellie Hatcher always believed that her father's death wasn't an accident. Told in alternating point of views, Find Me is an intricate mystery about secrets that shouldn't be discovered.
I've read Burke's previous work and I've always been impressed with the way that she tells a story. Her past novels border a bit on the domestic suspense side, but Find Me is a full on mystery novel. The book is told in the point of view of Lindsay as she tries to find her best friend, Ellie, as she is dragged into the investigation while also trying to find answers of her own, and some from Hope. I loved how Burke is able to weave all three narratives, and linking everything together into one intricately plotted story.
I was engaged throughout most of the novel and the storylines were very interesting. There's a lot of secrets and lies in this one, along with a very unreliable Hope Miller who is unable to remember anything about her past. The twists are decent, and I did enjoy figuring out what happened to Hope before she was Hope. Although there was a final twist in this book, maybe a bit predictable depending on the reader, there was a bit of romance involved which I personally felt was unnecessary to the plot of the story.
Overall, this was a wonderful mystery novel, and if you've been following Ellie Hatcher from the very beginning, you'll get the closure you needed for her character. Thank you HarperCollins for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
daniellesbooked's review
4.0
This book was fast paced & kept me wanting to know what happens next. There are multiple points of view so you really have to pay attention. I had an idea how it was going to end but there were a few WOAH moments. Good read!
imalwayswrite's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0