Find Her by Lisa Gardner

Find Her
By Lisa Gardner
Published by Headline (9 February 2016)
ISBN: 978-1472220271

Publishers description

I ESCAPED

My name is Flora Dane and I was kidnapped from a beach on spring break. I spent 472 days with my captor before I was found.

I SURVIVED

I spent the last five years trying to reacquaint myself with the rhythms of my life. But everything is different. I've had to learn how to protect myself in this dangerous new world.

I'M RECKLESS

There are other predators out there and I'll do anything to stop them. Am I a victim or a vigilante? Detective D. D. Warren doesn't know. Sometimes neither do I.

When another girl disappears, I know I have to FIND HER, whatever it takes, even if it means putting myself in danger...

Escaped kidnap victim Flora Dane has once again disappeared. Has the self-proclaimed vigilante become a victim? Or is something far more sinister at play? D.D. will have to race against the clock if she is going to Find Her.

My verdict
Lisa Gardner has, yet again, written a brilliant psychological thriller filled with suspense and intrigue. Find Her is creepy and intense from the first page and its vivid descriptions certainly made my skin crawl.

Five years ago, Flora Dane was kidnapped for 472 days before she was found. She's now on a mission to protect other women from predators. But when Flora disappears, it's up to Detective D.D. Warren to find out why.

Find Her is a fast paced book and I read it in two short sittings. It's cleverly plotted and kept me guessing all the way through.  Certain chapters, set in the past, were highly sinister with their claustrophobic setting. I felt quite drained by the end of the book and had to take a moment to catch my breath.

This is one of those books that's an uncomfortable read but completely addictive. I'm not prone to nightmares. But if you are, I suggest you don't read this late at night, or when you're alone!

I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Crash & Burn by Lisa Gardner

Crash & Burn

By Lisa Gardner

Published by Headline (3 February 2015)

ISBN: 978-1472220233

Publisher's description

My name is Nicky Frank.

I'm in hospital after crashing my car. I am afraid. The only thing that I can think about is Vero. I know I have to save her but why couldn't I find her? She's just a little girl.

The man standing in my hospital room tells me we are married but there is no Vero. That six months ago I suffered a traumatic brain injury which caused changes to my personality. I have dramatic mood swings, an inability to concentrate and large gaps in my memory. I'm much easier to anger these days. And I drink. All of which he says explains the car accident and my confusion.

Now a Sergeant Wyatt Foster is investigating. He has questions about the car accident. He has concerns about my husband. And he's worried about a missing girl.

He would like to know what happened to me. So would I.

My name is Nicky Frank. This is my life.

Watch me crash and burn.

My verdict

I have been a fan of Lisa Gardner for many years, enjoying in particular her DD Warren books. This the third in her Tessa Leoni series.

I was gripped from the first chapter of Crash & Burn, with its vivid description of the car accident and Nicky's escape. The book is well written to keep up the fast pace and tension. I could feel Nicky's desperation and panic.

Nicky Franks has suffered several traumatic brain injuries, which have affected her memory and behaviour. She has a husband, Thomas, who seems to be protecting her from something, although it's not clear what that is. And she has no other family or friends. She is obsessed with finding a little girl called Vero, but there's no evidence that Vero exists. I wanted to unravel her mysterious past as much as the police officers investigating her case.

At first I thought she was in an abusive relationship or was being held against her will in a loveless marriage. But it's clear as the book progresses that there is far more going on. There are many twists and turns in this dark complex psychological thriller, leading the reader back and forth across many different paths.

It's a horrifying and complex story and definitely not a light read. There are a few unconvincing plot lines and it was a little confusing in places. But overall another great read from Lisa Gardner.

I received this book as an Advance Review Copy from NetGalley.