My Name is Anna by Lizzy Barber

My Name is Anna
By Lizzy Barber
Published by Century (10 January 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher

Publisher's description

Two women – desperate to unlock the truth.

How far will they go to lay the past to rest? 

ANNA has been taught that virtue is the path to God. But on her eighteenth birthday she defies her Mamma’s rules and visits Florida’s biggest theme park. 

She has never been allowed to go – so why, when she arrives, does everything seem so familiar? And is there a connection to the mysterious letter she receives on the same day?

ROSIE has grown up in the shadow of the missing sister she barely remembers, her family fractured by years of searching without leads. Now, on the fifteenth anniversary of her sister’s disappearance, the media circus resumes in full flow, and Rosie vows to uncover the truth. 

But will she find the answer before it tears her family apart?

My verdict
My Name is Anna hooked me in straight away with its vivid and evocative writing, as I raced through it late one night into the early hours.

It's the story of a little girl who disappears on a family holiday to Florida, told through Anna's eyes and also the eyes of her sister Rosie. Rosie doesn't remember her older sister, but she knows the impact Emily's disappearance had on the family she left behind, even 15 years on - and their parents will never stop searching. Rosie decides it's time for her to do some digging into the past.

This book is more than just 'another psychological thriller'. It's a dark, intense and well-plotted exploration of identity, childhood abduction, memories and a mother's love. What if your whole life has been a lie? The ending is fairly abrupt, but it didn't leave me hanging or wanting - just left me imagining what came next and thinking about these characters beyond the final page.

My Name is Anna is a thought-provoking read, and not one that's easily forgotten. I look forward to seeing what Lizzy Barber writes next - whatever it is, I'll certainly be putting it at the top of my shopping list!