The Girl You Lost Book Review

The Girl You Lost by Kathryn Croft

Click here for the Amazon product page.

Blurb:

Eighteen years ago, Simone Porter's six-month-old daughter, Helena, was abducted. Simone and husband, Matt, have slowly rebuilt their shattered lives, but the pain at losing their child has never left them.

Then a young woman, Grace, appears out of the blue and tells Simone she has information about her stolen baby. But just who is Grace - and can Simone trust her?

When Grace herself disappears, Simone becomes embroiled in a desperate search for her daughter and the woman who has vital clues about her whereabouts.

Simone is inching closer to the truth but it'll taker her into dangerous and disturbing territory.

Review by Brittany:

This is the second novel I've read by this author, and I enjoyed this one as much as the first.

The reading experience on this one was a bit more complex, both because the plot gets complex and because of the sheer number of characters that Croft uses in this novel. During Simone's investigation into Grace and Helena, Simone comes across loads of people that the reader has to remember. There were occasional points in the story where I had to stop and try to remember who some of the people were.

That being said, by the end of the novel, it all ties in nicely. The reader understands how all of these characters tie together and what dismal secret it is that has tied them all together. I think Croft did a fabulous job of making all of the plot points reach an explanatory ending, without making everything happy and neat.

This book does not have a happy ending. It isn't always an easy read, although the suspense of it keeps you turning pages. There are some themes explored in this book that are tough, so sensitive readers may want to think twice before picking them up. Lives are lost, marriages are put to the test, innocence is destroyed, and some of the bad guys don't get what you feel like they deserve. But there's something appealing about that because it resembles reality.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was suspenseful and interesting, and it kept me turning pages, trying to figure out what happened to Grace and Helena. The twist ending was also intriguing, and while I had an inkling of what it might be, I couldn't predict it. I recommend this book to those who love thrillers and are looking for a good, affordable read.

Notable quotes:

It is the only way you will be able to sleep at night: to feel there is a clear distinction between human and monster, a line so wide that you will never meet anyone who has crossed it.

How is it that someone so fucked up, someone capable of such atrocities, can still have love in their hearts?