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Review: She’s Not There

by P. J. Parrish

she's not there  pamsarcpamsfour

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
Published: 8th September 2015

Title: She’s Not There
Author: P. J. Parrish
Publishd By: Thomas and Mercer
Book: Stand alone?
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Found: Netgalley
Rating: 4 Voodoos

They say it’s better to battle the devil you know. But what if you don’t recognize him before it’s too late?

She knows her name is Amelia, but after waking up in a hospital battered and bruised with just the clothes on her back, it’s all she knows. Unable to piece together her shattered memory, she’s haunted by a vision: menacing faces and voices implying her nightmare is far from over.

Relying only on her wits and her will to live, Amelia becomes a fugitive from a mysterious man, and a life she can’t even remember. But the past she’s fleeing has no intention of letting her go.

-Netgalley

On Netgalley there is currently a Book Advocates Challenge and the challenge sponsors chose some titles they thought the participants may enjoy. Of the list, this is the only title I thought sounded like I may find it any kind of interesting, but for some reason I assumed Amelia was in her late teens or there abouts and that this would have some supernatural something or other. I’m not sure why, however. Possibly because that was the type of book I was reading descriptions of before this one? Who knows? But to clear things up: Amelia is a 30-something amnesiac and what she’s scared of is very human and this is not aimed at teenagers or young adults.

There are many main players in this story besides Amelia, her husband, his senior partner, the PI they hire etc etc and sometimes the POV shifts to one of these others, which can sometimes be confusing as it’s not labeled, but you can usually work it out before you’ve got too far. I developed a habit of skimming till I discovered who I was reading about before reading each chapter, just so that I’d know whose voice to read it in…

While reading this book I realised that it can be quite easy for a bruised and beaten woman to disappear, people assume she’s fleeing an abusive relationship, but a bruised and beaten man would cause suspicion and possibly even fear, no help for YOU sir! Which is actually pretty sad, but not what this book is about.

There’s noting much to indicate that this isn’t a standalone except for the fact that the PI’s story is not complete and that’s a book I’d like to read! I him to find out what happened! Is this going to happen? Please make it happen.

I did feel that the story of the PI was a bit much and that it was going to be in the way. Then I wondered if it meant that he would understand some of what was going on better, but it was just another layer that ended up being just as interesting. Primarily this is a story about a woman getting a third chance at life. Yes, third. Let’s hope she’s learnt from her past mistakes.

pamspaein

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