I have enjoyed Bell's mystery thrillers and looked forward to BRING HER HOME. Bell delivered a suspenseful thriller with twists and plenty of red herrings as one Dad frantically tries to discover what happened to his fifteen-year-old daughter.

Bill Price, a widowed father, becomes distressed when his fifteen-year-old daughter Summer and her best friend Haley disappear only to turn up in a local park. Haley is dead, and Summer is unconscious and clinging to life after being severely beaten.

Bill is muddling through life with a dead end job just trying to raise a daughter after his wife died tragically. The two have been depressed as they quietly mark the passage of time. There have been a few instances of curfew breaking, but Summer is a good girl and Bill is doing the best he can. As the police question Bill, he begins to question himself and her friends. He seeks answers and grows frustrated at the police. While he keeps vigil over Summer's bedside, it is his sister Paige who points out something that leads to a shocking discovery. It isn't Summer in the hospital bed but Haley. What happens next takes Bill on an emotional rollercoaster that certainly would have left me reeling. As questions surface and folks come forward a dirty secret from the girl's school is revealed, but other darker secrets are yet to be discovered.

Bell did an excellent job with red herrings, flashbacks, and suspects as we held out hope that Summer might be found alive. While I won't reveal details to deter your enjoyment, I was a bit disappointed in how quickly I pieced things together. I did so long before Bill and the police. Maybe it is because I've read a few of Bell's book and have come to expect a particular formula from him. However,  the tale felt more like a made for television movie. The thread involving Summer was the strongest, but the additionals threads seemed a little over the top.  On a positive note, I did picture Bill Price with the voice of Will Patton, and while not loveable I couldn't blame for his actions.

BRING HER HOME was a well paced and enjoyable read. Bell tied all of the threads together for a page-turning mystery thriller, but sadly it was not a personal favorite.

My biggest problem with this book? The main character is a massive jerk. It's really hard to care whether he finds his daughter or not when he's someone I dislike. The book is fairly predictable if you read a number of thrillers, and then the ending is just so... blah. Didn't really enjoy any of the characters, but it was an easy read. It has a lot of twists but I didn't feel like the ending tied up the threads very neatly and what seemed to be interconnected the whole book was just left hanging in the wind. A lot of problems and not a lot of pay off.

I have been a fan of this author since his debut, and have subsequently read/purchased all his novels to date. David Bell is a fantastic suspense/thriller writer that never fails to keep me on the edge of my seat.
This books as usual is full of tons of red herrings and plot twists that I did not see coming. Just as you think you have it all figured out, he throws a twist at you!
This is what suspense novels are all about.
He has the ability to pull at your heartstrings, with tense topics and action. I felt like I was the main character, Bill, and experiencing the emotional turmoil that he went through........
I do not want to give away too much of the story with discussing my feelings on the plotline.
Excellent, suspenseful and kept me guessing until the very end/
Thank you netgalley!

Bill Price and his teenage daughter, Summer, are still trying to cope with the sudden loss of their wife and mother, Julia, who fell to her death about a year and a half earlier. Not wanting to alienate Summer as she continues to grieve, Bill gives her a bit more rein than usual - not forcing the issue if she stays out a bit later or sulks around the house. That leeway comes into serious question, though, when Summer and her best friend Haley go missing.

Days later, they're found in a city park; Haley is dead, and Summer has been beaten to an unrecognizable pulp but is still clinging to life. In the hospital ICU, she begins the slow process of healing - her father and his sister, Paige, by her side almost every minute. Once in a while, she tries to speak - and the word she utters seems to be "no." She also knocks the stuffed animal Bill brought to comfort her - the one she refuses to sleep without at home - on the floor every time he places it in the bed with her. What, Bill wonders, is up with that?

Bill also questions the efforts of the local police, who he's convinced aren't doing enough to find out who did this to his precious daughter. For solace, he turns to Paige and his ever-so-slick friend and next-door neighbor, Adam. But mostly, he rants, yells, cajoles and berates the lead police detective on the case (that is, when he's not running off to badger someone he suspects is the culprit). Each time he gets himself in trouble for sticking his nose into police business, he apologizes - and then turns around and does it again when a new suspect (to his mind) turns up.

As the investigation continues, new information is unearthed on almost every page (clearly not fast enough for Bill, but it seemed plenty fast for me). Much of it sheds new light on Summer, leading Bill to reflect on how much he and his late wife really knew their precious daughter.

Especially given that at least one major twist happens near the beginning, that's about all I can say without giving away too much. The story is interesting and straightforward (the chapters don't shift back and forth among characters and/or time period, thank you very much), the action moves along quickly and the loose ends are pretty well tied up in the end - making for a very enjoyable experience overall. Many thanks to the publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.

“Bring Her Home” is another of David Bell’s riveting novels. Unlike some writers who fade under the pressure of creating more books to sustain their reputation, Bell seems to crank out better stories each time he brings out a new book. It’s a trait that signals great things for his career.

The story is full of twists that could be exasperating in lesser hands, but Bell seems to know exactly what keeps a reader’s attention and how to put it down in words. Two girls are found in a park, severely beaten, one dead and the other clinging to life. Bill Price is told that the survivor is his daughter, Summer, and, coming shortly after his wife and Summer’s mother died in a freak accident, it’s too much for him to bear.

Then it’s found that the survivor is not his daughter and is really the girl, Haley, originally thought to have been killed. Now the thought is that Summer has been buried by mistake and she is exhumed, only to reveal that the buried girl is not Summer either but some unidentified girl. What’s going on here? This is the puzzle that the author works out with his wonderful storytelling ability.

In David Bell fashion the book is stuffed full of conversation and mind conjecture about who, what, why, where, and when; thoughts that get constantly stirred up by new findings. It sounds confusing and somewhat intimidating in structure, but it is chilling and heart-rending to read. I’ll not give deeper hints about where the story goes.

Should you read it? Of course, unless you want to miss one of the best thrillers f the year. Read it and get your book club to read it. It will provide for some great discussion.

I'm impressed with the storyline , it had me guessing till the bitter end. I'm on board for the next novel by this author .... Well done

I have reviewed "Bring Her Home" by David Bell for ReaderToReade.com where it will remain on site indefinitely. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact Vickie Denney at: Vickie@ReaderToReader.com.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Bring Her Home"
By David Bell
Penguin Group


Thriller/Suspense - Release Date: July 11, 2017


ReaderToReader.com review for Net Galley


Every parent's worst nightmare is that something horrendous will happen to their child. Such is the case with Bill Price. He and his fifteen-year-old daughter, Summer are still grieving over the loss of Summer's mom eighteen months ago. Now, Summer and her best friend Haley are missing, and Bill doesn't know if he can handle the strain.

Bill discerned something was wrong for Summer had not been acting her usual sunny self before she disappeared. Did she run away? This happened right after what would have been her mother's birthday, and from her recent actions, it was evident Summer was unhappy as well as belligerent toward her dad.

After a few days, two girls are found severely beaten in the park. One, determined to be Haley is dead, and the other, presumed Summer, endured such horrific wounds that she is unrecognizable. Bill is beside himself with grief and refuses to leave his daughter's hospital bed.

Before long, Bill learns the teen is not Summer after all, but Haley. Where is Summer and is she hurt? Dental records prove Summer is not the dead girl, and the whole situation stymies the police. Two young classmates, one known to be abusive, are suspect and called in for questioning, yet there is nothing valid to hold them.

Bill's sister, Paige stands by him, offering support as they face the terror of trying to find his daughter. With unexpected discoveries, Bill gets some shocking news which ends up tying pieces together, not only about Summer but also his dead wife. "Bring Her Home" is a mesmerizing page-turner sure to keep the reader on the edge of their seat up till the climatic conclusion.

Posted on: https://readingbetweenthepagesblog.wordpress.com/
Date Posted: 5/24/2017

The book opens with Bill arriving at the hospital. He has gotten word that his daughter, Summer, has been found and is in critical condition. He also finds out her best friend Haley, who Summer was with the day she went missing, did not survive her injuries. The two girls, one beaten to death, the other beaten beyond recognition!

From the first chapter this book grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. Bill is a man on the edge. He has a very bad temper, is high strung, and is an extremely intense person. I could literally feel his tension, anger, and urgency to find out who did this to his daughter. He’s a single dad raising a teenage daughter. He’s doing the best he can, but realizes he doesn’t really know what’s going on with his daughter as much as he thought he did.

This story goes much deeper than “what happened to Summer.” Bill’s sister, Paige, comes to town as soon as she learns Summer has been found. We learn that Bill had a very bad temper even as a kid, and his relationship with Paige, on some level, is strained. Bill’s wife Julia passed away just a year-and-a-half earlier and when Summer turns up so badly injured those emotional wounds are reopened. There is lots of healing to do, but nothing can be fixed until the person, or persons, who hurt his daughter are found.

This was a fun story with a couple of unexpected twists. This is my first book by David Bell and I was impressed how he was able keep his cards hidden as well as he did for most of the book. I couldn’t truly piece it all together until the end.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, and David Bell for an opportunity to read and give my honest opinion about this book.

I received this book "Bring Her Home" from Netgalley for my honest review.

Summer and her friend Hailey go out for a walk and they don't come back. Two days later one girl is dead and one girl has been beaten badly enough that you really can't tell who it is. This book has twists and turns and kept me guessing. You think you know what is going to happen next but then... it takes a turn in a different direction. I liked the style of the book and will check out other books by this author, David Bell.

I loved this book from beginning to end, would have never guessed the outcome had you until the last page. Thank you Net galley for letting me read this great book.!!

This book is very good! The story is good, the characters are strong. I give it 5 stars and a strong recommendation.

Bring Her Home

A novel by David Bell

Shiva must be smiling, Bill Price’s world has been destroyed twice over. Eighteen months ago his wife died from a fall in his kitchen. Today his daughter, Summer, has been found, after being missing for two days, severely beaten in a local park. Unconscious. with her head and hands completely covered in bandages, but alive. That is infinitely better than her friend Haley, who was lying dead beside her in the park. Strangely though, in the course of ’round the clock hospital vigils, questions emerge. The girl on the bed shrinks away from the familiar; her father, a much-loved stuffed Winnie the Pooh bear. Is the comatose body that of Summer? Who assaulted this girl and murdered Haley? Why are those boys hanging around? With each question answered others arise, and a confused and angry Bill Price is driven further afield to find answers.

“Bring Her Home,” has more twists and turns than a Kentucky back road, but in the main is not much of a mystery. If you don’t know who did it, and why, after reading the first ten chapters you are not sufficiently suspicious. It moves along quite fast and has some interesting twists to it. But the main character, Bill Price, comes off as unsympathetic despite his woes; he is a bit of a jerk. The writing is okay but is a bit preachy on the subject of religion and child abuse.

Note to author: Avoid topics like religion, politics and child raising. People read books like this “mystery” for pleasure, not for indoctrination in Politically Correct attitudes.

"Bring Her Home" is one of those books that don’t deserve a recommendation or condemnation. I rate it at 2.5 stars. Read it if you can't find better.

I received an advance galley of “Bring Her Home” from Berkley, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley in exchange for this review. Who do you think got the better deal?

Although a bit predictable, was still a good read that I'm glad I got to enjoy!

Bring Her Home is the latest suspenseful story from David Bell. It really should come with a warning, only read when you have a block of time to stay with it! Bring Her Home is a page turner with twists and surprises. I was given an early copy to review.

This book just doesn't suit my personal reading preferences. I find it overlay dramatic in many areas and not realitistic as to true life. It's well written, an excellent storyline and interesting characters - but it just doesn't feel real to me or believable in how the characters interact with each other or act.

Gets you from page one,couldn't put it down characters are well developed and the plot moves along nicely

Great novel by a favourite author. Full of suspense and many twists and turns, I couldn't put this fast paced book down.

There were many twists and turns in this story and the majority were welcomed and enjoyable to read. As for Summer and her friends predicament in the hospital...I've seen it before.

Wow! This was a great read. I couldn't put it down. I've neglected housework and laundry to read this book. The twist and turns. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, Wham, a new twist. I've never read any other books by this author but I will definitely look up another one to read. Looking forward to reading his next book. I highly recommend!!!

A very interesting novel. Enough twists to make it a good read. Bill is a little bit of a dork but a good father.