I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. At first, I was totally invested in this story. Very compelling and a great topic for a thriller. What I didn't get was Bill. Is he supposed to be likeable? I only got a half view of him. By the end I was dying to know what happened. How did these girls managed to disappear? It is a good, quick read, but with some flaws in my personal opinion.

This chilling and thrilling page turner kept me captivated and teetering on the edge of my seat from start to finish!! This was my introduction to Mr. Bell's work, and I have to say it made one heck of a first impression, I will definitely be back for more in the very near future!!

Highly recommend you get your hands on this book, Mr. Bell's twists and turns will have you holding on for dear life, and take you one thrilling literary ride!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

There was much I liked about this book and it kept my interest to the end. I particularly liked the twists, which I didn't anticipate. However, it seemed to me that the pacing was a bit off in some parts. There were sections where the same concepts were repeated over and over, so much that I had to check that the sentence that seemed so familiar to me had in fact appeared in almost the same words just a page or so before. On the other hand, it seemed to me that there were also great leaps at times, where it seemed to me that a character was coming to a conclusion based on scant information. All in all, though, an interesting read.

This book was tough to finish. It took me a long time because it was slow to read and I found myself putting it down to read something else. I only finished because I wanted to be able to leave an honest review. I found the plot to be quite predictable and the pacing of the book plodded and the characters were unlikable.

I love a great mystery. Three dimensional characters who I either identify with or who are so well-fleshed out that even if I don’t, I find them compelling and am invested in their outcome. I envy an intricate plot with a hint of foreshadowing (not too much because the surprise is the payoff) but just enough that I think, “Oh, why didn’t I see that coming?” I pride myself on solving these things early. Unfortunately, David Bell’s Bring Her Home is none of these things.

And I hate to be this negative, but reading this felt like an enormous waste of time. I requested this book from Netgalley in large part because I’ve seen David Bell’s name pop up often on Goodreads. His blurbs are compelling. His covers are eye-catching. His credentials are enviable, but I have to wonder how someone with so much education, someone working at the MFA level in English, can have gone so far off-track. Sentence structure, character, dialogue, and plot are all in need of some heavy redlining.

Let’s start with the set-up: two girls go missing, one of which is dead. The other is in ICU having barely survived a brutal beating. Enter her father, Bill, a man who by all rights should be thanking God it isn’t his daughter residing in the morgue, but who can’t seem to feel blessed about anything. He reacts to almost every situation with anger, at one point punching a glass window (injuring his hand) in front of a police officer (or security guard?) who doesn’t bat an eye at his attempted destruction of private property. I don’t like this character nor do I feel his plight. His reactions are disingenuine, and for lack of a better thing to call him, Bill is obsessed with pinning his daughter’s injuries on any and everyone, starting with a few fellow male classmates. Still, it isn’t his least redeeming quality in this troubled, formulaic plot.

Let me explain:

We’re dealing with a touch-and-go (life-and-death) medical situation and what could (should) be an emotionally impactful scenario. After all, Bill did only lose his wife a year ago. His daughter is all he has left, yet, I can’t help feeling Bill doesn’t deserve her. Early on the author gives away the first twist.

*spoiler alert.*

The girls are said to be twin-like, similar in hair coloring and build. They even wear each other’s clothes. From the outset I suspected the girl in the bed isn’t Bill’s daughter. Why Bill doesn’t know this is beyond me. I’m a parent of a young adult. I could find at least one childhood scar to pin his identity on in the event that he was otherwise unrecognizable. Even Bill’s sister recognizes that this isn’t who they think it is. She’s actually the one to pose the theory that the survivor is not Summer, but her friend Haley.

Bill is an emotional void.

Unfortunately for David Bell, I have a healthy amount of medical experience, to which I can say if you’re not savvy with the details, leave it to the pros or seek out the right information. The chest tube scene was iffy. The doctor wouldn’t have sterilized with alcohol. There’s undue attention given to a procedure the author doesn’t fully understand (or hasn’t seen from a clinical perspective). Later when “Summer” is transferred from ICU to rehab (unlikely since in a hospital there’s typically a step down from ICU to a regular hospital room and rehab as a final phase of recovery) in an unresponsive state! I’m sure I grunted. If this girl was beaten nearly to death, no hospital in its right mind is going to move her to rehab. Sometime later, when Summer’s mother’s death is discussed, the author claims an autopsy wasn’t performed because her death was so obviously an accident. I can’t believe for a second a healthy, middle age woman died in her home and an autopsy wouldn’t be done (regardless of how obvious cause of death might be). An investigation would have been done to confirm accident versus foul play.

While I’m discussing writing and things that bugged me, David Bell (maybe unintentionally) casts homosexuals in an unflattering light, talking about the location from where Summer and Haley disappeared as if it being a known gay pickup site makes it a foregone conclusion it’s also the kind of place where one might be murdered. Is the author homophobic? I don’t know, but it sure seems like it. This factors in later when *spoiler alert* the broken jaw incident is explained. To each their own, but this feels prejudicial and like an author intrusion rather than an integral part of the story.

The plot unfolds without a single surprise and *spoiler alert* Adam as a villain seemed likely. The convenience of his leaving a note and key in the event something happens to him is laughable, but that aside, the investigation (prior to his death) continues on an obvious trajectory toward an unsatisfying conclusion. A bunch of characters surface in the second half of this book as to serve as red herrings. At one point it’s almost plausible that Summer might’ve been involved in something shady, but that point is fleeting and never quite pulls me off –track as the reader. A shame, really, as I had high hopes. Despite the author’s backlist, credentials, and awards, doesn’t measure up to other bestsellers I’ve recently acquired. My reading of David Bell begins and ends with Bring Her Home. I thank the author and publisher, however, for offering me this advance copy through Netgalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me the opportunity to read this e-book in exchange for an honest review. Newly widowed Bill Press receives the news that his missing daughter Summer and her friend Haley have been found. Summer is badly beaten and clinging to life. Her friend Haley is dead. The book continues with some surprises that does keep it interesting. Although a good story I found it to be slow with pages and pages of descriptions and theories of what happened. This is my second book by David Bell and I had similar comments about the length in my previous read.

I had to work really, really hard to finish this book. (Thank god it's hockey playoffs or I never, ever would have finished it.) This is not the kind of book I usually read, mostly because I find them so boring and poorly written. However, if you like James Patterson, or David Baldacci, you will probably like this book.

A father is called to the hospital and told that his missing daughter has been found barely alive. He becomes determined to hunt down her attackers, especially since his wife died several years earlier. If he loses his daughter he will have nothing left, which I guess is why he acts like a lunatic throughout the whole book. There were so many twists and turns that it became amusing after awhile, but since they didn't pack any punch (and many of them didn't even make sense) I can barely remember what order they came in. I've already forgotten the names of the main characters and I only finished reading this a day ago.

This was given to me by the publisher because I have liked books like I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh. Sorry, but I HATED this book, almost from the first sentence.

I had never heard of this author before, but when I read what the book was about I had to check it out. Two girls go missing, and then are found in the woods, one dead and the other beaten beyond recognition. From there it goes into a wild roller coaster ride that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book, as well as the author. I know that I plan to check out the other books he has written!

David Bell's latest novel of psychological suspense kept me intrigued, though I did figure out a few of the plot twists early on. The author does a good job in his exploration of characters pushed to the brink in very traumatic situations. The dialogue is believable and flows well and the novel is well paced to keep the reader turning the pages. The main character did behave in ways that had me scratching me head at times, but since I've not been in the same situation, I cannot truly say I wouldn't do the same. A satisfying conclusion wraps up the novel, with some very strained relationships restored. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to my readers of this genre.

Still grieving the loss of his wife Julia only 18 months earlier, Bill Price is shocked when his 15 year old daughter Summer goes missing along with her best friend Haley. Several days later, two badly beaten girls are found in the park, with one barely clinging to life. At first glance, it appears that Summer has survived, though she is so battered and bandaged that it’s impossible to tell exactly who this girl is. Haley’s family makes funeral arrangements, and the entire town comes out to show their love and support for the family.

And…any further summary would fall under the heading of “Spoiler.” Until the end of Part One, things went along pretty much as I had expected. After that, no. There are several threads woven through, things that seem simple but are surprisingly important, but it’s difficult to tell what’s what until close to the ending. I really enjoyed this story and I appreciated that I was kept guessing throughout.

I’ve heard great things about this author and I couldn’t wait to read one of his books. Bring Her Home was a great thriller and I loved all the twists and turns. Every time I thought I had figured everything out, something new would pop up and surprise me. I’m excited to read more David Bell novels in the future.

After reading all the wonderful reviews of Bring Her Home (and I usually love a good mystery) I expected to be shouting from the rooftops about how great this book is, but the best I can do is whisper. Ironically, David Bell's The Forgotten Girl is one of my favorite books, but Bring Her Home is one I'd rather forget. The problem is the plot gets pulled in several directions, with too much time devoted to "secondary" characters and not enough to the ones who really matter. Bring Her Home does have some clever and unexpected twists, but they don't deliver the emotional impact you hope for. With short chapters and plenty of dialogue Bring Her Home should be a quick read-but it drags in some places and the ending feels abrupt and forced. Other readers love it, but Bring Her Home was just "ok" for me.

This is the second book by David Bell that I have read, and just like the first one - Since She Went Away - I loved this one. Bell brilliantly describes the desperation, anger, insanity, and unpredictability of a father to a missing teen daughter. Bell adds layer upon layer to the plot and provides several breathtaking twists and turns along the way without making the story of an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation unbelievable.
Bell has no problem taking on touchy and uncomfortable matters such as sex among young teenagers, rape, and graphic descriptions of violence, but he never makes them take derail the story. He had me gripped from cover to cover, and I made me root for Bill Price - despite all his shortcomings and less than thoughtful actions throughout the story. Five big stars!

There was nothing too stand-outish to me about this psychological thriller, but that being said, this was a definite middle of the road book choice for me. I don't know that I would recommend it, but I didn't dislike it either.

This was a decent thriller but I thought it would be better. After a couple of surprising twists at the beginning, I had figured out who was behind Summer's disappearance before I was even a third of the way through the book. This is an easy and fast read - great for the beach.

Bill Price's daughter, Summer, goes missing for two days and ends up in the ICU, beaten almost beyond recognition and her best friend, Haley found deceased at the scene. A single father following his wife's accidental death from a fall, Bill resolves to support Summer through her (he hopes) recovery and at the same time , to find out who did this to her and Haley. BRING HER HOME has many surprising twists and turns and kept me reading away while not being able to guess what comes next.

Smooth, graceful, with a whiplash plot trajectory.

Bring Her Home by David Bell should be required reading for all novice writers. This is how it should be done. Even though the missing-child plot is not new or unique, it has seldom been carried off with such grace and skill and unrelenting action. The plot is highly complex and changes direction in just about every chapter. Just when readers will feel they have it all figured out, they should hold on and strap on their seat belts. The many turning points and end-of-chapter hooks guarantee that readers will find it hard not to go on to the next chapter. In addition, the author casts shade on almost every character, thus creating a dizzying array of suspects. Few will accurately project the ending.

The characters are all clearly drawn through realistic, differentiated dialogue and actions, NOT through tell, but through show. Because the author obviously has a clear idea of who his characters are, they are unique and become clear to readers. Again, this is how it should be done. In addition, Bell includes just the right amount of character backstory to round out all the actors including their weaknesses and flaws.

Bell creates a great sense of place via visual details that appear naturally and do not slow down the action. The actual geographical location makes no difference because readers can see and feel hospital rooms and bedrooms and kitchens and a body on a floor. Readers will believe they could find their way around the protagonist’s home.

Except, arguably, for a few too many participles, the text is flawless. Again, literary novices should read Bring Her Home to spark their creative abilities and learn how to carry off the stylistic elements most crucial to the creation of a great read. Those who do not write will be thrilled by how smoothly and clearly the text will flow through their minds, and will find a new appreciation for quality writing.

I have liked all of David Bell's books and this one did not disappoint. Two teenage girls have gone missing for several days. Two girls have been found in a park, one dead and one badly injured. The father of one of the girls begins to investigate on his own and finds many secrets that have been held in the community. A great quick read and a good beach book!

Another great book by David Bell. Loved the storyline and the twists from summer being in the hospital to dead to missing. Enjoyed that there were multiple stories taking place in one big story that linked it all together. The only thing is I guessed who kidnapped summer right from the start. Still throughly enjoyed.

I was mesmerized by this book. The author wove his characters so skillfully that you found yourself immersed in their problems.

He had so many twists and turns that you couldn't put the book down. Terrific read. Can't wait to read more of this books