I had never read any of Lisa Gardner’s books before so when I found out that ‘Look for Me,’ was part of a series I thought I wouldn’t get into it. However, it was a very easy read and you get to know each character enough and fairly quickly without having to read the previous books.
The plot has lots of twists and turns. Just when you think you’d sussed it out, you realise you wrong! It isn’t just a mystery/thriller though, it also delves into the failings some face in the foster care system and a family being torn apart.

Thanks to Netgalley and Century for the ARC.

When an early morning Amber Alert disrupts Detective D. D. Warren’s plans for the day, she knows it’s bad. Turning up at the scene of a horrible crime, she thinks it couldn’t be worse. Four members of a family of five are dead, the last member – a sixteen year old girl named Roxy – is missing.
The first question any officer would ask – is Roxy in danger or is she on the run, having killed her family. Now it’s one D. D. must answer. Helping her, as well as her team, is Flora Dane, a young woman we first met in Find Her and who was kidnapped and held hostage for 472 days.
Now, she spends her time helping other survivors, though not always in a way D. D. would like, at the same time as tracking down potential predators and inflicting her own type of justice (which D. D. definitely doesn’t like). Roxy is one of the survivors she has been trying to help out and, with the girl having seemingly disappeared into thin air, D. D. and Flora agree to work together to track her down.
What follows is a trail so full of red herrings and potential suspects it’s impossible for the reader (well me at least!) to figure out who is guilty and who is innocent. Gardner creates wonderful grey areas, ones where you aren’t sure if a person is good, bad or truly reformed, and makes you question every instinct you have about a character. It is something she does so well and something I love.
The cast of characters here is wide ranging and just a bit scary considering it involves children, some of whom don’t have the best lives and could quite easily be capable of pulling a trigger. They are all well-written, well-rounded, and totally believable. Best of all, of course, are D. D. and Flora, both of whom I know, like, and enjoy seeing change and grow book on book but Flora’s friend / fellow survivor Sarah is also someone I found myself drawn to.
For me, there is little – if anything – to dislike in this book and I feel a bit like a broken record in that I say that about every Lisa Gardner book I review. It’s hard not to be so positive though because she writes so well, creates such great plots, leaves you hanging till the last section to see what is going to happen, and just draws you in completely. I loved this book and I hope, if you read it, you will too.

What an enthralling read! This is the kind of book where, when you take a moment to glance at how far into the book you are, you are filled with disbelief.

A family murdered, one member missing – what’s the obvious conclusion? But is it the right one? This story follows both the police case and another, less official, investigation both with the same aim although for slightly different reasons. A really fast-paced read and totally absorbing. Who to believe and who to trust?

Look for Her is well written and completely believable. There are a few lighter moments in this tale as we follow D.D.’s family life. I’ve also learned that if I ever move to Mass., USA (highly unlikely as I live in Scotland) then it’s illegal to carry mace for self defence but perfectly okay to have bear spray! That little tidbit has amused me greatly in among all the serious stuff. This is definitely a read I would recommend and, at some point when my reading list is less under pressure I hope to go back and read earlier books in this series, it’s that good!

My grateful thanks to publishers Cornerstone Digital for approving my request to read via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

When her day began, the worst thing that Detective D.D. Warren was expecting was choosing a dog for her family. But when she is called to a crime scene, all those thoughts go out the window. A family, reconciled after the mother regained custody of her children, have been brutally shot. The only survivor, the eldest daughter Roxanna, is missing. Was she present at the shooting? Did she escape before the killer arrived? Or did she wield the gun herself?
As D.D. begins her investigation, her path crosses once again with Flora Dane, a survivor from a dreadful experience, who has now set up a support network for other women who have gone through similar traumas – and Roxanna had recently joined the group. Both women are desperate to find Roxanna but for different reasons and with very different methods, but when someone starts targeting people close to Roxanna, it seems that they are in a race against time.
It was almost – hey, just checked, sorry, I’ll start again. It was exactly a year ago that I reviewed Find Her by Lisa Gardner, a review copy that appeared out of nowhere, but really caught my attention. I’m not averse to the occasional thriller, and this was an exceptional example of the genre. Strong lead characters, in particular Flora Dane, and a captivating plot made me keep an eye out for the next book from Lisa. And here it is – thank you Netgalley!
And it’s another cracker. The viewpoint alternates from D.D.’s investigation, Flora’s investigation, and Roxanna’s school essays about her traumatic life so far, as the big picture develops, becoming alternately clearer and more obscure as the story progresses. There’s a real sense of danger and tension laced throughout the story and it’s a real page-turner – one of those books that I’d find myself reading from my Kindle as I walked around the house, walked to the shops… although I’d just like to point out to my boss, I did put it down when I was at work. Honest.
Another strong thriller, with themes that make you think at the same time as not wanting to put it down. Oh, and it’s a decent mystery too. Better mention that, it’s kind of the point of the blog, after all.
Look For Me is out tomorrow in the UK (8th Feb) from Random House UK, and is most definitely Highly Recommended.

“Look For Me” is book 9 in the DD Warren series from Lisa Gardner (can be read as a standalone however I would recommend having at least read some books in the series) and has the added benefit of also featuring once more young victim turned vigilante Flora Dane who we met in “Find Her”

I do enjoy this series, Ms Gardner always writes those thrilling page turners that are immediately absorbing and totally addictive. I’m a fan of DD Warren anyway and also now of Flora Dane and in this, their first full collaboration if you like, both of them spark – making the mystery elements even more intriguing as we see different motivations at play.

The main focus of this instalment is an emotional one – an entire family bar one gunned down in their home – the missing girl could be victim or perpetrator, DD is determined to discover which. The story then takes on several themes, including the vagaries of the foster care system, sisterly relationships and parental responsibility – it is cleverly insightful with psychological thriller elements and a nicely played out mystery to solve.

Overall another excellent addition to this series, making me VERY keen to read the next.

I love Lisa Gardner and I always enjoy her books. This one was no different. A family has been murdered, shot in their own home, but Roxy the eldest daughter is not among the victims and now she is missing. Has she been taken by the perpetrator? Or could she be the shooter? Or is she a frightened teen who is all alone and on the run? Detective DD Warren is in charge of the case. Kidnapping survivor Flora Dane wants to help. Together they face a race against time to find Roxy and work out exactly what happened to her family.

Detective DD Warren and Flora Dane are back!

The story commences with Sarah surviving a horrific slaying of her friends in their apartment. One year later Sarah is visited by ‘survivor’ Flora Dane who endeavours to help her through her troubled present.

The second in the ‘Flora Dane’ series, Flora, who survived 472 days of captivity at the hands of Jacob Ness, has set up an online help service for other girls struggling to survive similar nightmares. When an Amber Alert is sent out by the police following the slaying of almost a whole family, Flora and Sarah combine to assist the police in finding the remaining family member, Roxanna Baez, who may or may not be implicated.

This is compelling reading and the storyline is at full throttle all the way through the book. Lisa Gardner cleverly intersperses the chapters with a personal narrative that Roxanna – Roxy – had to complete for school. The task, entitled “What is the Perfect Family?” details the childhoods of Roxy, her sister Lola and brother Manny. Ms Gardner is clearly making a comment on the foster system in the US, which, like many other countries in the world, seems to be at breaking point and beyond.

Not a short book, some 450 pages, this is a well-written and absorbing book, and for me, those pages just flew by.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

4.5*
Not realising this was number 9 in a series when it was offered for review, I feel I’ve missed the much of subtleties and development of the characters, although there are references to the basic backstories which do help.

As Detective D.D. Warren prepares to go to the animal shelter on a Saturday morning with her husband and young son to choose a dog, she’s called to the scene of a tragic multiple homicide. Two adults and two children have been murdered, the eldest child, sixteen year old Roxy, and the family’s two dogs are missing.

Flora Dane survived a horrific ordeal – four hundred and seventy-two days at the mercy of a serial rapist and murderer. She has become something of a vigilante, helping victimized girls and women, and has an online chat room, as well as running a private support group for other survivors. When Flora learns there’s an amber alert out for missing teen, Roxy, who has been active in the chat room, she feels she has no choice but to get involved.

The story is told in alternating chapters, in the third person from D.D.’s perspective and in the first person from Flora’s point of view. Interspersed with these chapters are several poignant school essays from Roxy; the subject – What is the Perfect Family? Roxy’s thoughts give the reader an insight into her life and show the upheaval and distress affecting the family. She’s had, and continues to have, a rough deal.

The inference is that D.D. has mellowed since becoming a wife and mother, without losing her passion for, and commitment to, the job. Rather than having Flora going her own way she’s persuaded to give her the role of chief informant. Flora’s unusual skills and group of willing to help survivors mean she is able to access information not available to D.D. The dialogue and banter between the two is enjoyable, realistic and well done.

The issues, insecurities and traumas of the family members are uncovered as the investigation gains momentum, and both sides of the sometimes less than satisfactory foster care system is explored. As with most things, it’s down to funding…or lack thereof…and the results can be devastating. The storyline is well paced, I found it very entertaining despite the more difficult to read parts. The narrative is well plotted, I was never sure which way it would go. I hope I’ll get chance to read at least some the books leading up to this one, but that remains to be seen.

I chose to read and review Look For Me based on an advance reader copy supplied by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

It was only after I began reading it I realised it was part of a series. I think to get the most out of the book you need to have read previous titles in this series. Having said that it's an interesting premise for a book and the characters warm and witty. I would be interested in reading her previous books.

I'm sorry but this was a DNF for me, so I won't be sharing my review.

I honestly felt the whole premise was fatally flawed. Flora, having been a captor, then saves another girl from a similar fate and just happens to manage to be in touch with Roxy, the missing girl, who's family has been killed? Nah. Didn't work for me.

Nothing wrong with the writing, or DD, the central character. In fact, I love DD and have read her other books. Disappointed...

Once again Detective DD Warren has us hooked, as she becomes involved in a race against time to find a young girl who is missing after her family has been savagely murdered. This was certainly a page turner. A well written absorbing novel which had me intrigued from the very first page. My thanks to Net Galley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review..

Detective D.D.Warren and Find Her's Flora Dane return in a race against the clock to save a young girls life. The home of a family of five is now a crime scene: four of them have been savagely murdered, one, one, a sixteen year old girl is missing. Was she lucky to have escaped? Or is her absence evidence of something more sinister? Detective D.D. Warren is on the case - but so is survivor - turned - avenger Flora Dane. They must make sense of the dues left behind by a young woman, who, whether as a victim or suspect, is silently pleading Look For Me!

Flora Dane is a former captive, but is now a survivor. The two main narrators are D.D. Warren and Flora Dane. A family of five, two adults and three kids. Shots have been fired, but only four bodies have been found. This is a complex and emotional read. It's also well written, tense and keeps you guessing to the end. This book can be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone, and the author Lisa Gargener for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lisa Gardner’s books and this one is no exception.
This is a gripping read which tackles family ties and what can go wrong.
DD is called to a gruesome crime scene where all the family have been murdered- except for the sixteen year old daughter, Roxanne.
Time is ticking and they’re all trying to find her and DD then comes across Flora again. Flora has survived a really bad abduction and is now using her experience to help others, and her friend has come across Roxanne, so they help out DD.
This is a real page turner and just when you think you’ve worked out what’s happening, something else is thrown into the mix!
This is a great series and I can’t wait for the next DD Warren story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone Digital for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Roxy had a tough life being put into care with her younger sister and brother. Her Mum cleaned up her act and got them back everything would be ok now or the past come back to haunt them. Taking the dogs for a walk Roxy never dreamed her family would all be killed while she was gone. Scared and on the run could she find out who did this. A good read.

I was looking for another crime series to read and I had heard good things about Lisa Gardener so I thought I would give Look for Me a read. When I picked the book to read I didn't realise that this was book 9 in the series, I was lucky that I didn't need to read the first 8 books to enjoy the book.



D.D Warren is called out to a the home of a family of five, where 4 members have been murdered and the oldest daughter Roxanna is missing. Was she lucky and escaped the murderer or is it more sinister. Flora Dane survivor come avenger hers about the case and starts her own investigation to find and help Roxanna as Flora sees a victim and D.D see a potential suspect. D.D and Flora are seeking different investigation and justice but in the end they both want to catch the murder.



One of my favourite and most emotional parts of the book, is Roxanna school paper about family and her time in the foster system.  I found this was a really interesting way into looking into her past, as well as making the retelling much more heart breaking in the way in which she speak so matter a fact about it.

I really liked Lisa Gardner writing style and in the way she brought D.D investgation, Flora vigilantism, and Roxanna school paper to make an interesting and gripping story. I especially liked the sarcastic/ witty banter between Flora and D.D it gave me a break  from the more series elements in the book.

I will look at reading the other book in the series, specifically Flora story in Find Her.

I would advise anyone that likes crime fiction to give this book a read. It will be another book I will be passing on to my gran.

I give this book 4 out of 5.



Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of  this book to review for a honest review.

Look for Me comes out in the UK 8-Feb-2018.

While the books are part of a series I thought this worked well as a stand alone. I do think there are some elements to the detective's character that I didn't quite understand. While it wasn't the most gripping book I've ever read I found it enjoyable and will definitely be looking into reading some others by the author. The writing is good and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the series.

Brilliant fast paced story, it gripped me from the first page! I loved Flora and D.D. Will be looking out for more Lisa Gardner books.

This is one of the best multiple character viewpoint novels I have read in the past few yers. It deals with some pretty harsh issues like safeguarding, foster care, the damage of abuse, what being a 'survivor' actually looks like, and gangs. But this novel also reflects on the joy of life, love, families and puppies. The plot kept me guessing until nearly the very end. I am now going to read back through the other books in this D.D Warren series because I am a new fan of Lisa Gardner's writing.

I love Lisa Gardner books and this was no exception.
Fantastically written - as ever - fast paced and full of suspense, with characters that jump off the page.
BRILLIANT!

It’s always my favourite time of the bookish year when Lisa Gardner had a new book out. I’ve been a fan for many years now and have read every book she has written and there have been A LOT of them! Look For Me had a great spin for me though as not only was it the next book in the D.D. Warren series, it was also a “buddy up” for her as Flora Dane was back to also help solve the case alongside her. If you haven’t read Find Her, the first read to feature Flora Dane, then you may want to put this one on hold until you do. There aren’t spoilers as such but you will definitely understand Flora more if you follow her story from the start.

There are two crime scenes described here and both were shocking in very different ways. The opening scenes where we meet Sarah were unexpectedly violent as an unspeakably horrific crime took place. But then following quickly on its tail was another mass murder spree but the description of this one broke my heart. To see an entire family wiped out with one member missing, there can only be two options-that 16 year old Roxanna Baez was involved or that she is now on the run for her life from whoever did murder her family. It is up to DD to decide which it is but this case may not be as cut and dried as it looks which is where “famous” survivor Flora Dane comes in. Her unique outlook and dogged determination are just the right qualities needed to search for clues in places the police may not have access to. And it was a brilliant idea to reintroduce Flora again to this thriller to get a different perspective on the motive for this sickening crime as, let’s admit it, no one understands victims like a survivor.

Lisa Gardner brings an uncomfortable realism to her series as she deals with family relationships, the fostering system and the difficulties of those teenage years having to “fit in”. It is always interesting to see how DDs priorities have changed since meeting Jack and becoming a mum and, although her job always has to come first, she has the perfect partner to have by her side to help her look at things from a different perspective. I’ve always enjoyed her personal development as much as the case she is called upon to solve.

A great addition to the series and I’m looking forward to the next.