Now You See Her by Heidi Perks

Harriet is a very protective mother. She can’t bear to let her daughter Alice out of her sight. But then one day Harriet gets the chance to go on a course that could potentially transform her future, giving her a life outside the home. And so, with great reluctance, she agrees that her best friend Charlotte can babysit for the day, taking Alice along with her own children to the school fete. Charlotte swears she only took her eyes off the children for a moment and now she must tell Harriet that little Alice is missing. Both Harriet and Charlotte are devastated and Harriet swears she will never speak to Charlotte again for losing her child and not one of her own. But two weeks later both women are being questioned by the police. The truth will not stay buried.

The lost or stolen child is a familiar theme in psychological thrillers but there is something about the way that Heidi Perks treats the theme in Now You See Her that particularly appeals. And I think that this has a great deal to do with Harriet and Charlotte. Each is such an interesting character and the development of their friendship over the previous few years is portrayed with real feeling. Harriet is not an easy woman to warm to, she’s an outsider, and the mums that gather outside the school gates to collect their young can be every bit as unkind as their offspring. Charlotte won’t stand for it. Their friendship is fragile and they have very little in common except their children but it feels very genuine. I warmed to these two, especially Charlotte.

The police investigation, the stories of Charlotte and Harriet, Harriet’s relationship with her husband, the role of the media and society in forming opinions – these all work together to form a psychological thriller that is more original and realistic than most.

There are tantalising hints throughout the novel from the very beginning, in the form of snippets from police interviews, so we know that something serious lies ahead, perhaps even more so than the disappearance of four-year-old Alice, and this keeps the reader on tenterhooks. The narrative also shifts to and fro in time and moves between the stories of Charlotte and Harriet. The structure works well and keeps the pace moving.

I realised quite early on in which way the novel would go and so this did take the edge off it a little for me. Nevertheless, Now You See Her gives us something different in what is a rather crowded shelf. It is well-written and the pace is maintained throughout, driven by the memorable and appealing characters of Harriet and Charlotte whose friendship is here put to the biggest test.

Now You See Her by Heidi Parks explores a scarily realistic premise. What if you were to lose someone else’s child whilst they are in your care? It is a scenario that must run through the minds of many whenever they’re responsible for a friend’s child; this is what happens to Charlotte when she takes Harriet’s daughter, Alice to the school fete. One moment Alice is playing quite happily with her children, but the moment she is out of sight, Alice disappears. And what is even more chilling is that another young boy disappeared several months previously and the boy was never found. Has the same person struck again?

This book was a compulsive page turner. Once I started reading I really couldn’t stop and I just had to know what had happened to Alice. The story is told from the viewpoints of both Harriet and Charlotte, both before and in the aftermath of Alice’s disappearance. What was really striking for me was, even though Alice wasn’t Charlotte’s child, she seems more affected by the disappearance than Harriet is. Harriet is of course devastated but Charlotte has to carry the burden that she was in charge of Alice the day she went missing and she will be thinking about this for the rest of her life.

The police investigation into Alice’s disappearance does take more of a back seat as the plot unfolds but it is the psychological insight into the two women at the heart of the novel that carries it forward.

Heidi Parks writing is sharp and there is tension on every page as Charlotte and Harriet both try to work out what happened. I think I did connect more with Charlotte than I did with Harriet, but perhaps this was because she was the one in charge of Alice when she went missing. I really felt for her as I knew that the disappearance wasn’t her fault but she and others seemed to blame her for it. This was a pacy, character driven psychological thriller that had me gripped from the opening page. I can’t wait to read more from Heidi Parks.

This was an absolutely superb psychological thriller!!

As soon as I stared reading this book I knew I was going to have to red it in one sitting and I stayed up late in to the early hours to get to the thrilling ending - this has to be one of the best books I have read this year!!

I loved everything about this book, including that brilliant cover!! It has some fascinating characters and I loved their development as the story progressed and we got to find out more of their hidden secrets. Love a book like this that keeps me entertained and guessing!

Five stars from me - very, very highly recommended - I don't want to say much more other than get a copy now!!

A solid 5 star read. So many questions - a child you are looking after goes missing - how do you tell her mother? Do you wish it had been one of your own children instead? Can you live with yourself? Will your friends ever trust you again with their children? And that is just the start of this book. From there the book takes so many twists and turns which leaves you spinning.
Not only is this book an original plot which keeps you reading and amazed but it is so well written with the characters so well drawn and believable. I really cared about Harriet and Charlotte.
So pleased the blurb was vague enough to attract readers but not explicit enough to spoil the rollercoaster ride the reader would take.
Not only will I be finding a copy of her debut novel Beneath the Surface but I also can't wait for her next novel to be published next year!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Heidi Perks/Random House for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oooohh, that was creepy. Creepy good, though. Where do abuse begins and what do you do if there are no bruises or scars to show. Who will believe you? What are you willing to do to make things better for you and your family? Is there something you can do?
I loved the story and couldn’t stop reading, wanting to find out more. I didn’t see any of it coming and it was an intense ride from the start ‘til the very end.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK!

This is the first Heidi Perks book I have read and it won't be the last. I literally couldn't put this book down. It shows we never really know someone, there's always going to be something they keep hidden. Brilliantly written I highly recommend this book.

As a parent of young children I do find that stories about missing kids will raise my anxiety levels. Therefore reading Now You See Her caused some discomfort as I shared the anguish of a family learning that their daughter has disappeared from the school fete.

The subsequent police investigation into events leading up to the incident and the story of the two families at the heart of the book is skillfully crafted by Heidi Perks to put the reader through emotional turmoil.

Using a then/now narrative the reader is taken into the homes of Harriet and Charlotte and the curtain is lifted on their lives so we can all see the unspoken truths which have been kept off radar.

The tricky part of reviewing this book is that to discuss or reveal too much of his the story unfolds just means a review becomes a spoiler. That’s not happening here. Suffice to say that Now You See Her is a slick domestic thriller, part police investigation, which will delight fans of unsettling family dramas.

This is my first novel from Heidi Perks and it was an easy one to relax into, exactly what I needed at the time. I've already downloaded "Beneath the Surface" to cure my insomnia this evening as I await another release from her in the not-so-distant future. There have been a lot of books with the same premise out recently - a child that goes missing and the ensuing chaos and impending doom that follows.

Charlotte is looking after her best friend Harriet's daughter Alice. She had taken Alice along to a fete alongside her own children. She looks down at her phone and pulls up Facebook - the next time she lifts her head to check on the kids and Alice has vanished. "Now You See Me" then follows Charlotte and Harriet as they are questioned separately by the police and there is nothing anyone can do now... as secrets begin to surface.

This is a well-written and chilling read - I am sure that every parent can appreciate how it would feel to lose your own child, let alone the daughter of your best friend. A truly terrifying situation for all involved. This is a book that centres around a few key themes - lies, secrets, deceit, friendship and manipulation. It grabbed me from the first chapter and slowly increased its grasp throughout. Only when I reached the climax did I feel I could breathe once again.

Many thanks to Random House - Cornerstone/Century for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Heidi Perks and hopefully it won’t be the last. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this excellent book.
The heartbreak of loosing a precious child must be unbearable, but when she is in the care of your best friend it makes it even worse for both mothers. The story of Harriett and Charlotte takes many twists and turns along the way, with Brian initially being a caring husband to Harriett and loving father to Alice, we are kept guessing as to his true personality. Although Jumping forward a year to the final chapter left a lot of gaps, I still really enjoyed reading this gripping thriller.

WOW! This is going to be a massive bestseller I can tell you that now. A must buy, a must read, a must have. Do not miss this book or the hype! This was bloody brilliant. Outstanding. I LOVED IT. Now You See Her is going straight into my top 20 of 2018.

I devoured this story within a day I literally could not put it down. I even read it while cooking tea! Unputterdownable. I cannot praise this book enough. A new author to myself but she sure knows how to write a belter of a book. I love books that just grab you and will not let you go at all. Immersed.

As a mother this story did shake me up a little, its my worse nightmare is a child going missing or being taken, I could never imagine how I would feel. It makes me hug my kids a little tighter and makes me feel lucky. Every mother knows they know best and leaving your child for the first time or anytime at that has you a little worried and on edge till your reunited. I really felt for Harriet to begin with and for poor Charlotte as it wasn’t her fault… Within a second anything can happen.

THEN YOU GET HIT WITH THAT OUTCOME.

Jaw dropper. A real page turner, sleep stealer, a brilliant upcoming bestseller of 2018. I am so glad, honoured and lucky that I got the chance and time to read this. A well deserved five stars, highly recommend. If I can’t convince you to go buy this book then I give up! You are bound to throughally enjoy it. You will not be disappointed.

Now You See Her follows the lives of best friends Harriet and Charlotte.  Harriet is looking to return to work so she signs herself up for a bookkeeping course, having never left Alice with anyone before, who does she trust enough to look after her little girl?  She decides to ask Charlotte, who has 3 children of her own, surely Alice will be safe with her??

Charlotte decides to take them all to the fete at the local park and Charlotte settles herself with her phone on the bench while Jack, Molly and Alice go on the Jungle Run, 3 children go on that activity but only 2 come off at the other end.......  ALICE HAS DISAPPEARED!!

This story shows what can happen when you turn your back for a second, because that's all Charlotte did and now she's lost her best friends child, where did she go?  As the story is told, between then and now, it quickly becomes clear that things aren't as they appear, who snatched Alice and where is she now, what really happened at the park that day?

This book shows the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their child even though it could end badly, the author kept me hooked throughout, but nothing prepared me for the outcome of this one.  It's the first book I've read by this author but it certainly won't be the last and I finished it in less than 24 hours. 

I would like to thank Random House UK Cornerstone for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

So it seems that domestic thrillers are fast becoming a guilty pleasure of mine. Yes, they’re genre so essentially follow a tried and tested formula but when they’re well written they’re utterly addictive – and luckily for me, Now You See Her is completely, totally unputdownable. In fact, I read it in one sitting (I say read – guiltily consumed it when I should have been working is more accurate). Therefore, I’m marking it as a bathtub book – as in, run a bath and be prepared not to move for the next three hours ☺.

The story focuses on Charlotte, a busy mum of three kids. Two weeks ago was the day of the school fete, when she agreed to look after her hyper-protective friend Harriet’s little girl along with her own children. Harriet’s daughter goes missing and Charlotte is beside herself – but is she actually guilty of negligence or is there something else going on? The book alternates between the events of two weeks ago, Harriet’s childhood and the present day and as it progresses we are slowly drip fed information about what has really happened. And seriously – a lot of shit has gone down.

I LOVED the way that Now You See Her was written. Heidi Perks did a fantastic job of writing such well-rounded, believable characters and built the tension up through the narrative brilliantly. I thought that the reactions of all of the characters was utterly believable and the sense of dread and panic was palpable. I also liked the way that the novel alternated between then and now – I’m not always a fan of a time slip but this one was easy to follow and didn’t require an idetic memory to establish whereabouts in the timeframe each chapter was taking place. In a lot of ways the book reminded me of a less complex Big Little Lies, but faster paced and with more drama. High praise indeed!

I really empathised with Charlotte’s character. She wasn’t perfect but she seemed very real – just an ordinary busy mum trying to keep all of her plates spinning. As the novel progressed and we found out more about Harriet she went from being a slightly annoying, one dimensional woman (the classic no-fun mum) to a complex, ambiguous individual with a disturbing past and an even more disturbing present. I really liked how the characters were played off against each other as it added to the drama and the twist at the end made me want to stand up and cheer.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the “now it’s a year later let’s see how everyone’s getting on” final chapter as it felt a bit flat after all of the drama – but that’s only a minor criticism.

Overall I thought that Now You See Her was a great novel – not hugely original but completely engrossing and would make a fab beach read.

Thank you for letting me read this book. Wow, Wow, Wow what a page turner. This is the first book by Heidi Perks I have read and she certainly knows how to keep you gripped. The book has you guessing, sometimes rightly but that really doesn't matter. Highly recommend and would give more than 5 stars if I could

It's every parent's worst nightmare.... the disappearance of a child. But what if it's someone else's child? One that you're supposed to be looking after? Is that better or worse?

This book unfolds in two time frames.... the 'now' when we meet Charlotte in a police interview; and the 'then' just a few weeks before as her best friend Harriet drops 4yr old Alice off for Charlotte to babysit. An over-protective mother, it's the first time Harriet's been away from Alice so Charlotte's pleased her friend's entrusted her with her daughter.

And then the unthinkable.... Charlotte looks away for a minute (and yes, she is briefly on Facebook) but she's also grappling with three kids of her own - and Alice disappears.

Harriet's devastated but her husband Brian - who Charlotte barely knows despite five years of friendship with Harriet - is furious with Charlotte and intent on posting blame with her.

We're in both Charlotte and Harriet's heads in the days and weeks after Alice's disappearance so it's impossible not to feel sympathy for Charlotte - once a popular mum, suddenly a pariah within the school community; and Harriet dealing with her husband's fury... intermingled with concern for his wife.

We soon learn that there's some 'history' that led to Brian and Harriet moving to Dorset and Brian - who comes across as a controlling bastard (just quietly) - is constantly having to remind Harriet of things she's forgotten; or things she's done, or not done.

There are quite a few twists and I was surprised by some. There's a confrontation of sorts 'after' the climax and I kept thinking another twist could be forthcoming but it wasn't (well, for we readers anyway.) I wasn't sure about the scene itself (ie. whether it was necessary) but guess it offers some closure for one of the characters and gives us a sense of things being resolved... and reflecting the uncertainty of life.

3.5 stars

Now You See Her is an excellent thriller by Heidi Perks. It is a well-written domestic thriller with plenty of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing from start to finish. If you're looking for an unpredictable, suspense-filled ride, Now You See Her is exactly what you're looking for. Be sure to check it out today!

I haven’t read Heidi Perks other book, however, after reading Now You See Her I plan to check it out. Now I’ll be honest, I’m getting a bit tired of every thriller or suspense being labeled as a “gripping thriller” or “unputdownable,” but Now You See Her was unputdownable!! I read this entire book in two sittings, on the last day I started out at 35% but couldn’t stop reading until I was finished. It really was a compulsive read!! I was pleased with Ms. Perks writing style and descriptions. She really drew out that parental fear. The storytelling was creative and I felt like I was being giving puzzle pieces one at a time. It was a gradual process that I really enjoyed.

Now set the scene... you’re at a school sponsored event and you have 4 kids, a throbbing headache, it’s hot, there’s tons of people especially excited and happy kids bouncing and just plain running amok. You just want to sit down and catch your breath, take a couple Tylenol, and rest your overstimulated mind. You see your kids laughing and running through a bouncy house but where’s quite little Alice?! Panic doesn’t kick in immediately but Alice isn’t your child and she isn’t one to wonder. Queue the hysterics and total panic! It’s bad enough to loose your child but to loose someone else’s child is just beyond horrible, almost monstrous!! Can you even imagine?!?

Ms. Perks does a great job of really projecting both sides. Then these parents lives all start to unravel. It’s fascinating to see all the pieces starting to fall into place. The little morsels of info that Ms. Perks feeds us is enough to keep the reader intrigued and horrifically fascinated! It’s the train-wreck passerby’s can’t look away from. Now You See Her started out a bit slower and really it didn’t start to feel compulsive until about 25%ish. I kept reading this book and thinking back to the old saying that only two can keep a secret if one is dead. This is an interesting storyline with just a nightmareish plot for any parent out there!

<i>I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.</i>

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Oh my gosh! I loved this. LOVED it! I could not put this book down. Such a brilliant plot but also quite a distressing read. I felt so emotionally invested in both Harriet and Charlotte. 5star!

Harriet and Charlotte are best friends, one day Harvey asks Charlotte to look after Alice, but Alice goes missing while Charlotte is minding her, days pass with no word of Alice, Charlotte is devestated that her friends daughter was kidnapped while in her care and Harriet will not speak to her. Harriet’s marriage to Brian looks great to outsiders but he has been controlling Harriet for years, secrets start to come out and the book is turned on its head. A great read that kept me turning the pages from the beginning.

Charlotte is looking after her friend Harriet’s daughter Alice. She’s taken her to the school fete along with her children and sees them head to play on the bouncy castle. She sits down to check her phone then realises she can’t see Alice. She’s disappeared! The book follows both Charlotte and Harriet as they are interviewed by the police as they try to piece together what happened.

This book has a great plot with well thought out characters and is a compelling read but something just lacked in it and didn’t grip me the way I’d hoped. There’s some good twists and turns but overall I found the book to be ok. I know others have loved it but I struggled to gel with any of the characters and thought the character of Brian was a bit predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and the author for the chance to review.

This book was full of mystery and suspense. Really enjoyed reading this one. Would happily read more from this author.