Many tourist destinations seem to attract those eager to spend their money and step outside their normal routine. They also call the poor, the mentally ill, drug addicts, and prostitutes. When a location is thriving, the unpleasant aspects are pushed aside. But what happens when a formerly bustling place falls on hard times? The casinos in disrepair, the shops closed down, and unemployment rampant. Those who could once count on making a decent living, reduced to a life of poverty, one rent payment away from being homeless, one meal away from starvation. This is the state of affairs as we head to Atlantic City, New Jersey, when Please See Us begins.
The story is told by multiple characters. Lily Louten, who has left her life in New York and hopes to figure out how everything went wrong. Clara Voyant, who lives with her aunt and knows more about the dark side of human nature than any teenager should. Luis Silver, a deaf-mute, harassed, beaten, and ignored by the police, searching for a way to get others to see what he sees. Finally, the girls, so many girls with such tragic stories, whose voices weren't heard in life, and now may remain silent in death.
Clara and Lily form an unusual alliance when Clara's psychic abilities show her things that are dark and she fears, oh so real. She believes someone is killing women, women who will not be missed and who need desperately to be found. Their lives and the journey they undertake together will be fraught with danger, and they may not survive a killer's anger.
This story looks at people powerless to improve their lives and those who take advantage. More than once, I wanted to look away, but the author's words kept pulling me into this riveting tale. It feels wrong to say that I loved reading such a bleak book about the worst things that can happen to people, but the honesty of every word on every page kept me engrossing until the end. 4.5 stars.

While I found this debut book well written, it did not captivate me. I was not drawn in by the characters and ultimately but the book down without finishing it. Over all, I was disappointed.

This is a debut novel. It is told from varying points of view. I enjoyed this, because it allowed me to get to know the characters better.

Clara/Ava is living with her Aunt Des since her mother left. Clara has a gift that she got from her mother. Clara's real name is Ava, but for readings goes by Clara. Des and Clara make their living by conning and stealing from people.

Lily Louten has returned to her home town following the betrayal then break up with her boyfriend. She is hired to work in a casino spa.

Luis Silver is deaf and mute. He works at the spa as a janitor. He lives in a boardinghouse and is often the target of being bullied. People tend to not notice him, but Luis notices a lot. Anger builds in him from being targeted and by police who ignore it. He channels his anger in a destructive manner, as a way to call attention.

Clara and Des show up to the spa in the hopes of getting readings, Clara has a vision of Lily that surprises her. Before they are chased out of the spa, Clara lifts something of Lily's.

There are missing women, and suddenly Clara is getting pieces of real visions. Clara confides in Lily where they form a surprising friendship. As they help each other, they are unaware of the danger they may be putting themselves in.

I'm a huge fan of paranormal genre, so the psychic element of the story pulled me in. In the beginning of the story, I didn't like Clara very much, but the more I got to know of her circumstances the more I rooted for her. I enjoyed seeing Lily become stronger and finding herself. I loved the ending where Luis finally has a figurative voice. A must read for those who enjoy thrillers!

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Gallery Books and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

This book was a slow burner to me that finished with a satisfying end. The descriptors were done so well I felt like I was at the boardwalk with Lily and Clara. I must admit for awhile I had no idea what the author was doing or where this book was going, and sometimes that is a bad thing for me, but not in this case. The way the story was twisted around to the ending made me stop at the end and nod my head in satisfaction. The story is told through various characters as we find out about the girls going missing from the boardwalk and being found in the marshlands. Are Clara's visions related to these? The way the story was told reminds me of how the media never remembers the innocent women who are subjected to the rage of men, and it was spot on. Follow Lily and Clara as they attempt to find out what is going on, even though it maybe at the cost of themselves.

Wow what a edge of ur seat book! It’s soo good and I enjoyed it very much! I highly recommend this one!

This was a suspenseful thriller with a fast paced plot and interesting characters on par with Laura Lippmann
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. This story outlines the tales of women who end up in Atlantic City, all drawn there for different reasons and all searching for a new start on life. A serial killer chooses his prey and leaves his victims one by one in the swamps of the failing City, waiting to be discovered. The author develops the characters and their relationships in a way that leaves you rooting for their success and wanting to read the next book to see what happens. By the end the killer is no closer to being identified or caught and his motive is left a mystery. All together, I want to know more and "Please See Us" is just the start.

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen is her debut novel. I have had the opportunity from NetGalley to read it and I am glad I did. Some of the book to me can be a little dark, intense, whatever word suits you, but it is based in Atlantic City. Atlantic City is somewhere I have never been but is a place that intrigues me so it wasn't a question of whether I wanted to try this novel. After reading the description, I was hooked in wanted to read Please See Us.
Please See Us is a novel you will want to read and afterwards not be disappointed.

I always enjoy reading books that take place in my home state of Jersey. I think the author did a great job of developing characters you care about. I like the timeline of the novel and that each chapter is from a different characters perspective. There were a few parts where I was confused about how it would all connect but by the end I understood it all. I am very appreciative to be given the opportunity to read and review this book.

Please See Us is a great dark thriller. It is well written and has well developed characters. It is a fantastic book to read.

3 stars = "liked it"

I feel like I read a different book than everyone else. I see all the 4 & 5 star reviews, and I don't understand it. This was a 1 or 2 star read until the ending, the beginning was so slow I actually fell asleep once when I was reading. Not what I expect from a thriller.

I can agree that there is character development, though I'm not sure it was enough to carry the book over the top. Maybe I'm in the wrong mind set in reading, but this book was disappointing.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

My reason for choosing this book was the setting of Atlantic City.  AC was where my family spent time down the shore, albeit in the 1950’s and 1960’s, well before casinos came to town.  

I still don’t understand what happened to AC based on its proximity to New York and oceanfront location.  Is there another oceanfront city or town that doesn’t do at least marginally well?  Is there one with as much crime and blight as AC? Reading that the book has a supernatural edge to it, as well as the cutesy name given to one of the characters, I thought twice about picking it up.  My first impressions were wrong! This was a fabulous book! Its grip held on from beginning to end, and I still have a lingering sense of sadness and bleakness, kind of like AC.

The story begins with two young women who become unlikely friends in Atlantic City.  Ava, a 16-year old who uses the name Clara Voyant to tell fortunes on the AC boardwalk, lives with her aunt, Des.  Times are tough, and Des starts setting up “dates” for Clara. Clara meets Lily, an AC native returned from New York after some personal and business problems waylay her.  Clara reads Ava’s tarot cards, and Ava is taken aback at the accuracy of Clara’s reading of her past as well as the future choices she must make. And out in the marsh, two women are laid out in death, waiting for someone to find them.  Clara begins having frightening visions, and the two women team together to see if they can make sense of Clara’s visions. But how many more will go missing? And who will miss them?

The chapters are the alternating points of view and personal stories of Clara, Lily and a whole host of other characters, yet it is smooth transitioning from one to the next.  The character development is exceptional and the issues of power (individually, corporately, as a community), economics, prostitution, crime, drugs, violence and self-worth are interspersed throughout.  The storyline is psychological suspense at its best, yet it isn't the murder/serial killer theme that grips you. It is the everyday lives of the characters and what they must do to make it through another day.

What a debut novel!

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In this psychological thriller, Caitlin Mullen brings alive a summer in a declining Atlantic City. As young women disappear, Clara, a young psychic, continues to have disturbing visions. Are the visions connected to the disappearances? Clara finds an unlikely ally in Lily, a former Soho art dealer. The tensions mount as they struggle to save a lost girl without attracting the killer’s attention. Will they succeed or fall victim? You will not be able to stop reading this book until you finish it.

Fascinating and intriguing!
The writer makes each chapter intense with a beautiful but dark style that makes the story more compelling and chilling.
This book is a page turner with unexpected twists that will keep your interest till the very end.

Review by 2shay...............

I have had the hardest time trying to decide how to review this book. I decided that honesty is the best policy. The first word that comes to mind is...depressing. This is not a happy read. This story is a dark look at the many ways women can be abused, misunderstood and mistreated. This author covers every possible way that women can cross lines, without trying, that derails their lives, up to and including sudden death. Place those women in a town with a seriously depressed economy and it becomes more heartbreaking.

Due to a very talented author, I quickly became invested in this story and it’s characters. Every word and phrase that brought these women together at this place and time was perfect. My heart ached for them all, especially the dead who wanted desperately to be found.

Don’t dismiss this book. It’s important. If one woman reads this story and finds a way to extract herself from a dangerous spiral, it will, in my opinion, have been worth every second of the authors time and talent. I actually found this depressing tale to be entertaining in a strange and compelling way. Grab a copy and...

Enjoy! ARC graciously provided by Gallery Books and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Very interesting novel... the characters come off the pages and pull you in. I could see Des fiery red hair , and the piercing blue of the killers eyes as he watched and waited. You wont be able to put it down

Atlantic City once a booming city is now dying. Old dilapidated buildings and houses can be seen everywhere. The casinos that promised a return to the city's grandeur are now closing down. Trash is everywhere. Everything is faded and worn.
Lily returns back to Atlanta City after a wild and profit making art career in New Uork. She is there to start over. Find herself. Reconnect with who she really is. While on the boardwalk she meets a young girl, Clara. Clara is a psychic. She senses and sees things. Clara is living with her Aunt Des, in what are not the best of conditions. They run a little psychic shop together.
Des may not have a gift for readings but she knows how to manipulate her niece to make the money they need.
Lily and Clara's lives will collide in a most unusual way. Solving the crimes of the six women who are missing.
Great story, entertaining, and thrilling!!

Fantastic suspense thriller based in Atlantic City. Having a lot of history in Atlantic City myself it hit very close to home. Fabulous characters and awesome story that keeps you reading until the late hours. Terrifically terrifying and a well crafted novel rhat is realistic and relatable in a creeptastic way. Highly recommended! 4.5 stars!

I absolutely adored this book. I found it to be dark and showed the real situations that some of these girls live in.. I liked the vast array of characters and the way they were all intertwined. Thank you Caitlin Mullen for this awesome book.

Please See Us is a dark, really dark, but captivating thriller. Despite the fact that everyone is really suffering, you just can't stop reading the book! This is a very well written first book and a rare book because the end doesn't leave all the ends tied up nearly for you.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC and give my honest option.