Described as a "thriller", this book didn't thrill me. Woman goes missing and police and some family believe it was an attempt to "escape" her life and start anew. Right away I was no hooked. Convoluted story, unbelievable, and evil/damaged children. This moved very slow for me. Glad it was over when it was. Just wasn't my kind of book. Hugely popular ratings from general population of which I suspect are a majority of women. I enjoy reading genres I don't normally read, so thank the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.

This is one of those books that I pick up and then don't set down until I've read the entire thing!! I could not stop reading it! I loved the plot, the suspense, the mystery, and, of course, the satisfying ending.

I'm always looking for an engaging read that is thrilling but not gory or violent -- this was it!

Thank you for my review copy!

Wendy Walker so far has turned into one of those need-to-read authors! The very first pages will hook you up in this mystery, marking all the checks on what you look for in a classic type of who done it novel! It’s a always a plus when I can’t figure out the culprit (like this one!) so I ran through the story quick! So thankful for the copy and looking forward to read more of hers!

Molly Clarke is feeling lost, alone and unloved after a tragedy happened to her family five years ago and that she feels responsible for the broken hearts of her family apart and she doesn't blame them for hating her but she wants all of them to know she still loves them. Today has hit her harder than usual because her son completely ignored her after she traveled three hours each way to see his football game and he wouldn't even make eye contact with her and also today is the anniversary of the day the (so called accident) happened" While travelling the long drive home in the heavy rain that recently started Molly realizes she will run out of gas soon and there is a monstrous storm brewing with damaging winds and she realizes she might not make it to the next gas station. The inevitable happens, the car stalls out and the fuel stop is about a mile away and of course there isn't any cellular service in this part of the area. In reality, Molly doesn't care about storm or not being able to call someone to help her because she is numb. Molly has been numb for a very long time going through all the motions and routines that are expected of her but she doesn't experience the normal feelings that she is in a dangerous situation right now and she is not not thinking clearly. A sudden thought come to her " What if I just walk away" not really a question more of a statement to herself. Molly loves her family but they would probably be better off without her since she is just a reminder to them of what their family had lost and it was her fault and she just can't make it better no matter what she does. She gets out of the car and starts walking and sees a truck coming so she waves it down and thinks "This could be so easy"and then the truck stops and Molly realizes how ridiculous her thoughts were because she realizes this would only cause her family more suffering if she disappeared. So with a little renewed hope, Molly decides she will take the ride and get gas and go home and try to be the loving wife and mother that her family need her to be. Molly smiles to herself and feels a little happiness that she hasn't allowed herself to feel in a very long time. The truck door opens and with a new resolve in her heart Molly climbs in and when the doors close it is then she hears the truck doors lock!

This was a really good story for me. The first couple pages locked me in and then I couldn't out the book down. This book had terrific writing and storytelling and I was feeling the emotions of the characters which was unexpected. The story had a lot of tension along with the suspense and just when I thought I had it figured out out the story would go into a different direction and I just love when books can do that for me. I am so pleased that I found this wonderful thriller by Wendy Walker and can't I wait to read another of her books.

My thanks to the publisher "St. Martin's Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this clever thriller and any thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone!

I highly recommend this suspense filled novel and have given a rating of 4 1/2 Captivating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠Stars!!

Wow! This was such a suspenseful and page turning read! I cut the above summary short because I feel like it gives too much away to the reader. Despite the fact that I read the full summary beforehand, this book had me all sorts of tense and anxious. I started this book off on edge especially as I just knew that some of the choices the main character was making were going to lead to bad things. It was like watching a horror movie unfold where you yell at the characters for the decisions that they are making. This book was SO suspenseful that it actually had me anxious while reading it. There were multiples times that I had to set the book down to give myself a bit of a break. This book is also a heartbreaking look at grief and how a simple mistake can destroy a family. I felt for Molly throughout this entire book because what happened to her family had absolutely destroyed her. I empathized with her as a mother and also understood her even though it is something that I would never want to experience for myself. And then the ending came with twists and turns that left me off balance. What a book this was!

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely even if it stressed me out while I was reading it. This was my first book by Walker but it definitely won't be my last. I actually have a couple of her other books on my shelves already that I'm really looking forward to reading now. This book has been all over #bookstagram and I can see why! If you enjoy page turning reads filled with suspense and tension, then this is the book for you. And after you read it, come talk to me about that ending because...Highly recommended!

Bottom Line: A heart pounding and intense read that kept me glued to the pages!

Disclosure: I received a review copy from NetGalley, the copy I read was courtesy of my local library, honest thoughts are my own.

Thank You to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Molly disappears from her family's life one night and everyone believes that she has ran away to restart her life.
Her life has been one of heartbreak and sadness that she is struggling to cope with. Her car is found abandoned by the side of the road and her daughter, Nicole, is the only one that doesn't believe that her mother just ran away. Nicole sets out to find the truth of her mother's disappearance.
This is a fast paced psychological thriller that will have you guessing right till the last page. Major reveal that was a total surprise had me in a jaw dropping state. I can usually predict an outcome but I didn't even see this one coming!
A great read that will keep you invested for the duration!

4.5 stars for this intense little thriller. I was on the edge of my seat through most of this, and I suspected every single person. I kept changing my mind as the story unfolded as to what was going on and who was responsible, and that's the sign of the perfect thriller - at least to me. I usually get impatient when reading and just want to get to the end. My mind starts wandering and I go out and start reading reviews and looking for spoilers. Please tell me I'm not the only one like this!!!! However, in this one, I just kept on reading and never once felt the urge to go spoil things for myself. I very much enjoyed this and will continue to look for more of Ms. Walker's work!!

I am a fan!! This was my first by Walker and I am a fan! Although this book started off rough for me at first, I felt a bit lost and not as engaged (a problem that 100% had to do with my mood), it took off after about page 100 and zoomed on to a fantastic finish for me! It all ended a bit messy with no pretty little bow to be seen, and I really, really appreciate that in a novel...especially a thriller. Nothing is worse than a chapter at the end (or epilogue) that just explains everything away. Don’t Look For Me was definitely not that kind of book!⁣
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There were a lot of great characters and dialogue here. There were some characters that had more depth than others but they all served their purpose and made for some great twists that I didn’t catch! I particularly loved little Alice, poor soul that she was.⁣
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If you are looking for a snappy thriller with a little bit of everything in it I’d recommend Don’t Look For Me. Fantastic finish for sure!

I devoured this book. It’s is riveting. I had never read Wendy Walker before but I am a huge fan now. It is unputdownable! Thrilling and heartbreaking but not in a make you cry way. Well developed characters both good, evil and in between. Highly recommend.

Don't Look for Me was a fast-paced thriller following a woman who disappears and the daughter who looks for her.

The night Molly Clarke disappeared a hurricane was making its' way through Hastings, the small town where Molly's car was found abandoned. After a note is found at a nearby hotel indicating Molly walked away from her life, her family tries to find a way to move on. But after a new lead comes in, Molly's daughter Nicole begins to wonder what really happened the night her mother vanished. Travelling to the town where her mother was last seen, Nicole tries to put together the pieces. The locals are eager to help, but Nicole quickly learns that everyone has secrets and not everyone is telling her the truth.

Don't Look for Me is told in alternating chapters from Molly and Nicole's points of view. Molly's chapters start on day one of her disappearance and Nic's pick up thirteen days after her mother went missing. Over the course of the book Molly's chapters catch up in time to Nic's and we see some scenes from both perspectives. I liked that we got to see what was happening from both ends as it gave the reader information the characters didn't have. The dual perspectives also kept the suspense up as situations would arise in one point of view that were clearly going to directly impact the other.

I don't want to give too much away about Molly's situation, so I will try to be vague. I suspected a number of characters of being involved in Molly's disappearance at some point as every character you meet seemingly has a hidden agenda. There was one character in particular who was downright creepy at times in their interactions with Molly. The author does an amazing job making you suspect different people throughout the book and just when you think you've figured everything out, she turns you in a new direction. I love thrillers that keep you guessing and this one definitely accomplished that. I will say there was a surprise twist at the end that came out of nowhere that I felt didn't really add anything to the story. Other than that though the plot was the perfect blend of suspense and intrigue.

Overall Don't Look for Me was an amazing read and I highly recommend it. I definitely plan to check out more of the author's books in the future.

I was so excited to receive an eARC, but I felt like the plot took a long time to develop. I’m a sucker for books with family dynamics, especially those with dual perspectives. My heart broke for everything that Molly experienced throughout the book. Molly’s youngest child, Annie, was hit by a car with Molly at the wheel. Her family is in pieces from that day forward. Years later, Molly’s car breaks down outside of a rural town while driving home from her son’s game at his boarding school. She accepts a ride from a man and his daughter, though she disappears afterwards. Molly’s daughter, Nicole, is struggling with unprocessed grief from the accident and worrying about her mother’s whereabouts. I did have an issue with how Nicole’s alcoholism was talked around. Nicole needed therapy and rehab to work through her alcohol dependency, but her dad avoids the issue. I did like that Molly was able to finally process her grief by the book’s ending. I only wish that the book had moved a little faster, though I only guessed one of the twists so I give points for that.

This was tanking for me about the halfway mark. It started out string with a promising mystery, but the pace had slowed almost to a screeching halt and I found myself drifting.
But I’m glad I stuck with it because the last 25% was crazy town awesome and absolutely made up for the slow spots. Lots of big and little twists I didn’t see coming.
Another solid read from an author who definitely has my attention!

ARC provided by NetGalley

Don't Look for Me is a thriller that has plenty of red herrings and is done in a way that is enjoyable. The reader can guess the "bad guy" but it's one of a few and it's that suspense that keeps drawing you in. Molly is on her way home and runs out of gas. She is upset with her life and contemplates running away. As she's running, a truck pulls up and offers to bring her into town. She accepts and it becomes a terrible decision...

Nicole, Molly's daughter, doesn't believe that Molly just ran away from her life. She takes it upon herself to investigate the case as the local police seem to have dropped the ball. She talks with locals to figure out what they know and how it might relate to another case of a person that just up and left about a decade earlier.

The story alternates between Molly's perspective and Nicole's as the reader tries to piece together what happened, why, and how it will all come together. To me, the ending seemed a bit out of left field. Parts of it were perfect, but it went a bit over the top. There were some plot holes in the book as well, and I would have liked more from Molly's husband on this, rather than just seeing it through her daughter. But this also touched on relationships between mothers and daughters, how precious that is and how tenuous as well. It was this aspect that I really loved and I thought was very well done.

Welp. Loved it. The pacing and tension never let up. I was anxious the entire time. Just so well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wendy Walker and St Martin's Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I really really enjoyed this one and totally understood why there was so much hype behind it! I love all the littles twists and I don't think there was a single one that I saw coming. I enjoyed that each character had something they tried to keep hidden, but that it wasn't what you expected, I really thought I knew where the ending was going - but I definitely would have never guessed it and I loved that. I really enjoyed the small town vibes and how there wasn't a person she could trust because everyone was leading her in different directions. I'd definitely recommend!

I have enjoyed Wendy Walker' previous novels, so I was quick to pick up this psychological thriller. In the beginning of the book, you are introduced to Molly Clarke and her somewhat dysfunctional family. The dysfunction comes from the accidental death of her daughter Annie which her family blames her for. Molly is devoted to her living children and never misses one of her son's football games that she drives hours to, even if he never acknowledges her presence. On her way home from a game Molly runs out of gas in a storm. She walks to a gas station, but is unable to get gas. She is picked up by a man and his daughter who looks like her deceased daughter, Annie, and is around the same age. Molly quickly begins to question her safety with this man. The story turns into Molly's attempts to escape an her daughter's unwillingness to give up on her even when everyone else things she ran away. There are a lot of intertwined stories in this town that keep the reader in the dark. A well written book, with a lot of twists and turns.

I requested this book because I am a fan of thriller/suspense novels, and previous novels I have read by Walker have been enjoyable.

This novel is the story of Molly Clarke, a mother who suffered the loss of a child a few years before, and one night decides that she's going to just walk away from her life. At least, that's what the police believe. Daughter Nicole, however, doesn't believe her mom could just walk away. And even if she did, Nicole isn't going to let her off the hook that easily. Nic takes it upon herself to continue the search for her mother when a new clue pops up, taking her back to Hastings and the small town where everyone has secrets.

Walker is an excellent storyteller. She is suspenseful, keeps the story intriguing, and overall there aren't any major plot holes of things that I as a reader don't understand.

That being said, I can't decide how I feel about the climax and storyline of this novel. I was intrigued by Molly's disappearance and the quest for Nic to find her. The reveal of who Molly's captor was felt appropriate and could have been guessed, but it wasn't overwhelmingly obvious before the author clued me in. It was the motivation of the characters that left me wanting. Without spoilers, there is a character in the end who pops up out of nowhere, and the combination of that character and Molly's captor left me feeling like I didn't get the satisfactory ending I wanted. I didn't find the motivation of the characters believable, and that left me feeling so-so about the book as a whole.

That being said, I am still a fan of Walker and will continue to read her books as her writing keeps me hooked. For me, the climax of the story just didn't have the payoff that I wanted.

It seems like a while since I’ve read a good psychological thriller, and this one was just what I needed. I listened to this one, but if I had been reading a print copy, I know I would have been rapidly turning the pages. The story was engaging, and I felt invested in what was happening to the characters, trying to determine where the story was going to go. It had an unforeseen twist near the end which made the book even more exciting. If you are looking for a good psychological thriller, check this one out. I also would highly recommend you listen to the audiobook. It is narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Therese Plummer, who never fails to deliver.

Loved this book! Short on time but will add my full Goodreads review soon. I am a big fan of Wendy Walker and this book did not disappoint. Very high on suspense.

Absolutely amazing! This book was everything I look for in a thriller. Great writing. Fast paced yet not crazy. There was a build to the end and it all made sense. I loved the alternating chapters.