Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Hard to put down, makes you sad, angry, just a great read. The Clarke family is broken. The youngest child Annie, was killed by a car which was driven by her mother, Molly. It broke everyone. Molly disappeared leaving a note asking them not to look for her. But did she really disappear? Full of tension, a gripping thriller.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Molly Clarke's life is falling apart. Her marriage is on the rocks after the loss of their 9 year old daughter, her children and husband blame her for her death, her son doesn't acknowledge she exists, and her daughter hates her. While driving home, feeling rejected by her family, she is caught in a storm and runs out of gas. She gets out of her car and decides to leave it all behind. Days go by and Molly has still not returned home and her daughter begins looking for her. Did her mom just leave them without a trace or did something more sinister happen?

I really enjoyed the book. I don't want to give away more than my description because part of the enjoyment of this book is the slow reveal of events. It is told in dual perspectives and timelines - Molly on the day she disappears and her daughter, Nicole, starting two weeks later. I would recommend this to any thriller fan.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. You can purchase this book on September 15, 2020 or preorder now.

This book was amazing! It reminded me of a mix between Gone Girl, The Room, and Orphan (the movie). It was fast-paced and had short chapters which made it easy to get through. The switching POV wasn't confusing at all. There were multiple twists that I couldn't figure out and Don't Look for Me was more engaging than most thrillers I've read this year. It is by far my favorite thriller of 2020. 5/5 stars!!

Don’t Look for Me, by Wendy Walker

Short Take: Kill all DARLINGs before you start this book.

(*Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review.*)

Good morning, my beloved nerdlings! Today I want to discuss something very serious that affects all readers at one time or another- the most dreaded DARLINGs (Dumb Annoying Real Life Interruptions - Not Good). We’ve all been there - the heroine is just about to open the door that’s been locked for 200 pages, or the villain raises the knife, and suddenly, lunch break is over or the doctor calls your name or the kids need fed. You’ve just been hit by a DARLING, and it’s LITERALLY THE WORST.

I raise this issue right now, because I just read Don’t Look For Me, and if there’s ever a book that demands a DARLING-free day, this is it. Until you have blocked out the time to finish it, do not, I repeat, DO NOT start. Don’t flip the pages, don’t crack the spine, don’t even sniff it or turn on your ereader until you have a clear schedule. Trust me, have I ever steered you wrong?

Ok, maybe that one time. Or that other one.

Anyway.

Molly Clarke has a life that most people would want to walk away from. After a horrific tragedy, her nearly-adult son and daughter push her away. Her marriage is hanging by a thread that’s unraveling every minute. Surely anywhere, any life, would be better than this one.

And that’s what happens. Her car is abandoned, there’s a note, it’s totally obvious what happened to Molly. Probably.

I’m not going to dump a lot of plot details on y’all, because I know you’ll be reading the book anyway, right? I will say that Molly is a great character - imperfect and walking that fine line between stubborn and resilient that’s probably kept more than one person going through bad times. Should Molly keep clinging to being a mother, or should she put her own well-being first? Her daughter, Nicole, is her mother’s girl for better or worse, and even as part of her wants to just let Molly disappear, that stubborn/resilient streak keeps asking questions.

For a book I’d classify as Ludicrous Speed,, Don’t Look For Me is also a thoughtful look at what happens to a perfect family when the unthinkable happens. Is there such a thing as “unbreakable” when it comes to the bonds we have with each other? Where’s the line between respecting boundaries and giving up?

There was at least one twist I saw coming, because I’ve been doing this a long time and I know some stuff about some stuff, but duckies, this is a thriller in the best sense of the word. Like literally heart-pounding, breath-holding, OMG all the way through. And let me just tell you, a DARLING while you’re reading this book will have you howling in frustration. So do whatever you have to do to kill all of them. Call off work, reschedule your doctor’s appointment, load the fridge with pre-made snacks and tell the kids they’re on their own. Would Auntie Nerdy ever let you down?

Maybe don’t answer that so fast.

The Nerd’s Rating: FIVE HAPPY NEURONS (and a big bottle of water, I forgot to hydrate while I was reading. Seriously, it’s that good.)

A fast, action packed, and suspenseful psychological thriller. I was on the edge of seat. Molly disappears from her family and the search that ensues is nothing less than twisty and creepy just the way I like my thrillers. I enjoyed the characters especially Alice - what a strange little girl she was.

Molly knew her family never forgave her for her part in the accident that killed her daughter. How could they when she couldn’t forgive herself.​

She thought her husband was having an affair, her daughter wouldn’t talk to her, and her son purposely avoided her when she went to see him at school.​​

One day on her way back from driving to her son’s school but not seeing him, she runs out of gas and a storm hits.

​​Molly starts to walk to town in the pouring rain and a Good Samaritan stops and asks if she needs a ride. She was hesitant to get in, but she saw a little girl with her father and figured it would be safe.

​​But was it safe to get in this truck? We found out it definitely wasn’t.​​

The tension was very “thick” and didn’t stop for the entire book.

​​Wondering what really was going on and how Molly was going to get out of this situation will have you turning the pages and biting your nails.​​

Psychological thriller fans will devour this book. ​​

DON’T LOOK FOR ME is chilling, well crafted, and oh so good. I couldn’t put it down.​​

All I can say is READ IT - this is Wendy Walker’s crowning glory. 5/5​​

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Don't Look For Me is a novel of suspense. That should be the only categorization. To call it a thriller or even a mystery is slightly misleading. The reader will know the secret very early on, and the foreshadowing builds the story from there. There are tense moments. Some harsh intakes of breath may be in order, and there might even be a compulsion to yell at the characters, like you would the girl in a horror movie who goes into the dark basement to check out a strange noise. For me, I was able to put together the "whodunit" early on, which normally would be a bummer. But Don't Look For Me has something crackling beneath the surface that will compel you to keep turning pages. These characters will get under your skin, at turns tugging your heartstrings, and frustrating you to distraction. This book is an emotional maelstrom; exploring grief, guilt, obsession, depression, hate, love, and anger. Once you reach the startling conclusion, you can finally let out that breath you didn't even know you were holding. Wendy Walker seems to up the ante with each successive book, and Don't Look For Me is a story made to be devoured in one sitting.
3.25 stars

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley.

Wendy Walker has a way of pulling me right into a book and never wanting to set it down! I think Ive read all of her books now in one or two sittings. (and thats only because I fell asleep or had to go to work!)

In Dont Look For Me, Molly's car has been found on the side of the road. a few days later, a note is found in an empty hotel room explaining that she has left and not to look for her. The police and her husband believe the letter, saying Molly has never recovered from the child she lost and has been separating from her life for some time now. Her daughter, Nicole, isn't convinced. After receiving a call to her cell phone with a new tip about her mom, she heads to the small town of Hastings to find her. She is determined to find her one way or another, even if its just for an explanation.

This story is told in alternating viewpoints and kept me turning the pages! Wendy Walker is amazing at telling stories from the viewpoints of the "missing" and the "searching". The entire book I find myself wishing I could just make the two viewpoints meet so I can figure out the mystery!! This is a summer read you don't want to miss for sure!

I received a complimentary galley of DON’T LOOK FOR ME by Wendy Walker for an honest review. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley!

Publication Date: 9/15/2020
Rating: 4.5 / 5
DON’T LOOK FOR ME begins with Molly Clarke. She’s making the four hour drive home from her son’s school when she runs out of gas just before reaching the gas station. Given the looming storm, it turns out the station is closed and Molly is left with few options. In a life that has been filled with tragedy, this is just one more difficulty to endure.

The narrative switches to the perspective of Molly’s daughter Nic two weeks later. Molly’s car was found abandoned by the side of the road and after a few days of searching her clothes are found at a local hotel with a note telling everyone that she is sorry, but she’s leaving. Concerned that her parents’ strained marriage means her father isn’t putting the effort into finding Molly that she should, Nic has begun to lead the charge to track down her mother.

I was hooked to this story from the very beginning. In the opening we get a glimpse into the daily struggle that is Molly’s life. The tragedy that she has endured hit me right in the heartstrings. Molly has a husband who has grown distant and children who are angry and embarrassed by her. It doesn’t seem like Molly has anyone in her corner, so the author did an amazing job of convincing us that Molly might make a choice to start life anew.

The alternating perspectives between Molly and Nic give us the story from two sides, what happens to Molly immediately following the opening sequence and the aftermath after the police have given up and Nic has not. The two POVs were well balanced and I was hooked into both perspectives more and more as the story went on.

As the story built, I did have my suspicions as to what was going on, but the author managed to throw me some surprises that I did not see coming. Her characters and the story she develops for them is very smart and I enjoyed it throughout. This was one that kept me reading and I finished it in less than a day!

This was my first Wendy Walker book and it will most certainly not be my last. I highly recommend you add DON’T LOOK FOR ME to your TBR. This book will be out on September 15, 2020!

My favorite book so far this year! If you like twists and suspense this book is amazing. I had never read a book by Wendy Walker before this book and immediately after finishing Don't Look For Me I bought them all!! The plot was so good and the author really gave depth to the main characters.

At first glance this thriller appears to follow the popular storyline of a missing woman whose mysterious disappearance must be solved. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a plot I'm always down to read. However, Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker has so many layers and twists that it's definitely in a league of its own. I was immediately drawn into the story of Molly Clarke who after visiting her teenage son at his private school disappears without a trace during her drive home on a stormy night. Just days after her disappearance a note is discovered in a hotel room that leads the police and Molly's family to believe that she has walked away from her life. Molly's daughter Nicole refuses to believe that her mother is capable of this and she vows to relentlessly pursue the investigation even if it means she's in it alone. Nicole travels to the small town where her mother's car was discovered on the side of the road and thus begins a breathless ride to solve the mystery of what happened to Molly. In addition to Molly's disappearance we learn that Molly and her family have been reeling from the tragic death of her youngest daughter a few years prior and we see the ramifications of this grief in each individual family member and the family as a whole.

The novel alternates perspectives with each chapter between Molly and Nicole and I was on the edge of my seat with every reveal. Even if you think you've said, "What?!, No Way!" for the last time, think again as this book will have you captivated until the very last page. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a quick thrill ride of a book that kept me guessing right up to the last page. Molly and her daughter, Nic, are both compelling protagonists. Their traumatic history lends itself to the story and makes their questionable choices believable. I look forward to whatever Wendy Walker writes next.

Fans of Wendy Walker will enjoy this family drama full of suspense and tragedy. Molly Clarke is a mom who has seemingly walked away from her family after suffering a devastating loss 5 years earlier. The story is told from the perspective of the mom and her daughter Nicole who is looking for her own answers. Nicole goes searching for her mother in the Hastings area where her mother’s car was abandoned and she was sighted by a witness. This book has many twists and intertwines two stories about girls needing their mothers. I enjoyed the book and am always eager to read a book from this author.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

It was on Netgalley that I first came across this title and author. The title grabbed my attention and got me wanting to read what this book was about. I really enjoy a good mystery suspense when it isn't overly dark, disturbing, or too graphic. This book totally fit the bill. I really enjoyed reading it. Enough suspense and creepiness to give me the shivers, but nothing that made it hard to sleep at night. I loved the premise of this woman disappearing, but then a few days later leaving a goodbye note to her family which seemed plausible due to the all of the grief and hardships the family had been experiencing. But then twist after twist as her 20-something daughter keeps returning to the town where her mom abandoned her car and was last seen. Who in the town should she trust? Who could be in on the disappearance? I loved that you got the dual narrative of the mom and what was happening to her alongside the narrative of her daughter out looking for her. Great, fun, suspenseful read that I would pass on to friends who like a little crime drama.

This book has ALL of the Criminal Mind feels! Wendy Walker hits the gas right from the beginning and doesn’t let up.

A twisting turning tale of kidnapping, murder, missing persons, runaways. If you like Criminal Minds- this book is hands down for you!

This was my first Wendy Walker book- it will not be the last!

I received an ARC through NetGalley when this novel was offered as a ‘Read Now’ selection. I chose it solely based on the fact that I was drawn to the cover. This is the first novel I have read by Wendy Walker, but it will NOT be my last.

I felt a connection with each character. I appreciated the writing style, and like that I thought I knew more than the characters at times.

An interesting mystery about a women who, after the worst possible tragedy, appears to have walked away from her unappreciative, unsympathetic family. Walker twists this into a very interesting story of her disappearance, so different from the obvious.

So many complications and so many emotions involved. The disappearance leads Molly and her daughter to reset their relationship as her daughter becomes the investigator.

Interesting read. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Couldn't put this book down! Author Wendy Walker knows how to spin a tale! Excellent writing that keeps you engrossed in the story right from the beginning. Very fast-paced and suspenseful. Did Molly walk away from her family on the anniversary of a tragedy... or was she taken? Where did she go? The family's drama has been building up for 5 years after the death of the Clarke's youngest daughter. There is a huge divide and a lot of harsh words directed at Molly by her two older children-- and a very cold shoulder from her husband. Did she find an opportunity to just disappear? Or did someone find an opportunity to take her? If you love thrillers-- this should be your next book! Walker does a great job introducing her characters and letting you get to know them, cry for them, laugh at them, and cheer them on. I will definitely be checking out more Wendy Walker books! I received a free advanced reader copy of this title from Netgalley.

5 exciting stars for being a fast paced and exciting read. It kept me guessing all through the book of who in the town is the one not to trust as it could have been any one of them. Almost every single character has flaws. Highly recommend to those who like psychological thrillers. A stormy night starts the scene, a creepy dead town, and then there are the townspeople! Strong women heroines.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

Hold on and enjoy the ride! All the twists and turns in Don’t Look For Me will make your head spin. It’s a fun, quick, and easy read - a great summer beach or quarantine book. This was my first Wendy Walker book and I really enjoyed her writing. Molly Clarke has gone through the worst tragedy a parent can suffer - the loss of a child. Not only that, it was her fault that her 9 year-old daughter was killed. The tragedy rips her entire family apart and changes her relationship with her husband and her other two children. One night when she’s driving home from one of her son’s boarding school football games, she runs out of gas and is stranded in the middle of a storm. She thinks her husband is having an affair, her daughter just told her that she hates her, and her son wouldn’t even look at her after she drove a few hours to watch him play. Maybe there’s no reason for her to try to get back to her life so quickly. Her clothes are found at a nearby casino with a note telling her family “Don’t Look For Me” because they’d be better off without her. But did she really write that note and where is she? You will have fun finding out. Thanks to #netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.