All the characters seemed very real to me but the son was perhaps the most appealing. His relationship with his mother and how they related made this book as much about the characters as it was about the actual plot. It is very well written with sharp dialogue and clear descriptions of the settings. The mystery itself is well thought through and convincingly presented. This book will keep you riveted to the page from page one to the very end.

The book focuses on a single mother who used to be an undercover police officer. When her son Alfie goes missing, she does everything in her power to get him back no matter the consequences. I think that Laney is a character that I loved and hated at times. I didn’t enjoy some of the tactics she used while looking for her son, for example lying about still being a police officer and the way she treated people. But at the same time I think that any parent would act the same way if they were in the same situation.


My favourite character is Agnes because she always has Laney’s back, is smart and funny.
I like the interesting dynamic of Laney and Agnes’s friendship especially since they wouldn’t have been friends when they were younger. This is because at a young age, Laney thought that females like Agnes (girly girls who loved pink, makeup and manicures) were ‘silly’ and ‘even pointless’,

I would have liked more drama surrounding Alfie’s disappearance and those involved because I found that part a little boring. But I found the rest of the book to be an interesting read which kept me entertained with the twists and turns.

I received an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion

A very interesting story that involves a single mother of a boy who is a little socially awkward, and trying to fit in and make a friend or two. The mother happens to be an ex detective from NYC, and now the story picks up in a small town in the Hudson Valley right outside the city. After a bad decision on the boys part, you’ll be drawn into the dilemma when the boy trusts someone he thinks he knows, and a friendship his mother knows nothing about. A fast paced story that kept my interest from the first chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone so loves a tension filled fast paced story. A great debut from Emilya Naymark. Thank You to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced digital copy of this great book.

Laney is an undercover detective with the NYPD, but she has to flee and start a new life after having her cover blown. She has a son that can be difficult at times, and she’s raising him on her own. One day, her son vanished without a trace, and Laney discovers some disturbing news. Her son may have been taken by a former confidential informant, and both her and her son may be in grave danger. This is a novel full of suspense and has twists at every corner. Laney is a strong female character, which I appreciate greatly. She is full of life and refuses to give up or back down to anyone and is willing to go to the ends of the earth to save her son. For fans of thrillers, this is a must read.

The characters were well written, flawed but relatable. I liked Agnes' character and her relationship with Laney, though it did seem unlikely that they would be friends (and the author noted this as well).

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank You NetGalley, Publisher & Author for this gifted e-arc.

Summary
When NYPD undercover cop Laney Bird's cover is blown in a racketeering case against the Russian mob, she flees the city with her troubled son, Alfie. Now, three years later, she's found the perfect haven in Sylvan, a charming town in upstate New York. But then the unthinkable happens: her boy vanishes.

Review
Great book. I loved the story, the chilling suspense.
I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the ending.
This book had some great turn in events.
Overall- Great Book

After an undercover case against the Russian mob goes south, NYPD detective Laney Bird packs up her son and gets the hell out of Dodge. Three years later and Laney thinks she just might be safe when her son disappears. Local cops think the 13 year old has just taken off, a typical teenage reaction to some imagined slight at home, but Laney knows her son would never just take off. As Laney searches for her son in an approaching blizzard, she discovers her son and his friend have been meeting one of her old CIs. And now he’s dead. It looks like Laney’s undercover past has caught up with her after all. Will her skills as a detective be good enough to find her son in time? Naymark creates a very realistic, damaged heroine in this fast paced thriller