Another suspenseful read from Sarah denzil. Found myself hooked as I travelled with fran on her mission. Did guess the twist near the end but was still artfully executed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Sarah Denzil scores a home run with this spooky book about Esther, the mysterious, ethereal, almost spooky girl next door who Fran, the girl's neighbor, keeps seeing with odd bruises on her body.

When Esther's family suddenly disappears, Fran can no longer remain silent, much to the chagrin of her husband.

This is a really great book.
The plot is very good and it was a page turner from the beginning
The tension builds throughout the builds to a satisfying ending

I have had this book for a while, unread and just waiting. How glad I am that I restarted, finished and thoroughly enjoyed it. Obsessions, family dynamics, jealousy and all the ugly traits are here and when the book got going I flew through it.

Great read! Looking forward to reading more from this author! I highly recommend this book and its author to all!

Fran discovers a little girl while on her morning run. The little girl, Esther, is just standing there next to the swings. She says she's waiting for her father. Right when Fran is about to call the police, Esther's mother, Mary Whitaker, arrives. Fran eventually tries to become friends with the family, but slowly realizes that not everything is right with them. One day, the Whitakers disappear, most assumed they packed up and moved back to Arizona. Fran didn't think so, so she sets out to find what really happened.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. The polished writing and short chapters made for a quick and easy read. The suspense and buildup of the book leaves for the perfect setup at the end. I would definitely recommend this thriller to others.

*thank you to Netgalley and Sarah A. Denzil for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


4 stars.


Ohhhh! I knew there was a reason why I liked this author. The story felt a bit slow to unfold but once it did...woah! It quickly went from a 3 star read to a 4 in an instant.

I admit, I was getting a bit bored with what seemed to be a story about a woman's obsession over a family. I couldn't see where the story was heading and didn't see it getting any more interesting. But ohh boy was I wrong! I will gladly say I was very very wrong because when I could see that there was definitely something going on and I was getting more interested, bam, a twist in the story was revealed and I could see the obsessed woman wasn't just an obsessed woman who had been transferring her traumas onto another. That she actually was onto something.

How the story ended wrapped it up nicely and I look back on it and realise o did enjoy that ride. Some things that hadn't made complete sense to me throughout the book, did by the end.

Can say that I would recommend this book and this author.

This unfortunately didn’t grip me and I thought it was quite slow paced, I did find myself feeling a bit bored in parts,

This book was a draggggg and it never picked up. It felt like a chore to read this book and there was no excitement to carry you through to the end

Had been looking forward to reading this book. Sadly it wasn’t for me. It just lacked a good plot to get you excited and wanting more. It was very slow paced and never picked up

Nothing is as it seems with this book. Wow. Just as soon as you think you have it figured out, the author hits you from the side with another twist. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a read that keeps you glued and entertained!
TB

Gripping and suspenseful thriller with a goof plot and great twist. Really liked the characters in this book and would recommend if you enjoy a story you don’t want to put down

I was fortunate enough to have been given an ARC of this novel on @netgalley and I devoured it in just 3 days. All I can say is - WOW!

This novel, written by the incredibly talented @sarahadenzil, is going to be released on the 14th January and if you are looking for a twisted psychological thriller to get you through the beginning of the year, this is the one to go for!

I absolutely loved this story. It kept me on my toes and was not at all predictable - I really, really didn't see 'that' coming!

I was so invested in the lives of Fran, Mary, Esther and their families. The representation of each of these characters had me hooked from the moment we meet them.

I can honestly say that I enjoyed this one from start to finish. I highly recommend this excellent read and I'll be sure to check out more works from this author 😊📚



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I would rate this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I was really interested in the premise of this book and the first half of the book really gave me what I was hoping for the story. Unfortunately, the second half of the story really didn't hold up to the first half for me.

There was a twist in the story I didn't see coming but then then I didn't really think there was any set up to clue the reader in that that was a possibility. Parts of the story also just didn't really make sense to me.

So while I did have my issues with this story, I did enjoy my time with it.

This was an engaging read. Loved how the short chapters were filled with a lot of suspense and this made it difficult to put down.

This was an engaging read which had me turning the pages. I really connected with the characters and there was lots of twists and turns. Loved the ending. I loved the short chapters filled with lots of suspense.

Thank you #netgalley #victoryediting and #sarahadenzil for the arc of this book.

Early one morning Fran is jogging through the park when she spots a young girl in an old fashioned yellow dress standing alone by the swings. When Fran asks the girl where her parents are, the girl replies that she is waiting for father. As they wait, Fran starts to wonder if there really is a father, when all of a sudden a frantic woman comes running over. Mary, the girl's mother, says Esther left the house and she's so happy Fran found her.
Before too long, Mary and Esther become an obsession to Fran. She integrates herself into their lives and starts to think of Mary as a daughter of sorts.
One day, out of nowhere, the family disappears, leaving all their belongings behind. Obsessed with finding them, Fran, much to the annoyance of her husband, follows the clues to Arizona. From this point on, it's a race to find out what really happened to Mary and Esther. Especially when she finds out they live at a secret compound.

Little One is a disturbing story about abuse and control. At times I felt the book dragged on a bit but the last half definitely made up for it.
The best part was trying to figure out if Fran was crazy and obsessed for no reason or if her instinct was right from the very beginning.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Another great read by Sarah, great characters and enjoyable plot. I was kept guessing right until the end, and couldn't work it out!

Review coming soon. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; the opinions are mine.

Pub Date 1.14.21
#LittleOne #NetGalley

Most of this book absolutely rocked my reading world. I use the word “most” because the beginning of the book is very slow-paced and I kept wondering when the story would get more interesting. There was a lot of introduction of characters as well as a lot of subterfuge going on, which I found out later. I cannot say much about what actually happened to make the book more interesting because I don’t want to give away any surprises or twists, but trust me when I say that there were plenty of those. Fran and Adrian are a middle-aged married couple who are regrettably childless and Fran is really feeling the effects of having lost her baby to SIDS. When a new couple with their young daughter moves to town, Fran is drawn to them, especially the young girl Esther. Mary and Elijah seem to be withdrawn from society and don’t want Esther involved with others, either, but they do befriend Fran and Adrian. Suddenly, one day, Mary and Elijah move away and Fran is determined to find them, if for no other reason than to make sure that Esther is okay. This is when the action becomes more fast-paced and towards the end the pace is almost frantically racing to the conclusion. Most of the characters were likable and well-developed, although some of the characterizations were extended all the way to the ending. Fans of suspense and thrillers will enjoy this book just as I did.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”