Thank you to #netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was an okay read for me. It started off slow but it did get better about halfway through. I had a hard time getting through the first half but in the end I'm glad I finished it. I had my suspicions on who the killer was early on, but there was a twist at the end I didn't see coming. The epilogue left this open to a follow-up book or series, but I'm not sure I will read it.

Aubrey LeRoux returns to the elite Louisianna private school she attended as a special scholarship student 10 years before, only now it's as an educator instead of a student - the same school where a girl who bullied her went missing while she was there, and where three other girls vanished in the 90s. She arrives just as yet another girl, Lindsey Gillett, has disappeared. Upon discovering this she becomes determined to find out what happened to Lindsey with the help of a group of rag tag students in her class. Until those students begin dying 80s slasher-style.
At first the book was pretty solid. Despite being marketed as YA, the writing felt like it was of a higher quality, somewhere between YA and more adult novels. Unfortunately, as the story progressed it became weaker and cheesier, just a little here and there at first, but resoundingly so in the climactic chapters.
What I liked: Most of the main characters were reasonably developed, the plot was steadily paced and the mystery was intriguing...until it wasn't.
What I didn't like: While the dialogue as a whole wasn't bad, there were too many times it became robotic - " I will be waiting for you ..that is what I will do." (Ok, that's not the exact phrasing, but it's how the verbiage often felt). That's just not how people talk; the drastic over-usage of the word "perhaps" - again, modern people almost never use that term, especially teens. They'd say "maybe" or "could be" or something similar; author's who make assumptions without bothering to google the simple details: the sheriff checks the safety on his Glock 9mm - Glock 9mms don't have a safety catch, the "safety" is "three automatic independently-operating mechanical safeties are built into the fire control system of the pistol"; the sheriff tells Aubrey to keep use the students to keep searching for the killer and make it widely known they are - wait, what??? A. the police would NEVER engage someone they barely know and a bunch of kids to further an investigation B. the police would NEVER deliberately put civilians in potential harm's way, possibly getting them hurt and/or leading to huge lawsuits; the way the story goes from being lightly Scooby-Doo-ish in the beginning to full on wacky plan that gets Daphne kidnapped to a "it was old man Smithers all along" kind of ending.
The book was far from terrible; I was enjoying for the most part through about 2/3 of the way. But it just went all downhill fast towards the end. If you want a mystery that's not very heavy reading and are fine turning off your rational mind for some Scooby action, it's a decent book. But after the start promising something a bit more sophisticated, in the end it was disappointing. I give this a Goodreads "it was OK" rating of 2.5/5*

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug 17, 2021
Aubrey LaRoux is both surprised and excited when she gets offered a position at Waverly Academy, teaching history. Aubrey spent her high school years at the elite academy, and she’s hoping to have a positive impact on its current student body. But there’s a pall over the school, as one of the students, Lindsey Gillett, is missing. Following the disappearance of Lindsey’s sister years ago, and the disappearance of several more students during the 90s, there is definitely a sinister force at play and Aubrey is dedicated to uncover the secrets before someone else disappears. One by one, Aubrey’s students start to disappear and when their bodies are discovered, Aubrey realizes just how far Waverly will go to cover up its secrets.
Alexandrea Weiss is the author of many novels, but “Have You Seen Me?” is my first experience with the award winning novelist. The setting itself, an elite prep school, has been done (and overdone). In fact, so many terrifyingly grim and horrible things have happened at prep schools in fiction novels that it makes me actually feel lucky I went to public school! Waverly Academy is your standard prep school, with horse stables and a swimming pool, but this one has a dark past related to the Native American feuds over the land itself and the plantation home that serves as the main living quarters for the administrator.
There are a group of students that we meet right at the beginning, all of whom are immediately untrustworthy and not that likable but with lead character Aubrey’s help, they start to grow on me. Aubrey herself is charming and endearing to readers, as she struggles with demons from her past while trying to change the future.
The ending of this novel was predictable, although Weiss adds several entertaining twists that subtley point the reader in a different direction. Fans of this genre will have a hint of the culprit right from the start, but it is definitely a pulse-pounding ride getting there!
“Have You Seen Me?” has a strong lead character, and I loved the eerie grounds of Waverly, even if the plot was a bit derivative. Weiss has intrigued me with her writing style, and I am curious enough to check out her other novels!

Alexandrea Weis had me hooked from the prologue. The amount of suspense she was able to generate in a few short pages was amazing. Have You Seen Me? introduces the reader to Lindsey Gillett, the missing girl, in a such a fast paced interesting manner, that it is almost jarring to meet the novel's main point of view character Aubrey LaRoux in the book's first chapter. Ms LaRoux is a history teacher returning to her alma mater to join the faculty of Waverley Preparatory School. Aubrey has a history with the missing girl's older sister and is suspected of being involved in the disappearance of Lindsey by Lindsey's closest friends.
Through manipulation, this ragtag group of students convince all other students to stop taking Ms LaRoux' first period history class so they can investigate her more closely.
Eventually these five students start to be picked off by a killer one by one. The kills are very graphic and it was hard to put the book down during those sections. The portions of the book between the kills could feel a bit same-same at times. Someone dies. Go back to the dorms, have a shower and a coffee... Rinse repeat.
Regardless of this, I thoroughly enjoyed this YA thriller/murder mystery reminiscent of 90s slashers with a smidge of romance and a decent whodunnit. There was a good amount of Red Herrings, most of them not coming out of left field.
***SPOILER*** I had some issues with the Chitimacha being suspects due to land ownership. That is not a trope I enjoy seeing.

I was intrigued enough overall to look forward to any future installments in the series.

Thank you Vesuvian Books and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC to review

"Lindsey Gillett is missing. And she’s not the first girl at Waverly High to vanish without a trace."

Aubrey LaRoux has returned to Waverly Prepaaratory School now a history teacher she had attended when she was young. As she enters she sees several fliers for a missing student. After meeting Sara Probst the schools administrator, who only seems to care about the school and not the missing students, Aubrey gets ready to meet her students. The students do not trust Aubrey and suspect she had something to do with another missing student who went missing when Aubrey was attending. There have been several missing students over the years and Aubrey's class is determined to solve the mystery. Aubrey will have to work hard to keep everyone safe as more students are found dead.

This was an intriging fast paced mystery. The premise was good but the ending was predictable.

I was looking forward to this as I love 90s teen horror novels (Point Horror etc) and even co-host a podcast, Teenage Scream, on the subject. However, this book just didn’t click for me - I found the writing clunky, and that was hard to get past.

A perfect read for the fans of 90’s slasher movies. Feels a lot like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer but make it an elite high school. The story starts when Aubrey, a former student of Waverly Prep returns there as a teacher. At the same time a girl name Lindsey who attends said school goes missing. A group of Aubrey’s new students then convince Aubrey to help them find out what happened to Lindsey and discover the truth about Waverly Prep. However, they soon realize someone is making sure the secrets stay buried.

In short, if you know what you’re signing up for, you will most likely end up enjoying this a lot. This is the first book I read by Alexandrea Weis and I do like how she builds up the story and creates a chilling atmosphere. The book is fast paced and the way the scenes transition really feels like you’re watching a movie. It’s a typical slasher horror story which you’ll have to suspend some disbelief for. It’s got teenagers being left alone at most convenient times, a very quick insta love romance, limited set of characters so the killer might be a little predictable and so on. But overall, as a fan of this genre I really had fun reading this.

The one thing I didn’t know was that this is not a standalone book since it was not noted anywhere. The ending left some questions open and then I did some research and saw this is the part of Waverly Prep Novels. The arc in this book is finished thought so it can also be read individually. I’m not sure how will the series be connected but I am interested in continuing the series to see where it goes.

Aubrey LaRoux has mixed feelings about returning to Waverly Preparatory School. As a Black scholarship student, she’d been relentlessly bullied by rich, popular Marjorie Reynolds, and had fallen under suspicion when Marjorie abruptly disappeared. As Marjorie’s body was never found, the school maintains to the present day that Marjorie simply ran away. At worst, she trespassed onto the treacherous bayou terrain that is ostensibly off-limits to students, and met a tragic but unforeseeable end. Aubrey never quite believed the explanations, but was happy to graduate and put that chapter of her life behind her.

Or so she thought. A decade later, she’s back at Waverly, having qualified as both history teacher and housemistress. The positions pay well, and Aubrey is hoping to lay some of her ghosts to rest, too… until she sees a flyer for another missing student, vanished only a few days before she arrived. She’s shocked at how much the young woman’s picture reminds her of Marjorie, until she discovers that Lindsey Gillett is, in fact, Marjorie’s younger half-sister.

Like Marjorie, Lindsey appears to be a polarizing figure on campus. Headmistress Sara Probst is convinced that, like her sister before her, Lindsey merely ran away, and that this isn’t at all a big deal. Aubrey is less concerned about efforts to find Lindsey, which she knows are out of her control, than about the impact the disappearance may have on the student body, especially given the school’s history of missing girls:

QUOTE
“What about the students?” Aubrey argued. “This can weigh on young minds. They might need counseling or at least access to some professional help. I find getting students involved, and not cutting them off from a crisis, helps them cope.”

Sara’s lips thinned into an unamused smile. “This is not a crisis. And they already have access to all those things. Discussion groups, counseling, advisors--whatever the board sees fit. I don’t want this unfortunate event distracting students from their studies and overtaking the school. We have kept things quiet and will continue to do so.”
END QUOTE

This kind of blinkered thinking only makes Aubrey more determined to offer her students any support they need, a trait that will soon be exploited by a group of five friends with mainly Lindsey in common. Lindsey had told popular London, jock Hartley, rebellious Bella, horse-mad Jenna and nerdy Cal that she was investigating what happened to her half-sister all those years ago. Now she’s gone missing as well, and her friends don’t know who to trust in their search for the truth.

Bella and Cal think they ought to give their new teacher a shot: she might have been around in Marjorie’s time, but there’s not much chance she could have hurt Lindsey. Plus, her attitude seems genuinely caring, and as faculty she can go places they can’t. Hartley is less certain, as he fears she may still narc them out to the headmistress or otherwise interfere with their plans:

QUOTE
“And what if she’s a mistake?” he demanded. “It could cost us.”

Jenna came up to him, her lips extended into a pensive line. “Lindsey took a chance on us. She befriended us, got to know us, started this group of ours, and only then did she trust us with her secret. Maybe we should do the same with Ms. LaRoux. See what she does with the truth. It’s the only way to know for sure if she’s on our side.”
END QUOTE

As Aubrey and her students gradually become a team, they begin to uncover Waverly’s darkest secrets, just as Lindsey had. And just as Lindsey had, their team falls afoul of someone willing to kill to protect the school. Even with hunky new sheriff Mason DuBois on their side, they can’t stop a killer from picking them off one by one. Will anyone be left to find justice for Marjorie and Lindsey, or will the school and the dark, surrounding waters of Bayou Teche succeed in obscuring the past once more?

This entertaining boarding school murder mystery (one of my favorite subgenres!) segues seamlessly into a slasher tale, with just a smattering of romance in the burgeoning relationship between Aubrey and Mason. Fast-paced and with a surprisingly high body count, this book leavens the despair engendered by the horrific murders with a genuinely strong emotional bond between Aubrey and her students. I was also impressed with Alexandrea Weis’ gift for misdirection despite the relatively small cast, nearly all of whom I suspected as being the killer over the course of this book.

Have You Seen Me? ends on an ambiguous note, leading up to what’s hopefully a sequel. I’m certainly looking forward to reading it!

Review of eBook

When Lindsey Gillett goes missing from Waverly Prep, she joins an exclusive group of students who have disappeared over the years. Aubrey LeRoux, once a student at Waverly, has just returned, joining the school staff as a history teacher. But soon she becomes involved in an investigation into Lindsey’s disappearance. The small group of students is determined to find the answers but Aubrey suspects there’s much more going on than anyone suspects.

What is the secret that someone is so desperate to protect? And how many more students must die before the truth is revealed?

Well-drawn, interesting characters populate this mysterious narrative that pulls readers in from the outset. The pace is relentless, the tension palpable. Unexpected plot twists keep readers guessing [although astute readers may identify the murderer before the tense revelation].

Despite several gruesome deaths, readers will find much to appreciate in this suspenseful tale and will find it difficult to set this book aside until they’ve turned the final page.

Although there is a clear solution to the mystery surrounding the missing girls and the murders, there remains a bit of a cliffhanger suggesting this might be the beginning of a series.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Vesuvian Books and NetGalley
#HaveYouSeenMe #NetGalley

This was my first book to read by this author, but definitely will not be my last. I was hooked from the very first page. This thriller was fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat. The mystery was a cross between And Then There Were None and a teenage slasher flick. I enjoyed the elite boarding school setting. This is the first book of the series and I am looking forward to reading the next installment. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Vesuvian Books for my ARC.

I adore this author, I havnt picked up one of her books in a while, but this one spoke to me! The story inside just just brilliant. With every page turned I was pulling out my hair with such anxiety NEEDING to know who was the killer! I wish this was a movie cause it’s right up my alley!

Master thriller writer! I genuinely didn't see some of the twists and turns coming. Weis is a smart writer. Half slasher, half romance, full entertainment.

I received an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review

I overall enjoyed this story. I do think it took a little while for the story to start progressing, but once it did it really took off. Learning about the back story of the school, the students and the teacher and what ultimately brought them all together was interesting. I do think the ending was slightly predictable, but I liked how the author was still able to make you second guess yourself and make everyone look like the bad guy. I also like the ending and how it was left open. I wouldn't mind if we got something else set at this school. I could definitely see how we could go in that direction. I wouldn't mind reading something else from this author.

I love books that take place in boarding schools. Young beautiful girls have vanished from an elite private school, never to be found. When Lyndsey,, a former student, lands a teaching job she enlists the help of her students to find the latest missing girl.. The culprit. Was quite a surprise.

I overall enjoyed this story. I do think it took a little while for the story to start progressing, but once it did it really took off. Learning about the back story of the school, the students and the teacher and what ultimately brought them all together was interesting. I do think the ending was slightly predictable, but I liked how the author was still able to make you second guess yourself and make everyone look like the bad guy. I also like the ending and how it was left open. I wouldn't mind if we got something else set at this school. I could definitely see how we could go in that direction. I wouldn't mind reading something else from this author.

This book was full of secrets and suspense. I was intrigued by the premise and I knew I had to read it and thanks to Netgalley I was able to read this suspense roller coaster.

Somewhat predictable but it’s a quick read. I found it entertaining for what it is … I wouldn’t read it again.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this book, it started out good but I found I couldn’t concentrate on it and it felt like it took me forever to finish.

This book wasn't for me, felt predictable, somewhat flat writing and not much depth to the characters. Others might like it though

Thank you to Vesuvian Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Have You Seen Me? by Alexandrea Weis is a gripping, unputdownable thriller that will appeal to fans of They Never Learn and A Good GIrl's Guide to Murder. The story revolves around Aubrey LaRoux, a new black teacher at Waverly Prep, a prestigious private school. She had previously gone to Waverly Prep as a student, but now she's back as a teacher. When she arrives, she learned that a girl named Lindsey has gone missing, presumed dead, and a group of her first-period students entreat her to help them solve the disappearance. Aubrey agrees because Lindsey's sister went missing when Aubrey was a student. Where have these missing girls gone? And will Aubrey and her students find the answers before the murderer finds them?

Here is a chilling excerpt from the Prologue, which is from Lindsey's point of view:

"Tall stalks whipped against Lindsey’s legs as she ran. Her ragged breath broke through the silence of the dark, isolated field. She put everything she had into maneuvering through the deep weeds. Her chest burned, but an icy dread kept her desperate to outrun the beam of light following her.
Exhausted, Lindsey paused and kneeled by a thicket of grass, hoping to remain out of sight. But then a flashlight locked on her position. She startled and stumbled backward, tripping over something.
...
“Where are you going to run, Lindsey?”
The nondescript, guttural voice seemed to surround her.
Lindsey hurried to get up while scouring the trees. She judged the distance it would take her to get lost in their shadows.
She surveyed the endless acres of grass. There was nowhere else to go."

This book was enjoyable to read, and I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading to find out who the murderer was, and there were plenty of murders to keep me interested. One highlight of this book is that the main character, Aubrey, is black. There aren't enough main characters who are PoC in the thriller genre, and I applaud the author for that choice. I did take off 1 star, because I found Aubrey to be too wimpy of a character. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher myself, but Aubrey doesn't know how to set boundaries with her students. Her students suspect her of being the killer? Oh, that's fine. Her students keep making inappropriate comments about her and the hunky sheriff? Oh, that's fine. Her students want to disobey police orders and head into areas that are off-limits? Oh, that's fine. I've never wanted to yell at a main character so much. On the positive side, the book has chapters from the students' perspectives, which is why I think it will have cross-over appeal from adult and YA readers If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in August!