First of all I have to mention that "the Girl she was" is not really a stand-alone story, so if you are not familiar with the previous books there are quite a lot of characters to keep up with. I really had to take notes but I was intrigued by the plot so I am glad I gave it a try.
Hope Miller gave herself this name fourteen years ago after she had an accident and could not remember who she really was. When Hope gets missing her best friend Lindsay tries to find her. But she needs the help of Detective Ellie Hatcher and they will not find her if they do not find out about what happened in Hope’s past.
This is a thrilling story and although I had to struggle in the beginning I really enjoyed it.
Thanks #NetGalley #Faber and Faber Ltd for an ARC of this book

When I started The Girl She Was I had not realised it was part of a series but I found it easy to read as a stand alone story. I did enjoy it but it did not grip me as much as I was expecting it to after reading the description. I found the amount of characters a little too much as I had to spend too much time thinking who was who instead of being immersed in the story as I would have liked.

Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for my ARC.

Alafair Burke writes a twisty psychological thriller that is simultaneously a standalone, yet features her series NYPD detective, Ellie Hatcher, providing resolution to her ongoing doubts that her father, also a police detective, committed suicide. 15 years ago Lindsay Kelly, a defence lawyer, came across an overturned car with a seriously injured woman who recovered but suffered amnesia, never recovering her memories through the years. She was named Hope Miller, and the two women developed a close relationship through the years, even living together, with Hope being protected by the townsfolk of Hopewell, New Jersey. However, a restless Hope now wants to assert her independence and forge her own path, moving to East Hampton and becoming a realtor staging homes for sale.

An unhappy Lindsay has no choice but to come to terms with Hope's decision, and get used to seeing her less. However, on not hearing from Holly, a worried Lindsay sets out to find out what happened to her missing friend, last known to have set up a home for sale. An off duty local cop, Carter Decker, finds blood spots at that home, although he is far from convinced that there is anything wrong, thinking Hope has simply moved on. Learning that the blood connects to a long ago College Serial Killer case in Wichita, Kansas, a disturbed Lindsay calls in Ellie, drawing Ellie into a case she has a strong interest in. The discovery of a dead body that turns out to be murder has Carter taking a greater interest in Hope's disappearance. A tenacious Lindsay is determined to do everything she can to protect Hope as she digs deeper, uncovering a past of trauma, abuse and murder. Will Hope at long last learn who she is?

Burke writes an intriguing and suspenseful mystery of secrets and lies, a past that returns to haunt the present, for Hope, a woman with no memories of who she used to be, and for Ellie who has a musician brother, Jess. I loved the characters of both Lindsay and Hope, their enduring relationship with each other, seeing just how far Lindsay will go for Hope. This is an engaging crime mystery that drew me in easily, wanting to know what happened to Hope, and I appreciated the inclusion of Ellie, who at long last finds harrowing answers to the demons that had plagued her for so long. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Before reading The Girl She was I had only read a couple of Burke’s solo work and the book she wrote with Mary Higgins Clark, so I had no idea this one was part of a series. Despite being book 6 in the Ellie Hatcher series it can be perfectly read (and enjoyed) as a stand alone as the recurring character has a minor role in the plot.

Hope Miller is the name she gave herself fourteen years ago after she suffered a car crashed and had a severe case of amnesia. Fourteen years later she’s gone missing and it will be her best friend Lindsay with the help of Detective Ellie Hatcher the one trying to find her as they try to get some answers about Hope’s past.

This was quite the page turner! I got completely engaged from the get go. I found Hope’s backstory very intriguing. Does she really not remember anything about her past or is she faking it? Granted, the story gets a bit convoluted at times and there’re way too many characters making it hard at times to keep track of all of them, but once you stop a minute to go over every piece of information, it is a really enjoyable story.

Although there were several references to Ellie’s backstory and some of it tied with the current case, it was not a problem not having read the previous books. In fact, my interest got piqued enough to want to read the first five books in the series and learn more about Ellie’s character.

Once the puzzle pieces start falling into place they revealed a tight plot that managed to combine both cases in a very satisfying way.

Super quick and entertaining read, well written and excellently plotted, with the reader following a trail of clues that will lead to a surprising ending. Absolutely recommended if you’re in the mood for a good suspense police procedural.

Thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

She was going to find her friend.’

Hope Miller is missing. Her friend Lindsay Kelly is concerned. But who is Hope Miller? Fourteen years ago, a young woman was found thrown from an overturned vehicle near the US town of Hopewell. She had no memory of her life before the accident and started her new life under the name Hope Miller. She and Lindsay became best friends, but recently Hope moved away to a new job with a real estate agent in the Hamptons and then she disappeared. After not hearing from Hope, Lindsay travels to the Hamptons to try to find her.

Just before she disappeared, Hope prepared a house for an open house viewing. A bloodstain found at that house is linked to a young man who is found dead soon after. But where is Hope?

Be prepared for a complex investigation which involves Detective Ellie Hatcher of the NYPD and ties in to a twenty-three-year-old investigation into a serial killer. There are plenty of twists and a few coincidences to be negotiated before the end.

While Detective Ellie Hatcher is involved in this story, this is a standalone novel, and it is not necessary to read Ms Burke’s previous Ellie Hatcher novels.

I enjoyed the read: it was interesting without being totally engrossing.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Hope Miller is the name taken by a woman who was found next to an overturned car fifteen years ago near the town of Hopewell. Waking up in hospital with nothing to identify her, she had no idea who she was or where she came from. When her amnesia persisted, the local community took her in and helped her settle into Hopewell where she quickly became part caring community.

Hope also became good friends with the young woman who found her, Lindsay Kelley and her family, eventually sharing an apartment with Lindsay after Lindsay finished her law degree in college and moved back to Hopewell. But after a trip to the Hamptons, Hope decided to move there and take a job staging houses for a real estate agent. However, when she Lindsay doesn't hear from Hope for a few days she travels to the Hamptons to discover that Hope has disappeared. Also that the police want to speak to her in connection with the death of a young man whose blood was found in a house Hope was staging for an open house viewing just before she disappeared.

What follows is quite a complicated tale which will eventually lead to a twenty three year old police investigation into a serial killer in Kansas. Detective Ellie Hatcher of the NYPD is the daughter of the detective who worked that case and somehow that’s enough for her to get talked into helping Lindsay investigate the death of the young man. With a big cast of characters and a tangled path of twists and false turns tying the crimes together, it’s important to concentrate on the plot. Although, there are five previous books in Alafair Burke’s Ellie Hatcher series, the author has stated that this is written a stand-alone novel. This mostly works, however prior knowledge of Ellie’s past history would certainly help the reader understand some of her issues and their resolution better. Overall, a fairly enjoyable mystery but on that got bogged down with a complicated plot and never really achieved any suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of The Girl She Was by Alastair Burke
A story of memory loss, lies and deceit.
Hope Miller is in a car crash that takes her memory, until 15 years later when she meets someone.
This is a twisty tale of lies and half truths that wil send you in different directions.
A very good read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a real slow burner of a read. It is part of a series to feature Detective Ellie Hatcher but works as a stand alone. Hope disappears, seemingly without a trace, and her friend Lindsay is compelled to search for her. I got lost in the middle but persevered to the end as I wanted to get some answers to connections to the past. There are multiple characters and the ending left me feeling slightly disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This is my first crime mystery by Alafair Burke who is the daughter of James Lee Burke whose atmospheric thrillers set in the Louisiana bayous I really digest. She has clearly inherited his writing talent; Alafair Burke has her very distinct voice and is a crafty storyteller.

“The Girl she was” tells the story of Hope Miller who survived a serious car crash with total amnesia and no memory of her past life. In her new life Hope develops an exceptionally close bond with her friend Lindsay Kelly, a lawyer who is surprised when Hope decides to start a new life on Montauk. When Hope gets entangled in a murder case, the need to find out who she really was before becomes very pressing for Lindsay.

“The Girl she was” keeps you in suspense for a very long time, with many twists and turns until the last pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alafair Burke for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

I finished reading the Girl She Was in one sitting and was intrigued by what will happen next. I found the book easy to read, moving from each character swiftly.

I felt each character was developed well, giving me a sense of who is who and why are they the way they are and what is their importance in the book.

However, I didn't get that sense of a thrill when reading a mystery-thriller which was a let down for me.

This exciting story told from multiple characters was a great read. I did find the sheer amount of characters involved a little overwhelming at first and at times reread a few chapters to get the story straight in my head about who's who etc. This maybe possible be down to the book being part of a series that I was unaware of, despite this, it did not affect the storyline at all.
I did guess the culprit shall we say but it didn't ruin it for me as I was intrigued to find out the why/what/how etc. Unlike many books, it all tied up very neatly with everything having an explanation which I find quite rare in thrillers so I would rate this a very strong 4 of out 5 stars.
#TheGirlSheWas #NetGalley

Detective Ellie Hatcher #6

She calls herself Hope Miller, but she has no idea who she really is. Fourteen years ago, she was found thrown from an overturned vehicle, with no clue to her identity. Hope started a new life, but never recovered her memory. Now she's missing. With nowhere else to turn, Hope's best friend, Lindsey Kelly, calls NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher. In pursuit of answers, the three women search for the truth beneath long-buried secrets. And when their searches converge, what they find will upend everything they've ever known.

I've wanted to read an Alafair Burke book ever since I had read her Under Suspicion series written alongside the late Mary Higgins Clark. I di not know at the time of requesting the book that it was also part of a series.

A woman was found unconscious near her overturned car. She never regained her memory and now, fourteen years later, calls herself Hope Miller. She has become very close to Lindsey Kelly, the woman who found her after the accident.

This as an easy book to read but there was far too much going on. Hope is missing and Lyndsey is trying to find her along with a NYPD detective. Filled with lots of twists and a great twist at the end, this is quite a complex read. But the loose ends are tied up.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #FaberandFaber and the author #AlafairBurke for my ARC of #TheGirlSheWasin exchange for an honest review.

This was a really great mystery novel that kept my interest all the way through. I have not read any other books that this author has written on her own but have read quite a few that she has co-authored and all have been great reads. The story is quite far-fetched but it did not stop my enjoyment and I would totally recommend.. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me access to an early review copy.

When I started reading this book I did not realise it was part of a series and to be honest it actually read easily as a stand alone novel as no prior knowledge was required. In fact, because I enjoyed it , I feel encouraged to go back and read the previous books in this series featuring Detective Ellie Hatcher.
Lindsay’s best friend, Hope, decides to move from their home town and start afresh in the Hamptons. Lindsay is not so keen but gives her friend space as there are unusual circumstances. She tries to carry on her life as a criminal defence lawyer and spends more time with her boyfriend, Scott who encourages her to let Hope find her own way.
Hope had survived a car crash, 15 years earlier when Lindsay found and helped her but she had lost her memory of her previous life and has never regained it. In fact Hope is only a name she has chosen as she is unable to remember her real name.
When Hope suddenly goes missing in the Hamptons, Lindsay tries to find out what has happened and teams up with Ellie Hatcher who also has a connection to the case due to some evidence that is found at the last place Hope is supposed to have been when working as an estate agent.
This is a twisty thriller which examines the affect amnesia can have on someone’s life. Hope cannot even get a driving license as she does not know her real name. In fact the author builds up the story so cleverly that the reader really does not know who to trust. Even Hope herself becomes suspect when a dead body is found.
This was a compelling and enjoyable thriller which entertained me from page one- what more could one ask from a book? I shall certainly be looking out for more novels by this author and as I said earlier, I will be looking at reading previous books in this series. I definitely recommend it to mystery and thriller fans who seek books with clever and twisty plots!
Thanks to NetGalley and Faberge and Faber for my arc.

The Girl She Was (also titled Find Me) is a novel by former District Attorney, Professor of Law and American author, Alafair Burke. It features NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher. Fifteen years ago, freshman law student Lindsay Kelly, on her way home to Hopewell, saved the life of a young woman in a car accident. The woman woke from a coma with complete amnesia, never regaining her memory, and was given the name Hope Miller. Hope and Lindsay became best friends.

Now, just weeks after she has left Hopewell to strike out on her own in East Hampton, Hope seems to be missing. Lindsay is torn between wanting to give her space and concern for her welfare: the latter wins out. She retraces, as far as possible, her friend’s last known movements, growing more alarmed with everything she learns. When a local cop turns up a bloodstain at the last place Hope was known to be, Lindsay is frustrated by his dismissive attitude.

The DNA from the blood produces a puzzling link to a serial killer case in Wichita, Kansas, a case that Detective Ellie Hatcher’s father, Jerry worked on before his death. Lindsay contacts Ellie, and they pose a number of possible scenarios to explain the link. But Hope is still missing and, before Lindsay has found her, a man is dead and Hope is a suspect for his murder.

Burke’s latest novel grips the reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until the final shocking reveal. The rollercoaster ride to the climax is littered with red herrings, distractions and diversions that will have the reader second-guessing almost every conclusion they draw, and the continual about-faces regarding Hope’s veracity may leave the reader needing chiropractic attention: can she really not remember, or is she a very good actress?

In a story that has many denying, fleeing and hiding from traumatic incidents in unhappy past lives and features a paedophile, and corrupt or lazy police, Burke also gives fans of her Ellie Hatcher novels a satisfying resolution to an important part of Ellie’s journey. Excellent stand-alone crime fiction that is impossible to put down.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Faber & Faber

The Girl She Was by Alafair Burke

Fifteen years ago, Hope Miller crashes a car in Hopewell she wakes up with amnesia that never goes away and she has no idea who she is, where she is from and why she was driving a stolen car. In Hopewell Hope makes a friend, Lindsay and they are inseparable, but now Hope wants to start a life of her own and moves to the Hamptons, she gets a job there and somewhere to live and all seems to be going well until one month later when Hope suddenly disappears and Lindsay can not get in contact with her at all. Lindsay comes to the Hamptons and gets in touch with the local police to report Hope as a missing person but they don’t seem to be doing anything to find Hope so she starts to do her own investigation.

Overall, this book was very interesting with lots of twists and turns but I had ages to get into the story and at the beginning of the book there were so many characters I had no idea who everyone was and more characters kept being introduced with each new chapter. But once you got into the story it was ok.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Faber and Faber Ltd for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Hope Miller doesn't know who she really is. Found in a car wreck when she was just a teenager and suffering from amnesia, she was taken in by the locals and given a new identity. But now, fourteen years later, Hope has decided it's time for a fresh start and relocated to a small town where no-one knows her strange history. Lindsay Kelly, Hope's best friend, is not convinced. And when Hope goes missing, it seems Lindsay might have been right. Has someone taken Hope? Has her mysterious past caught up with her at last? And can Lindsay find her before it's too late?

I have loved the other novels I've read by this author, and found them smart, well-paced, and cleverly plotted. This one just didn't do it for me. Sometimes police procedurals leave me a little cold and that was the case here - there was a lot of filling in who everyone was and how they related to each other, and the legalese and police jargon was sometimes so dry and felt so unnecessary to me that I had to keep putting the book down. I loved the premise but I found the book itself very slow and just didn't click with any of the characters. I will certainly read future novels by Alafair Burke but this one wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for granting me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and it was the first form this author and I'll definitely want to read more. This was brilliant and cleverly linked two stories together. Brilliant and great characters.

I enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would! What a fantastic plot, beautifully written, intertwining the relationships between the characters in such an ingenious and realistic way.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for an advance copy of The Girl She Was, the sixth novel to feature NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher.

Fourteen years ago a young woman was found in an overturned stolen car suffering from amnesia. Now she is known as Hope Miller and she has never recovered her memory. She has moved to the Hamptons to try and restart her life, but she has gone missing and her friend Lindsay Kelly is worried and she asks Ellie Hatcher for help.

I enjoyed The Girl She Was to a point. It has an interesting plot and plenty of developments but it lacks that spark that compels the reader to keep turning the pages.

The novel is told from multiple points of view, notably Hope, Lindsay and Ellie, with Lindsay’s voice driving the narrative and to a large extent the investigation. Ellie has a secondary, but at some points, pivotal role in proceedings. Hope is the background figure whose life is the impetus for the investigation.

The plot is fairly convoluted and I can’t say much more than that without spoilers. It all goes back to Hope’s teenage years and the memories she has blacked out and turns out to be much wider in scope than a missing person case would suggest as it also offers Ellie some resolution to a tragedy in her past. It’s clever the way the author slots it all together, but there’s no real tension or excitement in the telling.

The Girl She Was is a solid read, interesting but not compulsive.