6.5/10

Psychological Thriller that is very much a slow burn until the last 25%. Then, I was hooked. I absolutely did not guess the plot twist at all. I also really enjoyed hearing from multiple points of view throughout the book, with Cassie as the main character.

I just wish the beginning 75% kept me wanting to read. I didn’t find myself needing to pick this book back up like I would have hoped.

Thank you to Netgally and Atria Books for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved “Please Join Us” and was very excited to get an arc copy of “Have You Seen Her” I loved the setting of yosemite, the characters were well developed and I was hooked from the beginning! It felt like I was there with the characters solving this whodunnit and I loved every second of it! It was well written and I can’t to read more from Catherine McKenzie!

Opening lines: "We're losing light!" Ben yells over the whir of the blades. "We need to go!"

I turn to look out over the field to the tree line, taking in the scene of the crime. The dark green conifers, with their exposed lower limbs. The trampled glass. A wrapper from a protein bar tumbling over and over like a gymnast. A dark patch in the dirt that looks like it's tinged by rust.

I can't hear anything but the helicopter's whine, but the screams are still caught in my thoughts—sharp, terrified, then cut out, cut off.
Reason I picked up the book: I'm a big fan of Catherine McKenzie's books—you can read my previous reviews of them here.
And what's this book about?
A thrilling and timely novel about three women with dark secrets whose lives intersect in the picturesque and perilous Yosemite National Park from the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “propulsive” (Laura Dave, author of The Last Thing He Told Me) Please Join Us.

Equipped with a burner phone and a new job, Cassie Peters has left her hectic and secretive life in New York City for the refuge of her hometown of Mammoth Lakes, California. There, she begins working again with Yosemite Search and Rescue, where a case she worked a decade ago continues to haunt her.

She quickly falls into old patterns, joining a group of fellow seasonal workers and young adventurers who have made Yosemite their home during the summer. There, she meets Petal, a young woman living in a trailer with her much older wife, keeping a detailed diary of the goings on of the park, and Jada, a recent college graduate on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend, documenting their journey on Instagram.

When these three women cross paths, Cassie’s past catches up with her, and the shocking consequences ripple out far beyond what any could have imagined in this unputdownable thriller from an author who “never fails to impress” (Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author).
Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys thrillers or books with a twist.
Favorite paragraph: Fuck.

My heart is pounding as I check each comment—the original post and three other people who were wondering where I'd gotten to. Question answered, one of them said. Crazy, someone else said. I'm not sure if they meant me or the situation, but I don't care. These women aren't connected to anyone else I know in New York. No one knew I was going to that gym. I paid for my membership in cash and hid my climbing gear at the back of my closet.

But then there's a final comment on the threat that stops me cold.

Should we tell the husband?
Something to know: This was a great thriller read, and the ending really surprised me. I could definitely see it being made into a movie at some point, too.
What I would have changed: Maybe a little more detailed regarding the ending—it was believable, but I still thought there were one or two plot holes.
Overall rating: 4 stars out of 5.
Where can I find this book? Click here to buy on Amazon.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Catherine McKenzie for the advanced copy of Have You Seen Her in exchange for my honest review.

Admittedly, I had a hard time getting into this one, but once I did I was absolutely hooked. I absolutely did not see the end coming and I was extremely satisfied with how it all wrapped up.

I think one of the reasons I semi-struggled with this one was the emphasis on the climbing aspect of the story. It's not something I'm into in my personal life so I had a hard time connecting to that particular storyline.

I have only read 3 of McKenzie's recent releases but I've loved them all and she's got me thinking I need to read her entire backlist immediately!

Woah, talk about a plot twist you did NOT SEE COMING.
Incredible characters, incredible plot, incredible progression of the story. Just absolutely amazing.

Don’t believe everything you’re reading is true, don’t believe everything you’re “hearing” is true.

Wow, I just finished this book and could not put it down. It’s about Cassie who fled from her abusive husband to Yosemite National Park and gets a job in search and rescue. She meets people while she’s there and we learn about them and their stories too. The twists at the end had me speechless.

This is a multilayered thriller that definitely kept surprising me. The setting is Mammoth Lakes California where Cassie returns to work with Yosemite Search and Rescue. Once there she meets an interesting cast of characters. When a couple she has befriended goes missing it haunts her as it is reminiscent of a similar past search and rescue situation she was involved with. As Cassie is on the run from her previous life and hoping to keep under the radar it is always at the forefront of the story which constantly keeps you guessing. There is absolutely no shortage of suspense in this book. Overall another great book from this author that I highly recommend.

4 stars-This book for sure gave me a modern Strangers on a Train vibes which seems to have been quite a bit recently. That being said, I had no idea where the story was leading and was surprised by the ending. It did seem to wrap up a little too nicely for me, kind of rushed in a way… but that is my opinion and others may not agree. I love a good Catherine McKenzie book and this was one of them. Special thanks to the publisher and aNetGalley for my ARC…all opinions expressed are my own.

Wow wow wow!!! I am a big fan of Catherine McKenzie books and this one definitely did not disappoint.

So many great story lines and the twists and turns kept me racing to the end of this book. The final twist was something that I never saw coming and wow…what a twist!!!

Have You Seen Her is a medium paced thriller following Cassie who is on the run from her abusive husband. She goes back to the natural park to volunteer where years ago a fatal accident occurred and her friend had passed. We take many twists and turns throughout this book. I really enjoyed it and would recommend, it was just missing something for me to be a higher rating. I also couldn’t help but compare Jada and Jim to the Gabby Petito case but I enjoyed the ending of this

This book was SO GOOD! I’m naming this my favorite book of 2023- it was absolutely fantastic. The wilderness element gave it the best setting. The characters were all perfectly placed. I did not see the twist coming. I will be recommending this book to literally everyone I know. I’ll be looking into this author’s other books now as well too. Do yourself a favor and BUY this book! 10/10, 5 stars. Etc!

The story follows Cassie who returns to her hometown and goes back to working at Yosemite Search and Rescue. Just when she thought she was getting back into the swing of search and rescue, a young couple goes missing and old memories come flooding back to her.

The characters were well developed with some room for more if the author chose to write a sequel. Jada and her boyfriend gave me Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie vibes that I struggled to separate from the book.

The story is written in the past and present with journal entries, social media posts, and new articles sprinkled throughout, which I enjoyed. It was a bit of a slow burn that was difficult for me to stay intrigued but the twist kept me reading through the end.

This was such a great book! I did not have any of the twists figured out and was shocked by them! I would strongly recommend this book and this author!

I really liked the setting and the profession as a SAR of Cassie. Added to the adventure aspect of the story. The characters of Jada and Petal are easily distinguished although they have similar story lines. Missing hikers and the suspense picks up leading to a satisfying ending. overall diverse characters leads to a promising mystery.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Thank you Atria Books for granting me this ARC of Have You Seen Her in exchange for a honest review.

This book started slow for me but quickly caught my attention. I had it read in 3 days which is super fast for me. I had to know how it ended and I was not disappointed. Big twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Great read

I highly recommend this book and am secretly hoping for a sequel!!!

Cassie is running from her life in New York City and heads to her hometown in California. She begins working for Yosemite Search and Rescue again, but a case from a decade ago is haunting her.

She quickly falls into routine and meets Petal, a young lady living in a trailer with her much older wife. She also crosses paths with Jada, a recent college graduate on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend.

Cassie’s past catches up to her and the ripple effects are felt far and wide. You’ll never imagine how far…

This was such a fun twisty thriller. It is told from the perspective of three women all with dark secrets they don’t want shared. The setting of Yosemite National Park was beautiful and perfect. I loved it. I really enjoyed Cassie’s character and how she was a member of the special response team at the park. I also really enjoyed the dual timeline. It was a bit to get into but once I did it was great. I also really enjoyed the mixed media format – I always find that so fun and it helps bring the book to life. I can’t wait to read more books by this author as she writes fantastically.

If you are looking for a super-fast paced and delightful thriller then grab yourself a copy June 27th.

Thank you so much to Atria Books, @atriabooks, the author, @catherinemckenzieauthor, and netgalley @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Have You Seen Her got me hooked on the very first page!

I absolutely loved it! It was the thriller I didn't know I needed!

I loved the setting, in Yosemite National Park. I listen to True Crime podcasts, so I know some creepy stuff happens in National parks. People disappear, bodies turn up.

This book really kept me on the edge of my seat, and I really didn't see the twist ending coming!

Also, I enjoyed the romance sub-plot, which also made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next.

I definitely recommend this book to all fans of thrillers and mysteries!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Catherine McKenzie - 4. 5 stars rounded up!

Cassie ran away from her life in NYC and the secrets she's holding from that life. She ran home to Mammoth Lakes, CA, and got her old job back as a member of the Yosemite Search & Rescue Team. But that job holds painful memories as well from something that happened a decade ago that still haunts Cassie. At the local campsite, she meets Petal, a young woman involved with Sandy, an older woman, as well as Jada and Jim, a couple instagramming their trip in their Airstream. When Jada and Jim go missing, everything seems to come full circle for Cassie as her past confronts her.

This was quite the thriller and I couldn't put this one down, and never saw that ending coming. Cassie kept lots of secrets and you could feel her fear when the past reared its head in the present. Jada and Jim's story certainly reminded me of the Gabby Petito story. It was also fascinating to read about search and rescue teams in such wilderness areas - true heroes putting themselves at risk to help others. Another fabulous thriller by Catherine McKenzie!

Summer Roommates is an inspiring lovely story about aging, agism, being stuck in your ways, the challenges women face as they grow older, companionships and of course love. The story takes the reader on a journey with four older women in their fifties up to their seventies, all strangers to each other who live in a house in Maine for the summer, most set in their ways and the challenges they endure to not only get along and understand each other, but to also begin to comprehend themselves.

Until recently, Sandra Pennington seemed to have it all. Two great children all grown up, a loving husband, terrific friends and the beauty of her coastal town in Maine. But with the death of her husband and now her best friend diagnosed with dementia and having to be put in a care facility, this past winter came with a loneliness she had never experienced.

So, Sandra decides, with the help of a realtor to open her home up for the summer to three older women for not only the comfort of having others around, but to see if perhaps she would like to continue this experiment in the future.

She goes through the applications and picks the three women.

Mary, a lawyer who has recently retired from the job she loved due to the stress of the company being sued. Although they were found not at fault, it took its toll on Mary who now just wants some down time to relax and rebuild herself to discover what she wants next in life. Never having children and not close to her only sibling due to being a workaholic, she feels the need to discover who she is now that she’s not working.

Amanda, who is a teacher decides she needs a vacation before the next school year starts. She has lived with her boyfriend Liam for eight years. They are comfortable together and both feel marriage is not an option. Although she feels independent, she does seem to rely on Liam a great deal. Liam for some reason thinks this time away would be great for her.

Patty, the oldest is the quietest yet dresses the loudest. She lives with her sister and brother-in-law as her income is inconsistent, because of fleeting jobs which has left her with hardly any money for her retirement, a fact her sisters insist on reminding her on a daily basis. This certainly was not the way she thought she would end up. All she ever wanted was to be married and have children. But she made poor choices when she was younger to needless to say, that ship has certainly sailed!

And with the cast of characters in place for the summer, as they try to cohabitate, there are some arguments, heated debates and discussions about life, friendship and even love. As the women begin to open up to each other, they also look inward. They soon bond and all try to imagine what their futures could be like. What they discover will change their lives forever.

Summer Roommates is an uplifting, wonderfully different take on aging with strong characters and unorthodox options for their futures. And why not? You are as young as you feel!

Thank you #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #SummerRoommates #HollyChamberlin for the advanced copy.

This book has a great twist I didn’t see coming. I think the beginning could have been a lot shorter and gotten to the twist faster. This book was pretty unique, so I enjoyed it!