Fresh off the heels of a divorce, a midlist mystery writer returns to his hometown of Berlin, Connecticut to accept a teaching job at his alma mater. Renting a house from a childhood buddy, he’s excited for a new start and the opportunity to take a break from writing. But when an Amber Alert is issued for two girls in a nearby town, memories of his past in Berlin come flooding back, specifically the unsolved disappearance of two teenage twin girls in 1985 when he was 15.

He’s never forgotten Annabelle and Ava Rogers or the day they disappeared all those years ago. How could he? They were his friends, and Annabelle was the first girl to break his heart. Now, all these years later, the similarities between the girls in the Amber Alert and the Rogers twins have his mind whirring. When his teaching job falls through, he decides to write a true crime novel about their disappearance, which means doing some investigating of his own. However, it’s quickly made clear that those around him, including the police, aren’t thrilled with his digging. He’s hot on the tail of the man he suspects took the twins, but the true culprit is hot on his tail, willing to do anything to keep him from discovering the truth. Who it is will shock him – and create one helluva final twist for you.

As taut and twisty as it is fast paced, “Say My Name” by Joe Clifford is guaranteed to tie your mind into knots. A perfect blend of metafiction and psychological thriller, the author uses a stream-of-consciousness narrative style to tell the story of writing a true crime novel about a crime that never happened. Because this style mimics the non-linear way our brains work, we get a deeper view into the narrator’s thought process and mental state, which makes the book all the more edgy and addictive.

“Say My Name” is full of twists that start early on and keep on coming. Combine the twists with a few red herrings, and you won’t be able to figure out what’s actually true and what’s not, not even when it comes to the narrator. Is the narrator a liar? The police have their suspicions. I did too. And who is the narrator anyway? The title of the book seems like a challenge for you to figure out. Could the narrator be a version of the author himself, making the author the main character? With the references in the book to the Jay Porter crime fiction series (written by Joe Clifford), it very likely could be. You’ll have to read for yourself to decide.

Psychological thrillers are a dime a dozen nowadays. Some of them can start to feel cookie-cutter and predictable when you read as many as I do. Luckily, that’s not the case with “Say My Name”. It’s unique and compelling. The whodunnit aspect of the book can be figured out, but not on the first guess and not long before the author reveals it to you. It feels wrong to say a book about missing teenagers is refreshing, but (in the world of psych thrillers) “Say My Name” is exactly that. I highly recommend it.

Say My Name (2023) is Clifford’s latest novel. It is a novel about a writer who is writing (or at least researching) a true crime story about two fifteen-year-old girls, Annabelle and Ana Rodgers, who disappeared from the mall back when the author was fifteen too. Indeed, one of the missing girls had been his first big childhood crush, although he always believed she was out of his league. The character who is the author in this book is sort of Joe Clifford and sort of not. They are both writers. They both grew up in Berlin, Connecticut, and lived in San Francisco, before returning. Both are it seems introspective writers. So it is a part true crime story about a writer writing about a writer about a place where both the writer and the writer character grew up. Also, there are a few references to the Jay Porter series Clifford wrote (but as if the main character wrote the series) set on Lamentation Mountain about a handyman.

Beginning with the author’s note at the front of the book, it is hard to determine whether it is a true crime story or not or whether the “author” speaking at the front is Clifford or the character in the novel. We are told that the twins disappeared from the mall in 1985 and forty years later had never been found and it remained a black mark on the idyllic New England town and was still shocking to those who grew up there and knew the two girls. The other major point scored in the introduction by the “author” is that perhaps monsters do not just life in closets and under beds. Perhaps monsters are hiding in plain sight in our home towns, shopping at the same stores, eating at the same restaurants. “We don’t recognize them, Because they look just like us.”

Coming off a bitter divorce, the narrator returns to his hometown (where his only living relative is an oddball uncle Iver), he intends to write a true crime story about the missing twins from 1985 and maybe, just maybe, come up with answers to the town’s leading mystery. Much of the novel is introspective thoughts about a writer often lost in his own thoughts and disconnected to the outside world. He investigates though and is warned off the investigation and beaten till he was hospitalized, but doggedly still thinks he can resolve this old matter.

There is an introspective feel to the narration similar in many respects to what is found in Clifford’s Jay Porter novels, but this is a different character and a different story.

Say my name by Joe Clifford is one of those classic crime novels that Truman Capote would be proud of. Now is it perfect? No, but it does a good job at upping the tension and anxiety of being a combined true crime novelist and trying to solve some kidnappings and murders.

The plot is as easy as it goes and that is what makes this book wonderful to digest. It is about a writer trying to find his way in this sleazy world, make some money, solve some crimes, maybe connect two missing persons cases forty years apart.

What people are not going to like is that it takes a very long time for it to get to where it is going. To me that is okay, it just means the writer is stretching his fingers to get his point across, but some people may not like that. Also, some people may feel the anxiety that the writer felt writing this in such a time crunch. I mean, he only mentioned that he was a writer and worked better with a deadline a million times in this novel.

Now, if you can overcome that, then you are really going to enjoy this book. The author does a fantastic job getting into the head of what it is like being a writer and the pressures we put on ourselves to always do better. I think that is what hit home with me the most. It felt like the writer was breaking the fourth wall by telling me that is anxiety and depression induced trauma if you want to be a writer. Plus, the pay stinks unless you become rich.

Overall, i liked it enough to go out and order a physical copy and another one of Joe Clifford's book, because I wanted to see if it was a fluke that he was able to make me feel so anxious reading a book. So far, I do not want to give him an ego, but it is his writing style, which is a good thing when a writer can make you feel the words that he is writing.

Don't take my word for it, go out there and get your own copy and find out if you like it as much as I did.

Happy reading, but stay out of trouble.
Chris Humphrey

I received a complimentary ARC of this excellent mystery novel from Netgalley, the author Joe Clifford, and publisher BooksGoSocial on June 5, 2023. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Say Miy Name of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Joe Clifford to friends and family. He writes a fine tale, one to keep you up way too late, but worth the loss of sleep.

Our mystery takes place in the small town of Berlin, Connecticut, and our protagonist, a novelist, is newly divorced, hired at the local university to teach writing but laid off before his first day, and still pleased to be 'home' after many years in Sunny California. Winter though, that's something he had almost forgotten. Even before he finishes unpacking, he has decided to write a 'true crime' novel about the disappearance from the mall in a neighboring town nearly 40 years ago of twin girls he went to high school with. The girls have never been found, and coincidentally two sisters about the same age have just disappeared from a different neighboring small-town mall, bringing the disappearance of Annabelle and Ava back to the minds of Berlin natives. It becomes essential to him - Annabelle was the first girl to ever break his heart. He and his best buddies from those days will try to solve this crime, and find closure for the community. Yes, he will write a true crime novel. If he lives that long...

This is a story about a writer who is looking for answers from his past. Even though he is a successful writer, he feels like a failure. Two missing girls, Annabelle and Ava Rodgers has been haunting him since the time they disappeared. But can he find the answers now, after all these years? Sometimes it is best to leave the past buried, for the remaining living souls. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

This is a true crime novel…what??? Is this a thing…Yep! With Joe Clifford as the author, anything is possible. The main character, is a writer and he has decided to write a true crime book about the disappearance of twins from his hometown. Needless to say, this does not bode well for him. He is attacked on all fronts. But why? What exactly is he exposing?

This book is intriguing from start to finish. And the ending…oh boy! You better pay attention! Now, the only reason for the 4 star rating is the main character (which I don’t think his name is ever mentioned…hence the title of the book!) is a bit of a mess. He is researching a “true crime” book but he ignores all phone calls and unplugs a great deal. But, like I said…the ending opens a lot of truths!

I have read every single one of this author’s books. And I will continue to try and read every one he writes. He is so diverse and different in every book. And this one tops the diversity list. But, my favorite is still The Shadow People.

Need a good thriller with an ending that is not at all what anyone will expect…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The main character finds hisself back in Berlin Connecticut after a divorce he reconnect with old friends some willingly and some clearly by accident but when he gets an amber alert for two girls that witnessing in a town a couple of cities the way from Berlin he is reminded of the twins that went missing when he was 12 he had a crush on Annabel even though they’re going missing would’ve been a loss had it just been a schoolmate it was made even more severe by his first teenage crush, he decides he’s going to write a nonfiction book about the girls going missing in the crime that took place but was is there a crime? I guess he’s left out to the readers to decide I really like the approachable feel he gave till I guess himself the main character I didn’t like the way he treated his uncle Iver who clearly cared about him but that is a small small part of the plot this was a great book if you love a great fiction book then you will Love “say my name” by Joseph Clifford I felt like we got a Flys eyeview of the behind the scenes in inner dialogue of writing and the writer. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Say My Name by Joe Clifford was exactly what I had expected. I really enjoyed Joe's first book Junkie Love and found most of the 5 books in his Jay porter series rather good reads, but since that time, his writing has taken a landslide down hill.
Say My Name had a somewhat interesting premise, but all the potential it had was let down by the ending. The book itself was made almost unreadable by his continued problem of way too many pop cultural references and celebrity name dropping. The author also seemed rather self-absorbed by constantly referencing how he had written all these books and theywere published in different languages, and earned him a trip to Italy, but none of it related to the story except that they were all based in the area of Berlin, Connecticut. All of these unnecessary references stopped the pace of the story and made it really hard to read

I have read almost every book Joe Clifford has written, but will never read another, even if it is offered free, by Netgalley for a review. I definitely would not reccomend this book to anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t really work for me. I felt like we spent most of the book watching the main character drink and then drive drunk, smoke and flail about, unable to make a decision about anything. I got SO TIRED of this guy drinking and driving, telling himself what a piece of garbage he was for doing it the next day, and then doing it again the next night. Gross. I was able to guess the plot twist in this one halfway through, and the main character remained oblivious until the last possible second. Half of the books issued stemmed from miscommunication, because the main character acted like a child and ignored any phone call or conversation he didn’t want to have, and just hoped his problems would go away. I had high hopes for this, but it did not deliver.

SAY MY NAME is a true crime story about a crime that never happened … or did it?

On the heels of a divorce, a midlist mystery writer returns to his hometown in Central CT and is dragged back into a decades’ old, unsolved case involving former missing classmates to expose the horrific secrets of a quaint, idyllic New England town.

Fusing the modern domestic psychological thriller with popular unsolved mysteries (Girl on the Train meets In Cold Blood), this meta blend of true crime and fiction plays with expectations and perspective before its mind-blowing conclusion.

I really enjoyed this story. I like the unique take on this thriller. My first and not last read by Joe Clifford. Will recommend to others.

I’ve read many of this author’s books, none in the vein of metafiction like this one. The title sums it up and is appropriate. It’s a psychological sledgehammer hitting you with an array of hometown suspects in the fate of two missing twin girls. A writer returns to his small hometown in Berlin, Connecticut. He’s getting a divorce, drinking too much, writing to little. He decides to craft a new mystery based on the true disappearance of Annabelle and Ava. Bodies have never been found, presumed dead. Reconnecting with childhood friends Jack, Jim, and Ron, he becomes quite obsessed in solving the case, not just writing a fictional story. Answers come with consequences when he begins to suspect the only family he has left, uncle Iver. Another old acquaintance is local cop Wayne who is seemingly bailing him out of sticky messes.
Are the girls still alive, missing or were their murders swept under layers of small town dust? Read it for yourself to find out the truth. Not at all what I expected, still scratching my head wondering what I missed. The writing style will not be for everyone. A few of the rambling pontifications threatened to bog me down. None of my theoretical perpetrators held up to scrutiny. The resolution was unexpected and made perfect sense all at once.
“Say My Name” by Joe Clifford, published by BooksGoSocial, was provided to me by NetGalley as a digital advance reader copy. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

A great meta novel and lots of bits that you can nod to if you're a reader of his past works. Full review on Murder in Common here:
https://murderincommon.com/2023/05/14/joe-clifford-say-my-name/

This was a DNF for me. I'm disappointed as the book synopsis seemed promising and I am a true crime junkie. I didn't get too far into the book before realizing this would not be a hit with me. The constant telling by the narrator versus showing made it difficult to get through. I made sense that two teens (?) went missing when he was a child but couldn't get passed the narration. We hear too much of his thought process and not enough of it mattered or moved the storyline. Main character probably had something to do with it, but I'll never know. At this point, I don't care.

Another good one from Joe Clifford. This one is a great ride where we spend most of our time in the MC's headspace, and what makes this so interesting is the MC is the author, although i assume in a (somwhat) fictionalized portrayal. There is a mystery or two in this one and they are engaging, tho the conclusions are not too far out there if you have been paying attention...or are they. The ending may leave some guessing as to what was really going on.....but i really enjoyed the ride and seeing the world through this characters eyes. 4 stars

🔎 REVIEW 🔎

Say My Name by Joe Clifford

Publishing Date: 6th June 2023

⭐️.5/5

In 1985, Annabelle and Ava Rodgers disappeared from small town Berlin in Connecticut, last seen at the mall. Joe Clifford knew these girls, and the mystery of their disappearance haunted him for 30 years before he returned to Berlin and began investigating and writing this book to try and crack the case. Nothing could have prepared him for what would unravel.

The synopsis of this book gave me such high hopes. I’m a sucker for true crime and weird twisted stories, which this definitely falls under. However, Clifford is a fiction mystery writer with many novels under his belt, and he has not managed to crack the non fiction genre for me here. While I understand Clifford felt personally involved in the case, this was taken to the extreme to a point where I felt it self-indulgent and even self-obsessed. He constantly talked about his fiction series which is not what I care about. While the book is more about the unravelling of the story as he writes, I would have loved more concrete detail as expected in a true crime book, with proper facts not so coloured by emotions.
The last 15% of the book did have me a lot more invested, as I wanted to see how the final resolution would play out, but still wasn’t enough to balance out the rest.

I will also say, even for a proof, the number of spelling errors and grammar mistakes was almost intolerable. Using the wrong your/you’re, words completely misspelled to a point where I wasn’t 100% sure what they were supposed to mean.

Hard to blame a book for what's it's not, but all the mentions of those depressing books in the snow had me wishing this was a Jay Porter novel. Instead, we are treated to a snide, self pitying version of Clifford himself, spinning out following a divorce and pondering the disappearance of twin girls in his teenage years.

It's partly way too meta and following Clifford on social media and having listened to interviews means I know too much about the real Clifford to get invested in this version of him.

On the plus side, the mystery plays out in tandem with this so you don't see the parts come together until they do.

This was a little too knowing in what it was trying to do and while I admired the concept, it didn't fully hit the mark for me.

Great pace and action make this book literally a non-stop read. I loved the care taken in detailing the characters of the town in which it is set and was left wondering what might have been based in fact. An excellent, enjoyable book.

A Seemingly Idyllic Place..
A mystery writer returns to his seemingly idyllic, yet claustrophobic, hometown - amidst his own personal and domestic issues - and finds himself pulled into an unsolved crime which took place years before. The small town vibe is done exceedingly well. Careful characterisation, an atmospheric and firm sense of place and a sense of growing tension combine to produce a truly compelling and engaging tale of an author relentlessly pursuing a true crime where fact and fiction blur.

I am sorry to say I did not enjoy this book. I thought the sory was all over the place. I also thought there was too much of the main character thinking about writing the book, then actually writing it. I thought there was too much filler in the book.

I will not leave a review on the net. Someone else might really like the book, this book was not for me.

I do appreciate the opportunity to have read the arc.

I wasn't sure whether I was reading a crazy novel or a novel with a crazy narrator. It didn't take long for our returning novelist to get involved in an old case involving the disappearance of twins he knew in high school. He relentlessly pursues any leads he finds as he plans to write his first nonfiction story about the case. In Say My Name, author Joe Clifford creates an aggressive story that sometimes feels like a stream of consciousness in its approach. He missed big clues and ends up with surprising results. I enjoyed the novel.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.