I love stories that involve missing people and this one certainly does. This was so realistic. It kept me engaged the whole time.

Beautifully written and relatable book which touches on distressing themes without trying to shock.

Read if you like books about people and their relationships and how they’re affected by the horrible things that people do to each other.

A true masterful mix of tension and intrigue that grips you from page one and doesn’t let up, seriously go get the book

This deeply disquieting novel is a cut above the slew of domestic thrillers on the market. The tension is constant as this well paced story unfolds through the years. Brilliantly written with very real characters.
My thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance review copy.

A fantastic book that I couldn’t put down. The author covered some sensitive subjects very well and portrayed the way so many family members are affected by one abusive partner.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I loved this book, the characters were great i really got into them throughout the book. I found it quite emotional at times, Found it easy to read and follow the journey throughout the book. Loved the ending

This is a powerful. moving story, what a brilliant debut for Una Mannion!

I loved the characters, their strength and determination in finding out the truth of Deena disappearance was very inspiring. The control Lucas subjects Deena first, and Ruby later is described so well, it really makes you feel the constraints even in small, apparently insignificant things, that put all together result in a very toxic, abusive situation.

A book I will recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber & Faber for the advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Deena Garvey disappeared one day, she never turned up for work and left behind her daughter Ruby. Dena's sister Nessa is convinced it has something to do with Lucas who was Deena's abusive partner.

This heartbreaking story is told in 2 timelines and focuses on teenage Ruby who is living with her father Lucas. Her mother is never spoken about and she has dim memories of her.

Nessa has concentrated on finding Ruby and will do whatever is necessary to find her.

This beautifully written book has larger than life characters that draw you in emotionally, making you feel invested in them.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

A poetic look at violence’ and what is left in it’s wake. The complex sorrows of those left behind with no way of getting answers. I found this both compelling and meandering in equal measure.

This was a very sad story about a controlling husband/father and his young daughter. The father manages to get control of the child after her mother supposedly goes missing. The story progresses as the child gets older and the domination continues. When the child is 18 years old everything comes tumbling down due to the efforts of the childs aunt.. A very tense and sadly very real story.

A mother disappears and her daughter goes to live with her father and grandmother, becoming estranged from her aunt, with whom she had previously been close. The disappearance is unresolved for several years until the daughter and the aunt start piecing together memories and clues to a long forgotten crime. This book is well written, with relatable characters, but I found it slow going at times.

With thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Built on a foundation of the legacies that domestic abuse and coercion leave, this novel is not an easy read, but it is a very worthwhile one. Fourteen years ago and after her mother disappeared suddenly without trace, Ruby was taken from Philadelphia to live in a remote part of Vermont with her intimidating father Lucas and her grandmother. Now that Ruby is getting older, howver, fleeting memories of her early life with her mother resurface in her imagination. Will she ever find out what happened to her mother? Meanwhile, over in Philadelphia, Ruby’s aunt Nessa is doing whatever she can to re-establish contact with her niece and to seek justice for her missing sister. Beautifully written, this tense book will keep you thinking about its female characters long after you have turned its last page. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the free ARC that allowed me to familiarise myself with Una Mannion’s work and to review this unique, compelling novel.

This was a very engrossing, powerful read. A family drama, set in Philadelphia , and it tells the story of two women who are pulled apart by a dreadful crime and how they find each other again over a period of fourteen years.
It was a bit of a slow starter for me but when it got going ,I found it a very moving, engrossing, atmospheric read and rather sad at times. The multiple time lines did confuse me at times and I wasn’t sure about the ending. A rather emotional read.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this book.

A tough subject matter but beautifully written. Deena has disappeared, her daughter Ruby leaves with her father Lucas. Nessa is Deenas sister and believes Lucas killed Deena. The book takes you from when Ruby was 4 to today when she is 18. A mix of past and present. Seen through Ruby and Nessa. Would recommend because the truth does come out

Nessa Garvey is still hurting fourteen years after her sister Deena went missing , in all that time Nessa still believes that Deena's husband Lucas had something to do with it.
Nessa hasn't seen her niece Ruby in all that time as her father has refused it.
The story is a little slow to begin with but there are was wonderful characters throughout the book.

A fantastic read. What really happened in 2004? Can it be discovered before it’s too late? Well written

A beautifully written story across multiple timelines and from multiple characters point of view. I did find it the pace a bit slow but it really picked up in the second half and I am glad I stuck with it!

This book felt very very real and heartfelt. It is excellently written: the characters are vividly portrayed, their actions ring true and the dialogue is spot on. It is well paced and structured.

The main characters are Nessa and her niece, Ruby. Nessa is the older sister of Deena, who at 17 was sucked into an abusive relationship with an older man, Lucas. Her family are very worried about her, intensely mistrustful of Lucas, but - typically - he is manipulative and estranges Deena from her family until he has total power over her. When their daughter is a toddler, and Deena tries to leave, she suddenly disappears. Nessa is convinced that Lucas has done something, but lives in hope that her sister will be found someday and that she and her daughter will come back.

Meanwhile, Lucas is given custody of Ruby. He brings her to live with his mother, and raises her in his mother's house, first homeschooling her until forced to allow her to go to school.

The novel follows Ruby and Nessa over the next 15 years. It is an excellent portrayal of domestic violence, and of coercive control even without violence. It highlights how difficult it is for families to help their loved ones who are subjected to this abuse, and how little the law supports them.

Fantastic writing, fantastic story, but I so wanted more, when it ended I wanted to hear more about them being together again

I absolutely loved this book. I was such a fan of A crooked Tree so had high expectations for this and it didn’t disappoint. I was engrossed in this story and found the writing incredible. The characterisation was developed so well through the book. I did at times get confused with the different time periods but it did help develop the plot. I didn’t want this story to end!!! Amazing