📖 NetGalley Review

True Crime by Georgina Lees
One More Chapter, 30th January 2024

Ten years ago, Grace's daughter Katy Harper, a promising young journalist, vanished. Grace was understandably devastated and has never come to terms with the events. Now, a new documentary is being made investigating Katy's disappearance, prompting Grace to do some dangerous detective work of her own. Someone must've known what happened, and there were several suspects at the time, but no actual evidence that a crime had been committed.

This is such an engrossing and realistic story, which captured my interest straight away and held it throughout. It explores the emotional turmoil that ensues when someone disappears and the fascination the public has with the true crime documentary and docudrama phenomenon.
Touching on elements of murder, mystery, kidnapping, and great detective work, plus realistic characters, this is an emotive book that was an easy and exciting read that I highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Georgina Lees and One More Chapter for the eARC provided via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this thriller. It was such a gripping read that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Will be recommending this to my friends.

What seemed to start off a bit slow, suddenly took off like a bullet. Full of twists and turns I was left at the edge of my seat fir the entire second half!

True Crime by Georgina Lees is about a mother and how far she will go to uncover the truth about her daughter's disappearance.

Grace's daughter, Katy, disappeared ten years ago. There is a new documentary coming out about Katy's case. This opens up old wounds, and Grace decides she needs to find out what happened so she can have some closure.

The book has a lot of twists and turns that keep me guessing until the very end.

Overall, True Crime is a very good read that will leave you hooked until the very last page. I liked it very much.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Full of suspense, and has you on the edge of your seat. You can't really ask for more.
Fantastically written and perfectly paced.

This is my 3rd book by this author and I’ve enjoyed all of them so far.
The premise of this book is unique and interesting and kept me engaged throughout.
It’s a very good thriller that I’d recommend.

This was sadly wasn't for me. We can't all like the same books & sometimes books don't hit the spot!

I enjoyed this book for the most part and read quickly because I wanted to figure out what happened. The story centers on Grace, whose 20 year old daughter, Katy, went missing without a trace 10 years before. Grace is not doing well and hasn’t ever stopped trying to find Katy when a documentary is released that brings everything back to the surface.

The book is a bit slow in parts but I thought it did a really good job at capturing Grace’s state of mind and overall feeling of helplessness. I enjoyed the mystery around what Katy was actually investigating before her disappearance. There were a couple big twists at the end and I didn’t really like the way it all worked out, but it did surprise me and I think that the loose ends were tied up cleanly.

Overall, this was a decent story and very relevant in the current landscape of true crime obsession. I enjoyed the surprises even though I wasn’t super satisfied with how it ended. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of True Crime by Georgina Lees.

The author definitely knew her audience by straight up titling the book after something that so many people love! It's it's exactly that, the kind of thing story you'd listen to on a podcast, or the tv show Snapped, except you will NOT see the twist coming at all.

This book starts out a little slowly, and quite basically. A mom, still desperately looking for her daughter who disappeared years ago. And willing to do anything to get her back, agrees to turn to media once again, highlighting all of the details and suspects around her disappearance. But when the missing girl Grace, starts narrating from her perspective, the whole story opens up to an entirely new world.

I liked this story, but I didn't LOOOOOVE it. It could have been paced a bit better, but overall would work for an engaging beach read.

## A Disappearance and a Determined Mother: A Look at "True Crime" by Georgina Lees

**Gripping Premise:** "True Crime" by Georgina Lees instantly hooks you with its central mystery. A young, aspiring journalist, Amelia, vanishes without a trace. The police investigation stalls, leaving Amelia's heartbroken mother, Helen, determined to find answers on her own.

**Following the Clues:** The book takes readers on a captivating journey as Helen delves into Amelia's life, uncovering hidden secrets, cryptic messages, and potential leads. Lees masterfully builds suspense, keeping you guessing about Amelia's fate and the motives behind her disappearance.

**Character Study in Grief and Resilience:** Helen emerges as a complex and compelling protagonist. Her grief is palpable, but it's her unwavering determination to find Amelia that drives the narrative forward. We see her strength and resourcefulness as she navigates the complexities of an unofficial investigation.

**Overall Impression:** "True Crime" is a well-written and gripping story that explores themes of loss, resilience, and the unyielding love between a mother and child. It's a captivating read for those who enjoy mysteries with a strong emotional core.

**Recommendation:** If you're looking for a suspenseful novel with a focus on character development and a determined protagonist, "True Crime" is worth checking out. However, if you're expecting a traditional true-crime format with a heavy focus on police procedure and forensic evidence, this might not be the perfect fit.

This was a deeper story than I realized. Georgina Lees takes us through the intricate details of what it is like to be a victim of a true crime, the heartache and breakdown of emotions, the investigative drive that remains until the crime is solved, and even the sharks of media that hound the victims, all in the name of telling a story to get ratings. This was a spectacular storyline that gripped me and wouldn't let me go. Well done! Look forward to reading more by Georgina in the future.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

Suspenseful and interesting! Not perfect, but I really enjoyed it. Would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller.

This is the third book I Have read by this author an I enjoyed reading it. The story centres on Grace whose daughter disappeared 10 years ago and she is still searching,hoping and grieving when she is offered a chance of a true crime documentary to be made for TV. She accepts in the hope that might lead to new evidence being found. The plot twists and turns with many suspects until a final reveal which although not too surprising does have a final twist.
This would make a good summer holiday read.

True Crime diverges from the typical narrative of a missing girl. The conclusion caught me off guard, and I found it enjoyable, although I perceived the epilogue as somewhat repetitive.

Personally, I can't imagine anything more distressing than a child, even if grown, going missing. Georgina Lees effectively captures the mother's array of emotions: a nauseating blend of anger, fear, sorrow, hopelessness, and resolve.

Despite the passing of ten years, Grace remains unwavering in her hope.The dynamics between mother and daughter remain ambiguous. Grace portrays them as extremely close, almost as friends, yet others present a different view.

I struggled to interpret Katy's friend Jo, and her perspective on Katy's disappearance made me uneasy. Two of the three suspects struck me as suspicious, and I harbored doubts about them as well.

I am afraid that this book was too slow moving for me. There was a great deal of conversation and little else happening.
Shame

3.5 stars.

This book is supposed to kind of feel like those true crime documentaries that I watch probably far more than I should. But it didn't quite capture the feeling. I think it was a great concept. I saw the twists and turns and while I didn't figure things out (a good thing) I had a hard time with what happened because it doesn't seem plausible for some of it tbh. If that what you are into go for it. The book was easy to read I didn't really like the characters.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping thriller that explores the aftermath of a missing persons case. The characters are relatable and the writing captures the raw emotions of loss and longing. An enjoyable read.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an awesome book. I love True crime in general and so glad I got to read this book. This was my first book by this author and it won't be my last. It was definitely slower in the beginning, felt like it was dragging but once you past that 30%-50% mark it really does pick up abd keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is a classic who done it story but well executed to where it has its own unique storyline.

Thank you for this arc!

I wasn't hooked since the beginning but it was a slow process and I was turning pages maniacally after some chapters.
Two POVS, a missing woman, a true crime documentary, a lot of possibile suspects.
A well done and gripping thriller
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

amazing book . really enjoyed it and the plot was written brilliantly. i loved the twists and didnt see the ending coming!
looking forward to more from this author