Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood is one of those stories that digs deep into your emotions while keeping you hooked with its twists and turns. The book follows Harry and Zara King, a couple whose 17-year-old daughter, Sophie, goes missing. As the police investigation stalls, their desperation grows, and they decide to take matters into their own hands. Though I'm not a parent, the pain and determination they felt were so vivid, I could feel it through every page.
I enjoy dual timelines and here the author weaves together the immediate aftermath of Sophie's disappearance with a murder trial a year later, and I liked the way these two threads come together. Every chapter left me questioning what I thought I knew, and by the time I reached the ending, I was completely floored.
The emotional depth of this book is what makes it so powerful. The raw grief, guilt, and obsession that consume Harry and Zara. It felt so real, and I couldn't help but feel for them, even when their decisions weren't always perfect. And the courtroom scenes? They were so well-written and tense, you could tell the author's legal background added a layer of authenticity.
This is not just a story about a missing girl's - it's about love, loss, and how far we're willing to go for the people we care about.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ooooh, I gushed a lot about this one on Currently Reading. I loved the trial timeline mixed in with the mystery timeline and the way the stories came together. It was dark and twisty and artfully done.

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood is a peek inside the lives and minds of the parents of a missing teenager – and how far they will go to find her. When seventeen-year-old Sophie King disappears, everyone but her parents assumes she’s run away, leaving Harry and Zara desperate and alone.

Frustrated with the police getting nowhere, they start their own investigation—often separately—keeping secrets from each other that threaten to pull them apart. They soon zero in on a reclusive neighbor who refuses to engage with them, and their search quickly spirals into obsession.

The pace builds slowly, reflecting Harry and Zara’s slog through one day after another as their lives remain on hold in Sophie’s absence. Soon, the pace picks up, and Finding Sophie becomes unputdownable as it speeds toward a surprising conclusion.

If you’re a fan of family drama and domestic suspense, Finding Sophie is a worthwhile read.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Finding Sophie from Bantam and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Finding Sophie was such a fun mystery to dive into. In this, you are meeting Harry and Zara. They are parents to seventeen-year-old Sophie, who has disappeared after one of their arguments. Most of their neighborhood has dropped everything to help them in any way of finding her. It's just unfortunate that one of the neighbors, the guy who lives in 210, hasn't lifted a single finger. So, it's only fair to assume that they just keep imagining the overall worse due to this.

Throughout the book, we get both of their points of view and the murder trial. This book had it's fair share of suspense throughout it. So many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Now I'm not a parent, unless you count plants and pets, but the unknown seemed to be pretty unbearable. If I didn't see their pain, confusion, and stress from it all, I would only imagine the absolute worst.

In the end, I think the legal system in this book was interesting. I feel like I learned something new when it came to that, but also the mystery kept the pages flying by. Especially with the ending, because that was a good surprise. I definitely enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one by this author.

"Finding Sophie" by Imran Mahmood is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the harrowing journey of two parents desperately searching for their missing daughter. Released on March 5, 2024, this novel has quickly garnered attention for its intense narrative and complex character development.
The story follows Harry and Zara King, whose 17-year-old daughter Sophie disappears without a trace. As the police investigation stalls, the desperate parents take matters into their own hands, leading to a taut and emotionally charged narrative. Mahmood skillfully alternates between the perspectives of Harry and Zara, offering insight into their individual grief and the strain on their relationship.
One of the novel's strengths lies in its dual timeline structure, shifting between the weeks following Sophie's disappearance and a murder trial a year later. This approach creates a palpable sense of suspense, keeping readers guessing about the true nature of Sophie's fate and the consequences of her parents' actions.
Mahmood's background as a barrister lends authenticity to the legal aspects of the story, particularly evident in the courtroom scenes. His writing style is praised for its intelligence and mesmerizing quality, drawing readers into the emotional turmoil of the characters.
The author excels at exploring the psychological impact of grief and desperation on the protagonists. The obsession with their uncooperative neighbor at number 210 becomes a focal point of the investigation, leading to increasingly questionable decisions by Harry and Zara.
While some readers found the pacing slow in the first half, many praised the novel's second half for its gripping courtroom drama and surprising revelations. The book's exploration of family dynamics, the nature of grief, and the lengths parents will go to for their children adds depth to what could have been a straightforward missing person story.
"Finding Sophie" is not just a thriller but a profound examination of parental love, grief, and the consequences of obsession. Mahmood's taut yet moving prose creates a compelling narrative that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page.
In conclusion, "Finding Sophie" is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense. While it may require some patience in the early chapters, the payoff in the latter half makes it a worthwhile and engrossing read..

Two parents, desperate to find their missing daughter, stand accused of murder. How far will they go to find the truth?

I felt this book was pretty slow for me. As I got toward the end and figuring out what happened I become more interested.

A chilling thriller that hooks you in!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this review copy and the opportunity !

I am admitting defeat with this one. I have tried it multiple times since before it published and I just can’t get into it. The parents read as the same character. I wanted more depth and emotions. I wanted to feel like I had to know what happened to Sophie, and for me, the urgency wasn’t there. I know this has been getting love and shoutouts and I’m so happy it’s found its readers.

"Finding Sophie" is a heartfelt and emotionally resonant novel that explores themes of love, loss, and personal growth. The author crafts a beautiful story about self-discovery, with a protagonist who is both relatable and compelling. The writing is lyrical, and the pacing is steady, allowing readers to become fully immersed in the narrative. The emotional depth and complex relationships make the story truly captivating. While the plot is mostly strong, some moments feel predictable, and a few characters could have been more fully developed. Despite these minor flaws, "Finding Sophie" is a touching and memorable read that will stay with readers long after.

How far would you go to find your missing teen? When 17-year-old Sophie goes missing, her parents do everything you're supposed to do when a child goes missing— then they do some things you're not supposed to do in order to move the case along. The story alternates perspectives, between Sophie's parents, and timelines, from the aftermath of Sophie's disappearance and a murder trial. This one twists and turns and you won't want to miss the surprise ending!

I went back and forth with this book, sometimes I could not put it down and other times I felt a bit lost. There is a lot going on in this book, not just a missing child. We have a marriage on the rocks, the child's parents. How does one deal with a missing loved one? What would you do to get answers? Well- you don't really know that answer unless it happens to you. Other reviews suggest sticking around for the ending, so that is why I stuck around.

On paper this could’ve worked for me but sadly it didn’t and I ended up putting it aside. I found it slow going and convoluted with confusing events and not enough excitement to keep me reading it.

Finding Sophie is a domestic thriller surrounding the disappearance of a teenage girl in a quiet community. Seventeen year old Sophie has disappeared. The police have been involved, but six weeks later the family is no closer to finding out what has happened to their daughter than they were on day one. Zara and Harry, Sophie's parents, are convinced that they know who took their daughter and they're about to do anything they can to prove it. Told in alternating POVs of Zara and Harry and in dual timelines, this thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

It's been a little while since a book kept me up past my bedtime reading. Finding Sophie is a slow burn with some family drama elements, a little British court and police procedural, and a lot of suspense. Although a bit repetitive and therefore a little longer than needed, Imran Mahmood has given us a dual timeline that works because each chapter has us questioning ourselves, the characters, and more than once this reader asking "could you please just TALK to one another?!?"
The ending had my head spinning to say the least, and the thriller elements of this novel did not disappoint. Short chapters will please readers of James Patterson and the legal elements will appeal to readers of John Grisham and Stacey Abrams, with an extra gift for Anglophiles.

This was a heavy book because it is a parent's worst nightmare......how the main characters dealt with it was raw and honest and very touching.

✨Book Review✨
Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood
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I really enjoyed this book. Super solid thriller told from alternating perspectives. I LOVED the author's choices in how this story unfolded and the timing of what the reader was allowed to know and when. Even though the narrators were British, I still really enjoyed the audio and loved having different readers for the two points of view. This was so well executed and is definitely one that I recommend!

To be completely honest, it took me a few months to finish this book, which is longer than I would normally give a book. I would consider it a slow burn but it definitely kept my attention and I was drawn to needing to know more. I needed to know what happened.

I enjoyed the MC’s, as a parent I understood them and sympathized with them 100%! I truly enjoyed the plot, the writing & different perspectives are one of my favorite styles so I am unsure why I couldn’t devour it.

With that being said, I absolutely loved the book. I would hands down recommend it. It was a book that even when I was not reading and though I “struggled” to read more that a few chapters at a time, I was constantly thinking about it & wanting to know what was happening and where it was going. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I had a really hard time with this one. I found I didn’t really like any of the characters. I felt bad for the parents but all the things they did after their daughter’s disappearance just didn’t work for me. I finished it and it was just okay.

I really tried to get through this but ended up DNFing at chapter 68. This book felt very disorganized to me, it felt very rambly without really getting anywhere and it was often unclear what was going on which made it difficult to keep reading.