Jaime deBlanc has crafted a story that is breathtaking in its careful handling of Natasha’s grief and the relationships undone by a disappearance. I was continually gripped by the story but also deBlanc’s writing, it is truly a delight to read.

Highly recommend to readers who enjoy a mystery and want to be absorbed in its telling

After Image is a passable thriller about the disappearance of the daughter of a famous actress, seen through the eyes of her ex-stepsister.

I found myself growing increasingly frustrated with the characters of this book as they overlooked or clumsily announced each new plot point. It was a bit like being able to see your exit but having to sit in traffic a while longer.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.
What a terrific debut novel! It ticked all my boxes: well written, great story, very likeable protagonist and also an excellent mystery.
The missing woman and her step sister's relationship and its ups and downs are very relatable. The Hollywood characters are predictable and the ending is wonderfully surprising. I loved this book and am looking forward to the author's one. Highly recommended, don't miss this book!

A solid debut novel that will satisfy those who read BuzzFeed, in that Allie Andersen is 21 and the beautiful but troubled daughter of famous and acclaimed actress Isabel Andersen…now why can’t Nicole Kidman or Reese Witherspoon have a daughter just like that, darn it?

Four years ago Allie disappeared and this devastated her family and became huge fodder for the media. The tabloids accused everyone in Allie’s life of having something to do with it including her roommate and stepsister Natasha.

Since Allie’s disappearance Natasha has suffered from panic attacks but she’s improving, until a woman’s body is discovered. She teams up with a detective who worked the case to look for the truth.

So, not reinventing the wheel here, and, of course, the police are totally unprofessional and are clearly fine with allowing a civilian, wait, not just a civilian but a suspect to interfere with a case, but, you know, you’ve got to come at these things with some ability to suspend all disbelief at the door, right?

"What an impressive and captivating first novel! Jaime LaBlanc's 'After Image' immediately grabbed my attention. The story revolves around Natasha, the step-sister of Allie Anderson, the daughter of a renowned actress who vanished under mysterious circumstances four years ago. Still grappling with the aftermath, Natasha's life takes a sinister turn when a lifeless body is discovered, and a keychain left on her doorstep. The unfolding events leave readers puzzled, as they try to decipher the significance behind it all. With unexpected twists and turns, the story keeps you engaged until the very end. 'After Image' is a must-read that deserves a prominent spot on your reading list!"

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer Books for the ARC to read and review!

For a debut novel, all I have to say is WOW! Such a deep dive into emotions, friendships, family drama, sisterly bonds, etc! I loved the ending, and with any psychological thriller, did not see it coming. So kudos to the author for weaving such a great story with an even greater conclusion!

After Image follows my favorite thriller narrative style, where the protagonist falls into unraveling a mystery. The one has so many interesting characters and dynamics, which added a lot of compelling nuance to an already interesting story. I'll definitely be looking out for whatever Jaime deBlanc publishes next.

An actress's daughter, Allie, disappears without a trace. Not only could the police not find her, they were never sure if it was murder, suicide, or a deliberate disappearance. Approaching the fourth anniversary of Allie vanishing, her stepsister, Natasha, has suffered greatly but has never given up hope of finding her. When an unidentified body is found, and a new clue literally drops on Tasha's doorstep, can she convince the police to investigate further, or will she continue to do so on her own, even if it is a dangerous undertaking?

The first part of this book was so dark and depressing that I almost gave up. When the clue is left on Tasha's doorstep, the story became more engaging, causing me to persevere. Each clue led to an unexpected, but satisfying conclusion to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

After Image by Jaime deBlanc is a book you won’t believe is a debut…this reads like the author has been writing bestsellers for years! It’s about the disappearance of Allie, daughter of a famous actress. She vanished four years ago and her step sister Natasha is committed to uncovering what really happened. You really don’t need to know much going into this, just that if you’ve heard the premise, or something similar before, and you’re tired of the typical cliches - this is not like that. ‘Young beautiful girl goes missing’ stories are everywhere but this is something special.

Within the first few pages, the reader is put at ease - this author knows what she’s doing and you’re able to settle into the story quickly, as if it were already familiar to you. It has short, sharp chapters that are engaging and fast paced. We are introduced to a lot of characters quickly, but it was done perfectly, with realistic dialogue and characters fully fleshed out, yet not overly described to the point where it all gets lost. I didn’t have to flip back and wonder who was who. Masterfully crafted main and minor characters.

I wasn’t waiting or hoping for a twist or something big to happen because the writing, storyline and pacing were all so terrific already. I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter of this book, particularly the scenes between Natasha and Ruiz, they were just magnetic. Allie’s energy also jumped off the page, I can imagine her as if she’s real. It played out like a tv show in my mind or a movie, and I hope it becomes one!

To find criticism of this book I would have to grasp at straws. Thank you Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for my ARC.

Years after a young woman’s mysterious disappearance, her stepsister is compelled to discover the truth in a novel of haunting psychological suspense!!
Wow wow wow!! I thought this book was going to be totally different! I actually put it off for a bit! Omg it’s close to one of my top favorite books this year!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had such a fantastic storyline! It had me glued to my kindle! It had great suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, revenge, a fantastic who done it that was very hard to guess! And talk about some wild twists and turns! I highly recommend reading this book! It’s so worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me! Great book!!

For a debut novel, all I have to say is WOW! Such a deep dive into emotions, friendships, family drama, sisterly bonds et al. to describe the captivating story of a missing person, Allie, and the continued search by her sister, Natasha. New evidence comes to light 4 years after her disappearance and Natasha will not give up on her sister. She even puts her life in jeopardy to find the truth about Allie's disappearance. Of course, there are many twists and turns along the way and the reader never quite knows who to believe as more details continue to surface. The story also continues to jump from present to past experiences and events, which only helps to solidify the bond between the stepsisters, Allie and Natasha, who are two very different people with very different backgrounds. But those differences don't matter in the end and Natasha will not give up in her search for answers. I loved the ending, and with any psychological thriller, did not see it coming. So kudos to the author for weaving such a great story with an even greater conclusion!

Thanks again to Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read and review this ARC of After Image.
#AfterImage #NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer