Member Reviews

This book surely will have you on the edge of your chairs as you read!
There is mystery, psychological suspense and a choking fear at times as we see a Halloween kidnapping that is repeated thirty years later!
What?
Why?
I could not imagine how this craziness would end, but Rea Frey weaves an amazingly detailed story that truly had me up late to hurry and find out the conclusion for these victims!

If you enjoy a good drama- this one is for you!
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Thomas &Mercer for this ARC and allowing me to read and review.
Well done!

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This book is suspenseful right from chapter one! Cora was kidnapped on Halloween many years ago and now the same thing has happened to her daughter. As she tries to solve the mystery of who has her daughter and why she finds she doesn’t know who to trust. Everyone seems to be a suspect! Gymnastics plays a big part of the story along with name dropping many famous US Olympians and gymnasts which was an interesting aspect of the plot. Be sure to add this one to your TBR for a fast paced and interesting read!

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Rea does it again! She writes such emotionally charged thrillers that are so engrossing. This was a fast-paced thriller that I didn’t want to put down. This had dual timelines and a plot so addictive you won’t want to put this down.

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I adore Frey's books and this one hit it out of the park! Cora's four-year-old daughter, Lulu goes missing on Halloween night and Cora is frantic with worry as she too has nightmares about Halloween as she was abducted years ago when she was a young gymnast and had hopes to go to the '96 Olympics. But the kidnapper now wants 1 million dollars and of course Cora would do anything to get Lulu back, but where will she get that kind of cash? Vacillating in time between "now" and "then," the book details her harrowing journey as she attempts to discover if these two events are connected or just random. Fortunately her friend, Joe is an ex-cop and is more than willing to help her solve this mystery in order to get her daughter back. Jealousy, revenge, and greed all play into this magnificent book that had me on the edge of my seat until the final page!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

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[Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

This book is a mother’s worst fears come to life. Halloween is always a tough time of year for Cora. She was kidnapped at the same time of year as a young teen and now her little girl, Lu, goes missing while trick or treating. Interweaving past and present timelines, we learn that Cora is a former Olympic gymnastics champion. This page turner features old rivalries, and the world of competitive sports.

What would you do for your child? Would you do almost anything? This book examines just that. A main theme of the book also involves mother/daughter relationships. This was a quick read and I wanted to know what would happen, even if the plot was a stretch for me. There are many suspects, harrowing choices and a crazy twist. If you are a fan of psychological fiction, this may be right up your alley.

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Thank you @reafreyauthor & @netgalley for my complimentary digital copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Prepare for an exhilarating journey into the cutthroat realm of Olympic gymnastics, intertwined with the drama of high school rivalries!

Cora Valentine, a gold medal-winning gymnast, leads a secluded life, haunted by the trauma of her teenage kidnapping. Years later, as a mother to a young daughter, she bravely steps out to take her trick-or-treating. But everything changes when her daughter suddenly vanishes, leaving Cora with a chilling message:

𝘛𝘰 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘌𝘭𝘴𝘦‘𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥
𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

How far will Cora go to reclaim her daughter?

This gripping tale hooks you from the start, with the spine-chilling ransom note amplifying the tension. Through alternating timelines, we delve into Cora’s harrowing past during her abduction. Racing against the clock, she must not only navigate the desperate quest to save her daughter but also face the cruel “mean girls” who once tormented her. I highly recommend this for lovers of domestic suspense.

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When Cora’s daughter, Lulu, is kidnapped, she can’t help but wonder if it is somehow linked to her own unsolved kidnapping many years ago. Told through dual timelines, the story alternates between Cora’s experience being kidnapped as a young teenager and the current nightmare she is living, as she tries to find out what happened to Lulu. Cora thought she could leave her past behind her but it may be back to haunt her and this time, she fears her daughter’s life is at stake. She will stop at nothing to save Lulu, even if it means that she has to take another child…

This book takes you on a wild ride from start to finish! It was everything I love in a thriller and kept me hooked all the way through. I couldn’t put it down… I finished it in two sittings and found both timelines equally suspenseful! I really enjoyed the characters and the setting of the book. The fact that it took place during Halloween also added to the creepy vibe. I love when a book surprises me and although I had a feeling about who was behind at least one of the kidnappings, I definitely didn’t have this one all figured out!

This is a great read for anyone looking for a gripping thriller and definitely perfect for this time of year!

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The story starts with an intriguing dark tone, but as it progresses, the twists feel a bit forced and less convincing. The ending, while aiming for something dramatic, didn’t have the impact I expected and felt more like a missed opportunity. Instead of adding depth, the final moments seemed a bit over the top and disconnected from the story's earlier atmosphere. While the narrative had potential, the execution didn't quite deliver the way I had hoped.

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Rea is one of my faves so I was excited to get this. The past to present flashbacks are absolutely flawless. I could feel Cora's desperation as she races to find out who from her past is coming for her. The big twist made my eyes legit pop open and my jaw drop. Don't miss this one it's definetly making all the top thriller lists next year!

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Every parent’s worst nightmare comes to light in this dual timeline thriller. Full of atmosphere and excitement, two abductions, decades apart, have an eerie connection. The feeling of a mother’s despair in both timelines left me gutted with emotion yet I appreciated the determination in Cora’s character to find the devil in the details!

The narrative alternates between the life of a young gymnast and her present-day role as a mother, delving into the dark side of competitive sports and the extreme lengths some will go to achieve success. Packed with twists, red herrings, and a haunting Halloween backdrop, this book will keep you turning pages late into the night!

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When She's Gone by Rea Frey ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller by Rea Frey.

The story is told in multiple timelines. Cora Valentines was kidnapped as a teenager one terrible Halloween night. She survived and tries to make the most of her life along with her 4 year old daughter. When she is kidnapped, Cora must uncover what truly happened to her on the night she was taken before her daughter pays the price.

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Rea Frey writes out the box kind of books. I love them. This one was no different. I had no idea where it was going. Cora was kidnapped when she was a teenager. She survived. She's now grown with a daughter of her own. When her daughter is kidnapped on the same night years later, she knows it's connected. As she looks for her daughter, she finds she can't trust anyone. It's a parents worst nightmare, and Rea Frey writes wonderfully.

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Wow, wow and wow. This was an excellent book. It had me from the very beginning where she talks about being taken on Halloween and then shortly after her daughter also being taken on Halloween. You know there’s a connection but you don’t know what the connection is. I didn’t see the ending coming, which is rare for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book. And side note…i will not be entering a haunted house any time soon haha. Bravo Rea Frey!

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A big fan of Author Rea Frey, I’m so excited to share her most recent novel, “When She’s Gone”! A thriller filled with suspense, secrets, lies, hope and transition.

The topic grabbed me immediately since I’ve always loved watching gymnastics, especially in the 90’s. The familiar names brought familiarity, a page turner I read in 2 days.

On one horrible Halloween night, a kidnapping of a young gymnast, Cora, shook the world. Her life told in dual times lines of “Now and Then”, keeping me riveted to each page. A nightmare, a lifetime of fear took over Cora’s young life until she is rescued and able to try out for the Olympics. Despite her success, she had questions never answered. Later in years, on one horrible Halloween night, Cora’s 4 year old daughter, LuLu is taken! Cora’s nightmare continues as she is sick out of her mind with worry why all of this is happening. Still wondering why it all happened in her young childhood, she remains so distraught to this day, even worse now with it being her own child.

Author Rea Frey did such an amazing job with character development and a compelling plot, it kept you guessing til the end. A puzzle and question of trust, history and deception kept me intrigued and praying for Cora to have answers!

I highly recommend this thriller! I recommend reading “A Note to readers” and “Acknowledgements” at the end, it explains so much. After reading a challenging storyline, it provides hope in what can sometimes seem a despairing world.
Thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse and @netgalley @amazonpublishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

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Rea Frey has done it again! Immediately this book starts with a punch and never lets you go for the whole read. A fabulous page turner that had me wondering who was truly the victim and who was the villain. Anything with the rivalry and psychological distress that being an Olympic athlete pertains will plays pique my interest.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

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Cora Valentine hates Halloween, but that evening, she needs to take her daughter to join the Halloween Festive of trick or treats and Halloween parade. Any parent's worst nightmare happened to Cora that evening, her four years old daughter is nowhere to be seen and she gets a note from a kidnapper not to call police and follow the instruction given to her.
Cora used to be a gymnast and had unforgettable experience on the Halloween day. What happened to her daughter is like a dejavu to her, and it makes her face a couple of friends from her gymnastic era. Who took her daughter, and what the motive behind it?

This book was inspired by the author's love of gymnastics, the 90s, and Halloween. It's a slow burn thriller, but if you love easy read popcorn thriller, this is a must grab for you.

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This book was a tense and twisted ride from start to finish. Years earlier, Cora Valentine was kidnapped on Halloween, and the culprit was never found. She hasn't gotten over the experience, and her terror is magnified when her daughter is kidnapped on Halloween. Cryptic notes and calls force her to pause and consider just how far she's willing to go to appease her daughter's kidnappers. I enjoyed the setup with the secondary characters meant to keep you guessing who the kidnapper is and what their end goal could be. Fans of tense, faster-paced thrillers will enjoy this book.

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This book was a thriller with a few
unexpected twists and turns. The
characters were likeable and I enjoyed
the nostalgia of Olympics womens
gymnastics. If you like a quick read with
the ending resolved pick up this book. I
hope to read more books by this author.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher
for an ARC of this book,

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This is my second Rea Frey book that I have read, but it will not be my last! I thought the first book I read by her was just a fluke, because how can a book be that good? This book just so happened to blow me out of the water as well. I was hooked from the very first page, and was on the edge of my seat all the way until the end. I didn’t want it to end!

I went in blind with this book (didn’t read the synopsis), Rea will forever be an ‘automatic buy author’ for me from now on.

Not to sound crazy, but you will be yelling at your e-reader, or throwing this book across the room a few times - sometimes, the characters will just bring it out of you because you get so invested. The suspense in this book happens right away, and it’s there throughout the whole book. There are no ‘boring’ parts at all in this book. And did I mention the twists and turns that are in this story? I thought I was on a roller coaster and I am pretty sure I had a slight case of whiplash by the end! Excellent way to tell a story Rea!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rea Frey and Thomas and Mercer for allowing me to read this book before publication in exchange for my honest review! Now, on my way to pre-order this book!

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Cora Valentine is a teen gymnast with Olympic aspirations. She's living just outside Atlanta right before the 1996 Olympics are to be held there. She's trained for them all her life only to be kidnapped a week before qualifying trials are held. Cora was kidnapped on Halloween and then her own daughter gets kidnapped on Halloween many years later. Are the two kidnappings related? This book has many twists. I really enjoyed this thriller. Thanks @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

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