Clare Mackintosh offers a captivating story that you will surely lose sleep over. International bestselling author, indeed! Words cannot express how fulfilling this story is. I See You has everything you would expect from a mystery, but more daring.

The story is written from three perspectives. Zoe Walker, who becomes paranoid when she finds her picture in a newspaper ad; DC Kelly Swift, who is determined to catch all the bad guys; and of course, the killer. I believe this is the first mystery I've read that mixes first person and third person perspectives in this manner. It was strange at first, but I liked believing that every chapter had its own mini cliff hanger. It made me read that much faster so that I could get back to whatever situation was just happening.

If findtheone.com was a real website I'd be just as freaked out as Zoe Walker. As much as I don't want to believe that someone could aid in the stalking of women, I could picture it happening in real life. All of Zoe's paranoia throughout the story took a life of its own. I felt just as anxious as she did and I knew to expect something terrible. The steady pacing of the novel did absolutely nothing to calm my nerves, but I love that Clare Mackintosh keeps readers in the moment. She avoids jerking you around or stringing you along. Every moment of the story is crucial and leads to a place so unlike usual mystery conclusions.

I could not contain myself by the end of the novel. Clare Mackintosh steps away from a cookie-cutter ending and gives readers something to think about. I spent the next few hours after reading wondering about scenes in the story that were not focused on, but added to the story's conclusion. The ending was a genuine surprise, but going back through the book I can see how the story leads to the jaw dropping end.
*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.

I REALLY enjoyed this, and even better, I found its quality to be well beyond typical psychological suspense novels. I love reading them so much, but I almost always think the premise is much better than the solution. I See You delivers a great premise and a legitimately surprising ending, and the plot never took me where I thought it would. Strong characterization made it stand out even more from the pack. I'm so looking forward to her future books!

Wow.

I SEE YOU is a slow, methodical thriller that will challenge your senses and intrigue the dark recesses of your mind. At first, I wanted to put the book down several times because I was a little bored with the mundane day-to-day tasks of Zoe and Kelly, a female cop who also has a point of view in the story. And you may want to stop reading also, but keep going! Patience is key. Every task or minute detail that may seem pointless is just one small piece in this meticulously crafted web of brilliant madness. I literally had NO clue who the bad guy(s) are/were, despite my many, many preconceptions.

Ms. Mackintosh plots an intensely diabolical story full of subterfuge, danger and disciplined chaos. I was completely entertained and literally dumbfounded when I finished the book. To find out what I found out…. I was shocked and a bit fearful. In I SEE YOU, nobody is safe from harm or from scrutiny.

This one’s a thinker. I am still sitting here trying to figure out if I missed some signs while I was reading the book. And now I’m wondering what else the author has up her sleeves 😃

10 Stars for Clare Mackintosh!

***ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***

About: I See You is a thriller written by Clare Mackintosh. It will be published on 2/21/17 by Berkley Publishing Group (an Imprint of Penguin Random House), 372 pages. The genres are thriller, mystery, crime, fiction, and psychological thriller. The author has another book which was called I Let You Go, her debut published in 2014. Please see below for more info about the author. (Based on the author’s website, this book was originally published in the UK in July 2016).

My Experience: I started reading I See You on 1/30/17 and finished it on 2/7/17. This book is such an adrenaline rush! I love reading it even though my heart was pumping and my mind was racing with who dun it. I really like the plot. It’s so normal and everyday that we don’t think twice. Human is a creature of habit and we just plowed on everyday without second thoughts. The author takes our everyday routine and turn it into a thriller that will make us stop what we are doing and analyze if we are the same way. Most likely, we are.

“Every time I talk about what’s happening. I feel stronger. It’s secrecy that’s dangerous.” 67%

In this book, readers will follow the point of view of Zoe Walker, a mother of two adult children who still live at home, a police contact named Kelly Swift, and the mysterious bad person. I like reading all of their point of views and things that goes on in their separate lives and how it’s connected. This story takes place in London, focusing on the traffic – aboveground and underground. Zoe commutes to and from work underground using the tube, aboveground, and walk. Kelly is an officer with a past that interferes with her current life. She couldn’t move on and risk losing her job dealing with it. The bad person’s narrative is really interesting to read. It raises many good points that many of us can relate to. It makes me a bit paranoid after reading this book.

“So many cameras, so many people all around. But no one’s watching, not really. Everyone’s traveling in their own little bubble, oblivious to what’s happening to their fellow commuters.” 92%

This book is definitely worth the read. I like officer Kelly, despite her fallback, she knows how to get what she wants. I like how she pursue the job she wants. I like the suspense and so many potential of suspects that I couldn’t guess who. This book has great plot and good characters. The romance is minimal. The read is fast paced and interesting. I would for sure read this book again and I highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s a thriller comparable to The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl (books I have read). I truly enjoy this book and I can’t wait to read the author’s other book!

Pro: adrenaline rush, addicting read, page turner, fast paced, couldn’t put down, relatable, public transportation, who dun it, London

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Clare Mackintosh, publisher Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read & review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com

Zoe Walker is a busy mother of two grown (but still living at home) children. Her partner, Simon, works for a local paper, and Zoe is divorced from her kids' father, Matt. She's tired trying to always make ends meet. One day, Zoe spots an ad in the classifieds that appears to feature her photo. The ad features a website and phone number, but Zoe cannot get into the password-protected site. The next day, the same ad shows a photo of another woman, and so on and so on. Meanwhile, Detective Kelly Swift is struggling to get back in the good graces of the police force after an incident derailed her career. Kelly is working a series of tube (subway)-related incidents, but she really wants to get back into real investigating. When Kelly and Zoe's paths cross, it doesn't seem as if Zoe is in any real danger, but that all changes suddenly.

I absolutely adored Mackintosh's first novel, I Let You Go - it was one of my favorite novels in 2015. It features an amazing twist and a well-written plot. I obviously had high expectations for her sophomore novel. Unfortunately, for me, this one didn't quite live up to my expectations. It's certainly an interesting novel with an intriguing premise, but I didn't buy the premise outside of a novel. You sort of have to suspend disbelief to allow yourself to read on with the plot: even though it's rooted in technology and our society's obsession with technology and dating, the overall construct just seems to be a stretch. The beginning portion of the novel was compelling, but slow, and I kept waiting for it to pick up. I also could see a lot of the plot pieces coming.

The novel alternates between chapters from Zoe's point of view and Kelly's. I liked Kelly's chapters so much more and found myself a bit annoyed going back to Zoe at times - she was whiny and irritating for a while. Kelly was far more nuanced (though a bit too focused on the past), but her chapters were far better at adding suspense and tension. The novel certainly does pick up nearing the end, and I definitely wanted to find out what happened and who was responsible for what.

But even then, the motivation for the "bad guy" was a bit odd and poorly done. Like a lot of the plot, it seemed a bit of a stretch. It was saved somewhat by the epilogue, which offered a good twist (although I had my suspicions), but I wasn't sure it made up for the whole book, and it didn't make me gasp like her first book. (Poor author, being held up to impossible follow-on standards.) Overall, I did find this novel puzzling, though hindered somewhat but a slightly preposterous plot. I'm glad I read it, but I certainly prefer her first novel. (I'll still eagerly await anything from Mackintosh, however!)

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review. It is available everywhere as of 02/21/2017.

"Routine is comforting to you. It’s familiar, reassuring.
Routine makes you feel safe.
Routine will kill you."

I Let You Go was so freaking amazing that I knew I wanted to read Clare's next book. I couldn't wait for the American version, so I started the British one right away (thanks book depository!).

The beginning felt a little slow for me but after that 10% mark, the pages pretty much just flipped by themselves. I was on a quest to learn every detail about the mastermind behind this horrible website. I wasn't sure why the women were chosen, I just wanted to stop it before more were harmed.

I liked how the author gave us glimpses into the deranged mind of the person behind it all. Each time I felt scared as to what could happen next.

"I see you. But you don’t see me."


It all starts with Zoe Walker finding her picture in the classified sections of a newspaper advertising call girls while she is on the Tube. She's sure the picture is her but when she gets home, her family thinks it might not be. She lives with her two grown children Katie and Justin and her boyfriend Simon. She becomes more afraid when she recognizes another woman's picture from the same newspaper who's robbed a few days later. She immediately contacts the police. This is the first time she interacts with PC Kelly Swift.

Kelly was part of British Transport Police’s Sexual Offences Unit but after doing something wrong at work, she was transferred to the BTP (British Transport Police) department She is very interested in trying to help women who have been raped. Her police instinct is telling her that Zoe is right and someone is targeting women by finding out their commute. She later is able to participate in the active search and works with DI Nick Rampello under his MIT team (Murder Investigation Teams).

After finishing reading it, I'm sad I won't see more of Kelly and Nick. I thought they created a great team. He had her back and he recognized how smart she was. I wish this could turn into a series.

I liked Zoe too. She was smart and she knew she was in trouble, alerting the authorities of what was happening. She connected the dots and knew she might be next.

I See You it's a great thriller which makes you think twice about who's watching you when you don't know. Who's snapping a picture when you are not looking.

"You do the same thing every day.
You know exactly where you’re going.
You’re not alone."

I wonder what Mrs. Mackintosh would bring us next.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

Man oh man what did I read? Let me tell you this I was so caught up in this book that when the ending came about I was thinking to myself OH NO SHE DIDN'T GO THERE!!! I loved the ending.

So Zoe is a single mom of two, who is in a relationship with Simon and trying to live day to day.
When she sees her picture in the paper it has her uneasy even though no one wants to really believe it is her. Then it starts getting a bit crazier as Zoe starts seeing others and knows that something else has to be going on, but will she be a victim as well. It seems that someone out there is playing a game with unsuspecting women.
Then in pops up Kelly an officer who is determine to investigate who is putting people in the newspaper. What they end up uncover is something that is HUGE! It just goes too show you that you can never truly trust anyone.
While Kelly is investigating she is also coming to terms with her twin sister's decision to move on with her life. It is like the two things that Kelly is dealing with go hand to hand in some way.
We go back and forth between the different P.O.V.'s of Kelly and Zoe and for me it was not confusing at all.
Can't wait to read more by this author.
Characters! Zoe is kind of plain just trying her best to make it and support her family. Though we see her start to panic and really see just how much she cares for her family when put into a situation. It made it exciting.
Kelly the police officer. I liked her she came into the story just running the show. She didn't back down when not finding answers she kept trying until she got what she needed. I hope we get more books with Kelly in it, because I think we got just a small taste of who she really is and what she can do.
I can't wait to read more by this author. I love how she is able to just pull you in and have you guessing until the end to find out who dun it.

The premise of "I See You" is promising - we are all so caught up in our daily routines, doing things the same way, out of habit and/or comfort, that we don't recognize the possible danger in being so predictable. Zoe Walker is one such woman of habit, who one day sees a picture of herself in the advertisements of a local paper for a website called "find.the.one." Knowing she didn't sign up for a dating service, she calls the phone number listed in the ad, only to find it a bogus one.

Over the course of several days, Zoe sees other women in ads for the same website, and becomes alarmed when these women are attacked, raped and/or killed. Naturally, she becomes fearful for her safety, and Zoe's increasing anxiety is supposed to carry the book. Except that it really doesn't. The book is a bit slow and Zoe's fears become monotonous. And to tell the truth, Zoe isn't very relatable or likeable. I care about her as a fellow woman, but as a character? Not really. I found police officer Kelly to be a much more interesting and fully developed character than Zoe.

Suspenseful? Not as much as the book description and hype led me to believe. A nice twist at the end - you bet! But not enough to raise my rating higher than 3 stars. But I would gladly read another book by Clare Mackintosh; I hear her debut novel was a knock-out!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this novel.

A debut like "I Let You Go" is a hard act to follow. Ms. Mackintosh's sophomore effort fell somewhat flat for me. The suspense did not last throughout the novel and it contrived in several spots. The premise of Zoe's stalking and her fear were well defined, but the villain of the piece did not seem realistic and the final twist at the end was one I had suspected from early on.

Zoe Walker takes the same route to and from work everyday never suspecting she is being watched. She sees her picture in a classified ad among the escort and naughty hotline ads. Looking in past editions of the paper, she sees other women's pictures attached to the ads who have been recent victims of crime. Is she next? As the story unfolds, the tension and paranoia build as it heads for the suspenseful ending. I really enjoyed this book although it made me wonder in our distracted society, do we really know who may be watching us at any time?

A woman commuting on a London train notices her picture in a newspaper dating website advertisement. Does she have a doppelganger or is it really her picture? And if it is her, how did they get her picture and why are they using it?

I enjoyed this book very much! The premise was really original and clever, and the telling of the story from multiple points of view was well done. I enjoyed the characters--Zoe the working mom wondering if she's being overly paranoid, Kelly the talented investigator with some hidden issues, and the snippets from the person orchestrating the advertisements. This was a 5-star, page turner all the way, definitely keeping me guessing as to "who done it." The only mar to the books perfection was the over-the-top, Harlan-Coben-style ending that didn't seem to fit with the subtle, cleverness of the rest of the book. Still, a very good, engrossing story!

This was not as good as her first book. but it would be hard for anyone to beat, I Let You Go.
That said, it was still quite the psychological thriller.
Zoe finds her picture on a dating ad in the newspaper, but she has no idea who took the picture and how it ended up there. As she investigates, it turns out other women who's pictures were posted the same way, have ended up dead. She hopes to find the killer before she's the one killed.

In a world full of cameras, we assume most are there to keep us safe as we travel along. But what if those cameras are used instead to put you in danger you can't see coming? Mackintosh's suspenseful story alternates between Zoe, a commuter who is shocked to find her picture on a dating ad in a commuter newspaper, and Kelly, a transit cop. As they work, both together and separately, to find out what is happening, they soon discover that the danger is closer than they think.

Who's the bad guy? That's the question on everyone's mind when flipping through thrillers. Sometimes, the answer is so painfully obvious it's embarrassing, and other times you're guessing until the final word. Thankfully, I See You fell into the latter. I was 100% convinced it was Person X and I don't think I've ever been happier to have been wrong.

I See You is a novel you can breeze through easily in an afternoon. The first chapters were a bit on the rough side with too many unnecessary tangents from main character Zoe's point of view. However, that may have been intentional. Zoe wasn't supposed to be exciting. She was supposed to be a mundane, dull, average woman going about her day-to-day life. It was when Zoe got thrust out of her comfortable world into a whirlwind of panic that the story began to shine.

We get introduced to Kelly, the police officer investigating Zoe's case, and she steals the story. In fact, I wish we had a few extra chapters with Kelly as the focus as she felt a much stronger character than Zoe; Kelly's chapters had a bit more substance and mystery. She was a tough character with a complicated past that seeped into her present.

I'm not a fan of dual-POVs where the characters aren't narrated in the same POV—Zoe's chapters were in first person and Kelly's in third person. For me, I would have enjoyed the story more if both characters were in third person. Zoe's internal thinkings slowed the book down, making it a bit monotonous in a few areas where the tension could have been ramped up.

However, with that said, the tension is fantastic! It built up without me noticing, and I had to take a small break when when my knuckles turned white from clutching my book too hard. After a few cups of much needed tea, I finished the book in one go for a superb finale!

Maybe you're all better at guessing who culprits are, but I'm SO happy I didn't figure it out. That killer twist in the last chapter made it all worthwhile.

Thanks so much to Berkley Publishing for sending over a copy!

I See You by Clare Mackintosh is a suspense thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder. Told from multiple perspectives I could set this down and devoured it on a cold, damp Sunday afternoon.

Five reasons to make I See You your next read:

-Some stories draw the reader immediately in and I See You does just that. We meet Zoe Walker as she takes the tube home from a thankless job. As she thumbs through the newspaper she comes across a classified ad from FindTheOne.com with a phone number and a grainy photo that looks an awful lot like her. Meanwhile, Kelly a police officer working the tubes struggles for a second chance after crossing the line. These two characters will converge when a theft case and Zoe's concerns over the strange ad bring them together. The tale that unfolds had me flipping the pages as we are introduced to thoughts of the person running FindTheOne.com

-I loved the different threads that allowed us to get to know both of these strong female characters, their families, and co-workers. While some may feel these side threads slowed the story, I felt it allowed me to connect and grounded the tale.

-The premise of this case, which becomes a murder mystery is clever and based in enough reality to be downright scary. As someone who doesn't like going to strange places and prefers the comfort of routine and familiarity, the concept is downright scary. While the threat is a well known Mackintosh weaved in modern technology and our own habits to ramp up the suspense and danger. The threat is real, and the author reminds you that no one is safe.

-I loved being a part of the case both professionally along with Kelly and the Homicide Department and tagging along with Zoe as she begins to find connections. The story delivered twists, turns, and red herrings that had me enthralled.

-I See You was a well written, fast-paced tale that shares all angles of a case that will have you looking over your shoulder...because someone is watching and waiting.

Mild Trigger Warning- the book discusses sexual assault and while not detailed one of the characters suffers from PTSD and flashbacks.

This is a thriller that really does make you think about your everyday routines and commutes. You never know who may be watching! I heard a lot of great things about this book and was excited to obtain an ARC copy but was somewhat disappointed. It took me awhile to really get into it. I was probably a third of the way into it when I was like finally something is happening! Then I couldn’t put it down and finished the rest of the book in one sitting. However, I just couldn’t connect with the main characters and felt that we got too many details about things that just seemed pointless. I found part of the ending to be quite predictable and part to be- well just odd. There didn’t seem to be a good reason for the one character to be involved. I have not read I Let You Go yet but still plan to. Overall I See You wasn’t the greatest book I’ve ever read nor was it the worst. The concept is pretty creepy but we all know that stalking does happen in many forms! I do appreciate the ARC copy – thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing it.

This was an excellent thriller! I had to force myself to stop reading when it was time to go to work/take care of my kids--a definite page-turner. Zoe Walker, a 40-something mom of two young-adults, is shocked when she sees her picture in the newspaper's dating advertisement. Her family tells her she's overreacting, until other women pictured in the newspaper become victims of horrible crimes. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing who the killer is--highly recommended! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the preview copy.

Readers who love to be sucked into a story need to grab a copy of Mackintosh's latest novel, I See You. This book, while a little slow at first, is an exceptional and exciting read. Now I can see why many readers rave about this authors work. It engrossed me. It is a unique and gripping read and I felt highly engaged to the storyline. I can't wait to pick up the authors debut novel after reading this one!

I See You is a thriller about a woman who stumbles upon a criminal enterprise which provides women to men with certain sociopathic tendencies. The twist is that the women don't know they are being trafficked in this way - many don't even know they are being trafficked at all until they end up dead. Zoe Walker has to worry that every man in her life is a potential murderer because they are all keeping secrets from her. In the end, the main antagonist turns out to be someone unexpected.
I See You manages to avoid many of the awful cliche's and tropes of the thriller genre and is worth the time even for those unfamiliar with London and British customs.

Zoe has a routine for work days. She goes the same way all the time, has her favorite seats and reads while on the underground. She likes where she lives, so she commutes. All is well until she looks at an ad in the back of the paper and finds they have escort services, dates and more listed. That's not what bothers her; it's her picture staring back at her that's scary. She didn't put that ad in; who did? And why?

Berkley Publishing and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published February 21st.

This author has a way of getting under my skin. She creates insidious crimes that make you shiver. She maintains the pace and the tension from the beginning of the story to the end. And I'll most likely read her next book, too.

When Zoe notices another person in the old ads that she's seen before, she begins to realize it's not just happening to her. The original police officer is very interested in the case but she's not assigned to it. The new officer is not as concerned but he soon has reason to be.

Someone is creating these ads and men are paying for details. Some are raped and assaulted. Two of them end up dead. Zoe has good reason to be worried. Soon she can't even trust the man she's living with. She has no idea who's after her but she doesn't want to get hurt.

This is a very twisted tale. The person running the website is someone very close to her. It comes to a death threat up close and personal. What's most chilling is even though one person is dead, the original perpetrator is still on the loose. This story is over but it's not finished...